To celebrate the New Year, I'm sharing a bit of my newest WIP. Hopefully it will be posted in the next couple of weeks! Happy 2022!
Hermione paced impatiently across her living room floor. She had written Ron and told him that she needed to see him. She tried to portray the urgency she felt, without scaring him to death. He was on a mission with the Aurors, and she wasn’t sure he would actually receive her letter. The Auror’s were always were so secretive and she rarely knew where he was half the time. Even when she did, she never knew if he would get her letters or when he’d returned.
Which is why she was so surprised to receive a response not minutes after sending hers. All it said was I’ll be there as soon as I can.
She knew it was from Ron and that he meant business. What she didn’t know was if he’d be allowed to see her, or when. She had assumed he’d just write back. The news she had for him wasn’t one that could be told over letter, but she was hoping she’d be able to learn when he’d be back—when she’d finally be able to share the news she had and stop feeling like she could burst at any moment from not letting it out.
She was burning holes in the carpet with her back and forth pacing when she looked up at the clock. It was half-past five and she knew she needed to eat. She hadn't eaten all day–she was too anxious to eat, the idea of food nauseated her. She rubbed her belly automatically, deciding that if he hadn’t arrived by six she’d make herself a sandwich. She didn't want to stray, to somehow miss him if he floo’d in. Though, she reminded herself, the kitchen was only a room away from the fireplace. Still, she felt a tug, pulling her closer to the fireplace, waiting anxiously for someone who might not even show up. Though she hoped with all of her might that he would.
Luck must have been on her side, and her waiting ceased as a green plume of smoke billed through the fireplace not moments later, slowly evaporating and showing her love waiting for her.
“Hermione”, he said urgently, rushing from the fireplace, not even patting himself off before engulfing her in a big hug. “Are you okay? What’s the matter?”
Hermione recovered from the boisterous hug and sat down on their sofa, not sure how to answer Ron's questions. Instead of trying to find her voice to respond to Ron, she decided to ask him a question of her own, if only to give her a bit more time. It seemed silly that she had been so anxious to see him, to tell him what she knew, and now that he was here she wished she had more time.
“How’d you manage to get here?” she inquired. “I thought you were on a mission?”
“One of the perks of being friends with the Minister,” Ron smirked. “Though I don’t have much time. What’s wrong?”
“Nothings wrong,” Hermione asserted as calmly as she could muster. “At least I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?” Ron asked worriedly. “Hermione, tell me, what’s going on, what’s so urgent?”
“I shouldn’t have taken you away from your work,” Hermione apologised. “It could have waited.”
“Hermione,” Ron said, sitting next to her and taking her shaking hand. “Really, it’s okay, just tell me what’s wrong.”
Hermione nodded her head and took a deep breath, not sure how to start.