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Chapter 1611: A War with No Victors (Part 61)
Chapter 1611: A War with No Victors (Part 61)
On that day, after a shy yet intimate exchange, a door to a new world quietly opened for Hermione.
She stayed at the manor until nightfall, not only enjoying a sumptuous dinner with everyone but also engaging in blush-inducing conversations before reluctantly leaving with the books Albert had prepared for her, returning to her humble dwelling.
Hermione yearned for more and more happiness! However, her rationality told her that she couldn't possibly keep Albert to herself.
She had to learn to be content with what she had.
The Anderson family had already accepted her, and she no longer had to hide. She should know better than to be greedy.
Moreover, Albert would be hers alone during his tenure at Hogwarts, with no need to share him with anyone else.
As for the matter of children, Hermione hadn't considered it, and it wasn't appropriate to do so.
"Are you alright?" Ginny turned to her absent-minded friend and asked with concern, "You seem distracted lately. Is something on your mind?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I've just been having trouble sleeping these past few days," Hermione quickly covered up the abnormality on her face and immediately found an excuse to brush it off, preventing Ginny from guessing anything.
"I could brew you a Dreamless Sleep Potion," Ginny suggested.
"I've already made some. A good night's sleep should do the trick," Hermione replied.
"By the way, have you had a chance to look at the book I gave you last time? Have you thought about how you want to decorate your house?" Ginny asked, steering the conversation away from Hermione's personal life.
"I've looked through it, and the decorations are indeed beautiful, but..." Ginny hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I discussed this with Harry last night, but I'm afraid we won't be able to afford the cost of renovating the house, and it seems we're running out of time. So, we're thinking..."
"Of doing a quick and simple renovation before moving in?" Hermione interrupted, her eyes widening in disbelief as she looked at Ginny. How could she be so casual about her future home?
The houses Albert had prepared for everyone were far superior to the outdated versions of wizarding homes, and even more beautiful than most Muggle villas. If Harry and Ginny were to turn their home back into a medieval-style house, Albert would probably be furious.
"Your wedding chamber will definitely be completed earlier than expected, and you'll have plenty of time to work on your new home," Hermione advised kindly. "It's a home you'll live in for the rest of your lives, unless you plan on moving, so it's worth investing time and effort into making it perfect."
Ginny opened her mouth but couldn't deny the truth in Hermione's words. Indeed, they couldn't get everything ready before the wedding, and turning the house into a fairy tale castle would cost a fortune! Being an Auror was a well-paid job, and Harry had indeed inherited a large sum, but even that had its limits.
"But... I feel like we don't have nearly enough time. Harry works and puts in overtime almost every day, leaving most of the tasks to me," Ginny admitted. She really didn't have a good solution, and under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have to worry about this at all.
There weren't many people who could help her at the moment, and she would be content if she could just get the house in order.
"Don't worry, if Albert intends to use your house as a template, he will definitely provide assistance," Hermione reassured her gently. "For the renovation, you can rely on Mr. Klova. Your task is to communicate your preferences to him clearly. As for the furniture, you might want to consider making it yourselves. After all, everyone will need to do the same eventually."
"Make it ourselves?" Ginny was taken aback.
"Not everyone is as wealthy as Albert, and I think making your own furniture adds a personal touch to your home, don't you agree?" Hermione winked at Ginny. "So, I guess you didn't really go through the books I gave you carefully."
"There's a book about furniture among them, and Albert has already thought of a solution for everyone. Buying the materials won't cost much," Hermione added.
"Mr. Anderson always seems to be one step ahead," Ginny acknowledged, turning away from the partially completed villa. "To be honest, if we didn't insist on all those fancy things, getting married wouldn't be so difficult, and we wouldn't have all these worries."
"You're just pressed for time, and everything seems overwhelming because it's all happening at once," Hermione consoled her. "If you feel overwhelmed, you can always spend some money. I remember there's a shop in Diagon Alley that offers custom-made furniture."
The only problem was that the quality of customized furniture left much to be desired. It would be better to take the time to make it themselves.
At least, Hermione had seen quite a few attractive designs in the book Albert had given her.
When it came to taste and style, Albert was indeed far superior to everyone else in every aspect.
A few days ago, the clothes that Isabelle had given her to change into were a bit revealing, but they were undoubtedly beautiful, elegant, and tailored to a man's taste.
When the two returned to the rest tent, they found Cedric and Qiu Zhang looking through a photo album together, whispering to each other.
"You're finally back," Qiu Zhang said to Ginny when he heard their footsteps. He then looked up and added, "Cedric brought back quite a few planks of wood, probably for making furniture. You should help him register them in the inventory first."
Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances.
"Are all Muggle homes like this?" Qiu Zhang asked, flipping through the photo album in his hands. "I think this one is quite beautiful."
"The templates Albert picked for us are indeed beautiful," Hermione said, peering at the photo Qiu Zhang was referring to, which seemed to be an interior decoration of a castle. "His aesthetic sense is exceptional. The only problem is that it won't be easy to replicate."
"We can take our time. By the way, Ginny, which one do you prefer?" Qiu Zhang asked.
"Ah, this..." Ginny hesitated as she browsed through the photos in the album, finally settling on a minimalist design. "We're a bit pressed for time."
"Qiu, I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now," Cedric said, giving Qiu's cheek a quick kiss before apparating a short distance away from the tent.
"When are you and Cedric planning to get married?" Ginny suddenly asked.
"We're not in a hurry," Qiu Zhang replied instinctively, stroking the ring on her finger. "Regardless, we'll have to wait until Avalon is completely finished before making any decisions."
"Then you'd better be careful," Ginny said gently.
"We've been very careful," Qiu Zhang understood her implied meaning and, to ease the awkwardness for Hermione, changed the subject. "What about you, Hermione? Is there someone you like?"
"I plan to repeat my seventh year at Hogwarts to make up for the time I missed," Hermione replied, avoiding Qiu's question. "After obtaining my N.E.W.T.s, I'll try to apply for a job at the Ministry of Magic."
"Don't you want to stay and help out here? To be honest, the Ministry of Magic isn't very welcoming to wizards and witches from Muggle families," Qiu Zhang was surprised by Hermione's choice, as Albert had offered the residents of Avalon several attractive job opportunities. Although the specifics were yet to be determined, everyone knew that Albert never made empty promises.
"I still want to give it a try," Hermione insisted.
(End of Chapter)
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