When You Look at Me

Chapter Two

During the first few months after the war, Hermione Granger was given an internship as an auror for her service during the war. She was very happy to be working with Harry and Ron again. Most of her days at work were consumed with paperwork and Harry and Ron's arguments, which Hermione would end up getting involved in. To Hermione, it had felt like nothing had changed from their school days at Hogwarts.

The only thing that did change in Hermione's life was her blossoming relationship with Ron. During the last few months of the war, Ron and Hermione's feelings for each other escalated from close friends to boyfriend and girlfriend. Hermione always could not help but blush every time she and Ron would hold hands, exchange words of endearment, and heartwarming kisses. For Hermione, being in a relationship with Ron was easy. She was living at the burrow with Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasley family. Ron living in the same home with her made it easy to spend time with him. Ginny was like a sister to Hermione; They shared so many late nights together, talking like all best friends do. Ginny was in a relationship with Harry, so the girls would always talk about Harry and Ron. They would swap clothes, do each other's hair and makeup, just like sisters would. Molly Weasley was like a mother to Hermione. She was absolutely lovely. Hermione looked forward to her time with Molly and Ginny. The three ladies would cook family meals together, and after the family dinner, the three ladies would pour themselves a glass of wine, and sit at the dinner table, having lovely conversations, such as how Molly met Arthur at Hogwarts, Hermione's work, and stories of the Weasley children when they were little. Hermione was looking forward to one day being able to call Ron her husband, Ginny her sister, and to have a family again. She missed her parents, and the thought of calling the Weasleys family was very appealing to her. She had developed quite the relationship with the family, and married life with Ron had become something she was yearning for.

Hermione and Ron had discussed marriage. It seemed very quick to start such a discussion, but Hermione and Ron had known each other for seven years. Hermione had developed a strong relationship with his family, a better one than she could ever possibly imagine. Ron and Hermione discussed building a home together, not too far from the burrow, as Ron wanted many children. Hermione wanted that for herself. After losing so many wonderful witches and wizards during the war, Hermione and Ron both agreed that having many children would bring hope to a diminished population of witches and wizards. Hermione wanted to be a mother more than anything. She wanted to share her knowledge of wizardry with her children, bringing them up as the best witches and wizards they could be.

On a lovely day in early August, Hermione had just finished up her work day at the ministry. After cleaning her desk for the weekend, Hermione met Ron at the door, and he took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "You both ready?" Asked Harry.

"Yeah" Said Ron, as the golden trio made their way through the halls of the ministry, to the fireplaces scattered on the ground floor, and flooed back to the burrow together, just like old times.

After arriving back at the burrow, still hand-in-hand with Ron, Hermione was met by Molly Weasley, who ran over to her. "My dear, you have an owl waiting for you by the kitchen window!" she huffed.

"Thank you, Molly." Said Hermione as she walked to the kitchen window where a dark grey barn owl waited for her, with an envelope tied to its leg.

She untied the crisp envelope from its carrier, and studied the black script. "It's from Professor McGonagall."

"Why would she write to you?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"I'm not sure." Hermione responded, ripping the Hogwarts seal in half as she opened the flap.

"What is it about?"

"Professor McGonagall would like to meet with me." She said as she placed the parchment on the dinner table.