Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of 9
HermioneWeasley1972A/N Thanks to my wonderful beta (you know who you are!), and thanks for reading my fic. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but hey, I have to keep you guessing, don't I?
Hermione walked nervously down Diagon Alley, which was full of parents and students getting ready for the coming school year. Severus had parted from his wife and daughter, saying that he would go and purchase the potion supplies for the coming year, since he had to purchase a few things for his private stocks anyway.
As she walked, she scanned the crowd, looking for people she knew. Until now, she had been fortunate enough to avoid her friends on prior trips to Diagon Alley, but she had a feeling that her luck was going to run out today.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that Nicoletta had spoken to her until she heard an impatient, “Mum?”
Snapping out of her painful thoughts, she looked down at her daughter and smiled. “Yes, Nicoletta, what is it?”
“Can I get a cat to take with me to Hogwarts? You know, like Crookshanks?” Nicoletta's dark eyes twinkled and a smile went over her lips.
“Yes, if you want. But we have to get your other things first, like your robes and your wand. Why don't you go over to Madam Malkins and get fitted for your school robes, and I'll go and buy your books. Here,” she said, handing her daughter some money, “this should be enough to buy your robes. I'll meet you at Florean's in an hour.”
“OK, Mum,” Nicoletta said, then went off in the direction of the robe shop.
Hermione watched her daughter until she disappeared into the shop and then headed off in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. No matter how badly she was feeling a visit to her favourite shop always cheered her up.
***
Nicoletta felt a jolt of excitement as she entered the robe shop. It was true that she had been in Diagon Alley before, but this was different, as she had told her dad. After all, one only goes shopping for one's first year at Hogwarts once.
She was happy that her mum had given her an hour; there were quite a few children already in there, some being measured, some waiting in line. The one thing that was surprising was how many children with red hair there were.
One of the girls came over to her and smiled. “Hi, my name is Emily. What's yours?” The girl had long, red hair and blue eyes.
“I'm Nicoletta,” she sad, returning her smile.
“Pretty name,” Emily said brightly.
“Thanks. I like yours too.”
“Thanks. It looks like we have a bit of a wait. Want to go sit down?” Emily offered.
“Yeah, let's,” Nicoletta replied, then followed Emily over to a window seat. “It's really busy in here today,” she said, looking around at the gathered students.
“Yeah, I know. We all decided to come today. You see, most of the kids in here are my cousins.” Pointing to a boy with darker skin, she said, 'That's Fred,” and then she pointed out each child in turn. “That's James, Molly, and Louis. We're all children of Gryffindors, so we will probably all be in the same house together. What house do you think you'll be in?”
“Well, I don't know,” Nicoletta said, not sure whether she wanted to say that her dad had been a Slytherin.
“Are you a Muggle-born?”
“Oh, no. Well, my mum was a Gryffindor, and both my parents say that I am brave, and smart too, so maybe I'll be in Gryffindor or in Ravenclaw. My mum was almost in Ravenclaw when she was sorted, but the hat put her in Gryffindor.”
“What about your dad?” Emily asked, looking at her.
“Emily Weasley?” Madam Malkin called. “I'm ready for you.”
“Oops, gotta go. We're all going to Florean's afterwards. If you want to come, you can,” Emily said as she walked away.
“OK.”
It wasn't long before Nicoletta was called as well to be measured, and she stood there thinking over her talk with Emily. The other girl seemed nice, and Nicoletta had really wanted to have a friend. That was one reason why she was so anxious to go to Hogwarts. Her parents were great, but they had been overprotective of her for as long as she could remember. She hoped that she would make some friends when she went Hogwarts.
***
It wasn't too much longer before the six of them were sitting in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlor, enjoying different types of ice cream. Fred, she discovered, enjoyed playing practical jokes on everyone. She was really surprised when he offered an older girl a piece of candy and it turned her into a giant canary.
“Whoa! That was cool!” she exclaimed, smiling at Fred.
“You never saw a Canary Cream before? My dad and my uncle invented them back when they were in Hogwarts. Ever been in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?”
Nicoletta shook her head. “Nope. I think I've seen it, though.”
“Yeah. My dad and my uncle Fred, who I'm named for, started it.”
“With help from my dad,” James pointed out.
The two boys started bantering back and forth in a good natured way, and the girl named Molly turned to her.
“Just so you don't think we're all that strange, my name is Molly.”
“I'm Nicoletta,” Nicoletta said with a smile.
Emily smiled at her cousin and at Nicoletta. “I hope we're all in the same house together. That would be a lot of fun!”
“I think so too,” Molly said with a grin.
“We could be like the three Musketeers!” Nicoletta chimed in, holding up her spoon. “One for all and all for one!”
The time passed so quickly that Nicoletta didn't realize that her time was up until she heard her name.
“Come, Nicoletta, it's time to go.” Her father's voice intoned from the doorway to the shop.
“Alright, Dad,” Nicoletta said, standing up. “See you all on the Hogwarts Express!”
As she walked out of the shop with her father into the bright sunshine, she turned to him. “I thought Mum was coming to get me.”
“She found it necessary to go home early. You and I will finish shopping.”
Nicoletta didn't mind that her mother had to go home early because she enjoyed spending time with her father. He took her to get her wand and finally to get a cat. When they finally got home, she ran to her mother.
“Mum? What's wrong?”
Hermione looked at her husband, who nodded. “Nicoletta, it's time to tell you the truth.”
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Latest 25 Reviews for A Lesson in Friendship
156 Reviews | 5.22/10 Average
Are you going to write anymore? It's a great story!
Response from HermioneWeasley1972 (Author of A Lesson in Friendship)
Thank you. Yes, I just got busy with RL. :) Thanks for the review.
Response from Grace52373 (Reviewer)
Thank you for responding! i was afraid this was abandoned, and that would be a real shame, since it is such a great story! Looking forward to the next chapters! Grace
Please, PLEASE don't leave me hanging! Ron's in trouble... And Lav isn't being very nice.
Ron's lucky he didn't lose his job. Lavender is no better. What's her problem? Why is she so resentful of Hermione?
Great update, Ron got off easily in my book, I would have put him in Azkaban, if not for anything else than being a prat.
So, who is the one who listened with great interest to Ron and Kingsleys conversation? A friend of Hermione or Ron, or neither?
Another thing; Lavender, does she find it acceptable that Ron is still so hung-up about Hermione? Her jelousy towards Hermione after so many years, and with Hermione so obviously not wanting Ron, makes me think that Lavender is bottered by Rons remaining feelings for Hermione. Indifference should have been preferred compared to continued hang-ups over an ex-girlfriend, so maybe Lavender feels seccond best and blame Hermione for Ron's feelings?
I look forward to read more.
Good for Kingsley. I was afraid that Ron would escape with just a slap on the wrist. I wonder who the ears belong to?
Oooohh! Who's the third set of ears??!!
I'm glad you gave us another Ron scene - very curious about him. I'm glad he's upset, but he should be glad he wasn't fire - the bonehead!
Nice touch there with Kinglsey's rerort "And I thought you and Hermione were friends." !!!
Awesome. Looking forward to reading more.
"Did that goody goody bookworm report you?" Lavender asked, making a face at him.
Nice to see that Lavender's matured every bit as much as her charming husband. *Insert eyeroll*
And the fact that Ron never once expressed remorse over his appalling behavior towards the pregnant victim of a brutal attack--who happens to be a kind-hearted former friend-- is proof that he desperately needs and deserves the suspension that he's so furious about.
Of course, Ron's more upset about the fallout for himself rather than what he did to earn it. Knowing Ron, he'll probably blame Hermione, even though she wasn't the one who reported him.
I'm curious, though, about who was eavesdropping on Ron's ill-fated meeting with the Minister. My first thought was Rita Skeeter, but...?
Great story BTW, I look forward to seeing how things further unfold.
Another great part! I just have one critique, NOT LONG ENOUGH! I want to read more! Anyway, however way you write it, long or short, I still can't wait to read more!
I think you should add another category for this story under "Potions Under Duress." I know that lots of Hermione/Severus fans would enjoy reading this story.
Hurray - an update! I am so glad - I really liked this story. I am glad Hermione is fine. I am also glad that Severus told Ron off. Great job - I look forward to an update.
Response from HermioneWeasley1972 (Author of A Lesson in Friendship)
Thank you. I have good news for you. An update is pending in the queue and I fixed it. As soon as an admin releases it, it will be up. :)
At least he's a little angry at himself.
It's so good to see this story continued - thank you! And what a promising chapter...
You are such a tease. Now you've re-opened a can of flobber worms, so you can't quit now. It was good to see the update.
Nice job!
I am trilled to see an update to this story, I love it! So, Ron had to be a git still, I guess he will never grow up. Severus were rigth to warn him and for standing up for his wife, that is what a decent man should do.
Ron, Harry and the rest of those who turned their back on Hermione for daring to marry the man she loves should all be ashamed of them self, not to mention preferably put in their place!
The culprit (Lucius?) should be publicly humiliated and punished, preferably by Severus and Hermione, but as long as it is painful I guess I can live with it no matter who gets the honor:-))
And you should feel guilty Ron!! As should Harry!!
Lol. I was so excited when I saw an update! Woo-hoo! 
Just loved how Snape was all sweet and threatened Dunderhead!Ron.
I'm very curious how Ron's guilt will influence his next actions.
I'm also very curious about how the children's friendships develop and what they will think when they find out about their parents' estrangement.
So glad Hermione's baby is okay!!!
Look forward to reading more!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I have been looking forward to a new chapter for awhile now! I can't believe Ron, but then again, he has always had the maturity of a teaspoon! Ha! Ha! It was great to see Snape stand up for his family! Ron deserved that and more! I can't wait to see the next chapter!
Grace
Ron was out of line, he deserved what he got and more.
Nice to see how much Ron has matured over the years.
I guess it's fine for he and Lavender to keep building their own personal Quidditch team, but how dare Hermione have a second child with her husband, the man that she loves? So naturally Ron thinks it's a fine idea to antagonize his former friend, a pregnant woman who's just been brutally attacked and barely avoided a miscarriage?
What an ASS!!!
Harry's son James showed much more class and maturity when he stuck up for Nicoletta when that creep Brian tried to start something about a Snape in Gryffindor.
Sounds like James could teach Uncle Won-Won a lesson or two!
So glad to see this story back on the boards. I was really enjoying it. I look forward to your next chapter. Thanks, JoAnne
I hope no one considers Ron Hermione's friend anymore. Jeez. What a loser.
ron the eternal git. wonderful update. thanks and smoochies
I was over at Granger Enchanted when I came across this fic - it stopped at chapter 4 over there - and i just needed to read more. A good search was able to bring me here where you've got 7 chapters. It's very good. I've read several "broken trio friendship" fics, and this is defiantely one of the better ones. I love little Nicoletta and look forward to seeing what happens when Hermione and Ron confront each other at the hospital.
I'm hoping for heaps of guilt from Ron and Harry for being such jerks. I dunno if this fic is abandoned but i really hope it isn't.
Look forward to reading more and catching the bad guy!
Ron doesn't see what he did wrong? And if the healers turned him in, eh. He and Lav are going to blame Hermione anyway.
Ron! How awkward!Ooh, I like this story so far. I hope for another update soon!I'm glad that Hermione and the baby were safe, I was really worried that she would lose the baby. I hope that she can go live with Severus at Hogwarts (although I have a feeling he won't let her stay at home by herself).