The Little Witch On The French Quarter Block

1.

Everything was quiet, the eerie silence had settled over as the dust swept across the ground. It was between the war and the aftermath, anyone realized that everything had changed forever. She looks around at the people running and passing her by without as much as a glance in her direction. Standing at the front gates of the castle she once called home, Hogwarts. Transparent liquid coverd her vision for it to only slide down her cheeks.

Memories of the people she loved, people she had grown up with, gone and replaced with memories of blood, gore and death. Heart still pounding hard within her chest reminding that she somehow was still alive, still breathing. Hermione was stuck in her place, couldn't move nor speak but wanted to scream until all the air left her lungs, she wanted to run as fast as her aching legs would allow her. Not that they would get her anywhere since her body had caught up with her and only now had she started to feel all the pain it couldn't feel during the fight. 

Still thought she took a good look around trying her best to remember how the castle had looked like during her childhood, all the adventures she had with Harry and Ron and the latest memory of the two people she loved the most on that bridge hand on hand.  After a while of looking around knowing it would be the last time she simply turned around and left the last place she could call home.  It took all her energy and every last once of willpower  not to look back as she limped away, cheeks still drenched in tears.

"You really like to zone out a lot Granger" The words snapping her out of her memories, turning her head towards the man sitting in front of her.

"I do not" Hermione softly spoke, unbotheredby his words she turned her head to look at the scenery before her. A parade strutting passed her favorite café alongside The French Quarter of New Orleans, she came here a few months ago, she had surprised herself by staying longer then she usually does. Hermione had at this time traveled to a few countries and normally she wouldn't stay more than a month but here she was almost three months in. She found it hard to leave when she felt so at peace in the city, not because it reminded her of something, it didn't look like her hometown and definitely didn't remind her of Hogwarts, yet she felt comfortable like she had lived there her entire life.

"Come on Hermione you know you love it when I tease you" Marcel cordially laughed. Hermione looked over once more and saw that trademark smirk he always gave her, trying to lighten her mood and unsurprising she shot him a faint smile before covering it with her left hand. "In your dreams" she mumbled into the hand, "What is it this time? That ex boyfriend of yours?" Marcel questioned. Hermione let out a sigh knowing where this  conversation will lead and yet she feed the flame. "Who Ronald?" Marcel clapped his hands together "Yes "Ronald" that's the one, tell me again why you broke up with him if he's the only thing you think about?. 

Hermione took a minute to look at Marcel before she let out a laugh, "good grief Marcel! Who do you take me for" she wipes the non-existing tears from her eyes before she continued "A little love struck girl that proceedes to simper after the boy she broke up with? Hermione didn't believe that it was possible for Marcels infamous smirk to grow bigger, but somehow it did. Marcel leaned forward over the table and reached out with his hand and caught the girls chin. "Well no" Marcel leaned even more forward so his upperbody practically collided with said table while trying to make her meet his eyes "We both know that Hermione Granger ain't that type of girl, but darling no need to lie. We all think of the past sometimes so don't be ashamed about thinking of an old flame from the old days, if anything that means you should give him a call."

Hermione's cheek's had gotten redder as he continued on about Ron she swore that Marcel had to either have the worst memory a human could ever have or loved to watch her fluster, no matter he was vexing her and taking up to much of her personalspace. "MARCEL! Good god I was just reminiscing" the words flew out of her mouth before she could even realized andall while Marcel still had his smirk present on his face. Well with Ronald already brought up she thought about their short lived relationship, all because of her departure. He tried to stay in touch and wrote to her but Hermione never once responded. Ronald at home mourning the loss of his brother stopped writing. The fact that both of them weren't the same people they once was. The people who had fallen in love with each other didn't exist anymore well Hermione couldn't fathom that thought. She had felt guilty for the break up, but that was before she learned that Ronald had begun dating just befor she left, she was of course mad about the lack of morals from him, but at the same time she didn't have any feelings towards him anymore which made it easier to let him go.

"Well whatever you are daydreaming about it can wait, you have to get ready for the party" Marcel had straightened himself up and took out his hand for her to grab. She took his hand and stood up as well "yeah yeah you and your parties" They walked out of the cafe and was just about to bid each other goodbye when a pair of swift footsteps made Marcels face visibly change, his playful demeanor disappeared and a smirk placed on his face once again but it didn't seem as genuine as before. A voice spoke behind Hermione "Fancy meeting you here Marcel, I figured that you would be at the compound making sure all your minions are sprucing up the place for tonight".

Hermione felt like she was at a loss about what she would do, looking at Marcel and trying to decipher his emotions was more difficult than figuring out where the sword of Gryffindor was hidden. One last glance at him then she collected all the remains of her Gryffindor courage and turned around to look at the stranger. He was tall and blonde and looked absolutely stunning in every way possible, she felt almost speechless but the little part of her wasn't and that part decided to speak. "Who the hell are you?" the words once again flew out. And all eyes where on her.