"The potion isn't working"

Glancing up from her paperwork, Dr. Luna Lovegood watched as Hermione Granger entered her office. Disappointment filled the blonde haired doctors pale blue eyes at the news as Hermione sat herself in the chair in front of her desk. She had been so certain of that particular combination.

"Any side-effects?" queried Luna as focused all of her attention on the pale brunette in front of her, noting that Hermione had lost weight since their last meeting a fortnight ago.

Releasing a sigh, Hermione began to list off the side-effects Luna's recent experiment with medicinal potions had had on her. For years Hermione had been blighted with frequent, agonizing episodes of excruciating pain. Episodes that Luna had likened to seizures or epileptic fits but at the same time were neither. There was no warning when an episode was about to take place and Luna had only ever seen it happen to Hermione once. And it had truly frightened her.

"It doesn't stop the pain; I think it encourages the episodes…I've had roughly five or six since I started it. I've also had headaches and temporary loss of feeling in my right hand"

Luna nodded as she listened. Her heart bled for Hermione; it seemed that the brunette was destined to find no peace from pain and suffering. But still there was hope.

"I'll get to work on another potion" stated Luna. The brunette merely turned to observe the nice view that Luna's office provided. Neither of them spoke for a good few minutes, only the sound of Luna's quill scratching away at paper as she made notes filled the room.

"Why won't you give up?" whispered Hermione. The sound of writing stopped as Luna looked up from her notes to stare at Hermione. The brunette continued to avoid Luna's eyes by looking out the window but Hermione's facial features remained neutral.

"Because you're my friend Hermione and I want to help you" Her words received no visible reaction from the brunette who remained stoic. Silence once again filled the room as Luna struggled to read the young woman in front of her. Luna was naturally gifted in the art of reading peoples emotions and body language, a gift she had worked on for many years. But the once usually open book that was Hermione Granger had been closed and locked up tight and now…now she gave away nothing.

"I'll go back to taking morphine until you've found something else" stated Hermione as she got up from her seat. The brunette watched with a blank gaze as Luna shot up from her seat with an alarmed look on her face.

"Hermione please don't…take one of our potions for pain relief or sleeping potions, just please don't use that" She was worried and she had a right to be. A few years ago Hermione had overdosed on the drug and had come very close to dying; if it hadn't been for Luna's insistence that she have a door key to Hermione's house the brunette wouldn't be standing in front of her today. But to this day Luna still wasn't certain whether the overdose had been accidental or on purpose and she truly didn't see the point in asking for Hermione would never answer her.

A flicker of guilt flashed across Hermione's face, she had forgotten all about that incident and how much it had frightened Luna. Nodding her head Hermione agreed to take some of Luna's potions instead. She would only resort to the morphine if the pain grew to intolerable amounts but she would suffer the aches just so Luna wouldn't worry about her.

"I need to go…things to do" stated Hermione as she turned and departed from Luna's office, unaware of the concerned blue eyes that followed after her.

Apparating into her room, Hermione placed the small bag of potions onto her nightstand. Releasing a tired sigh she glanced at her alarm clock and noted that the time was 9pm. Closing her eyes she focused on the sound of chatter that emitted from her downstairs living room. Harry and Ginny no doubt.

She was in no mood to entertain guests. She was never in the mood for company but she had to suck it up she supposed. Ignoring the simmering burn of frustration and impatience she departed from her bedroom and silently made her way down the stairs to the living room.

Standing in the doorway she leaned against the door frame and watched the scene before with next to no interest whatsoever. Harry was currently holding Ginny in a tight embrace while whispering sweet nothings into her ear. To anyone else it would've reminded them of a sickening Romantic/Comedy scene; to Hermione it generated not a thread of emotion. Turning so to not disturb them her chance for escape was ruined when Harry noticed her retreating form.

"Hermione" immediately she stilled and turned to look at him in acknowledgment.

"Sorry I was just leaving, something's come up at work" he stated with a thoughtful frown as Hermione walked into the room with a blank look on her face. Ginny's face lit up at the sight of the intelligent brunette, without any warning she wrapped her arms around Hermione's slender neck. Harry noticed the widening of Hermione's eyes at the sudden physical contact and watched her whole body tense up in Ginny's embrace.

Ginny felt every muscle in her friends body tighten beneath her touch and she slowly pulled away with a concerned/confused expression. The brunette's body slowly relaxed once Ginny released her, clearing her throat she turned her attention to Harry as he spoke.

"Thanks again Hermione for letting Ginny stay here…it shouldn't be too long before we've found the person responsible"

"She's welcome here for as long as it takes" stated Hermione. Harry smiled appreciatively.

"Only if it's not too much trouble for you 'Mione" turning her attention to the youngest Weasley Hermione observed the red head. She had changed since she had last seen her, her hair was shorter, cut to just below her shoulders, her face thinner though not in an unhealthy way and the years of being a Quidditch star had certainly aided her to maintain an athletic build.

"It's no trouble at all"

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