Carolling [harry potter]

four. Silent Night // 1991

remember full chapters are going to be posted in the other story. current word count: 4829

~

Hermione Granger, bushy-haired, large-toothed, and all, bounded on the Hogwarts Express, eager to get back to her parents. The train, steam billowing out of its engine masked by the white clouds that hung low over the hilltops, bound across whitened pastures and towns that glittered like picturesque holiday cards.  It was only a few days before Christmas, and Hogwarts’ students were piled in mitts and gloves on the train home to see their families. Ms. Granger, first-year and top of her class (already), sat in her compartment; the only person accompanying her was a very awkward, plump boy in her year named Neville, and his toad.

Her parents had kept in contact with her throughout the last few months, for which she had been most grateful- honestly, the people at school were so horrendous towards her, just because she knew the work! It made her study even harder, though. She wouldn’t trade Hogwarts for public school in a million years. The feeling of exhilaration of using both magic and science made her squeal with happiness.

The train compartment was roomy enough, their suitcases having been taken elsewhere when they had boarded. Chatter came through the open compartment door, carols came from several places down. A book propped in her hand, Hermione could barely focus, too excited to be able to see her parents and tell them all the things that she had discovered while at Hogwarts. Letters just couldn’t express the fascinating things, and she often found herself running out of parchment before she could finish, trying to cram the last bits in with tiny writing that bordered on illegible. Nevertheless, as the train carried on, her mind was scattered.

The thoughts of being back at Hogwarts with her two friends whom she really thought to be a bit daft and silly, but nonetheless adored, flew around in her mind like a Snitch. Her dormitory roommates told her that she really ought to stop being so uppity and maybe fix her hair, but they just didn’t understand that those were the least of her concerns. Her bushy hair, she thought, absentmindedly reaching up to flatten it while turning the page of a book she had read countless times, was unruly, sure, but it took too much time to fix in the morning. The girls in her dormitory, Hermione had decided long ago, were quite nice but not her cup of tea.

Just as she was about to storm into another internal rambling questioning her friends, the recently assigned homework, and the news, the trolley lady came around. She was quite plump, if Hermione was honest, but that didn’t really make her think different, after all, the lady was quite kind the first time around, attempting to suggest places to find Neville’s toad.

“Keep a hold of that thing, Neville. It wouldn’t be wise for us to have to search for it again!” Neville nodded meekly, clutching him tighter as the lady peeped in.

“Anything for you two dears?” She smiled kindly, and Hermione thought she reminded her of her elderly grandmother from France.

“Erm, a cauldron cake and the latest copy of the Daily Prophet, please.” Hermione stood up, dropping several coins into the lady’s hand. Neville shook his head when the lady offered anything to him. With her hands full with the newspaper and sweet, Hermione returned to her seat, first staring at the cake, and then breaking it in two and giving it to Neville. “My father will most likely have a big meal ready when I get home, anyway, so I suppose you should have this.”

Neville took it, the warmth melting the icing onto his hand as he thanked her. He was a nice boy, a bit foolish, but enough for Hermione to take a kindness to. The train rolled over the hills as they ate in silence, Hermione cleaning her hands with a flick of her wand, opening the newspaper.

All was calm.

~

The train barrelled into the station, and Hermione could hear excited chitters coming from the compartments around her. The tunnel was in sight and as they made their way into the darkness, Hermione closed her newspaper with finality and peered out of her hair and hat onto the platform, searching for her parents. They were lost in the midst of crowds, but Hermione knew they would find her, or she to them. No need to worry. Neville scrambled up, brushing crumbs off his robes and putting Neville in one of his pockets. Heaven bless him if he forgot which pocket it was that the toad was in.

The train screeched to a slow stop, the students rushing out like swarms onto the platform. Hermione waited until most of the corridor was clear, and, with a huff, picked up her book bag and walked out. The smell of London air made its way to her nose, and as the other students began lining up to leave, she searched for her parents through the thinning crowd.

There they were! She hurriedly slung her book bag onto her shoulder, putting her wand into her pocket (‘absolutely no wizardry in the presence of Muggles unaware of magic!’) and rushed over to where the two of them stood looking very out of place. Hermione smiled- of course they were, a long line of dentists came from both sides of the family. Hermione could barely find a wizardry bloodline when investigating her family tree, but she thought her magic to come vaguely from a Squib centuries back from Holland.

Her parents spotted her, mitts on and her mother shivering- with cold or excitement, she couldn’t tell- and Hermione grinned, breaking into a run. Her feet brushed against the pavement as she felt her heart leap as her parents embraced her. She had missed them so, and as they embraced Hermione’s mother rested her head atop Hermione’s.

“Well, look at you, darling! You look so well brought up and mature! Let’s get you home, shall we? Your mother and I missed you terribly- the house is so quiet!” Her father smiled at her, grabbing her hand like they did when she was little and walked to the line to leave.

“I’ve missed you a lot too! But, oh gosh, you would be absolutely amazed at Hogwarts! It’s fantastic and beautiful, Dad, and the teachers are all lovely! Though I do wonder why they don’t teach us math there…” Hermione trailed off, the thought making her head swim with the possibilities of why they didn’t need essential subjects like English and math and science.

“No matter dear, you’ll turn out brilliant anyways, dear. We’re just so happy to hear of your excelling- and you mentioned in your recent letters that you’ve made friends? Larry and Don, was it?” Her mother put her hand on her shoulder, genuinely interested in Hermione’s experience.

Hermione blushed red, though it was masked by the cold that, as they made their way out of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, engulfed them. “Thanks mum,” Hermione said sheepishly, smiling at how lucky she was to have them. “Harry and Ron, mum. And yes, they’re quite the bunch. Always have to fix the shenanigans they get into, but it’s not a worry, mum. I swear, I’m not getting into trouble or danger!” Memories of the troll at Halloween flooded her mind and she really hoped her parents didn’t notice her slight squirm.

Her mother smiled as they walked towards their car, people bustling around the entrance of the station. “I wouldn’t bet on it, darling.”

As they left the station, Hermione thought of the stunning Christmas holiday she would have. She could expect books and eggnog and family time around the telly. After all the bustle that Hogwarts had brought, Hermione was glad to slow it down for a bit, though she still had that pesky Potions work to do. They stepped into the Muggle world. All was bright.