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in
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FIC: Home for the Holidays (Grangers, Gen)
Title: Home for the Holidays
Author: shiiki
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Mr and Mrs Granger, Hermione Granger, Gen
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 548
Summary: Hermione goes home for Christmas in her first year. Her parents are glad to see her--in more than one way.
Notes: Written as part of my HP 20th Anniversary Reread project. This grew entirely out of the line: 'Very safe, as they're both dentists.' Did Hermione actually ask her parents about Nicolas Flamel? I found it amusing to think about, especially since Flamel is purportedly a real person. This scene is what came of that train of thought. Funnily enough, the reference to Nicolas Flamel doesn't actually feature much.
All the way home from King's Cross, Hermione barely let her parents get a word in edgewise.
Jane Granger kept sneaking glances at her daughter in the rear view mirror, amazed at how Hermione managed to go on so long without apparently drawing breath.
'... stacked all the way to the ceiling, and I doubt I'll be able to read them all even in seven years, and Ron and Harry said-'
It must have been the twentieth time those names had come up in Hermione's excited stream of conversation. Jane exchanged a sideways look with her husband. The edges of Paul's mouth quirked upwards. Jane smiled back.
Even better than having Hermione home was having this Hermione back-the bubbly child brimming with excitement and hope. Jane hadn't seen her daughter quite so exuberant since she was four years old-before she'd entered Reception and learned that a bright, intelligent girl advanced for her years wasn't easily accepted by her peers.
Some of that old gregariousness had reappeared in the days leading up to her departure for Hogwarts, but it had been tinged with caution, tied to a shadow of fear that children at a magical school could be just as cruel as at regular (Muggle, thought Jane, still not certain what she felt about the foreign word) school. It was truly back in full force now.
'-and Ron wanted to hear all about what you did, because healing is all done magically of course, so-'
'I hope you're not using magic to clean your teeth,' Paul said sharply. 'Magic sounds good theoretically, but I can't say I trust it more than regular brushing. Are you-?'
'Yes, Dad.' Hermione rolled her eyes. And then she continued happily, segueing somehow into a holiday project she and her friends were doing, some research on a modern wizard called Nicolas something or other.
Her friends.
Hermione had friends. And their names slipped off her tongue with the ready ease of familiarity.
'I told him it'd be useless-I mean, no offence, but what would you know about wizards? We didn't know anything before Professor McGonagall showed up, after all! But I said I'd ask anyway. You haven't heard of anyone called Nicolas Flamel, have you?'
She paused barely long enough for Jane to murmur, 'No, I can't say I have,' before she was off again.
By the time they pulled into the driveway, Jane and Paul had heard just about everything, from Hogwarts' floor plan to Ron Weasley's opinion of every last teacher in the school. Hermione ran on up to the house from the car, leaving Jane feeling a bit like she'd been in an unexpected snowstorm-deluged but entranced all the same.
'Nicolas Flamel,' Paul said thoughtfully as he heaved Hermione's trunk from the boot. 'Rings a bell, actually. I think there was some 14th century philosopher by that name.'
Jane laughed. 'Well, she can't possibly be speaking of someone in history that we'd know about.' She looked fondly at the cloud of bushy hair now disappearing behind the front door. 'I've missed her, Paul.'
She could tell from his eyes that he knew exactly what she meant.
'She's found her niche,' Paul said. 'It's-well, I was sceptical before, but this magic business was a good thing for her.'
Jane smiled. It was indeed.
Author: shiiki
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Mr and Mrs Granger, Hermione Granger, Gen
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 548
Summary: Hermione goes home for Christmas in her first year. Her parents are glad to see her--in more than one way.
Notes: Written as part of my HP 20th Anniversary Reread project. This grew entirely out of the line: 'Very safe, as they're both dentists.' Did Hermione actually ask her parents about Nicolas Flamel? I found it amusing to think about, especially since Flamel is purportedly a real person. This scene is what came of that train of thought. Funnily enough, the reference to Nicolas Flamel doesn't actually feature much.
All the way home from King's Cross, Hermione barely let her parents get a word in edgewise.
Jane Granger kept sneaking glances at her daughter in the rear view mirror, amazed at how Hermione managed to go on so long without apparently drawing breath.
'... stacked all the way to the ceiling, and I doubt I'll be able to read them all even in seven years, and Ron and Harry said-'
It must have been the twentieth time those names had come up in Hermione's excited stream of conversation. Jane exchanged a sideways look with her husband. The edges of Paul's mouth quirked upwards. Jane smiled back.
Even better than having Hermione home was having this Hermione back-the bubbly child brimming with excitement and hope. Jane hadn't seen her daughter quite so exuberant since she was four years old-before she'd entered Reception and learned that a bright, intelligent girl advanced for her years wasn't easily accepted by her peers.
Some of that old gregariousness had reappeared in the days leading up to her departure for Hogwarts, but it had been tinged with caution, tied to a shadow of fear that children at a magical school could be just as cruel as at regular (Muggle, thought Jane, still not certain what she felt about the foreign word) school. It was truly back in full force now.
'-and Ron wanted to hear all about what you did, because healing is all done magically of course, so-'
'I hope you're not using magic to clean your teeth,' Paul said sharply. 'Magic sounds good theoretically, but I can't say I trust it more than regular brushing. Are you-?'
'Yes, Dad.' Hermione rolled her eyes. And then she continued happily, segueing somehow into a holiday project she and her friends were doing, some research on a modern wizard called Nicolas something or other.
Her friends.
Hermione had friends. And their names slipped off her tongue with the ready ease of familiarity.
'I told him it'd be useless-I mean, no offence, but what would you know about wizards? We didn't know anything before Professor McGonagall showed up, after all! But I said I'd ask anyway. You haven't heard of anyone called Nicolas Flamel, have you?'
She paused barely long enough for Jane to murmur, 'No, I can't say I have,' before she was off again.
By the time they pulled into the driveway, Jane and Paul had heard just about everything, from Hogwarts' floor plan to Ron Weasley's opinion of every last teacher in the school. Hermione ran on up to the house from the car, leaving Jane feeling a bit like she'd been in an unexpected snowstorm-deluged but entranced all the same.
'Nicolas Flamel,' Paul said thoughtfully as he heaved Hermione's trunk from the boot. 'Rings a bell, actually. I think there was some 14th century philosopher by that name.'
Jane laughed. 'Well, she can't possibly be speaking of someone in history that we'd know about.' She looked fondly at the cloud of bushy hair now disappearing behind the front door. 'I've missed her, Paul.'
She could tell from his eyes that he knew exactly what she meant.
'She's found her niche,' Paul said. 'It's-well, I was sceptical before, but this magic business was a good thing for her.'
Jane smiled. It was indeed.