Rekindled

Chp. 3

"So, any more thought as to what you're going to do after graduation?" Ginny asked Hermione as they filled their plates with various foods from the table.

"Probably organize a Multi-International division of spew," Ron said around his mouthful of something unrecognizable.

Hermione rolled her eyes and threw a biscuit at him. "For the last time - it's not spew Ron! It's..."

"I know, I know!" Ron held up his hands in a surrendering gesture and took on a tone that mimicked Hermione's voice. "It's the 'Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.'" Ron picked up the biscuit and buttered it.

"Amazing. You actually can be taught." Hermione ducked the buttered biscuit as he threw it back at her and turned to Ginny. "I was actually thinking about taking some time off."

Everyone at the Gryffindor table within hearing distance stopped eating and stared. Hermione was keenly aware of the sounds of the other students in the Great Hall eating and laughing and talking about exams and the upcoming summer holiday.

Harry chocked and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "Come again?"

Ginny elbowed his side and gave him a withering look. "That sounds lovely, Hermione. You deserve a nice break after all of the hard work you've done here."

Hermione smiled gratefully at her friend and took a delicate bite of her chicken. "I was thinking of traveling for a while. I've already searched around Diagon Alley for an apartment. And I've put in a fair few applications and job resumes at various places. But.... I guess there's just so many things that I want to do - I need some time to sort things out." She smiled at her friends brightly - knowing that she was being very uncharacteristically like her old self, but finding that she rather liked this new side.

Ron raised his goblet of pumpkin juice. "To new beginnings!"

Hermione grinned and raised her glass along with everyone else.

"To new beginnings!" everyone echoed.

"I can't believe that I'm going to be all alone next year!" Ginny said sadly and frowned down at her plate.

"Ah, come on, Gin! You know we'll come to visit you!" Harry said helping himself to seconds. "Besides, you won't be completely alone. You've got Luna and Collin."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Thanks for reminding me." Her and Hermione giggled. "Besides, Hermione can't come visit. She's going to be off traveling the world and meeting handsome wizards!"

"Right!" Hermione commented. "And with Harry being in Auror training you'll have plenty of free time to play the field - so you'll be so busy you won't even notice that we're gone! And if that doesn't work out, I'll make sure to bring you back one of those handsome wizards I meet," she winked and stuck her tongue out at Harry.

"What?!" Harry looked at Ginny. "In that case, I'll be here every weekend."

"Great Hermione," Ginny said quirkily. "Now you've blown my plan..."

Harry sputtered worse than before as the girls laughed.

Dinner was almost over and the Great Hall all but empty except for Hermione and her friends, when she felt a gentle tug on the back of her robes. Turning, Hermione looked down into the large eyes of Dobby the House Elf.

"Good evening, miss!" Dobby squeaked. "I have something for you." Dobby held up a small package with a letter attached to it.

"Thank you." Hermione took the package and eyed it curiously. "Dobby, who - ?" She had been about to ask whom the parcel was from, but Dobby was gone.

Ron leaned over and eyed the package in her hands. "What's that for?"

"I don't know...." Hermione looked down at her name scrawled across the letter and her stomach clenched. "I think I'm going to go back to the tower."

She bid her friends goodnight and left the Great Hall.