Disclaimer: I own nothing. :(
This story, while taking place at the end of fourth year does not focus on those events but on the circumstances surrounding Hermione's problem.
The Bite: Chapter One
Hermione yawned. Exams had ended on Monday but she was still exhausted, like she had just pulled an all-nighter. The sunlight was warm on her face as she, Ron and Harry watched the giant squid play in the sun.
"Hermione?" Harry touched her shoulder. "I asked you a question. Are you spacing out?" He asked her playfully.
Ron laughed. "Hermione spacing out? You're kidding." He scoffed.
Hermione glared at him. "I'm not perfect Ron. Did you see the horrid mistake I made on the Defense against the Dark Arts exam?"
Again Ron laughed. "You can worry about your O's in every subject, while I worry about passing. Besides it wasn't that hard."
Because Professor Moody had been found out as a servant of the Dark Lord, Professor Lupin had stepped in for the last few weeks. And for a final exam he had given them another obstacle course. At the end some terrifying toothed creature had appeared out of nowhere.
"Aw, Hermione I'm sure you did fine. You didn't get bitten or anything and that's the most important thing to remember when dealing with dark creatures." Harry had his mark and was confident with his results. The fact the Professor Lupin had returned was a plus too, especially because of what had happened with Cedric Diggory.
"Of course. Now if you'll excuse me I'll be in the library." Hermione stood up, controlling the wince from her leg. The creature's bite ached fiercely and had been oozing blood that morning. If only she could figure out what had bitten her!
The library was quiet, everyone was outside making use of the last days at Hogwarts. Hermione wouldn't have access to magical books all summer and her heart cried out to them. She was deep into and Arithmancy tome when someone touching her shoulder drew her out of the book haze.
"Miss Granger, please come with me." Professor McGonagall had appeared out of nowhere. Hermione stood up. She carefully gathered her belongings and placed the books back onto the shelves. People who left the books out or put them in the wrong places drove her crazy.
Hermione followed Professor McGonagall out of the library. They passes the Transfiguration classroom, McGonagall's office and Gryffindor tower. Straight up to the owlery. Since Hermione didn't have an owl and didn't receive mail very ofter, she had only been up there a few times.
After moving to the farthest wall McGonagall turn sharply. "Miss Granger it is the Headmaster's newest scheme that muggle born students should be provided with owls during the summer holidays in order to stay in contact with the wizarding world. Therefore you are responsible for Gerfy until September. Have a good break." And she left even more quickly than she had arrived.
Hermione yawned again. The light from the sun made her feel heavy. She would just rest for a minute before going back to the tower.
OOOooooooOOOooooooOOO
The rest of the school year had flown by. Hermione had achieved O's in every subject except Defense against the Dark Arts. The lone E stood out on her report.
The train ride home was over before they knew it. Harry was staying with Ron until mid august when he had to return to the Dursley's. Hermione's parents were busy and she caught the bus home.
The house was even more quiet than she had remembered it. Her room was dusted and her mother had laundered the sheets, but it didn't feel very lived in. Hermione unpacked quickly. She set the owl up outside on a perch and got started on her summer homework.
Or at least she tried to start her summer homework. She was just so tired and her body felt so heavy. Her bed felt just as inviting as it looked. A jaw cracking yawn was the last thing she remembered before going to sleep.
Hermione dreamed. Her dreams were very vivid and real. Not like her usual fantasies and nightmares.
She was running. There was something ahead of her. She had to catch it. It was escaping! No! Faster! Faster! She put on a burst of speed and lept onto her prey. Her teeth sunk into the carcass, she felt the blood run over her face.
And sat up gasping. Her head was pounding, like she'd just ran a marathon. Then she looked around herself again. She wasn't in her bed. She wasn't even in her own room! She was next to the couch in the sitting room. And she was covered in blood. It all seemed to be coming from what ever was on top of the couch. She looked at it.
And screamed. And screamed again. Then turned to the side and vomited.
Hermione ran up the stairs to her room. She'd seen pictures in books and knew exactly what had happened down there. A werewolf attack. All the signs were right. The blood, smell and condition of the corpses. The only question was: why was she left alone?
Working herself into a frenzy of terrified energy Hermione wrote a letter to Professor McGonagall. It looked like the owl was going to come in handy after all. She tore downstairs out to the owl perch.
"Please, take this to any Professor at Hogwarts who can help me. As fast as you can!" Hermione ran back to her bedroom, avoiding the bodies and averting her eyes from the blood.
In the bedroom she packed all of her Hogwarts things back into the truck. She wanted out of there. Her parents were dead. Now that she had sat down the reality of the situation had sunk in a little more. She had to do something! Shaking her grabbed a book off her shelf and engrossed herself in it.
She was so enthralled she almost didn't hear the doorbell ring. The sharp noise startled her and she raced down the stairs and threw open the door, and then almost slammed it shut.
Standing on her front porch was the last person she had ever expected to see.
"Professor Snape, sir." Hermione gaped open mouthed at him. "Please come in."
He stepped smartly over the threshold into the entrance. "Miss Granger. What book was so important you couldn't wait until September to get?" He scowled at her. "I don't want to spend my time catering to Gryffindor know-it-alls."
She motioned him to the sitting room. "It's this sir." She waited. Professor Snape went into the room. She heard his boots click as he did a full circle around the room. When he came out he was no paler then before.
"I admit, this is a particularly savage wolf attack. Who are these people? Relative of yours?
Hermione studied her shoes as she bit back tears. "My- My parents." The floodgates on her eyes were almost open.
"I see. Miss Granger I assume you are prepared to leave?" He asked her in the nicest voice she had ever heard him use.
"Yes Professor, of course." She lead him up to her room on the second floor.
"Portkey." Professor Snape held out an old potion bottle. The glass was cracked and growing moss on the inside. As soon as both of them had a firm grip he turned back to her. "This is password encoded. Portus."
Hermione felt the familiar tug behind her navel as the portkey carried them to their destination.