"Hermione, is this all yours?" Narcissa asks as they ride up the driveway, and it's impossible to miss the awe in her voice.

"Yup. It's only three bedrooms, but I've redecorated the whole place since I moved in and all the land you can see is mine. There are eight acres surrounding the main house."

"It's beautiful."

Hermione pulls to a stop outside the cottage and Narcissa climbs off surprisingly gracefully, eyes wide as she takes in the colourful landscape. Flowers and plants surround them; bursts of reds and blues, purples and yellows, all set against a sea of green.

"It's home," Hermione replies with a shrug. "A lot of what I grow is for Meliora. We offer a huge range of herbal remedies and I like to know where the ingredients have come from. There is no better quality than growing them yourself."

"It's remarkable what you have achieved here. Your parents must be so proud."

Smile quickly dropping, Hermione realises she hasn't been able to hide her pain in time when Narcissa looks concerned.

"I like to think they would have been. I lost them a long time ago," Hermione explains quietly. "Let's not talk about this on such a beautiful day, though. Follow me."

Thankfully, Narcissa recognises the subject is closed and follows her inside without pressing for more information. The front door leads directly into the living room; a large space with two sofas near an old stone fireplace. An arch opens into a spacious kitchen with a small dining table in one corner and bi-folding doors leading out onto the patio.

Hermione sees her staring wistfully. "Would you like to sit out there? It can get a bit warm at this time of day, but if the sun is too much, I can pull the awning across. It slides out from the side of the house."

"You have a lovely home. It's such a strange mix of old and new, but it really works. Sitting outside sounds delightful."

"What would you like to drink? I have some juice leftover from this morning, if you'd like to try it?"

"What is it?" Narcissa asks. "Orange? Apple?"

Hermione chuckles. "Not quite. It's freshly juiced oranges, apples, carrots, ginger and turmeric."

Narcissa wrinkles her nose and Hermione laughs. "It's nicer than it sounds, I promise. Want some?"

"I suppose I could try it," Narcissa agrees reluctantly, accepting a small glass and sniffing it cautiously.

Leading them outside with a glass in one hand and her iPad in the other, Hermione takes a seat at the table and gestures for Narcissa to join her. She watches carefully as Narcissa takes a sip.

"This is actually really nice," the blonde admits with a smile as she takes another drink.

"It's really healthy, too. Great for the immune system."

"Do you ever do anything that isn't healthy?" Narcissa asks, eyes roaming over Hermione's body in a way that brings a surge of heat to her cheeks. "You look like a model."

Hermione winks. "Thanks. And to answer your question, yes. Every morning I have a cup of coffee with far too much sugar in it. It's the only thing that gets me going."

"I can't say I was expecting that," Narcissa notes.

"Oh, I'm full of surprises," Hermione teases, opening up her iPad case to reveal the keyboard. "Okay, so I'm going to start with a few questions about your health now we've gotten to know each other a little better. It's nothing too heavy, but it's a good way of assessing where you are right now in terms of your general well being and that will tell us what areas we need to look at for you."

"Okay," Narcissa replies, putting down her glass and resting her hands in her lap. It's a habit Hermione has noticed Narcissa does when she's nervous, so she smiles gently.

"First of all, how are you sleeping at the moment?"

Narcissa sighs, and that in itself is very revealing. "Sleep isn't easy for me. The house is very noisy with the baby and the street we live on is terribly busy. The traffic alone keeps me awake, but it's also the main route people walk between the bus stop and the biggest bar in Hogsmeade. Friday and Saturday nights are particularly loud."

"So you have trouble falling asleep?"

"Falling, but also staying asleep. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go to bed, I always wake around four o'clock and then it's usually impossible to fall back to sleep again."

Nodding, Hermione makes some notes on her iPad before looking up. "Well, the good news is I think we can greatly improve your quality of sleep very easily and-"

"I don't want to take medication," Narcissa interrupts before Hermione can elaborate. "Sleeping tablets are addictive and I watched my mother struggle with addiction for years."

"We don't medicate," Hermione corrects gently. "Well, not in the way that you're thinking. What do you know about holistic health?"

"Not much and Draco isn't much help on the subject. It's a natural form of medicine?"

Smiling encouragingly, Hermione answers, "What we use is all natural, but holistic health is so much more than that. The word 'holistic' comes from the Greek word for 'whole' and the translation is fairly literal. We treat our clients as a whole person, you know? It's not just to fight a particular illness or condition, we want to help people in all areas of their life; mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually."

Narcissa picks up her glass and takes a sip, staring into the distance. Her brow furrows as Hermione watches.

"What is it, Narcissa?"

Sighing, Narcissa turns to face her. "I hate to be crude by bringing this up, but how much is all this going to cost?" she asks, fidgeting in her chair. "I do have some funds left from the sale of my house, but I don't have much to spare until I can find some kind of employment."

Nodding, Hermione offers her an understanding smile. "First of all, any treatments are on the house. Draco is my best friend and I consider him family, which means that by extension, you are too. It wouldn't feel right to charge you."

"Hermione, no. I couldn't possibly accept."

"You can," Hermione informs her firmly. "I may also have a solution for your other problems."

"Oh?"

"First of all, I need you to understand that this is not charity, okay? Luna and I have been talking about running more classes and perhaps taking on a few more clients, but it's difficult to split our time. We need someone to cover the front desk for us, because at the moment, we try and juggle covering it between us. It's not an exciting job, Narcissa, but it's yours if you want it."

Narcissa nearly spits out the sip of juice she has just taken. "You want me to work for you?"

Hermione shakes her head, correcting her gently. "That's not really how we do things at Meliora. I want you to work with me, not for me. And yes, I really do."

"I wouldn't know what to do," Narcissa frets. "I've never had a real job before."

"I won't throw you in at the deep end," Hermione promises with a chuckle. "You just need to be able to answer the phone to book our appointments, deal with enquiries and take care of deliveries."

"You can't possibly want me to work there. Imagine what it will do to your reputation," Narcissa worries, fiddling with the cuticle on her thumb. "Everyone knows who I am and what I was involved in."

Hermione closes the iPad to give Narcissa her full attention. "The kind of people that come to Meliora tend to be more open minded than most and have some of the biggest hearts I know. If they see you working for me then they will know I haven't made the decision lightly and if you get any problems then you let me know immediately, okay?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," Hermione prompts with a grin, learning back in her chair and watching as she mulls it over.

Narcissa smiles, radiating a warmth that Hermione didn't know she was capable of. "Yes."

"Good. That's settled then," Hermione says with a pleased nod. "Now, let's talk about your other problem."

"My other problem?"

"Uh huh," Hermione agrees. "Now, this place gets pretty lonely sometimes and it would be really nice to have another human around. I also need help harvesting flowers and herbs now Meliora has become so successful. You can have the spare room if you want."

-xXx-

Narcissa feels her mouth drop open, closing it with a snap as she stares in wonder at the brunette opposite her. Brown eyes shine with a sincerity that Narcissa hasn't experienced much of in her life. Who is this woman that has come into her life?

Still, if there is one thing Narcissa has learned, it's this; if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Shaking her head, she immediately declines, putting up a hand to stop Hermione's protests.

"I couldn't possibly. Thank you, Hermione, really, but I can't live here."

The disappointment in Hermione's eyes is a surprise, an emotion quickly overtaken by a fierce determination as the woman tackles the issues head on. "Why not? I bought this place outright so there is no rent to pay and the bills are practically nonexistent because we have our own natural water supply and all the energy comes from solar panels and a wind turbine."

Narcissa huffs, the wind effectively taken out of her sails in the face of this argument. "You can't just come in and fix all my problems." Shaking her head, Narcissa can't stop the small smile creeping to her lips. "You're like some god damned fairy godmother who sends Cinderella to the ball with a flick of her wand!"

"Wouldn't that be so cool?" Hermione asks, laughing. "One flick and I wouldn't have to do paperwork. I really hate it," she confides in a lowered tone.

"Hermione," Narcissa warns when her concerns are brushed aside.

She's transfixed by the genuine empathy she can see in Hermione's eyes when she answers with a small shrug. "Look, I can't magically fix all your problems, though I really wish I could. However… this? This, I can do. There is so much space here, Narcissa, and you'd be out of town which I know you'd prefer, and the upshot for me is that I get some company," Hermione points out, adding, "Not that I will force you to spend time with me. Just say yes. Please?"

That nagging voice that usually tells her to err on the side of caution is surprisingly quiet and Narcissa finds herself smiling back. "Yes. Thank you, I would love to live here."

"Brilliant," Hermione says decisively. "Draco won't mind bringing your things over I'm sure, but if he's busy then Luna will help."

Thinking of the small case she is currently living out of, Narcissa grimaces, wondering how it will look to her new roommate. "I really don't have much these days. Draco had to sell most of it when he sold the manor."

"I remember," Hermione nods, a sad smile on her face. "When he worked out what the storage costs would be to keep it during your sentence, it just wasn't feasible. He was devastated when he realised he couldn't keep it all for you."

"It's not been easy for Draco, I know," Narcissa replies, and she can hear the drop in her own voice, all enthusiasm for her new home vanishing in the overwhelming feeling of her many failures.

"He's strong, Narcissa. It's not been easy, I won't lie, but he has people around him who have been there every step of the way." Hermione turns back to her iPad and opens it up again. "Now, let's talk about diet."

"I'm not on a diet," Narcissa states, fingers reaching up to skim over the sunken flesh of her cheeks. "Should I be?"

"I don't mean to lose weight," Hermione reassures patiently. "If anything, you could do with gaining a few pounds and adding some muscle."

"My appetite hasn't been good for years. Prison absolutely ruined food for me."

"Well, let's see if we can spark that interest again. What I normally advise my clients is to try to regain their connection to food itself."

"Do you often treat people who have been incarcerated for a long time?" Narcissa asks, raising an eyebrow.

Shrugging, Hermione nods. "More than you might think. I have a client who spent time in prison, yes. I also have clients who were hospitalised for a long time and they all need similar help."

"Oh. You really do have quite a diverse client base," Narcissa notes with some surprise. "So, how would you suggest I connect with my food?"

Hermione jumps to her feet. "This is the fun part. I'll be right back."

Thirty seconds later, Hermione is practically skipping back out to the garden with an old wicker basket hanging over her arm. "We're going shopping, Narcissa. Old school."

"There isn't another building in sight," Narcissa points out dryly, her forehead wrinkling.

"On your feet, we're walking," Hermione instructs.

"Bossy," Narcissa grumbles under her breath, but she's grinning and gets to her feet, allowing herself to be guided around the corner of the cottage without complaint.

Hermione points to the raised beds, all in neat rows that stretch out across the entire field on that side of the building. "Here we are!"

"You grow all your own vegetables, too?"

"Yeah, mostly." Hermione points to the beds on the left. "This side is mainly herbs, both for eating and for the herbal remedies we use at Meliora." She waves a hand to the other side. "And this is for salad veggies, and these are the more hardy winter vegetables. It all tastes so much better when it comes out of the garden, organically grown."

Narcissa seems to catch her enthusiasm, her face lighting up as she accepts the basket. "What are we picking?"

"Well, that's up to you. Have a walk around and pick whatever you fancy. Don't be afraid to hold something in your hand and make sure it's perfectly ripe and ready for us to eat."

Feeling more excited than she could possibly have imagined, Narcissa walks around the veg garden, shocked to realise that the musical sound she can hear is in fact herself humming. "Are there any onions?" she calls to the brunette who appears to be content to watch, perched on the brick wall surrounding one of the vegetable beds.

"Spring onions are over there next to the lettuce," Hermione calls back, raising her arms over her head and stretching. "Or there are white and red onions in the cellar."

Eyes drawn to the small strip of flesh that is on display between Hermione's t-shirt and the top of her jeans, Narcissa blushes when she realises she has missed the second half of what Hermione has told her.

She turns her face and scuttles towards the leafy greens, pulling up a couple of what she recognises to be spring onions, and choosing a head of lettuce while she is there. Narcissa meanders through the garden, picking up various items, before making her way back to Hermione.

For reasons she doesn't quite understand, she feels nervous as she presents the basket for approval. "Is this okay?"

Hermione looks down at her selection and nods, a smile on her face. "So, it looks like you're making us salad for lunch, then?" she asks, grinning. "Do you want any herbs?"

Narcissa is making them lunch? Well, it's been a while since she prepared food for anyone else because Draco likes to take care of that for his family, so the thought fills her with a little bubble of excitement. When was the last time she was able to show off her skills in the kitchen?

"Some basil would be nice, if you have it?" she asks hopefully. She's only ever used the dried variety from a jar, but she knows that fresh herbs are meant to be so much tastier.

"Yeah, just over there in the herb garden." Hermione gestures to a bed that runs almost the entire length of the cottage.

Blushing, Narcissa admits, "I don't actually know what it looks like fresh."

When Hermione takes her hand, casually leading her along the bed until they come to a stop in front of a patch of vibrant green leaves, Narcissa allows herself to be led, all the while wondering if this is what it is like to have a friend? She doesn't have much experience. Her sisters of course, but then she was married without friends of her own. It's a strange experience to be touched so casually without expectations.

"Live here long enough and there won't be a single tree, flower, vegetable or herb that you don't recognise," Hermione promises, breaking into her thoughts.

She watches intently as Hermione gives her a brief overview of the plants, entirely sure that she won't remember half of their names or purposes, before heading into the kitchen. Stepping into the relative cool of the stone-walled room, Narcissa fans herself with her hand. "Your garden is an absolute sun trap."

"Our garden," Hermione corrects with a laugh, reaching for an apron that's hanging on a hook on the wall. She steps closer and Narcissa almost forgets to breathe as the apron is dropped over her head. She can feel the heat radiating from Hermione's body, the woman's arms brushing against her hair as she lowers it in place.

Suddenly very aware of the closeness of another person after so long of keeping herself to herself, she swallows with difficulty, all too aware of how touch starved she's become.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asks, respectfully taking a step back that Narcissa doesn't actually need. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

Narcissa ties the apron in silence, her mind churning as she tries to work out how to explain that she doesn't mind. That it's nice to be close to someone who is in her space in a non-threatening way.

She's waited too long to answer, Hermione's face falling into an expression of concern, so she rushes to reply. "It's not that. It's just been a while since someone was so close to me. Apart from Draco, I've not really had contact with anyone except for the prison guards, and that was not exactly a pleasant experience at times."

Nodding, Hermione offers a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry. This must all be very difficult for you."

"To be honest," Narcissa muses out loud. "I think I adjusted to life in prison far quicker than I have to being free in the real world again."

"Why do you think that is?" Hermione probes gently.

It takes a moment for Narcissa to think about it, but the answer hits her all of a sudden. "When I went inside, I was looking at a life sentence. I wasn't sure I would ever get out, so I learned the rules and I stuck to them. Now I am out, I have so much freedom, but it's not something I ever allowed myself to believe in before. I didn't have hopes and dreams when I was inside, because I didn't see the point in wasting away dreaming of a better life. What do I do now?"

Hermione tilts her head slightly. "I think that maybe you don't overthink it. You're out now and that's the most important thing. You have time to figure out everything else, you know? Just concentrate on the basics and learn how to live again. Learn how to be at peace with yourself and everything else will follow."

"I'm being impatient, aren't I?" Narcissa sighs, shaking her head. "I know better than to expect it all to just fall into place so soon, but I feel like I need to have a purpose. I've wasted so much time, first with my marriage to Lucius and then going to prison."

"You know what I think you would really benefit from? Journaling. It's a really useful tool to help you work out what you want."

Narcissa raises an eyebrow. "I'm not a love sick teenager, Hermione. I don't need to write in a diary, spilling all my deep dark secrets."

"You'd be surprised just how much it can help. Writing down your feelings can really help you to understand them and put them into perspective. Also, I have a workbook of… well, prompts, I guess you'd call them. A list of questions to work through. Are you willing to try it?"

"I suppose I could give it a chance. I don't really think I'm the kind of person to benefit from it though."

"Just try it for two weeks and then if you want to stop, I won't say a word."

Hermione takes the vegetables over to the sink and gives them a quick wash, placing them on a draining rack afterwards. Taking a small towel she dries them off and puts them on the wooden chopping board that lives on the counter.

"There you go," she prompts Narcissa, who instinctively picks up the knife that's resting on the board.

"Is this how it's always going to be? I find it impossible to say 'no' to you."

"I'll never make you do something you really don't want to do, but will I push you? Absolutely!" Hermione declares, a sneaky grin on her face. "I'm pretty sure that it would be better to give in now and accept that I'm always right."

Narcissa gasps and then sees Hermione holding back a laugh. "You will do well to remember, Miss Granger, that as your senior, it is inevitable that I will be the one in the right," she informs her primly.

"My senior? Psht! You had Draco when you were eighteen, which means you can't be more than forty-six now."

"Well, yes. Exactly," Narcissa agrees. "That's my point."

"That doesn't mean a thing," Hermione laughs. "God, last year I dated someone older than you."

"What?" Narcissa's voice comes out as a high pitched screech and she blushes, even before Hermione bursts out laughing.

"She was really fit. She used to come to yoga classes and we got to know each other. We had a good run, but ultimately we were better as friends."

"What could someone as young and beautiful as you possibly see in a woman of her age?"

"You think I'm beautiful?" Hermione teases. "She was intelligent, well read and we shared a lot of the same interests. Why wouldn't I be interested in her?"

Narcissa is lost for words. Coming back out into the real world she had assumed that this part of her life was over. Who would want someone of her age, let alone an ex-con? Hermione is apparently a mind reader or possibly her expressions are too transparent, because the younger woman steps closer and takes her hand, squeezing gently.

"You, Narcissa, are an absolute catch. You're gorgeous, intelligent and funny, when you let your guard down. You're going to make a man very happy when you're ready to start exploring that side of yourself again.

Narcissa's heart flutters wildly at her words. She's not allowed herself to think of meeting someone new, but if she had, would it really be a man that she wants? Women have never really been an option for her before, pushed into a marriage that was arranged by her parents. However, there is no denying the attraction she feels to Hermione, and it reminds her of the feelings she had, but possibly didn't recognise at the time, for her friend Lily when they were at school.

It's too much. She's not ready to start unpacking this side of herself, and the weight of all this lost time is a heavy burden.

She clears her throat and takes a step backwards, removing her hand from Hermione's. "Thank you for your kind words. I might not be ready to believe them but I am grateful anyway."