Love Conquers All

Finding Ginny

Authors note: one more chapter for your reading pleasure... (with a little bit of fluff in the end:-) Please remember to REVIEW...

-----------------------

CHAPTER 7: Finding Ginny

Hermione had once been at Land's End with her parents on a summer vacation and could still remember where some of the sights were. She decided to Apparate to Land's End because that was the place she remembered the best. When she arrived, she trekked a few miles down the coast to a small village near St. Levan. The small village, called Raftra, was a mixed magical and Muggle village. Luckily the weather was warm and the wind from the sea was just a gentle breeze.

Once she arrived to Raftra she searched to find the small inn that Ginny had told her she was staying at. She walked all the way through the village and just as she thought there were no more buildings, she saw an old weather-beaten stone building. An aged sign hung over the door, telling every wizard or witch that they had arrived at 'The Crooked Broomstick'.

Taking a deep breath she opened the door and walked in. Once inside she looked around trying to find out if Ginny was there. The inn was cozy in an old-fashioned way; old oak tables were lined up and a few old wizards were seated at one of them, drinking a pint of butterbeer. They looked up at the new guest, and they nodded their head in a friendly greeting. Hermione timidly waved hello and then walked over to the bar.

"What can I do for you, fair lady?" asked a friendly looking barkeeper as he placed the mug he had been cleaning under the counter. He was an older wizard with grey hair and steel grey eyes, and a rounded belly.

Hermione gave him a nervous smile - she was not used to being called 'fair lady' - but when she saw the genuine smile on his face she just gathered that this was how he spoke to everyone.

"Well, I'm looking for Ginny Weasley, she is a friend of mine and last I heard from her she was staying here."

"Ah, so you seek the fair Ms. Weasley whom we have had the pleasure to divert the last couple of weeks. Yes, she is staying here, but alas she is not here at the moment, perhaps I can bring you something while we wait for her return," the barkeeper suggested, and waved his hand to the bar.

"Oh, I'll have a butterbeer please, and thank you," Hermione said and paid the barkeeper.

"There you go, one butterbeer for the fair lady." He smiled at her and placed a butterbeer on the counter. "I'm Allen McCready by the way." He offered her his hand in a greeting.

"I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger, it's nice to meet you," she said and took his hand. "Thank you for letting me stay here and wait for Ginny."

"Not a problem at all, my dear. You paid for your butterbeer so you are free to stay as long as you like. And besides it is always nice to meet new people, it's not that often that we get to see a new face around here. It's just the same old hags and warlocks around these areas." He grinned and nodded his head toward the group of wizards sitting at one of the tables.

"Hmm, I guess so. But it's really lovely out here; I forgot how beautiful it is here in Cornwall." When she saw his puzzled face she continued. "I came to Land's End on vacation with my parents when I was a child."

"Ah I see, just as our young Ms. Weasley has been. I still remember her family, all read hair, the whole bunch of them. They have a pair of twins as I recall, nearly burned my place to the ground those two, I tell you, but nice people, nice people indeed."

Hermione grinned and said, "I can imagine that, that would be Fred and George."

Allen chuckled and shook his head thinking about the mayhem the twins could make. They were not forgotten around these areas.