Between Fine Lines

Three

What in the hell were jeans?

With Remus having access to the Black vaults - a fact Regulus tucked away in his brain for later, when he was finally able to see his brother from whatever "mission" he was on. Remus and Hermione dragged him from muggle shop to muggle shop to make sure he had everything he would need for his three month stay at the Granger household.

Living with muggles, the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, like when you ate something that might have just gone bad, but you don't know it until you swallow it, the taste covering your tongue and your throat.

Unfortunately, this was not a bitter taste Regulus could just rinse away with some pumpkin juice.

The concept of living at Hermione's home, with her muggle family, yet they understood everything about the wizarding world-he hadn't been expecting that one, although he hadn't truly ever known what happened when muggle born children and their families when the children were informed that they had magic in them.

Now he did.

Remus and Hermione spoke in hushed tones with her family, explaining to them only the details they needed to understand. Regulus would cause them no harm, as he did not have a wand, he would be staying there for the summer, Remus had already insisted on leaving money to tend to anything Regulus might have needed, food and the sorts, and that when Hermione left to attend the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour before school started, Regulus would go with her.

Regulus was pretty sure he heard Remus say the phrase 'we are extremely grateful' at least ten times.

Grateful... sure... that was the word.

He took the opportunity to wander the bottom floor of the house, glancing around the kitchen warily at the unfamiliar muggle objects. He passed by a room that was clearly their dining area, although it was not as grand as the dining area in Grimmauld Place, he supposed it was decorated nicely.

There was a room that looked like an office that he assumed belonged to Mr. Granger, and although Regulus lingered in the doorway, he did not enter. A man's office was more personal at times than his own bedroom-he had learned this from his father.

He peered into the tiny bathroom, noticing no tub, so he assumed it to be for guests visiting and his eyes trailed into a larger sitting room, which must have been when they had a lot of people over.

He did not expect the bottom stair to creak and give him away, Hermione looking up from her spot in the sitting room, eyeing him with interest. Regulus watched her excuse herself from the conversation, his eyes trained on her as she came closer.

"I was just curious as to where my room was," he stated lamely, his fingers tapping against the banister.

"Come on, I'll show you so you can get comfortable, I know it's been a long day," Hermione carefully moved around Regulus, making her way up the stairs past him. Regulus followed her quietly, his eyes trailing the photos of Hermione and her parents.

The photos were the weirdest thing to him- none of them moved.

"So this is a linen closet, in case you need any extra towels or anything of the sort," Hermione pointed at a small door as they came up the stairs. "My parents room is this one," she tapped on the door lightly next to the linen closet and Regulus couldn't help but quickly peer into the large bedroom, which he noticed had another door slightly ajar that appeared to lead into a master bathroom.

"I'm at the end of the hall here," she pointed to her bedroom door, "and this will be your room here, there is a jack and jill bathroom in the middle and then another door separates the shower and the toilet."