A Change in Plans - A Dramione Fanfiction (Complete)

Chapter 2 Weasley

Hermione 2 August 2017

How did I sleep through my first and second alarms?
Ugh. That's how. Stupid headache. I rub my temples trying to eliminate the pain throbbing through my skull and echoing like the Grand Canyon. The sounds the blood sloshing around my head is actually like a tsunami that is going to break my skull and flood through my eyes.
At least it's only 6:30am, so I still am ahead of my schedule. I need to grab my clothes and head out, I have 3 meetings today and all before noon.

I get my khaki jacket, navy blue pull over blouse with a lace overlay, and - yes - those pants. Whoever thought of putting just a little spandex in work pants is brilliant. These khaki pants, slightly darker than my jacket, will be perfect and comfortable enough that I can survive another day of monotonous Ministry meetings on this ridiculous 'world tour' that Kingsley sent me on. Gold or silver hoops. Silver. I don't know why but silver today. Shoes? Oh yeah these leopard print shoes will set off the professional monotony of my outfit with just a touch of hotness. Why I think I need to be sexy for these meetings, eludes me but for some reason I want to. It is so un- Hermione Granger-Weasley of me, especially these last few years, but right now I feel like something has changed, almost awakened, in me.

I know why Kingsley sent me on this trip. He thinks I don't. Does he really believe that I am that daft? After knowing me for almost 20 years, he should know better.
He claims it is so that I get comfortable with all the other dignitaries that the Minister has to deal with. I could do that in my office in London just as easily. He wants me to take over upon his retirement, which I dread daily. It's not that I don't want the position, I just don't want it now. Too many unanswered questions, too much going on, too much... life.

After the war he's been such a grounding force for the whole Magic world. His always calm demeanor, his resounding baritone voice, his ominous presence. But once you know the man, you know he is such a kind soul also. And conniving, but not in a bad way. He seems to know just what a person needs and work for their own individual best interest, and it always seems to work out for the whole also. We fought alongside each other in the Order. We both lost dear friends that day and the days leading up to the it. That day. The Battle. The Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione Jean Weasley, you can say it, I tell myself again: The Battle of Hogwarts.

I always looked forward to seeing his bright purple or red or yellow robes, even now. When he strode into my office 8 months ago, I suspected something had changed, but I didn't realize the extent of how it would change my entirety.
Now he's sent me on an around the world semi-vacation. Southern hemisphere in the winter, so I don't have to deal with dreary London. Northern hemisphere in the summer. This is a fluke out of the schedule, because originally it was planned for February, but no one wants me in Rio during Carnivale. I think Harry had something to do with that.

So here I am in August, in Rio de Janeiro. Having 3 meetings before noon and then what? What am I to do with the rest of my day? I don't necessarily want to see the beaches, I don't feel like being your typical Muggle tourist again. Maybe I can convince one of the members I have meetings with that I should go see the sanctuary that Luna has built for magical creatures out here in the Amazon. That's a plan. See Luna, see what she is doing here, and justify it all under a fake Ministry pretense.

It was also suggested to me to have two specialty spa like experiences while I'm here by Ginny: have a Brazilian blowout (which at first I thought was something entirely different, and knowing my sister in law she would be all for) and a real Brazilian wax done in Brazil (which justified my confusion on the first). Second probably won't happen, but after reading up online about what a Brazilian blowout is, my hair could certainly use something like that. That should be on the list, maybe not today though.

But first, I have to get ready for these meetings.
"PADFOOT!" I call out. "Where are you, you mangy mutt? Breakfast!" Recently I adopted a dog, a complete mutt but with quite a bit of terrier - Ron's patronus - in her, and named her Padfoot after Harry's godfather. I miss Sirius regularly. He was such a free spirit trapped in a bad circumstance. But I know he's watching over Harry and Ginny and their kids, me and my kids, Teddy, and everyone - probably laughing hysterically, and that he sent me Padfoot after everything...

"Where are you fuzz butt? Fur face?" It's not like her to miss a meal. Ignore a meal, yes. If it doesn't meet her spoiled ideal, she'll just sit there ignoring it. I could see Sirius do that too, especially in his dog form. But to miss a meal? I scoop her favorite - or at least the food she doesn't completely turn her nose up at - food into her bowl and go and get ready for the day.

After my shower, I go and quickly check on Padfoot again. No sign of her anywhere. The doors to the other bedrooms are closed and she isn't in the main living quarter that I can see when I quickly glance over everywhere. I call down to the concierge and request that someone come up later today and walk her, and it has to be a female. She usually hates males; Harry and Hugo are the exceptions.

I intend to leave my hair down but this bloody humidity is making me look like a poodle right now. So I throw it up into a messy bun, put on my simple jewelry - the necklace holding my wedding band, the silver hoop earrings, and my watch - and proceed with my makeup.

Thank goodness for magic or else I would look like a hooker in no time. Makeup was never one of those things I really thought important. It was school, then Him - Voldemort, then school for another year, and then landing the right job and proceed with my career.
When I got married it wasn't planned, but it wasn't unplanned, it was - well - to be expected. Ron and I had been through so much it was a natural attraction. But even then Ginny had to do my makeup and hair.

Ron. Ronald Bilius Weasley, what the bloody hell are you doing?

No more tears. None. I can't. I spent too much time after Harry walked into my office that day crying.

And ladies and gentlemen, that is why Kingsley actually sent me on my around the world trip.