New Romantics | Hermione Granger Book IV

|11| Chapter Eleven

E L E V E N

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Once the group began to set up camp, the realisation started to hit them that practically everyone they knew was going to be in attendance at the event. It had been years since the final had taken place on British soil and the members of the magical community weren't going to give up the opportunity to watch the historic tournament come to an end for this years edition.

It was Rachel and Rowan that first asked could they be excused. Sage and Sirius had spoken about how they were going to set up the camp together, as apparently, they had gone camping before. They were doing a good job and really didn't need any more help. Obviously, the twins said that they'd take Noah with them, not wanting to exclude the boy. However, that only made Sage tentative about letting them go as Noah had never been in such a busy environment before. Sirius reminded her that she had said that he was to keep him on a leash for the day and that he thought it would be great their son to socialise, so she gave in and let him go. All of this was much to Noah's chagrin, as he started blushing and begged his parents to stop debating whether or not he should be allowed to go in front of people he had only known for a few days.

Saffron had no doubt that 'going to find Elena and Emilia' meant going to work on some dangerous telepathic experiment when those words came out of Rachel and Rowan's mouths once Sirius and Sage stopped bickering over whereabouts they wanted to set up camp for the weekend. The twins dragged a nervous Noah along with them, leaving Saffron, Maya and Harry with the adults, both of whom still looked like the definition of the word 'exhausted'. Saffron figured that the enormity of what had played out over the past few months was still taking its toll on them. The pair just sat next to each other, in front of a fire they were setting up, as Maya set off to find her friends Bethany and Melanie who were staying together with Bethany's family.

"Don't feel as though you have to stay with us," Sage said to Saffron and Harry once Maya was gone. "We have this all under control," She cast an uneasy eye over at Sirius who was straightening out the tent. "Well, sort of," She turned back to the Gryffindor pair. "You definitely have better things to be doing than watching us old people set up a tent,"

"Speak for yourself!" butt in Sirius defensively. "Twelve years in Azkaban only made me better looking. That said, I wouldn't want my beauty to blind you both. So go, go find Hermione and Ron. I'd like to personally thank them for what they've done for me,"

Saffron shrugged her shoulder at Harry with a grin and he nodded, signalling that he was down for that plan. They knew that Hermione was staying with the Weasley family and was attending the world cup with them. It was certainly about time that they reunited, as it had been long enough already.

"We won't be long," Saffron assured them and with that, she and Harry set off across the campsite, in pursuit of Hermione and Ron. But, in the back of Saffron's mind, she was also keeping a careful eye out for Lavender and Parvati, two of her closest friends, though, she wasn't sure they would be here. Parvati had been spending her Summer in Malaysia with her twin Padma and Saffron wasn't certain if they had come home yet or not. Meanwhile, Lavender had zero interest in Quidditch, unless you counted admiring particular players as an interest. Hence, she didn't get her hopes up.

Trying to find Hermione and Ron gave Saffron and Harry an opportunity to catch up properly. Saffron had zero doubts whatsoever that Harry had gone through hell over the Summer courtesy of his wretched Aunt and Uncle, not to mention his horrid cousin. If he needed to talk to her about any of it, she wanted him to know that he was able to do so. 

"So how was your Summer really?" Seeing as it was the first time they had been alone in the twenty-four hours they had spent together, Saffron placed emphasis on the 'really' in order to portray to Harry that he didn't have to censor anything in front of the others.

"I can't complain," Harry admitted to Saffron with what sounded like honesty. "Sirius suggested that I should tell them he was a raving lunatic and would be on call any time the Dursleys bothered me. That kept them away from me, which is all I could ask for. What about you?"

"The same," Saffron confided in him. "We spent the entire time basically counting down the days until we'd be coming here. Or, for Maya, counting down the days until she would get her OWL results. So to finally be here means a lot, we won't have to think about our guardians until next year, and hopefully by, that time we won't have to stay with them anymore. I only asked because sometimes the craziest of things happen to you. I was only checking to make sure you didn't accidentally blow up another aunt, or maybe an uncle this time, or just the same aunt again,"

"No, no blowing up anything," Harry chuckled, amused, as Saffron offered Terry Boot a small smile. The now fourth-year Ravenclaw was turning his head every few seconds, making Saffron think he was either lost or looking for something. "There was this one thing though, I doubt it's a big deal or anything but---"

What that was Saffron didn't find out, as a loud shriek from behind them made both her and Harry jolt in surprise. 

"Saffron! Harry! Over here!"

Saffron didn't even try to stifle the grin that was broadly forming across her face. As she knew before she even turned around that it was Hermione. Looking noticeably older and physically more mature since she had last seen here, Saffron sprinted in her direction, spotting Ron, who too had changed over the Summer, and leaping into her arms. 

"Hermione," Saffron said breathlessly, as she took her out of the embrace and laughed fondly. It truly was wonderful to see her again and filled Saffron with excitement for the year ahead. "How have you been?"

"Me?" I've been fine, how have you been? The thoughts of you being cooped up with that awful woman for another Summer's had me on edge the whole time," Hermione then took Harry into a hug as Ron took a few paces forward to greet them.

"I've never been better," said Saffron truthfully. "I'm here, aren't I? Not at Squires so everything's great,"

"And Sirius?" Hermione asked excitedly. The girls had been exchanging letters over the Summer so Hermione was pretty much up to date on what was happening with regards to Sirius. Plus, it was all over the Daily Prophet too. But she hadn't heard from Saffron since she had made it to the Gill household.

"He's great, they all are," Saffron told her with a grin. "He said he wants to thank you," She turned to Ron. "To thank you both,"

"Whereabouts are you set up?" Ron asked her curiously, holding his arm up to block the sun out of his eyes and looking out to the sea of green ahead of him.

"Right in with the Irish," Harry informed him.

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Makes sense for someone like Sirius, considering how he acted in the shack last year. They're quite a rowdy crowd, the Irish are,"