Ace of Hearts
Chapter 2
Hermione was sitting alone at a table in the Ministry cafeteria. Try as she might she just could not find anything to
help that poor Lilith Harth, she was exhausted and frustrated. Mentally reviewing the information that she had located
in the extensive library and then the subsequent failed attempts to make any of the antidote potions that she had
created work, only served to make her more upset. Still feeling frustrated she took an angry bite of her sandwich.
"Whoa, Hermione," a deep voice chuckled "I think they killed it before they put it on your sandwich, you don't have to kill it again."
She looked up to see a very amused, and tired, looking Harry standing before her. Hermione's body temperature rose causing a flush to rise up her neck and cheeks. Lucky for her though Harry seemed to take her reaction as a response to his teasing, when instead it was a response to... well she didn't want to think about what it was a response to.
Harry, now at a little over six feet, had grown into a spectacular looking man. His build was just as muscular and toned as Ron's, however unlike Ron, Harry was a bit more on the lean side. And though Ron is still very handsome, Harry just looked more natural with that type of physique. He carried the appearance with a type of ease and confidence that just made it seem more alluring on him. His face had matured some, but still had a boyish quality to it that intensified his appeal. Along with his glasses and messy black hair, as always, that just barley hid a small lightning bolt shaped scar he just exuded masculinity. Harry stood before her dressed from head to toe in the black clothes that were required for all Aurors. He wore a form fitting shirt that hugged his torso and loose black cargo pants. Black boots laced to mid-calf and black robes completed his outfit.
Though he still sometimes wore other colors, Harry had taken to wearing black even on his days off after getting his job as an Auror. In truth, most often when you saw him he had on just black. He said it made it easier so that when he got called into work on emergencies he didn't have to change clothes. Ginny had joked that he looked like a character from the muggle movie 'The Matrix', which the Weasley family had seen when Mr. Weasley came home with a muggle TV/DVD combo that had been enchanted to only played Keanu Reeves movies -for odd some reason. Everyone had laughed heartily at the joke especially when Harry proceeded to lean far back and imitate the scene where the main character Neo had dodged the bullets. Later that night when they were alone in the kitchen Hermione joked with him that he only wore black to try to maintain his mysterious persona that women liked and The Daily Prophet always talked about. Harry gave a thoughtful look before turning his gaze to her, laughing and winking. Before Hermione could comment further he walked out of the kitchen to join Ron, Ginny, Seamus, and the twins for an impromptu game of Quidditch.
She was pulled back to the present as Harry took the seat opposite of her.
"So what are you doing here on a Saturday?" He asked, while taking a few of her chips. Since she was pretty much done Hermione slid her tray, containing the remaining chips and half a sandwich over to Harry, who after giving her a grateful smile, began eating.
"Oh, well not unlike yourself we had a bit of an emergency yesterday."
"Yeah, what happened?" He asked in between bites unlike Ron, Harry enjoyed hearing about other people's jobs, especially hers. He said it "gave him a real sense for the world".
Even though Harry had now been a part of the magical world for over ten years, he still was boyishly enthusiastic to learn new things about it. Happy to have someone to talk to about her problem Hermione leaned forward and eagerly told him about her last couple of days at work.
"So you see, I'm sure it's nowhere near as exciting or important yours, but it just has me so frustrated. This whole thing is driving me absolutely mental! I'm running out of ideas and time."
Harry smiled; he knew just how much she hated running out of ideas.
"First of all, don't ever say that something that you're doing isn't important. I know you very well Hermione Granger, and that includes well enough to know that you would never put so much time, effort and heart into something that's not important." He looked at her with a stern expression but his green eyes were twinkling. "Second, maybe instead of books you should try people..."
Hermione gave him a confounded look, but it only lasted for a second. A genuine smile graced Harry's lips as he looked into her eyes. He could almost see her mind working, first there was confusion, then comprehension, followed by understanding and finally triumph.
"So you mean instead of consulting their books, I should consult the experts themselves!" She was glowing with pleasure "Harry you're genius!" Hermione hopped up from the table and flew around to his side pulling him into an impromptu hug. "Just brilliant! Now I know why the Auror department snatched you up," she pulled away and looked at him for a second before her face became serious. "You look horrible."
"Gee, I just love the way you stroke my ego," he smirked; blushing Hermione pulled away.
"Off to bed with you," she stated, reminding him of Mrs. Weasley. "I know you were out all night for work, you really need to get some rest you look dead on your feet."
"How did you know I was out all night?"
"Ron told me."
"When?"
When she turned even redder he knew.
"Never mind, Hermione," Harry responded giving a small fake smile and ignoring the clench in his stomach.
"Well..." she said after a moment "you go get some rest and I'll come by the flat later to check on you. At that time you can tell me all about your emergency. Does that sound like a plan?" After receiving his nod she gave him a smile, turned away and walked briskly out of the lunchroom.
Harry sat for a second longer staring at the place where Hermione had just been, before stifling a yawn. He then emptied the tray and headed to the designated location in the ministry where he Apparated home.
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A few hours later Harry was abruptly awaken by what sounded like someone choking a pigeon. Wiping his bleary eyes, he rolled out of bed placing on his glasses and grabbing his wand. Harry stumbled towards the kitchen trying to locate the source of the horrendous sound and upon entering the location he found his flat-mate singing a Weird Sisters song -very poorly he might add- and making grilled cheese sandwiches... or at least he thought they were grilled cheese sandwiches. Harry squinted moving closer to the cook top.
"Bloody Hell!!" Ron screamed as Harry came up behind him. "Sorry mate did I wake you?" He quizzed smiling. "You looked bloody exhausted when you came in so I decided that I would make dinner tonight."
The dark haired man look incredulously at the pan on the stove with the burnt sandwich.
"I thought you might like some grilled cheese sandwiches and kitchen soup."
"Kitchen soup?"
"Yeah," Ron motioned to a pot on the burner opposite of the grilled cheese pan. A mass of brown bubbling stuff gurgled back at him, reminding Harry of something that they had accidentally made during Snape's potions class.
"Uhhhh, actually I was thinking more along the lines of pizza."
Ron, looking disappointed, finally took the smoking sandwich off of the burner.
"Sorry mate," Harry offered taking note of his expression "it's just that... I uhh, had grilled cheese and soup for lunch today and I'm all souped out. But hey if you want you can have pizza too, it'll be my treat."
Ron looked at mate for a second then looked at the still bubbling soup. As if on cue it let out a long farting noise with a puff of smoke, though Harry would swear it was no normal puff but one that looked suspiciously like a skull and crossbones. He saw Ron cringe before looking at him and nodding enthusiastically.
"While you order the pizza, I think I'm going to go get cleaned up," Ron said looking down at his shirt which was now covered in random colored stains.
"You do that," Harry responded laughing. "By the by, what is Kitchen soup?"
he asked Ron who was almost out of the room.
Without turning the redhead shrugged and answered. "Soup made from what ever I could find in the kitchen," he
then turned the corner and headed down the hall to his room.
Harry glanced back at the murky substance on the stove and deciding it was too dangerous to get close to, used his wand to turn on warm water and empty the pot into the sink. He smiled in amusement noticing the random ingredient packages that Ron had used. He saw every thing from lizard egg shells to sliced pumpkin; Wiley Wonders Witch and Wizards Prudent Pain Prevention Potion, which he was sure they would have needed, to left over Sheppard's pie; Elf Jam to Oreo's... Harry shook his head, Ron had been attempting to learn to cook like a muggle since seeing him and Hermione do it. In all honesty though he was still learning he really wasn't half bad -well usually. Smiling at his mates, quite possibly deadly attempt at cooking Harry began to clean the counters. He had just tossed an empty package of Berttie Botts into the bin when he heard a `pop' signaling that someone had just Apparated.
"Hello?" he heard a melodious voice call from the living room. "Harry? Ron?"
"In here!" he replied, a second later a smiling Hermione entered. She had taken a single step into the kitchen before her face went red and her wide eyes fixated on his chest. Giving her a curious look, Harry looked down and noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Oh sorry," he commented, unsure of why it seemed to bother her. She had seen him without a shirt on before, just a few months ago in fact when he played an impromptu Quidditch game at the Weasley's. His team -consisting of him, George and Ron had been the skins while the other team -Fred, Seamus and Ginny had been the shirts.
When Hermione began to examine the counter Harry let out a low chuckle.
"Okay, okay," he held up his hands in mock surrender "I'll put on a shirt. I wasn't aware that the seeing me without one disgusted you so much." He then laughed harder at the frown that came across her flushed face as she made eye contact with him. "Just kidding, geez," still chuckling Harry left the kitchen to retrieve a shirt.
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Hermione did her best to ignore the heat from his body as he passed her on his way out the kitchen laughing.
'Disgust me,' she thought 'if he only knew.'
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Her day had been finally looking up. Taking Harry upon his idea, Hermione had flooed and owled the few famous magical creature doctors and healers who's addresses she could locate. She had gotten great ideas and input almost immediately and she and Eliza, whom she had called in to help with all the responses, had concocted a potion with various herbs, newt toes and dragon scales that seemed promising. After receiving the brew about an hour latter the Lylith had actually even eaten for the first time since the incident.
Hermione had gone home to change and then Apparated directly over to the flat to tell Harry how his plan had worked out. However upon arriving in the living room she noticed it was deserted.
"Hello?" she called "Harry? Ron?"
"In here," she heard Harry's distinctive voice reply from the kitchen. Excited to tell him the new developments with the Lylith Hermione hurried smiling into the other room, and that's when her world flipped.
He was standing by the counter to her left holding a crumpled Oreo cookie wrapper and yet somehow still managing to look like a golden Adonis. She first noticed his hair. It looked even messier than usual, like he just rolled out of bed, which started a train of thought that could get her into serious trouble. So wishing to avoid said trouble, Hermione looked down -and her legs almost gave out. Harry's smooth chest was bronze colored and very defined. His pecks were a very nice size, not too big but not to small. He was so well toned that she could count the abs on his stomach -eight if your curious- and his navel, which was an innie, had a light sprinkle of hair from it leading to the waist band of his sleep pants down to his...
"Sorry," Hermione heard Harry comment pulling her out of her musings.
She flushed even more and quickly redirected her attention to the kitchen counter. Obviously Harry had noticed her notice of his lack of shirt.
"Okay, okay," she heard Harry say a second later. Looking up Hermione noticed he held up his hands in surrender. "I'll put on a shirt, I wasn't aware that the seeing me without one disgusted you so much."
She frowned at him for making fun of her and that frown deepened when he laughed at about it. Using all her strength Hermione maintained eye-contact with Harry determined not to show how much his incredible body continued to fluster her. A moment later still laughing he sauntered past her stating that he was "just kidding" and went to the back to get a shirt.
'Disgust me,' she thought 'if he only knew... no, I can't think like that. This is Harry -my best mate... Ron's best mate...' closing her eyes in an attempt to relax a very sexy, smooth chest appeared in front of her. When her hand unconsciously twitched with the need to stroke it, Hermione's eyes snapped open.
The minute she heard his bedroom door close, Hermione leaned against the counter and proceeded to bang her head against the hanging cabinets.
'Stop it! Ron is your boyfriend, not Harry! You shouldn't even notice him in that way!' She stopped hitting her head against the cupboard and took a deep breath. 'Ron, Ron, Ron!' Hermione did a slow mental mantra, focusing on a small chip in the paint on the wall opposite her. She then did her best to conjure up a picture of Ron from last night, feeling as though she had it, she closed her eyes one more and once again -she saw a shirtless Harry. Hermione began to bang her head against the cabinet yet again.
A throat cleared on her third pound and Hermione's eyes flew open.
AN: Well that's it for chapter two, chapter three coming soon. please review THX!!
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