wind - Dramione

Prologue - 1

A cold atmosphere hung over the castle grounds. The war was won, yes, but no one was prepared for the aftermath. No one really could even believe they had won. Most of the population had accepted their fate, welcomed death, but when it never came, they didn't know what they were supposed to do. Patch up their families, or what was left of them, and just go back to the same old life they had led prior to the war.

Four years had passed since that dreadful day. Church bells had rung too many times to count with young lovers trying to piece together their lives by solidifying their harmony with marriage. Hermione and Ron had married, as did Harry and Ginny. As did Luna and Neville and as did Seamus and Dean. Naive hearts hoping to hold on to something, for fear it would be taken away only a moment later.

***

Hermione mindlessly twirled the spoon that bathed in the sugared and creamed tea she drank each morning. She was going through the mail that some random ministry owl had delivered earlier that morning. A letter from Ginny with a sonogram of the next hellraiser growing in her belly. A load of letters for her husband, and one Daily Prophet, with a headline that read

Anonymous Donation of Over ￡730,000,000 to Struggling Families After the War

She wondered who could've done such a thing? That amount of money isn't something one comes by overnight. And why keep it anonymous?

"Cheeky bastard," Ron emerged from a door from down the hallway, and moved to give his wife a kiss atop her head before moving into the kitchen to tame his never ending hunger. He shoved a toaster tart into his mouth and continued "Yoojus noh 'e jus' won attenshin."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ronald, it's anonymous," she laughed after trying to decipher his words, for too many times she has scolded him about talking to her with a mouth full of food. "Swallow and then speak, love."

Hermione lifted her plate and cup from the table and started to wash them in the sink. Ron finessed his way behind her, pulling her waist into his body. His grip was firm and hard. Water splashed onto her front and she squealed in frustration. The noise upset Ron and he yanked her closer, his rough hands sliding in between the indents of her ribs, harshly.

"Ouch, Ron!" she huffed in an irritated, but pained manner, "That hurts. Now get off, I've got to change before work now that I'm soaking wet!"

He rolled his eyes and made his way to the living room, plopping himself down on the couch to spend yet another day mindlessly staring at the television, while telling his wife he was actively searching for jobs in the city.

***

Harry was already talking to the new recruits when Hermione got there. She had already been in a bad mood and was in no condition to train recruits. Harry sensed this almost immediately, with some nudging from the office secretary, Talya, who had become a comfort to Hermione once Ginny had entered a state of semi-permanent pregnancy with the Potter children.

"Harry, I really can't do it right now, go ask Malfoy or something. He probably needs something to do," Hermione sat at her desk with her forehead pressed against the smooth wooden surface. Harry stood at her door frame, staring in disbelief that his best friend had admitted to being incapable of something.

"Actually, I assigned him to help you with your case," Harry said carefully.

She lifted her head as swiftly and as fast as lightning. She gave Harry a look similar to that of a younger sibling annoyed with the actions of the older counterpart.

"You did what?" she whined, "Why would you do that, Harry? Have I been that much of an awful friend?"

Harry chuckled as Hermione lightly banged her head on her desk, groaning in a high pitched whisper. He approached her desk, at risk of having something thrown at him.