This is a story that I've been working on for a couple years. I'm about halfway done with it, and hope to post new chapters at least once a week. I hope everyone enjoys it, and please review!
Chapter 1
The basement potion's lab at St. Mungo's Hospital in London was near unbearable due to the heat wave making its way through the country. The lab, with its dark stone walls and several torches for light, was unable to hold a decent cooling charm for very long. Five cauldrons, simmering softly, were located on separate tables surrounded by ingredients, utensils, and an array of other equipment. At the far end of the room, sat a large, disorganized mahogany desk covered with books, papers, quills, and a number of other articles that perhaps belonged inside the desk. Behind the mess sat a young woman with frazzled brown hair and reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. Beads of sweat could be seen rolling down her brow and into her eyes.
A ringing noise was then heard coming from one of the timers, which led the young woman to put down the paper that she was reading, shove her glasses in the pocket of her dark red robes, and walk over to check on the blue potion at one of the small tables. After turning off the timer, she put out the fire underneath and began to bottle the substance in vials labeled "Sleeping Potion." When she was finished with her task, she levitated the still hot cauldron into the sink located along the far wall, and went to work cleaning the table. Running her hand along the now clean surface, she turned and jumped back when she found someone sitting in her chair. After her second of fright, she recognized the beautiful young man with platinum blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.
"Draco Malfoy, you nearly scared me out of my skin!" she exclaimed clutching at her heart, which was beating at a frantic rate.
"I'm sorry Hermione, but the look on your face was priceless," he said between his peals of laughter as he lifted his fallen head off the desk. "I just wanted to come by and tell you that I'm done for the day… and as it's my night to cook dinner, I was wondering what time you expect to be home."
Draco Malfoy had changed dramatically over the years since the war. No longer was he a rich, playboy punk, but an all-around good man. He and Hermione had become friends three years ago when he began working as a healer in the hospital. Not long after that, he and Harry had begun a relationship which led to the three of them living together at the Blacks' ancestral home of 12 Grimmauld Place.
"If I don't die from heat exhaustion, I'm looking to be done in a little over an hour," she told him. "Therefore I should be home at what…6:30?" she added after looking at her watch.
"Okay great, that gives me ample time to get dinner on the table just as you get home." With that said, and a warm smile, he stood and left the lab to head on home, his lime green healer robes billowing in his wake.
Another ringing was heard and the hissing, red potion was done and ready for bottling. Hermione gathered the Blood-replenishing Potion into several vials and cleaned the cauldron and table. This continued until every potion was either bottled or put under stasis for the night. Once everything was cleaned and put away, she walked out of the lab, locking and warding the door behind her. She then proceeded to climb the two flights of stairs to the lounge which was used by the hospital employees as an Apparition point.
After disapparating, she arrived moments later on the stoop in front of the door to the house she shared with the two men. Once she entered the now light and welcoming entrance hall, she headed down to the kitchen in the basement where she heard voices. Harry, along with Hermione and Ron, had redecorated the dreary old house when they decided to move in after the war. It was now clean and bright, and the portrait of Mrs. Black had been removed. They'd had to take a chunk out of the wall to remove it, and in its place they'd put in a beautiful picture window. The only two remnants of the old house that had been kept were Kreacher, the house-elf, and the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. Kreacher was now very old for an elf and didn't do much besides laze around, but Harry allowed him to live out the rest of his day's right there.
Upon entering the kitchen, her nostrils caught a whiff of Draco's amazing cooking. Tonight, as always, he created a small feast. Laid out on the long table, she saw roast lamb, prime rib, and steak and kidney pie, along with salad, mashed potatoes, carrots, and treacle tart. Anything left over would feed them for the rest of the weekend. She then spotted her two friends engaged in a lip-lock at the other end of the kitchen. Chuckling to herself, she made her way toward the men who weren't even aware that she had entered the house.
"Ahem," she coughed, hoping to get their attention by impersonating Dolores Umbridge, but failing. "Don't make me have to Aguamenti you two again," she said shaking her head.
Harry's eyes opened in an instant, noticing Hermione standing there. "Sorry 'Mione… just got a little carried away" he stammered an apology with a blush creeping up his cheeks.
"Yeah, no need to soak us again!" added his boyfriend, holding his hands in front of his face. Realizing that he was safe, Draco took a seat at the table and began piling food onto his plate. Harry and Hermione joined him and began eating as well.
"Oh, Draco, this is absolutely superb!" exclaimed Hermione after taking a bite of the lamb.
"That's because I'm superb." replied Draco looking smug. Even though he'd changed, he could still be a bit full of himself at times.
"You're remarkably superb, dear." Harry encouraged Draco's oversized ego while rising up to give him a quick kiss.
She hated to admit it, but Hermione was jealous of their relationship. She just wanted to be in love with someone, to settle down, and have a family. She wanted to have something like they had with each other. She was almost twenty-nine years old, and sure she'd had her fair share of dates, but there was never anyone she really clicked with. Nobody besides Lucius Malfoy, that is, whom she had been sleeping with for the past year. Sure, he was a great lover and had become a good friend, but she didn't love him no matter how much she wished she could. Everyone thought that she and Ron would be together forever, get married and have a bunch of kids, but of course that hadn't worked out. They were way too different. They'd only dated for a couple of months before deciding that they weren't meant to be. Now he was married to Susan Bones, who had just given birth to their first child. She was glad that they had stayed friends and she couldn't be happier for him.
"Oh, Hermione!" Draco interrupted her reverie. "I have a friend I want you to meet, his name is Carlos and he is a healer and really cute!" he added with a sly grin. Draco and Harry were always trying to hook her up with guys, hoping to get her to stop sleeping around with Draco's father. It never worked.
"You know I'm not good at dating. I've had very few second dates, which cause the firsts to be a bit of a hassle." She replied in between bites.
"Well too bad, because he's coming for dinner tomorrow!" he said in a sing-song voice, a large grin plastered on his face.
"Draco, as you said he's your friend. You can play with him when he gets here and leave me to my research. I have plans for tomorrow night."
"Always with your research, what are you researching anyway? You lock yourself up in your room, and we hardly ever see you." Harry inquired through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, and its private. I'll tell you when I'm done. I'm hoping it will secure me a position within the Department of Mysteries."
"What's wrong with your job now? I thought you like brewing for the hospital?" he said after swallowing.
"I do, it's just that for the past six years I've been doing the same thing every day, and it gets a bit frustrating… seems like I've got myself into a dead-end job. I wanted to become a Potioneer to do research and create new potions, but I'm stuck with making pepper-up potions and sleeping draughts and burn creams." She rambled.
"I can understand you hating that aspect, as we all know I don't have the best of luck with brewing" laughed Harry. "I hope you get what you want when you're done with this project, we just want to see you happy." Draco nodded in acquiescence at his statement.
The three friends finished their meal while bantering about their jobs. After dinner, they washed the dishes, put the leftovers away, and Harry wiped the table clean. Harry and Draco then retired to the sitting room, which they did every night, while Hermione strode up to her bedroom on the second floor which was kept locked at all times.
What was once a very inviting bed chamber, painted in light blue with beautiful oak furniture, currently looked like a small tornado had blown through it. The bed, writing desk, and floor were covered with books on time travel, Arithmancy calculations, and an array of parchment with notes written on them. Her project was to recreate the time-turners that she had helped to destroy during her fifth year at school. She felt horrible about her involvement in the destruction of the incredible magical instruments, but while fighting Death Eaters and running for her life it was hard to worry about what was in the way.
Plopping down on her bed and resting her back against the headboard, she opened up a book entitled What is Time? by Harriet Higglesworth, and drew a roll of parchment onto her lap and began scribbling with a Muggle biro. She preferred them to quills, especially when she was writing in bed. For the next hour, Hermione was absorbed in her research until she heard a very loud knock on her door. Huffing, she got up and clambered across her mess to answer the door. Opening it just a crack, attempting to hide the state of her room, she was barely able to make out Harry's face.
"Harry, what's going on?" she asked in a rush.
"Phineas came into his portrait and is asking to speak with you," he replied.
"Oh… why?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. The ex-headmaster had never requested her presence before. Usually, the old painting just bantered with the boys.
"He didn't say, so why don't you come down and ask him yourself," Harry replied before turning and making his way back down the stairs.
She opened the door just wide enough for her to fit her body through, and walked downstairs and into the sitting room. The room was completely blue, albeit different shades, from the carpet to the walls to the furniture. Harry believed that blue was a welcoming color and made him feel happy and safe. The portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black sat on a small table near the fireplace. Harry could not bring himself to get rid of the portrait along with everything else in the house. After almost a year of running around the country with only him to talk to, Harry ended up taking a liking to the surly old man.
"Hermione, how pleasant to see you again," exclaimed Phineas when he spotted her enter the room.
"How are you professor?" she asked with a smile walking over to the small table and crouching down in order to see him better.
"I'm as well as a painting could be," he responded. "And Yourself?"
"I'm just wonderful," she said feigning enthusiasm. "What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?"
"There is nothing in particular that I want to speak to you about. Headmistress McGonagall, on the other hand, would like to request a meeting with you for four o'clock tomorrow afternoon if you are available."
"Well then, you can tell her that I'm not busy and that I would love to visit with her," replied Hermione.
"Wonderful," Phineas exclaimed. "She will be looking forward to your visit. Goodnight, Hermione, Harry, Draco," he said in kind before disappearing from his frame.
"I wonder what McGonagall wants with you," inquired Harry.
"She probably just wants to catch up. I haven't spoken to her in a while," Hermione responded with her thoughts abuzz at what the Headmistress might wish to discuss.