Chapter 63
It felt odd to be back in the village of Hogsmeade. Had it truly been less than a year that Meredith had roamed through this little village. It seemed smaller somehow. She glanced up the hill where Hogwarts stood and couldn't help feel a little saddened to be the outside looking in at a building that had once been her home away from home. She turned away and glanced down at the name of the shop on the parchment David had given her. She was in charge of shopping for the ingredients needed for the Wolfsbane potion as part of this evening's lessons. The shop was at the outskirts of the village. She could honestly say it was not a place frequently visited by students. It looked like the sort of place that would be in Knockturn Alley, not Hogsmeade. The place looked more rundown than the Shrieking Shack. She pushed open the rusty door and stepped inside. It was cold, not surprising for most of the windows were cracked. Dust covered almost everything. She glanced at the shelves. Some of these herbs were highly volatile, not likely to be found in Snape's potion cupboard. More likely to be found in the Restricted section of the library. Meredith let out a cry and a bony hand grasped her shoulder. She turned and saw a very old hunched over witch with a hooked nose and several warts.
"May I help you," the old witch said, her voice hoarse and scratchy. Meredith gathered her nerves which had gone dancing about the room and pulled the list from her pocket.
"Yes, I, um, a friend recommended your shop. This is what I need." The witch took the list in her long bony fingers.
"Ah yes," the old witch croaked pulling her wand from inside her many shawls. "Wolfsbane potion." She waved her wand and jars of ingredients flew from the shelves. Meredith couldn't help think that the woman and the shack were the very illustration of the muggle stereotypes of witches. She half expected the woman to start cackling. She was most relieved when she finally left the hut. She glanced at her watch. She had a few hours before she was supposed to be meet David. She needed some chocolate. She smiled as she saw the large group of Hogwart students in the village. There were quite a few familiar faces in the throng. She stepped into Honeydukes and selected an assortment of chocolate.
"Meredith." She smiled at the familiar voice.
"Hermione," she said giving the younger girl a hug. They had been keeping regular correspondence since the Yule Ball. Meredith was starting to think of Hermione almost like a younger sister.
"It's so great to see you," Hermione said. "What are you doing in Hogsmeade?"
"Shopping," Meredith said casually. After they paid for their chocolate and departed the sweet shop Hermione took a peek in Meredith's bag.
"Mugwort, wolfsbane, powdered hollylock," Hermione listed off the items in Meredith's bag and her eyes widened.
"You have a lesson with David tonight," Hermione said softly. Meredith grinned.
"He's letting me do the preparation tonight," Meredith said. Hermione squealed with glee.
"That's so exciting," Hermione said. "So what else is going on with you two?" Meredith smiled. In their letters they often spoke of their new relationships. Meredith knew the things that Hermione shared with her were not things the younger girl would share with Harry or Ron. She supposed she was in the same boat. Her relationship with David was new and exciting as Hermione's must be with Viktor and there were certain things she didn't feel comfortable speaking about to her father, or her colleagues at St. Mungoes.
"We haven't seen each other too much lately," Meredith confessed. "I've been on artifact accidents for the last two weeks. Not too many traumas coming in."
"So you must be excited to see him tonight," Hermione said. Meredith smiled. To be truthful she had missed David. The short moments they had managed to grab together between patients, while wonderful, definitely left her feeling a bit unsatisfied. She wasn't entirely sure what to do with these feelings though. She liked what she and David had and what they were to each other but, she felt like there should be more. What's more, she could sense that David wanted more. Not that he had said anything. David never pushed for more than what she was comfortable with.
"Meredith," Hermione said. Meredith pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind.
"I am," she said. "I'm meeting him at his flat in a few hours."
"His flat?" Hermione said. "That's new." Meredith blushed. This would be the first time going to David's flat and she was a bit nervous. When David had suggested it, he'd given no indication that he was expecting anything. But she couldn't help at wonder.
"Meredith!" Meredith's nerves were replaced with joy as she saw Harry coming toward her with Ron in tow.
"Harry," she greeted him happily. Harry was grinning as she pulled him into a hug.
"It's great to see you," Harry said.
"And you," Meredith said. "My goodness you've grown so much since I saw you last. Hi Ron."
"Hi," Ron said.
"We were going to have lunch at the Three Broomsticks," Hermione said. "Can you join us?"
"That'd be lovely," Meredith said. Harry's grin widened. Ron and Hermione led the way, while Harry hung back to speak quietly to Meredith.
"Have you seen Sirius recently?" he said softly. She nodded.
"He came for dinner a few days ago," she said.
"How is he?" Harry asked. Meredith put her arm around his shoulder.
"Worried," she said. "Worried about you like all of us are." Harry nodded. They didn't speak again till they were seated in a booth. No sooner had they been served their drinks but the door flew open and in walked Rita Skeeter, looking like a giant banana.
"It's that awful woman," Hermione hissed.
"Don't look at her," Ron said. "Maybe she just won't see us." Unfortunately, they were not to be that lucky.
"HARRY!" Harry cringed. Meredith looked cooly at the reporter. She had never met the woman personally, but the articles she had written about St. Mungoes, Harry and the lastest one she had written about Hagrid, Meredith was prepared to hate her on principle.
"What a pleasant surprise running into you here."
"Wish I could say the same," Harry said. "How dare you write that article about Hagrid!" Meredith found it amusing watching the woman's eyes twitch ever so slightly.
"People have the right to know the truth, Harry," Rita said.
"Your version of it," Meredith said rolling her eyes. Rita's eyes fell upon her.
"And you are?"Rita asked her cooly.
"That hardly matters," Meredith said. Rita eyes widened in realization.
"Oh yes," Rita said. "You work at St. Mungoes. You were present during that whole dreadful business with the illegal dragons and those muggles. Nasty business."
"Not nearly so nasty as you made it sound," Meredith said calmly sipping her gilly water. "I noticed in your article you turned our fifteen victims into two hundred and claimed that all two hundred were lost due to St. Mungoes incompetent healers. Put that quill back in your bag or wear it up your nose." Hermione, Ron and Harry could barely contain themselves as Rita's handbag snapped shut and the woman herself flounced away with a huff.
"That was amazing," Ron said. Meredith rolled her eyes.
"That woman's a menace," she said. "One of these days she's gonna sensationalize the wrong person and her number will be up." They all chuckled. The conversation turned to the Triwizard Tournament.
"How are you coming with the egg Harry?" Meredith asked. Harry blushed and Hermione snorted.
"I haven't quite figured it out yet," Harry said. This concerned Meredith greatly. The second task was fast approaching.
"He might have figured it out if…"
"Hermione," Harry growled. Meredith turned in her seat to stare Harry right in the face.
"What's going on, Harry," she said using the same tone she used when a patient was reluctant to tell her how he acquired his suspicious injuries.
"Well," Harry said awkwardly, "I may have gotten a hint how to figure it out."
"From whom?" Meredith asked.
"Cedric Diggory," Harry grumbled.
"And Harry won't take his advice because Cho went to the Yule Ball with Cedric."
"Ah," Meredith nodded. Meredith knew about Harry's crush on Cho Chang through Harry's letters. The boy had never come right out and said it but Meredith could read between the lines.
"It's not like it was much of a clue," Harry said.
"What's the clue?" Meredith said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"All he said was take a bath," he said.
"Maybe it wasn't a clue at all," Ron said. "Maybe Cedric doesn't like how Harry smells." Meredith rolled her eyes and Hermione smacked Ron upside the head.
"What else did he say Harry?" Meredith said. Harry scratched his head.
"Nothing really. He said 'take the egg to the prefects' bathroom and mull things over in the water." Meredith felt a slight twist in her chest as he mentioned the prefects' bathroom but she pushed it aside to think about what Diggory might have meant.
"Mull things over in the water," she said.
"Yeah," Harry said. "I don't know what that's supposed to mean. Every time I open the thing it just lets out that awful wail." Something clicked in Meredith's brain.
"Maybe you have to open it under water," she said softly.
"Harry of course!" Hermione said excitedly. "That has to be it."
"So why didn't Cedric just say "Put the egg under water, Harry. Why did he have to be so bloody cryptic?"
"Who cares about that Harry," Meredith said. "You have to try it. Do it tonight. Once you know what you're up against you'll have to figure out how to take on the second task and you don't have a lot of time." Harry looked reluctant.
"Harry," Meredith said sternly. "You can't let your pride get in the way of you solving that clue. You're life is at stake here."
"All right, all right," Harry said. "I'll do it tonight." Meredith smiled.
"Thank you Harry," she said.
Meredith pushed her worries and concerns about Harry aside as stood in front of David's building. He lived in a muggle neighborhood, so his parents would feel comfortable visiting he said. He had told her how to do this. She stared at a small box next to the door. There were a bunch of buttons with flat numbers next to them. She pressed the one next to 3F. For a moment she heard nothing but static.
"Yes?" Meredith jumped ten feet. She stared at the box which had just spoken to her in David's voice.
"Um, it's me," she said.
"Come on up," the box said again. She heard a loud buzzing sound and saw the door click. She pulled the door open and stepped inside. She took a glance at the elevator and opted for the stairs. Three floors was nothing for a healthy young witch like herself. She was only slightly winded when she knocked on the door. David took one look at her and laughed.
"Not brave enough to take the lift eh?" he said taking the shopping bag from her hand.
"Heck no," she said stepping into the flat. It was most definitely a bachelor pad. The furniture looked comfortable but none of it matched. The kitchen was spotless as she expected it would be. He had set out the cauldron and all the tools they would need for brewing potions. There was a pleasant aroma wafting from the oven.
"Lasagna should be ready in a few minutes," he said waving his wand and setting the table. "I thought we'd eat first."
"You're cooking?" she asked.
"You don't think I can cook?" he asked clasping a hand over his heart in mock hurt.
"I've never seen it happen," she said. David grinned.
"I'll be the bigger man and not lie to you. My mother made it, I'm just reheating it." Meredith rolled her eyes and let David take her coat and pour her a glass of wine.
"Any trouble in Hogsmeade?" he asked her. Meredith shuddered a little making David laugh.
"Eudora can be a little frightening till you get use to her,"David said. "But she's harmless I assure you."
"I'll have to take your word for it," Meredith said. They sat down to eat and they caught each other up on the past few weeks.
"I'm telling you Meredith," he said stabbing at a piece of salad, "there are simply no other HIT's in your year that can handle trauma the way you can. This week I've had two that fainted, three that threw up and one that curled up under the table and started crying." Meredith bit her lip and tried not to laugh.
"I'm not saying I'm not going to make trauma my specialty. I just want to keep my options open."
"Ah, it's such a waste," David said. Meredith shook her head as took another sip of wine. She didn't know if it was the wine or the conversation but she was feeling very relaxed.
"So," David said after the dishes were cleared. "Let's begin." Meredith nodded eagerly. She laid out her ingredients in the order in which she would need them.
"All right," David said. "Step one?"
"Grind up four sprig of wolfsbane," she said taking the blue flower and grinding it with her mortar and pestle.
"Very good," David said. "step two?"
"Mix the grind up wolfsbane with two teaspoons of asphodel and set over the fire to heat." Step by step she added each ingredient as she had seen David do several times. All her thoughts were focused on doing this task perfectly. Twenty seven ingredients that had to be grinded, chopped, blended and boiled just exactly right.
"Okay," David said standing behind her. "Now this is the critical part." Meredith drew her breath as she picked up the powdered hollylock in one hand while she continued to stir sickly colored green mixture in the cauldron.
"Gradually sprinkle the hollylock just a little at a time while you keep stirring," he said. Meredith tasted the blood in her mouth as she bit her lip as she sprinkled the dark red powder over the potion with her left hand while keeping the continuous stirring with her right hand. This was what made the potion so difficult to make. Not many witches or wizards were able to master the technique. Indeed her wrists were starting to ache but she was determined to do this correctly so she ignored the pain and kept going. Once the powder was appropriately mixed in the potion turned the nasty gray color it always was.
"Excellent," David said happily. "You've done it Meredith!" Meredith stepped back from the cauldron and wiped the sweat from her face. She had done it.
"It's good, right?" she asked. "I mean it will work?" She knew the potion would have to be tested and she shuddered to think what would happen to the werewolf that was to be guinea pig if she had done something wrong.
"Absolutely," he said taking the spoon and dipping it into the potion. "Right texture, the color is good. It's perfect Meredith." Meredith sighed in relief and raised a hand to her eyes. She didn't know what to feel at that moment. This right here was why she had become a healer. It was something she had wanted to learn since she was a child. She glanced up at David who was beaming with pride.
"Thank you," she said starting to feel tears come to her eyes. "Thank you for teaching me this. You have no idea what this means to me."
"There's no need to thank me," David said cupping her cheek. "I was happy to teach you. You have a gift Meredith, as I've always said." She tilted her head up to kiss him tenderly. She didn't know whether it was the wine or her victory that made her feel bold but she deepened the kiss parting her lips so that his tongue could enter. Her hands came up and held tightly to his shoulders pulling him closer. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She could feel his heart pounding through his thin shirt. He pulled away suddenly and turned away to tend to the potion.
"It, uh, needs bottled right away," he said, his voice shaking and his face red. Meredith felt her face flush in embarrassment. What had she done wrong? She picked up a vial and quickly started to fill it with potion. She felt the tears in her eyes and pushed them away furiously. She grabbed the vials in stuffed them into her bag.
"I better be getting home," she said unable to look at him.
"Meredith wait," David said laying a hand on her shoulder. "Please don't go." Meredith turned to face him brushing.
"I'm sorry," she said. He brushed the tears from her eyes before pulling her against him.
"It's not your fault," he said. "You have no idea how much I want you Meredith. I had to stop before things went too far and I couldn't control myself." Meredith sighed as she leaned against his heart. All her doubts and fears left her as she tilted her chin up to look at him.
"Who says I want you to control yourself?" she whispered laying her hand on his chest. She felt him tense as his hand came up to cover hers.
"Meredith," he said breathing hard.
"You said there was so much you had to teach me," she said her voice steady even as her heart pounded. "So teach me." He gripped her hands in his own and stared into her eyes.
"You have to be very sure," he said his gaze intense. "If you take this step, there's no going back." Meredith pulled her hands from his and cupped his face.
"Good," she said.
Meredith slowly opened her eyes. With a start she realized she was not in her bedroom, or the on call room or anywhere that she recognized. She also realized that there was something warm and heavy pressed against her back and across her stomach. She felt around in the dark until she felt the weight on her stomach. She realized it was someone's arm and it all came back to her in a flash. David. She'd fallen asleep in his bed last night after he'd made love to her. Her face grew hot as she remembered. It had been…incredible! He'd gone slowly, making every kiss, every touch last as long as possible. He'd been so gentle and so tender. All the books she had read didn't come close to what it truly felt like to have someone take you to the highest peak of pleasure. She smiled as he felt her lips against her neck.
"Good morning," he whispered in her ear. She turned over onto her back to gaze up at him.
"Hello there," she said biting her lip nervously. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do or say now. He took her hand gently and lifted it to his lips.
"How are you?" he asked. She smiled.
"Wonderful," she said. He reached up and gently touched her neck where the skin was a bit tender. She had a feeling that he had left his mark there.
"I fear I may have been too rough last night," he said concerned. She put her finger to his lips and shook her head.
"No," she said. "It was perfect." He leaned down and kissed her softly.
"You were perfect," he said. She lowered her eyes as she felt the heat in her face. The moment was interrupted by the chimes of the clock. Meredith sat up and looked at the clock on the wall.
"Oh lord," she said. It was almost six o'clock. She rolled out of bed wrapping the sheet around her and started hunting around for her clothes.
"I have to get home," she said rummaging on the floor and locating one of her shoes. "I'm surprised my father hasn't sent out the entire British army looking for me." She located her other shoe at the foot of the bed and her underpants on a chair. She found her dress in the doorway under David's shirt. Her face turned scarlet as she realized she couldn't locate her bra. She dashed out into the living room and found her wand. She hurried back into the room.
"Accio bra!" she said firmly. Her face got even hotter as it flew from the top of the bureau into her hand. David was chuckling from the bed. Meredith rolled her eyes as she started to get dressed. She looked away when she found David's eyes watching her.
"Stop that," she said sternly covering herself with the sheet. David laughed.
"You don't have anything I haven't seen," he said. But he averted his gaze to pull his trousers on. She let the sheet drop and pulled on her clothes. She sat on the bed to pull on her shoes. She ran her wand over her dress and hair to attempt to give herself a slightly less rumpled appearance then stepped out into the living room and found her bag with the wolfsbane potion. David helped her into her coat and tugged on his own.
"You don't have to apparate me home," she said. David wrapped his arm around her.
"I just looked outside," he said. "There's some dark clouds rolling in. We're in for a storm." Meredith nodded and laid her head against his shoulder. She felt the tug behind her navel and when she opened her eyes she stood on her front stoop. She stepped back and gazed up at him.
"Will I see you later?" he asked.
"My shift starts at noon," she said. He nodded.
"I enjoyed last night," he said.
"So did I," she said. He leaned down and kissed her.
"Goodbye," he said.
"Bye," she said. She stood on the stoop as he disappeared with a pop. She took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the door. On tip toe she moved toward the stairs hoping and praying that no one was awake.
"Morning," a voice said behind her.
'Damn', she thought turning around. Sirius stood behind her, a cup of tea in hand and a look of amusement on his face.
"Just getting in?" he asked.
"Um," she said. "I was um…"
"Save it," he said. "I recognize the walk of shame all too well." Meredith rolled her eyes.
"So," Meredith said crossing her arms. Sirius stared her down and she just stared right back.
"What's going on down here?" Remus muttered coming down the stairs.
"Your daughter," Sirius said, "Was trying to sneak up stairs after returning home at six am wearing the same clothes she was wearing when she left the house yesterday." Meredith looked at the floor. She had no intention of listening to Sirius's lectures about irresponsibility, but her dad was a different story. Remus had an odd look on his face that was both sadness and worry.
"Were you careful?" he asked. Meredith shifted uncomfortably. David had done a spell both before and after, which he had said was more effective than contraceptive potions. Not having any experience with these things she'd had to trust David to take care of it.
"Yes," she said. Remus stared at her as though he didn't recognize her. Meredith ducked her head again. Remus sighed.
"Go on upstairs and take a shower," he said. Meredith nodded and scurried past him. Sirius stared at Remus incredulously.
"That's it?" he asked his oldest friend. Remus shook his head and headed into the kitchen. He needed a cup of tea.
"Moony?"
"What!"
"Is that's all you are going to say to her?" Remus rubbed his eyes and put the kettle on to boil. He was getting too old for this.
"What was I suppose to say, Padfoot?" he said. "It's done."
"You could at least act like you're upset about this. My god, she's gonna think you approve of this?"
"She knows me better than that," Remus scoffed. "I'm not happy about it Padfoot, but whether you like it or not she's not a child anymore. She's eighteen years old, and she makes her own decisions. And besides, I didn't exactly hear you expressing your disapproval of her actions to her."
"I can't," Sirius said throwing up his hands. "I can't give her any lecture without looking like a bloody hypocrite."
"Oh, so because I was the good boy I'm supposed to lecture her."
"You're the one that raised her," Sirius said. "You're the one she listens to."
"Yes," Remus said. "I raised her. I raised her to make her own decisions. And so far she's has yet to disappoint me."
"Until now," Sirius said. Remus shook his head.
"I am not disappointed in her Sirius. You think I didn't know this was going to happen eventually? If it wasn't David it would have been someone else. Maybe someone who didn't care about her like David does."
"Oh please," Sirius said.
"He does care about her Sirius," Remus said. "As much as you might want him to be the villain in this, he's a good man. Meredith wouldn't still be dating him if he wasn't."
"He could be fooling her, and you," Sirius said.
"That's a weak argument if ever there was one," Remus said. He grabbed a cup from the cabin a poured a cup of tea. He couldn't deny that something inside him had ached when he realized his sweet innocent Meredith was no longer innocent. But, he couldn't change what had already happened and so he had to accept it. He knew David was a good man who cared about Meredith. He had seen it in the young man's eyes the first time he'd met him. He also knew that if this had happened it wasn't due to David's pressuring his daughter. No, Meredith was far too strong willed for such a thing.
"I never should have gone after Peter," Sirius said. "I wouldn't have gone to jail, Angela would have lived and Meredith would have had a mother."
"And how exactly would that have guaranteed Meredith would remain celibate till marraige?" Remus said with a snort. "Sirius, I know you regret missing out on her life. But you can't turn back the clock. Meredith is an adult and we have to treat her like one."
"Ah, you're right Moony," Sirius grumbled. "Do I have to like it?" Remus chuckled.