Last Lesson in Love - (Sequel to Tutoring A Malfoy)

Chapter Seventeen - 'Persuading Harry.'

Robert Greene was one of those people who loved to help each and every person who came to him. He was thoughtful, passionate, and very sympathetic towards Hermione. Even when she showed up at his door with her eyes red around the rims and her too tight shirt and a coat that wasn’t even hers and her hair scraped back, away from her face... Robert invited her inside with a huge smile on his face.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Hermione found herself apologising when Robert opened the door, ‘I look a mess but... the thing is that I-’

‘Hermione - I can call you Hermione, right?’ Robert asked and smiled when Hermione nodded. He continued, ‘Hermione, don’t worry about it. I know this is a tough time. Why don’t you come in? I made dinner.’

‘Thank you,’ Hermione whispered, clutching her coat a little tighter as she crossed the threshold to his apartment.

Even though Robert lived in an apartment, rather than a house, it was pretty obvious that he made good money. The apartment opened up to a large room with a television mounted to the wall and a black and white sofa sitting right across from it. Art and paintings were decorating the white walls with black trimmings and Hermione found herself wondering if Robert was married. By the looks of his apartment, she’d bet he was a bachelor.

Her thoughts were correct as Robert apologised for the mess – though, there was none – and said, supporting a goofy grin, ‘this place needs the hands of a lady, wouldn’t you say?’

‘It’s a lovely apartment,’ Hermione said, turning her eyes back to him, ‘I should probably wash my face though. Is there a...?’

‘A bathroom? Down the hall to your right,’ Robert smiled at her, ‘I can’t really cook so it’ll be frozen lasagne for dinner. I think you could use some food.’

‘Yes, that would be great,’ Hermione nodded, trying to smile at him but it probably came out as a grimace.

She took off her coat and hung it on one of the hooks where Robert’s jacket was hanging too before going down the hall, looking at the various paintings. Robert must be an art sort of person and a lawyer. She had a hard time figuring out why he was still single.

The bathroom was like the living room: modern and colour co-ordinated. The blue walls and curtains reminded her of the ocean on a sunny day and Hermione felt herself smiling a little. She used the toilet and then washed her hands, inspecting her face in the mirror. She looked tired and worn and used and just horrible. Hermione shook her hair out of her ponytail and ran her hands through it, trying to untangle and control the mane. When the attempt failed, she tied her hair up into a bun and washed her face twice, getting rid of the tears that had made her face a little sticky. Hermione dried her face and hands before leaving the bathroom.

‘Through here,’ Robert smiled at her once she came into the living room. He gestured her through into the kitchen.

A table had been set up with frozen lasagne on two plates and some water next to it. Hermione smiled her thank you at him and went to sit down, Robert sitting opposite her. She dug into the lasagne, feeling hungry and incredibly tired but they had a lot to discuss before tomorrow. Eating seemed like a waste of time... fundamental but a waste all the same.

‘Slow down, Hermione,’ Robert murmured, watching her eat, ‘savour the taste and just relax, you look like you need it.’

‘I can’t just relax while Draco is in that cell,’ Hermione looked at him, a touch of a frown on her forehead. She shook her head, taking another bite.

 ‘I’ve been working on this case non stop,’ Robert informed her, seeming not to take offence to her snapping, ‘and I’m very confident that I can let him off. He might have to do public services but that, or anything, is better than Azkaban.’