CHAPTER 17: Journey

A/N: Hey guys, deep apologies for the delay but alas, the new chapter is here. Don't normally say this as I'm very critical of my own work but I'm very proud of this one. So, without further ado...

Interior, Rode's Café Paradise, Diagon Alley – Afternoon

Hermione was heading towards the booth near the back corner with Katharine following along with Lyla trailing behind her mother. Hermione opted for the seat that was lined against the wall as Katharine sat down opposite her.

"Where's Harry" Hermione got straight to the point.

Katharine's eyes turned wide with fear shining in them.

"Umm..." She turned and twisted her hands nervously under the table. "I don't-"

"Don't give me that bullshit" Hermione hissed, aware that they were in the presence of a child as Lyla stopped next to her mother.

Katharine begged with her eyes and was about to open her mouth when a sharp intake of breath from her left grabbed her attention.

"Wow!" Lyla gasped. Both women turn their heads in her direction. She was looking around in awe, taking in the beauty of the interior with wide eyes sparkling in excitement. Her gaze locked on to the wall facing the counter that was covered with exquisite canvases, each different from the other. They ranged from large open field to mystical castles on a mountain top to a street market. Each painting was alive, whether it was people and carts dragging along the golden path that cut between the field or the wind rustling the leaves of an enormous tree that stood to the left of the castle. However, her eyes lingered on the bustling street where people of all ages seemed to be enjoying the sunny day with beaming smiles on their faces.

Her own lips spread apart watching the scene.

Hermione swiped a stray curl away as a small tug lifted a corner of her mouth as her gaze followed hers.

"Which one's your favorite"

But Lyla was in a world of her own as she didn't even acknowledge her.

"Lyla" Katharine wound an arm around her daughter's waist, bringing her out of fantasy land.

"Yes mummy" the little girl voiced out as she faced her.

"Miss Granger asked you something" she inclined her head towards Hermione who was watching their interaction with a warm smile.

"Oh" Lyla turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry" a pink hue swam over her cheeks.

"Oh, no need to apologize" Hermione waved her hand. "I was just wanting to know which of the paintings is your favourite"

The embarrassment lifted off Lyla's face faster than a snitch and a giddy expression replaced it as she gave Hermione a toothy smile. "Oh! It's that one!"

Hermione followed her finger's direction before slowly nodding her head. "Nice. It's my favourite too"

Lyla whipped her head round towards her. "Really!" she exclaimed.

"Hmm mm" smiled Hermione.

"Then you have good taste too"

Katharine guffawed as Hermione's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "Really" Lyla nodded. "Well, I'm glad then because I wouldn't want to have bad taste." She scrunched her face in disgust. "Doesn't sit well with my taste buds"

Lyla started giggling which prompted Hermione to smile wider.

Just then, a waiter levitating a plate of white cake with strawberry on top walked up to the table that sat a small family of four. Their table was lined against the wall too but a row separated them.

Hermione watched Lyla stare at the delicious looking dessert with wistful eyes.

"Excuse me" she called out to the waiter, grabbing his attention as he was walking back to kitchen. He headed over to them with a friendly smile plastered over his face. He was quite young, anywhere between late teens to early twenties. He had short spiky brown hair and a stubble.

"Good afternoon, ladies. How may I be of assistance to you all" he did a little bow.

"Good afternoon, we'll have one serving of white cake and-" she turned to Katharine.

"I'm good" Katharine replied, before ducking her head.

"And two chocolate fudge ice-creams" she said to the waiter.

"That's all?"

"Yes"

"Won't be a moment" he turned to walk.

"Actually" Hermione stopped him. She appeared hesitant when he faced her again, a light blush coloring her cheeks. "Make that two scoops"

"On both or just one?"

"Umm..." she looked at Katharine who shook her head. "Just one"

The waiter nodded before walking away.

"That wasn't necessary" Katharine said, as she nervously rubbed her hands together.

"You ought to try their ice-cream. It's really good. I mean not as good as Florean's but still very good"

Katharine just gave her a polite smile in return.

"Lyla, sweety" Hermione began. "They have a play room through that door with all sorts of games. My children used to love it. I don't know if they have it now but they also used to have a small enclosed arena for flying"

Lyla's eyes turned wide before she whipped her head towards her mother. "Can I go, mummy! Please, please, please! I really want to go flying!" she started bouncing in her excitement.

"But honey you don't even know how to fly."

"Oh, that's fine" Hermione cut in. "They have charmed the brooms so they don't go above four feet off the ground. Plus, the entire surface is charmed with the cushioning charm, including the walls and they only let one child in at a time so there won't be any traffic."

Lyla stuck her bottom lip out and Katharine finally relented as she sighed. "Alright"

"Yay!" Lyla clapped her hands together in victory as Katharine pulled her in and kissed her cheek, making her giggle.

A forlorn expression came over Hermione's face as she stared at the mother daughter interaction.

Lyla pulled back and dashed away.

"Slow down, Lyla!"

Katharine rolled her eyes as she faced Hermione. "That girl is going to be the death of me" she muttered.

Hermione smiled. "All kids are like that"

"It's just that I've never been a fan of brooms and flying very much, thanks to a bad episode when I was little."

"Trust me when I say that you've nothing to worry about and you'd be hard pressed to find another person who is more against flying than me. First of all, I hated that barbaric sport and it wasn't until I was eighteen that I got on a broom. But my husb- my kids loved it so to compensate I used to bring them here. They would get their fill and I wouldn't have to shout at them to stop playing with their father's broom."

Katharine ducked her head and cast her eyes at the table at the sudden shift in the mood, which Hermione seemed to notice as well as her own smile vanished.

The silence didn't last much longer however as the waiter came back levitating their orders beside him.

"Here you go" he gently laid the plates on the table before looking around. "Where did the little one go?"

"Oh, she's in the flying arena" Hermione answered.

"Brilliant" he smiled, flicking his wand in an upward motion. The plate with the white cake levitated in the air. "I'll take this over to her"

"Thank you"

He had only taken couple of steps when Katharine stopped him. "Excuse me"

"Yes maam" he turned round.

"Could you please stand beside her while she eats. It's just that she takes very big bites and munches everything quickly when she's excited-"

He lifted his hand. "You don't need to worry, maam. I'll make sure she eats properly"

"Thank you" Katharine gave him a grateful smile before he walked away.

Hermione had already taken a spoonful of her dessert and motioned Katharine to indulge in the cold, sugary sweet as well when she faced her.

Katharine's bowl was much smaller than hers as it was only a single scoop. She grabbed her spoon and cut a small piece of the chocolate dessert before lifting it to her mouth.

"It's amazing" she closed her eyes briefly and smacked her lips.

"I told you"

For a while both women silently enjoyed their dessert but there remained a lingering tension that had reappeared once the waiter left.

"I need to know where Harry is" Hermione said after a while, bringing the conversation back to the start, albeit in a much gentle tone. Katharine's head flipped up and the muscles of her face tensed as her eyes locked with Hermione.

Hermione glided her half-eaten plate to the side and placed her elbows on the table. She folded her hands and leaned forward slightly.

Katharine dropped her hands to her lap and once again started nervously fiddling with them. "I swear I don't know-"

"I don't care what he's told you, I don't care about any of that. I just need to know where he is and if you care even the tiniest bit about him you will tell me."

"Ms. Granger-" Katharine shook her head, her breathing slightly uneven. "We're not – it's not like that between us. The papers are wrong. It-" she halted when Hermione lifted her palm.

"I know"

Katharine's eyes turned slightly wide before her expression contorted into confusion.

"I know there was never anything between you and him, no matter the narrative the daily prophet tried to create. I'm also sure that he probably told you not to come forward and make a statement to the press, in other words, tell the truth. He was right. It would've only worsened the situation and a gossip monger publication like the daily prophet would've only twisted your statement to throw another punch at Harry. A gossip relies on word of mouth, people talking, and that narrative would've stayed alive if you would've stepped forward which is what that piece of shit paper was banking on. By not doing so it became yesterday's news, like every other bullshit rumor."

"B-but the people believe-" Katharine started but Hermione cut her off.

"Let them believe. You can't control what everyone believes or thinks, and believe me you coming out and saying otherwise wouldn't have changed their opinion. It would've only strengthened their false beliefs." she scoffed, leaning back and folding her arms across her chest. "It would be easier to convince the magical community that all beings are equal than to convince them that women who sell their bodies for survival are people too"

A look of shame flashed across Katharine's eyes. Hermione's eyes softened and she held an arm out and motioned Katharine to do the same. The younger woman hesitated for a moment but eventually acquiesced.

Hermione grabbed her hand and held it.

She stared down at the table and Katharine waited with baited breath for her to speak. Seconds passed along like this as the only sound in the large lounge room was the low hubbub wafting through the main door.

Hermione lifted her head and gave her a rueful smile. "A long time ago..." she gave a little laugh. "Boy it almost feels like a century ago now." she cleared her throat. "I used to believe that we were products of our circumstances. Good, bad, poor, rich, healthy, sick, I believed our circumstances shaped us, from the very beginning. If your home life was of a certain condition or you hung around with people of certain nature and they had a big influence on you then you would turn out to be like them. You wouldn't even realize it; it wasn't like you would gravitate towards it but that's all you knew." She paused, her hand still holding Katharine's.

"You see, I've always tried to make sense of the world so I've always relied on facts or probabilities. I have this habit, good or bad, I don't know but it's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I would observe people and then make assumptions of who they are, where they have come from, what their background is, what is their family life." She shook her head. "Silly little game just to amuse myself." A small smile crept over her features as she continued. "That's what I used to believe in and then one day my viewpoint shifted on its axis. It was a very fine day I still remember, very beautiful and magical, pun intended"

Both women shared a laugh.

"Anyway, I was in Hogsmeade and I was sitting at this bench that overlooked the high street. It was up on a small hill."

"I know the one you're talking about" Katharine cut in.

"Yeah, so..." she let out a deep sigh and rubbed a finger lightly under her brow. "I was at a crossroads in my life. When I think about it now it seems childish because the answer is so clear but back then, when you're that age and question everything, especially me, it was absolutely paramount. I don't want to sound dramatic but it was like death and life. It gave me so many sleepless nights." She waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, that's another story, one we don't have time to delve into. Back to what I was getting at, normally I would sit alone on that bench but that day someone sat next to me and we were both looking at this poor old man who was begging for money on the sidewalk. He was sitting on his haunches and wearing tattered old clothes. It broke my heart actually, still does. Every time I went to Hogsmeade, he was there, on that exact spot, in that same position, holding the same sign. 10 galleons to survive the day. That's what it said on the sign. He had a hat that people threw money in and when he had his ten galleons he would walk away."

"How do you know he walked away after ten. Maybe on a lucky day he got 20."

Hermione shook her head. "No, because he always left on different times. Sometimes he only stayed till the afternoon and sometimes he was there till dark. You see a good day, or lucky as you put it, was how quickly he got the money, not how much."

"Did you ever talk to him?" Katharine asked.

Hermione shook her head. "Not while he was there. I was saving up money which could help him for not just one more day but a few weeks. Till then I was too ashamed to start a conversation with him, I felt like we as a society had failed him and I was part of that society. When I said this to the boy who was sitting beside me, he rejected that notion and said, 'it's his choice'."

Katharine gasped and Hermione nodded her head at her reaction. "Yup, I had the same reaction. I was like, motherfucker, what did you just say. I was so about to rip into him. I remember going for my wand to hex him into next century for such a tactless and an ill-considered remark, and also the way he said it, so callously. But he continued and said, 'Why are you sitting at this bench'. For a moment I was dumbstruck, didn't know what to say to do that. Finally, I said, 'what do you mean'. He asked again, 'why are you sitting here'. And I remember shouting, 'Because I wanted too', and he simply shrugged his shoulder.

"What an arsehole!" Katharine exclaimed, before sheepishly looking around to see if anyone caught her slip of indignation.

"I was of the same opinion" Hermione chuckled.

"So, what changed your opinion?" Katharine asked with a slight furrow to her brow.

"It's what he said afterwards..." A dazed expression formed over Hermione's face. "We're not products of our circumstances, we're a product of our decisions." she locked her eyes with Katharine once more as her mouth lifted at the corner.

"But that's opposite to what you believed"

Hermione nodded her head. "Hmm. He then said that the old man made a decision to sit at that exact spot and beg for money. Just like I did when I sat at this bench. Only difference is that whereas it took me less than a second to make that decision, it probably took him days, weeks, maybe even months. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't his decision because it was, not some bullshit circumstance that made him do it"

"But he made that decision because of his circumstances" Katharine argued.

"I said the same thing. But he had an answer for that too." She paused. "That circumstances are products of decisions and those decisions are not always our own."

Katharine stared contemplatively at her unfinished dessert.

"I thought about what he said for a long while and then one day I finally understood. It didn't matter how that old man got to that point in his life, whether it was because of his own decisions or someone else's, but they were decisions none the less. Someone made them and it was his decision to walk out every day into the town, not caring if it was blazing hot or pouring, to survive. It may have been his last option, or maybe not, maybe the decision was not hard to make since he didn't have many options. I know one thing that his options were very limited because he certainly didn't have a wand and he didn't have the money to buy a new one."

Katharine lifted her head. "Decision or circumstance, his situation was far from ideal and that boy was just plain rude." she harrumphed.

Hermione's face broke into a smile. "Oh, I agree. He didn't think before speaking and was never one for mincing his words but..." she shrugged her shoulder. "I would be lying if I didn't say that that day was a turning point in my life. That one comment from him changed my whole outlook on life and which brings me to why I went down this rabbit hole in the first place."

She took a deep breath. "You shouldn't be ashamed of your past, or the decisions you made to protect your family, to provide food on the table for your daughter." A glossy shine overtook her eyes as she let out a sniffle. "Whatever the circumstances or decisions, yours or someone else's, doesn't matter, you took care of your family and for that you should never duck your head in embarrassment but feel proud and look anyone in the eye who question's your morality. Fuck the world and fuck what anyone thinks"

Katharine smiled through her tears.

"You know" Hermione wiped at her eyes. "I should be the one who should be embarrassed because I judged you before even getting to know you, not that I know you now, but after watching you interact with your daughter in those short moments...only someone with love in their heart can raise such a precious soul. There was a smile the entire time on that little girl's face and it's all because of you. It just gets to show that no matter the circumstances, good or bad, it's all about how we decide to conquer those circumstances and you decided to conquer them with love and we have proof in your little girl that you received love in return."

By this point tears were freely flowing down Katharine's cheeks. Hermione got up and Katharine followed her before both women walked around the table hugged each other.

Hermione pulled back as Katharine stopped crying. She wiped the remaining residue from her cheeks and chin before placing her hands on her shoulders.

"I need to get going but I hope we meet again."

Katharine fervently nodded her head. "I would love that. I'm free on Sunday's."

"Great. I've only been to Crawley Lane once in my life and I remembered thinking about how beautiful it was. It would be nice to visit again"

"Oh" Katharine seemed a little nervous all of a sudden which made Hermione frown. "We don't live in Crawley Lane anymore."

"Oh"

"Yeah" she fidgeted with her hands as she continued. "Mr. Potter – he...gave us his house in Diagon Alley so...that's where we've been staying" she finished softly.

Hermione's eyes had turned wide for a second before a small smile spread across her lips.

"That's very good of him. Did he fix you up with a job as well?" she asked.

Katharine nodded. "I work three days at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and study Arithmancy three days at Septa Academy"

Hermione's eyes turned wide. "You work at the joke shop!"

Katharine nodded. "Yes. Mr. Potter said it was his friend's shop."

"Yes"

"I couldn't be happier. Both the Weasley brothers are so nice. They have been nothing but kind to me."

"I remember Ron telling me that they hired a new girl to take some of the workload off. But he never said it being having to do anything with Harry" she scowled.

"Maybe because he told him to" Katharine voiced hesitantly.

Hermione turned her eyes back to her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was close by when they were talking and I heard him tell him that he was never to tell you about me"

Hermione sighed. "He probably figured that I would come looking for you and ask where he was"

"Yeah" Katharine's stare turned compassionate. "I'm sorry...I wish that I could help you but I honestly don't know where he is"

Hermione gave her a sad smile. "It's okay"

"He always comes through the front door. Even though the house we live in is connected to the floo network he never uses it."

"He probably doesn't want you to know where he lives either in case you accidently ran into me, like today" Hermione mused wryly.

"Wait a minute!" Katharine exclaimed, her eyes wide and sparkling with knowledge. "He did use the floo one time. It was a couple of months back. He got a call from a friend of his...Sheen, I think" she furrowed her burrow in thought.

"Dean!" Hermione provided enthusiastically.

"Yes! Dean, anyway he got a call from him. I didn't hear what it was about because the next moment he dashed to the floo and was gone but I did hear him shout journey!"

Hermione's eyes turned wide as saucers and her mouth opened in shock. She stayed like that for a few moments with no sound emanating from her lips.

Tears started forming behind her eyelids as she covered her open mouth with her hand.

"Journey" she whispered.

Katharine nodded. "Does that mean something to you?" the younger woman asked.

Hermione tightly shut her eyes to ward off the onslaught of emotions that were on the precipice of breaking through. She nodded her head.

"I have to go, now"

She walked past Katharine.

"Ms. Granger, is everything alright!" Katharine jogged after her and caught up with her at the door.

Hermione opened the door and they stepped outside. There were only a few people walking by.

"Ms. Granger..." she lightly touched Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione turned to her after wiping at her eyes and sniffling. "I'm fine" she mustered a smile. "Thanks"

"For what?"

"For pointing me in the right direction"

Katharine stared at her in a way that showed she didn't fully comprehend the meaning behind her words but nodded nevertheless. "My pleasure"

"I ought to go now. You take care" Hermione pulled her into another hug. "And say goodbye to Lyla for me as well"

"I will"

She pulled back and turned around.

"Ms. Granger" Katharine called out after Hermione had taken a few steps.

Hermione stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"What happened to that old man?"

A small smile tugged Hermione's lips at the corner.

"He left; wasn't there the next time I went to town"

Left? Where?"

"I asked one of the townsfolk and they said he bought a house in Godric's Hollow. You see, while people like me thought about doing something, someone actually did something and I was just too happy than to care about who it was."

"But you did see him again right because you said that you didn't talk to him while he was still there which means..."

Hermione's smile widened. "Oh yes, I did see him again. It was years later though when me and my husb – ex-husband moved to our house in Godric's Hollow. It was by accident too; I was just perusing through the town when by chance I bumped into him. Despite the change in his appearance, I recognized him instantly."

"So, what did you say"

"I didn't say anything because I couldn't get a word in. He just kept thanking me and saying he was in forever in my debt. I was utterly flummoxed so I asked him why he was thanking me. He looked at me like I had grown another head. He said that it's because of me that he has a roof over his family despite him having never to work again because of the money I keep giving him every month."

"Wait, I don't understand. How come you didn't know. It was your money"

Hermione raised an eyebrow and it took a moment for realization to dawn over Katharine's features.

"Ohh"

"Yup. Who knew that the boy who made that insensitive remark about him years ago would turn out to be his savoir, the one I would eventually marry."

"So, Mr. Potter told him it was you who was his savior"

She nodded and pushed back a curl that fell over her eyes. "I found out later from my husb – ex-husband that he was never to come looking for me but I guess he just got too excited when he finally saw me that he just couldn't help himself"

"He truly is a hero" Katharine smiled. "Too bad it didn't work out between you two"

The smile dropped from Hermione's face and Katharine realized her slip.

"I'm sorry. That was very rude of me"

"No, it's fine." She looked away and pushed back a curl that fell over her eye. "He's not perfect, has his flaws, has done and said terrible things, things most people would never forgive him for but if you look beyond all that and dig deep enough you can get your hands on the diamond that is his heart"

Exterior, Journey, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire – Night

The twigs cracked under Harry's shoes as he trudged along the path. His breathing was slightly labored and beads of sweat were trailing down his face.

He reached a small hut tucked between two large tree branches. They cast a foreboding shadow over the wooden structure.

He halted mid-step and his entire body had gone tense. He jerked his head in all directions and looked around with a dangerous glint in his eyes before locking his gaze at the door.

Slowly, he took a step forward, then another till he was standing right next to it.

He placed his right palm over his chest and closed his eyes, his lips moving silently. He then repeated the spell by placing his hand on the door. It glowed for a second before he pushed it open. It made no sound and neither did his shoes as he walked inside.

The door closed behind him as he looked around the small space surrounding him. It was bare except a rose heart hanging from the backwall. The sound of the fire flickering reached his ears, as did the sound of footsteps. They were coming through the archway that led further into the hut.

He walked along the wall and stopped when he reached the archway. The wood creaked under the weight of the footsteps from the other side of the wall and he slackened his jaw. He wiggled his fingers and let out few shallow breaths before jumping into the archway and turning right.

"AAAH!"

He muffled the person's scream by his forearm and locked their head in place with his other forearm under the back of their head.

"Mmuph!"

Lines appeared on his forehead as he swallowed a mass of bushy hair before rolling his eyes and removing his arms.

Hermione turned around and glared at him. If looks could kill, he would've been dead on the spot. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her breathing was coming in gasping breaths.

Harry placed his hand on his chest and removed the charm.

"Are you out of your mind!" she yelled. "You could've broken my neck!" she rubbed the back of her head and grimaced in pain.

"Would've put a smile on my face" he smiled sarcastically.

She glowered before punching him straight in the jaw.

"Ow!" she howled in pain, clutching her hand. "FUUCKKK!"

A few minutes later

She was sitting on the floor by the fireside with her legs tucked under her. She was waiving her wand back and forth over her injured hand as Harry sat a few feet away from her devouring the freshly cooked pasta.

"How is it" she asked, motioning towards the plate.

"Like a freshly fucked pussy. Tastes divine" he said over a mouthful.

She rolled her eyes but a smirk pulled at her lips. "I had to go into the town for grocery. You had nothing except coffee and a jug of milk that had gone stale. You have been living like an animal"

"I feel like one" he slurped the last remnants off his plate before putting it to on the floor. He stretched his legs and leaned back on his arms.

Their eyes locked and they maintained the stare.

"I have been looking for you the moment you disappeared" she whispered.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back before rolling his neck in a clockwise motion. He then repeated the motion the other way around.

"I need you to tell me what is going on" she continued. "I don't believe that you just send Roslyn off to a five-month long vacation as a graduation gift. What is going on, Harry? Why did you send her away when I thought you'd be spending every moment with her."

He let out a long sigh and dropped his gaze back to her.

"I am doing what I've been doing since the day she was born...protecting her. My priorities haven't changed."

"Protecting her from what" There was a slight tremor in Hermione's voice.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome. Thanks for the meal but now kindly fuck off"

"No!" she crawled over to him and got on her knees when she reached him. "I'm not going anywhere so let's not even go there because it will be a waste of time"

"Listen-"

"No, you listen!" she snapped, pointing a finger at him. "She's my daughter too so you tell me why she needs protection"

She stared at him determinedly as he kept looking at her with a blank expression.

"Why are you here"

Hermione was thrown off by his change in direction and she stuttered for a reply. "U - I – I – to find you"

He lifted a questioning eyebrow. "I thought I made myself clear-"

"I may have found a diagnosis...temporary"

He shook his head in amusement. "Okay, let's back up. You may have found a diagnosis and only temporary." he tilted his head to the side. "You high?"

A blush formed over her cheeks. "Well, I can't be certain till I know it works. That's why I need to test it on you and if it does than I can move forward to the next stage in trying to find a permanent cure."

"I already told you that I have no interest in acting as one of your test puppies" he bit out.

"Have any interest in living beyond a few months" she snapped. "Hmm" she jeered, as he glared at her. "Anyway, you don't need to be in the lab, at least not right now anyway. I'm going to bring all my stuff here. The serum I'm going to give you will take a few days for me to know if it works. If it does then we'll start daily dosing you with it, twice a day, once after breakfast, and once after dinner. In the meantime, I'll continue my research to find a permanent solution but for that I'm going to need your blood." She dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'll need to take it daily, two tubes. Ramin is the rarest of disease and we are all learning as we go on. One of the discoveries we've made is that old blood, and by old I mean anything more than 24 hours after it has been taken out a body is of no use. Ramin is constantly affecting your magical core and its gateway access is through your bloodstream, which means your blood is constantly changing as well, in ways we don't yet understand. So, I'll need to take your blood everyday till I understand how it is affected by the disease, hopefully before it starts clogging as it is getting thicker everyday. " She laid a hand on his knee. "You understand what I'm saying?" she asked softly.

"I'm weak" he said in a hoarse voice. "I can feel it...every day it's getting harder to get up, to move."

Hermione's eyes shined in the glow of the fire. "I know" she whispered.

He looked up at her with a set jaw. "I can't be weak...not yet. Taking my blood out daily will make me weaker...and I can't afford that."

"I'll give you strengthening potions" she started but he shook his head.

"I've been clean for the past six months and it's been really damn hard. I don't want to go back to relying on substances to feel alive. I'm done with all that"

"But this is different. Yes, strengthening potions do have some components that you'd find in Skullcraze but they are not harmful and more importantly not illegal" She finished desperately as he continued to shake his head.

"No..." he said tiredly, rubbing forehead. "I know myself...a whiff and I'll be back to snorting or injecting shit in my veins. Plus...what's the point of feeling alive anyway when I'm going to do be dead soon anyway"

"Don't say that!" she hissed.

"It's true"

"No, I don't believe it" she said stubbornly. "Look, we'll wait for a week. Till then let's just see how the serum affects your body. Hopefully, it affects your body in such a way that the results may point us in a different direction"

"So, what, you'll be popping everyday here to check on me"

She shook her head. "No, I'm staying with you"

"I'm not moving back to Mars" he said stiffly.

"I know..." she pulled her hand back after realizing it was still on his knee. Their eyes locked for a flash before she looked away. "That's why I'm moving here with you"

He scoffed. "Yeah right"

Her eyes narrowed as she faced him. "I'm serious"

The amusement left his face and his gaze turned serious. "No, you're not"

"And why not!"

"Because I said so"

She scoffed. "And" she lifted an eyebrow. "Who said your word goes around here. This isn't the DMLE and I'm not of the aurors that you can boss around. Oh wait, you can't anyway"

"That burnt"

"Thanks. So, it's final. I'm staying"

She moved to get up but he pulled her down by her arm.

"Why are you doing this?" he whispered, their noses almost touching.

She quickly came out of her shock and cleared her throat. "I already told you"

"No...why are you doing this"

"I don't understand"

"Yes, you do" His eyes flicked to her lips as she moistened them with a swipe of her tongue. "We're over remember, divorced"

"I don't need a reminder, never have...I'm excellent with dates"

"Good...because I don't know what game you're playing honey but nothing's ever happening between us"

"God" she breathed. "The limit to your over confidence never seizes to surprise me"

He smirked.

"Despite our recent history..." she lowered her gaze.

"What"

She looked back up at him with a resolute gaze. "Despite everything that has happened lately I'm going to do everything in power to cure you and I'm not going to letting you give up either. Rose wouldn't be able to handle it. It'll break her...as it would many others"

"Many others huh" She nodded. "So, the butterflies haven't been creating a havoc in your pit"

Her eyes sparkled in the shadow as he got a glimpse of her teeth. "No...they have been sleeping"

"Good. They should stay that way because they'll be all alone in the darkness if they decide to wake up" Her stare turned melancholic. "Mine are dead you see"

She nodded before lifting her gaze back to him. "Now, that that's behind us tell me everything, and I mean everything"

He let go of his hold on her arm and she leaned back.

She followed his gaze when he turned his head to the back wall that was filled with notes, newspaper clippings and pictures. On the very top was the picture of Charles from the day Harry encountered him in Lemon Drop when he killed his grandfather. He was smiling manically in the picture with blood covering half his body.

"Well then...kick back because this is going to take a while"

A/N: Comments, thoughts, you know the drill. I'll catch you on the flip side.