Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 76

"Ah, welcome back Mr. Wood," Hermione heard Mr. Pigmentum say as she sat down on the bench inside the apothecary to rest and wait for him. "Madam Pomfrey said I might be seeing you again today. I'm sorry that you were interrupted before I had a chance to help you. I hope everything is settled now and all right."

"Yes," Oliver answered the shop keeper, his voice traveling to where Hermione sat.

"Good, good," Mr. Pigmentum said. "What can I do for you then?"

"Well," Oliver said. "I need two jars of healing salve, and a restock of potion ingredients for year four."

"Year four?" Mr. Pigmentum asked.

"They're for me," Hermione called from her spot on the bench. "As is one of those jars. I do apologize, but Madam Pomfrey told me to stay off my foot as much as I can. I can pay for those."

"Ah, I see," Mr. Pigmentum called and nodded to her from the counter. "Yes of course." He grabbed a basket and moved back among the shelves where Hermione was unable to see. After a few minutes, he appeared again and came to her with a basket of items. "Might I ask what happened?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"I um," Hermione began and blushed. "I fell and broke my ankle. Madam Pomfrey healed the bones, but the soft tissues need to heal."

"I see, I see," Mr. Pigmentum said. "Well, the healing salve takes time to work on a deeper level. Maybe longer than you wish to wait considering the start of term is just a few days away."

Hermione groaned. "Yes," she said. "I was hoping it wouldn't be long before I was up and around again. Especially to catch the train."

"Well, there are thing I could give you for healing baths," Mr. Pigmentum said thoughtfully. "It still might take a day or two, but you'll be nearly recovered by the time term starts."

"Oh, yes," Hermione said. "Please."

Mr. Pigmentum nodded and headed back into the shelves. Hermione heard the opening pop of a jar seal, and a second pop, following by the sound of scooping and the resealing of jars. When he returned, Mr. Pigmentum was carrying another jar that he added to the basket. "*Magnesium sulfate," he said. "Or as Muggles call it -"

"Epsom Salt," Hermione said with a smile.

"That's correct, Miss Granger," Mr. Pigmentum said. "Muggles use it often for healing bruises and sore muscles. It can be mixed with a variety of healing ingredients."

"I've used it with peppermint before," Hermione said.

"Yes, it can be used with peppermint to give a cooling effect, but many muggles," Mr. Pigmentum said with a shake of his head. "Often use it incorrectly with peppermint."

"How so?" Hermione asked, in confusion.

"Well," Mr. Pigmentum said. "There are some parts of the body that shouldn't be exposed to vapors of peppermint."

"Like the eyes," Hermione said and Mr. Pigmentum nodded.

"Yes," he said, "like the eyes, but there are other, more private parts that shouldn't be exposed to the oil as well. Many muggles make the mistake of mixing peppermint in a bath instead of soaking a cloth and applying it to an isolated injury instead."

Hermione flushed, turning scarlet realizing that she had been guilty of using it wrong herself on more than one occasion.

"This improper use won't harm you, but the fumes and the cooling effect can be rather intense and uncomfortable. Now if your injury requires you to use the salt in a bath, you don't want the water to dry out your skin from over use. In this case, you can add milk and honey to them to help maintain the moisture level in your skin. Regardless, you don't want to soak much beyond twenty minutes."

"Thank you," Hermione said, accepting the salt added to the basket he had brought with the rest of the supplies she needed. "What do I owe you?"

"With the salt, the jar of healing salve and your potions supply restocking," Mr. Pigmentum said. "It comes to fifty-three galleons, eight sickles and twenty-two knuts."

Hermione counted out the money and gave it to him.

"Thank you dear," he said getting to his feet and picking up the basket. "I'll package this up with Mr. Wood's order, shall I?"

"Yes, please," Hermione said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Mr. Pigmentum replied and headed off to the counter. "Ah, now then Mr. Wood, one jar of healing salve comes to one galleon, five sickles, and one knut. Thank you. Now let me just bundle this for you."

"Thank you," Oliver said.

"Say hello to your parents for me," Mr. Pigmentum instructed. "And be sure to take care of Miss Granger."

"I will, sir," Oliver said. "And thanks again."

Hermione blushed at hearing the conversation and smiled as Oliver came back toward the bench where she waited, the packages no where to be seen, so she assumed that he'd already shrunk them and stuck them in a pocket.

"Ready?" Oliver asked.

Hermione nodded.

"Want to walk for a bit?" Oliver asked. "We're close to the apparition point now. It shouldn't be too crowded."

"Yes please," Hermione said, and accepted Oliver's hand and allowed him to pull her carefully to her feet. "Bye Mr. Pigmentum," Hermione called.

"Goodbye dear," Mr. Pigmentum called. "Take care of yourself now."

"I will," Hermione answered and she and Oliver left the shop once he and Mr. Pigmentum exchanged their own goodbyes. Oliver was right, the street wasn't too crowded now. It was near lunch time so some of the shops were closed for lunch or people flocked to Florean Fortescue's, or the Leaky Cauldron.

"I wonder what mum has planned for lunch today," Oliver said as they walked leisurely to the apparition point in the alley of the Leaky Cauldron.

"I hope they're not too upset with me for making us late getting back," Hermione said with trepidation.

"Naw," Oliver said. "I'm sure they won't. Especially given the circumstances of your injury." Hermione groaned and raised her hand, hiding her face in embarrassment. "It will be okay," Oliver said. "You'll see. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Hermione said, realizing they had reached the apparition point. She flushed, and lowered her eyes as she felt Oliver draw her close and she avoided his gaze as her stomach lurched, their surroundings faded and came into focus once more and she found that they were standing in the kitchen that they had left only hours earlier.

*Information on epsom salt use is from my own experience with it using the different mixtures from Dr. Teal's brand.