Time and Again:
Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Harry Potter. I am not making a profit from this story or anything like that.
Summary: Harry had saved the world and faced down the darkest wizard of our time. Now, he's more scared than he's ever been before in his life. He's meeting his girlfriend's parents, and her step-sister, Hermione.
A/N: This story is inspired by a challenge from cosmopolitan on Portkey. These are the details:
Hermione went to Beauxbatons rather than Hogwarts
Harry is still the famous Harry Potter
Harry is a playboy [i know it's cliché, but i just adore it]
Harry is dating Hermione's veela, or just stupendously beautiful, step-sister whom Hermione never got along with
Harry meets Hermione when he comes home with his girlfriend
Hermione is repulsed by Harry
So, with that in mind, let's get the show on the road!
Time and Again: She Always Wins
"I hate my sister. I don't mean that I dislike her. I mean that I truly, utterly loathe the woman. She's not even my sister, but I have to put up with her. Hell, I even had to go to Beauxbatons because her father could not trust her around the opposite sex." Hermione snorted and took a bite of her pasta. "I'm sorry for burdening you with this, Luna. But, I just got a call from my mom, and I'm depressed."
Luna just smiled at her awkward friend, "Well, it's not every day that you call me crying, offering to feed me lunch if I'll come talk to you." She leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, "Now, tell me the real reason you called."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Imogen has apparently met the most perfect man on the planet, and she's bringing him home to meet the family. Unfortunately, mom seems to think that I need to be here. 'After all, Hermione Jane, you two have been together since birth'."
Luna groaned, "She really said that?" Hermione simply nodded. "I love your mom, but she really is blind when it comes to you and Imogen's relationship."
Hermione winced, "I think she idealizes it. It's not like Imogen and I are overt about our feelings. We really do try to get along, but we're just fundamentally incompatible."
Luna took a bite of her salad, "How did your job interview go?"
"Oh," Hermione smiled, "It went very well. I think I got the job. They haven't officially told me. The man, his last name was Weasley, just told me to be there by eight tomorrow."
Luna squealed, "I love the Weasleys! My dad is their neighbour. Do you know which one you'll be working with?"
Hermione bit her lip, "I'm not for sure. I didn't hear a first name. Which one manages the magical animal clinic?"
Luna cocked her head, "Did he have really long hair?"
Hermione shook her head, "He was kind of short, stocky build, and red hair. Are there really so many that you need to question me about them?"
Luna ignored her question, "It must have been Charles. Ronald is too tall. William has his signature long hair. Fred and George are never seen separately, and Percival works for the ministry."
"Six? There are six of them?"
Luna nodded, "No, there are seven. Ginny is a girl, and you clearly said man earlier."
Hermione shook her head in wonderment. "I thought one sister was bad. Six siblings would be a nightmare."
Luna grinned, "They are a lot different from Imogen. I would've fed her to the Nargles by now."
"I'm surprised I didn't think of that sooner." She rested her chin on her palm, "I wish I didn't have to go."
Luna smiled at her, "What if you brought someone home with you?"
Hermione sat back in her chair and smiled, "That would be perfect, but I don't have a boyfriend."
Luna smirked, "Who said anything about a boyfriend? You're bringing me home."
Hermione shook her head, "As much as I would love to take you home, I don't want my parents to think I'm into women."
Luna sat back with a puzzled expression on her face, "Why would they think that? I'm just a friend that you're going to be helping through a difficult time." She smirked, "After all, I can write about Imogen's relationship in the Quibbler. We can always use a new topic."
Hermione just shook her head in astonishment. "Okay Luna, I'll call my mom and let her know you're tagging along."
Luna smiled serenely, "Now, I'm going to go buy a dress for this weekend." She placed her money on the table and left."
Hermione threw her own money on the table and chased after Luna yelling, "Wait for me!" After all, a girl couldn't have too many dresses.
Harry Potter was stressed out individual. In fact, he was so stressed that he was talking about the latest jam he had gotten himself into with his current partner at work. "I can't believe I agreed to meet her parents. She's sweet, but she's nothing special. She's just some girl." He shook his head as he put the newborn dragon he was holding into the containment box.
Draco Malfoy brushed his bangs out of his face, "The only reason you agreed is because she's a Veela." He grunted and forced his latest find into a neutralizing pen and shut the door behind it.
Harry shook his head, "She is not a Veela. She is just a beautiful woman." He waved his wand over the containment unit.
Draco grimaced, "She is a fucking Veela! I don't know why she isn't registered, but she is. Her hair is ten shades lighter than mine. She manages to ensnare people with her voice, and she took away your manhood." He leaned back against the pen and crossed his arms, "Hell, I'm only and eighth, and I still had a register. She has a lot more of the blood than I do. I'd go to her parent's to find out why she hasn't been registered."
Harry nodded, "You're probably right. I could at least meet the family." He grabbed a stool from the corner and walked over to Draco's area. He collapsed onto the stool, "Did you hear that Charlie hired someone else?"
"Yeah, he told me right after lunch. She's a healer." He yawned, "She starts tomorrow, but she gets the weekend off."
Harry sighed, "Now, we won't have to go to St. Mungo's every thirty seconds!" He thought for a moment, "I'm so freaking happy that I don't have to work tomorrow."
Draco smacked him upside the head, "I'm not. It means that I have to work with the damn Weasel."
"I thought you liked Charlie?"
"I do. It's Ron that I can't fucking stand."
"You really should learn to like him. After all, he's managed to hold down a job here for over a year now."
Draco shrugged and went back to work.
Harry yelled at him as he went to another room, "If it's any consolation, I can't stand the bastard any more than you can!"
*Friday Morning*
At promptly 7:58 a.m. Hermione exited the Floo network at 2917 Dragon Lane in Diagon Alley. She smiled at the receptionist, "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger. I believe I'm supposed to start work today."
The black-haired receptionist stood and shook her hand, "I'm Pansy Parkinson. Let me put away next week's schedule, and I'll be happy to show you to your office."
Hermione nodded her agreement and clutched her bag to her side tightly, "Thanks. How long have you worked here?"
Pansy shuffled through some papers, placed them into a drawer, and locked it. "I've been here for about a year now. I'm so happy Charlie hired a Healer. St. Mungo's Accidents and Catastrophes ward has being funded by us."
Hermione chuckled, "What kinds of creatures do we work with?"
Pansy grinned, baring her teeth slightly, "Whatever someone can drag in or call us to come get." She walked over to the large double doors and pulled them apart.
Hermione's jaw dropped. "This place is huge!"
Pansy nodded, "We're in our own little pocket dimension here." She started pointing to different parts of the complex. "The large creature containment zone, mostly containing dragons, is located in the Northwest quadrant. Flying creatures are located in the Southwest quadrant. Plants are in the Southeaster quadrant, and aquatic creatures are in the Northeastern quadrant. Small creatures and pets are in the circular "safe" zone, which is where your office is located." Pansy kept walking towards the middle of the room.
Hermione's eyes were wide. She hurried after the receptionist, "Where exactly will my office be?"
Pansy raised her eyebrow, "You will be located directly in the middle." She stopped outside the door to a circular room. "This zone will be keyed directly to you. If you'll place your hand directly in the center of the door, it will recognize your magic and start powering up."
Hermione cautiously approached the door, tentatively placing her palm in the middle of the door-facing. The door started glowing and it made a low 'whirring' noise. This went on for several seconds before it opened with a soft 'click'.
"Welcome to W.P.M.C. We're glad to have you aboard." The tall man who had hired her walked up to stand next to Pansy.
"I see that you've met Pansy. She is the backbone of this place." Pansy lightly blushed. The red-headed man extended his hand to Hermione. Hermione grasped it firmly, "I am Charlie Weasley. I'm one of the owners of this facility."
"Hermione Granger, pleasure to meet you." She smiled ruefully, "I'm really glad you re-introduced yourself. I am complete rubbish at first names." She looked back in her office. She really had to fight the urge to not go in there."
Charlie laughed at her, "Did Pansy tell you where all of the creatures were located?" At Hermione's affirmation, he continued: "Good, now we're going to delve into the magic of your office."
Hermione just nodded. She was afraid that she might do a happy dance at the thought of finally having her own office. She had to take a deep breath to settle herself when she finally got inside. "This is mine?" was what she actually squeaked out.
There were three examination tables in the center of the room. There were two stocked cooling cabinets, filled with all of the potions she could conceivably need. The central cabinet, located between the cooling cabinets, was filled with potion supplies and equipment. There was also a round desk that took up the majority of the opposite wall. There were various screens covering the different quadrants, an alarm for each zone, as well as a computer to input patient information. It could have came out of her dreams.
"Yes ma'am, the alarms are to notify you if there is a person in trouble in a quadrant." He pointed at the alarms and screens. "You are expected to make at least two rounds per quadrant per day. They are too big for you to walk through." He walked over to the supplies cabinet and dug out a broom. "This is meant to get you wherever you need to be as quickly as possible. It's also here to make your rounds possible."
Hermione nodded her head, "Do I have to fly above a certain height?"
Pansy was the one to reply, "I would fly at about 16 feet. That height should keep everyone safe." She took a brief glance at her watch, "I've got to go man the Floo now. I'm happy you're here." She smiled softly and left.
Hermione returned the smile and turned back to face Charlie, but before she could say something, the alarm to the aquatic zone started to beep and flash. Hermione slung her bag across her shoulder, grabbed a broom out of the closet, and dashed out the door as she mounted it. She was mere seconds behind Charlie.
However, Hermione lost time in the air when she attempted to avoid hitting a stack of metal cages. She swerved, but she still clipped the cages. She winced and looked forward, speeding off to the site of the emergency.
Charlie was already on the ground when she arrived. And by on the ground, she meant that he was rolling on the ground belly-laughing. "Why are you laughing?" He couldn't take a breath to make a reply, so he pointed.
Even Hermione had to smile at the sight that greeted her. A vine had gotten loose from its zone and had decided to take over the giant squid's tank. The squid was fighting it for the territory, and, if the state the vine was in was any indication, it had been winning. However, it appeared that an unsuspecting worker had happened across the scene. He was now being lobbed back and forth between the pair.
Hermione waved her wand and cast 'Petrificus Totalus'. This immobilized the worker. She then erected a cushioned barrier between the pair while the vine was pulling back to sling him across. He crashed into the barrier and landed on a cushion that Charlie had conjured up.
Charlie managed to freeze the beasts and get them back under control. Hermione grimaced and kneeled at the side of the worker. She waved her wand, ending the enchantment on him. Hermione winced at his moans, "I'm Healer Granger, and I'm going to run some tests to make sure you're alright. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, sure." He croaked out.
She waved her wand over him, wincing as data readouts showed on his broken bones. "I'm going to have to take you back to my office in order to take proper care of you. Is that okay?"
He nodded.
Hermione transfigured the cushion he was on into a stretcher and levitated him. She mounted the broom and guided him back to her office.
She lowered the stretcher onto the table and banished it from underneath him. The Table brought up his name and medical history at its foot. He was incredibly broken and bruised. Hermione made her way to the cooling cabinets and gathered the potions she needed.
"Mr. Longbottom, you've managed to break your legs in several places. There are at least three fractures in your right leg, and your left leg is just as bad." She reached her arm underneath him to prop him up and administered a potion. "Drink this. It will knock you out and kill the pain so that I can reset your bones. There's extensive damage to your left foot, and I'm afraid that the potions won't work on your hands." She tipped the vial, and the potion slid down his throat.
Hermione sat next to him until the potion kicked in. He drifted off and started snoring. 'Now comes the hard part,' she thought. She stood at the foot of his bed and brought the magical scan back up.
The broken bones shone in a bright red color on the image of his skeleton. Hermione uncapped a blue potion that she had grabbed from the cabinet and poured it over her hands, rubbing it in like a lotion. She had always hated doing this. She placed her hands above the scan and sunk her hands into the image. As she did this, a second pair of hands went into Neville's body. Hermione started pulling and wrenching each bone and fragment back into place.
She hummed softly while she worked, and the work went rather quickly. Well, until she received a very unwelcome guest.
A tall, red-headed man sauntered into her office as if he owned the place. He didn't even bother to greet her as he walked over to the cooling cabinets and took a potion out. He popped the cork off of the flask and chugged it down. He placed it back on the shelf and turned around. That's when he finally noticed Hermione's and Neville's presence.
His face blanched, "What the hell is that?" He pointed at Hermione's hands in the image. "And, who the hell are you?"
"Mr. Longbottom broke some bones that magic and potion cannot heal without being reset properly." She wrenched his femur back into alignment with a resounding 'crack'. "Now, tell me who you are, what you're doing in my office, and why I shouldn't kill you now?" She moved her hands up to Neville's pelvis and manipulated it to make sure everything was fine.
He turned a peculiar shade of green, "I…I'm Ron Weasley. I'm Charlie Weasley's brother." He gagged as he saw her reshape Neville's ribcage. "I came here for…for some…sedative potion for a new Phoenix that just came in."
"And you needed to swallow my potion stores to give the bird his medicine?" She raised her eyebrow at him. She pulled and twisted Neville's right humerus, and the bone slid back into place. She calmly said, "Get out of my office. I don't want to see you in here again unless you're injured, and sneaking my potions is not a legitimate medical reason."
"But…I…"
Hermione snapped, "If I wasn't clear before, I mean get out of my office now!" She finished her statement and bent over Neville's hand to align the delicate bones. When she realized he still hadn't left, she looked up, "Get the Fuck out of my office!"
Ron ran out of the building as fast as he possibly could, a stream of yellow trailing behind.
She turned back to Neville and finished setting his hand. Hermione pulled her hands out of the image and grimaced at the sight of the nasty goop still attached to her arms. As she was washing them in the sink, she turned to look at Neville. "You're going to be the hardest one to keep straight, aren't you?" She grinned at her unconscious patient. It was good to be back at work.
*Harry*
Harry was regretting the moment he had asked Imogen out. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty. She was drop-dead gorgeous, but he tended to move onto a new girl as soon as he had bedded his latest conquest. Imogen was different. If he wasn't so sure that she was 100% honest and upright, he would think she had him under some kind of love spell.
"Harry? Harry? Have you listened to a word I said?"
He smiled and nodded his head firmly.
"Really? What did I just say?" The petite black-haired woman crossed her arms and cocked her eyebrow.
"You were talking about how much you can't stand Imogen, and that you can't believe that I would 'settle for some cheap, two-sickle tart who doesn't even have the common decency to pretend otherwise around decent people'." He smiled disarmingly, "What prompted that rant?"
Pansy snorted, "The little bitch tried to have Charlie fire me because I didn't take the phone to you while you were handling the pregnant Chinese Fireball."
Harry grimaced, "Pans, you know Charlie will never fire you. Besides, Malfoy and I wouldn't stand for it." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on her desk, "No one else could keep our asses in line."
Pansy gave him a watery smile before she started typing on the computer. She stopped with a quick gasp, "Did you hear what happened to Neville today?" Harry shook his head and Pansy regaled him with the story of his rescue earlier. "It's a good thing that Healer Granger started today. I'm thinking of asking her to join me for lunch this afternoon. Do you want to come with us?"
"No, I just came to rescue Malfoy for a bit. I'm sure that he's almost killed Ron a couple of times today."
Pansy smiled, "I'm sure he'll be happy to go with you. I'll go get him, and I'll ask Hermione at the same time."
"Thanks, I owe you."
Pansy patted his shoulder, "I know you do, and I know exactly what you can do to repay me."
"What are you going to make me do this time?" Pansy rubbed her hands together as she walked backwards towards the door. "You're not going to make me sing and dance naked in front of Gringotts are you?"
She just turned and pushed through the double door, her evil chuckle trailing behind her.
Harry sat down to wait for Draco. Draco came running through the door before Harry could begin to brood properly. He grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him towards their office, "Come on, we've got to see this!" At Harry's puzzled look, Draco added, "The new girl is about to rip the Weasel's head off and present it to Charlie on a silver platter."
Harry started running. The two crashed into the office door in their hurry. Draco twisted the knob, and the two dashed to Draco's side of the room to huddle behind a security monitor.
*Hermione*
"What do you mean you needed a sedative for the sloth?" Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. "They're the laziest creatures on the planet. They move so slowly that moss actually forms on them! Why would you need to sedate one?"
Ron rolled his eyes, "They can move quite fast when they're riled up."
Hermione's voice dropped an octave. "Do not insult my intelligence Ronald Weasley. I know, for a fact, that you don't administer drugs to a sloth, a phoenix, or a unicorn through your own body. I told you to stay out of my office unless you're severely injured. And, what did you do? I come back from my rounds to find you downing another sedative!"
"But, I am injured! See, look." Ron lifted his palm facing outwards and showed her the scratch on his palm when he opened a trick vial.
Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Are you really that stupid? That vial was charmed so that no one would use it accidentally." She smirked, "Do you feel brilliant? You just combined a sedative with a Thestral aphrodisiac." She gestured to one of the exam tables, "Hop on."
In his drugged stupor, he didn't realize what she'd said. He actually tried to run out the front door.
Hermione glanced and saw Pansy. "Stop him!" Hermione grabbed the collar of his shirt and Pansy blocked the door. Hermione cocked her head towards the table, and Pansy moved in front of him. As she edged closer and closer to him, he backed up until the back of his legs hit the table. He sat down. Hermione tapped her wand on the top of his head and knocked him out cold.
Pansy was smiling, "I've been wanting to do that since I met him."
"Yeah, well, help me," She gestured up the table, knowing he had to be settled right. Pansy grabbed one side of him and Hermione the other. They muscled him until he was completely on the table. Hermione slapped his face, "Damn drug-addicted, asshole." She sighed and went to the supplies cabinet, grabbing beozar powder. "Pansy, would you please hold his mouth open?"
Pansy crawled up on the table and wedged his mouth open, "My pleasure. Do you want to go to lunch when we've finished with him?"
Hermione nodded and tipped a measured amount of powder into his mouth. "I need to strap him down, or he's going to think he's a kid in a candy store when he wakes up." She paused, "Will Charlie get mad at me when I suggest that he fire his brother? He must be going through hundreds of galleons in potions each month. Today he took three of the most expensive potions in the cooling cabinets."
Pansy shook her head, "Don't worry about it. This coming to light solves a major money leak. He must have been ordering extra to stock the cabinets so we wouldn't notice them missing." She stood up and straightened her outfit. "I thought someone was selling the extras. I never would have thought he was taking them, Healer Granger."
"Please call me Hermione. It's not every day two women get to wrestle down a grown man." She winked at Pansy and extended her hand.
Pansy shook it, "Thank god that we've got another woman working here now." She situated the lapel of her jacket. "Let's go tell Charlie about his brother. Then, we'll go eat lunch. Then, you get to administer the physical for the new guy." She smiled tightly, "He's taking over aquatics, and now, I'll have to find someone to replace Ron." Pansy grimaced.
Hermione gave a final tug on Ron's restraints. "I'm sure he'll be damn near impossible to replace." She gave a sheepish smile, "I should probably watch my language a little better."
Pansy patted her back, "It's okay. It's not like we have you working with the public. Let's get Ron taken care of and have lunch."
*Harry*
Draco is doing a happy dance around the room. Well, not so much a happy dance as smirking and pacing. It's his version of the happy dance.
"I love her," Draco smiled ruefully. "On her first day, she manages to save Neville and get Ron fired." He ran his fingers through his hairs, "How are you handling this? You and he used to be best friends…"
Harry raised his hand to stop him, "Exactly, we used to be best friends until the Triwizard tournament came around, and he decided to lead rallies against me. I gave up on him after that." Harry trailed off into silence.
Draco clapped his shoulders, "You gave me a second chance though."
Harry nodded, "And now it's time for Ron's second chance." He squared his shoulders, "Let's go see Molly. I'm going to make this right."
Draco followed him out the door, "She's still my hero!"
Harry chuckled and left to go see the Weasley Matriarch.
*Hermione*
Hermione and Pansy had been closeted with Charlie before they were able to go to lunch.
"Where do you want to go?" Pansy asked.
"If you don't mind, my friend has a restaurant around here, and I haven't got to see him in years." Hermione's eyes shown brightly as she spoke.
"Sounds good to me, Charlie is treating us to lunch today."
Hermione quirked her eyebrow, "He didn't say anything about that."
Pansy grinned, "He didn't have to. You saved him hundreds of galleons a month, and I had to touch his brother." She made a grimace. "It's the least he can do."
Hermione bit her lip to keep from giggling, "I'm pretty sure his place is right up here." She rounded a corner, and her jaw dropped.
Pansy walked up to the front door and opened it. "Well, well. I never expected to see you here." She clucked her tongue at the host. "I thought this was the work for the peons?"
The young gentleman who had been working up schedule for the next week turned his brilliant smile against one of his oldest, dearest friends, "And you informed me otherwise." He hugged Pansy tightly when he realized who was with her. "Hermione?" His voice caught.
"Theodore!" Hermione squealed and hugged him impossibly tight. "How are you?"
"I'm okay. What are you doing in England?"
Hermione leaned back, "Well, my mom and step-father were here, and my step-sister was terrible. I needed a job, and Charlie Weasley hired me." Hermione rambled on and on until Pansy interrupted.
"Now, I know that you two know each other, and you have a lot to catch up on. But, I need sustenance. Theo, it's your job to feed me!"
He grinned and ushered the two inside to a table. He seated them, and then he refused to let them order. "It's my place, and I know what's best. You two just sit back and enjoy."
"So, how long have you known Theo?" Pansy swirled the ice in her glass with her finger.
"A long, long time. My mother and stepfather met through his parents. We were vacationing in France, my mom and I were on the beach when this strange man comes over to our blanket and asked Mom if she'd mind if his friend came over. She nodded; he came over and charmed her. Next thing I know, we moved to France, and they got married." Hermione took a sip of her water, "Theodore's dad was the one who asked if his friend could come over. We'd play whenever our parents' would go on double dates." She smiled ruefully, "Theodore was my only friend for a long time. I just didn't get along with the girls at Beauxbatons."
"Why not?" She seemed nice enough. Why wouldn't people like her?
Hermione blushed, "I was more focused on school than the majority of them."
Pansy gave her a puzzled look, "Why wouldn't they like you because of that? You're a very nice person…"
Hermione shrugged, "I reported quite a few of the girls for rule violations, and they hated me for it. I was a snot-nosed, little goody two-shoes."
Pansy nodded, and the two continued on in polite conversation for awhile before Theo came back with the food. The three friends sat and tae. Conversation flowed freely and all was right in the world, for the moment.
*Burrow*
"He did what?" The shriek was heard outside the decaying house as the two men approached.
Draco winced, "Do you think Charlie made it here first?"
Harry nodded, "And, I bet Fred and George are exchanging money on the bet of how long he'd last." He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "I bet Charlie is pissed."
Draco nodded and walked up the front steps, opening the door and walking through.
Harry caught the door with his foot and walked through. "Molly, we're here!" He yelled as warning as he and Draco made their way through the house to the kitchen.
Molly was sitting at the table, her head buried in her hands. Her face was blank, and Charlie was rubbing her back. Arthur was pacing around the kitchen, and Ginny was curled up in a corner chair, writing in a notebook.
Harry crept into the room. He walked over to Arthur and placed a hand on his shoulder. Arthur hugged him tightly and released him quickly. "We'll get him to rights."
Arthur nodded, "I know. I just can't believe we notice it before now."
Charlie went over to comfort Molly. She pushed him off and snapped at Charlie, "I can't believe that you believed some Healer over your own brother!"
Charlie removed his hand, "I believe her because she's a licensed Healer, and I've been going through pain and sedative potions like water. Her answer explains everything. I have video evidence that he is costing me a damn fortune!"
Molly glared at him, "How could you do to this to him? He's such a sweet, caring boy…"
Ginny had had enough. She started yelling at her mother, "He's not a sweet, caring boy. He's a jealous prat who turned to potions for attention!" She threw her notebook on the table, "He went too far this time! He almost killed himself with this stunt. The Healer you're blaming for muddying his name saved his life!" She put her hands on her hips and glared at Molly.
"Get out!" Molly howled. "Anyone who doesn't support my Ronnie needs to leave!" She curled into a ball, sobbing. "My baby deserves my loyalty!"
Everyone turned around to leave. Arthur called St. Mungo's. His wife had just lost her mind.
The family plus Harry and Draco gathered outside to wait for Arthur.
"Why do you think she snapped?" Fred asked the group.
Charlie grunted, "Probably because of some throwback to Percy. She hasn't been the same since he left the family."
Ginny smiled at Charlie, "Can I meet your Healer?"
Draco smirked at Harry, "Told you that I wouldn't be the only one happy to see him gone!"
Harry slapped him upside the head. As he did so, he noticed the time on his watch. "Shit," he exclaimed. "I've gotta run. I'm meeting Imogen's parents this weekend." He gave a weak smile and shrug before he Apparated away.
Draco's voice followed him into the void, "Watch her! The bitch is a fucking Veela!"
*Hermione*
Hermione cocked her neck to the side, reviewing the chart for the 'new guy', a Mr. Aaron Prewett. Everything looked normal, but there was something bothering her about him.
She looked from the chart to the person to the table. Hermione smiled at him and started waving her wand over him. Her diagnostic spell revealed a pair of gills. "Let me give these results to Pansy, but everything looks fine to me." She shifted the charts, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Aaron ran his hand through his hair, "Thank-you, Healer Granger."
Hermione nodded and smiled at him before she ducked out of the room. It had been a busy afternoon, but her rounds went quickly and smoothly. She just had to administer the physical to Aaron Prewett before she could head home for a well-deserved hot bath.
She left the corridor and walked into Pansy's office. The night receptionist had already arrived, but Pansy tended to hang out in her office for awhile before she headed home.
Hermione handed her the files and charts. "Well, he's perfectly healthy, and he's perfect for the job. He's got a most impressive set of gills."
Pansy quirked her eyebrow, "Gills? Did he register as having a magical creature background?"
Hermione shook her head, "No, he didn't. I don't even think he knows for sure. His paperwork mentioned never working in salt water before, and I don't think his gills will work in anything but salt water." She played with a paperweight on Pansy's desk, "I didn't want to tell him until I got your opinion and copies of the registration forms."
Pansy nodded her head and dug out the proper forms. "It wouldn't be the first time that someone found out their heritage during a physical here. Both Draco and Harry had to register after they were hired."
"What are they?"
"Draco is about an eighth Veela, and Harry has a combo of things working against him."
Hermione shrugged, "Almost everyone has some kind of creature heritage. What do you mean working against him?"
Pansy grinned and pulled out their copy of his registration form, "He's got, and I promise I'm not kidding you, vampire, nymph, elven, veela, and more that they don't even have on the registration forms. Add into that the fact that he defeated Voldemort, and he can get about any woman he wants."
"That sounds about typical, 'Savior of the magical world using his status to get laid', what an original concept! Maybe he wants to repopulate the planet!" She gestured wildly while she was talking, but she calmed down after a deep breath. "Do you want to help register Aaron, or do you want me to?"
"I'll do it. After you tell him, send him in, and I'll get him started on the paperwork." Pansy grinned, "After all, you get to meet your sister's new beau tonight."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Thanks for the reminder. All I really want is to go home and take a bath, but I get to hang out with my family as Imogen thrusts yet another new man in my face." She grumbled as she left the room. She really couldn't wait for this weekend to be over with.
A/N: Okay, I'm ending the story here for now. The next part is going to take place from when Harry picks Imogen up to go meet her parents until Saturday evening, when Harry and Hermione both get called into work. If you like review. If you don't' like, review and let me know what you don't like.