||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 4

The entire week passed by pretty much the same way. Hermione would head to work with Harry and Ginny after she and Carson would share a silent breakfast, she would come back and finish her paperwork, on Wednesday she went to the teashop with Narcissa again, and on Friday, Hermione headed to her parents' after work. 

"Hermione, darling," Jean Granger wrapped her arms around Hermione gleefully, "take off your coat, hang it on there."

"How've you been, mum?" Hermione asked as she hung her coat up and took off her scarf.

"It's a little quiet without you," Jean admitted, "but Crookshanks is lovely to have around."

Hermione nodded, satisfied, "where's dad?"

"He's at the clinic, he'll be back in some time I should think."

"I'll help you with dinner until then."

There was a scuffle heard from the stairs, and Crookshanks walked into view. Hermione darted forward and picked the feline up to cradle it.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione said in a slightly high pitched voice, "I've missed you."

Crookshanks purred, content, and rubbed his head into the crook of her elbow and settled down comfortable in her hold.

Both women chatted idly as they began preparing the table. Mrs. Granger took the stew off the fire while Hermione set a pot of tea.

"You mentioned a roommate?" Mrs. Granger asked as she chose the glasses to use for dinner, "Do you know them from Hogwarts?"

"No, actually," Hermione knitted her brows, "I assume we just never had the fortune of knowing each other while at school. He's alright, though I'd much rather-"

"It's a boy?" Mrs. Granger looked at Hermione with wide eyes, and a smirk played on her face, "What's he called?"

"Carson Bones," Hermione rolled her eyes at her mother.

"Come on Hermione, I haven't suggested anything," Mrs. Granger said teasingly, "yet."

"Stop it," Hermione fought to keep the smile off her face.

Mr. Granger arrived shortly before eight. They sat down for dinner, and Hermione repeated everything she had narrated to her mother to her father.

"Carson Bones," Mr. Granger muttered, "he'd better not be a creep. I can still throw a few punches."

"I can take care of myself, dad," Hermione said after she had swallowed her peas.

"Still," Mr. Granger smiled, "I think you don't have a telly with you in your apartment. You can take our old one."

"I can?" Hermione was thrilled with the idea of having something else to do when she was free.

"Sure, take it with you when you leave."

So that's how Hermione ended up with a shrunk television in her pocket. On Saturday, she got busy setting it up in the apartment.

With a wave of her wand, she conjured a stand for the television in the living room. She levitated it to sit in front of the couches, and then placed the unshrunk telly on it. She repositioned the couches so that the whole place looked a little less haphazard. Maybe she'd add a throw blanket to one of the couches later on, just to make it feel more homely.

"What is that?" 

Hermione turned to see Carson standing at the door of his bedroom. He had disappeared into it after breakfast. Apparantly he'd been napping, his hair was messier than usual and his voice sounded groggy.