I don't own it...you can look at my pitiful bank account...

Chapter 21

Girl Talk

Hermione sat on the sofa, glancing at the phone every couple of hours. It had been two days since she and Severus had told Jessica about magic. Although she seemed angry at first, she calmed down when Severus explained why they couldn't tell her about it when they first met. Jessica had asked lots of questions, and Hermione and Severus took turns answering all her questions. Even though it had gone really well, Jessica was overwhelmed and had asked them to give her a couple of days to think about everything and try to process it all. She thought that she would have heard from Jessica by now, though.

Hermione had wanted to give her plenty of time to get used to all the information before they told her the most important part...they were going to try to make a potion to cure her.

The phone rang suddenly, startling Hermione out of her thoughts of the previous couple of days. Please, please...let it be Jessica.

"Hello?"she answered quietly.

"Hermione, it's Jessica. Can you come over? I think I am ready to talk about everything now."

-ooOOoo-

Jessica was looking out the window when Hermione came in her room. It was obvious that she wasn't having a good day. Hermione noticed that she had a handkerchief tied around her head to hide the hair loss, and she was very pale. It was obvious that she had lost more of her hair, and there was very little left.

"I...I can come back tomorrow if you don't feel well today."

"I don't feel well, but I don't have many days where I feel really good anymore. But I wanted to talk to you today."

"Okay. I'm so sorry we didn't tell you before, Jessica. I've wanted to tell you since I met you, and I wasn't allowed. At the time I met you, I really wanted to leave the magical world behind, and I wasn't missing it. Not until I got in touch with Severus again."

Jessica looked at the book on the table...the book that Hermione and Severus had moved using magic. She seemed deep in thought for a moment before talking again.

"Why did you wait until now to tell me? That is the only thing that really hasn't made sense to me. You could have kept me in the dark about your magic, but you decided to tell me now. Why?"

"I really shouldn't tell you without Severus being here, Jessica. He-"

"Please tell me. I'm sure he'd understand."

"Severus is one of the best potions masters in all of wizarding Europe. He hopes to be able to make a potion to try to heal you, since none of the muggle...er...non-magical methods seem to be working very well. That is, if it is okay with you. You have to consent before he can give you any potions."

"Why would a potion work when everything that has been done so far hasn't? It isn't that I wouldn't want him to try, but I am not very optimistic right now. It would be awful for him to make me a potion...then I might still-"

"Jessica, don't go there. We aren't out of options yet. But magic can heal so much better than muggle medicine sometimes. Maybe he could make a potion that would work better than the radiation or a transplant. Wouldn't it be nice to be better, without the awful side effects? Will you let us try?"

"Us? You would be helping Severus?"

"Yes. I've already agreed. Potions was one of my best subjects at school, Jessica," Hermione said with a smile.

"You still aren't being honest with me, Hermione. I thought you were going to tell me the whole truth now."

"Of course I have! I've told you everything...I'm not keeping any secrets from you anymore." Hermione was baffled. She had told Jessica everything, but Jessica still thought she was being dishonest. Maybe she isn't as okay with everything as she is letting on, she thought.

"Yes, yes you are. What is going on with you and Severus? I've seen the way you both look at each other. Your eyes sparkle and come to life."

"What?"

-ooOOoo-

Try as she might, Hermione couldn't sleep that night. Her conversation with Jessica kept replaying in her head.

"...What is going on with you and Severus? I've seen the way you both look at each other..."

She wasn't aware that anything was going on with Severus. Sure, they had become closer the past couple of months. They both had something in common...Jessica. Hermione now started to consider Severus a friend as well.

But maybe he could be more than a friend to me, she thought. Where the hell did that thought come from?

A/N...Short chapter, but it is more of a transition chapter. I do believe Hermione is still in denial...