A/N: Got no words. So, enjoy.
My Cheating Heart
By: tweety-src-clt9
Chapter Twenty-five: Plans and Potions
While still a bit confused about all the mind-boggling questions and the heart-fluttering feelings Harry's renewed presence in her life brings to her, she took Astoria's definition of love in all seriousness. Love is friendship on fire. That statement greatly resonates with her. It shall now be the basis of how she will process her relationship with her estranged husband. A man who despite all the walls she built around her fragile heart, little by little, is winning her over once again. She just wants to make certain that this time around, he will treasure her. Because she wants what her friends have. She wants a love forged in friendship made exciting because of a passionate fire.
If she will commit to being Harry's partner as the Mistress of Death in the afterlife, she wants to do it wholeheartedly. Of course, saving Viola Lily will always be her top priority, but she won't be entering into another relationship only to be heartbroken. She needs to be confident that she can trust Harry once and for all.
And she had a plan. Which she will start to execute now. She will give him a final test. Should Harry pass with flying colors, then she will give him what he's been working so hard to regain for the last ten years. If not, then she would just have to accept that she will have to wait a while to be with her daughter again.
So, here she is. Walking with a determined stride to the Auror Office. She will talk to Harry about two things - her plans and the potions.
"Hi! Could you – ", she greeted Harry's secretary.
"Lady P- Hermione, I mean – ", the woman was surprised to see her.
"Ms. Granger's fine", she said.
"What can I do for you, Ms. Granger?"
"Er, I need you to tell Harry that a woman is here to see him", she tried to act bashful but if only the secretary looked closely, there is a glint of slyness in her eyes.
"Of course, I'll tell him you – "
"No. Please don't say it's me. Just say a beautiful woman is here to see him."
"Okay…", the secretary gave her an odd look but complied. She stood from her seat and knocked on Harry's private door. She feigned nonchalance but she was eager to hear his reaction.
"What is it?", Harry's voice seemed stressed. Boy, I feel like a bitch for doing this, but I just had to be sure…
"Er, there is a beautiful woman here who wants to see you sir", the secretary said while glancing at her. She sounded unsure especially since Harry seemed to not be in a very good mood.
"I fucking don't care how beautiful this woman is! Merlin! I have so much shit to do since I will be busy when the ICW's potion expert comes. I will need a lot of strength for that. And I have to plan a bloody entrapment for the syndicate's operation next week. Don't disturb me!", Harry yelled.
Hmmm… that's a good sign. He's not easily lured by false promises of seeing beautiful women. Plus, he already added Abim's arrival in his schedule despite how busy he is. I didn't even tell him specific details yet. Good. Very good.
"Sorry, sir", squeaked the secretary. The shaken woman walked back to her desk.
"Er, he doesn't want to see you Ms. Granger", she said.
"It's alright. I'll handle it. Thank you so much for your help. Sorry, he yelled at you", she fidgeted.
This time, she was the one who came knocking on his door.
"What the hell! I said – ", Harry's voice is now much angrier.
"Harry, it's Hermione", she said.
"Oh. Come in", she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from chuckling. The shift in his voice was immediate. He was angry but when he learned it was her at the door, his mood shifted.
She opened the door to his office and she gasped when she saw the pile of reports. There was a large map on a board with markings on it. There were pictures of wanted people who she could only assume are members of the syndicate.
"Hi, Hermione. What can I do for you?", he said with a little smile.
"Your staff must have it hard huh?", she teased.
"I don't understand", he had the same adorably confused look from their Hogwarts days.
"You were yelling awhile ago about being not to be disturbed. But when you knew it was me, you let me in", she chuckled. His face flushed and he looked away. He rubbed the back of his neck, his signature gesture to indicate his nervousness.
"Yeah, er, well… You're important, I mean, whatever you say is important", his flush deepened and her heart fluttered at his slip. Huh? So I am important to you, eh Harry? This is getting better and better...
"What are your plans for Christmas?", she decided to try a full-on blunt attack.
"I – I – Christmas?" She knew she had him now – hook, line, and sinker.
"Yes… Christmas. You know the holiday. Santa Claus. Gifts. That kind of thing", she said playfully.
"I visit Teddy and the beneficiaries of the foundation", he managed to give a sensible answer after clearing his throat.
"Can you set aside some time to spend it with me? I'd love to meet Teddy and the foundation kids", she said.
"You want to spend Christmas with me?", he was shocked, she could tell. The look of joy in his eyes though made her feel that he might pass this test of hers. If she were honest with herself, she wants him to pass this test. Because despite all her denial, she wanted him back in her life.
"Ahuh", she said with a nod.
"You're sure?", his gobsmacked look was so funny. Forward girls always made Harry, the best friend she knew at Hogwarts, very awkward. The complete opposite of the drunk husband she remembered. This test will be so easy to do, she thought.
"Yes. Why would I ask if I'm unsure?", she huffed just like her know-it-all days at Hogwarts. He seemed to relax after that.
"Okay! Great! Brilliant!", he said excitedly. He cleared his throat; he must have sensed his over-eagerness. "I mean I would love to", he added.
"Will you be free tomorrow for the potion making?", she changed the topic.
"I can clear my schedule if it's needed", he offered.
"No. It's alright. I told them that I'll extract your blood at home. So, we can do it at night. As for magically increasing the volume of phoenix tears, you need to be magically rested for that. At least 6 hours of sleep before you perform the task of increasing it. I'll bring the vial of phoenix tears at home as well. So, maybe you could take a half-day off?", she said.
"That sounds fine", he said.
"Thanks, Harry, for the food earlier and for agreeing to do all this", she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek – her lips lingering a little longer than necessary – before walking away without turning back.
Harry Potter remained seated in his armchair looking confused and stunned.
"Did that just happen?", he muttered. Hermione seemed well, flirty. He was so used to her cold and fierce demeanor that her sudden subtle coquettish ways made him feel so flustered. He doesn't mind he should count it as a huge miracle, a sign that he was getting through her walls. But something about the way she is acting makes him wary at the same time. It was like she was testing him. Evaluating his reactions. Assessing something that he was unaware of.
Whatever it is, he should stand firm. If Hermione is determined to seduce him and test his control, then he must resist with all his might. Something tells him that if he gives in to her innocently beguiling ways, he would fail this test she is giving him. And he must not fail because he waited for ten years. He needed her back in his life. Master of Death or not, Harry Potter would always need Hermione Granger. So whatever test she must be playing at, he was determined to pass with flying colors.
After a brief courtesy call with the Minister for Magic, Abimbola Omenuko immediately went to St. Mungo's to meet with the rest of the medical research team. When he arrived via the fireplace, Evangeline Rosier and Kei Irie were already there waiting for him by the floo area.
"Welcome to Britain, Deputy Omenuko!", Irie greeted.
"Thanks, Irie. No need to be formal. I hardly think spending time with the Brits would tone you and Rosier down", he chuckled.
"Abim, you wound us", Rosier fluttered her eyes and all three of them shared a laugh. The ICW Medical Research team was like one big family of nerds who dedicate their lives in finding ways to find all sorts of cures for obscure diseases.
"Where is the Chief?", he asked.
"In the laboratory. Setting things up. We're tasked to wait for you here so that we can immediately bring you to her", Irie said.
"Come on, Abim", Rosier gestured for him to follow. He was escorted to a hidden set of stairs that led to a basement.
"Why did the chief set up the lab? Rosier is the potions expert among you three", he asked.
"The Chief is crazy famous here Abim. She hates the adulation and the whispers", Rosier explained.
"Ah I see", he muttered.
"Yeah the press had been publishing speculations about her ever since Lord Potter's open letter", Irie added.
"I heard about an accident", he said.
"Yeah. The Chief got a head injury but it was the core drain that took her out for three days", Rosier admitted.
"No wonder the Chief stayed away from Britain for so long", he chuckled.
"Yeah. Hermione Granger or as she's called the Lady Potter here is crazy famous. Lord Potter had to threaten the press to stop publishing articles about her especially those with pictures", Irie told him.
"So, do you think Lord Potter wants the Chief back? The ICW's been itching for news on that", he chuckled.
"Want her back? Please! That's such an understatement. He's like literally on his knees begging the chief for one more chance", Rosier whispered conspiratorially.
"Oh? Sounds exciting", he replied.
"You have no idea. But we'll gossip later. We're here", Irie said before opening the door to the laboratory.
"Abim! Welcome to Britain", Hermione greeted with a big smile.
"It's nice to see the most desired woman in Britain", he teased.
"Most desired woman in Britain?", she scoffed.
"Well isn't Lord Potter the most sought-after wizard here? My sources say that he's been following you around like a lost puppy, Hence…", he wiggled his eyebrows.
"I can't believe that the most brilliant minds in magical medicine indulge themselves in petty gossip", she huffed.
"Come on, Chief. We're just curious. You know we're like one big happy nerdy family. And well, we just want to see you happy", he said with a smile. He was very fond of Hermione Granger. She was like the younger sister he never had.
"Well, let's just say he's on a trial period. That's all I'm saying for now", she replied.
"Trial period?", Rosier and Irie chorused.
"Yeah. It means I'm giving him a conditional second chance. Until he passes the final test that is", she said.
"Does this final test include his shagging technique?", Rosier fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously and Irie leaned in with a leer. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Merlin! Why does everything have to be all about shagging for you two?", she huffed.
"Ah, chief. We kinda pity your sexless life. Sad really when you could have his hotness on your bed", Irie said with feigned sadness.
Seeing that Hermione is nearing her breaking point, he decided to intervene.
"Enough teasing the chief. Remember, she signs our payroll documents. Let's start potion-making", he announced.
When he looked around the lab, there was large empty cauldron. The chief, along with the rest of the team, had already prepared the initial ingredients he told them to set aside before his arrival. Since they have been exchanging constant communication, he already had initial ideas on the cure, but they just had to end the source of the virus and identify the key substance that was causing all the harmful effects. Because of Lord Potter's animagus form, he was confident that they will be solving this case soon.
"We all reviewed the list of ingredients you sent. Rosier and Irie conducted initial tests on scraped skin samples from the victims. They found out that the potion cannot be ingested. Instead, it has to be directly applied into the infected area where the virus has been attacking the bone and flesh of each victim", Hermione said as he was inspecting the ingredients.
"There are four healers here with surgical expertise. The chief is the fifth and the best. So, we will operate on the children per order of infection. The chief will demo on Patient A, and then the other four surgical healers can help work on the rest under her strict supervision. This will be a highly complex and dangerous operation. Here are the teams and corresponding patient list we have set up", Irie handed everyone a copy of the list.
"Alright. Good. Chief, is Lord Potter ready?", he asked.
"Yes. He will be taking the afternoon off to prepare himself for a large amount of magic he will be exerting later for the phoenix tears", she replied.
"Here is the vial of phoenix tears", he carefully removed a vial from his emergency kit and handed it to Hermione.
"Thank you. I'll be working on the tears and extracting his blood later at night. As soon as I get the extracts, I'll bring them back here to the lab", she said.
"Excellent!", he clapped his hands in excitement.
"Rosier stay here to assist Abim. Irie you are coming with me to brief the healers who will be part of the surgical operations", Hermione announced.
"The potion will be ready in forty-eight hours after all the ingredients are added in", he told the team.
"Brilliant job everyone", the chief grinned. All four of them focused on their tasks immediately.
Hermione Granger apparated back to Harry's penthouse at seven in the evening. She had a full day ahead after briefing the surgical healers and the members of each team who will be operating on the fifteen children. Before leaving St. Mungo's, she checked on Rosier and Abim's progress on the potion. Once everything was all set, she left the hospital to extract the last potion ingredient and to magically increase another vital component – the phoenix tears.
"Harry?", she called out into the main hall.
"I'm in the kitchen, Hermione", he replied. She carefully dropped her emergency kit on the center table before she walked into the kitchen. To her surprise, Harry Potter was busy preparing dinner. He was barefoot, dressed only in lounge pants. His bareback looked so sexy with his muscles flexing as he cooked. It was an adorable sight. A scenario that could be straight out of a romance novel since here was a drop-dead gorgeous man in an apron cooking dinner for her.
"Harry, I told you not to tire yourself out", she gently admonished.
"Hey, Hermione", he flashed her a grin before focusing back on whatever dish he was preparing.
"What's cooking?"
"Just a pasta dish. Nothing fancy", he shrugged.
"Okay. I'll just take a quick shower then. Thank you for cooking dinner", she said with a smile before leaving the kitchen to head for her bedroom.
After dinner, Hermione followed Harry as they headed for his bedroom. They decided to just conduct the blood extraction and the spell that will magically increase the volume of phoenix tears in the one part of the house that had the least amount of electrical devices. Harry's room only had lights and an air condition system there. The rest of his house was filled with appliances. To prevent a magical backlash, his room was the perfect place for their plans.
They also agreed during dinner that they would have him perform magic first since the blood extraction may wear him out.
The room was filled with a nervous and tense silence. They both understand how crucial this is. The impact of all this effort could save so many lives. So, everything must turn out alright.
"Here you go, Harry", Hermione handed him the small vial of phoenix tears. He accepted it with slightly shaking hands.
"Relax Harry. Everything will turn out fine. I believe in you", she gave him a big smile, hoping her confidence in him will help in some way.
"Yes. I can do this. We can do this", he muttered.
"Nowhere is an empty cauldron. I need you to drop the tears inside it and then you perform the magical increase", she reminded him.
"Yes. Yes. Okay", he nodded nervously. He was about to turn her back on her so that he could perform the task, but she held on to his arm.
"Did I forget something?", he stammered and she shook her head.
"For luck", that was the only thing she said before she leaned in and kissed him. This time around it was not just a peck. It was a real kiss that conveyed all her gratitude and her lingering attraction for him. When she pulled away, he had a dazed look on his face which made her giggle.
"Wow", he muttered with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Shouldn't have kissed you then. You need to focus and not be all dopey", she laughed.
"Sorry", he said sheepishly.
"Just get on with it, Potter", she huffed playfully.
"Yes ma'am", he gave her a mock salute and she rolled her eyes.
Harry squat down on the floor. He set the small cauldron beside him. Holding the elder wand, he closed his eyes to center his magic. Once he could feel his magic pulsating around him, he carefully opened the vial and dropped the small quantity of phoenix tears inside the cauldron.
Hermione gasped as she observed the sight. It was such a beautiful thing to watch. She saw Harry close his eyes again and when he opened it, his emerald green orbs were glowing. He mentioned no spell. He just pointed the elder wand on the cauldron and she could feel the air change because of his magic.
"I did it!", Harry said with joy. He successfully increased the amount of phoenix tears. Just like she thought he would.
The kids will be cured before Christmas now. Harry has done his part. All I need to do is lead a successful surgical operation… He and I always made a great team. Maybe Merlin was right. We would make a great Master and Mistress of Death…
"Hermione, look!", he called her over and she smiled as she walked towards him.
"I always knew you could do it, Harry", she said as she peeked down on the cauldron.
"Go on then, extract the blood on me. Do your thing", he encouraged.
"Aren't you a bit tired?", she asked.
"No. Not really", he mused.
"Okay. Why don't you go sit on the bed and I'll set up what I need to extract your blood? I'll be needing one bag Harry, that's quite a lot", she told him.
"Whatever you need, just do it", he said as he sat on the bed.
"Harry, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me", she said with tears in her eyes.
"Hey... don't cry. It's alright. Besides, no need to thank me. I'm happy to help. Really", he said.
Why do you make it so easy to fall in love with you again Harry?