I don't own Harry Potter... If i did, like many of us, I'd rewrite the ending with HHR.
Thank you all for R&R and Fav&Foll. I'm almost done with the story so I'm sure if I should update two chapters per day or just one. Please let me know. Also note that in say, two chapters from now, the rating will be changed to M.
The weeks leading to Harry's return to the Manor were frantic. James made the arrangements with St Mungo's. He also had to find time to replace Hermione but she suggested that Luna be offered the job since she was the one that knew all of her systems and helped with the research.
James agreed and promoted Luna to Head of DMC. He had to do interviews with the media and introduce her at Wizengamot. He was pretty much busy the entire week.
Hermione was with Harry every day, she re-acquainted herself with the procedures and process. She watched as the Healers worked on his burns and limbs.
They had informed her that she would have to help him with physiotherapy to help his muscles strengthen itself. When the Healers had removed his head bandages, she was relieved that this face was normal apart from the fact that he looked like a tomato. She smirked releasing she had spent way too much time with the Marauders.
After that the Healer cast a spell and his hair was grown to its normal unruly mop of black which she secretly fancied. Then it came time to remove the strap from his eyes but they needed him to be awake.
She stood closely holding his hand as the Healer cast the counter charm. They waited for a few minutes and he began to stir.
"Mr Potter can you hear me?" Harry tried to speak but couldn't. He's mouth was dry and his voice was barely audible.
"Don't speak Mr Potter, simply nod your head" the Healer said and Harry nodded.
"Would you like some water?" he asked and Harry nodded. Hermione quickly grabbed a glass and straw and placed it in his mouth to sip. He took a slip and pushed it away and Hermione smiled.
"Mr Potter, do you remember what happened to you?" he asked again and Hermione watched Harry hesitate and then nodded.
"Good, you were brought here in very bad shape, but you'll back to normal in a few months. Now your eyes were hurt so we had to treat them, which why can't see and in a moment I will remove these straps and have a look see ok?" the Healer said and Harry nodded.
Hermione anxiously bit her lower lip as the Healer gently removed the strap. The area around Harry's eyes was redder than his face which looked promising.
"Ok Mr Potter, now I'm going to lower the lights in this room and then I'm going to need you to open your eyes slowly" he said and Harry nodded.
He was about to open them when he felt someone holding his hand, he knew that touch, it was her. She was here with him, he smiled inwardly, she cared he thought.
His eyes fluttered a bit the he slowly opened them. He took a few moments to focus and he found her. She gave him a teary eyed smile as she looked into those emerald orbs that she loved.
"Mr Potter let me have a look, then you can stare at your lovely wife as much as you want" the Healer teased and Hermione laughed and Harry smiled.
After a quick examination he gave Harry the good news and exited the room to prepare his transfer.
"Hey" Hermione said gently rubbing her thumb over his hand her hand gently through his hair.
"You gave us quiet a scare" she said softly and he gulped audibly.
"I heard what you did Harry. That's very admirable of you. But please don't scare us like that again" she begged. He looked at her and nodded. She smiled and kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes relishing the feel of her lips on his skin.
"Good" she whispered and looked at him again. "You're coming home today, where you're going to recuperate. It's not going to be easy Harry but I'll be there with you every step of the way" she said adamantly looking him in the eyes. Harry looked into her eyes searching for any hint that she was lying but he couldn't so he just nodded.
The next day Hermione was preparing Harry for his bandage change. "Okay Mr Potter, since I'm your designated Healer, I'll need your full co-operation. Any funny business and you won't have any pain reliving potion" she smirked.
He cocked an eyebrow, "I can't help it if you're too gentle. I like it rough" he said trying to sound husky but his voice was raspy and strained and Hermione winced laughed at his attempt to sound sexy.
"Give it up Harry, you're in no condition to seduce anyone" she said still laughing and he rolled his eyes playfully. She flicked her wand and the bandages began to unwrap. He winced from the sting and Hermione held his hand, trying to sooth his pain.
"Let's see shall we" she said and looked at his burns on his back. She winced as she saw the burns, the 3rd degree burns where on his back and 2nd degree on his chest and the superficial burns on his thighs which the Healers had taken care of at St Mungo's. Thankfully, or else it would have been super awkward.
She waved her wand in complex patterns as the wounds began to get dressed. She carefully laid him on his back and examined his chest. She examined his burns and noticed they were healing quite well.
Harry took the opportunity to admire her from this position; he could count the freckles on her nose, which he found cute. Her scent, parchment and he couldn't quiet place… Jasmine he thought and inhaled deeply.
He continued to watch her as she worked; he smiled when she bit her lower lip. It looked …sexy he thought. She was concentrating deeply and waved her hand again and his chest was been dressed again. He looked at her neck which he attempted to ravish the morning he left, he wanted to touch her so badly. His eyes dropped a little lower and noticed her low cut shirt. The button had come undone revealing her cleavage he had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her.
He struggled to swallow the lump in his throat; he's never had this problem before. Controlling his urges, he reminded himself that needed to since she said she didn't want to cross that line with him. He cleared his throat, "Er Mione" he called.
"Hmmm" she hummed not looking at him.
"Are you trying to seduce me? Because the last time I checked it was illegal for a Healer to seduce their patients" he said cockily.
"What?" she asked clearly confused. He smirked and looked at her chest. She followed his eyes and found her button undone and her eyes almost popped out of its sockets.
"I'm sor.. sorry" she stammered turning beet red getting up.
"Hey I'm only messing with you, we're friends right?" he asked her trying to diffuse the tension.
"Of.. Of course we are" she stammered trying to button her shirt.
"Good, then you've got nothing to be sorry for. Besides, I'm the second generation Marauder. Can you expect any less?" he asked smiling.
"I guess not. Well with role models like Prongs, Padfoot and Moony, I shouldn't expect anything less" she laughed.
"When can I expect to walk?" he asked looking down at his legs.
"Let's give it a few more days for your chest burns to heal and we'll get you started on your physio" she said in her no-nonsense voice and he just nodded.
"You're healing pretty fast Harry. So you should be ready to fly in no time" she said giving him his dosage of pain relieving potion.
"Are you going to fly with me?" he asked cheekily and she looked scandalised, "I love my feet to be firmly on solid ground thank you very much" she said and he looked suspiciously at her, "What?" she asked.
"Are you afraid of heights?" he asked amusedly.
"So, what if I am?" she asked in a huff and Harry laughed.
"You have to let me take on a ride on my broom sometime" he said and she cocked her eyebrow.
"What, oh come on, I didn't mean it like that" he said.
"Sure you didn't" she said rolling her eyes. "All I'm saying is that you'll love loving flying with me. My Firebolt is amazing" he said looking at her. She nodded negatively," not in this life Harry" she said.
"Well if not flying, how about dinner then, just you and me?" he asked trying to sound causal but failing miserably.
"Now who's trying to seduce whom?" she asked cockily.
"A thank you dinner, for being my friend and taking care of me" he said. "Sounds fun" she replied and he smiled.
"Good, now do your magic and make me well again" he said trying to sound demanding and she laughed. "Patience is a virtue Mr Potter" she said fluffing his pillows.
"Well Healer Granger-Potter, I have a date prepare for" he said and she smiled.
The weeks past and Harry was rapidly improving and even managed to walk on his own.
"Come on Mr Potter; take it easy, you don't want to over-exert yourself to much" Hermione said watching Harry run on the treadmill.
"This machine is amazing, Mione. Muggles have the best contraptions ever" he said excitedly.
"Yeah well glad you think so" she said going back to her book.
"So about that date" he said continuing he's run.
"Hmmm, what about it?" she asked not looking up from her book.
"I was thinking that we could go out tonight" he said looking at her. "Are you sure you're up for it?" she asked glancing at him over her book.
"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't sure" he said.
"Fine. What do I wear?" she asked going back to her book.
"My, my, aren't you excited?" he mocked. "Yeah, I'm not too keen on socializing" she said.
"Seriously?" he asked switching off the treadmill and making his way over to her where she shrugged and nodded.
"So what would your idea of an ideal date be?" he asked curiously.
She smiled and set her book and watched him sit next to her, "well a candle lit dinner, after a stroll, somewhere secluded yet beautiful. Or just a dinner in front of the fireplace, or being wrapped in each others arms just sitting in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine listening to the crackling of the fire.
To me, it's not about fancy restaurants or huge public gestures, I just appreciate the simpler things in life." she said looking out through the window as Harry looked at her.
I'm falling in love with my wife; he thought and quickly squashed the idea. She was right too complicated.
"Well it seems we're staying in tonight, meet me on the roof tonight at 8" he said getting up to leave.
"What should I wear?" she asked and he turned around "Mione, you could wear a bathrobe and you'd look amazing" he said and walked away. She blushed at the compliment and looked at her watch 17:50, "two hours, great" she mumbled and walked to the bedroom.
At 19:55 she made her way to the rooftop and she opened the door. She was speechless; there were candles, roses and lilies everywhere.
In the centre of the roof was a table set for two and Harry was there wearing a deep blue shirt and black slacks looking ggorgeous
She decided to wear a blue alter neck dress that came mid-thigh and black pumps. Her hair was set in soft ringlets.
Harry was opening a bottle of champagne when he saw her. He was surprised to see her dressed like that. He hadn't seen her wear anything remotely sexy until now. She was simply dressed yet she looked beautiful.
"Hi" he said.
"Hey" she said shyly.
"So what do you think?" he asked curiously.
"It's beautiful Harry. I love it" she said genuinely.
"Great, I'm glad you do. I didn't know what flowers you liked so I picked moms favourite and roses, well roses are roses. They don't need an introduction" he said shyly.
"Actually Harry, these are actually my favourite flowers" she smiled and watched as he pulled one of each and gave it to her.
"Thank you" she said accepting the flowers. He offered her his arm and she shyly took it and he led her to the table, he held out the chair for her and she sat down.
"You're truly a gentleman Harry" she said sincerely.
"Thank you" he said.
"You'll be pleased to know that I've prepared tonight's meal" he said proudly.
"Hmmm, well this is definitely a treat" she smiled. Harry wasted no time, with a flick of his wand the food appeared. And they eat and had a decent conversation.
When they were done, Harry flicked his wand and everything disappeared and they made their way back to the bedroom.
Harry bent down to untie his lace and gasped loudly when he felt a sharp pain on his side.
Hermione came in from the bathroom and saw Harry in pain and was at his side in an instant.
She pulled open his shirt and pushed him down gently onto the bed. She flicked her wand and the bandages unwrapped revealing a freshly open wound on the burn.
She cast a healing charm and the wound closed up immediately. She flicked her wand again and the burns were dressed again. She looked up at Harry who was trying not to show the pain he was feeling.
She summoned a goblet and vile of pain relieving potion, "here, drink this" she said handing him the goblet which he downed.
She turned to leave when he caught her hand, this isn't your fault Mione" he said and she looked at him teary eyed.
" I pushed myself and brought this on" he said pulling her down onto the bed.
"Please stay with me Mione" he pleaded she nodded and laid down next to him and looked up at the ceiling. Harry turned to look at her and pulled her too him. She hesitantly settled her head on his shoulder trying not to hurt him. He wrapped his arms around her and they both fell asleep in each other's arms.
