DISCLAIMER: The HP world belongs to J. K. Rowling. I have only contributed a few characters, items, places, ideas, and plot points to what is otherwise completely the property of J. K. Rowling.
This story is not epilogue-compliant.
UPDATE: Hey guys, I'm reposting this story, so even if you have read the chapters I had previously, I suggest rereading as I have made some minor, albeit important changes.
Chapter One – Memoria Desiderium
Hermione Granger was frantic, almost to the point of ripping out clumps of her frazzled, brown curls. In a mere hour and a half, she would be in a dark underground meeting room, deep in the recesses of the Ministry of Magic, demonstrating her previously untested Memory Regeneration potion to several Ministry officials and at least two dozen marketing and patent corporations.
When Hermione first pitched her potion the previous month she was given a nearly impossible deadline of three weeks. It took almost a week and a half to make the potion itself, and if something were to go wrong she would have very little time to start again.
Although Hermione had long been studying different possibilities of creating a potion that could aid in the retrieval of 'Obliviated' memories, she knew that, having not created the potion before, anything was liable to go wrong, and most likely would. In addition, Hermione would be unable to test her product beforehand, and if it didn't work, she could lose a great deal more than a sale. While it was not the sale she was after, she would not be able to help the numerous patients in the Memory-Loss ward in St. Mungos if no marketing rep would look twice at her after a failure.
To top it all off, Hermione still hadn't finished the potion. Two weeks before, just as she started the last leg of the potion-making process, one of Hermione's best friends, Ron Weasley, had barged in on her to tell her he had finally asked his then-girlfriend, Parvati Patil, to marry him. The sudden interruption startled Hermione and she spilled an extra half ounce of shredded fluxweed into the simmering potion. The superfluous ingredient initiated a chain reaction that resulted in the neon orange concoction erupting all over her tidy apartment.
Currently, Hermione was sitting on the living room floor, her legs folded beneath her, in front of a low table and Bunsen burner-like contraption, upon which sat the medium pewter cauldron that held her invention. The cauldron's contents gurgled in a lively way as she waited for the appropriate moment to add the final ingredient: a pair of beetle eyes. They had to be added one at a time as she stirred the peach-colored potion counter-clockwise at a slow, careful pace.
Plop went the first eye. She quickly looked up at her wall clock. She would have to stir for three and a half minutes before adding the second eye. As she stirred, her arm starting to ache from the awkward position, there was a small tap at the door to the apartment she shared with her best girl-friend, Ginny Weasley.
"Open the door QUIETLY, do NOT trip or make ANY sudden movements or I will hex you where you stand." Hermione said forcefully through clenched teeth, clearly on edge, the memory of the explosion on her mind. Her eyes were boring holes into the clock. One minute left.
"Way to make me feel welcome, Hermione." Harry chuckled as he did as he was ordered, pushing open the door, inch by inch, until he could silently slip in. He quietly crept around Hermione and the small table she had placed in one corner of the living room of the apartment. He knew better than to speak while she was so concentrated on a potion. The recent memory of Ron apparating to their own apartment, his bright red ears the size of muggle cricket balls and the rest of him plagued by the affects of a well-aimed bat-bogey hex lingered on his mind as he watched her add the second beetle eye to the potion and resume her vigilant watch on the ticking clock over his head.
As the moments ticked by, Harry watched his best friend in quiet amusement. While they were no longer in school, Hermione was still as determined as ever to get everything perfect, just right, from the potions she worked on at the ministry to the weekly shopping list she and Ginny had hanging on their muggle refrigerator. As Harry continued to wait for Hermione to finish, he watched his friend with a sort of familial pride. Hermione was still the brightest witch he had ever met. Head-strong and determined, she excelled in almost every endeavor she attempted. Despite her fervent determination and exceedingly bright nature, however, Hermione was not without weakness. Many people mistakenly thought that every problem she tackled was turned over easily into a successful venture, but Harry, Ron, and Ginny knew differently. As clever and resourceful as Hermione was, some obstacles she faced, flying and dating, to name a few, were still insurmountable.
Harry frowned at the thought of Hermione being alone for the rest of her life. As he pondered this, the woman in question finally sat back on her heels with a contented sigh, wiping the nervous sweat that had beaded on her brow as an accomplished smile pulled at her lips. She and Harry watched the bubbling potion as it faded from peach to a banana-yellow color. Hermione grinned with pride. It turned out just as she wanted. She looked at Harry, beaming, and he returned the smile.
"Is it safe to breathe yet?" Harry joked as he and Hermione both stood up from the little table. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him in response to his jibe.
"Very funny, Harry. I just wanted to take proper precaution. Besides, we both know that you attract more trouble than necessary."
Harry laughed heartily at that and nodded his head knowingly. "True. True. So I take it that the potion is finally ready to be presented at the demonstra-"
Before he could finish, Hermione let out a loud gasp and whipped her gaze toward the clock. She had a little less than an hour to get ready, allow the potion to cool, and get to the Ministry before the hearing. Being late would be almost as bad as outright failing. "Oh my god! Harry! Could you please watch the potion while I go get ready? The meeting is at three and I'm going to be late if I don't hurry!" Hermione glanced at the simmering potion, and when she was satisfied that it hadn't mysteriously tipped over or disappeared, she turned and bolted down the short hallway leading from the living room to the bedrooms and bathrooms before Harry could even agree.
Harry laughed at her retreating back and shoved his hands in the pockets of the black slacks he wore. He glanced down at the bright yellow potion as it gulped and gurgled in the cauldron. What, exactly, was he supposed to be watching for? He highly doubted that anyone was going to walk in and steal the potion and Harry knew that Ron was safe on a date with Luna, so he couldn't come in and wreak havoc on Hermione's work. As Harry baffled over the thought, he heard Hermione's bedroom door fly open. Harry turned just in time to see her hopping from her room toward the bathroom, one foot bare and the other up as she tried to wrench off her trainer while it was still tied tightly.
"Hermione?"
She snapped her neck toward the sound of his voice, a wild, frantic look in her eyes. "What Harry?"
Harry stepped back, surprised, albeit highly amused. "When is Ginny getting off work? We're supposed to be going out for a late lunch."
"She should be home before I leave. Now, please, Harry, I need to get ready!" She looked at him pleadingly, wobbling slightly, her shoed foot still in hand.
Harry motioned for her to go, laughter lighting up his bright green eyes as he watched her duck into the bathroom, the door slamming shut. Hearing the shower turn on, Harry walked over to a small, scarlet armchair with gold trim and sat down. He ran his hand through his wild, inky-black hair and let himself practically melt into the armchair. He had had a long day at work and relaxing was just what the healer ordered.
For Hermione, on the other hand, relaxation was the furthest thing from her mind and the first thing she needed. She knew that keeping a level head was key, but she couldn't help but imagine every possible problem that could go wrong. Her biggest worry was that the potion wouldn't work, or worse, kill the tester.
Hermione raised her face toward the showerhead and tried to will the water to wash her fears and stress away. It worked, somewhat, and she resumed getting herself cleaned up from an afternoon of potion preparation, including washing her wild locks. After several moments, she jumped out of the shower and wrapped a snow-white towel around her tanned body. She picked up her wand from the stack of clothes that sat on the toilet seat, and pointed it at the steam-fogged mirror, clearing it so she could see her reflection. Then she dried her hair with her wand and performed a spell that Lavender Brown, who had become a magical beautician at a wizard's day spa, had taught her when she had visited a month before with Ginny. The spell calmed her hair somewhat and gave it a shiny, healthy look. Satisfied, Hermione finished getting ready at top speed.
Moments later, she walked out wearing her best business robes over a crisp, white blouse and grey slacks. She slipped on the pair of black heels she had grabbed from her closet. They were new and pinched her toes, but they would serve their purpose. Hermione skittered back into her room and over to the vanity table that had been magically fitted into her cramped room.
As Hermione applied a thin coat of nude gloss, she smiled at herself in the mirror.
"Now. All I have to do is finish waiting for it to turn bright yellow and then I can pour i-" At that moment, Harry quietly plodded into her room.
"Erm, Hermione? So the potion isn't supposed to be turning the color of licorice?"
Hermione dropped the tube of gloss she had been using and slowly turned her head in horror. Grabbing her wand, she jumped up and ran over to the door. Harry was doubled over, laughing at her horrified reaction.
"I'm sorry…Hermione…couldn't help it. Your reaction was priceless."
Mortified, Hermione punched Harry in the arm as hard as she could.
"That is not funny, Harry James Potter!" This amused him even more and his laughter tripled. Hermione glanced at the sterling silver watch she had put on moments before and groaned. "I'm going to be late! This is your fault!" She poked his chest half-heartedly. "I'll deal with you when I get back from this inevitable failure."
Hermione raced down the hall and into the kitchen. She walked over to the cabinet where she kept most of her potion ingredients and flasks and grabbed three fresh bottles. Uncorking them, she walked back to her potion and found, thankfully, that it was indeed still a cheery yellow.
At that moment, Ginny walked in, and Harry, who had returned to the living room, pulled her into his arms for a deep kiss. Hermione, aware of this but pointedly ignoring it, just waved at Ginny and straightened up, her potion bottles, wand, and a small purse in hand.
"Sorry, Gin. I've gotta run. Have fun on your date!" She gave Harry a friendly peck on the cheek and a quick, teasing glare and hugged Ginny before racing out the door, her robes flapping wildly behind her.
Harry chuckled and the front door shut with a snap. Ginny stood on her toes to give him another kiss. "What's so funny?"
"Remember how Ron looked after he made Hermione's potion blow up?" Ginny nodded, grinning at the memory. She had been there when Hermione had started throwing hexes and had been the only reason Ron still had all of his extremities.
"Well, you very nearly had to go out in public with his twin. She didn't find it funny when I tricked her into thinking her potion had turned for the worst." Harry chuckled as Ginny smacked him on the shoulder. Soon after, they left. Elsewhere, Hermione was panicking as she forced her way through the crowded atrium of the Ministry of Magic. She was going to be so late.