Excerpt:

Going through the small gate just beside the river she noticed a man with a funny little hat just in front of her, he had heard her and looked at her before greeting her. Greeting back she asked if he walked her often. Answering that he walked her often when he was in the neighboorhood. The conversation picked up from there but quickly they decided to just walking together for a bit. That was eventually what they had been planning to do. He occasionally told her stories about how he had nearly drowned in one spot when he had been just a small kid and how often he had swam in the river on nice summer-days. Discussing the fish and waterquality they both agreed that both where getting better although it would still be quite a time before the river would be fully healed from the destruction the mines reigned. At first she had been quite worried because she was just a little girl and he was a man. The danger of rape was unfortanetly a very present danger and not at all strange. Just this morning she had read in the newspaper about a female student from Dublin that had been killed in Phoenix Park in Dublin. The article had stressed the danger Phoenix Park represents especially in the dark when it could be increadibly lonely. This meant that she had been extra carefully but still this man walked in front of her had not even neared her personal space and deciding that she would follow the hints her 'judge of character' radar was giving her. It was currently on a safe green hinting towards orange, but that was just to stay on the safe side. They where nearing a little white and brown horse which was looking with interest at them. Deciding that she would see if it was a horse used to human-contact she went to it and let him snuffle her hand. The horse was absolutely a darling and was way to sweet she could pet it all she wanted. A little wound on the horses flank was al she could discover. Quickly after that they went on their way saying their goodbye's to the horse. Carefully, crossing a litlle creek which deposited it's water in the river which was on their right-hand (she climbed across it, he jumped across it) they entered a new field. The grass was around hand high and the path could be clearly seen. It was a nice path just like on from the old stories, actually only a small beaten down path of grass. It wasn't a windy day the river was relatively quiet and the trees whispered in the wind. Further on ahead of them was the domain of a forest and the first outline of a bridge could be seen which spanned across the river carying trains going from Rathdrum to Dublin. Suddenly the thudding of hooves on the grassy meadow was becoming apparent and the white and brown horse shot by. It seemed to be very happy with them running with them for a bit untill they entered a new part where the horse couldn't come along. The sun was high in the sky but it wasn't very hot just another day in Ireland. Before the big bridge there was a small footbridge, crossing that one they decided to sit down for a bit. Hermione went a bit further away from Shane and went hunting for crickets and looking at the ducks in the water. It was a delightful spot and she new for sure that she would came back here many more times and furthermore that she wouldn't ever tell the entire truth to her father and mother because they would only freak out at the thought of her and a man alone where nobody could hear them. Thinking about that she didn't actually know if anyone could hear her here, but she guessed somebody could because there where houses nearby. She could actually see them if she look up the hill. The grass on this side of the river was very long and there was actually a slope coming down before levellling a bit and then running in the river. It was a kind of grane of old grass which covered these slopes, yellowed by time, the wind was playing with them.
This would be an absolutely lovely place to just lie down and sleep or she could read here. Looking across the river at the trees she wondered about the creatures living in there if they could see her now looking at their forest. She was sad about the fact that she did not bring a photo-camera with her then she could have shown this beautiful spot to her parents. Alas, drawing in her mind the contours of this place that would have to do for now but she really did need to have a proper picture before she went to school again because she already knew exactly where she wanted to hang it on the wall. She could just picture the head of small dear poking out to have a sip of water during the early morning hours or that of fisherman with their little hat's drawn over their face protecting their faces from the sun. Both standing up they trudged along past the almost huge oak standing on the slope. The sun shone on their backs and she run her hands along the grass delighting in the feel it gave on her fingers. Climbing over the stone divide they walked back to the center of Rathdrum, Séan told her he stayed at the hostel after she asked him if he still had a house her in Rathdrum he didn't even ask where she lived. Walking through the park up to the church. They departed she walking to the left he to the right.