Love Blossoms Once More by mysteriousnight
Chapter Notes: Chapter Summary: Harry beckons Hermione to Mad-Eye Moody's house, where supposedly, he's had another episode. What will they find there?
A stormy day brought Hermione home early, to Hogsmeade, from work. She worked in the Ministry of Magic now, under Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley. She was an Auror, and had been for three years. She’d gone through the three-year training program, and she’d passed with flying colors. Her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, had been beside her the entire time, also passing the course with honors. But something happened that changed their friendship and caused Ron to retire after a year of being an Auror, that none of them like to talk about.
Hermione walked passed a store with a sign that read Weasley’s Quidditch Supplies: If We Don’t Have It, No One Does! She looked sadly through the window and saw Ron, then quickly looked away and continued walking home, at a slightly quicker pace.
She missed Ron deeply. They had a bit of a romance while at Hogwarts, and in training as well, but something happened that split them up.
She finally reached her house after what seemed like a horribly long walk, especially on a stormy day like today, and stood outside for a moment staring at it. It was small, but quaint, a sand colored house with forest green shutters on every shining window, and an ornate walnut door. It was rather simple, but Hermione was proud of it nonetheless.
She finally went inside, and with a flick of her wand, candles were lit and light flooded the house, which made it look even more inviting then it had outside. Another flick of her wand and a fire was lit in the fireplace, which warmed the house immediately. She was starting on dinner when there was a knock on the window. It was a small brown barn owl, and it had a letter waiting for Hermione in its beak.
She quickly opened the window and let the owl fly in. It dropped its letter right on the table. Hermione gave it a bit of bread, and it went off into the freezing night. She looked down at the letter. It was from her parents, who had just recently learned how to send mail by owl, and were sending Hermione a letter almost everyday. This one read:
Dear Hermione,
How are you, Love? Right now, we’re in The Caribbean. It’s real fun here! There’s all sorts of people (but more weird ones than normal). But, instead of talking about us, Love, we want to talk about you. You haven’t been your self lately. It’s starting to scare us, it is. When you get a chance, write us back, or visit if it fits in your schedule. Love You.
Mum and Dad
She crumpled up the letter and whispered Evanesco, making it disappear. She wasn’t herself lately, that was true. The anniversary of Ginny’s death was coming up. She wanted to go the memorial, but then again, she didn’t want to face all the people that reminded her of Ginny. It would be too much.
She fixed herself a dinner of a salad and a corned beef sandwich. She didn’t eat much of it though, for she wasn’t very hungry. She cleaned up after herself, then grabbed a blanket and lay by the fire, staring at the tossing flames. She missed her old life, where everything was happy. Oh what I wouldn’t give to be back a Hogwarts! she thought. I was so happy there, life was so simple. It’s been so long since…
Her thoughts were interrupted with a loud pop. Someone had shown up in her fireplace. “Hermione!” Harry Potter’s head yelled from the fire. “Thank goodness you’re here. If you weren’t here I don’t know where I’d look." He took a deep breath and said, “Hermione, we have a situation.”
“What kind of situation?” Hermione asked curiously.
“Well, Moody thinks someone is after him again,” Harry said, almost amused by the situation.
“Come now, we know there’s no one after him!” Hermione complained.
“I know we know, but we have to answer this called no matter what,” Harry responded in an almost too serious tone.
She sighed. “I suppose you’re right. All right then. Meet me at my house,” Hermione said, as Harry’s head vanished with a loud pop. Within a few seconds, he had appeared with another loud pop right next to Hermione.
“’Ello,” Harry said as he looked around her house. “You’ve done a lot to the place,” he added sarcastically. In truth, Hermione had not done anything to her house since she moved in six years ago. Not a single thing was moved, not a single thing was dirty, either.
“Hello to you too, Harry,” Hermione answered. She couldn’t help but smile. She hadn’t seen Harry in over a year. He had been on assignment looking for old Voldemort supporters in various places around the world. She hugged him tightly.
Harry sighed deeply. “Well, we’d best be off. The quicker we check this out, the quicker we can go home,” Harry voiced, ending the conversation. After that, they both Disapparated--Harry with a loud pop, and Hermione with a small crack.
They appeared at an old rundown mansion, with dead plants and all, the house of Mad-Eye Moody. He had helped them through so many hardships, first with losing Sirius, then with fighting and conquering Voldemort, and finally with the death of Ginny. But with old age, his mind seemed to tell him people were still after him for destroying Voldemort.
“So, shall we go in?” Harry asked cautiously, as though not to upset Hermione.
“Sure, let’s go,” she answered with a sigh.
They entered the house. “Moody?” They called together.
“Moody!” Hermione yelled. “Moody! Are you here?” They decided to light their wands with a whispered Lumos, since it was a bit dark.
They continued calling as they searched the house. They found one door at the end of a long hallway upstairs. The door was hanging half open, with a faint light shining through, lighting a bit of the hallway. They cautiously worked their way down the dark hallway, searching every room. They found most of his old gadgets that the imposter Moody had used in their fourth year and afterward. They could not seem to find him in the other rooms, but they had reached the lit room. Harry and Hermione slowly entered. They were shocked by what they saw.
A/N: Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. It really makes an author, even an amateur one such as myself, feel proud of her work. Now about the next chapter. I can't reveal too much without giving away things, but I'll try. All I can really say is that the day that all of this is happening on, is deeply relevant to what will happen next. And, since I didn't reveal the date, this clue won't help you very much :)