Disclaimer: I own nothing but what is mine. Rest is the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling.


Chapter Eleven

Life at Grimmauld Place without Hermione

Everyone stood staring after Hermione. Then Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat.

"Who's up for some tea?" She asked her voice hoarse from her tears. Everyone was instantly murmuring their agreement. They all went into the kitchen, except for Severus who stood, leaning on the second floor railing. He stood up, and turned. He stared at the wall. He sighed and walked into Hermione's room. He sat on the bed, and ran his hand over the covers. He sighed again, and looked around the room. Suddenly his eyes fell on a stuffed animal sitting in the window. He stood up and walked over to it. He picked it up. It was a blue bear. He closed his eyes and brought it to his nose. Her scent still lingered on it. He smiled as he exhaled. He then held it to his chest as he looked out the dark window into the night.

Good luck, Hermione. Wherever you are. I wish you well, and for you to come back soon. I'll think of you always. He thought. He then sat on the bed, and leaned his back against the pillows. He laid his head against the headboard, the bear lying on his chest, and closed his eyes, drifting into a calm, happy sleep, dreaming of his young love.

***

Harry smiled smelling the sweet smell of chamomile tea. He took a sip of the hot, sweet liquid and sighed inwardly.

"Well." Tonks said. She had gotten back a few minutes ago. "I suppose we'll continue with your lessons tomorrow since you've had today off." Ron groaned, Ginny kept silent, sipping her tea, and Harry smiled.

"Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked. He looked at her. "Are you alright? You seem. . . thoughtful." She said. He smiled at her.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley." He said. She smiled.

"Well. . .that's. . .good, dear." She said. Harry, knowing tears were coming again, stood up, and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed into his shoulder. He just stood there, comforting her as she cried. Fred walked past.

"You'd think she'd lost a child." He muttered. She heard him.

"FRED WEASLEY!" She cried, and made to hit his shoulder. He ducked it and smiled.

"You know it's true! As Harry said, it was only a 'see you later'! She'll be back!" He said, and ducked another swing. He laughed.

***

The next morning found Severus holed up in the potion lab that Hermione had set up. He smiled as he looked around at the neat shelves of ingredients. He was shocked when he saw ingredients that were very rare. They were all labeled, and set in neat rows, organized in alphabetical order. Everything was neat and clean. Hermione kept her lab just as, if not cleaner than he kept his own. He set up a cauldron and stared a fire under it. He then walked around the lab, getting ingredients to a potion. Not a potion known to the world, but a new one. A brand new creation he was going to make - for Hermione. He started his potion, pouring several ingredients into the cauldron.

***

"Severus. There you are. Have you been in the lab all day?" Remus asked as Severus walked into the kitchen.

"Yes." He said, going to the spice cabinet. He looked around it, moving spices around, looking for one in particular.

"What are you looking for, Severus?" Mrs. Weasley asked him.

"Chamomile extract." He said. She smiled.

"If you want tea, dear, I can make you some." She said.

"It's not for tea, Molly. I need it for a potion I'm brewing." He said. She looked at him, staring at him, scrutinizing him.

"I keep it in that drawer." She said, pointing to a drawer under the counter blew the cabinet he was looking him He closed the cabinet and pulled open the drawer. He pulled out a jar, and smiled.

"Thank you, Molly." He said and left the kitchen.

"Did he just smile?" Molly asked Remus. He was as bewildered as she was.

"And thanked you." He said. "What ever happened during that month and week between him and Hermione must've been good." Remus said. Molly nodded at him, and then stared bewildered at the door after Severus. She shook her head and got back to making dinner.

***

Severus sighed, staring at the bottle in front of him. He had finished his project, but he doubted it could work for what it was meant to do.

It's more of a perfume than a potion. Severus, you fool. You should've known better than to add that chamomile. He scolded himself. And you added too much essence of Rose petal. He sighed. Well, at least she'll have another scent to try. . .as if anything's wrong with her scent in the first place. . . He smelled the bear he carried with him now. He would shrink it and put it in his pocket when he was around others, and he'd sit and hold it while he was alone, thinking of the gorgeous young girl his heart yearned to see again.