Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
I've rewritten it, and I'm determined to Finnish it!
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"Miss
Granger," Professor Dumbledore said and smiled, though the
familiar twinkle amidst the soft blue had disappeared from his eyes
as he noticed her tense posture, and frightened glances at his
colleague. "Please have a seat," he added, and motioned to
the empty chair.
Hermione tentatively excepted the seat flanked by those of Professors McGonagall and Snape. She felt boxed in, and trapped. They were doing it again. They just wanted to make her suffer.
Hermione's thoughts of panic were cut short by Dumbledore clearing his throat, Hermione's heads snapped up in response, readily.
"I suppose your wondering why I had asked you here then?" Hermione nodded silently. "As I thought. Well my dear there is a lot that needs to be said, and a lot that needs to be done, and little time to do it." Dumbledore added his voice weary with age. Never had Hermione heard him so defeated.
Hermione looked questioningly at him, and spared glances to both sides of her he sat staring silently ahead, jaw clenched, Her head of house gave her glances of pity however, she seemed the only one confused.
Again Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat drawing the attention back to himself. "What needs to be exposed, may be something of a mystery to you." Dumbledore nodded in the direction of Professor Snape, telling him it was time to talk.
"Miss Granger," he acknowledged her with a sarcastic smirk, "What, exactly do you remember from the night of October 31st?"
Hermione bit her tongue, this had to be some sort of trick, some sort of game he was playing with her. She remembered everything just fine! First she had finished her homework early so that she could have a stress-free night, then she, Harry and Ron had made their way down to dinner. Halfway there, their girlfriends, Lavender and Ginny, had caught up with them. They began chatting quietly together, mostly excluding Hermione, although not meaning to ignore her. Then she heard a noise, and had wondered towards the sound to investigate. It had been Malfoy, who was holding a heavy looking book under his right arm. Suddenly her mind was blank with what happened next, she couldn't remember anything until two days later, when she woke up in the hospital wing.
'What the hell had happened? And why couldn't she remember?' These questions flitted across her mind, followed closely by, 'What did he have to do with it?' Panic began to seize her.
Snape could see the spark of recognition then the flicker of defeat. The young woman understood now that there was much to tell, much to hear, and lots to be done.
"Well, Miss Granger," he asked in a mocking tone, oddly laced with a hint of gentleness, "would you care to tell us of your memories from the 31st?"
"I... I don't remember" Hermione said quietly, the uncertainty clear in her voice when it wavered.
"What was that Miss Granger?" he questioned though he new the answer. He only prayed by some miracle he was wrong.
"I said I don't remember," Hermione said, this time louder and firmer, but still with a touch of hesitation and weariness.
"Ah, yes! Precisely as we had suspected," the headmaster cut in before the feared potion master could come back with a sure-to-be harsh comment. They were trying to help Hermione, not tear her down. However, he knew, beneath all that sarcasm, the potions master was concerned for her. He just wouldn't admit it. " Here, now, lets begin do you remember up to where you heard a noise and went to investigate? And you said you encountered young Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked searching her eyes.
"Yes, sir I do, but after that... there's nothing... until I woke up in the hospital wing two days later. You said I had... had a nasty fall," Hermione stated quietly hoping this was all a dream, what was going on.
"Well, the same night we were celebrating, the Dark Lord was planning festivities of his own." He saw Snape flinch but continued. "I assume that he wanted a muggle-born for the nights 'entertainment'. One that would leave a mark on the side of the Order."
Things were all started to click into place. Hermione was figuring out everything much too quickly for her liking.
"He happened to choose you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore stated, waiting a moment for everything to sink in. "Young mister Malfoy was to capture you and bring you to that nights Death Eater gathering, wear he was to be given the Dark Mark for his serves to Voldmorts forces." The headmaster said a small frown on his brow. "I don't know the extent of what happened to you that night, only Professor Snape knows. But the next morning you and Professor Snape were found walking into Hogwarts grounds. He was carrying you, and you were shaking like a leaf. Before you passed out." The headmaster Finished.
"You were so hysterical that Professor McGonagall and Poppy had to hold you down. It got to the point where the only thing we could do to calm you was cast a memory charm." A look of horror-filled understanding crossed her face. Dumbledore continued. "I've come to believe the dreams you've been having, are a twisted subconscious version of that night."
And suddenly it all made since, the dreams filled with realness, the forgotten feeling. She looked over at Professor Snape and noticed he was stiff as could possibly be imagined, sitting rigidly as if spikes were being driven into his backside. Hermione momentarily felt sorry for him, but then the feeling was gone again as the jumbled thoughts began to filter through her mind.
Hermione's mind was so busy filtering through all of her knew found answers that she didn't reply verbally to the professor Dumbledore question, yet subconsciously gave him a solemn nod and continued sorting things through in mind.
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