RP: Lazy Sunday at Grimmauld
Date: Sunday, October 2, 1998
Characters: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley
Location: Grimmauld Place
Status: Private
Summary: A lazy Sunday at home
Completion: Complete
It was a relief to have both birthday celebrations out of the way. Fortunately, neither one had been as bad as Hermione expected. In fact, she'd really enjoyed Friday night, and that was something she'd dreaded since the invitation had arrived. She didn't know if she'd just been determined to enjoy herself or if the atmosphere had been relaxing enough that the crowded hadn't bothered her as it normally might. It didn't really matter, since she liked having a chance to dance and speak to friends and even meet a few new ones.
The dinner at Malfoy Manor had been surprising because she'd known so many of the guests. When she got home last night, she'd thought about it while trying to sleep. It must have be difficult for Mrs. Malfoy to celebrate her birthday with a roomful of strangers. Even if she was friendly with a few of them, it hadn't been a group of people she'd normally socialize with at all. There had been several Order members there, after all, and a few guests that were likely politically motivated. Perhaps that was how Purebloods did things, inviting people for something personal like a birthday just because of their social standing or position of influence in the world.
If so, it was sad. Maybe not sad so much as pityful. Didn't Mrs. Malfoy have any friends like Harry and Ron? Or even like Neville and other Weasleys. Of course, maybe Mrs. Malfoy didn't want friends like that, since it could be considered a weakness and all. Hermione could never see solid friendship like she was lucky enough to have with her boys and others as anything except a strength. They supported her and accepted her in ways that mattered more than any social standing or reputation help. It also made her understand Malfoy a little more because his life was surely the same. Parties with political allies or people who had influence without any idea what having a real, true friend was like; though, it seemed that he and Greg might be more like friends than she'd honestly assumed back at school.
It was funny how that dinner party made her appreciate the people in her life even more. Her birthday had been a bit overwhelming, with so many people and gifts and food, but she was so lucky to have that when others who seemed to have most everything likely didn't even know what it was like to experience what she had with those around her. All the money, power, and social connections in the world couldn't replace a true friend. She didn't care what anyone said because she knew what it was like to have no one and to be alone even when surrounded by people.
The week had been really good. Classes had gone well, revision and homework was easily accomplished, work had been productive and interesting, decorating plans were under way, and there had been a chance to talk to friends. Lunch with George had been an unexpected treat, with plans now to learn how to defend herself should she ever find herself in a dangerous situation without her wand and possibly to learn how to play billiards, though she'd probably go looking for a book at Tattered Pages next week about that so she didn't take advantage of George's generosity. She was also still somewhat smug about managing to surprise him when he started talking about his adult products. It wasn't often that he was caught off-guard that way.
The lunch with Lavender had been nice, even if she hadn't really been able to do anything to help except listen. She really hoped that Lavender would be okay, and she was glad that they were able to be friends now, after mostly tolerating each other in the past. She had a new book to read soon, too, when Zabini finished with it. Then, of course, there were the people she'd managed to talk to at Katie's party and Mrs. Malfoy's dinner. It was a little odd to realize that she'd had a conversation about women's knickers with anyone, much less Neville, but she wasn't really flustered at talking about that sort of thing when it wasn't personal. She knew that Neville wouldn't think she was some brazen girl who talked to random blokes about knickers.
Now, it was late Sunday morning, and she and Harry had already had their walk. It was getting better every time they went out, which was good. She liked being able to feel like she was making progress with something that she still didn't really understand or know how to just fix. Not that she could simply fix it. If anything, she'd realized that it was just one of those things that had to work itself out at its own pace.
They were going to look through the materials that Olympus had owled them yesterday. They were meeting the designers again early this week to review the ideas they had and to see the sketches and fabrics and stuff that they'd mentioned, but they had sent them catalogs with various furniture and paint samples and possible colors for the fabric walls in some of the rooms. It had been too busy yesterday to really look at anything, but she was ready to get comfortable and look at the different choices. They would choose the colors for their bedrooms from the samples, but Olympus would present completed looks for consideration for the other rooms they had said before leaving. If they saw a color they must have for the sitting room or something, though, she figured changes could be made. But, mostly, she trusted them because they'd asked tons of questions and seemed knowledgable.
She sat on the sofa and arranged the information on the table in front of her. Harry had gone down to the kitchen to get them something to drink, so she was getting organized while waiting for him to join her. Ron was around somewhere, so maybe he'd come in to look, too. At least, she didn't think he had mentioned having plans for today. She really hoped he didn't want his new bedroom to support the Cannons, even if he'd be the one having to see the awful shades of orange. She doubted it, but it would be interesting to see what both of the boys liked most.
Characters: Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley
Location: Grimmauld Place
Status: Private
Summary: A lazy Sunday at home
Completion: Complete
It was a relief to have both birthday celebrations out of the way. Fortunately, neither one had been as bad as Hermione expected. In fact, she'd really enjoyed Friday night, and that was something she'd dreaded since the invitation had arrived. She didn't know if she'd just been determined to enjoy herself or if the atmosphere had been relaxing enough that the crowded hadn't bothered her as it normally might. It didn't really matter, since she liked having a chance to dance and speak to friends and even meet a few new ones.
The dinner at Malfoy Manor had been surprising because she'd known so many of the guests. When she got home last night, she'd thought about it while trying to sleep. It must have be difficult for Mrs. Malfoy to celebrate her birthday with a roomful of strangers. Even if she was friendly with a few of them, it hadn't been a group of people she'd normally socialize with at all. There had been several Order members there, after all, and a few guests that were likely politically motivated. Perhaps that was how Purebloods did things, inviting people for something personal like a birthday just because of their social standing or position of influence in the world.
If so, it was sad. Maybe not sad so much as pityful. Didn't Mrs. Malfoy have any friends like Harry and Ron? Or even like Neville and other Weasleys. Of course, maybe Mrs. Malfoy didn't want friends like that, since it could be considered a weakness and all. Hermione could never see solid friendship like she was lucky enough to have with her boys and others as anything except a strength. They supported her and accepted her in ways that mattered more than any social standing or reputation help. It also made her understand Malfoy a little more because his life was surely the same. Parties with political allies or people who had influence without any idea what having a real, true friend was like; though, it seemed that he and Greg might be more like friends than she'd honestly assumed back at school.
It was funny how that dinner party made her appreciate the people in her life even more. Her birthday had been a bit overwhelming, with so many people and gifts and food, but she was so lucky to have that when others who seemed to have most everything likely didn't even know what it was like to experience what she had with those around her. All the money, power, and social connections in the world couldn't replace a true friend. She didn't care what anyone said because she knew what it was like to have no one and to be alone even when surrounded by people.
The week had been really good. Classes had gone well, revision and homework was easily accomplished, work had been productive and interesting, decorating plans were under way, and there had been a chance to talk to friends. Lunch with George had been an unexpected treat, with plans now to learn how to defend herself should she ever find herself in a dangerous situation without her wand and possibly to learn how to play billiards, though she'd probably go looking for a book at Tattered Pages next week about that so she didn't take advantage of George's generosity. She was also still somewhat smug about managing to surprise him when he started talking about his adult products. It wasn't often that he was caught off-guard that way.
The lunch with Lavender had been nice, even if she hadn't really been able to do anything to help except listen. She really hoped that Lavender would be okay, and she was glad that they were able to be friends now, after mostly tolerating each other in the past. She had a new book to read soon, too, when Zabini finished with it. Then, of course, there were the people she'd managed to talk to at Katie's party and Mrs. Malfoy's dinner. It was a little odd to realize that she'd had a conversation about women's knickers with anyone, much less Neville, but she wasn't really flustered at talking about that sort of thing when it wasn't personal. She knew that Neville wouldn't think she was some brazen girl who talked to random blokes about knickers.
Now, it was late Sunday morning, and she and Harry had already had their walk. It was getting better every time they went out, which was good. She liked being able to feel like she was making progress with something that she still didn't really understand or know how to just fix. Not that she could simply fix it. If anything, she'd realized that it was just one of those things that had to work itself out at its own pace.
They were going to look through the materials that Olympus had owled them yesterday. They were meeting the designers again early this week to review the ideas they had and to see the sketches and fabrics and stuff that they'd mentioned, but they had sent them catalogs with various furniture and paint samples and possible colors for the fabric walls in some of the rooms. It had been too busy yesterday to really look at anything, but she was ready to get comfortable and look at the different choices. They would choose the colors for their bedrooms from the samples, but Olympus would present completed looks for consideration for the other rooms they had said before leaving. If they saw a color they must have for the sitting room or something, though, she figured changes could be made. But, mostly, she trusted them because they'd asked tons of questions and seemed knowledgable.
She sat on the sofa and arranged the information on the table in front of her. Harry had gone down to the kitchen to get them something to drink, so she was getting organized while waiting for him to join her. Ron was around somewhere, so maybe he'd come in to look, too. At least, she didn't think he had mentioned having plans for today. She really hoped he didn't want his new bedroom to support the Cannons, even if he'd be the one having to see the awful shades of orange. She doubted it, but it would be interesting to see what both of the boys liked most.