Hermione Granger, Florence Nightingale
Author's Note: I'm really sorry it's taking me so very long to update, but classes lately have been more or less hell-bent on breaking me. Even on spring break, on which I have been for this week, I've had so much to do that I could barely even think about this story. I promise this will be the last time I do this to you. I won't take so long to update anymore. I'm really sorry.
(By the way, this chapter comes to you now courtesy of MandaEvelyn, who gave me that last kick in the butt I needed to actually get down to typing.)
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"How are you feeling this morning," asked Hermione, poking her head into the room.
"Better, I think," replied Harry." He had been gaining strength over the past week, and, with help, had begun to walk around the house with the cane. He still needed to sit for quite awhile afterwards, but he was making noticable progress every day.
"I'm really glad you're doing so well," she said, sitting next to him on his bed and looking down at her feet. "I was really worried about you when you first got here. Part of me was afraid you weren't going to make it. I never let myself believe that, but the fear was always there." She looked up at him, smiling. "But it's been nice having you around, especially since you've been up and about. I like being with my parents, but it's horribly boring during the day when they're at work."
"I'd much rather be here than with the Dursleys, believe me," replied Harry, chuckling.
"You feel up to a walk?"
"You coming with me?"
"Of course. Always." Harry smiled at this.
"So where are we going? Can we start with the kitchen?"
"Oh, Harry, you're starting to sound like Ron. Thinking with your stomach."
"I am not. I just need to build up my strength. You said so yourself."
"Well, okay. To the kitchen it is."
Hermione prepared Harry a small meal, and sat down next to him while he ate.
"I've planned a nice route for us around the neighborhood," she said. "It's got plenty of benches along the way if you need to rest, and it goes by the park if you want to sit there for awhile."
"That sounds great, Hermione."
The walk went slowly, with Harry stopping to rest often. The cane helped a great deal, but Harry apparently preferred leaning on Hermione. When they got to the park, they sat together under a tree, enjoying the warm weather. When Hermione leaned on Harry's shoulder, he reached around her, and rested his arm on her shoulders, pulling her closer to him, allowing her to lean on his chest.
"Harry?" Hermione looked up after they had been sitting quietly for nearly half an hour. His eyes were closed, but his breathing told Hermione he was still awake. "You want to stay here, or head back?"
"I think here is just fine," he said, without opening his eyes. He smiled. "I'm quite comfortable right here." He gave Hermione a half-hug with the arm around her shoulders, and she smiled.
"You know, Hermione," he said softly. "I can't remember the last time I was this relaxed."
"I'm not surprised," she replied. "This is my favorite spot in the park. I like to come here to read."
"It's like nothing else even exists. It's just us here, and I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."
"Me too," whispered Hermione.
After awhile, they agreed they should probably head back to Hermione's house, but they took it very slowly, even more so than before, and as it turned out, on the way back, Harry didn't even need to stop and rest.
"Harry, what would you say to heading to the mall tomorrow?" Hermione picked at Harry's shirt, handed down from Dudley, so it was, of course, miles too big for him. "You really need some clothes that will fit you."
"That's not a bad idea, but I don't have any money. I only have wizarding money."
"That's okay, Harry, I'll pay for it, and you can pay me back."
"No, that's okay, I don't want to put you out."
"Harry, my parents are both dentists. I think we can afford it."
"Okay then, if you're sure."
"I'm sure. We can't have you running around in tents all summer."
The next day, Harry was woken up early by Hermione so they could get a ride to the mall from her parents on their way to work.
"We'll take the bus back," said Hermione as they got out of the car. "That way, we can go home whenever you want, okay Harry?"
"Okay, but as long as I get a chance to rest every now and then, we should be okay."
"Sure thing. The mall has lots of benches. The only trick will be finding one that isn't being used by a couple at the time." She smiled at Harry, and he laughed.
"They're the broom closets of the Muggle world, are they?"
"Right. And movie theatres are the empty classrooms."
They spent most of the rest of the afternoon looking for clothes for Harry. Hermione did on occasion drag him into a store in which she wanted to look around, but Harry didn't object in the least, and tried to give honest opinions whenever Hermione tried something on. It wasn't hard. She looked amazing in most everthing, and Harry was astounded. His best friend had changed significantly over the years, and the fact that she wasn't wearing the form-obscuring robes of Hogwarts any longer, the changes through which she had gone were quite obvious to Harry. He tried his hardest not to stare too much, although he suspected he had been caught on several occasions, judging by how Hermione's cheeks would turn a brilliant crimson.
Finally, towards the end of their shopping excursion, Hermione stopped Harry, and pointed towards a sporting goods store.
"We've got a pool nearby, Harry, in the park. I think you should have a swimsuit, don't you?"
"I suppose," said Harry, realizing how much harder it would be to disguise his recognition of the changes in Hermione's body when they were covered by that much less clothing. He was a bit wary about seeing Hermione in a swimsuit, mostly because he was afraid of what his reaction would be. Harry was not oblivious to what was going on in his own mind, and he didn't want Hermione to think he was ogling her like a common teenager. She was his friend, and he didn't want to jeopardize that at all.
"Come on, Harry, let's try some on. It'll be fun!" Harry followed her into the store, and towards the swimwear section. Hermione, noticing his reluctance, stopped. "What's the matter, Harry?" She looked concerned, and Harry knew he had to think quickly.
"I…uh…I don't really know how to swim very well," he said quietly. It was true, but far from the cause of his reluctance. "The Dursleys didn't exactly consider swimming a necessary skill for me. I was, after all, a freak, and, if they had any say in the matter, headed for some insane asylum. Not much call for swimming skills there. The only reason I did so well in the second task in fourth year was because of the gillyweed. It sort of gave me a swimming instinct, but it didn't last after the gillyweed wore off."
Hermione's eyes darkened at the mention of Harry's mistreatment at the hands of his Aunt and Uncle.
"Well," she said softly, obviously putting effort into keeping her voice level. "I happen to think swimming is a very important skill for you to have, so we can work on that together." Her eyes brightened. "And if we're going to do that, you're definitely going to need swimming trunks." She took hold of his wrist, and pulled him towards the swimwear section. Harry sat on a bench in the aisle and set down the bags he had been carrying. Hermione had tried to convince him that she could take bags, but he insisted that even though he wasn't up to full strength, he was certainly capable of carrying a few bags. He was starting to regret that, though.
"What's the matter, Harry?" Hermione turned and saw Harry flexing his fingers.
"Bags are getting a little heavy," he replied.
"Okay, I'll take them for awhile after we finish here."
"You don't have to take all of them."
"Why not? You did."
"Yeah, but…"
"Look, Harry, I know you insisted that carrying the bags helped you build up your strength, but if you overdo it, you're just going to end up hurting yourself. I'm going to take the bags after we're done here, so you can have a rest, and concentrate on just walking." She turned back to look at the rack. "Besides, you know me. What do you think your chances are of convincing me of otherwise now? I've made my decision."
Harry sighed. She was right. She could be extraordinarily stubborn, and he had virtually no chance of changing her mind.
"I guess you're right."
"Good. Now, I'll be right back, I'm going to try this on." She picked something off the rack that Harry couldn't see, and disappeared into the dressing room. A minute or two later, she emerged wearing a navy blue bikini that nearly made Harry choke. Never had he seen so much of Hermione, and never had he imagined she would wear such a thing.
"It looks bad, doesn't it," she asked, wrinkling her nose at Harry's silent reaction.
Harry was simply dumbfounded. A bikini was certainly a far cry from the bulky robes in which he was used to seeing her.
"No…no, Hermione, it looks brilliant." Harry tried desperately to think of something to say that wouldn't sound stupid. "I'm just not used to seeing you in a bikini."
So much for that idea. Nice one, Harry, he thought.
"You don't think I look good in a bikini?" She looked down at herself.
"No! I mean, yes! I mean…" Harry took a deep breath. "I think you look great in a bikini. I'm just not used to it is all."
Hermione blushed and ducked back into the dressing room. When she came back out a minute later, she was fully dressed, much to Harry's silent relief. She moved to put the bikini back on the rack, but Harry stopped her.
"No, Hermione, you really do look terrific in that."
"You're not just saying that?"
"No. I'm not just saying that."
She smiled, and made a point of putting it on the bench next to Harry to show she would indeed buy it. She offered her hand to Harry.
"What?" Harry looked at her hand, confused.
"Come on, Harry. We came in here to get you swimming trunks. You can't look at what they have sitting on the bench."
"That makes sense, I suppose," he replied, taking her hand and standing up. He picked up the cane and started over towards the rack where the men's swimming trunks were on display.
"Hermione, I don't actually know what size I am," he said, eyeing the different size labels on the swimming trunks.
"Well, that's easy enough to figure out," she said as she started to pick pairs of trunks off the rack. "Just try on one of each size, and whatever fits you best, that's your size."
After they determined Harry's size, Harry suggested he go with the pair he had tried on to figure out his size. Hermione, however, was not inclined to agree.
"Harry," she said, shaking her head. "You can't just buy the first pair you pick up."
"Why not?" Harry looked down at the trunks he was wearing.
"Oh, Harry." Hermione covered her mouth to disguise her smile. "I'm sorry, but those trunks are not right for you. You definitely need another pair. I just grabbed those off the rack. The fact is, they're absolutely horrid."
"Oh. Well." Harry shrugged. "I guess I need help then, 'cause I thought these were fine."
"Sit down, Harry," Hermione laughed. "I'll go through the rack and find something for you."
Harry sat down, and marvelled at Hermione, looking through the rack, examining swimming trunks as if they were Ancient Runes. In all the time he'd known her, for some reason, he never even considered the fact that she did this. Well, she has to, he thought. She has to have clothing for when she's not at Hogwarts. She can't very well run around naked... His train of thought stopped dead, as if somebody had built a brick wall across the tracks. He had never even thought of thinking of Hermione in anything resembling that fashion, and it took him completely by surprise. The level of shock in which he was placed by the errant image was such that he completely lost all track of his surroundings.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Harry looked up. Hermione was standing over him with a couple of pairs of swim trunks in her hands, looking at him with deep concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I said I found a couple pairs for you to try on." She looked as if she was examining him. "Are you sure you're okay? You drifted off into a daze."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, trying to keep from blushing. He stood up and took the swimming trunks from Hermione.
After Harry tried them all on, and Hermione approved them, they went and checked out. True to her word, Hermione took the shopping bags, although Harry was actually able to convince her to let him take a couple of them. On the bus ride back, there was only one available seat, and Harry tried to insist that Hermione take it, but she refused, insisting that he should rest.
When they got back, Harry realized that he was in fact quite tired, and decided to lie down for a little while. When Hermione went upstairs with the bags, he laid down on the couch, and by the time she returned, he was fast asleep.
"Sleep well, Harry," she whispered, smiling, and kissed him softly on the forehead.