Garden Morning Dew and Potion Aroma

The morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting dappled spots on the dark blue sheets patterned with stars and moons. Linley opened his eyes. The unfamiliar ceiling, the rustling of apple trees outside the window, the warm, sun-dried scent from the bedding—everything reminded him that this wasn't the cold dormitory at Camphor House, nor the familiar four-poster bed at Hogwarts. This was Hermione's home.

Linley tiptoed out of bed, careful not to disturb Hermione, who might still be sleeping next door. He pulled back the curtains, and the morning sun poured in, illuminating the entire room. Outside the window, the Granger family's backyard was shrouded in a thin morning mist. Dewdrops clung to the apple tree leaves, sparkling in the sunlight. A robin perched on a branch, tilting its head curiously as it observed the stranger inside the window.

He took a deep breath. The scabbed wound on his chest ached with a dull throb, but it was less intense than yesterday. The Star Stone emitted a faint silver-blue glow in the morning light, brighter than it had been at the hospital. Linley gently grasped it, feeling its steady, warm pulse—a resonance from Hermione's Moon White Stone in the next room.

A faint clatter and the aroma of coffee drifted up from downstairs. Linley changed into the light gray t-shirt and dark casual pants Aunt Monica had prepared for him (so much softer and more comfortable than the worn clothes issued by the orphanage) and quietly made his way downstairs.

In the kitchen, Monica was preparing breakfast, the scent of baking bread filling the air. She brightened when she saw Linley. "Good morning, dear! Did you sleep well? Coffee or tea?"

"Good morning, Aunt Monica. Tea, thank you." Linley's voice was still low, but the usual distance was gone. He stood at the kitchen doorway, unsure if he could help with anything.

Monica seemed to read his mind and handed him a basket with a smile. "Could you help me pick some fresh mint from the garden? It's in the small flowerbed by the back door. Hermione loves my mint and honey tea the most."

Linley nodded, took the basket, and headed to the backyard. The morning air was cool and fresh with dew and grass, brushing against his cheeks. He crouched by the flowerbed, carefully selecting the most tender mint leaves. His fingertips touched the cool dew on the leaves, and a strange sense of peace spread from his fingertips to his heart.

"You're up early," a familiar voice called from behind him.

Linley turned and saw Hermione in a pale yellow nightgown, standing barefoot on the dew-covered grass. Her fluffy curly hair glowed golden in the morning light. She rubbed her eyes, her cheeks still bearing the red marks from her pillow, looking incredibly soft.

"So are you," Linley stood up and handed her the basket full of mint.

Hermione took the basket, her fingertip brushing against the back of his hand. The touch felt like a feather gently brushing past. She looked down at the neatly arranged mint leaves in the basket, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You picked all the tender tips, how thoughtful."

They walked back inside side by side, the sunlight stretching their shadows long, merging them on the grass. Monica watched the children walk into the kitchen together, a gentle smile in her eyes.

At the breakfast table, Uncle Wendell was reading the day's The Times. He looked up and winked at them. "What are the plans for today, you two brainiacs? Not going to bury yourselves in calculus all day, are you?"

Hermione poured Linley a cup of mint tea with two spoonfuls of honey and said with mock seriousness, "Today's topic is the analogy between the foundations of quantum mechanics and the configuration of magic spells." Seeing her father's exaggerated look of horror, she couldn't help but laugh. "Just kidding! The weather is so nice today, I'm planning to take Linley to the park nearby. He needs moderate exercise to help him recover, as Madam Pomfrey said."

Linley sipped the sweet mint tea, listening to Hermione's family's relaxed conversation. A strange warmth spread through his chest. This feeling of being included in daily life, of being considered in plans, was entirely new to him.

After breakfast, Hermione pulled Linley upstairs, closing the door mysteriously. She took out an exquisite tin box from her desk drawer. "This is for you! I stayed up late preparing it last night."

Linley opened the box. Inside, over twenty small glass vials were neatly arranged, each labeled and containing powders or liquids of different colors.

"Magic Nourishing Auxiliary Potions!" Hermione explained excitedly, her eyes sparkling. "I've researched all the information I could find on Star Power and combined it with Muggle herbal principles for improvement. This blue bottle is Evening Primrose Essence, which can soothe spasms in the magic circuits; the green one is Ginkgo Extract, to promote magic circulation; the red one is..."

Linley listened quietly as she explained them like a treasure trove, his gaze shifting from the vials to her animated face. The morning light, seeping through the gaps in the curtains, cast a golden line on the bridge of her nose, and her eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows beneath her eyes. When she spoke excitedly, she would unconsciously twirl a strand of hair with her finger, her cheeks flushing a faint pink.

"I know they're not as good as real potions," Hermione's voice suddenly lowered, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the tin box. "You can't use magic now, and I'm not Professor Snape... but these are at least safe, and..."

"Thank you," Linley interrupted her, his voice very soft but exceptionally clear. He picked up a vial containing a pale blue liquid, the label bearing Hermione's neat handwriting: "Star Grass Extract - Calming." In the sunlight, the liquid refracted tiny silver glints, much like the Star Stone on his chest. "I'll take them on time."

Hermione's eyes instantly lit up, like stars being ignited. She bit her lower lip, suddenly stepped forward, and gave Linley a brief, tentative hug, so quick it was as if she feared rejection. "They'll definitely work!" She let go, her cheeks bright red, and quickly turned to get her coat. "I'll go change, we'll leave for the park in ten minutes!"

Linley stood in place, still holding the vial. A strange warmth pulsed from where her embrace had touched his chest, more vivid than the warmth of the Star Stone. He looked down at the rippling blue liquid in the vial, vaguely feeling that its color was exactly like the pale yellow of Hermione's nightgown reflecting in the sunlight.

The park was only two blocks from the Granger house, shaded by trees with a small lake in the center. On a Sunday morning, many families were picnicking and strolling. The laughter of children chasing each other echoed in the air.

Hermione walked slowly along the path by the lake with Linley, occasionally pointing out nearby plants and explaining their medicinal properties. Linley listened quietly, occasionally nodding or giving a brief response. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, casting shifting patterns on them.

"Look over there!" Hermione suddenly lowered her voice and pointed under a large willow tree by the lake. A young man was pretending to read a newspaper, but was secretly using his wand to direct a pen writing in a notebook. "The Ministry's Trace Silk only monitors the magic fluctuations of underage wizards. Adults can cast spells freely in the Muggle world, it's so unfair." She pouted.

Linley's gaze, however, fell on the woman and two children beside the man. The woman was smiling as she combed a little girl's hair, while the boy squatted by the lake, throwing breadcrumbs to feed the ducks. That natural intimacy caused a pang of unfamiliar soreness in his chest.

Hermione keenly sensed his emotional shift. She hesitated, then gently touched his arm. "Shall we go feed the swans? They sell breadcrumbs over there."

The swans by the lake swam gracefully, their white feathers gleaming in the sun. Hermione divided half the breadcrumbs with Linley and demonstrated how to toss them. "You have to do it gently, like this—"

The breadcrumbs landed on the water, creating ripples. The largest swan swam over gracefully and dipped its head to peck at them. Linley, mimicking Hermione, tossed the breadcrumbs onto the water. His movements were a bit stiff, but the swan accepted his offering and even allowed him to stroke its curved neck.

"It likes you!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, her eyes curving into crescents. "Swans are usually very proud, unless they sense a particularly pure magic fluctuation... Ah!" She suddenly realized she had said the wrong thing and bit her lip in annoyance.

But Linley just shook his head and continued to stroke the swan's smooth feathers. In the sunlight, the lines of his profile had softened considerably, and a barely perceptible curve even touched the corners of his mouth. "It's okay," he said. "The magic will come back."

The words sounded like a promise, or perhaps a comfort to himself. Hermione gazed at his profile and suddenly felt her eyes sting. She quietly moved a step closer, her shoulder lightly brushing his arm, and together they watched the swans peck at the breadcrumbs on the water. The sunlight, the lake, the reflections of the swans, and the steady sound of the person beside him breathing—all formed a peaceful picture.

On the way home, Hermione stopped in front of a bakery on the street corner. "Wait for me!" She hurried into the shop and emerged a few minutes later holding a paper bag, a mysterious smile on her face. "Guess what?"

A rich chocolate aroma wafted from the paper bag. Linley raised an eyebrow. "Chocolate croissants?"

"Not just ordinary croissants!" Hermione excitedly opened the bag, revealing golden, crispy pastries. "This is a branch of London's best magic bakery! The owner is a retired Hogwarts house-elf, and the bread has a tiny bit of Jubilee Agent added—the completely legal kind! Eating it will make you feel happier!"

She broke off a small piece of the still-warm croissant and offered it to Linley's lips. "Try it?"

Linley hesitated for a second, then lowered his head and took the piece from her fingertips. The crispy crust, the soft interior, the rich chocolate, and a faint trace of magic blooming on his tongue indeed brought a wave of warmth spreading from his stomach throughout his body.

"Is it good?" Hermione looked at him expectantly, her fingertips still dusted with pastry crumbs.

Linley nodded and reached out to gently brush away a bit of chocolate that had accidentally gotten on her lips. "Mm. Very sweet."

This natural gesture stunned them both. Hermione's face instantly turned as red as the candied cherry on her favorite orange cake, and Linley's ear tips also turned a suspicious pink. They tacitly turned to continue walking at the same time, but the distance between their shoulders had lessened.

The afternoon sun cast their shadows on the cobblestone path, one tall, one short, yet strangely harmonious. Hermione secretly glanced at the boy beside her and found him looking up at the clear blue sky, a subtle softness on his lips. Her heart melted like chocolate in that sunlight, becoming utterly soft.

Back home, Aunt Monica was preparing lunch in the kitchen. Hermione pulled Linley to the apple tree in the backyard and spread out a picnic blanket. "Let's eat here! Picnics under the tree are the best in the summer!"

A cool breeze rustled under the shade of the tree, and dappled sunlight sprinkled onto the blanket through the gaps in the leaves. Hermione neatly arranged sandwiches, fruit, and the bag of magic croissants. Then, as if by magic, she pulled two small bottles from her pocket. "Look! My improved Magic Nourishing Potion, Number One! I added today's inspiration—Moonlight Grass from the swan lake!"

Linley took the small bottle. A pale purple liquid swirled inside, shimmering with tiny specks of light in the sun. He uncorked it, and a fresh aroma wafted out, like the scent of a rain-soaked meadow mixed with some kind of flower.

"Cheers?" Hermione raised her bottle, her eyes sparkling.

Linley gently tapped her bottle, tilted his head back, and drank it in one gulp. The liquid slid down his throat, bringing a cool, comfortable sensation, which then transformed into a warm trickle, slowly flowing to his limbs. The dull ache in his chest scar seemed to lessen slightly, and the Star Stone also grew warm.

"How is it?" Hermione anxiously observed his expression.

"Effective," Linley commented briefly, but the certainty in his eyes made Hermione beam.

She happily took a bite of her sandwich and said indistinctly, "I knew it! Moonlight Grass has a resonance with Star Power! Tomorrow, let's try recipe number two. I added a little Unicorn Hair—don't worry, I bought it legally from Gringotts!"

Linley watched her dance with excitement, a smile unconsciously curving his lips. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing in her hair like scattered gold dust. He suddenly reached out and gently plucked an apple leaf that had fallen onto her hair.

Hermione froze, tilting her head back to look at his silhouette against the light. The sun gilded him with a golden edge, and his eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows beneath his eyes. He looked down at her, his gaze softer than ever before. In that moment, time seemed to stand still, with only the rustling of leaves and their intertwined breaths filling the air.

"Children! The fruit salad is ready!" Aunt Monica's voice drifted from the kitchen window, breaking the spell of the moment.

Hermione snapped back to reality, scrambling to her feet, "Coming, coming!" She reached out and pulled Linley up. Their fingertips brushed, then quickly separated as if burned. But the faint electric current lingered in the memory of their skin for a long time.

The afternoon sun remained warm, and the apple tree's shadow slowly shifted, covering the two figures sitting side-by-side on the picnic blanket. A robin on the tree tilted its head, curiously watching the human boy below quietly place his hand back on the girl's hand, and the girl, blushing, didn't pull away. The wind blew, the leaves rustled, as if singing a gentle ballad for this tranquil summer afternoon.