Chapter 5
Hermione was late, that was the first thing she noted when she saw about four other Healers tending to an unconscious Becky Bentley. Hermione stood at the back of the room as the other healers handled the emergency, she would have just been in the way otherwise. When Becky came to, she asked the question: "What happened?"
"You took that potion, today, right? Healer Granger prescribed it to you, didn't she?" a rival of Hermione's, Healer Carolyn Corman smirked discreetly as she looked at the charts.
"Yes, she did prescribe it for me. I took it about a couple of hours ago." Becky said.
"Well, Becky you went into anaphylactic shock, and we revived you with a shot of epinephrine and you are fine, now. We'll be conducting some tests to see what triggered your allergy attack." Healer Corman smiled, it was a fake smile. Everyone could tell. The smirk that she gave Hermione as she left the room, made Hermione recall the smirk that Draco Malfoy would give her whenever they were in each others presence.
All of the other Healers present in the room left to take care of their other patients. Hermione who wasn't on duty didn't have anywhere to go, so she flopped in a chair next to Becky's bed.
"Healer Granger, please don't tell Charlie about this. I don't want him to know."
"Of course." Hermione smiled.
"Why does Healer Corman hate you so much?" Becky asked.
"Honestly, I have no idea, but probably because we are both in a very competitive business and..." Hermione said trailing off.
"Hermione? What are you doing here, your shift isn't until tomorrow." Carrie Worley said as she came into the room.
"I got a page, and now I'm here talking with my patient." Hermione replied.
"Well, that's very nice of you. May I speak to you in the hallway Ms. Granger?"
"See you tomorrow, Ms. Bentley." Hermione said to her patient as she walked with Carrie Worley to the hallway.
"Ms. Granger, I owled some of your references, and I have never gotten higher references for a single person before. It is quite stunning, all the great things people have to say about you." Carrie Worley says. Hermione cannot say anything without the risk of sounding hugely egotistical and just says nothing.
"Now get out of here." Carrie smiles warmly; Hermione heeds her friendly order and leaves.
It was a dull week, Hermione thought. Her life seemed as though nothing odd had happened to her at all. She was spending time with Ginny; they were shopping (in Muggle London) for Harry's Christmas present (because Ginny didn't know what to get him), when Ginny in a would-be-casual way said "Charlie's back from Romania." Hermione's heart raced a bit and she turned red.
"Oh. Really?" she said with as much disinterest in her voice as she could muster.
"Yep, mum's having a dinner for him, she told me to invite you," Ginny said looking down at a pair of socks with interest.
"Oh, I don't think I can make it." Hermione said thinking she had the perfect excuse.
"I haven't said when it is yet." Ginny said eyeing Hermione with curiosity.
"Oh."
"When is it?" Hermione mumbled picking up a shirt and looked at the tag. "What about this." She said holding it out to Ginny.
"No" Ginny said blithely, not even looking at it. "It's tomorrow night."
"I have a shift tomorrow afternoon." Hermione said picking up a long pink skirt.
"Oh. Harry won't like that skirt. I'm afraid he's more of a trousers type of guy." Ginny deadpanned. Hermione blinked then laughed. They then wandered over to the women's section of the store where they found a long sleeved white lace crochet top. They paired this with a glittery blue camisole that Ginny insisted that Hermione try on with the crochet top. Hermione found an ankle length jean skirt with two slits, one on each side up to her knees. Hermione tried on this outfit and Ginny actually applauded. "And you can wear those Timmy Choo sandals you have!"
"Jimmy Choo." Hermione corrected gently. "Wear them where?" She asked checking the price tags.
"To Charlie's welcome home dinner. Duh. Hermione, keep up." Ginny said grabbing some stuff off of a rack near the changing rooms. She charged into an empty one to try on clothes.
"What do you think?" Ginny posed in a long sleeved short dress.
"No." Hermione said. It was cotton and low cut, "Ginny it makes you look like a prostitute."
"Maybe that's the look I was going for." Ginny says defiantly.
"A prostitute?"
"Fine, maybe not." Ginny huffs then goes back to change into her clothes.
"I'll be here."
"No, go buy that outfit." Ginny instructed.
So she did.
The next afternoon, during her shift, Hermione Granger was happy to announce that Becky Bentley had been discharged. Becky's mother came to get her and to escort her daughter home. Hermione couldn't help noticing the striking similarities between mother and daughter.
Both had dark blue eyes, wavy blonde hair, and pale porcelain skin. And they were tiny. Becky looks like a porcelain doll I had when I was little. Hermione thinks with a smile.
Both mother and daughter thank Hermione for her healing services and then they leave. She continues on with her docket of patients. A variety of bites, stings, and other wounds, none really distinguish themselves in Hermione's mind. She's busy thinking about tonight. In fact she's so busy thinking that she doesn't realize that its time for her to go.
"Shit!" she uses the hospital Floo system to get to her own house.
In a record making five minutes, she has changed her clothes, fixed her hair, and applied her makeup and was hurtling towards her fireplace. "THE BURROW!" she shrieked as she stepped into the fireplace and was swirled away to the Burrow.
She gets out of the fireplace to a kitchen full of Weasleys. Ginny stands up to hug her, (you look great!) Ginny whispers while they hug.
"Hello Hermione! How are things?" Charlie says.
"I'm fine, how are you?" Hermione replies looking at Charlie who is sitting in a chair next to Becky Bentley with his arm around her. Becky looks striking in an iridescent lavender cocktail dress. Becky has straightened her hair. Becky's white blonde looks beautiful next to Charlie's flaming red. Hermione feels her heart twinge a little; she dismisses the feeling and moves over to hug Ron.
"Cocktails!" Mrs. Weasley chirps. Fleur glares because they think she's pregnant and thus can't have the offered cocktails.
"Mum, since when have you been a drinker?" Charlie asks with a smile. Gladly accepting a glass.
"Becky, do you want a drink?" Mrs. Weasley says proffering the tray, which she has been carrying by hand.
"No, thank you, I don't drink. It's how my dad died." Becky says.
Hermione looks around at the Weasley's who have accepted drinks put them down with a slight look of guilt. She smiles to herself. That Becky sure knew how to kill a happy mood.
"Well, I think it's time for dinner." Mrs. Weasley says after a solid minute of silence has passed.
"Thank god!" Ginny whispers. "I'm hungry"
Hermione gives Ginny an odd look. Ginny smiles brightly in return.
They eat a lot. Molly has prepared chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy. Hermione is strongly reminded of the American holiday Thanksgiving that her American cousins celebrated.
"This reminds me of Thanksgiving." Hermione blurts.
Blank stares from all around the table.
"It's an American holiday where they sit and eat, I used to go to my cousins house for it." Hermione explains.
People half nod. Obviously pretending to understand. But they soon return to other topics. Bill and Fleur are discussing things privately. Fred, George, Charlie and Ron are passionately discussing Quidditch. Ginny and Harry discussed the Ministry of Magic and the person being promoted to Minister, Calliope Jordan Reichs.
Hermione simply observed the table; she for once didn't have anything to say. She thought Charlie was being way inconsiderate letting Becky just feel awkward in front of his family. But besides Becky's stint at St. Mungo's Hermione didn't know that much about her.
Hermione didn't know that, for instance, that Becky and Charlie were on the brink of breaking up. And almost every minute they spent together was agonizingly painful because they knew there was no chemistry but no one wanted to be the first to end it.
Author's Notes:
sorry for the lame ass chapter, its sort of a filler/plot builder :)
review, por favor ?