This is the first of two chapters I will be posting today. I couldn't break it up and I also couldn't post it all as one, so you, my lovely readers get two chapters.

oOoOo

For the first time in a long time, Hermione got up with her first alarm. It may have been that she slept really well, but deep in her heart, she knew that it was because of the wizard sleeping in her living room.

Making quick work of getting ready, she was ultimately pulled from her room by the tantalizing aroma of eggs and coffee. Thinking it was Harry, she halted her trek to the living room when she saw Tansy, dressed in an emerald green tea cloth, moving around her kitchen.

"Good Morning Miss Mia. Eggs, toast, and coffee for you, Miss." Tansy said, pointing to her island, where a fully stuffed plate sat, steaming.

"Thanks Tansy, but I want to check on Malfoy first and then I will eat." She responded, not sure how to handle the elf's behavior.

The elf only pointed, again to the food. "I already did Miss."

"Ok, thank you, Tansy." Sitting down at the breakfast prepared for her, she turned back to the elf. "How is he this morning?"

"His magic is growing, Miss." The elf replied as she watch Hermione dig into the food. Though she stopped when she processed Tansy's answer.

"It is? That is good." She took a moment to think about Tansy and their first interaction. "Tansy, you know how you said you couldn't feel him completely? Back when you came to me. Is that still the case, or can you feel him now?

"I can feel him, Miss Mia. I can go to him. Before, I could feel him only a little, but couldn't go to him at all." The elf was getting teary eyed.

"Wards." She said to herself, thinking that she needed to talk to Harry about that. Then realizing that she had upset the kind elf, she hastily added. "Please don't get upset, Tansy. I didn't intend for you to get upset."

"No, Miss. I know Miss. Tansy was thinking that she wished she could have found him and saved him. He is the best master." Tansy sniffled, wiping her eyes with her boney hands.

"Tansy, I can promise you right now, that I will do everything in my power to help him." Hermione told Tansy earnestly, turning back to her breakfast when the elf spoke.

"Thank you, Miss. You and Miss Ginny have helped him. His magic is stronger."

"Which reminds me, the nutrient potion. Where you able to start the base? I can get some at work today to hold us over..." She asked, her train of thought already running away with lists of things to accomplish.

"Tansy finished a small batch of nutrient potion. Only enough for today. Elf potions aren't as strong, Miss."

"Interesting. Not an issue. I will brew some this evening. As for this morning, I will give it to him when I check on him. Are you ok to stay with him this morning? I have to go in for at least half the day, but I can finish up at home this afternoon."

"Yes, Miss. Tansy is staying with Master Draco." Tansy informed her like her question was ludicrous.

"No offense intended, Tansy. I merely didn't want to assume." Hermione tried clearing the air.

"I understand, Miss. Miss, I is not leaving till Master Draco leaves. Tansy had moved into the linen closet, Miss Mia." She stated with absolute certainty.

"Alright." The word was drawn out at the elf taking liberties to move in. She shouldn't be surprised, she was talking about the elf that had followed her without informing her. Choosing to let the issue drop, she continued, "Thank you again Tansy, your cooking is wonderful." Hermione grabbed her half full coffee cup and walked to the living room. Walking back over to the coffee table she sat down on last night, she placed her cup down. Hermione chose to sit next to the wizard who had more color this morning, even in low light, than he did before she had gone to bed.

She turned down the blankets and comforter, she cast a warming charm to keep him comfortable. Muttering the x-ray spell, she checked each break and fracture for proper healing. When she was satisfied that another round of Skele-gro wouldn't be required, she continued her assessment of the rest of the injuries that were addressed yesterday. Seeing that the cuts and burns were in stages of healing and no longer fresh, she conjured a bucket of warm water and a wash cloth.

In fear of jarring his healing bones or irritating the open wounds, she knew it was better to clean his skin when there was less chance of causing further injury. Starting at his face, she gently wiped the dried blood and grime from his skin. Without the filter of filth, she was able to see more closely how much his captivity affected him, as well as a slew of other nicks and scars on his skin.

Moving further down to his torso, she paused when she came to his Sectumsempra scars. She instantly thought back to the day she found out what Harry had done.

"I was so angry at him. So bloody angry. He kept saying you were a Death Eater. And did you know I kept defending you, saying you wouldn't do that? You ended up being one, of course, but you never deserved him doing that to you. Never." She let out a sardonic laugh. "I went hoarse that day, yelling at him. We didn't speak for about a week." She told the unconscious man.

But this scar reminded her of the other one. The one that was a visual representation of their separation through their schooling and the war. The Dark Mark. Gently pulling over his left arm so she could see the inside, she could make out the faint scarring along the outline. It was now marked with several round burns. She knew that she was completely wrapped up in stabilizing him yesterday, but now looking at it, where the outline of that horrid tattoo was, it carried the most burn marks of his lower arm.

"I cannot even imagine what you went through." She spoke to the silent room again. Whether she was talking about his time in captivity or his time as a Death Eater, even she didn't fully know.

Continuing down his skeletal frame, she removed what she could without getting him into the bath. He certainly looked cleaner. Feeling better about leaving him, even if it was for work, she eased his jaw open enough to give him his morning nutrient potion.

She lingered only a few moments longer before straightening her robes. "I need to go to work Malfoy, but Tansy will be here. She will get me if you need me. I should be back after lunch… and I'm talking to someone who might not even hear me. Ok Malfoy, I have to go, but I'll be back."

Turning away from him, she informed Tansy she was leaving and flooed to the Department for Experimental Medicine.

First thing she did when she arrived at her office was grab a piece of parchment and quill to pen a letter to Theo.

Theo,

If you are able, I would like to cash in on our lunch. Are you free today? I have some things I would like to discuss with you.

I will be working from home this afternoon, so I am flexible about the time.

Hermione

Calling one of the St Mungo's owls to her window, she tied her missive to its leg before instructing the Great Horned to take it to Theo Nott.

Glad to have written the note to Theo. She could only hope that he understood what she was trying to tell him.

Preparing to see her patients, especially Melody, she picked up her case files and left her office. Desperately optimistic about having a response when she returned.

A couple of hours later, she returned, disappointed that she did not see Melisandre in her office, or any owl for that matter. Sitting down, she prepared to expand upon her notes, in the files, when a hoot made her jump. Doing a quick search of her office, she didn't see an owl. It wasn't until another hoot drew her attention to one of her bookshelves in the corner behind her desk. There, on the top shelf, in a rare gap created by a hefty, even by her standards, tome that she pulled for research, was her favorite black bird.

Snorting, she rose from her chair and went to Melisandre. She was successfully wedged in the gap.

"Are you comfortable? Or just stuck?" She asked humorously. A single hoot was her response. Taking that to mean her first answer, she addressed the owl again.

"Ok, well why don't I take this and you can stay there a little longer." Another hoot.

Returning to her chair, she closed and cleared the open files. Unrolling the missive, she read what Theo had written.

Hermione,

I am available for lunch this afternoon, and would be more than happy to collect you from your office, if you are willing. My afternoon is relatively free as well. Shall I arrive at 1, for a late lunch?

Theo

She checked her office clock for the time, calculating that she had about 2 hours until he got there. Quickly penning her acceptance of the time, she rolled it up as she walked to Melisandre.

"Ok, you quirky owl, it is time to return to Theo." Sliding her fingers gently between the bird and her medical books, she removed Melisandre from her self-created prison, just enough to have access to attach the missive to her ties. Stepping back, she let Melisandre take off out the open window.

Returning to her desk, she sat and got another parchment out, starting a list of things she would need to take home. Making sure to keep it nearby, she once again, opened her files to update her notes.

Finishing her notes, list, and another round to inform her patients she would be still available, just working from home, she returned to her office shortly before Theo was supposed to arrive.

Having already collected all of the tomes and files she was going to need, she started placing the items into her new, much more stylish, bag, that replaced the one she and the boys used on the run.

"There is no way that book should have fit in that bag." The voice made her jump. Partially because she was caught up in her own thoughts, partially because the man was right.

"Theo! How are you?" She spun towards the man, a smile on her face. "And it is only illegal if someone would find out. You wouldn't do that, Theo, would you?" She asked with humor on her face.

"I am well, and no, I would not. Not when I have a feeling we are going somewhere important." Her face lost the humor it had held. "Am I correct?"

"You are indeed correct. Please come in, there is a privacy charm on the door that I can activate." She said to him.

After Theo had cleared the door, she raised her wand, jabbing at the door like she was pressing a button and said, "sparguntur per conloquia." Satisfied that it took, she turned to the man in her office.

"Someone dropped Malfoy off at my place last night." Theo started at this. "But I am warning you now, it isn't pretty but he is stable. Ginny and I worked on him for several hours last night. But I can explain more when we get there."

Throughout her monologue, his face fell with each piece of information. Not sure what to say or think, he only replied with, "Ok. I am ready."

"Ok," She took a deep breath, shoving the last book in her bag, she swung the messenger bag across her chest and dropped the charm. Waiting for him to join her at the door, she lead Theo to the floo room.

Turning back to him, "My address is 86 York Street, Securitas. I will go first but the pass code will let you through." she informed him.

Taking the powder and throwing it down, she pronounced her address clearly, just as she had told Theo, before disappearing.

oOoOo

But we are not done, continue to Chapter 14 for the rest of Theo's visit. Let me know what you think of this one!