Hermione walked into the Apothecary, turning the sign to open. She breathed in the musky scent of the herbs, both growing and already harvested. In a small yet quaint shop located a mere 10 or so minutes from the Burrow, the walls were lined with aged books, shelves filled with jars and small bags. In the many windows she had herbs growing, as well as on the banisters above her head and in the small greenhouse at her cottage. She went into the back office, directly behind the counter.
She set her bag down in the chair behind her desk and looked around the tidy office. She grabbed a ponytail holder and threw her hair back into a messy bun and grabbed a well-used apron, tying it around her waist. Walking back out into the main room, she was stricken with an odd feeling. She stopped, grabbing the doorway. A dizzy spell came and went quickly, leaving her a little shaken. As the front door jingled, she tried to brush it off.
"Hello," she said to the customer, a young woman with a small baby. "What can I do for you?"
The woman smiled. "Yes, this may be odd, but do you have a cure for an itchy mouth?"
Hermione smiled. "Yes. Is there any cause? An acid pop, perhaps?" she said, smiling as she reached for the small bottle.
The mother's eyes widened slightly. "Yes! How did you know?"
Hermione sat the bottle on the counter and the mother began rummaging for money. "When I was a child, my friends and I would always go to Honeydukes, with the rest of those eligible at Hogwarts. A few kids would get a particularly strong acid pop and the nurse would give them some of this. This is homemade."
The mother sat the money down and Hermione put the bottle into a small bag and slid it over. "Thank-you so much!" the mother said, taking the bag. "My little boy at home's been complaining for a while now."
"Glad to help," Hermione told her. "Have a good day."
The woman nodded. "You too!" Hermione heard the bell ring as the woman walked out.
The rest of the day followed a pattern similar to this. She had no more troublesome dizzy spells of any sort, nor any other abnormalities. She went home to find an owl from Molly, asking her over for dinner again. Filing away the reminder to herself to take some vitamins, she Apparated over.
Molly greeted her with open arms and a big smile, as usual. Walking in, Molly already began chastising her. "You're looking too thin!" she said. "We'll get you something. You're far too immersed in that business! Maybe try going out, meeting a nice guy sometime," Molly said, nudging her. Hermione smiled at the mention of a nice man.
"You're just wedding-happy, Molly," she told the woman. Harry and Ginny had recently gotten married, and before them it was George and Angelina. Ron married Lavender Brown (now Weasley) after the young girl finally grew up a bit and mellowed out considerably, a little before George and Angelina. Of course, Molly was sad that Fred wasn't around anymore to get married. He and George always said they'd have their weddings separate, but everyone knew they'd still be within a few weeks of each other.
"Maybe so, my dear, but at least I am happy!" Molly told her. Hermione laughed.
"True! But so am I, namely, with my business," she retorted. Molly chuckled and they finally entered the house.
Arthur, George, Angelina, Ron, Lavender, Harry, Ginny, Percy, Charlie, and Fleur were all there. They all greeted her with smiles, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lavender all giving her hugs. "Hello, everyone," she said.
She was ushered into the kitchen by the women, all chattering at once. "We've missed you!" she heard Angelina say.
"Yeah! You need to visit more often," Ginny said, a small smile on her face.
"Hey! It's only been three days!" Hermione said, laughing.
"We know! You just are always doing something- but without us!" Lavender said, laughing.
Molly began flicking her wand this way and that. Hermione offered her usual assistance, and was yet again denied. "I don't need any help, dear. Not until I'm dead!" she said, laughing. Hermione rolled her eyes then sat on the floor and watched as the food soared above them. There was the occasional "Watch it!" from Ginny and a loud giggle when someone was almost decapitated, but other than that the kitchen was only filled with the comforting sound and smell of food being cooked.
Hermione smiled, then realized something. "Why are you all being so quiet?" she asked.
The women looked at her. "We were? Huh. I'm not sure," Lavender said.
"Maybe it's because Charlie iz coming!" Fleur said.
Hermione stood up. "He is?"
"Oh yeah! Molly, is that why you're not talking?" Angelina asked.
"And that's why the boys are all riled up!" Ginny said. "I can't believe I forgot!"
Molly smiled big. "Yes, I suppose so! Now, someone ask Arthur if he can check on the brisket! It's on the smoker. Charlie's favorite!"
Hermione volunteered, her mouth beginning to water. Brisket was her favorite, too.
"Arthur?" she asked, walking into the living room. The men were all laughing for some reason and continued to do so when she entered.
"Yes, Hermione?" he asked, eyes watering.
Hermione smiled. "Molly needs you to check on the brisket," she told him.
"Indeed! Would you like to come with me? I know it's your favorite, too," he said, getting up.
Hermione smiled. "Sure."
They both walked outside to the back. Hermione bit her lip and smiled at the scent coming from the smoker. Arthur opened the top and poked around, then lifted it out and put it on a tray, wrapping foil over the top. "Oh my, this is heavy," he said. "Whenever Charlie comes over we always have to make the food portions extra big," he laughed.
Hermione smiled. "I'm sure. Last time I saw him, he was quite large!" And it was true. Although the shortest of the Weasley men, he still stood a solid 6'1", pushing 6'2". His growth was most likely stunted by his muscle development, she secretly thought. She doubted if he had any more than 2% body fat.
They walked in, the boys having migrated to the kitchen to try swiping some food. "Out! Get out!" Molly yelled. "The meat's in, you've had your chances! Wait until dinner! Thank-you Arthur, thank-you Hermione," she said with a smile but still brandishing the flyswatter she had been using as a weapon. Hermione laughed and began making her way to the front porch.
She didn't make it however, due to the front door opening. It opened slowly as a large, muscular figure emerged. It was Charlie, complete with his signature Weasley red hair, more crimson than the others, and his unique deep blue eyes, different from his family's with a richer color rather than leaning towards a green. He finally made it through the door and saw her. He gave a grin. "Last time I was here I opened the door so fast I knocked Ron on his bum," he laughed. "So now I overexaggerate my slowness." He stepped in at a normal pace and gave her a big hug, lifting her off the floor like he did every time he gave her a hug. "Nice to see you Hermione!"
She patted his back. "Nice… to see you… too!" she squeezed out. He gave a hearty laugh and plopped her down.
"Is that Charles?" George yelled in a mock female voice. "Charles!" he squealed as he ran and jumped into his brother's arms, the rest of the family following.
Charlie laughed and dropped George. "I know it's hard to stay away, isn't it?" he joked. Everyone laughed and Charlie began going around, giving his greetings. He gave his mom a large hug like Hermione's and horsed around with his father. He teased Ginny, Ron, and Percy and goofed with Bill. George got back up and began joking with him.
"To the kitchen, everyone! Time for dinner!" Molly finally yelled a little while later.
Everyone stampeded to the kitchen. She tried taking her normal place in between Harry and Ron but was picked up by George. "Nu-uh!" he whispered to her. "You get to sit by Charlie!" True to his word, he sat her down in between Charlie and himself. Confused as to what was going on, she decided to shrug it off and eat.
Everyone asked Charlie a multitude of questions with what he had been up to, and he asked everyone about their lives. When asking Hermione, George cut in. "She's been wrapped up in the apothecary!" he told him. "A bit of a hermit lately. Needs to go out and have some fun! Maybe find a guy…"
"George, I'm flattered, but you're already taken," Hermione told him. Everyone busted out laughing, including George. He leaned in towards Angelina and gave her a kiss.
"I guess you know now!" he joked to his smiling spouse.
Everyone laughed, continuing to eat and drink. Charlie smiled and leaned closer to Hermione. "What have you been up to?" he asked her.
She smiled back, looking at him. The table was so crowded she was only a few inches away from his face. "I have been wrapped up in the shop," she admitted. "But the business is so good! How could I not? No different than George and the joke shop."
Charlie nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Maybe I'll stop by sometime," he said.
She smiled. "That would be nice. It's about ten minutes away from here by broom, at the corner of Dragonsnout and Herbology Place."
"Alright. Maybe I'll bring some lunch, too," he said with a grin.
"That'd be great."
After dinner and dessert, the Weasleys had a small quidditch match. As usual, she sat out. Once it was all over she went back to her small cottage. Walking in, Crookshanks met her with his meows of wanting more food. "All right, all right. But I swear, you're not going to be young forever, and once you're not, you'll be fat!" Crookshanks just tilted his head and she laughed. "All right, all right."
She scooped some of his dry food into his small bowl and she went out to the greenhouse. Checking all of the plants and watering them, she saw an odd weed. "That's the third one," she muttered to herself. And it was by no means unnoticeable. In a day it sprung up to about a foot tall with large, spiky leaves. On the stalks there were very fine hairs and underneath them, she found out, were lots of small spikes. The first one she pulled left her with a nasty pattern of holes on her finger that turned purple. She got a small fever and the wound healed up. Now she pulls them with gloves.
Finally getting the nasty weed out and burning it, she finished up and went back to the house. Taking her shower, she got into her pajamas and proceeded to go to bed. Lying down, she remembered something. "I need to look up my dizzy spell and that weed. . ." she thought. She snuggled down into the covers and went to sleep.
The next day she went into work a little early. Grabbing a few books from her personal library, she sat down. She couldn't find the weed anywhere. But that was partially good; since it wasn't in any of the dark herbology books, which were very detailed and normally much thicker with information than the normal books, it hopefully meant that it most likely wasn't dangerous. She didn't bother looking up her dizzy spell. 'Dizzy' could be associated with a lot of illnesses. She took a few vitamins the night before, so that would hopefully work.
After a slower day, when her lunch break came around, she was surprised with a redheaded dragonkeeper walking into her store. "Charlie!" she said, surprised. She wasn't sure if he was kidding the night before or not.
"Hey, Hermione," he said, a bit shy. He held up the bag in his hand. "Brisket?"
"Of course!" she said, running forward and grabbing the bag. She set it out on the large front counter and summoned some stools. "Ooh, it's still warm. Thank-you very much," she said.
Charlie began grabbing out the containers, giving her the smaller one. She was grateful; his must have weighed a couple of pounds. "Mum wanted us to finish it off," he said with a smile.
Hermione laughed. "Looks like you're doing it almost single-handedly," she said.
He grinned. "Basically."
They began eating, making small conversation. "How was Romania?" she asked him.
"Amazing," he said, his eyes glowing. "It was one of the best times of my life. I can't wait to get back, although I would miss my family…"
She smiled. "Anyone would. But it's great that you love it. Your letters about it help Molly."
He grinned. "Doesn't surprise me. Mum always worries. I could be training cats and she would."
Hermione laughed. "Wouldn't surprise me." They enjoyed the rest of their lunch. Afterwards, Charlie began poking around the potions, both those bottled and the ones Hermione was constantly brewing.
"What's this?" he asked, pointing to a gurgling green one.
"That's for turning food green," she said.
"Really? He questioned.
"No. It's to turn things invisible for a little while. More of a prank. Fred invented it," she said sadly.
Charlie nodded. "I see. Does it work?" he asked.
"Very well, actually. One time Crookshanks fell in it. I couldn't find him for a week."
Charlie laughed. "That cat's still around?"
Hermione smiled. "Alive and kicking, and on his way to being obese."
Charlie laughed. "Okay, so what is this?" he asked.
He was standing by amortentia, the love potion. "Don't you remember it from when you were in Hogwarts?" she asked. "It's a love potion. I mainly keep it for the smell," she said, smiling and giving it a sniff.
Charlie smiled. "Ah. What do you smell?" he asked.
She closed her eyes. "New parchment, freshly cut grass, and…" she made a face of concentration.
"What?" he asked her.
"It's the last smell. I can never identify it…" she said. "At first I thought it was Ron, when we were dating. It smelled like his hair. But his hair isn't quite musky enough…"
"Ah. I hope you find it someday," he said, smiling. He leaned forward to smell his own. "Smells like my favorite Romanian hot spring, Mum's cooking… ooh, I think it's brisket… and like you, I can never make out the last smell," he said, frowning.
"Weird," Hermione said softly. She had a look of surprise and interest on her face.
Charlie noticed. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said. In reality, however, it was something. When Charlie had leaned forward to smell the potion, she caught a whiff of how he smelled. It was his hair. It had the muskiness that was missing from Ron's.
And Charlie was hiding something, too. He knew what the third scent was. It smelled like Hermione.
They began dating. It was never 'official' or anything, but after Charlie brought Hermione lunch a few more times, and she began visiting him at the Burrow. They spent time outside of the apothecary and under Molly's watchful eyes. They went to Honeydukes, for old times' sake, and even tormented George a little (with the favor returned) at the joke shop. They even went on small adventures together, finding new and amazing things in Diagon Alley.
Hermione had woken up, not feeling very well. She was quite nauseous and as she stood up, made a run to the bathroom. After dry heaving for a few minutes, she washed her face and looked in the mirror. There was a picture of her and Charlie from a few weeks ago when they had gone to a river with the family. She compared it to herself looking in the mirror, noticing she had lost some weight. She confirmed this using a scale.
She hopped back into bed, not meaning to fall asleep. She woke up when Charlie flooed in. She got up and slowly made her way to the small living room, wrapped in a blanket.
"Hermione? You look… awful," he said softly, walking forward and setting a small bag on the coffee table. He wrapped her into his arms and felt her forehead with his cheek, checking for a temperature. "Not too warm… what's wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know…" she said hoarsely. "I woke up… I dry heaved a bit… Went back to sleep," she told him.
He picked her up, bride style, and carried her back to her warm bed. The curtains drawn and light trying to leak in gave the room a cozy feel. He set her down gently, wrapping the blankets back over her. "I'll make you some tea. Could you stomach some toast?" he asked.
From the queasy look on her face, he decided not. "Okay. Tea first. I'll be right back, love," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. By the time he came back she was already asleep. Waking her up, she managed a few sips of tea before denying any more. "Okay. We'll try later."
She slept majority of the day, Charlie watching over her. After a few hours of her not waking up and after he had cleaned the whole house, including his own laundry from the few nights he had began to spend with her, he called up his mum.
"Where is she, the poor thing?" she asked immediately after flooing in.
"Back in her room. She hasn't woken up in a bit…" he said, running his hand through his hair. "I've never seen her this sick. Anyone this sick, actually."
"It'll be fine, dear. Did you give her tea?" she asked, leading him back.
"Yeah, she managed about half a cup. She couldn't stomach to eat anything," he said.
Molly walked into the bedroom. "Oh my. She's lost a few pounds too, hasn't she?" she asked, making a 'tsking' sound. She sat down on the bed. "Hermione, dear, wake up," she said, shaking her softly. After a few more tries she finally awoke.
"Hmm?" she said.
"Hermione, dear, how are you?" Molly questioned. Hermione looked from her to Charlie, then got an odd look on her face. She immediately got up and ran to the bathroom, throwing up the small amount of tea she had managed to drink. Molly ran in after her, Charlie in the rear.
Hermione slumped down by the toilet, flushing it. "Charlie, dear, carry her back please," she said, feeling Hermione's head and then grabbing a trashcan. "No fever."
Charlie set Hermione back down on the bed then took a place beside her, stroking her hair down. "Now, I have a very important question to ask you two," Molly said, setting the trashcan by the bed within Hermione's reach.
"What is it, Mum?" Charlie asked. Hermione only shifted her gaze to Molly's.
"Have you two had sex, or is there any way Hermione is pregnant?" she asked.
Hermione giggled slightly at the color Charlie's face turned, almost as red as his own hair. He sighed. "No, Mum, we haven't had sex. We haven't even kissed yet. And Hermione hasn't mentioned an affair…"
Hermione shook her head. "Nope. I'm a virgin," she said softly.
Molly sighed. "Okay. I needed to know. Hermione, let's get some more tea in you," she said.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think I can…" she said. But Molly was already bustling about.
This continued for about three days. Charlie managed the shop, since he was already employed recently, and would head straight back to Hermione's cottage where his mother would tend to her. One morning when they all got up, it just vanished. Hermione woke up with the color restored to her face with a normal appetite for breakfast. Molly checked everything out and deemed her healthy.
"Maybe it was a bug," Hermione said. "I'm from a Muggle family, so I can still get their sicknesses. People get things like this all the time."
After Charlie woke up and found out, he immediately got up and gave Hermione a hug, lifting her off the floor. "It's great that you're better, love," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"Also, Charlie, what was in that bag you had brought with you?" she asked.
He smiled. "Oh, a bit of jewelry… I know you're not big on it, but it was unique."
She smiled. "That's sweet of you," she said as he got it out. He handed her the bag and she looked inside.
She pulled out a small box and opened it. Inside was a necklace with an intricately wrapped vial. The vial was simple, only about an inch and a half long, and the opening was only about a centimeter wide. The thin metal wrapped around it, mimicking vines with small leaves on them. It was all on a length of twine. "The twine is enchanted. It's just as strong as any other necklace chain," he said. "Stronger, actually. It doesn't break and it doesn't burn."
Hermione smiled. "Thank-you so much, Charlie," she said, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him hard. He leaned down, returning the embrace.
Molly sniffled. "Now, that was sweet. You're much sweeter than the other boys, except for Bill and Harry. And Arthur, of course. Oh, I'll be off, then! You two have a good day. Glad you're better Hermione. Let me know if anything happens. Bye!" she rambled, giving them both hugs. They laughed and Molly flooed off.
Slipping the necklace over her head, she knew what she was going to put in it later. Her and Charlie got ready and left for the apothecary.
After a few days, Charlie finally moved in completely. They had their first kiss, but definitely not their last. Hermione filled up the vial with amortentia, purely for the smell. When she was feeling stressed or sad, she would open the cork a little, and the smell of Charlie would waft out. She finally admitted it to herself; she was in love with Charles Weasley.
Closing the shop one day, she suddenly collapsed. "Hermione!" Charlie said, rushing to her side.
"Charlie, I can't get up…" she said. She had been feeling weak, and had continued to lose weight. She couldn't bear to eat the amount of food she needed in order to gain any weight.
"Don't worry, I'll get some help," he said. He sent a patronus to the Burrow. It was the first time Hermione had seen it. It was, of course, a dragon. Only it had changed from a large, terrifying beast into a small, nimble creature. It was sleek and lean, similar to…
"An otter dragon…" she said, giggling.
Charlie smiled. "Yes, Hermione. It changed a little. It's now a dragon that became extinct a couple hundred years ago. Lived in marshlands. Instead of breathing fire, it could live underwater. Its behaviors mimicked that… of otters. Your patronus."
Hermione smiled. "Charlie, I'm tired," she said.
He frowned. "Hermione, try not to sleep. I don't know what would happen," he told her.
"You're afraid I wouldn't wake up," she said for him.
His face turned pale. "Yes."
In a few minutes, the Weasleys all apparated into the shop. "Mione!" Harry said, walking in.
"Get her to St. Mungo's, now!" Molly yelled. She grabbed Hermione and Charlie and apparated there.
Once getting Hermione in a room, everyone was ushered out. Hermione clung to Charlie's hand as the doctors tried to wrench him away. "Hermione!" he yelled, shoving people.
"Charlie! Can't he stay?" she asked the doctors.
One shook his head. "Out!" he yelled to the Weasley men, who were fighting back in protest to the doctors.
"Hermione! I love you!" he yelled out as he was picked up by a few burly guards.
"I love you too, Charlie!" she yelled at him, leaning forward. "I'll be alright!"
The door was slammed shut and he was thrown against the wall in the hallway, George, Bill, Harry, Ron, and his father following more gently. "I hope so," he whispered to himself. He sat crouched down against the wall, his head in his hands, waiting.
The doctor came out about half an hour later, an odd look on his face. Everyone stood up, Charlie approaching the doctor. "What is it?" he asked.
"I…I'm not sure," the doctor said. "There seems to be some poison in her system. It's dark magic, that we know. It's been affecting her for a while it seems. She's been suffering muscle deterioration, as well as bone deterioration. It hasn't spread to her brain yet. I give her less than a month to live," he told them all. "I am so, so sorry." He clasped Charlie's shoulder and walked down the hallway.
The hall was silent, except for the sound of machines and the sniffling of Molly. Arthur held her and stroked her hair. Charlie walked in, Ron and Harry behind him.
Hermioine was asleep in her bed, looking peaceful. But her body looked so frail. He couldn't believe this was happening… He sat down and took her hand. Harry and Ron sat on her other side, holding her other arm. They sat there as the rest of the Weasleys entered.
Exactly three weeks and six days later, Hermione passed away. The poison had taken its toll and only got worse quicker in the next few days and weeks after her admission to the hospital. It was most noticeably when one day Charlie, George, and Bill walked in, planning to meet the rest of their family there. "Who are you?" Hermione asked. She looked at them curiously. "Charlie, who are these other people? They have your hair."
Charlie couldn't help it. He began crying. He was strong until then, keeping the family calm and taking care of Hermione. He sat down next to her and took her hand. She looked at him sadly. "Charlie, don't cry. What's wrong?" she asked him softly, tucking a strand of his now longer hair behind his ear.
"Hermione, those two people, you don't remember them? At all?" he asked her. She shook her head. "It-it's George and Bill, my brothers." She only gave him a blank stare.
It continued getting worse. Soon enough, she couldn't remember anyone else, or sometimes even where she was. She soon couldn't walk, due to low muscle and bone mass. The only things she remembered were how to read, how to perform magic, and Charlie.
The large crowd stood together in black at her funeral. Her upper half of the casket lay open. He almost broke down as he saw she was wearing the necklace he gave her. And it was filled with love potion. She had said the third smell was of him. Maybe she did it because of that...
Charlie, Harry, Ron, and Mrs. Weasley (along with her husband) stood at the front the whole time. Charlie never looked out at the crowd. Everyone paid their respects; Charlie didn't listen. He just nodded numbly. When it came to her actual burial, only the closer relatives were allowed to stay. The crowd was too restless and large.
The casket was laid down in the ground. The Weasleys all shed their tears, except for Charlie. As the casket was covered, he watched silently. Soon it was all over. The rest of his family left him alone, for some private time. He sat down next to her grave.
"Hey Hermione," he said, his voice rough. "So… I hope it wasn't too painful. I feel… I don't know what I feel. I'm the only person you remembered. I guess you did love me," he said, his voice cracking. "And I… I hope you remembered how everyday I always said I loved you, and you said you loved me too." He finally began crying, sobbing his heart out. He couldn't stop. "And I wanted a life with you, Hermione. I wanted to grow old with you. I wanted to have kids with you and send them to Hogwarts, they would've been so smart, Hermione… and they probably would've gotten Gryffindor, but if not it would've been fine, and I… I don't know what I'm gonna do, Hermione… I miss you…" He sat there, crying and talking to her, for another half hour. Ginny finally came and got him.