Where are they all going?
Hermione noticed the crowd shift as she entered into Olivander's. People were running, rushing to something. Her mind raced and lept to conclusions. She had seen the devastation that was wrought upon Diagon Alley those years ago during Voldemort's return.
This time, though…
She heard laughter and excitement. It wasn't the sounds of horrors but of people running towards something that made them happy.
She let go of the breath that she didn't realize she was holding in and turned towards the interior of the shop. The dark yet warm place was so familiar and comfortable to her. Sure, her art hung scattered on the walls but seeing the other magical artists' work was always awe inspiring. She peered around, taking in new pieces hung here and there. But there was also that damn counter.
She heard Xavier rummaging in the back. Either rolling a cigarette, a nasty habit he maintained from his adolescence in France, or getting a fill of coffee to keep him going. Hermione had seen Xavier consume cup after cup of the drink, with nary a sign of the caffeine affecting him. She started to wonder if magical folk were impervious to the jitters.
"Lost in thought, Hermione?"
Xavier appeared, pulling her from her thoughts. He stood before her, one hand planted on the counter, the other cradling a steaming cup of coffee in a blue mug. No, not a simple blue. Never simple with Xavier. This was lapis lazuli, the shade of wealth from Mesopotamia, the centerpiece of jewelry that queens and handmaidens were buried in. Precious, stunning, bewitching lapis lazuli.
Of course, it didn't help that his eyes seemed to mimic the color.
"You know me, never a moment wasted without overthinking. How are you Xavier?" Hermione felt the crimson blush rise from her chest but chose to ignore it.
"Oh, ça va. Another year rolls by, students come, students go. More wands to make and more cores to source. Are you in need of more brushes?"
Hermione took mental stock of her supplies. "No but that does remind me that I need to visit the apothecary to restock." She was proud of the fact that she created many of her own pigments from scratch, it added to the depth she was able to convey in her work.
"Always looking for precision. One of the many traits I respect in you, Hermione." Xavier rounded the counter towards her, appraising her appearance. In this moment, she was glad that she hadn't gone out of her way to put on makeup or a dress. Her comfortable sweatpants and oversized sweatshirt might keep Xavier at bay.
There was a time when she would have wanted the opposite of that. They had shared a bed (and counter, and library stack, and changing room) many a time before. Hermione was drawn to Xavier both professionally and sexually and he was competent in both. After first connecting and finalizing her initial sale through the shop, they had spent an evening celebrating. The French wine flowed and she found herself waking in his bed, satisfied and eager for another round.
The romance was short lived, though. They both recognized the working nature of their relationship but it did not discourage the occasional tryst. They found comfort in one another while retaining their options. Hermione didn't like to think that she had a bohemian artist streak in her, but in this case, she partook gladly and was happy to walk away at the end of the night.
"I know you do, Xavier. Now, get your hands away from that counter and tell me about this new client."
Xavier smirked at her. "Alright, mon cher. As you wish." He winked and beckoned her to follow him to the back. He sat at a small table behind the rows of wand boxes and pulled out his notebook, rolling papers, and a small pouch. His elegant hands pinched from the pouch into the rolling paper, which he rolled, licked and sealed. With a quick light from his wand, he exhaled a puff of alihotsy. Hermione recognized the smell and knew that it meant that Xavier's work day was done and he would soon be in a haze of laughter and relaxation.
Opening his notebook, Xavier flipped pages, looking for the precise set of details. "Ah yes, here. This request is an interesting one. Not a single subject for the portrait, non, two. A husband and wife. The gentleman was adamant that you were his choice and that price was of no concern."
It's always nice to be wanted, Hermione thought. She was completely fine financially, so the money wasn't of overall importance to her. At the same time, this allowed her to be selective in her work choices, to choose the subjects she was interested in and would want to spend time with. She learned about her subjects upside down and inside out, so it had to be worth the effort.
"Interesting. Did you learn anything else?"
"Of course, we both know the devil is in the details. The subjects are most unusual. The wife, well, she was a metamorphmagus. The gentleman was adamant that only your color technique could do her justice. Her husband though… A professor at Hogwarts evidently. Much more neutral toned, evidently. "
A metamorphmagus? A professor at Hogwarts? Hermione could feel her heartbeat quickening. Instinctively, she captured her lower lip between her teeth and worried it rapidly.
"Xavier, this client. Did he leave his name? Do you know who it was?"
"Why Hermione, it was the famous Harry Potter."
She saw emerald green.
Author's Note:
Yeah, it's been a long time. COVID shut me down in ways I hadn't expected. But I felt like I have more story to tell. Welcome back. A short update now but more planned.