Chapter 1 - 1311 words
Hermione has always been the problem solver of the group; the one to have everythng figured out and then patiently wait for the others to catch up. But she just can't seem to work out why Ginny and Harry won't just get back together already! She knows that it takes time to get over taumatic events, but come on! It has been over a year since the war ended, they completed their "8th Year" (Ginny's Seventh Year), and they are moving on to getting jobs, starting their careers! And if Harry and Ginny really need help that much - which, for Harry at least, is plausible - couldn't they help each other? Hermione certainly thinks so.
Her thoughts are interrupted by the tinkling of a bell. She looks up from her perch near the back window, and is greeted with the smiling face of Ron Weasley, and a quite obviously pregnant Pansy Parkinson. She can't help but smile as she sees Ron help his girlfriend up the last step into the little corner bakery. Ron and Hermione had broken up almost as soon as they got together. They were just too different - they argued all the time, and it wouldn't have been fair for them to keep using Harry as the mediator, as if he was their own personal relationship counselor.
That fall, when they started their 8th Year of schooling, McGonagall had announced that the previous Headmaster's visions about House Unity were now more important than ever, to prevent a war like the one with Voldemort from ever occuring again. Everyone - even the most contrary of the Gryffindors and the most prideful of the Slytherins - agreed. To enforce these new rules, several changes were made at Hogwarts.
First, along with the traditional Quidditch House Cup, an inter-house intramural Quidditch Cup was introduced. Basically, anyone who didn't make or didn't want to be on their House team, could gather a group of 9 students (one full team and two alternates) from any number of houses and play in a tournament against other similarly chosen groups. Ah, Hermione still remembers the shock on Harry's face when Greg Goyle and Draco Malfoy walked up to him in the corridor and asked him to play seeker on their team, as Malfoy, apparently, much prefered being a Chaser instead. Despite his innitial suprise, it took hardly any convincing for Harry to agree, much to Ron's chagrin.
The Headmistress also set up an inter-house tutoring program, so that any student with a grade lower than "Acceptable" could be tutored by a top student from another house. Hermione had ended up tutoring Hannah Abbot in three different subjects, and Harry learned potions from Theodore Nott. And Ron, of course - was tutored in Potions, Tranfiguration, and, most shockingly, Muggle Studies - by Pansy Parkinson. Within a month, he had asked her out on a date to Hogsmeade, and by Christmas break she was being introduced to the Weasleys as his girlfriend. Hermione will be the first to admit that she was skeptical at first, but after seeing how happy they were together, she couldn't help but be happy for them, too.
Pansy had actually came up to her one day soon after Christmas, when they were all at the Burrow, and asked her if she was okay with her dating Ron. She had been touched by the gesture, and told Pansy that she was just glad that her friend was happy again. He was her first love, but he won't be her last. She knows she will find someone else to be happy with eventually. At this point Ron came up to them, and told her that she might find someone new sooner than she thought, and then winked at her. She still isn't altogether sure what he meant by that, but she gave up trying to understand Ron a long time ago.
"Hey, 'Mione! How're your students doing today? Getting the hang of the wand motions yet?" Ron asks, as he pulls a chair out for Pansy to sit.
"Hello Ron, Pansy," here she nods at each of them, before continuing, "The kids are doing great, actually; Jeffrey still accidentally blows things up occasionally - really, it's happened twice this week! - but other than that we've been moving through the lessons as planned. Which is quite suprising, actually - I keep waiting for something to go wrong!"
"I've told you a million times, Hermione," Pansy cuts in, "That nothing is going to go wrong! Your idea for a wizarding primary school was brilliant, and you are an excellent teacher." Hermione smiles. Her friends really are the best.
"I couldn't have done it without McGonagall's help setting it up, and all the other faculty. Astoria is a wonderful foreign language teacher, and Luna is actually a great school counselor, now't I've given her a chance," Hermione breathes out, grinning. "Oh! and all the kids love visiting Neville in the greenhouse - whenever I need them to pay attention I just tell them I'll let them up to the roof to help him tend the plants for a bit at the end of the day, if they're good. They shut up faster than first years under McGonagall's glare!"
She shares a laugh with Ron and Pansy at that. A waitress soon comes over and takes their orders: a Cheese Danish and an Iced Tea for herself, a Meatlover's Double-Slam Sandwich and a large black coffee for Ron, and a powdered jelly donut and a Pumpkin Spice Frozen Latte for Pansy.
"Really though, 'Mione," Ron begins, as the waitress takes their menus, "You don't give yourself enough credit. You're one of the smartest people I know, and when you get your mind set on something you're a force to be reconned with. If anyone can figure out a way to make this work, it's you."
She blushes at the compliment, even though she has heard similar things before. She tends to get a bit insecure, and it's nice to hear something positive about herself, to get that little boost of confidence.
"One of the smartest?" she teases, "Who's my competition?"
Ron laughs, then thinks a minute before he replies. Eventually, he says, "Well, Pansy, of course," he pauses to smile at said girl, "And Draco, too. He's right clever, that one."
He isn't wrong, both Pansy and Draco could give her a run for her money in the intelligence category. Pansy's memory is near perfect, and Draco had read every book in the Malfoy library by age 7. The only reason they had never got better grades than her back at Hogwarts was most likely her natural prowess for testing.
They talk a while longer, until Pansy pipes up, "Sorry to be a buzz kill, but we really should be going, Ron. We have to be at St. Mungo's in ten minutes," she says to her boyfriend.
"Shit! Yeah, sorry Hermione, but we've got to go!"
She smiles. "No worries, I've got to get back as well. We're still meeting up at the Burrow on Sunday?"
"Yeah. We'll eat, hang out, probably play some Quidditch. I know you don't play, but since Pans can't because of the baby you two can keep each other company. See you then!" Ron calls out as he gathers his things and helps Pansy stand up.
"See you guys!" Hermione shouts, waving, as she watches them walk out the door. Well, time to head back to work. She puts on her jacket, picks up her purse, and throws a few bills on the table before walking out of the door. As she does, she resumes her thinking, which quickly transitions to plotting. She knows that Harry and Ginny are in love, now she just has to figure out how to make them see it, too.
A plot forms in her head, and she smiles. Sunday at the Burrow - she can't wait.