Chapter 462

Hampstead garden suburb, London, UK.

Heathgart Road, which crosses Mead street, is a street full of green. This little street is not wide, and to be honest, it's really a little short - the kind that can be reached in a few steps.

This is a slightly compact but beautiful residential area.

Most of the houses here are small three floors of red bricks and brown tiles. The residents are invariably inlaid with white lattice windows, which adds a bit of interest to the green here.

Standing on the street and looking north, you can still see the conical spire of the gate of St. Jude's church, which is so straight facing you, as if ready to welcome the faithful to confession and repentance.

At this time, the sun has set, and there are not many street lamps on this street, so that it looks a little dim. Hermione walked gently with her suitcase, her eyes wandering quietly beside the houses on both sides of the road.

This Christmas holiday, she had planned to go to the burrow or the old black house - she had even sent letters home. But under Makana's casual persuasion, she thought about it and chose to go home.

Granger's house was the fifth house turning left at the intersection. Hermione had come to her long lost door before she took a few more steps.

There is still a light in the window. Surely the Grangers are enjoying this cold dinner without their daughter?

They are very tolerant parents, and there is no doubt that they deeply love their daughter. Hermione certainly knows about this, and she loves them very much.

But after Maka's inadvertent reminder, she is now standing in front of the house, and the feeling derived from family affection seems more and more deep.

Hermione is a very assertive girl. She has been like this since she was a child. Her parents usually don't object to what she wants to do, because Grangers feel that their daughter is the best and should be given enough trust and encouragement.

Just like this time, even if Hermione said she would spend Christmas in her magical world, the Grangers didn't mention anything against it in their reply.

But now, when Hermione looked quietly at the orange fireplace light in the window, she could finally feel how heavy the love contained in that trust.

All normal parents want to watch their children grow up every day. Even if they can choose to release their children for strong love, they will still silently expect their children to return one day in a corner called "home".

Hermione standing at the door sniffed her red nose and blinked.

"... the weather," she murmured softly.

Just as she regained her spirits and tried to ring the doorbell, she heard a faint voice of dialogue in the room. Her outstretched hand hesitated for a moment, and then stopped in mid air.

"... honey, put away the Christmas tree! Didn't Minnie ② say in her letter that she won't come back this Christmas?" said Mrs. Granger.

"Oh, let it stay there! It's like making up Christmas for me," Mr. Granger paused. "When I was a child, my father was so busy that my mother had to fool me with a branch..."

"Don't take out your old stories again. I've told them so many times, and I've already remembered them!" Mrs. Granger's voice sounded a little unhappy, but after a while, she added, "let's put the Christmas tree there first! You help me pick up the presents, and we have to let the owl send them to Minnie!"

"Of course, that's it!" Mr. Granger said repeatedly, "but seriously, it's hard to imagine that owls are so clever -"

"They can understand Minnie," Mrs. Granger explained to her husband. "Minnie and I mentioned... But they don't seem to understand what we mean. It's wonderful, isn't it?"

"Yes!" agreed Mr. Granger. "It's wonderful, and... Our daughter is great. She can command those clever owls!"

At this point, Mrs. Granger seemed to hesitate, and the conversation in the room paused for a moment.

"... honey, I think we should agree with her?" Mrs. Granger said with some regret. "Minnie is so great that she should be able to cure her front teeth with her method, not the steel wire frame we have always insisted on?"

"But we're dentists, aren't we?" Mr. Granger said. "We know very well that it's just because the front teeth are a little long and deviated. Appliances are the safest choice."

"Oh... Well, I have to admit that braces really reassure me..." Mrs. Granger followed, "it sounds too dangerous to use magic in your mouth..."

"Yes!" said Mr. Granger with a slight sigh. "I don't know how Minnie is. I really want to have a good look at her!"

"Do you think I don't want to?" Mrs. Granger said, "but don't sigh. Minnie, who makes us proud, can take good care of herself... As long as she is happy, we can be parents..."

"Oh -"

Hermione, standing outside, couldn't listen any more because she thought it was too cold - her nose was sour with cold.

"Ding Dong -"

The ringing of the doorbell interrupted Mr. and Mrs. Granger's casual chat. They were probably a little confused, and soon the door was opened by Mr. Granger.

"Dad!" Hermione loosened the handle of the suitcase and hugged her father.

"Oh, Minnie?" said Mr. Granger in surprise. "Why are you back? The letter didn't say --"

"Dad, i... I thought about it and came back." Hermione's head was buried in his father's slightly emaciated chest, and the thick cotton Nightgown could not completely hide his piercing ribs. "I miss you, Dad - Mom -"

"Oh, we miss you too -" Mr. Granger's face was full of an unstoppable smile. "Come on in! It's cold outside... Is it frozen?"

In the surprised eyes of the Grangers, Hermione came to her living room. The white furniture and white walls show that it has never changed here.

Mr. Granger, who robbed his daughter's luggage, went upstairs with his luggage, while Mrs. Granger hurriedly took her daughter to the fireplace and poured her a cup of hot chocolate to keep her warm.

"Have you eaten dinner? Haven't you eaten yet? Don't worry, the family has already prepared fruit cake..." Mrs. Granger hurriedly said, "I've been wondering if our little Minnie will come back suddenly! Who knows, I really hope to come back!"

"Oh... Mom." Hermione felt as if she couldn't speak.

In fact, her parents doted on her before she went to Hogwarts. It has always been a habit to prepare all kinds of delicious food for her before various festivals.

But somehow, although the feeling now has no change from the original, she has an inexplicable feeling in her heart.

"Mom, i... I..."

"What's the matter, dear?" Mrs. Granger rushed out of the kitchen as soon as she heard her daughter's voice was wrong and held Hermione's shoulder anxiously. "What's the matter? Did you encounter anything unpleasant at school? It's all right. With mom and Dad, we --"

"No, it's not. The school is very good, I just..." Hermione pursed her mouth and whispered, "Mom, I want to spend Christmas in someone else's house instead of my own house... I'm so stupid!"

Obviously, Hermione felt extremely guilty about her previous decision.

"Oh... Anywhere, dear." Mrs. Granger half hugged her daughter. "As long as you feel happy, anywhere..."

"No, no..." Hermione shook her head and said, "I see now. If Mom and dad are happy, I will be really happy..."

"Oh - our Minnie has really grown up!" Mr. Granger, who had just put down his luggage upstairs, was moved.

Mrs. Granger, who was tightly held by Hermione, nodded and agreed: "don't you say? She's almost as tall as me... It's really happy!"

"As beautiful as you are," said Mr. Granger deliberately.

He seemed to want to adjust the atmosphere so that his daughter wouldn't get into trouble for it again. He knows his daughter too well. Sometimes he will always become very stubborn and keep thinking.

However, he did not seem to be able to successfully switch off the topic this time.

"Really, I didn't expect --" Hermione hugged Mrs. Granger and said softly, "any family's Christmas needs the company of children. Otherwise, parents will lose the significance of decorating the Christmas tree..."

"Oh, honey... You heard it outside just now?" said Mrs. Granger.

"I heard a little..." Hermione murmured, "but I didn't say it - Marca told me. It seems that he's right... He's always right."

"It's a boy?" Mr. Granger's mind jumped to a tight string. "Last time we were there... Um, Diagon lane? Yes, the child we met there?"

"Oh - don't get me wrong!" Hermione hurriedly said, "he and I... Are just friends... At least... Now..."

"My God!" Mr. Granger said with a surprise, "honey, our Minnie has really grown up!"

Hermione opened her mouth. She instinctively wanted to deny it, but she didn't seem to want to deny it. After a slight hesitation, she shook her head.

"No!" said Hermione. "At least not yet... But... I won't let him run away! I must!"