Truth or Dare ✔️

4

Hermione munched on her sandwich and was delighted to find that it was still hot. She wracked her brain trying to think of the spells that he could have used to keep it warm. He was all too correct when he had imparted to her that there were still many forms of magic that she had no idea existed. Perhaps it was a personal spell of his? Would certainly make sense, she thought. With having been out of doors for so long, no doubt he'd have all sorts of spells that he could easily work silently and without a wand...She thought that he was, as Ron would say, BLOODY BRILLIANT!

She sipped on her paper cup of coffee and read the latest morning edition of the local paper. She preferred local papers more so than the international papers. She resolved to tell her mother what had transpired between Sirius and herself and winced when she thought of her father. She had trusted that her mother would have imparted to him only what she thought he needed to know. Hermione thought that he seemed blissfully unaware at just how much his only daughter had grown up in the past few years.

She looked up from her paper and watched the countryside, small villages and towns whiz by as she looked out the window. She smiled as she thought about him and she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Hermione was awakened by the slowing of the rail as they arrived in Paris. She grabbed her belongings and drank the last few sips of her cold coffee with a grimace and stood to disembark the train. The British conductor, remembering that she had a bit of difficulty with stepping up into the train, assisted her with her exit and she thanked him with a smile and a nod. She searched the crowd for her parents and saw them further down the platform. She frowned when she saw that Francois had accompanied them. He saw her first and walked briskly toward her, waving. She thought that he had a different air about him; then she thought that it might be her and that she was imagining it?

She stood as tall as she could and smiled when he approached her finally and she found that a smile was slow to come to her face. He embraced her and kissed both of her cheeks and welcomed her return. She smiled brightly as her parents approached them.

Her parents had noticed that she had limped toward them and asked what had happened. Her eyes averted toward the boy and she realized that she wouldn't be able to tell the truth, so she changed the subject by inquiring about lunch.

"It's a bit early for that, isn't it Mione," he father asked as he chuckled. "Was the Leaky expensive?"

"Oh, I didn't stay at the Leaky," she said.

"Where did you stay Darling," her mother asked.

"At Grimmauld Place. There were no rooms for let at the Leaky."

"I see," her mother said. "And how are Sirius and Remus?"

"They're doing well. Remus actually just arrived home from France last night."

"Oh? How lovely."

They led her to their waiting car that was parked in the underground lot. Francois had playfully offered to carry her over his shoulder so that they could get to the car faster.

"Oh yes, like a sack of potatoes," she jeered.

"I meant nothing by it," he said apologetically.

"I know, I'm sorry. My ankle is starting to hurt again. I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"It is alright, Mione," he said as he smiled.

Hermione sat as close to the door as she could without having her body halfway out it. Francois had tried to hold her hand, but she silently insisted that she keep her hands in her lap and Francois eventually moved to his side of the rear seat and stared out the window watching nothing. Her father had guided the car out of the city and toward the countryside where their rented house was located.