New Beginnings

Culture

'This is so weird,' Draco whispered to Hermione, his breath warm against her cheek.

The projector screen showed giant balloons, soaring above cheering crowds and garish floats. A man was gushing enthusiastically about the many virtues of the shop that was affiliated with the parade.

'It's part of the American culture,' Hermione giggled, shushing him.

'I thought thanksgiving was about being thankful for all the good things you had,' he muttered. 'I can get on board with that, that's cool. But what the hell is that?'

Christmas trees were tap-dancing across the screen, with a huge inflatable cat above them.

'Be quiet, you're being disrespectful,' Hermione hissed, her eyes sparkling with laughter. 'Look, it's another Broadway performance, you liked the last one.'

'...why are they all dressed in green? I mean, I like the colour, and an Emerald City sounds deliciously Slytherin, but...why is her skin green?!'

'Silencio.'

Draco jabbed her, frowning and gesturing at his throat. His mouth moved but no words came out. Hermione smiled sweetly and turned back to the screen.

'You two are like an old, married couple,' Krystel chortled, ignoring the horror on their faces.

'Old? Hermione Granger isn't old!' Cody protested, looking scandalised.

'Thank you Cody,' Hermione smiled, smugly. 'And you don't need to use my full name all the time, just "Hermione" is ok.'

Draco rolled his eyes and made gagging motions. Hermione elbowed him.

'Hey guys,' Spartacus wandered over with a platter of doughnuts. 'Brought y'all a mid-morning snack. Breakfast feels like it was hours ago! What's up with Draco?'

'Hermione hexed him,' Krystel explained.

'Fair enough, he probably deserved it.'

Draco threw his hands up in defeat.

*****

After the parade ended, a minute's silence was announced by the TV presenter. Chatter faded away, as the witches, wizards and magical creatures joined the no-maj crowds in their moment of remembrance.

Once the TV commercials restarted, Spartacus switched off the projector. A radio was produced, and the Weird Sisters' music filled the clearing.

'Lunch time!' Spartacus bellowed, gesturing grandly at the full tables.

Everyone rushed forwards, eagerly piling mounds of food onto their plates. Crowding back around their firepit, Krystel insisted they each state something they were thankful for before eating.

'I'm thankful for all the new things I'm learning and doing this year,' Hermione answered at once. 'So many new experiences and opportunities!'

'I'm thankful for making such interesting new friends,' Cody winked at Hermione, who pretended not to notice.

'I'm thankful for having finally moved out of my mom's place!' Krystel smiled, having moved into her own apartment the week before.

Hermione poked Draco when he failed to answer. She had removed the spell an hour earlier, but he was enjoying the melodrama and was refusing to speak.

'Oh, now you want to hear what I have to say?!' He exclaimed, pouting. Hermione swatted his arm. 'I'm thankful for new beginnings, being able to make my own place in the world.'

'Here, here!' Cody proclaimed, raising a butterbeer in toast. 'Happy thanksgiving, everyone!'

'Happy thanksgiving!' They all chorused, clinking their bottles together.

*****

'I'm so full,' Cody moaned.

'Why did I eat so much?' Hermione lay sprawled in the grass, feeling nauseated.

'Tradition,' Krystel hiccuped, cradling a cold bottle of Coors. 'Welcome to hic 'Murica, land of the hic ridiculous portions.'

'Land of the shit beer more like,' Draco groused. 'Gimme a Firewhisky any day.'

Hermione rolled her eyes and passed him a bottle of wine. They all drank in companionable silence, too full for conversation.

*****

'Yes! The Quodpot game is starting!'

Hermione blinked drowsily, having dozed off during the pre-game commentary. The ground felt as though it was moving, making her queasy.

'Who do we want to win?' She heaved herself upright, squinting at the projector screen.

'Well, as a Wampus myself, I'm rooting for the Atlanta Wampus' to win,' Cody helped Hermione settle into her seat as he spoke. 'But Krystel here is a die-hard Philly girl, so she wants a Philadelphia Hippogriff victory.'

'And this is a college tournament, not professional, right?'

'You got it, honey! Most of our big cities have a magical college attached to the no-maj one, and they all compete for the coveted trophy. NYMU got beat in the semis, first time in a decade they've not gotten through to the finals.'

'And what do you mean, you're a Wampus?'

'It's one of our school houses, at Ilvermorny,' Krystel said as Cody stoked the fire. 'I'm a Thunderbird, which is said to represent the soul and favour adventurers. Not quite lived up to the adventuring part yet, but I'm working on it!'

'Wampus represents the body,' Cody smirked, winking at the two women.

'What about Hogwarts?' Krystel asked, ignoring him. 'What houses were you two in?'

'I'm a Gryffindor, named after Godric Gryffindor who valued courage and determination. I doubted that a lot, thinking I should've been in Ravenclaw with the other knowledge-seekers, but the Sorting Hat insisted.'

'What about you, Drake?'

'Slytherin.'

'Named after Salazar Slytherin, for those with ambition and resourcefulness,' Hermione explained, when Draco fell silent.

'Don't forget cunning and self-preservation,' Draco spat.

'Not inherently negative things,' Hermione protested. 'Is it truly self-preservation if you're simply considering all the options before acting? Better that than Gryffindor rashness, careening headfirst into danger!'

'I'm from the evil house,' Draco sneered, 'no use trying to pretty it up. It is what it is.'

'I thought you were proud to be a Slytherin?'

'I also used to be proud of being a pureblood and a Malfoy and a Death Eater,' he snarled, throwing his cup onto the fire. 'That doesn't make it right.'

They stared as Draco stormed off, disappearing into the woods.

'Oh...Kay then...' Krystel mumbled, breaking the silence. 'Another drink, anyone?!'

Hermione fidgeted, unsure whether she should go after him. She didn't know where she stood with him. They were no longer enemies, but 'friends' seemed too presumptuous. She had hurt him by abandoning him for so long, she didn't want to make him feel worse.

'Don't worry about it,' Cody assured her. 'He'll be back when he's ready.'

Hermione accepted the beer he pressed into her hand, turning her attention back to the others.