AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Hermione's heart raced as Wilford took the vial from her hand. She shook, not knowing if this was due to her nervousness or the AC blasting in the background. Since beads of sweat were forming on her brow, she figured it was the former.
Her dad leaned forward in the chair and ran his finger along the cork stopper. "Are you certain you won't get in trouble with your government if you give this to me?"
"No," she replied.
"But what about that Statute of Secrecy or whatever it's called?" Muriel put a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"It's murky as to whether or not it applies to a circumstance such as this," Hermione explained. "You two already know about magic, so there's no reason to hide from you. Experimental treatments aren't unheard of, so if anyone asks you could tell them you participated in one."
"If anyone pressed for more details I could say I was one of the few without any terrible side effects, hence the reason they shut it down," he mused aloud.
"I would support you if you told that story," Muriel added.
"I can make some false documents when all is said and done."
"No, best to keep things vague," Muriel replied. "The more details we provide the more likely it is that there will be an inconsistency."
"True."
Silence fell amongst them.
Wilford locked eyes with his daughter "Are you okay with me taking this potion?"
"Of course I am." She put her hands behind her back. "I wouldn't have given you it otherwise."
"Yes, but you're still afraid something will happen to me, aren't you?"
"Am I that obvious?" She bowed her head.
"Only to me," he answered.
"It really doesn't matter how I feel about the potion. You have no choice but to take it. Time is running out, yet," She raised her head. "I still worry."
"I can refuse to take the potion if you're that nervous about it. We can just forget it exists and move on."
"No!"
Muriel and Wilford startled.
"I cannot sit by and watch you die." A tear came to Hermione's eye. "Even if the potion kill you, at least I know I did something to try to save you."
"Fine, but I don't need to take it in front of you. I can wait until you leave and take it. As soon as I know the results I'd contact you."
"No, I need to see you take it," her stomach churned. "Even if I'll want to faint the entire time."
"Okay." The tension in his muscles left. "For the record, I'm glad to have you beside me. I wand my whole family to watch me recover."
"I would like that too," Hermione whispered.
"Is there any reason to believe this potion will not work?" Muriel squeezed her husband's shoulder.
"No," Hermione answered. "All the test subjects have reported increased cardiac function. There are no ill side effects reported, at least not yet."
"Then have some faith in yourself."
She gulped.
"I mean it." He took her hand. "I trust you to give me something which will work. Just trust yourself."
"I will."
He took her hand and kissed it. Then, he popped the stopper from the vial. "I love both of you. Never forget that."
"We love you too." Muriel kissed him on the cheek.
"Yes, we love you," Hermione kissed his other cheek.
"Then," he grinned. "Bottoms up!"
With one quick motion, he poured the potion into his mouth. Once the last of the liquid was gone he coughed.
Hermione slumped onto the couch.
"Gods Hermione I'm proud of you, but couldn't you have made this cherry flavored?" He wheezed.
"I was testing for efficacy, not flavor." She frowned.
"I know, but if I could make one suggestion, please make it cherry, orange, or even grape flavored."
"I'll pose that idea to Severus if we decide to make any improvements."
He coughed.
"Stop being a baby," Muriel scolded. "Your daughter's terrified that she may have killed you, and all you can do is whine about the flavor."
"If I'm whining about the flavor, I'm still alive."
"And still yourself, unfortunately."
Hermione covered her mouth and giggled.
"How long does it take for this to work?" Wilford asked.
"It took most of the patients about an hour before they see the results."
"Good, that means I'll have cake while I wait for this to take effect."
"I don't know if that would be advisable," Hermione warned. "The test subjects had eaten a few hours before ingesting the potion. I don't know how it metabolizes if someone has just eaten."
"So no cake," Wilford slouched into his chair.
"Honestly Wilford," Muriel made her way to the whicker wooden chair beside him. "You have not shut up about that cake since Hermione walked in the door."
"My daughter made me a cake, and I'm very eager to taste it."
"You might regret wanting it."
"Why not?"
"I've only baked this one cake. Severus said it appeared edible, but he can't smell it. For all I know it's burnt to a crisp and it will be the worst thing you've ever ingested."
"First of all, I can't imagine that any cake could be as bad as my mother's green bean casserole." Wilford groaned. "Just thinking about that is enough to make me want to vomit."
"You're feeling alright, aren't you?" Hermione stood and reached for her dad.
"I feel fine," he answered. "But just thinking about it makes me sick."
"It was putrid," Muriel cut in.
"You had it?"
"She cooked it for me when I was first dating your dad." Muriel moaned. "I could barely finish it."
"What about it was so horrible?" Hermione sat on the black leather couch.
"She thought it was a good idea to put strawberries in it."
"What?"
Wilford nodded as the color returned to his face. "She put strawberries and carrots in it. She thought it was the most creative thing she'd ever done. I thought she was born without taste buds."
"She made it all the time too," Muriel looked at Hermione. "I finally had to tell her I was allergic to green beans to make her stop serving it."
"When you did that I'd honestly wondered why I'd never thought to do that."
"Probably because she'd see through you."
"Probably."
"The point is," Muriel looked at her daughter. "You come from a long line of people with questionable culinary skills."
"I did not know about Grandma though," Hermione gave them a sheepish grin.
"Now you do." Muriel grinned.
"I honestly feel a little better. At least others in the family were as hopeless as I was."
"You aren't hopeless, but you've had no interest in learning until now."
"I just hope Severus' lessons got through," Hermione squirmed.
"I'm sure you did fine," Muriel replied.
"How is your little spirit friend anyway?" Wilford asked.
"He's great." The color returned to her face.
"Has he done what he needs to do in order to get to heaven yet?"
"About that." She dug her foot into the ground. "He doesn't want to go to heaven anymore."
"Why?" Muriel's eyes grew. "Does he think hell will be better"
"No, not at all" she argued. "It has more to do with the fact that we're romantically involved."
"What exactly does that entail?" Wilford's voice was low.
"It means that we feel euphoric around each other, but we don't want to define anything."
"I am so lost." Wilford shook his head. "Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend or not?"
"Boyfriend and girlfriend seem like such juvenile terms," Hermione admitted. "I prefer the term lovers or paramours."
"Interesting," he drawled.
"Please." Muriel buried her head in her hands. "Please for the love of all that is good tell me our first grandchild will not be some half human, half angel hybrid."
"Oh no, we aren't involved like that," Hermione replied. "We're just touching."
"I thought he couldn't touch things," Wilford answered.
"He can't unless I give him permission to," her eyes lit up at the memory of his hand in hers.
"And this can't impregnate you?" Muriel asked.
"To my knowledge, no."
"Thank God."
"What does his touch feel like?" Wilford asked.
"It's very spiritual," her body relaxed for the first time since arriving. "Physically I don't feel anything, but his touch overwhelms my soul, if that makes sense."
"Is it like having an in-depth academic conversation?" Muriel asked.
"A little, but when I touch him I'm at peace, yet ecstatic. At once I am calm yet invigorated. It's somewhat hard to explain."
"I think I'm getting the idea." Wilford gave Muriel a look and a small smile.
"I think I do too." She gazed back at him.
"It's like nothing I've ever felt before," Hermione gushed.
"In other words, you're finally in love," Wilford turned to his daughter.
The color left her face as her mind crashed back to reality. "Love?"
"Yes, love."
The color drained from her face.
"This isn't a conventional romance," Muriel began. "But if he makes you happy, who am I to object? It sounds as though you could do worse."
"I don't know if I'd call what we have love," Hermione began.
"Why not?" Wilford's skin was losing its bluish tint. "If you have such a spiritual connection why wouldn't you feel love for him on some level?"
"It's a little soon to say love."
"Why? You made it clear to us during your last visit that you felt deeply for him. Everything you're discussing sounds like what people experience when they're in love."
"Perhaps, but, I don't know."
"Are you afraid it will end?" Muriel's voice was gentle and her eyes were soft.
"I told him we should enjoy the time we have together but," She lowered her head. "It doesn't mean that I don't think about him leaving sometimes."
"You cannot control whether or not he leaves," Muriel replied. "All you can do is enjoy the moments you have with him."
"Carpe diem, or whatever the saying is."
Hermione glanced up. "You don't think I'm crazy for falling in love with a spirit?"
"You were crazy to fall in love with Ron, someone you were completely incompatible with" Wilford replied. "Given the kinds of things you've experienced in your magical world like dark lords, ghosts, and house elves, this seems downright normal."
Hermione laughed. "When you put it that way, falling in love with a spirit is typical for the magical world."
"Just make sure he takes care of you." Wilford sat up straighter. "I know a priest who can perform an exorcism if he becomes too troublesome."
"Dad." Hermione laughed.
"I'm serious. He needs to treat you well otherwise he'll wish he was in hell."
"I'll be sure to tell him that."
"Just be sure to be happy." He stretched. "That's all I ask."
"Wilford," Muriel gasped. "Your coloring!"
"What about it?" He looked at his brighter skinned arms.
"You look like you did before the first heart attack," Hermione noted.
"I do." He beamed. "I do!"
"You're going to live!" Muriel cheered.
"It looks like it!"
"Yes!"
Hermione never saw any woman spring up as quickly as her mother did to huge her husband. She kissed the top of his head. "Oh thank God! Thank you Hermione."
Hermione sniffed and wiped another tear from her eye.
"I can stop eating grass now."
"Oh no, your diet is partly what got you into this mess," Muriel scolded. "We are going to eat much healthier from now on so our daughter doesn't need to keep creating potions to save you."
"I didn't want to live so I could eat grass and flavorless oats."
"I would prefer not to need to create stronger heart strengthening potions because you want a cheeseburger every night," Hermione cut in.
"Fine, but can I at least eat some cake?"
Muriel turned to Hermione.
"I think that can be arranged," she stood.
Wilford rose, but did not reach for his walker. Instead, he walked to the kitchen, his body feeling as if he was still twenty years old.
It was good to be alive.