Chapter Text
I take a deep breath before pushing open the door to the clinic. The hospital smell that hits me has me bracing for more disappointment already. Merlin, this was so embarrassing.
The fact that I hadn’t found a pack that I felt comfortable enough to get through a heat with over the past two years was starting to get to me. I’ve been coming to this clean, sterile, and pristine clinic every three months just to be told that they haven’t found any compatible matches for me over and over again. It’s starting to get even more difficult to not put the blame wholly on me. I’ve looked through countless files on packs and lone alphas that seemed alright, I even pushed a few of them through with Dr. Sanchez. None of them were sent back with an acceptance and not even the surplus of gryffindor pride helped me get through with my pride fully intact.
Two years of my heats being suppressed medically and leaving this facility feeling even more empty than I could have thought possible. It’s just been me and Crookshanks against the world. Well, the wizarding world at least.
Not that I don’t think that the clinic is doing everything they can. Being the Golden Girl of the wizarding world and also a recipient of a late designation as Omega, they have worked with me in order to find a pack that fits my needs and also wasn’t actively trying to murder me during the second wizarding war.
It’s been stressful to say the least.
“Good afternoon Hermione! Have a seat, the doctor will be out to get you in just a moment” The receptionist, Allyson, has always been a bubbly addition to my visits here and today is no exception.
“Thanks Ally, how have you been?” I respond softly, taking a seat in one of the plush chairs placed around the edge of the waiting room.
“Great actually, I finally got into that new apartment that me and Graham have been looking at! We moved in a few weeks ago, things have been on the up and up lately” She says, with a huge smile taking over her face and a slight blush covering her cheeks.
Between all of my visits and consultations here I quickly became friends with Allyson, learning all about her and her boyfriend Graham, both betas, and their life that they are slowly building together. According to her stories she’s had a pretty tough life up until now and I mean it wholeheartedly when I respond, “Oh Allyson that’s so exciting! We’ll need to plan a night out and catch up soon. It’s been too long”
“Most definitely” she responds as she turns back to her desk to answer the ringing phone.
I’m left waiting an agonizing two minutes until the doctor peeks her head out of the door and calls my name.
“Ms. Granger?” Dr. Sanchez calls out with a small smile on her face.
“Right here” I call out, nervously rubbing my palms on my jeans as I stand and walk towards the open door.
I’m not due for my next heat for another three weeks so getting the call from the clinic earlier today had me anxious and my hopes instantly soared thinking of what they could possibly need to tell me so urgently. Then the logical side of my brain had me scolding myself for getting worked up for something that could be as simple as an early office visit.
But a small part of me is still secretly hoping that this is good news.
Dr. Sanchez calls me back to her office and motions for me to sit in one of the chairs situated in front of her desk.
“So, to cut to the chase, because I can see your brain going a million miles an hour already, I have a new pack for you to look over.”
I try not to deflate but the thought of spending my afternoon looking through files of different packs and smelling scent cards has a headache forming prematurely.
Dr. Sanchez must see my disappointment on my face because she’s quick to interrupt my spiral.
“This is a new group, just stopped in this morning to fill out their own paperwork. Based on what they are needing and wanting in an omega you seem like the best match and I wanted to give you the option of looking it over before we make any more calls. Just take a look through the file and let me know what you think alright? I’ll give you a few minutes.” Dr. Sanchez says, squeezing my shoulder as she leaves me alone in her office.
Bracing myself before I open the file I’m met with such a severe feeling of anxiety that I have to hold back a whine.
“You’re being a coward Hermione. Just look at it. The worst that can happen is that you hate them and then we can go home and binge eat some ice cream” I huff out one last breath before opening the file.
As usual, all personal information has been scrubbed from the paperwork to help protect anonymity during these ‘pre qualifying interviews’ as the clinic likes to call them. I can learn the ages, gender, and the scents of the pack without the pressure of meeting face to face or a name scaring me off.
Reading through everything I find that this pack is made up of two alphas and a beta, all male. And all located in London.
Convenient.
One of the alphas and the beta are my age while the other alpha is 7 years older.
“Bit of an age gap, I bet that’s fun” I mutter, rifling through the papers to get to the scent cards.
Each member gives a bit of their scent to the clinic for their file, the hope is that if you like the scent enough, you’ll want to meet the pack face to face and it will be a match made in heaven. The clinic loves to boast about their matches.
I haven’t had such luck yet.
Grabbing the scent cards, each in their own baggy, I open one at random and am immediately hit with a soft Saffron and Chili Pepper blend, each smelling as if they’d been roasted over an open fire. I snap the bag closed and force my thighs closed underneath the file folder as I perfume almost instantly. I can feel a flush move from my chest up to my cheeks as I take a few breaths to try and cool myself.
If that was only one of the alphas I can’t wait to see what the other smells like.
Scrambling for the other sealed bag I almost rip it down the side trying to open it before I’m hit with the smell of freshly baked apple pie, the perfect hint of cinnamon in it that has my mouth watering and a full on perfume overtaking Dr. Sanchez’s office. She’ll have to air out her office before bringing anyone else in here.
I sit with the folder for a few more minutes taking turns smelling the two different scents before returning everything where it belongs and closing the folder and placing it back on Dr. Sanchez’s desk.
With a smile on my face I rise out of my chair to go find Dr. Sanchez and tell her the good news.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Almost 24 hours later and I find myself traveling by Floo Powder to Diagon Alley. Since the war ended and restoration efforts began, Diagon Alley has completely transformed. No more seedy and dark Knockturn Alley, in its place are new pubs and stores with adequate lighting and regular cleaning schedules.
Brushing myself off after a Floo entrance through The Leaky Cauldron I head towards Weasleys’ Wizard Wheazes. The happiest place in london.
“Oh look who it is Fred, our almost sister in law!” George says from behind the counter as he cashes out a customer.
“We dated for a month and it was the most awkward month of both of our lives, George. When are you going to get over me and Ron breaking up?” I laugh as I shake my head at him.
“A boy can dream for a sister like you ‘Mione” Fred laughs as he comes back to the front of the store to see us.
“You better hope I don’t tell Ginny you said that” I smirk.
Fred’s smile instantly dropped off of his face as he came around to give me a full hug, “Oh don’t you dare Hermione”.
“Not that I don’t love seeing you but what are you doing here? I didn’t think that Friday night at the pubs was your scene?” Fred asked, looking down at me with his arm slung over my shoulders.
I look between him and George and look down at my shoes before mumbling out “I’m uh- actually meeting a new pack down at Rosmerta’s new pub.”
A chorus of ooos and catcalls follow my news and I roll my eyes as I shrug out from beneath Fred’s arm.
“I actually have a really good feeling about this one but I needed to come see you guys and get all of my random babbling out before I see them because what if they think I talk too much? Or what if they take one look at me and hate me? Do you know how embarrassing that would be? This whole thing is bad enough with me being such a late bloomer but to be openly reject-”
“Hermione.” Fred looks at me calmly as I sigh. “If they are anything but absolutely adoring and loving then they don’t deserve you in the slightest. You are deserving of love, allow it to find you in it’s own time.”
I’ve heard Fred and George’s pep talks before but they never fail to make me feel better.
“And you know our offer still stands. Us three, the three amigos, together forever if you want! Listen we’ve been working on our after dark products ‘Mione, I think we could really make it work” George chimes in.
“Oh Merlin,” I say, covering my red cheeks and face with my hands as I let out a full belly laugh, “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
Looking at my watch I realize I’m going to be late if I dawdle any longer, “Listen guys I gotta go, but thank you for everything. We’ll grab dinner soon, on me!”
I’m rushing out the front door as I wave goodbye to the twins and before I know it I’m bouncing off of a wall and falling backwards, until all of a sudden I’m not.
“I am so sorry, I’m running late and didn’t even see you coming out of the shop. Are you alright?” A deep voice rumbles out, I’m too busy looking at the taut chest muscles, covered with a button up, and the muscular arms currently holding me up to focus on the familiar voice with the tantalizing scent wafting over me.
“Hermione?” the voice asks.
I’m ripped out of my stupor to look up and realize that Theodore Nott is my savior.
“Theo? Oh Merlin, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even looking at where I was going. Are you okay?” I rush out, getting my feet back under me as I regrettably let go of his forearms, squeezing just slightly before letting him go.
“Don’t worry about me, Love. Where were you headed? I’ll walk you.” He says as he holds his elbow out for me to grab like we’re in a Jane Austen novel.
Laughing I place my arm in the crook of his elbow and respond, “I’m on my way to Rosmerta’s new place, whatever name she’s calling it this week.” I laugh out.
“I think it’s ‘The Double Hog’ at the moment, and you’re in luck because that is exactly where I’m headed.” Theo says as he gives me a mischievous smile.