Flitterblooms and Firewhiskey

Flitterblooms and Firewhiskey

Part 1: Hermione Writes

"Dear Luna,"

Hermione Granger bit into her lower lip. It wasn't the asking that bothered her, it was the part that would come after.

"There's something I need to talk to you about."

At least she could trust Luna to listen. In fact, she had a feeling a lot of people could trust Luna to listen to them about jaw-droppingly ludicrous things that nobody else would ever believe, a tendency that could surely be used against her by some unsavoury character.

But Luna believed Harry.

There was something to be said for that. Lord Voldemort coming back was nothing like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack or Blibbering Humdinger or Heliopaths. At least she could believe something no one wanted to be real.

"Would you please meet me behind Greenhouse Three on Wednesday evening at five?"

The greenhouse would be common ground for them. Luna seemed to enjoy Herbology, so if Hermione couldn't break the ice, they could always discuss the Venomous Tentacula. Yes, that would work.

"Please respond soon. If you can't make it on Wednesday evening, we can meet another time, but I do need to speak with you."

After some of the things she'd said to Luna (and about her within her earshot, or around her), Hermione knew she needed to be flexible. She was not about to stand in the cold behind Greenhouse Three for an hour, all alone, only to find out that Luna didn't show up because it wasn't a good time for her.

"It's about the recent article in the Daily Prophet about the Azkaban breakout."

She was just about to close and sign the letter, but then hesitated. That line about the Daily Prophet article wouldn't do. Luna would immediately know what Hermione was up to. She pointed her wand at the last sentence and erased it. She would explain herself in person to Luna, when it was just them and the greenhouse, but not before then.

"Sincerely, Hermione Granger"

She rolled up the parchment, addressed it, and left the dormitory for the Owlery, stowing the scroll in her robes as she closed the door behind her.

Writing to Luna was harder than writing to Rita Skeeter. While Hermione didn't relish the thought of being within ten miles of Rita again, at least she knew she wouldn't have to justify herself to the unemployed journalist and unregistered Animagus. For several months, she'd toyed with the idea of getting Harry an interview about his experience after the Third Task and having it published in The Quibbler, but actually putting the plan into motion...

But as the tawny owl flew out the window towards West Tower, she reminded herself, it was the only thing to do. The Daily Prophet was still considered the legitimate publication for the Wizarding world in Britain, but honestly, a half-grown troll could see the holes in its coverage of the mass breakout from Azkaban. Though she didn't know how much faith she could put in Apollo Lovegood's journalistic integrity after some of the stories she'd seen in his magazine, one thing was for certain: he and his daughter didn't give a toss about getting on the wrong side of the Ministry of Magic. Hermione Granger admired that.