Hermione Granger and the Theft of Magic

Chapter 24: Whatever Helps You Sleep at Night

[A/N: Thank you to Calamity Owl for beta-reading this chapter.]

Cleaning up breakfast was, in retrospect, the best part of the morning for Hermione, because all that was left in the house after the last dish clanked into its neighbour on the drying rack was silence. She made it through lunchtime before she couldn't take any more and floo'd Neville.

"Hello?" she asked. "Is anyone home?"

A house elf popped up. "Hello, Lord Potter's friend. What can Spriggy do for you?"

"Hello, Spriggy," Hermione said. "Is Neville available?"

"Spriggy will check,"Spriggy said, and disappeared with an understated pop. Dobby's was noticeably louder, and Hermione sometimes wondered if Harry's elf friend either enjoyed the dramatic flair of the additional volume or if the noise was just his enthusiasm given audible form.

Just as she realised the two options weren't entirely exclusive, Neville strode into the room. He wore his usual slacks and waistcoat with an expression of deep concern in his eyes. "Good afternoon, Hermione," he said. "Would you like to come through?"

She nodded and, after he waved his wand at the fireplace, stepped through the floo. She was getting better at the disconcerting mode of transport, but still gratefully accepted Neville's assistance stabilising herself as she exited.

"It's nice to see you," he said. "Especially after the owl I just received." He passed her a piece of parchment.

"Dear Nev," it began, "Harry and I have to look for survivors and protect the Statute. Not sure when I'll return. I apologise for missing our dinner. Yours Sincerely, Sue. P.S. They finally did it!"

"What's going on?" Nev asked. "Look where for survivors?"

"You didn't hear?" Hermione asked, fighting down a blush at Sue's postscript.

He shook his head. "Wizarding Wireless is vapid to the point of useless when it comes to news about the Wizarding World. If something happened elsewhere, they usually don't bother."

Hermione gave him a quick rundown of what Sue had told them and what she'd seen in the Times.

"That's horrifying," Nev said when she finished. "Thank you for letting me know, though. Do you need any help while Harry's gone?"

"No, thank you, I think I can keep the house running while he's out," Hermione said. "It's just...I'm used to him being gone for long shifts, but it's only been a few hours now and I'm already losing my mind. I can't take not knowing when he's going to come home. He's the one thing that's been constant in my life as everything else has shattered into a million pieces and reformed itself over the last few months, and now I know I'm going to wake up for who knows how long and he won't be there."

Nev put his hands on her shoulders. "It's OK. You can come over here whenever you want, and Remus will be well enough for company again in a couple of days and I'm sure they'd love to have you." He paused. "Wait, if he's there when you wake up...that's what Sue meant! Congratulations!"

Hermione blushed and pushed his hands away. "Why is everyone congratulating me? This is so embarrassing!"

"We thought it would be good for both of you," Nev said with equanimity. "Well, that and Sirius still wants grand-godchildren, but we keep telling him not to get ahead of himself."

"You're all talking with one another about our sex life, or lack thereof of until recently?" Hermione asked, disbelief edging out embarrassment in her tone.