I'm on a mission. A mission to finish this story. So if I can pluck up the strength to write like crazy, my goal is to have one chapter out every week until the story is over.

Wish me luck!

Love,

Cherry


With her bags all packed and properly shrunk into her satchel, Hermione placed her hand around the international portkey she had requested just a month prior. She grimaced when the dirt from the ratty garden hose stuck to her fingers as she let go of the portkey, finally comfortable enough with portkey travel to land on her feet as she approached the grassy park below. She landed with a grunt but stayed upright, letting the now defunct garden hose drop from her hand. It disappeared after several seconds, off to its next location.

Hermione glanced around, having done enough research before her trip to know that the portkey would place her in Tokyo, specifically in a place called Shibuya. From what she had read, it was a large city, but she'd been dropped in a grassy park near a shrine, which meant that while it was a popular destination for Wizards, it wasn't as foot-traffic heavy as the more urban areas of the city.

"Miss Granger!" A familiar voice called, and Hermione turned to see Jun Saito. He approached at a slight jog and the pair quickly bowed to each other before shaking hands. "It is so lovely to finally meet you."

"You as well." She grinned, ready for her research to begin. "I hope you didn't have to travel far to meet me." Hermione realised the concept of driving to meet someone was foreign to Wizards as soon as she said it.

"No, I live quite close and this weather is wonderful for a walk in the park." He gestured up at the slightly cloudy sky. Hermione wasn't surprised at the warm weather, but she hadn't adequately prepared, she noticed, as she felt her hair begin to curl at the nape of her neck. She'd have to take a hair tie out of her bag the first moment she could.

"It is." She agreed. "I don't want to sound presumptuous, but do you plan for us to leave for Okinawa soon? I should like to meet your contacts as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course." Jun agreed. "We can go to the public Floo station at the Meiji Jingu shrine." Jun gestured to a pathway to the north. "There's usually no wait at this time of day, so we should be able to visit the first farmer in Naha by the early evening."

"Perfect." Hermione nodded. "Thank you for working with me to get this done so quickly." The pair began the short walk to the shrine.

"I am happy to do this quickly." Jun explained. "I prefer to get things done in a timely manner, so I am pleased your schedule matches mine."

The pair shared a look that meant Hermione knew exactly what Jun meant, and they both smiled before using the Floos to travel to Okinawa. From there, they side-by-side apparated to the farmer's land in Naha. Jun introduced Hermione to Arata Matsuda, an older wizard with leathery skin and wrinkles that demonstrated just how often he spent time smiling. He was very kind, and Hermione was very appreciative when Arata's wife, Mai, offered them a home cooked meal with unique dishes that Hermione would never remember how to pronounce, but she knew miso soup when she saw it.

The group - Jun, Hermione, Arata, and Mai - ate dinner together and discussed nearly everything; what life was like in Naha, what it was like in London, and the shared interest in rare plants (though for Hermione, the interest was recent, though she wouldn't tell Arata that).

Jun had rented two rooms at a local hotel, so when the older couple grew tired, Jun and Hermione left for the night, only to return the next day nearly at dawn. Jun needed to conduct his quarterly meeting with Arata, so the two disappeared into what Hermione could only describe as a shed (though she noticed the inside looked much more lush than the exterior proved). During their meeting, Hermione toured the farm, hoping to find the Witch's Ganglion on her own.

She did, as luck would have it, in a large pond toward the southwest quadrant of the property. She pulled her notebook from her satchel, along with her self-writing quill, and began to list notes to the quill as she stared at the plants. She didn't want to disturb the volatile bulbs too much, so she measured the temperature of the water and composition of the dirt before Jun and Arata found her. Then, Arata offered Hermione help in assessing the Witch's Ganglion, teaching her the proper way to plant it, care for it, and unearth it. He told her how she would need to grip the stalk at the very base, almost as if she was going to rip the bulb straight from the watery dirt, and twist instead of pull straight up. Using these techniques, he had managed to keep Witch's Ganglion fresh for almost five hours, which was longer than anything Hermione had heard from other sources.

The rest of the day was spent observing Arata work, and whenever he had a moment to spare, Hermione asked Arata as many questions as she could think of, all of which he happily answered. That evening, over another delicious dinner, Hermione got to know Arata and Mai, and was amazed to learn that two such humble, simple people were in charge of growing such unique plants. It had been a family business, Arata had explained, from his father's father, who inherited land that was useless for building, due to the wet, clay soil. Arata's grandfather had something of a green thumb and decided to turn the land into a farm, touring all of southeast Asia to collect rare plants and creatures to grow and sell. By the time the farm came into Arata's hands, the family didn't have enough money to support the livestock they had once raised, so he sold off the rest of them and focussed his attention on the plants. When the money got even tighter, Arata found potion companies to purchase his plants, and nearly ten years ago, he'd begun to partner exclusively with Nabe Skincare, which is when he met Jun.

Hermione clung to Arata's every word, his tired, gravelly voice just loud enough for her to hear if she listened closely. So she did, and when she went home that evening, she wrote to Draco about the amazing stories of this unassuming couple and the niche they had carved for themselves.

"You wouldn't believe it, Draco," she dictated to her quill, "this man has given me so much information already, and I haven't offered him a single thing in return. I'm not sure what I can offer that he would want, he's so content with the life he has on his farm." She stood in her hotel room, staring out her window at the skyline of the city of Naha only kilometers away. "I wish you were here." She whispered. "I wish you could see this, I wish you could see me. I haven't felt this alive in ages. And you're the one who has brought me such joy. "

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Scratch that last bit. From 'I wish you were here' on." The quill looked between Hermione and the paper, shoving it aside to copy down her thoughts on a fresh piece of parchment. Hermione scanned the letter once to make sure nothing too personal had been included, and when she confirmed it read all right, she rolled it up and put it in her pocket. Making a quick trip to the Naha Owlery to send the letter internationally. She returned to her hotel room after the sun had set, and showered before crawling into bed, knowing Jun would be taking her to meet the farmer in Nago in the morning.

It was within ten minutes of meeting Hiraku Shinoda that Hermione knew she planned to work with Arata moving forward. Not that there was anything particularly wrong with Mr. Shinoda, but when he found out that Hermione had questions, he pacified her with a polite smile before turning back to Jun to continue talking. Hermione initially thought it was a language barrier that was keeping him from speaking directly to Hermione - which would prevent their working together anyway - but when Hiraku asked what Hermione planned to use the Witch's Ganglion for, she kept her answer vague like she had with Arata, and Hiraku smiled, then turned to Jun and said something that sounded like "so she doesn't know what she's doing."

To be polite to both her host and Jun, Hermione stuck the day out, figuring at the very least, maybe Hiraku would share some bit of knowledge she didn't already know.

Hiraku spent the morning with Hermione, entertaining her questions with short answers and doubtful looks, no matter how much Hermione proved she knew what she was talking about. The experience grew more and more frustrating, and when Hiraku suggested that she leave at one o'clock so he could do his quarterly review with Jun, Hermione accepted. She pulled Jun aside for just a moment to explain that she would be leaving at once, and Jun apologized for his associate.

"I know you don't speak for him." Hermione tried to assure Jun she wasn't offended (though she would be lying if she didn't feel frustrated). "Would you mind if I returned to Naha? I think I'd like to propose a business arrangement to Mr. Matsuda."

"Yes, please do. I think you two will work well together." Jun encouraged. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No, that's all right." Hermione said. "I do want to thank you for all your support thus far. I really do appreciate everything you've done for me." They shook hands and Jun promised Hermione a meal the next time she was in Tokyo. She promised the same in return if Jun ever made his way to London.

Hermione didn't bother saying goodbye to Hiraku, and Flooed back to Naha, where she walked to Arata's farm. She found him working with what looked to be lovage.

"Mr. Matsuda?" Hermione called. Arata stood and turned to look at Hermione, smiling warmly.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" He stepped over the bush he was working with to return to the dirt path that separated plant species.

"I wanted to make you an offer. Have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No, I am about to. Mai is preparing it now. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes, I would, if it's not too much of an imposition." Hermione walked closer. "Can I help you in the meantime?"

"If you do not mind getting dirty." Arata laughed gently, lifting his gloved hands as proof.

"That's no problem at all, let me just set my bag down."

"I will get you gloves." Arata shuffled off to the shed she had seen on her first day while Hermione approached the house, setting her bag on the covered porch. She retrieved a hair tie from her bag, and piled her hair up on her head as she returned to where Arata was waiting for her. She slipped the gloves on her hands, and by the time she had noticed they were too large, Arata had already shrunk them to her size. She thanked him and they approached the bush of lovage. Arata gave Hermione a lesson in the plant as they worked, and did his best to tie it back to Witch's Ganglion, though there wasn't much overlap between the plants.

When Mai stepped outside to call Arata to lunch and saw Hermione, her face lit up and she clapped once, ushering the pair inside to eat. They took turns standing on the Grime-b-Gone entry mat, which rid them of the mud they had accumulated on their clothes and shoes before sitting at the table.

"So you had an offer." Arata asked while stirring his udon to cool it down.

"I do." Hermione confirmed. "I've been relatively vague about my interest in Witch's Ganglion thus far, and it's because I'm attempting to use it in a potion. I think I've perfected the interactions of the rest of the ingredients, but I haven't introduced Witch's Ganglion into the potion yet. This is partially due to the unique conditions that Witch's Ganglion needs to grow, but also because of its very short shelf life. So I'd like to propose a partnership. Under your guidance, I'd like to learn the intricacies of Witch's Ganglion, how to work with it, and attempt to work with it to finish the potion I'm creating. No matter the end results, I'll compensate you for your time and consultation, but if I'm successful in this project and can create a marketable product, I would hope that we could create a long term partnership, like you have with Nabe Skincare."

"And the product, would it be for skincare? I know you know I have an exclusive with Nabe that would prevent me from working with another company."

"It's not skincare." Hermione confirmed. "I'm working to create a plaster of sorts that temporarily masks cursed wounds and marks. Aside from it not hurting when you take the plaster off, there's no quality of the plaster that would be considered skincare."

Arata nodded thoughtfully, speaking between bites. "I'll have to check with Mr. Saito, just to confirm I wouldn't be violating our contract, but in the meantime, I can have you shadow my work with the Witch's Ganglion and you are welcome to test your theories and potions."

Hermione tried to hide her grin. "I appreciate it, Mr. Matsuda. I would never want you to agree to something you oppose, either legally or personally, so do let me know if I overstep at any point."

"I am certain you wouldn't, Miss Granger." Arata chuckled. "I will reach out to Mr. Saito and confirm what I can do legally, but we can begin studying the Witch's Ganglion as soon as you are ready."

"Thank you." Hermione responded. "I do need to get my affairs in order at home before I begin working with you, can I get back to you about when we can begin once I get home?"

"Yes, that's fine." Arata nodded. "Now eat, you have worked very hard this morning."

The rest of the meal was spent discussing what Hermione would need to learn before she started using Witch's Ganglion in potions, and how long Arata thought that might take. They settled on one month total, devoting the first week or two to research, and the rest of the time to practice in the potions.

As much as Hermione would have loved to have gotten started that day, Arata explained that he needed to finish the day's orders, so if she wanted to begin her research, she was welcome to work with the Witch's Ganglion and write down her questions, which he could answer at dinner. Hermione accepted, and spent the rest of the afternoon taking as many notes as she could without disturbing the plant. While it wasn't a particularly informative afternoon, Hermione did discover that even rubbing the leaves of the Witch's Ganglion between her fingers produced an invisibility component, just not as intensely a fresh bulb seemed to. Of course, she'd have to test this herself, relying only on written accounts at this point in her research. But once she found a way to take off a month of work, she'd be back to confirm everything she'd read.

That evening, Mai treated Hermione to another home cooked meal, and even shoved a container into Hermione's hands as she left for the evening.

"It is good to see a woman this passionate." She said, hands closed over Hermione. "But passion makes you hungry, and you are too thin!"

Hermione scrunched her nose, wondering if this was how Draco felt when she told him he needed to gain weight. Still, she thanked Mai and took the wrapped box back to the hotel she had stayed at previously, hoping they had a room open. They did, and when she exited the shower, a pecking at the window drew her attention. She wrapped herself in one of the complimentary robes and opened the window, an owl flying in and landing on the small table in the corner. Hermione didn't recognise the bird, but the stamp on the parchment it carried indicated it had come from the international owlery, so she offered the bird some fish from the dinner Mai had packed her. It accepted and flew back out the window, leaving Hermione to read the letter by herself.

Granger,

If I were a jealous man, I would be green with envy upon reading your letter. You've managed to find someone to assist you in your endeavors (that isn't me) and is willing to do it for nothing in exchange? You must tell me your secrets, every person I come in contact with expects money or favors when I need something from them (except for you, of course, but I'm beginning to think you're an anomaly).

If it wasn't obvious, this is my way of saying congratulations. I know this project has been somewhat whirlwind with its timeline, but if I know you, you're able to see the finish line at this point. By the time this reaches you, you will have likely already made a deal with the farmer of your choice and have already begun experimenting.

I will admit, I'm writing this letter for two purposes, and since the first has been completed, I move onto the second. I have some news of my own, and when you return to England, I'd like to meet with you. I don't want to get your hopes up too much, this isn't related to the work we've been doing, but I do want to speak with you. All will become apparent with time, but I hope that in the meantime, you'll accept and let me know when you're returning to London?

All the best,

~Draco Malfoy~

Hermione found herself smiling softly at the letter, and since she planned to Portkey back to London the next day at noon, she didn't bother writing back. Instead, she dressed in her pyjamas and towel dried her already frizzy hair so she could get to sleep as soon as possible.

When she woke the next day, Hermione ate the leftovers Mai had provided her before packing up her belongings, returning to the farm to personally hand Mai the cleaned box, and from the Matsuda property, she Flooed back to Tokyo, found her portkey (this time an old keychain), and returned to London in the early hours of the morning. Hermione knew it was too early to go to the public owlery to send a message back to Draco, so she wasted several hours before heading to Diagon Alley to send a reply to Draco. While there, Hermione went to Gringotts to see how much money she had in her vault. She grimaced when she saw how dismal her account really was (perhaps spending a good chunk of her 'I helped kill Voldemort' reward money on a custom bookshelf was not the wisest move), and made plans to request a loan from the bank to fund her trip back to the Matsuda farm.

Upon returning home, Hermione found Spes waiting for her with Draco's reply, which simply stated that he would expect her for dinner that evening if she didn't reply back. While she wouldn't admit it, Hermione was thrilled to see Draco so soon after returning, so she didn't write back, and only gave Spes some treats before she flew back out the window.

With plans in place, Hermione returned to her room with her luggage, putting away the clothes that were clean and setting aside those that needed to be washed. As she was hanging her jeans, she glanced over her wardrobe to begin planning for her evening at Malfoy Manor, and when her eyes skimmed the bag stuffed in the corner that held Narcissa Malfoy's clothes that Hermione had worn, her cheeks tinged pink. The was undeniably something inherently saucy about the stockings and suspender belt she had worn that evening, and while it went very distinctly against anything Hermione had felt before, she rather liked the way Draco had looked at her when she had asked him if he expected her to wear such undergarments.

Hermione was tempted to find a way to wear them again that night, but instead settled on a slinky, patterned skirt that fell just past her knees and paired it with a red cardigan and a pair of kitten heels that she only ever wore to fancy events.

With just a touch of makeup and two gold clips to hold her hair back, Hermione nodded once at the mirror in her bathroom before picking up her beaded purse from the front counter and disappearing in to her Floo with a green flash.


She ran her hands over her lap once before looking back at Draco.

"You...want me to work for you?" She asked and Draco was certain she was offended.