The first night had been easy with the trip and the tiredness and jet lag, she had fallen like a rock. But even if the second day had been as (if not more) busy, she couldn't rest.
She wasn't afraid of him. Her father raised her not to be afraid of anything. He, in turn, forced himself to recall a few positive memories of Barney and told them to her. Thankfully, Hermione quickly felt he wasn't at ease at the mention of his older brother, and most of the time, didn't engage the subject unless directly encouraged.
In return, he left the case of Sirius Black slide for the moment. He wanted to return to work and grill Maria more on the subject before actually facing Hermione anyway. The tone she had used back then had been calm and Clint thought that man's argument must have been really convincing to have a sharp mind like his niece believed him, inquiring and warning at the same time. But with her uncle, she supish of him he was hiding something. She knew her father, had never been intimidated by him. Although Clint had behaved like a nice guy, and Crookshanks liked him, so he couldn't be that bad he was still basically a stranger. He was also determined to act as a proper guardian and...and she would tell him everything if he asked, she trusted him that much.
Crookshanks jumped from his cat tree and curled next to her, purring softly. Hermione smiled and scratched behind his ear. Her parents would have never allowed her pet to sleep on the bed and usually, Hermione ushered her cat to its sleeping spot. She was jumping into a world with rules and people she knew nothing of, so she would half to be careful. Her parents were dead.
"This is just a new phase. It's a new chapter, and it's up to you to write the ending." Hermione said
The cat meowed softly, although she halfway wondered if it was because she had stopped scratching it.
"You're the best, y'know that?" Hermione asked
Crookshanks purred. Hermione smiled and closed her eyes. She felt the cat moving closer until his fur brushed her hand.
When Hermione woke up that morning quite early actually, compared to the previous few days and headed to the kitchen, she wasn't expecting to see her uncle spread on the couch. He was dressed in a pajama pants and a light sweater, barefoot, slightly snoring with his head buried into a cushion.
Hermione turned around before Natasha could say something.
Hermione pajamas
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"That's his punishment for forgetting to lock the closets. I kicked him out of bed."
A redhead woman stood behind her, staring impassively but with the corner of her mouth tilted upwards. She was also wearing a man's shirt. And only a man's shirt. Hermione mentally thanked whoever had made the cloth long enough to cover her upper thigh.
"Good morning," the redhead said with a polite smile. She was holding a cup, probably coffee, in her left hand and extended her right for a shake. "I'm Natasha."
