Disclaimer: I own nothing. JKR has the magical touch>
Chapter 1. Bickering And Thinking
“You are…”
“No, I’m not”
“Yes you are”
“Oh Ginny just drop it, okay? I’m tired and I don’t want to think about my love life,” Hermione snorted. “I’m not saying anything about having a love life, so how can I be in love like you seem to think I am?” Hermione sighed, all she wanted to do was to take a long steaming hot bath and soak until all her skin was wrinkled up. It didn’t matter how much she loved her best friend and roommate, well soon to be ex roommate, she wanted to be alone and think. As she walked into the bathroom, she thought that was best. Yes, she just wanted today to be like any other day of the year of her life.
Every day for the past couple of years had been pretty much the same for Hermione Granger; getting up early in the morning, taking a quick shower, and having some breakfast before going to work. It used to be studying at the university, but now it was working for the Ministry of Magic. She would work all day long, and no matter whether it was paperwork or stirring in a cauldron that needed to be done, her job in the Experimental Potions Department left her exhausted. But she loved her job and she wasn’t nearly as exhausted as she had been during her third year at Hogwarts. Nope, no time-turner to drive her crazy! Her work and her roommate alone would do that.
As she stepped in the bath she could already feel some of the strain leave her body. After adding some lavender oil and making the water foam, she finally laid back and let the soothing effect come over her as her mind wandered back to earlier that day. “Maybe today hadn’t been totally like all the other days.” she thought.
She wondered why Ginny was bothering her so much with this so-called crush/love thing or whatever it was she was supposed to have. It wasn’t like her. Slightly rearranging herself to be a little more comfortable, she smiled to herself. Well actually, no, she didn’t wonder, she knew and it was very much like the Weasley girl to care. Ginny was happy and wanted Hermione to feel the same. She wanted her to be just as happy, just as much in love and just as much about to get married. Hermione grinned as she recalled that afternoon. Ginny had finally told her during lunch in a muggle café near where they shared their apartment.
“So what is it that couldn’t possibly wait until this evening when I will be seeing you at home?” Hermione smiled as she looked at her friend questioningly.
Ginny was positively glowing when she finally admitted, “He asked me.”
Hermione grinned, “Well Gin, it was about time too! How did he ask you? What did he do?” Hermione was very curious as to what exactly happened. She knew her best friend Harry wasn’t the most original guy around, but at least he was more romantic than Ron who had simply told his girlfriend, Padma, that they were going to get married.
Ginny paused while the waiter set down their lunch before she told Hermione all about it. “Oh it was nothing special,” she stated airily “He just took me to dinner at La Garr, that new French place, and was the sweetest guy all night long.”
“Wow, good choice.”
“Then he took me to this little park, and there, after walking for a few moments, he went down on his knee and asked me to be his wife. He gave me this ring,” Ginny sighed and was shining even more than the beautiful ring she was now showing Hermione.
Again, “Wow,” was the only thing Hermione could say, and she thought for a moment about how right it felt that these two people would finally be together for the rest of their lives. She told Ginny how she felt and gave her a big hug. “Congratulations Ginny, I’m so happy for you! You’re going to make a beautiful bride.”
Ginny blushed.
Looking at her fingers and her wrinkled skin Hermione also felt a wrinkle appear on her forehead. Their conversation during lunch hadn’t been all that pleasant, at least not for her anyway. The memory was causing the wrinkle because Ginny had touched upon the very reason why Hermione’s life was even more ordered and full of work now than it had ever been at Hogwarts…except maybe her third year of course.
After chatting about the upcoming wedding, “What will I wear? What will he wear? Where shall we be having the ceremony?” and more, Ginny had started about Hermione’s so-called love life. Hermione tried to get off the subject; her friend knew full well she didn’t have one.
“Don’t hide it Hermione! There has to be someone; there is always some guy in a girl’s mind. You know who that someone is. Your crush on that man never left,” Ginny had stated with confidence, “And not only do you still have a kind of schoolgirl crush on him, I’m positive you love the man.”
Hermione had glared at her, fully aware of the change Ginny had made from guy to man, and that had started off their, “You are”, “Am not”, bickering.
When she had gotten home about an hour ago, Ginny had started about the same subject again, even though she knew Hermione didn’t want to talk about it. Now, however, she carefully looked into the bathroom to see Hermione in a bath filled with foam and a deep wrinkle on her forehead. “Hermione?” she tried tentatively. Hermione pushed away some foam from her face.
“Hmm?” The wrinkle was still there.
“I’m sorry about earlier; I shouldn’t have pushed you so much.”
Hermione opened her eyes and the wrinkle disappeared a little, she looked at the redhead who clearly was ashamed of herself. “That’s okay Gin, I’m just tired. I just want to relax and not think of him. He’s not in my life anymore, and it will probably be a long time before any other guy comes along.”
A little snort from Ginny made her change her mind
“Okay fine, before any man will be in my life again,” she sank back into her thoughts again.
Ginny was smiling, “No, I guess he’s not,” she murmured softly, “And I doubt if any man will ever take his place in your heart.”
Hermione, who was too deep in thought to fully realize what she was agreeing too, replied, “No, probably not.” All she was thinking about were those dark tunnels that were his eyes.
Ginny silently left the bathroom. She had known from the beginning who it was in the dreams of her best friend, and she would help her to find the love she wanted. She wanted Hermione to be just as happily in love as she was. Yes, maybe it was time to tell Harry.
AN Basically I have finished writing this story, and I will be able to add chapters quickly. Let me know what you think, especially since I'm not sure about the ending yet.
Thank you so much to my two Beta's Natasha and Ceciel. I wouldn't have been able to submit this without you two.