Memories
I say goodnight to my fellow Unspeakables and head out of the Department of Mysteries. But instead of heading towards the fountain, where I normally meet Ron, I head out into London. Ron had sent me interdepartmental memo that he was out on a case and that he wouldn't be home until later. So I am on my own.
I realize that I could just go home and do some knitting, but I feel restless tonight and I need to get out. So here I am, walking the streets of London and not really having any place in mind to go. Finally I find a little bookstore and go inside. It's not as big as the one in the plaza, and it's a used bookstore, but full of books none the less. I browse the shelves and its not long before I have an armload of books on all subject matter. I smile to myself thinking of Ron's reaction when he sees the books that I have bought.
Fifteen minutes later I am back out on the streets. Again, I think of going home but again I decide against it. If I go home, I will be alone with my thoughts and that is the last place I want to be right now.
A year ago today I became estranged from my parents.
The thought has been weighing heavily on my mind all day. I know that it's been a year, but so many things have happened since then, and I also wonder if things could have been prevented.
Shivering with cold, I discreetly lighten my bag of books with my wand and look for a place to go for supper. It's not long before I find a small cafe and go inside. I order fettucini alfredo with chicken and, as I am waiting for my food, my cell phone rings. I smile to myself as I recognize my mother's new number.
"Hi Mum," I say with a smile.
"Hi Hermione. How are you doing?"
"I'm okay, Mum. It's so good to hear your voice." I can feel my eyes starting to fill up with tears.
"It's good to hear your voice as well. How is my grandchild doing?"
"Your grandchild is doing well. He's growing by leaps and bounds, and we'll be going shopping for the nursery soon." I pause. "I was just thinking about you and dad, Mum."
"I was thinking about you too, Hermione," she says softly. "I'm sorry about what happened. Your father did love you, you know."
"I know, Mum. And I loved him too." Something weighs heavily on my mind, and I need to ask her. "Mum, Dad's heart attack - it didn't have anything to do with the situation with me did it?"
"Hermione, I don't want you to think that. Your father had high blood pressure and that is what did it. His blood pressure had been high for years. Nothing that you did or didn't do made him have a heart attack."
I feel so relieved. Just then my dinner arrives and I know that I should eat. "Mum, my dinner just came so I should get going."
"Where's Ron tonight?" she asks, and I can hear a slight note of disproval in her voice.
"He had to go out on an assignment. It's okay, it's a part of his job. Oh, before I go, I have some exciting news. Starting next month I'll be doing my own research."
"That's wonderful news, Hermione. I'm so proud of you!" I can hear the pride in my mum's voice, and I know that she's smiling.
"Thank you, Mum. I'll give you a call next month. Remember, I can't get service where I live, so if you can't get in touch with me that doesn't mean there's anything wrong."
"I know, Hermione. I love you." This time I can hear tears in my mum's voice.
"I love you too, Mum. Give Nana a hug for me."
"I will. Send our love to Ron."
"Goodbye Mum," I say sadly. Our call ends and I turn my attention to my dinner. Even though today started out sadly, remembering my estrangement from my parents, I feel a lot better after our talk. I think I'm ready to go home now. "Can I get this to go instead? I think I should go home."
The waitress brings me a box and I understand why I didn't want to go home yet. Perhaps I have just a little talent for Divination after all.
I realize that I could just go home and do some knitting, but I feel restless tonight and I need to get out. So here I am, walking the streets of London and not really having any place in mind to go. Finally I find a little bookstore and go inside. It's not as big as the one in the plaza, and it's a used bookstore, but full of books none the less. I browse the shelves and its not long before I have an armload of books on all subject matter. I smile to myself thinking of Ron's reaction when he sees the books that I have bought.
Fifteen minutes later I am back out on the streets. Again, I think of going home but again I decide against it. If I go home, I will be alone with my thoughts and that is the last place I want to be right now.
A year ago today I became estranged from my parents.
The thought has been weighing heavily on my mind all day. I know that it's been a year, but so many things have happened since then, and I also wonder if things could have been prevented.
Shivering with cold, I discreetly lighten my bag of books with my wand and look for a place to go for supper. It's not long before I find a small cafe and go inside. I order fettucini alfredo with chicken and, as I am waiting for my food, my cell phone rings. I smile to myself as I recognize my mother's new number.
"Hi Mum," I say with a smile.
"Hi Hermione. How are you doing?"
"I'm okay, Mum. It's so good to hear your voice." I can feel my eyes starting to fill up with tears.
"It's good to hear your voice as well. How is my grandchild doing?"
"Your grandchild is doing well. He's growing by leaps and bounds, and we'll be going shopping for the nursery soon." I pause. "I was just thinking about you and dad, Mum."
"I was thinking about you too, Hermione," she says softly. "I'm sorry about what happened. Your father did love you, you know."
"I know, Mum. And I loved him too." Something weighs heavily on my mind, and I need to ask her. "Mum, Dad's heart attack - it didn't have anything to do with the situation with me did it?"
"Hermione, I don't want you to think that. Your father had high blood pressure and that is what did it. His blood pressure had been high for years. Nothing that you did or didn't do made him have a heart attack."
I feel so relieved. Just then my dinner arrives and I know that I should eat. "Mum, my dinner just came so I should get going."
"Where's Ron tonight?" she asks, and I can hear a slight note of disproval in her voice.
"He had to go out on an assignment. It's okay, it's a part of his job. Oh, before I go, I have some exciting news. Starting next month I'll be doing my own research."
"That's wonderful news, Hermione. I'm so proud of you!" I can hear the pride in my mum's voice, and I know that she's smiling.
"Thank you, Mum. I'll give you a call next month. Remember, I can't get service where I live, so if you can't get in touch with me that doesn't mean there's anything wrong."
"I know, Hermione. I love you." This time I can hear tears in my mum's voice.
"I love you too, Mum. Give Nana a hug for me."
"I will. Send our love to Ron."
"Goodbye Mum," I say sadly. Our call ends and I turn my attention to my dinner. Even though today started out sadly, remembering my estrangement from my parents, I feel a lot better after our talk. I think I'm ready to go home now. "Can I get this to go instead? I think I should go home."
The waitress brings me a box and I understand why I didn't want to go home yet. Perhaps I have just a little talent for Divination after all.