The rain hit her skin like sharp razor blades, the fact that it was mid-autumn and the summer heat had disappeared with over-cast skies and snow in the forecast didn't help. The shirt she was wearing was light, it had, however, been warmer earlier that day. Her jeans were soaked and she could barely mover her legs, they had become stiff with the amount of water the material held. She walked with long strides, her arms crossed in front of her chest, she wore a white shirt and didn't bother putting a bra on. Her hair was plastered onto her face and shoulders, and to make matters worse, her mascara was running.
She didn't remember how she got where she was, she didn't even know where she was going. The last thing she could remember was a loud noise and a heavy thing falling on her.
She was shaking from the coldness. It was about to get dark and she wondered where she was going to stay. She didn't care, she would just keep on walking, there had to be a good Samaritan out there somewhere that would allow her to stay the night. She heard a faint noise, it sounded like a voice, but the hard rain was pounding too hard to make it out, so she ignored it and kept walking. Suddenly a black Mercedes pulled up next to her and slowed down to her walking speed.
"Ms. Granger!" She didn't stop walking, but she bent forward to look who was inside. She didn't know who he was.
"I-I think you have the wrong person." She said and stood up.
"Get in the car, Ms. Granger." She shuddered, why did that name so sound familiar, and that voice! She stopped walking and went up to the open window.
"I can walk, thanks for your concern." She forced a smile.
"Get in." The man in the drivers seat ordered. She sighed and slowly opened the door before getting in. The man reached into the back seat and grabbed a towel and gave it to the shivering girl, she took it gratefully and started drying her hair. He pulled the glove box open and brought out a Kleenex.
"You're mascara's running." Hermione took the Kleenex and starred at the man's face. The car started moving again and Hermione settled into her seat, making a make-shift blanket out of the towel.
"Why are you walking out this far? Don't you live back that way?" The man gave a shake of his head in the opposite direction. Hermione shrugged.
"Don't you know?"
"Truthfully, I have no idea, where I'm headed either." The old man looked at the young girl. He just now noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra. He had to try his hardest to stop a smile from crossing his lips due to the thought that just crossed his mind.
"Do you remember leaving your house?"
"My house." Hermione's voice lowered as she looked out the window.
"Oh my good Merlin…Hermione? What happened?"
"Who's Hermione?" She asked, looking back into the man's eyes.
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He watched the girl sleep on his sofa, in front of the fire. He was shocked that she couldn't remember anything, she was Hermione! She could never forget anything, no matter how hard she tried, she was Hogwarts top student and she wouldn't fail at knowing something backwards and forwards, inside and out. He stood up from his chair, put his cup of tea down on the nearest table and walked over to the fire. He threw powder on it and called out to the Headmaster.
"Albus, may I have a word with you?" Soon enough, Albus Dumbledore's face appeared in the flames.
"Severus, yes, of course, what is it?" Severus saw the headmaster yawn.
"I'm sorry if I woke you, but I'm afraid we have a problem."
"What is it, Severus?"
"I was driving home and I found Hermione, walking along side the road….in the rain!"
"Is she o.k.?"
"I'm afraid not. I think there was an attack on her house."
"Oh no…" The sparkle that usually resided in Dumbledore's eyes, was gone.
"She didn't even know her name when I yelled at her to get in the car."
"Has she told you about what happened?"
"She doesn't remember. She only told me she knows that it was dark and something heavy fell."
"Do you think you can get her to go back to her house?"
"Albus, I don't know where she lives, and she can't tell her head from her ass. How do you suppose she would know where she lives?"
"If there's a will, there's a way." Albus's twinkle returned to his eye.
"As for now, I do reckon she is safe with you for the time being." Severus's face lost it's color and turned a translucent pale.
"You can't be serious?"
"But I am. I trust you can help her." Severus looked from Albus, to Hermione. The girl was starting to stir, and Severus knew he had to go.
"She's waking up Albus, this is the part where I have to go."
"You'll do fine, Severus, things will work, you'll see." And with those words, Dumbledore's face disappeared from the flames. Severus took a deep breath in and walked over to Hermione. She was squirming on the sofa and almost fell off when he put a hand on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes and shrunk back into the sofa.
"Shhhh, Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you, it's o.k." Hermione studied her potion professor's face.
"Where am I?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You are at my place. You will be safe here for now, try to relax, you've had a tough couple of past days." Hermione didn't know what to say, so instead she took the cup of tea Snape had poured her and settled back into the sofa, letting the warm liquid flow through her, releasing every tight muscle in her body.
