CHAPTER 2: MEET THE PATIENT
8:00 AM. CONDOMINIUM LIVING ROOM
"Harry, I told you, not working at St. Mungo's doesn't mean I quit being a Healer," Hermione explained for the third time to Harry who was at the other end of the phone line.
"Then where are you going?" Harry whined.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you, I don't know. Somewhere in London, I don't know...just in where the patient lives," she said.
"But what if it's a horrible place and they hurt you and make you their slave or something and then lock you in the dungeons or Avada Kedavra'd you or-"
"Harry, quit jabbering. I can take care of myself, thank you," Hermione said.
"But Hermione!" Harry wailed.
"No need to be so overprotective, mister," Hermione said, just as she heard a loud "pop".
"Aaaahhhh!!!" she screamed as she saw the face of a blonde haired guy in robes of deep blue.
"Hey Hermione! What happened? Is-everything alright? Do you want me come there?" Harry asked worriedly.
"No need to...I'm fine. I'll just call you later, ok? Bye," Hermione told him and before he could object, clicked off the phone.
"I'm awfully sorry, miss...?" the intruder said. He had white blonde hair and cool gray eyes that strongly reminded Hermione of someone and his midnight blue robes were made of the finest silk.
"Granger, Hermione Granger," Hermione supplied as she held out her hand to him.
The guy took it. "And I'm Orion. Are you ok, miss?" he said.
Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I was just surprised. I believe you're the patient's cousin?" she said.
Orion nodded. "That's right. You don't mind if we go there via Portkey, right?" he said, looking at Hermione.
"Oh, not at all," Hermione replied.
"Ok," Orion said. He pulled out a small leather bound book from his pocket together with his wand. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Hermione said as she held tight to her three Luis Vuitton suitcases.
Orion activated the Portkey, and he and Hermione touched the book and felt the familiar tugging at their navels.
After a few moments, Hermione, who had her eyes squeezed shut, opened it and was greeted by the grandeur of her soon-to-be house. It was so huge and splendid, with lots of expensive stuff lying around.
"So, what do you think?" Orion asked her.
"Wow," Hermione gushed as her eyes traveled to the large painting of a very well known artist. "Do you live here?" she asked.
"Most of the time, but I do have my own mansion at Switzerland," Orion replied. He clapped his hands and a rather small, ragged house elf came running down the hallway.
"What does sir want from Edby?" the elf asked.
"Please take Ms. Granger's things to her prepared room. You know where it is?" Orion said.
The elf nodded his head vigorously, its big long ears flapping, and disappeared from the room.
"Would you like to join me in the living room for some hot tea?" Orion asked Hermione.
"Ok, sure," Hermione replied enthusiastically, eager to see the rest of the house. She followed Orion and soon, her jaw already dropped on the floor when she saw the living room.
"Please have a seat," Orion told her. After a few minutes, another house elf served their teas with additional cakes.
"I hope you're comfortable here. Feel free to tell me if you have any problems," Orion said.
Hermione just nodded her head. "So...about this sick guy..." she said. She lifted her cup and sipped her tea.
"He's still sleeping now. So probably tomorrow, you'll meet him," Orion told her, smiling that mysterious smile.
"I can hardly wait," Hermione said. Oh, she has no idea...
9:21 AM. 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY.
"Ugh."
"I'm sorry I had to wake you up so early, Hermione, but..." Orion apologized.
"No, I'm the one who should say sorry. I mean, I can be very grumpy during early morning..." Hermione told him.
"Don't worry, I understand," Orion said.
"At least I'm going to see my patient now at last," Hermione said brightly as Orion steered her towards the right corridor.
Orion smiled at her. "Anxious?"
"Yeah. I think he's kinda mysterious. You know, the way he didn't show up at breakfast this morning. You said he always keeps to his room?" Hermione said while keeping up with Orion's steps.
"That's my cousin," Orion said. He looked at Hermione. "He doesn't exactly make a good first impression, you know, so don't be surprised if he acts a little, weird. But at, er, times, he's really nice. I trust you can handle him."
"I do hope so," Hermione said, "But, what do you mean he doesn't make a good first impression?"
Orion glanced uncomfortably at his left. "Well...nurses usually last under his service for, uh, hours, or if lucky, a day," he said.
Hermione's eyes widened. "That long?" she said in disbelief. No wonder no one has been able to cure him, she thought bitterly.
"Yeah. Oh, look, we're here," Orion said as they stopped at a huge glass door labeled "MASTER'S BEDROOM".
"Don't be nervous. He won't bite-hopefully," Orion told her as he saw Hermione tense beside him.
"Sorry, I can't help it," Hermione said, her voice a little squeaky.
Orion gave her one encouraging look before turning the shiny door handle to reveal the most elegant place in the whole manor.
"I've been waiting for you to come here since yesterday, Or."
Hermione spun around and her mouth formed a big O.
"Hey, is that the way to greet your favorite cousin?" Orion said jokingly.
"You're my only cousin."
"Yeah, well. Anyway, I've found a new nurse for you," Orion said and looked at Hermione, expecting her to introduce herself.
"Oh my god, this is not happening," Hermione whispered.
Orion blinked. "You ok?" he whispered.
"NO! Because my patient is Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed. Yes, it was Draco Malfoy standing before them, paler than ever yet so cute and charming. His hair was not slicked back like usual and his eyes were still ice grey. But there was something different about him, maybe it was the fact that he looked so fragile.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "You know me?" he said.
Hermione felt like hyperventilating. Of course she knew who he is! She had seen that face years ago, the same sneering, smirking face of a blonde who used to get her, Harry and Ron into trouble.
"Of course I do, Malfoy! In case you're wondering, it's me, Mudblood Granger!" Hermione exclaimed, glaring at him.
You could easily the shocked look on Draco's face. "YOU?!" he spat out in disgust.
"Yes, me!" Hermione said. She groaned. "Great. Now I have to take care of a ferret for weeks. The worst few weeks of my life!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms on her chest.
"I don't need a nurse, and certainly not you, of all people!" Draco said.
"Oh, you need me, alright?!" Hermione said angrily.
"Oh, no I don't! You're going to have to leave!"
"As much as I like that thought, I can't! I won't get to be Top Healer!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I don't care if you get promoted or not. I don't want you!" Draco wailed, acting precisely like a five year old.
Orion watched in amusement as the two continued bickering. He had never seen his cousin this mad before. Maybe it is a bad thing-or maybe not.
"Will you two just stop it?" he said.
"Shut up!" both hollered at him.
"Oops..." Orion muttered.
"Or, she's going to poison me once you leave me in her care! Or worse, sell me to Potter and his minions to torture! I'm going to die!" Draco said overdramatically.
"Oh, right," Hermione said sarcastically.
"See? See? Or, she's gonna kill me!" Draco said.
But Orion knew better than to be deceived by his cousin's act. "No, Draco. I have had enough with all this nurse crap. You can't just fire people at the mere sight of them. You give Hermione a chance," he told him.
"But-"
"I mean it, Draco. She stays," Orion said firmly, looking at Draco squarely in the eye and Draco knew he had no escape.
"Oh, how I hate you!!!" Draco yelled. "OUT!!!"
Hermione glared at him before stomping out of his room with Orion trailing behind her.
4:18 PM. GUEST ROOM. COUCH.
Hermione stared at the window outside her room, trying hard to process what the house elves and other servants of the manor told her about their "Master".
According to them, Malfoy wakes up at 8:30 am and sleeps at 11:00 pm. His whereabouts is only at his room, no where else. He always faints, vomits, has severe chest pains and high fevers, among many others. Hmm...Malfoy sure is hard to handle. I wonder what Harry and Ron say if I tell them...IF I tell them...But what about Malfoy? Hmm...Maybe a little arranging would do...
A/N: So what do you think of this chappie? Oh, this means thinking OR words supposed to be in italic. Gets? Ok! Reviews pls!!!!
8:00 AM. CONDOMINIUM LIVING ROOM
"Harry, I told you, not working at St. Mungo's doesn't mean I quit being a Healer," Hermione explained for the third time to Harry who was at the other end of the phone line.
"Then where are you going?" Harry whined.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you, I don't know. Somewhere in London, I don't know...just in where the patient lives," she said.
"But what if it's a horrible place and they hurt you and make you their slave or something and then lock you in the dungeons or Avada Kedavra'd you or-"
"Harry, quit jabbering. I can take care of myself, thank you," Hermione said.
"But Hermione!" Harry wailed.
"No need to be so overprotective, mister," Hermione said, just as she heard a loud "pop".
"Aaaahhhh!!!" she screamed as she saw the face of a blonde haired guy in robes of deep blue.
"Hey Hermione! What happened? Is-everything alright? Do you want me come there?" Harry asked worriedly.
"No need to...I'm fine. I'll just call you later, ok? Bye," Hermione told him and before he could object, clicked off the phone.
"I'm awfully sorry, miss...?" the intruder said. He had white blonde hair and cool gray eyes that strongly reminded Hermione of someone and his midnight blue robes were made of the finest silk.
"Granger, Hermione Granger," Hermione supplied as she held out her hand to him.
The guy took it. "And I'm Orion. Are you ok, miss?" he said.
Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I was just surprised. I believe you're the patient's cousin?" she said.
Orion nodded. "That's right. You don't mind if we go there via Portkey, right?" he said, looking at Hermione.
"Oh, not at all," Hermione replied.
"Ok," Orion said. He pulled out a small leather bound book from his pocket together with his wand. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Hermione said as she held tight to her three Luis Vuitton suitcases.
Orion activated the Portkey, and he and Hermione touched the book and felt the familiar tugging at their navels.
After a few moments, Hermione, who had her eyes squeezed shut, opened it and was greeted by the grandeur of her soon-to-be house. It was so huge and splendid, with lots of expensive stuff lying around.
"So, what do you think?" Orion asked her.
"Wow," Hermione gushed as her eyes traveled to the large painting of a very well known artist. "Do you live here?" she asked.
"Most of the time, but I do have my own mansion at Switzerland," Orion replied. He clapped his hands and a rather small, ragged house elf came running down the hallway.
"What does sir want from Edby?" the elf asked.
"Please take Ms. Granger's things to her prepared room. You know where it is?" Orion said.
The elf nodded his head vigorously, its big long ears flapping, and disappeared from the room.
"Would you like to join me in the living room for some hot tea?" Orion asked Hermione.
"Ok, sure," Hermione replied enthusiastically, eager to see the rest of the house. She followed Orion and soon, her jaw already dropped on the floor when she saw the living room.
"Please have a seat," Orion told her. After a few minutes, another house elf served their teas with additional cakes.
"I hope you're comfortable here. Feel free to tell me if you have any problems," Orion said.
Hermione just nodded her head. "So...about this sick guy..." she said. She lifted her cup and sipped her tea.
"He's still sleeping now. So probably tomorrow, you'll meet him," Orion told her, smiling that mysterious smile.
"I can hardly wait," Hermione said. Oh, she has no idea...
9:21 AM. 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY.
"Ugh."
"I'm sorry I had to wake you up so early, Hermione, but..." Orion apologized.
"No, I'm the one who should say sorry. I mean, I can be very grumpy during early morning..." Hermione told him.
"Don't worry, I understand," Orion said.
"At least I'm going to see my patient now at last," Hermione said brightly as Orion steered her towards the right corridor.
Orion smiled at her. "Anxious?"
"Yeah. I think he's kinda mysterious. You know, the way he didn't show up at breakfast this morning. You said he always keeps to his room?" Hermione said while keeping up with Orion's steps.
"That's my cousin," Orion said. He looked at Hermione. "He doesn't exactly make a good first impression, you know, so don't be surprised if he acts a little, weird. But at, er, times, he's really nice. I trust you can handle him."
"I do hope so," Hermione said, "But, what do you mean he doesn't make a good first impression?"
Orion glanced uncomfortably at his left. "Well...nurses usually last under his service for, uh, hours, or if lucky, a day," he said.
Hermione's eyes widened. "That long?" she said in disbelief. No wonder no one has been able to cure him, she thought bitterly.
"Yeah. Oh, look, we're here," Orion said as they stopped at a huge glass door labeled "MASTER'S BEDROOM".
"Don't be nervous. He won't bite-hopefully," Orion told her as he saw Hermione tense beside him.
"Sorry, I can't help it," Hermione said, her voice a little squeaky.
Orion gave her one encouraging look before turning the shiny door handle to reveal the most elegant place in the whole manor.
"I've been waiting for you to come here since yesterday, Or."
Hermione spun around and her mouth formed a big O.
"Hey, is that the way to greet your favorite cousin?" Orion said jokingly.
"You're my only cousin."
"Yeah, well. Anyway, I've found a new nurse for you," Orion said and looked at Hermione, expecting her to introduce herself.
"Oh my god, this is not happening," Hermione whispered.
Orion blinked. "You ok?" he whispered.
"NO! Because my patient is Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed. Yes, it was Draco Malfoy standing before them, paler than ever yet so cute and charming. His hair was not slicked back like usual and his eyes were still ice grey. But there was something different about him, maybe it was the fact that he looked so fragile.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "You know me?" he said.
Hermione felt like hyperventilating. Of course she knew who he is! She had seen that face years ago, the same sneering, smirking face of a blonde who used to get her, Harry and Ron into trouble.
"Of course I do, Malfoy! In case you're wondering, it's me, Mudblood Granger!" Hermione exclaimed, glaring at him.
You could easily the shocked look on Draco's face. "YOU?!" he spat out in disgust.
"Yes, me!" Hermione said. She groaned. "Great. Now I have to take care of a ferret for weeks. The worst few weeks of my life!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms on her chest.
"I don't need a nurse, and certainly not you, of all people!" Draco said.
"Oh, you need me, alright?!" Hermione said angrily.
"Oh, no I don't! You're going to have to leave!"
"As much as I like that thought, I can't! I won't get to be Top Healer!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I don't care if you get promoted or not. I don't want you!" Draco wailed, acting precisely like a five year old.
Orion watched in amusement as the two continued bickering. He had never seen his cousin this mad before. Maybe it is a bad thing-or maybe not.
"Will you two just stop it?" he said.
"Shut up!" both hollered at him.
"Oops..." Orion muttered.
"Or, she's going to poison me once you leave me in her care! Or worse, sell me to Potter and his minions to torture! I'm going to die!" Draco said overdramatically.
"Oh, right," Hermione said sarcastically.
"See? See? Or, she's gonna kill me!" Draco said.
But Orion knew better than to be deceived by his cousin's act. "No, Draco. I have had enough with all this nurse crap. You can't just fire people at the mere sight of them. You give Hermione a chance," he told him.
"But-"
"I mean it, Draco. She stays," Orion said firmly, looking at Draco squarely in the eye and Draco knew he had no escape.
"Oh, how I hate you!!!" Draco yelled. "OUT!!!"
Hermione glared at him before stomping out of his room with Orion trailing behind her.
4:18 PM. GUEST ROOM. COUCH.
Hermione stared at the window outside her room, trying hard to process what the house elves and other servants of the manor told her about their "Master".
According to them, Malfoy wakes up at 8:30 am and sleeps at 11:00 pm. His whereabouts is only at his room, no where else. He always faints, vomits, has severe chest pains and high fevers, among many others. Hmm...Malfoy sure is hard to handle. I wonder what Harry and Ron say if I tell them...IF I tell them...But what about Malfoy? Hmm...Maybe a little arranging would do...
A/N: So what do you think of this chappie? Oh, this means thinking OR words supposed to be in italic. Gets? Ok! Reviews pls!!!!