Chapter 10
“Zara,” a raspy and possibly tipsy voice called from a distance, “Zara, look at the girl in the other cell. She looks familiar, doesn’t she?”
“How the hell should I know, Char?” snapped another voice, “My hang over is starting to kick in. And you know, Jenkinson never hands over the potion.”
“I told you that last tequila shot was a mistake.” The other cellmate didn’t respond beyond an annoyed grunt. But she did finally take a look at the only other person on the female block. She did look familiar but she couldn’t quite place it, the evening’s alcohol making her brain fuzzy.
Jenkinson came to the cell, “Alright ladies, you know the drill. You’re staying the night and have a hearing the morning. You two are lucky the Muggle police didn’t catch you after that fight you started in the club, their accommodations aren’t as nice as our’s.”
“If you’re so nice, why won’t you give us a hangover potion? My head is splitting.” Zara grumbled.
“Maybe you will remember to lay off the heavy stuff when you go out to the Muggle clubs.” Jenkinson replied. “But I will make you each some tea.” He turned to head down the hall when Char called him back,
“Oi, Jimmy! Who’s that bird in the other cell? I know she looks familiar but I can’t place her.”
Jimmy Jenkinson prided himself on hard work and discretion and he wasn’t about to tell these frequent guests to the female block anything. Char and Zara were best friends who liked to party too hard and one way they found to fund their lifestyle was to sell stories to the gossip rags. He didn’t want to see that happen to Hermione Granger.
“Not your business, Charlotte,” he knew she hated when people used her full name, “Sober up and get some rest. Your hearings are early tomorrow morning.”
Jimmy left the block but Hermione, who had kept her eyes closed the whole time, had heard the conversation. She noticed Jimmy didn’t reveal her identity and he obviously had a reason for that. She better keep to herself until the morning. After Jimmy returned with tea the girls perked up a bit and that was when Zara had a realization.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, do you know who that bird is, Char?”
“Finally, I knew you’d figure it out.”
“That’s Hermione fucking Granger!” Zara said, not even attempting to keep her voice down.
“No way? Are you sure?”
“Come on,” Zara answered, “That hair and face was on the cover of the Prophet for weeks after the war. Harry Potter’s best friend in the Ministry lock up, that could be worth a lot.”
“Could cover our bail.”
“Could cover a lot more than our bail, Char.”
Hermione understood now why Jenkinson was trying to keep her identity a secret, these girls clearly liked to sell stories. She willed herself to keep her eyes shut.
“She’s prettier than the pictures made her look.” Char said, “Oh and she’s with the ginger now, right?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Zara replied, “Too bad, I wouldn’t mind taking a chance at him. He’s quite fit.”
“You do love a ginger.” Char laughed, “Remember that time you thought you saw Prince Harry at that pub in Kensington?”
“Too bad it wasn’t him but that ginger still didn’t disappoint.” Both girls laughed. Hermione was both jealous and slightly proud of how these girls were talking about her Ron. He was quite fit and he was her’s.
A little time passed and Hermione hoped that meant they dozed off, it was the middle of the night after all.
“So,” Char piped up, “What do you think she did? I mean, my cousin was a Hogwarts when Granger was a prefect and she said she was the worst. Super prim and proper and never broke the rules.”
“I don’t know,” Zara answered, “But if we could get even a little something out of her or Jenkinson, you know our friends would pay us well.”
The girls started talking in much more hushed tones but Hermione knew she had to take control of the situation. She knew she should keep her mouth shut but she was finding that hard to do.
“I can hear you; you know.” Hermione said as she opened her eyes for the first time and looked at the girls, they were probably Percy’s age, very pretty, dressed sexy on the verge of slag.
“Oh, hi there love. My name is Char and this is my friend Zara.” Char introduced them using a much higher pitched voice than Hermione had heard earlier. Char was slim with long blonde hair, on the short side and busty while Zara had jet black hair, an athletic figure and was tall, probably close to 5’10”.
Hermione didn’t respond to the introduction she just offered them a tight smile. Char spoke again.
“We didn’t mean to bother you but it’s just not every day you run into a war hero and celebrity on Jenkinson’s block.”
Again, Hermione remained silent.
“You don’t have to tell us what you did, Hermione,” Zara said in a huskier voice, “Maybe you just tell us what’s it’s like to shag that ginger boyfriend of yours? From my experience, gingers are very good lovers.”
Hermione wished she could control the blush that was taking over her face but she couldn’t and it gave Zara the in she was looking for.
“I knew it!” She laughed, “People used to say Harry Potter was the hot one but I always liked the ginger one.”
“She did always say that.” Char laughed.
“His name is Ron Weasley,” Hermione said, “Not ‘the ginger one’.”
The girls laughed and Zara smiled, “No need to get your knickers in a twist there, love. You and Ron Weasley make a good-looking couple. Is it serious?”
“Of course, it’s serious, Zara, they were out on the run for a year and then won a war. I bet they’re married before Christmas.”
“Wait,” Zara asked, “Were you two together while you were gone? Were you really helping Harry or were you just off shagging in peace?”
“That would be both romantic and totally scandalous!” Char laughed.
Hermione was regretting even opening her eyes, she should have kept her mouth shut. These two gossip mongers had just spun a very unflattering tale that she could just imagine on the front page of the Prophet tomorrow.
“Wait,” Hermione started, hoping to gain control of this conversation.
“That’s enough Zara and Char,” Jenkinson called as he entered the block, “And Ms. Granger, I suggest you stay quiet and rest before your hearing. Anything you say to these two will likely end up in a gossip column by morning.”
Zara acted offended, “That’s rude, Jimmy. We were just having some girl talk with Hermione here. Weren’t we love?”
She smiled at Hermione but it certainly wasn’t genuine. Hermione just rolled on to her other side, with her back facing Zara and Char and closed her eyes.
“If I see anything even remotely similar to the nonsense you were spewing in the papers, you’ll be facing much tougher charges than public intoxication.” Jenkinson warned.
Char and Zara decided to shut up for the moment and Hermione was grateful. But she feared it might not be the last she hears of them. Morning could not come soon enough.