Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 63

"Hello, sweetheart," Hermione's dad said entering the kitchen. "Is everything okay?"

"Um, Mr. Weasley's here with me," Hermione said. "He has some things he wanted to talk to you about. Here, have some tea."

Her father reached out, taking a hold of the two cups Hermione noticed were potion free.

"Not those," she said urgently. "Sorry," she apologized when he looked at her in surprise. "I made those like Mrs. Weasley makes her tea. I had some while I was there and it grew on me. She said Mr. Weasley was the only one she knew who liked it that particular way," she said, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Oh," Hermione's dad asked, obliging by reaching for the other two cups. "What's that?"

She wanted to kick herself as she was put on the spot. "Oh, um... its a magical thing, I can't really talk about it, sorry," she apologized.

"Ah, I see," her dad said as she picked up the two potion free cups and they headed for the living room. "More secrets."

"Secrets?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes, my daughter was just telling me that I was picking up the wrong tea cups," Hermione's father said as he handed one of the cups to his wife as he sat by her on the couch. "She said you like something magical in your tea?"

"My tea?" Mr. Weasley asked puzzled and peered into the cup Hermione handed him.

"Yes," Hermione said, "You know, like Mrs. Weasley makes just for you?"

"But I don't -" Mr. Weasley began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Gillywater!" she said urgently, giving him a meaningful look.

"Oh!" Mr. Weasley said. "Yes, Gillywater, of course! Never drink my tea without it."

"I had some when I was at the Weasley's house," Hermione said. "It was kind of strange, but I liked it, so I put some in mine, too."

"Yes," Mr. Weasley said, rather puzzled. "It does have an usual flavor..."

"Here, you are," Hermione said, and handed him the vial from her pocket. "Mrs. Weasley gave it to me before we left," she said and redirected her eyes toward her parents and back again, hoping Mr. Weasley got her message.

"You said it was magical?" Hermione's father asked. "What does it do exactly.

"Calming Draught?" Mr. Weasley muttered under his breath as he looked at the vial that Hermione had handed him and she redirected her gaze in her parent's direction and back again when he looked back at her.

"Excuse me?" Hermione's dad said. "I didn't catch that."

"Oh! Sorry about that," Mr. Weasley said and stuck the vial in his pocket. "It, uh, it calms my nerves, you see, I have a very stressful job, and it makes me have bouts of nervous tension and it helps me unwind after the day."

Mr. Granger looked at his wife and laughed. "Sounds like we could use that, huh, honey."

"Oh, so sorry," Mr. Weasley said. "Not really supposed to share it I'm afraid. "We have rules against that sort of thing," he said giving Hermione a look that had her lowering her gaze quickly and going over to take a seat as she cleared her throat.

"So more secrets, huh?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Oh, well, some," Mr. Weasley said, "but I'm also here to share some of them with you."

"Really?" Mrs. Granger asked. "We've really wanted to learn more about this new world our daughter's in. We feel so out of step now."

"Well, I - I suppose I can understand how that must feel," Mr. Weasley said rubbing the back of his neck. "Not precisely mind, but I think I can understand."