I don't know what kind of thing exists over apology but it would come handy for me right now. Why didn't I update sooner? I don't know. I totally lost control over this fanfiction. I've been SO disappointed in what happened in book 6 in terms of relationships … I've been wondering how I could possibly go on with a Harry/Hermione fic and even started reading Ron/Hermione fic, a thing that I couldn't do before. I do not intend to bash here, trust me, but I didn't really like how JKR handled the whole Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione ships. I hope book seven will be great though. So I get used to the Ron and Hermione ship and had even more difficulties to get back to my Harry/Hermione story. I had GREAT ideas before and I don't know what to do now. I guess I'm going to finish this fic sooner than it was planned and maybe I'll try a Ron/Hermione one, I don't know …So anyway enough babbles … On with the story! Please read and review!
I'm sorry, right now it's a small chapter but I'm still having difficulties writing the actual date … any idea is welcomed!
For the slightest of moment, Hermione felt like blushing like mad, getting butterflies in her stomach, jumping all over the place and celebrating like any teenager would do after getting a date with a hot boy. But she just smiled brightly and only allowed the butterflies.
She was really excited about her date with Harry and felt very curious about it. She was already wondering how she was going to dress and where they were going to go. Would he bring her to a muggle place? Or maybe to Hogsmeade? What were the students going to say? And what if they get caught by journalists?
She had a bitter memory of the articles that described her as a scarlet woman back in her fourth year; courtesy of Rita Skeeter.
But even this thought couldn't alter Hermione's good mood about this date. She tried to calm herself by closing her eyes and taking deep breaths but couldn't avoid the come back full-speed of a huge smile on her face each time.
She wanted to talk to Ginny about her date. If someone could listen to her and reassure her that would be Ginny. But on the other hand wouldn't it be awkward to speak about it with her given the fact that she had dated him during her fifth year? Well Ginny had encouraged them to date, right? So she'll be thrilled about the news. Hermione was about to go and speak with Ginny and once again realized that would be reacting like a teenager and she was firm on the fact that she would handle the whole situation as an adult. Plus she needed her sleep given what she had to do the day after.
As she lied on her bed, Hermione rationalized her thoughts and concentrated on the task that what waiting for her the day after. She opened one book and tried to read a chapter that seemed to be developing a theory about the Imperius curse. When she realized she was reading the same paragraph over for the fourth time she gave up on it and put the book aside on her bed table and flicked her wand towards the lights to turn them off.
How would she have reacted if she had known that Harry had thrown away all kind of rationalism and indeed reacted like any teenage boy?
As soon as he finished his conversation with Remus, he started planning his date with Hermione. It had to be the best of dates! He could not screw things with her. It took him ages before getting enough nerves to ask her out. Hogsmeade was definitely out of the picture. It only reminded him memories of his teenage dates and he certainly didn't want to have such awkward dates.
Should he treat her to a muggle restaurant? Wouldn't that be a little too much for a first date? Or maybe a movie? Nah that would look like two high school students … Should they apparate away? Like in Paris? Or Rome maybe? Well that would be romantic but could he handle being romantic with Hermione on their first date? What if she laughs at him?
Well maybe those ideas weren't so bad after all but not right now. London would be perfect for their first date. They could have dinner in a little restaurant and then just walk in the streets, maybe try the London Eye and see the city from a higher perspective? Yeah that could definitely work! Now he just had to find a good restaurant and make reservations. Too bad famous Harry Potter wasn't that famous in the muggle world … That, for once, would have been more than welcome!
He finally surrendered to sleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.
As she arrived in Ginny's infirmary, Hermione wasn't very confident. She actually wanted to do her best at preparing this the night before but the news of her date with Harry ruined any kind of concentration. Anyway she was sure one session wouldn't be enough but considering it was Malfoy's family she had to deal with she really wanted to do her best in order to avoid any kind of insulting remark regarding her Muggle heritage.
When she entered the infirmary though she immediately saw Professor Snape there who was talking to Ginny. As soon as they saw her they stopped talking as if being interrupted and Ginny smiled at her as if trying to encourage her.
"Professor Snape, Ginny", Hermione said.
"Miss Granger" Snape answered.
"Professor Granger", Ginny said therefore correcting Snape.
"Are we ready to go?" asked Hermione.
"Yes we are. We just need to go to Hogsmeade and take a portkey to the Malfoys." Snape told her as they left the room.
"So what kind of cure do you think you're going to use?" a curious Snape asked Hermione. "Because I've tried different kind of potions, hell I even stuffed a beozar in her throat and nothing worked so far."
"Well then maybe magic isn't the solution." Hermione calmly said.
"What do you mean? You're not going to use some kind of muggle medicine on her are you?" Snape furiously said as if feeling insulted. "If magic doesn't work then nothing will work. Do I need to remind you that it's because of magic that she's in this state? She's dealing enough with muggles!" He continued.
"Actually Severus, there is a new branch in the healer studies that is studying muggle remedies and it's fascinating." Ginny interrupted him. "Some healers are working with muggle born students and some muggle born healer are working on very interesting theories at the moment."
"Well whatever I don't care, as long as it works." Snape said clearly ending the conversation.
That surprised Hermione, such care wasn't like Snape at all, and she couldn't remember him caring about anyone that much before. Could it mean something? He had always favoured Draco but Hermione had always assumed it was because he was a Slytherin. Could strict, cold Professor Snape feel something for Draco's mother? As Hermione was lost in her thoughts she was just following them, walking just behind Ginny. She didn't really see where they were going and was surprised as she recognised the very first houses of Hogsmeade.
They directly made there way to the Shrieking Shack. Hermione was following them as she didn't really know where they were supposed to go. She became suspicious when she realized they were heading towards a very isolated area and seemed to try and hide behind trees. Surely Ginny would be careful and sure about what was going to happen. Hermione couldn't help but feel suspicious about Snape. After all that he did to them all during the war. Even if in the end he was on their side.
Ginny had been anxious about Hermione coming to the Malfoys' residence but her anguish was nothing compared to what Hermione was feeling. She knew the spell she had found wasn't the one she needed and she hated not having found a better cure. She knew she wasn't allowed to fail since Snape would blame her. Hermione knew she had another option but she was certain this one wouldn't be welcomed. She wanted to try a muggle therapy based on movements made in the water. She had seen a friend of hers make this therapy after a car accident and it had worked pretty well especially on her arm that was making her suffer a lot. Convincing such pure-blood lovers that a muggle therapy might be the key to their problem wouldn't be a piece of cake.
They had managed to find a portkey that was supposed to make them arrive right in front of the Malfoys Manor. Hermione was very curious about it because she had heard it was magnificent and huge. On the other hand, after Lucius's death, their family wasn't so wealthy any more. Taking care of such a house would require a lot of money and a lot of people.
When they arrived though, anything Hermione had heard about it did not seem to do it justice. It looked like a castle; it had towers and even a bridge to enter in a huge court. There were huge trees tracing a line guiding visitors to the bridge and the entrance of the property was guarded by huge grills. Hermione's eyes were wide opened and she wasn't missing a piece of what she was seeing. Ginny took her hand to guide her and this gesture made her come back to reality. She followed her and Snape towards the bridge and when they were on the verge of walking on it they suddenly made a turn on their left and followed another path going at the back of the manor. Hermione was dying to ask questions to Ginny, the first one being how on earth did they manage to keep it so clean and well ordered but when she entered within the walls; she realized it only was a facade. It reminded her the spell that was cast on Hogwarts making muggles only seeing a nice ruin of a once beautiful castle.
"Over here" stated Ginny making her way inside the now nearly empty house. Hermione was following her watching the empty walls, the colours on it showing traces of paintings that had once been hung there. She saw raw soils when she was sure they were once covered in deep and comfortable carpets. Furniture was rare and the few Hermione saw was broken. Finally they arrived in a bedroom where Draco and his mother were waiting for them.
She had once seen Narcissa Malfoy in Hogsmeade and she remembered a very proud and snobbish person. Very elegant, always wearing beautiful and expensive clothes, showing off her shinning diamonds and speaking very loudly so that people were looking at her. Now Narcissa was lying in her bed, very pale, her hair all over the pillows, not very clean. She had lost a lot of weight and she had dark circles around her eyes as if she hadn't had a good sleep for weeks. Draco wasn't better. He looked exhausted and very concerned about his mother. Hermione was expecting a negative reaction from him but was very surprised when he thanked her for her help. While Ginny and Snape were getting the potion ready using Neville's instructions on a particular spice, Draco explained to Hermione what his mother was getting through. It seemed to Hermione that proposing the muggle option wouldn't be that bad after all. Once the potion was ready Ginny approached it closer to Narcissa and her reaction was immediate. She started to tightly close her mouth as a child would do and refused to open her lips to drink it. Draco tried to convince her and told her Hermione was here to ease her and that she had found something to avoid the pain. Narcissa looked at her as if trying to read her mind to check whether it was true or not and she seemed to think Hermione could help her as she slightly opened her mouth to sip the potion.
Hermione lost no time in casting the spell. As she expected it wasn't a real success but to the others it seemed to be a real improvement and Hermione realized they all were grateful for her help. Once Narcissa had recovered from the potion she thanked her. That was really something new for Hermione. She really wasn't expecting it.
"Thank you Hermione" said Draco.
Hermione was taken aback by his words. She couldn't remember a time when Draco had been that nice to her. As Narcissa fall back to sleep, they exited her bedroom and headed to another room were there was enough furniture for them to sit.
"I'm glad this spell worked" Hermione started. "Of course I knew it wouldn't be strong enough to avoid any pain at all. I'm sure I can find something else." She continued trying to find a way to introduce her muggle expertise.
"She's been suffering much more than that Hermione, today was the first time I didn't hear her cry in pain and for that I must be thankful". Draco told her.
"Wow twice in the same 5 minutes" mused Hermione, "Draco must be really worried."
Hermione looked at Ginny as if asking her some kind of permission and then she looked at Snape that looked back straight at her as if daring her to go on with her idea.
"Draco," she started, "There's something else we could try. It's a muggle thing, mind you, it might be longer, but the results are great."
Draco looked at her and sighed. "I don't care what kind of remedy it might be, as long as she's not suffering anymore."
Then taking this as permission, Hermione went on explaining about traumatized muggles were making exercises in the water to get better.