Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 74

"Ah, here we are," Florean said as he came up to the booth where Oliver and Hermione sat, two metal dishes in his hands that were towering with the ice cream that they had ordered. He paused, seeing the mess on the table and drew his wand from the pocket of his apron. "Scorgify," he said, pointing his wand at the table while he held the metal dishes in one hand, a towel in between. "Sorry about that," he apologized as he tucked his wand back in the pocket of his apron and set the ice cream before each of them.

"It's alright," Hermione said with a smile as she dug into her ice cream.

"Yeah," Oliver added. "We came in at a busy time."

"Well, I appreciate it," Florean said and knelt down. "Now," he asked Hermione. "Do you mind if I take a look at your foot?"

Hermione bit her lip looking uncertainly at Oliver but nodded and pulled her foot from the bench and carefully swung it around so Florean could look at it.

Florean grasped it gently. "First thing, let's get your shoe and sock off, do you mind?" he asked looking at her questioningly. At the shake of her head he continued to carefully remove her shoe and sock as he continued. "At one time, I could have been a healer, or even a teacher at Hogwarts."

"What happened?" Hermione asked, realizing that he was trying to destract her as well as provide some comfort in his experience.

"Well," Florean continued. "I saw how many students treated the teachers, and I didn't want to go through that, so I turned down teaching."

"And being a healer?" Hermione asked.

"Most of them seemed too up tight," Florean said with a smile. "I wanted to make people happy, and allow them to have fun. What better way to do that then to open up an ice cream shop?"

By this time, Hermione noticed that the man had successfully removed her shoe and sock without causing her additional pain, and she glanced down to see how bruised and swollen her ankle was and cringed.

"Now, my hands are cold, I know, but it will help ease some of the pain and swelling, alright?"

Hermione nodded and bit her lip, hissing slightly at the chill from his hands as he wrapped them around her ankle.

"Are you alright?" Florean asked after a moment when Hermione relaxed.

"Yes," she replied. "I - I think it was just how sudden it was. It's not bad now, thank you."

"You're welcome," Florean said.

He looked up as the door opened and the bell over it rang in a clear chime, and released Hermione's foot as he stood.

"Ah, hello there," he said. "It's good to see you again, Madam Pomfrey," he said as the witch came over to the booth. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Madam Pomfrey looked over at Oliver and Hermione and sighed, seeing that they already had ordered. "I'll have a vanilla, I suppose," she answered.

"Very good," Florean replied and headed off behind the counter.

"Small," Madam Pomfrey called out.

Florean raised his hand to acknowledge her request. "You got it."

He headed to the sink behind the counter and washed his hands, drying them before he began filling her order.

Madam Pomfrey moved closer to the booth on Hermione's side. "Let me see," she said and Hermione nodded, showing the mediwitch her foot. Madam Pomfrey nodded. "Just as I thought," she said curtly. "You didn't just twist it."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, confused.

"It was broken," Oliver murmured.

"Right you are, Mr. Wood," Madam Pomfrey said when Hermione looked at them both in surprise.