Vox Corpis [Harmione]

Chapter 11

When Miranda came home for lunch she heard music coming from the kitchen. Curious, she followed the sound and stopped at the sight before her.

The kitchen was in full use, an almost unprecedented sight if Miranda herself wasn't the one using it. Ingredients, bowls, and utensils littered the countertops. The music was coming from the radio tuned into a station Miranda had never heard before (and soon understood why when lines like 'come fly on my broom with me' warbled from the speakers), lending comfortable ambiance to the room. Kimmy the house elf was sitting on the countertop across from the stove, her bare legs swinging as she hummed with the music. Her boxer shorts hat took Miranda aback a second, but nothing could compare to the mental start when she spotted Harry. The boy was tending the stove-top and a saucer from which a truly delicious smell was rising. He was stirring and adding spices with practiced ease. He, too, wore a pair of boxer shorts on his head, blue and white stripped.

Miranda wasn't sure if she should laugh, gape, or just turn around and sort out the strange universe that had taken over her kitchen in a safe, quiet place.

"Missus Granger!" Kimmy greeted congenially when the house elf spotted her.

Harry jumped and whirled, spoon in hand and dripping on to the floor while Harry looked at her, wide-eyed.

"Missus Granger!" Harry gulped and hastily tore the boxers off his head with a blush. "Err… hi."

Miranda stepped into the kitchen. "Hello, Harry. What's all this?"

Harry cleared his throat and tossed the boxers in his hand to Kimmy. "Oh, uh, I was just making me and Hermione lunch. Um… would you like some? It's nearly done."

"You cook?" Miranda couldn't help the note of astonishment in her voice as she moved over to the stove as if drawn by the aroma.

"Yeah."

Miranda peered down into the saucer and her mouth did start to water. "Is that vegetable soup?" She looked around the kitchen at the scattered items and understanding dawned. "And did you make that from scratch?"

Harry shifted on his feet. "Um… yeah. I don't get to make it much, my uncle usually demands heftier dishes, so it might not be the best seeing as it's been so long since I made it last. I'm sorry for using your things without asking, I was going to have Kimmy replace what I used, and I was going to clean it all up and have everything back where it belonged before you got home."

Miranda peered closely at Harry from their close stance over the pot of soup. The tone of his voice and the rushed assurances and apologies, one after another, gave her suspicious pause. "Don't worry about that, Harry. It's fine. To be honest, I'm just surprised. Do you have any idea what Jake's idea of cooking is? Or Hermione's? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best either of them can manage in the kitchen. This looks absolutely delicious. Yes, I would love to have some."

Harry smiled in relief. Miranda stopped when she realized that, when he smiled, when he wasn't tense or withdrawn or hesitant, he was actually quite a handsome boy.

"Why don't I set the table…" Miranda turned toward the dining room to see that the places were already set. And someone had not only meticulously set two places, already prepared drinks, and set out some sliced Italian bread on a cutting board, but had also placed a vase with fresh flowers in the center. As she looked on, the short-statured house elf was scurrying with a third place mat, bowl, and spoon to set a place for Miranda.

"Oh, um, Kimmy's already seen to the table," Harry said unnecessarily.

"Oh, well, guess I'll just go tell Hermione…" before Miranda could finish her sentence, Kimmy, finished setting Miranda's place, dashed through the kitchen, into the hall, and her feet slapping bare-footed on the floor marked her progression toward Hermione's bedroom.