A/N: A rather short chapter but it's rather important to the story...
Looking forward to your feedback!
My Cheating Heart
By: tweety-src-clt9
Chapter Nine: The First Task Completed
Hermione Granger had a very busy Monday morning. After sending a summary report of their findings on the origin of how the epidemic has spread to the Auror office, she along with her team went on rounds to check on the status of the patients. They're still not able to find a cure but due to their advanced knowledge and expertise, the spread of the epidemic was mitigated through initial therapies and potions.
While the curse affects only pureblood children through tactile contact, it still makes non-pureblood kids as carriers of the virus. Therefore, she already sent a team of healers to investigate which among the non-pureblood kids made contact with other children as well.
While Irie was finally able to identify the root cause of the virus and how it is being spread, Rosier and the rest are still investigating the gravity of the virus on a victim. Their findings suggest that it affects the skeletal system, something that causes the bones to weaken and eventually deteriorate. Since she was already able to study the toy that activated the virus, they were also able to discover that the charms were made to strengthen the potency of the unknown potion it was dipped in. Now she was sitting on a chair by her temporary desk at St. Mungo's as she examines the arithmancy of the spells on the toy over and over again. Come on, Hermione! Think! There must be something that you have missed here, she thought as she levitated the toy round and round.
"Chief Healer Granger? May I come in?", a masculine voice interrupted her concentration.
"Please come in", she politely replied.
"Chief Healer Granger, I would like to thank you for all that you have done for me during the emergency operation at the ICW headquarters", the auror she remembered to be Karl Richards formally addressed her and then bowed.
"No need to thank me, Auror Richards, I was just doing my job", she said with a polite smile.
"Chief Auror Potter assigned me to be in charge of your team's security for the week. I'm head of your protection detail for this week along with two other teammates who are now following Healer Irie and Healer Rosier as we speak", the man explained and she nodded.
"Thank you, Auror Richards", she said in a formal tone. She was very eager to get back to her work.
"Er, Chief Auror Potter wanted me to give you these", the man summoned something from outside her office and a bouquet floated towards him. The man gently placed the flowers on her desk along with a sealed envelope.
"Okay. If that is all, then I guess I'll see you later", she said as she gestured to the door. The man nodded and left the room. As soon as the door was closed, she glanced at the flowers on her desk. The bouquet was a beautiful arrangement of yellow carnations, pink cyclamen, white rhododendrons, pink candytufts, and yellow begonias. Leave it to Harry to give unconventional flowers…
November 25, 2010
Dear Hermione,
I hope you'll enjoy the flowers. This note is to acknowledge my agreement with your conditions as well as the significance of this day in our nine-month arrangement. I will do my best to comply with your ten requests. I only have a few questions; do I have to do them in chronological order? Also, how do I arrange the schedule for items 5 and 9? Lastly, please specify what cause you would want me to donate in (as well as the amount).
I know how hard it is for you to give me one last chance. I am very grateful that you consented to give me nine months before we officially end our marriage should I fail to win your love once again.
Sincerely yours,
Still your husband
Harry Potter
She can only shake her head and lightly chuckle after she read the note. It would seem Lord Potter is really as determined as I expected him to be…
She was so caught up in reading patient reports, examining the toy, and reviewing the arithmancy that she did not notice the time pass by. She was again bombarded by a knock on her door. She gave a faint reply for the person to enter and Neville Longbottom entered the room.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry Neville! I forgot that our catch-up lunch was today!", she exclaimed and her dear friend chuckled while taking a seat across from her.
"It's alright Hermione! Please take your time, I can wait here", he shrugged as his eyes were glued on the bouquet that was still on her desk. Hermione was busy piling the papers she was reading and then she hurriedly fixed herself.
"Are you ready to go?", she asked as she finished tidying her desk and fixing her wild curly hair.
"Who gave you those flowers? Whoever gave them to you is either oblivious about flower symbolism or is trying to scare you", Neville remarked as he now held the bouquet in his hand.
"What do you mean?", she asked with curiosity.
"Hermione, as a herbologist, I can tell you that these flowers don't mean positive things", he explained.
"Well?", she asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Alright! The cyclamens indicate resignation and good-bye. Candytufts mean indifference. Yellow Carnations symbolize disdain, rejection, and disappointment. Those three are not too scary although it's quite sad. But it's the rhododendrons and the begonias that bother me. Rhododendrons mean danger and that the receiver should flee. While the begonias mean beware", Neville elaborated.
"Really? That sounds interesting", she said with a chuckle.
"How can you make light of this?", he asked incredulously.
"Harry gave them to me. I reckon he's just being clueless", she shrugged.
"You don't think it doesn't mean anything?", he inquired with disbelief.
"Of course, not! Hey! I just got an idea", she took out an empty parchment and dipped her quill in ink.
November 25, 2010
Lord Potter,
This is to acknowledge receipt of your formal agreement and that of the flowers.
A word of advice, please be conscious of the sublime meanings of your gifts.
Per expert word of a herbologist, here are the meanings of the flowers you sent:
Cyclamen = resignation and goodbye
Rhododendrons = danger and to flee
Candytuft = indifference
Yellow Carnation = disdain, disappointment, rejection
Begonia = beware
So, with that, it's either you are threatening me or outright telling me that you are giving up.
Anyway, more details on the conditions will be given as soon as our schedules will be freer.
Confused and slightly offended,
Your determined soon-to-be ex-wife
Hermione Granger
She quickly cast a drying spell on the ink and sealed the note in an envelope. Neville gave her a curious look as she grabbed a purse, her wand, and the envelope. They left her office and she saw Auror Richards standing guard outside. She gestured to her friend to wait for a second as she addressed the auror.
"Auror Richards, could you please give this note to Lord Potter when you see him? Thank you", she handed the envelope to her security detail who nodded and placed the envelope in his pocket.
She looked at Neville and they walked towards the floo. She could feel her security detail tagging along while keeping a respectable distance to give them privacy. Together with Neville, they flooed to Diagon Alley in a flash of green flames.
"Mione, I hope your hungry because this restaurant serves excellent food. Aside from that, it's for a good cause", Neville led her to a street that she could recall was the notorious Knockturn Alley. She was surprised that the dingy street was now bright and homey. It was now filled with illustrious establishments and happy customers. They stopped in front of an elegant restaurant and she gasped as she saw the sign, Viola's.
Neville opened the door and they stepped inside. She was astounded that the elegant façade was a contrast to the inside of the restaurant. Inside, it was like taking a step inside wonderland. It reminded her of the scenery of a fantasy movie with the icy looking chairs and the elaborate paintings on the walls. She saw a lot of families enjoying their meals and her heart warmed at the corner where children get to play and read a few books.
"Lady Potter! Welcome to Viola's! It is an honor to finally have you here", a waiter wearing clothes that reminded him of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland greeted.
"Er, please call me Hermione", she replied.
"Of course, Miss Hermione", the waiter smiled politely and they were escorted to a table. As they sat down, the waiter handed them menus. When she opened it, she gasped.
Seventy percent of the profits from the restaurant are for the benefit of the Viola Lily Potter Foundation which provides scholarships for the less fortunate children and aid to our partner orphanages.
"Neville, why did you bring me here?", she asked once she got over her shock.
"I believe that you ought to know about this Hermione. Look, Luna may have avoided all contact with Harry ever since you left but I still am friends with him. I kept it a secret from Luna because I don't want to fight with my wife on this. I respect that you don't love him anymore but I just wanted to show you that he did love your daughter, Mione. Besides, I never betrayed your confidence about your whereabouts and other secrets of yours to Harry", Neville explained.
"How long has this been opened?", she said as her eyes glanced around the room.
"This place opened three years after you left", came the reply.
"Oh."
"I am sorry if bringing you here upsets you Mione but I do believe that it's time for you to confront your past with Harry so that you'll truly move on and forgive yourself. I would never interfere with your decision nor put ideas in your mind. However, I just want to say that you need closure. Hence, I brought you here. If you feel uncomfortable though, we can go somewhere else", Neville said reassuringly.
"No! No, let's stay here. This place reminds me of my Viola after all. And well, you do have a point. I have to completely move on from all of the pain", she sighed.
"You have to allow yourself to finally grieve, Hermione. You have to heal. Whether that healing brings you back to Harry or to leaving him for good, it will always be up to you. But I do believe that you have to confront him for you to finally get over all the things that happened in the past. That is the real reason as to why I added that condition on giving your friends a chance to hit Harry without him fighting back. I know you would never do it yourself because you are too nice to do that. I just want you to release all the angst in some way. Besides, Harry is my friend but I do want to punch him just once for what he did to you before", Neville admitted.
"You're a good friend, Neville", she smiled.
"I blame myself a bit for what happened to you and Harry. I was the one that told Luna and Fleur about Ginny dating Zabini at Hogwarts. I never knew it would end up like that. I know Luna and Fleur already apologized to you, but Hermione, please do forgive me too", he implored.
"Of course, you're forgiven Neville", she squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"You know Malfoy is right. You are too nice for your own good", Neville chuckled.
"It's one of my faults, I guess", she said sadly.
"Hermione, whatever happens, I only hope that the challenges we all drafted for Harry to do will help you regain your self-respect back, even just a little bit. You loved him too much in the past that you let him walk all over you. Which is not healthy at all! I know you don't want to bring up the past, but believe me, Mione, you need to regain your self-worth. Don't think about this as hurting or getting your revenge at Harry. But think of it as your means to place value on yourself. By loving him too much, you destroyed whatever it was that's left of the Hermione we all once knew", he explained.
"I know, Neville. You're right. By loving him too much, I unconsciously set myself in a self-destructive path. By letting him be the center of my world, I forgot to love and respect myself in the process. Yes! I will give Harry the chance to do the challenges before we finally part ways", she smiled sadly.
"Now I do hope you're hungry Mione because this place may look like a wonderland but the food here is out of this world!", he said with excitement as he gestured for a waiter to approach their table.
I guess I should consider Item 8 on the list to be fulfilled. After all, I am very certain that Harry already spent a fortune in setting up this non-profit business to fund the charity he set up for Viola Lily…