You are bringing out a different kind of me
There's no safety net that's underneath, I'm free
Falling all in you
- Shawn Mendes, Fallin' All In You
Three
Two days.
He hadn't seen her in two days.
Every time the door to his room would open Harry wished it was her. He had a constant stream of visitors and while he appreciated their company all he wished for was to see his angel again.
In Harry's mind that was who she was.
His angel.
She was his saviour and the first person he saw when he was brought back to the light.
He wanted to ask Gabrielle, Fleur, Lavender, and even Luna about her. The four ladies certainly came into his room often enough; the latter three because they worked at St. Mungo's. Fleur was doing rounds yesterday while Luna saw him that morning. Lavender was there often too just checking up on him in between her duties and Gabrielle had taken it upon herself to keep him company. His men, at least those who were able namely Draco, Bill, and Neville, have already gone back to work. Ron, too. The part-Veela said it was too lonesome to be alone in the hospital and so she had taken her work to St. Mungo's and perched herself on the couch. Harry glanced over in her direction and saw her head bent over her sketchbook.
He didn't know how to ask about Hermione.
"Harry, what do you think of Hermione?"
Harry was snapped from his thoughts and he looked sharply at Gabrielle. She was looking at him expectantly with an eyebrow quirked in question.
"I'm sorry, what was that Gabrielle?" Harry asked, not knowing if he was hearing properly.
"What colour do you think would suit Hermione?" She asked him with a small smile.
"Blue," Harry said immediately. He didn't have to think about that one; Hermione was a vision in blue. The blue dress she wore two long nights ago was stunning on her. It was simple, but the colour brought out the warmth of her chocolate eyes and the shine of her brown hair tinged with gold. "But not dark blue. Something… rich. Like sapphires."
From her seat, Gabrielle had to stop herself from grinning broadly. Instead, she nodded her head and looked to carefully consider his words. "Thanks Harry, I was thinking the same."
He only nodded. After a minute, Harry voiced a question. "Why do you ask?"
"I'm designing Hermione's gown for the Ministry ball," she said and studied the drawing on her sketchbook. "Will you be going?" She asked nonchalantly.
Harry had every intention of declining his invitation. In fact, he had already told his Aurors "there was no way in hell" he was going to the ball even though he hadn't officially given his response to Shacklebolt's assistant yet. Those balls were always so stuffy. It was a black tie event so he was required to wear his fancy dress robes. He had made the mistake of going to one of those balls the first year he became an Auror and he felt like a caged animal in the zoo. People stared, and they didn't care that he knew they were staring. They openly gawked and that irked him. All they saw of him was the Harry Potter who defeated the Dark Lord, not the Harry Potter who was an actual person.
But the knowledge that a certain healer would be at the ball made him reconsider. He had become immune to the stares and whispers over the years anyway, so they no longer bothered him. He could ignore the stares and would mingle with the uppity ups of the wizarding society if he would be able to see her again.
His mind immediately pictured Hermione in a flowing sapphire blue gown.
"Yes, I'll be there," he answered with a small nod of his head.
Gabrielle beamed from her seat. "Wonderful! You'll be sitting at our table, of course! Would you be bringing anyone, Harry?"
He thought of Hermione again, wondering if she would have a date to the ball.
He shook his head in the negative. "I'm not sure yet, but I don't think so," he replied.
"Oh that's no problem at all!" Gabrielle said as she traced something on her sketchbook with a flourish of her hand. "Hermione doesn't have a date yet, so maybe you could ask her."
It took a lot of effort for Harry to stop the grin from his face as he thought of it. It was a splendid idea and he just might do what Gabrielle suggested.
If only he could see her again.
"Speaking of Hermione, do you know where she is? I haven't seen her since two days ago and I really do want to say thanks for all that she has done for me…" Harry asked Gabrielle casually.
The blonde witch set her sketchbook down and looked at Harry. "Probably at home or running errands… doing whatever needed to be done outside of work," Gabrielle replied with a raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, Harry. We can ask Fleur when Hermione's back on shift though I reckon you might see her as early as tonight."
There was a knock on the door. Harry said "Come in," and he and the blonde witch looked up expectantly. The door opened and a beaming redhead peeked her head in.
"Hi Gabrielle!" She greeted the other witch. And then, she cried. "Oh, Harry!"
Ginny Weasley entered the room with a flourish. The tall redhead was in her Puddlemere United jersey bearing the name Weasley and the number 9 at the back. She had on a simple pair of slim jeans and white runners. Her red hair was in a ponytail which swung behind her head as she placed a kiss on Harry's cheek. She clasped his hand with her own and squeezed.
"How are you doing Harry? I'm so sorry I could only see you now! We had a game which I couldn't miss…" She bit her lower lip delicately. "I was here the night you got injured. God, the surgery was a fright. I'm so glad you're awake!"
Harry smiled from his place on the bed. He and Ginny have grown to be good friends over the years after their disastrous attempt at a relationship during Hogwarts. Now, the only Weasley daughter was a Chaser for the Puddlemere United Quidditch team with rumours that she'd be invited to join the England National team for the upcoming World Cup.
"I'm okay, Ginny. I should be getting out of here soon, I think," Harry said. "I had a fantastic healer."
"Well that's wonderful! Maybe even well enough to watch our next game?" Ginny grinned. She kept one hand locked with Harry's as the other carefully brushed at the hair on his forehead.
Harry shot her a grin of his own. "Well since it's a game against my favourite team I sure hope I would be well enough to watch them win," Ginny rolled her eyes and swatted him gently on his arm. This drew a laugh from the Auror. "How's Thomas doing, Gin?"
Before the redhead could answer, the door opened again.
"Hello Auror…" Hermione started before she saw the display on the bed. There was mirth in those green eyes which haunted her dreams as he turned his head from the beautiful redhead to look at her. "...Potter." She couldn't look away from their clasped hands. The redhead had her other hand on his arm.
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed in surprise. He tried to sit up a little straighter as he watched her slowly enter the room and close the door behind her. Thank Merlin his prayers have finally been answered.
She looked splendid and fresh and radiant. She was wearing the white robes of the healers though he peeked a light grey sweater at her collar. Her hair was in a ponytail and she had tortoise shell glasses perched on her nose.
"Sorry to be interrupting Auror Potter, but I'm here for your check up," she said a little curtly.
"Of course, of course," Harry said with a nod. Merlin, what was with him? Why couldn't he think of better things to say? "Oh, I'm not sure if you've met each other yet but this is Ginny Weasley. Gin, this is my healer, Hermione Granger."
Harry inwardly winced. Of course they would know each other through Bill and Fleur.
Hermione knew who Ginny Weasley was. They were friendly with each other though weren't really friends. The redhead was a rising star in the Quidditch world and Hermione barely knew a thing about Quidditch. They've been introduced before at a Delacour-Weasley party at Shell Cottage and Hermione had liked the female Weasley enough. She thought Ginny to be fun, smart, certainly very athletic, and quite protective of her family.
Hermione had no idea she was dating Harry Potter though.
Figures, she mused. They honestly looked perfect for each other. As she watched them side by side Hermione couldn't help but think they made a handsome couple. He was gorgeous with his dark black hair and those bright green eyes. She was beautiful. And not the delicate kind of beautiful either since the redhead had strong features. She had a wide forehead, large brown eyes, and such expressive eyebrows of fire currently raised with happiness. She had long red hair which flowed from her ponytail like a waterfall of lava. She was athletically built and lithe and Hermione spied muscular arms peeking underneath her jersey as her hand remained clasped with Harry's.
The Auror and the Quidditch star.
Of course.
Hermione thought that she'd have to break it in gently to the mediwitches and healers. They were so excited because Harry Potter was supposedly unattached and was one of the most sought after bachelors in wizarding society. As Hermione looked at the pair, she concluded that those were all just rumours. Maybe they were even carefully constructed rumours to afford the couple some privacy.
Alright, so perhaps she wouldn't tell the mediwitches and the healers after all.
Still, Hermione couldn't help but feel a little bit of disappointment as she watched their clasped hands. This was silly, of course, since she had no right to feel that way.
It was simply nice to daydream unabashedly about those eyes. To think about how his arms would feel like around her. To even go so far as to imagine how soft his lips would be like...
Now that Hermione found out he was taken, and by the sister of one of her closest friends, it just felt wrong.
Hermione blamed her disastrous dating life on the island since she got there six months ago for why she was so physically attracted to the Auror. She had a boyfriend of almost a year back in France although they decided to end it since the distance across the channel was too large for Christian. Once she arrived in Britain she became so consumed with her work and settling into her new role as the Chief Healer of St. Mungo's. She didn't have time to go out of her way and meet new people. She had let Gabrielle set her up on blind dates but they were never fruitful either.
If she were being truthful, Hermione was feeling a little lonely. And it was nice to have daydreamed about the Auror since he was the first man in Britain who had intrigued her.
Alright, so she barely knew him. However, she knew of him. And not just from the tabloids either, but from her closest friends whom she considered to be reliable sources. Those dearest to her heart had great things to say about Harry Potter.
Fleur told her Harry was one of the best men she knew. Hermione knew that the part-Veela didn't give out compliments easily so for her to say this was surprising. Hermione was told of his heroics but also of his character.
"C'est un bon ami," Fleur had said. 'He's a great friend.' "He was the one who took me to St. Mungo's when Victoire was born, did you know? He was at Shell Cottage helping clean out the gnomes and Bill had gone to the Burrow briefly when I started having contractions. J'avais si peur!" 'I was so scared!' Fleur told her with a laugh. "But he was so calm. He got me to the hospital immediately and alerted everyone at the Burrow. Bill was more of a mess than I but he was able to calm mon amour. He was so steady and knew exactly what to do and how to help. That's how Harry is, Hermione. Un rocher inébranlable."
An unshakable rock.
Hermione heard the same from Luna. When she and Luna were working together the night of the Auror raid, Luna told her how she and Harry knew each other from Hogwarts. Her dear friend said that Harry was one of the few people who took the time to befriend her at school. Harry stood up for Luna when she was bullied. Moreover, he took the time to get to know her when other students were content with calling her "Looney". According to Luna, it was because of Harry that she was able to make friends.
All these accolades peaked Hermione's interest. Even that morning she heard in the staff lounge that Auror Potter took the time to visit the others injured from the raid. Even when he was healing himself, Harry saw his coworkers and the civilians still in the hospital to see how they were doing and apologized for what happened that night.
Harry Potter was a man of character and she was fascinated.
And she felt so utterly silly for feeling so disappointed he was taken since she had no right.
"Hello, Ginny," Hermione said. She tried to relax herself, to let go of the stiffness she was feeling in her spine, as she greeted the redhead.
"Hermione, it's great to see you again," Ginny replied with a smile. "Thank you for taking care of this one here. I saw what you did that night and it was nothing short of amazing."
Hermione's response was a smile. "I was only doing what I was supposed to do, but thank you," she said. She turned her attention to the man on the bed and her smile dropped a little. They were still holding hands. "So, Auror Potter, would you mind if these ladies stay while I perform your check up?"
"Not at all," Harry said immediately. "And Hermione, please call me Harry." He gave her a smile which would have melted the hearts of any female. His eyes shone and his dimples were deep and pronounced. It was so easy to fall into the greens of his eyes and Harry showed no sign of breaking contact. Hermione could only give a stiff nod and averted her gaze first.
"Ginny, please sit by Gabrielle for a moment," Hermione said. The redhead nodded and turned her attention to Harry. She beamed at him before letting go of his hand. She greeted Gabrielle with a kiss on the cheek before sitting next to the part-Veela.
Gabrielle silently watched the whole scene with a glint in her eyes. She had an odd smile on her face, almost as if she was holding onto a secret she was so eager to tell. Her friend was so easy to read, and so was Harry. She was so riveted with the interchange between the Auror and the Healer that she didn't hear Ginny ask what she was working on. Only after Ginny called her name again did Gabrielle realize she was being spoken to and showed Ginny the drawings on her sketchbook. As Ginny perused the sketches Gabrielle returned her gaze to the other occupants of the room.
Harry watched as Hermione raised her wand and performed the spell the healers have mastered. He was expecting the feel of the mist on his skin this time so he remained still when Hermione touched her wand to his charts. He watched her as she read the results. Her brows were furrowed in concentration. Her bottom lip was in between her teeth as her eyes scanned the page. He saw as she absentmindedly brushed a stray lock of hair from her face before the same hand adjusted her reading glasses. A smile was forming on her lips as she continued to flip through his results.
She raised her head and beamed at him. He swallowed. She really did have a beautiful smile.
"Well, Auror Potter -"
"Harry, please," he urged her with an easy grin. She felt a small blush creeping into her cheeks and she quietly told herself to calm down.
"Well, Harry," she started again and his smile grew. "Your results are great; you've healed nicely. I don't see any abnormalities with your lungs and ribs at all," she said. She walked to the side of the bed and, without thinking, touched his side with one hand.
Harry had to stop himself from jerking at the contact. Through his hospital clothes he could feel the warmth of her hand.
"How does your wound feel?" She asked. Those brows of her were furrowed in concentration again and her lips were pursed. That hand crept underneath his shirt and gently prodded the area around the scar which the rod had left. "Do you feel any pain? Tenderness?" She brushed her fingers over his skin gently once more before withdrawing her hand.
Harry felt extremely disappointed at the loss of contact.
He shook his head and whispered. "No, Hermione. I don't feel any pain at all."
His words brought the smile back to her face.
"Then I say you can be discharged tonight, Harry," she said happily. "Let's just have you finish your last prescribed dose of pepper-up before you leave. But, as your healer, I say that you're all better!"
"Oh that's wonderful!" Ginny piped from her spot next to Gabrielle. She stood up and made her way to the other side of Harry's bed and smiled. "Then, Hermione, as his healer, do you think he would be fit enough to watch the Puddlemere/Canons game two nights from now?"
Her smile faltered a bit but Hermione nodded her head. "If he wants to, then yes. Auror Potter is definitely in the clear to watch it. Just be mindful of your… celebrations, Auror Potter," Hermione said. She watched as Ginny's hand gripped Harry's arm tightly.
"He would have nothing to celebrate about since his team would be taking a loss," Ginny said with a sly smile. Harry only shook his head and muttered underneath his breath.
Feeling like a third wheel by the Auror's bedside, Hermione stepped back and stood by the foot of the bed. "Well, then, I should get back to my rounds. It was great seeing you Ginny," she told the redhead. She then looked at Gabrielle and Harry. "I'll see you later, Gabrielle. Goodbye, Harry."
Hermione walked towards the door but not before Harry's cry stopped her. "Hermione!"
She turned from her position and looked at the patient on the bed. His eyes were eager and hopeful as he looked at her. "Yes, Harry?"
"Will I be seeing you again before I leave tonight?" He asked.
She blinked. The question, though perfectly valid, incited little butterflies in her stomach to flutter.
"Well, I suppose so," she answered. "As your primary healer I will have to sign for your release."
His smile shone as brightly as the sun peeking through the windows. "I see. Well, I'll see you later then, Hermione."
A small smile graced her lips too. "I'll see you later, Harry."
The door closed and the room was back to its three occupants. Ginny checked the time and regretfully informed Gabrielle and Harry that she had to leave for practice for the big game against their number one rival. She waved Gabrielle goodbye and kissed Harry's cheek before she too was out of the door. Gabrielle and Harry were alone once more.
Gabrielle prided herself for being really good at reading people. She had long thought it had something to do with her part-Veela heritage that she was so attuned to people's emotions. She could clearly see the ticks and tells of the people she had encountered, especially those close to her.
The exchange between Harry and Hermione was full of such tells.
The man was absolutely smitten. She saw it in the way he answered her question about which colour would suit Hermione. It was in the way he positively brightened when she entered the room and how his gaze was so unwavering on her form. It was in the little intake of breath he took at her touch and in his eagerness to see her again.
It was so fascinating to Gabrielle because she had never seen Harry Potter act like that with any woman before. Not even to just any woman but to anyone. Harry was usually so… guarded with those not in his inner circle. Gabrielle was lucky in that she and Harry have known each other for a long time, so she was able to see his softer side. She was privy to his easy smile, his laugh, and the brightness in his eyes. He let himself go when he was around the people he held close. But when Gabrielle watched his interactions with strangers, friends of friends, and small acquaintances… well, there was no other way to say it but that he acted different. He was always polite but he never laughed. His smile was rare and those eyes certainly never sparkled. His tone was less bright, more formal, and his words were carefully picked. With strangers, he put himself back behind the wall he had carefully built.
But not with Hermione, Gabrielle mused.
That brought her thoughts to the woman in question.
Hermione Granger was jealous. Gabrielle saw the stiffness appear when the brunette saw Ginny in the room being so attentive to the Auror. The Veela saw Hermione's eyes shift multiple times to Ginny's and Harry's clasped hands on the bed. There was such curtness in Hermione that Gabrielle wasn't used to at all. Gabrielle tried to put herself into Hermione's shoes and quickly understood the reason for Hermione's jealousy. She actually thought that Harry and Ginny were a couple! Mon Dieu, Gabrielle wanted to scream with giddy. It was like watching a soap opera in the Muggle telly she had procured at Harry's insistence. Why Hermione would be jealous at the idea of Harry and Ginny being a couple could only be that she was attracted to Harry herself.
And Gabrielle was shaking with excitement.
It was no secret that she had tried to set up her two friends months prior. Well, it was no secret to everyone else but Harry and Hermione. Unfortunately, schedules didn't permit the lunch meetings or dinner get-togethers so Gabrielle parked the idea. She introduced Hermione to other men because she wanted her friend happy and knew that the healer was feeling a bit lonely. Gabrielle knew that timing played a big role in a lot of relationships and she accepted that back then, when Hermione was still new to England, her and Harry's timing did not work out.
Oh, but the Auror raid. It was a terrible thing to happen but it brought Harry Potter to Hermione Granger quite literally.
And Gabrielle was so eager to see how it would all play out.
They were already interested in each other, of that she was certain. There was attraction there and even a bit of drama which the redhead's introduction had provided. All that was needed now was a little push in the right direction.
As Gabrielle looked at Harry's face, she knew that the push wouldn't necessarily be coming from her. Harry was never one to back down on anything. The Auror was always determined in getting what he wanted in his career, with his friends, and in his personal life. She could see that same glint of determination in Harry's eyes now.
Gabrielle hummed a little to herself as she returned to her sketches. It seemed to Gabrielle that what Harry Potter wanted was a certain healer and she couldn't wait to see what he would do to make that happen.
Anthony Livingston sneered at the Daily Prophet before setting it aside. That damn Potter had managed to keep the Auror raid a secret. All that was said in the papers was that The Emporium collapsed because of "structural integrity". The article went to say that no one perished and the night workers and security wizard injured in the collapse were expected to make a full recovery.
What a load of bull.
The Aurors didn't want it known that they were bested by two Hit Wizards. Of course they didn't. The Aurors were always so damn proud of their status and appearance that admitting to a fault was a rarity. That Windsor had an ego the size of Russia and so did his little minions, especially Potter.
Livingston hated the two of them. He hated Windsor for being the man behind the desk while his men would go out and die. Wielding so much power without knowing what was happening in the front lines was sickening. Only someone who screwed up so many people's lives could have risen to that high of a rank in the Ministry. Don't get him wrong - Livingston didn't like the Minister of Magic either. But at least the old bat didn't have an army behind him who knew how to use a wand. The Aurors were loyal to Windsor first, and the man knew how to use them. Use them he did.
As for Potter… well, Anthony absolutely despised him. The git had his head so far up his arse from all of the fame he received when he was in school. There were rumours that Potter was only made Auror commander because of his fame and Livingston wholeheartedly agreed. He had seen the blasted Auror in action, had even traded spells with him a couple of times before, and the idiot had no idea what he was doing! It was disgusting.
It was also Potter who ruined Anthony's career. Anthony Livingston was a fucking good Hit Wizard, damn it! It wasn't his fault that those Muggles died. If Potter had done his job well and caught The Collector like he was told to do then none of that would have happened. It was all Potter's fault but Livingston and Mackenzie took the blame.
Anthony loathed him with a passion.
The Hit Wizard took a swig of dark purple liquid from a vial and closed his eyes. Immediately he felt himself relaxing; felt his breath calm and his fists unclenched. His mind cleared and focused on the single goal that kept him going.
He would show Windsor and Potter that Anthony Livingston was not a wizard to be crossed.
They would pay for what they did and Livingston knew exactly what to do.
Harry buttoned up the dark green shirt Gabrielle had retrieved from his home to change into. It felt great to be back in his own clothes again instead of the hospital clothes he had to wear during his stay. As he dressed, Harry made a plan for the rest of his week. He would be back to work tomorrow and he knew for certain there was a lot of paperwork waiting for him. He was expected to write a report on the raid which sent his Aurors and the civilians to the hospital. He had other cases which needed his attention as well.
Harry also made a note to return to St. Mungo's later in the week to visit his Aurors who were still in treatment. Noah was still regaining full function of his transfigured leg. When Harry visited yesterday, the man was walking upright though slowly and with a limp. Harry hoped that he would heal soon since Noah Rochester had a little toddler of three years old he needed to be chasing around his home. Sasha Kim's arm was still healing too. It was her non-dominant hand so when Harry visited, the witch was already making use of her wand. Still, the healers wanted to keep her at St. Mungo's to monitor its mending since she was hit with a nasty burning spell.
His thoughts ended up back to the two Hit Wizards responsible. If what Draco said was true, then they would need to first identify the leak in the Ministry. But mole or not, Harry knew that it would take luck to find a new lead to capture Livingston and Mackenzie. The men were crafty and they were dangerous. They could not be allowed to take the Aurors for a surprise again.
Draco and Ron were there to take him home from St. Mungo's. He insisted that they really didn't need to do that since he wasn't an invalid but his best friends couldn't take no for an answer. "They couldn't risk it," they told him with sly grins. He might splinch himself when he apparated and they couldn't have that. With a roll of his eyes, Harry agreed. The two were waiting for him by the exits.
With one last look at the room where he recuperated, Harry walked out of the door and closed it behind him.
He walked past the other rooms of St. Mungo's Critical Care and greeted the medics he came across. Many wished him good health and he smiled in thanks. Lavender came into his room earlier to run one last scanning spell on him before declaring with a smile that he was good to go. She left him to get changed and told him to meet her at the front desk of the Discharge Centre afterwards. As Harry walked through the halls, his thoughts drifted back to Hermione. He was more than a little disappointed that it wasn't her who came to see him before his release. He wondered if there was an emergency she had to see through and immediately worried.
He rounded the corner and felt a breath of relief leave his system. Hermione was there talking to Lavender, Ron, and Draco by the long desk of Discharge where hospital administration staff eagerly worked. A smile started to grow in his lips as he walked towards them. She was laughing, he observed, at something Ron had said. She laughed so effortlessly. He heard her laughter and saw her head tilt back at her mirth. He walked a little faster towards them as if pulled by a strong magnet.
"Harry!" Lavender, who was the first to see him, greeted with a grin.
"About time you showed up, Potter," Draco said with a wry smile.
"I did say you didn't need to be here to take me home, Malfoy," Harry immediately retorted. "I'm not an invalid."
"Ah, but you were," Draco said. "We can't take any risks now can we, Weasley?"
"Not at all," Ron supplied. "We can't chance it. We don't want you ending up at the hospital again and bothering these two ladies." He jerked his head towards Lavender and Hermione.
"Oh but Harry was no bother at all!" Lavender insisted, taking the Auror's side. "We'd love to have him back here. Not as a patient, of course, but as a visitor." She winked at Harry.
Hermione watched him laugh and lean over to kiss Lavender on the cheek. "See that, Weasley? Your wife wants me." Harry put an arm on Lavender's shoulders and pulled her close to his side.
Draco snorted as Ron's face turned aghast. "You wound me," he told his wife.
Lavender rolled her eyes and removed Harry's arm from her shoulders. "As much as I would love to stay and watch you three bicker, I do have work to get back to," she said. "It's great that you're all better Harry, but I was serious before. We would love it if you visit us!"
She crossed the little circle they had formed to kiss Ron's cheek and wave goodbye at Draco. "I'll see you later. Hermione - you'll sign Harry out?"
Hermione nodded her head. A chorus of goodbyes rang around the group once more and they watched Lavender turn the corner and walk out of sight.
"Well Harry, shall we get you all sorted? There's a couple of paperwork you need to fill out before you can leave. It shouldn't take long," Hermione said. She gestured to a clipboard resting on the high counter behind her.
"Of course," Harry said. "Why don't you two wait for me by the apparition point?" He asked his friends with a clearly raised eyebrow. Ron was about to open his mouth to tell him they didn't mind staying but Draco nudged the redhead quiet.
"Sure, sure, take your time," the blonde wizard said in a drawl. "We'll be outside." He all but dragged Ron away.
Harry turned to the desk and picked up the quill to fill the forms. Hermione watched him silently from the side as he read the documents and signed his name. He rested the quill when he was finished and turned to face his angel.
"All done," he said with a small smile.
Hermione smiled in return. "Well, then. It was great meeting you, Harry, although I hoped it would be in better circumstances. But I'm really glad to see that you're all better. If you feel any pain at all from your wound then please come see me immediately. Here's my card," Hermione reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out a calling card listing various ways to reach her.
Harry took the card and pocketed it. "Hermione… I want to say thank you. I heard from everyone how serious my injuries were and they all said you worked on me for hours to repair the damage. I wouldn't be here without you."
He watched as that little smile graced her lips. The left corner of her mouth lifted and her dimple appeared. Since she didn't know how to respond, she took hold of one of his hands and squeezed. "I'll see you later, Harry," she said softly. "Take care of yourself."
She started to turn away from him, but he didn't let her. He kept her hand gripped tightly in his own.
"Have dinner with me."
Hermione whipped her head back and looked at him in surprise. He stood there with an easy grin. His hand kept a steady hold on hers with the thumb tracing lazy circles on her palm. The other hand was in the pocket of his jeans. His shirt brought out all the shades of green in his eyes and Hermione felt lost. She mustn't have heard him correctly, right?
"Pardon?" She asked in a whisper. His smile only grew wider and her brows furrowed.
"I'd like to take you out for dinner. I want to get to know you, Hermione." Harry said honestly.
She opened her mouth to reply and closed it again. He watched her blink as she tried to formulate a response to his request.
"I… don't know if that would be appropriate," Hermione said slowly. She started to chew on her bottom lip and Harry quirked a brow in question.
"Why wouldn't it be appropriate? Your friends are my friends, Hermione. We would have met each other eventually, and I know that when we do I would find you as intriguing then as I do now. I would ask you to dinner then, too… eventually. I want to know more about the beautiful witch who saved my sorry arse," Harry responded. He squeezed her hand gently and leaned a little closer. "Please have dinner with me."
Hermione's jaw had turned slack when he told her he found her intriguing. "Well…" she began, trying to find the right words to say. "First, you're my patient! It just wouldn't be right. And second, Ginny wouldn't approve of this!" She whispered furiously. She cast a glance at the staff behind the desk who were trying so hard to avert their gazes from the Auror and their Chief Healer.
A frown graced Harry's lips now. "First, I'm no longer your patient, as I've just been discharged." He nodded to the stack of documents still sat on the counter behind them. "And second, why would Ginny care?"
Hermione expelled a frustrated breath. She pulled Harry further away from the desk to give them more privacy.
"Because she's your girlfriend!" She whispered.
Harry blinked, dumbstruck at her proclamation.
"I don't know how you got that idea, Hermione," he said slowly. "But she is not my girlfriend. And, for the record, I do not have a girlfriend." Yet, he added silently as he watched her.
There was a myriad of emotions crossing her face which Harry found fascinating. Her annoyance turned to confusion which turned to happiness before quickly being replaced by embarrassment. His angel grew red-faced and her lips formed an "o" when she realized the misunderstanding.
"I see," she said awkwardly. "That's my mistake, then. I'm… sorry." She ended weakly.
He was silent for a moment.
"If I accept your apology then would you have dinner with me?" He asked again with a grin.
"Oh Harry, honestly!" His cheekiness drew out a laugh from the brunette. He stayed quiet and only looked at her expectantly. She considered his question, weighing the pros and cons of either response.
They would have met eventually.
And he would have found her intriguing then.
As intriguing as he found her now.
Hermione knew that she felt the same. She was fascinated by him and she wanted to know more. She wanted to know what made him happy. She wanted to know what could draw the smile from those gorgeous lips. She wanted to get to know him; to know what he liked and disliked. She wanted to see more of his interactions with his friends and she wanted to partake in them too.
Hermione knew she wanted more from this man.
So who was she to refuse fate?
They would have met eventually.
Hermione slowly nodded. She watched as that grin spread across his face until he was fully smiling at her.
"I'd love to have dinner with you, Harry." She said softly.
"Perfect," he whispered. "Is it okay if I make plans for us? I'm back to work tomorrow so I'll know my schedule better then. Would this weekend work for you?"
"Oh, yes, this weekend works," Hermione replied after quickly running her own schedule in mind.
"Great," Harry said. "I'll make plans and… I'll let you know. I've got your number after all." He patted his pocket where he had put her card.
He leaned closer to her and Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. His lips touched her cheek in a soft caress. The gentle brush of his lips on her skin had her heart beating faster in her chest. He gave her a dazzling smile when he withdrew and squeezed the hand he still held.
"I'll see you later, Hermione," he said. Regretfully, he let go of her.
"Goodbye, Harry," she whispered in response.
She watched him turn around and walk towards the apparition stations. Unbeknownst to her, the hand which he held crept up to her cheek to touch the spot he kissed.
The staff at St. Mungo's would whisper about the incident that transpired at Discharge for the weeks to come. They never spoke about it when they were in the company of non-staff members since they took care of their own, but in the lounges and break rooms the interaction between the Auror and Chief Healer were retold to eagerly listening ears. They would whisper how Chief Healer Granger left Discharge after being kissed by Auror Potter with a dazed smile on her face. In turn, those who saw Auror Potter walk towards the hospital's exit would say that he had what could only be described as a "shit-eating grin" on his face.
The hallways and rooms of St. Mungo's breathed with the tale of the Auror and the Healer. And it seemed like everyone in the hospital, from the medics to the healers and even the resident ghosts and magical portraits, were eagerly anticipating what would happen next.