Always |Rewrite In Progress|

#Chapter 4 - The Day it Happened

"Okay now, hold my arm", Hepzibah Smith said and extended her arm. Alice, immediately reached out and held Smith's arm with one hand, grabbing tightly the sternum strap of her rucksack with the other. She had hurriedly packed a few clothes, her DSLR and other basic items in it. She was in cloud nine. It was the first time she was going to apparate!!! 

"If you feel uncomfortable, close your eyes", Smith advised. But Alice wanted to take in all that she could, because she wanted the memories of this tour to last her a lifetime. Smith closed her eyes. Before Alice could understand anything, they landed outside a building.

Hepzibah Smith started walking towards the building, which Alice realized, was the Ministry of Magic! 

She stood there, awestruck, her eyes full of admiration and joy.
'Finally, I am going to meet real freaking wizards and witches!! '  The simple truth of her own thoughts startled her. This was not just your normal building. It was the Ministry of Magic!

 "We have to go in", Hepzibah Smith said.

 And in, they went . As they entered the lift, a sense of dèja - vu hit her. It was just like how J K Rowling had described it, in the Order of the Phoenix.

 "Did J K Rowling also study in Hogwarts ?", Alice wondered. 

"Yes, she was a brilliant student, and very brave too. When the Ministry wanted her to go undercover and write about the Wizarding War and how Harry Potter and his friends fought it, most people thought that she would not accept the task, because, imagine, living in the Muggle World and not using Magic!! But she said that she would be glad to do it!", Smith said, her admiration for Rowling evident in her tone.
"She comes here rarely", she added.

They exited the lift and walked into the first room. On the door was a plaque in which was inscribed, "Office of the Minister for Magic". Underneath was the name of the Minister herself. "Hermione Jean Granger - Weasley".

They entered the room. Alice spotted a tall, lanky wizard standing in the corner, apparently waiting for them. 

"Hello Douglas", Smith smiled. 

"Hello! Good day to you, Hepzibah!", the man called Douglas replied.

 Douglas turned towards Alice.  "Good Morning, young lady. You are Ms. Alice Norewood, I believe?", he asked.

 "Yes", Alice smiled.

 Douglas extended a clip-board to Alice.
" You have to sign there", he pointed to a corner of the parchment clipped to the board.

Alice signed and returned it. 

"Thank you, I must leave now", said Douglas and he began walking towards the door. Absent-mindedly Alice pulled out her mobile from her waistcoat pocket to see the time. But the phone was dead, apparently, for the display had gone blank.

"Muggle appliances do not work here.", Smith said.

 "Oh, yes I forgot. There's too much of magic up in the air", Alice quoted Hermione. Just then, Alice heard the sound of a door being opened behind her.

"Hello, Ms. Alice Norewood. We are glad to have you here", a sweet, kind voice called out.

They say you space out when you first lay your eyes upon the person you love. That too, when you know all about them, have been longing to see them, you are caught unawares, it is the most blissful moment of your life and the purpose for your entire existence is fulfilled. Alice's case was the same. When Alice turned around, the woman she saw was not only someone breathtakingly beautiful, but also the one who had taught her to stand up for what is right, even if it meant standing alone.

She was the person who had taught Alice so many things. The person who had had such an impact in her life. The girl who knew....... Need I say more, for you to identify her?

If you still don't get it as to who she was, ( which, I am sure you wouldn't )
She was none other than Hermione Jean Granger - Weasley.

A/N

Alice meets Hermione! The mistakes in this chapter made my eyes bleed! So I edited it totally.  How do you like the chapter? Vote and Comment.
A shout out to BlueFangirlStreak for being such an awesome person!

Hazel.