The Herbology Assistant

Chapter Seventy Nine

"Harry?"  Clarice called up the stairs.

"Yeah?" He yelled back.

"When are we going to get Hermione?" She asked.

"Noon!"

"Harry!"

"What?"

"It is noon!"

"Coming!"

Harry pounded down the stairs quickly and skipped the last two step.

"Sorry," He said and Clarice flattened his hair down a bit.

"Ready?" She asked and he nodded. They apparated to a town Clarice was all too familiar with; Hampstead. Clarice followed the address to the cul- de- sac home. They knocked on the door and smiled when the familiar face opened the door.

"Harry! Professor Bates! Come in!" Hermione invited them into her home. "I'm just trying to fit a few more things in my never full."

"You're having trouble fitting stuff in your never full?" Clarice asked. "How much did you pack?"

"Well... I have a lot of studying I need to do this year so I have to return a lot of books already and  I borrowed a few shrubs from Professor Sprout that I need to show her I haven't killed them for extra credit and-"

"Hermione. Honey, breathe." Clarice laughed nervously.

"We tell her that everyday." Her mother came in and shook hands while they introduced each other. They didn't stay long and soon they were back at the manor.

"Hey Hermione... There's something I didn't tell you in the letter." Harry said nervously. Clarice took that as her time to exit the room, but not far enough where she couldn't eavesdrop.

"Malfoy is here." Harry said.

"What? Why?" Hermione asked almost panicked. Clarice knew the two never saw eye to eye, but thought by this point they had become civil enough. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.

"Well he's staying with them to help Clarice."

"You call her by her first name?" She asked.

"She told me I could."

"Okay..."

"Well, I just knew you wouldn't want to come if he was here... but I missed you." Harry tried to explain.

"Harry... he thinks I'm a mudblood."

"He doesn't think that anymore. He's changed."

"How come you're sticking up for him all of sudden? I thought you hated each other?" Hermione targeted him.

"I mean we did... Until."

"What? What aren't you telling me? Harry I thought we were best friends."

"We are! It's just... this was personal." Harry said.

"So personal you told Draco Malfoy? Harry what the hell?" She could've smacked him.

"Hermione please. I'll explain in a minute. Let me show you your room. It's right across from mine." Clarice heard their footsteps go up upstairs and wished she could hear through the walls on whatever they were discussing, but decided to try and mind her own business.

"How did we end up with a house full of kids this summer?" Severus snuck up on her in the kitchen which caused her to jump.

"You scared me," she said with a hand on her heart.

"I'm glad you didn't hex me then." Severus grabbed her waist and pecked her lightly on the lips. "But seriously I thought this was supposed to be summer vacation?"