Entry 05: A World Away (1/?)
Title: A World Away
Entry Number: 05
Author: mihnn
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG13
Genre: Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Spoiler Warnings: None.
Word Count: 1014
It had been four days, twenty two hours, and thirteen minutes, and she still wasn't feeling all that better.
Hermione ducked her head under a flimsy piece of old newspaper as she ran across the bustling streets, heading for the closest place that could offer shelter from the pouring rain. Her rain coat worked wonders, keeping the cold away and her body warm, but her face still got hit from the passing spray as she mourned the loss of her new boots that were bound to be ruined from the day's escapades. It took another quick three dashes with a minute to rest in between before she finally came upon her favourite restaurant.
"Ah! Ms Granger! I see you will be joining us on this rainy day, then?" the waiter asked grandly as he helped her out of her raincoat.
"Yes, Navin. And thank you." She ran her fingers through her wet curls, subconsciously trying to stop her strands from knotting. Part of her wished she could be like a dog and shake the droplets from her coat. "My usual table please."
"This way," Navin said with a practiced gesture.
Hermione followed the waiter to her usual spot near the window of this modest three star restaurant. It wasn't that the food was the most appealing, but this was the only establishment miles around that served the food she craved for the most; Italian.
"I shall bring your menu, Ms Granger," the waiter smiled warmly before he bowed and turned on his heel to leave.
Smiling to herself, Hermione took her preferred seat and faced the glass window. She found this city fascinating. There was never a dull moment. There were always vendors screaming for customers on the streets, and children playing around, their antics irritating the adults. It was so different from back home where the gloomy weather kept most Londoners inside their houses. Here, the monsoon didn't seem to slow down the locals that much.
It took a moment before the familiar feeling of being watched overcame her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and her spine straightened as she gave into that feeling of sixth sense that had never failed her. Pretending to move her loose curls behind her ear, she ducked her head and scanned the restaurant strategically, hoping to find the reason why she felt that there was someone in this corner of the world who recognized her.
It took a moment, but her eyes landed on a man with familiar red hair. She sat up in surprise at the same time that he straightened, as if suddenly embarrassed that he was caught staring. An awkward smile passed between them, before he stood up with a flourish, and strode towards her in determination. He held himself the way she remembered; his head held high, like an all-important official.
"Percy," Hermione flustered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Hermione." He smiled before he gestured to the seat opposite her. "May I?"
"Of course," she nodded.
The older Weasley took his seat and leaned back casually before he smiled unsurely at her. "I'm here on Ministry business. The Minister is thinking of creating a free trade agreement between England and Asia, and I'm here as his representative. But I never expected to see you in India."
"No," she said softly, waiting for her menu to arrive to distract her from this conversation. "I just needed to get away. Be alone for a bit."
He nodded, his glance falling on the outside street. "I was sorry to hear about you and Ron. We all expected you to get hitched."
"I think we all did," Hermione mumbled as she shifted uncomfortably. "But, I think us ending it was for the best."
Percy stared at her for a moment as she tried her best to avoid eye contact. "I heard about Mother. She can be quite unforgiving."
She chuckled lightly, not really finding the whole situation amusing at all. "I suppose she feels protective of her cub."
"Still, that's no reason to turn everyone against you."
She looked up then, realising that even though she was exiled from the rest of the Weasley clan, one sat opposite her at an Indian restaurant a world apart from the rest of his family while speaking to her civilly. "And why aren't you against me?"
Percy's lips quirked slightly as if he was remembering a distant memory. "I learned long ago that I rather not hold grudges. Especially those that can be easily fixed." His gaze took on a distant look, and Hermione could see that he was relieving a moment in the past.
“There are those who still blame me for what happened.”
Percy leaned back as his face formed a light frowned. “I remember Ron saying a different story.”
“He was heartbroken,” she said sadly.
“He was.” Percy agreed. “He was very upset.”
Biting her lower lip, Hermione looked at Percy hopefully. “How is he?”
“Better. He doesn’t talk on the subject that much. But then again, none of us really expect him to.”
"Thank you," she said quickly, partly to interrupt his reverie, "for not blaming me." She smiled at him encouragingly, hoping to give him a moment of kindness as he gave her.
He returned her smile sincerely, and Hermione felt the warmth she missed, spread through her.
It was at that moment that Navin arrived with a menu.
They agreed to have lunch together; Hermione, feeling adventurous and ordering something she hadn't tried before and Percy, having not been in India for too long reluctant to try anything but the basics. She surprisingly enjoyed herself, not having ever really spent time with this Weasley sibling, she didn't know what to expect. But she was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't really changed much from those Hogwarts days where he was the older prefect who followed the rules rigidly, but there was a difference in him that could only be attributed to the Last Battle. Maybe it was premature, but Hermione couldn't help but see a potential for a budding friendship.
Entry Number: 05
Author: mihnn
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG13
Genre: Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Spoiler Warnings: None.
Word Count: 1014
It had been four days, twenty two hours, and thirteen minutes, and she still wasn't feeling all that better.
Hermione ducked her head under a flimsy piece of old newspaper as she ran across the bustling streets, heading for the closest place that could offer shelter from the pouring rain. Her rain coat worked wonders, keeping the cold away and her body warm, but her face still got hit from the passing spray as she mourned the loss of her new boots that were bound to be ruined from the day's escapades. It took another quick three dashes with a minute to rest in between before she finally came upon her favourite restaurant.
"Ah! Ms Granger! I see you will be joining us on this rainy day, then?" the waiter asked grandly as he helped her out of her raincoat.
"Yes, Navin. And thank you." She ran her fingers through her wet curls, subconsciously trying to stop her strands from knotting. Part of her wished she could be like a dog and shake the droplets from her coat. "My usual table please."
"This way," Navin said with a practiced gesture.
Hermione followed the waiter to her usual spot near the window of this modest three star restaurant. It wasn't that the food was the most appealing, but this was the only establishment miles around that served the food she craved for the most; Italian.
"I shall bring your menu, Ms Granger," the waiter smiled warmly before he bowed and turned on his heel to leave.
Smiling to herself, Hermione took her preferred seat and faced the glass window. She found this city fascinating. There was never a dull moment. There were always vendors screaming for customers on the streets, and children playing around, their antics irritating the adults. It was so different from back home where the gloomy weather kept most Londoners inside their houses. Here, the monsoon didn't seem to slow down the locals that much.
It took a moment before the familiar feeling of being watched overcame her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and her spine straightened as she gave into that feeling of sixth sense that had never failed her. Pretending to move her loose curls behind her ear, she ducked her head and scanned the restaurant strategically, hoping to find the reason why she felt that there was someone in this corner of the world who recognized her.
It took a moment, but her eyes landed on a man with familiar red hair. She sat up in surprise at the same time that he straightened, as if suddenly embarrassed that he was caught staring. An awkward smile passed between them, before he stood up with a flourish, and strode towards her in determination. He held himself the way she remembered; his head held high, like an all-important official.
"Percy," Hermione flustered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Hermione." He smiled before he gestured to the seat opposite her. "May I?"
"Of course," she nodded.
The older Weasley took his seat and leaned back casually before he smiled unsurely at her. "I'm here on Ministry business. The Minister is thinking of creating a free trade agreement between England and Asia, and I'm here as his representative. But I never expected to see you in India."
"No," she said softly, waiting for her menu to arrive to distract her from this conversation. "I just needed to get away. Be alone for a bit."
He nodded, his glance falling on the outside street. "I was sorry to hear about you and Ron. We all expected you to get hitched."
"I think we all did," Hermione mumbled as she shifted uncomfortably. "But, I think us ending it was for the best."
Percy stared at her for a moment as she tried her best to avoid eye contact. "I heard about Mother. She can be quite unforgiving."
She chuckled lightly, not really finding the whole situation amusing at all. "I suppose she feels protective of her cub."
"Still, that's no reason to turn everyone against you."
She looked up then, realising that even though she was exiled from the rest of the Weasley clan, one sat opposite her at an Indian restaurant a world apart from the rest of his family while speaking to her civilly. "And why aren't you against me?"
Percy's lips quirked slightly as if he was remembering a distant memory. "I learned long ago that I rather not hold grudges. Especially those that can be easily fixed." His gaze took on a distant look, and Hermione could see that he was relieving a moment in the past.
“There are those who still blame me for what happened.”
Percy leaned back as his face formed a light frowned. “I remember Ron saying a different story.”
“He was heartbroken,” she said sadly.
“He was.” Percy agreed. “He was very upset.”
Biting her lower lip, Hermione looked at Percy hopefully. “How is he?”
“Better. He doesn’t talk on the subject that much. But then again, none of us really expect him to.”
"Thank you," she said quickly, partly to interrupt his reverie, "for not blaming me." She smiled at him encouragingly, hoping to give him a moment of kindness as he gave her.
He returned her smile sincerely, and Hermione felt the warmth she missed, spread through her.
It was at that moment that Navin arrived with a menu.
They agreed to have lunch together; Hermione, feeling adventurous and ordering something she hadn't tried before and Percy, having not been in India for too long reluctant to try anything but the basics. She surprisingly enjoyed herself, not having ever really spent time with this Weasley sibling, she didn't know what to expect. But she was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't really changed much from those Hogwarts days where he was the older prefect who followed the rules rigidly, but there was a difference in him that could only be attributed to the Last Battle. Maybe it was premature, but Hermione couldn't help but see a potential for a budding friendship.