Your Hidden Past

The white curtains around her bed hid her from sight, while she carefully changed into the Ravenclaw robes Madam Pomfrey had given to her. As she was knotting her blue and silver tie, one of the curtains was suddenly pushed back.

Hermione looked up, surprised, halting in mid-knot. Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House and Professor in Transfiguration, studied her curiously. 'Jane Puckle?'

Hermione winced at the name. She wasn't exactly fond of it, and she wished, with a burning desire, that she had chosen another name for herself instead of this one. Surely, she could've just as easily picked something else.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and Hermione jumped. 'Right, sorry, that's me.'

Minerva McGonagall nodded curtly. 'I'm Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and your Transfiguration teacher.'

Hermione smiled at her, finishing the knot in her tie. 'It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor.'

Minerva nodded again and pushed the white curtains away with a wave of her wand, revealing a white, clean and, above all, empty Hospital Wing. Hermione sat down on the bed, her hands in her lap.

Professor McGonagall took place on the bed across from her. 'Now, Miss Puckle, I will be taking you to Diagon Alley. With the slip given to you, you will be able to purchase a new robe set. Any questions?'

'How will we be getting there, Professor?'

'The Knight Bus.'

'Welcome to the Knight -'

'Thank you, Shunpike,' said Professor McGonagall swiftly. 'Go on -'

And she shoved Hermione forward a little bit, more towards the steps. The conductor stared at the Professor as she passed.

'Prof! Haven't seen you 'n ages!' said the man called Shunpike. Hermione studied him as she was ushered into a horribly mismatched reddish green chair, with yellow stars on it, by the Professor.

He looked exactly like the conductor she'd seen in fifth year, who then took her, Harry and Ron to Hogsmeade. McGonagall, herself, sat neatly on a pin-striped orange one chair. She gave the conductor a handful of silver sickles.

'We'd like to go to Diagon Alley, Shunpike.'

BANG.

Hermione toppled over for the umpteenth time, landing on her knees in front of the Professor, who looked slightly green.

The Knight Bus halted near a small, shabby-looking pub, called 'The Three Mates'. The tattered sign showed only a large pirate ship, and Hermione gave the Professor a searching look.

'Too many Muggles. We can't have them see us appear out of thin air, it would rouse too much suspicion.'

Hermione nodded. Bernard Shunpike helped McGonagall off the steps, pressed his lips to her hand, and clearly mistook her horrified look for something else.

He jumped up the stairs, winked at Hermione, who stood gaping, as the triple-decker, violently purple bus, disappeared with a tremendous BANG.

Professor McGonagall shook her head, grabbed her green bag and turned round to face Hermione. 'Now, dear, stay close. We're in a Muggle part of London, and from what I've heard; it's not very clean and civilised.'

'Why, Professor, I haven't seen you in a long time. Would you like a drink?' asked the barman pleasantly, grabbing a small, y-shaped glass, when he spotted McGonagall.

McGonagall shook her head and dragged Hermione out of the pub, towards the stone wall. She impatiently tapped her wand on the correct spots, and pulled Hermione through the entrance as soon as it had become big enough for them to climb through.

'Impossible!' she said angrily. 'Completely impossible!'

When Hermione gave her a surprised look, she straightened her green hat. 'Let's get on with it, Puckle; we need to be back before dinner.'

When Hermione had acquired a new set of robes from Madam Malkin's, and two heavy bags full of school books from Flourish and Blotts, they took the Knight Bus back to Hogsmeade.

Professor McGonagall didn't say much, but kept herself far away from Shunpike, who brightly told Hermione that he'd been to Hogwarts, too, and had just finished his last year there.

Hermione's answer was interrupted by an enormous BANG, and they found themselves slowly driving on the main street of Hogsmeade. The sky was filled with clouds, and thunder roared across their heads.

Without saying goodbye, McGonagall stood up swiftly and stepped out of the bus. Hermione grabbed the several heavy bags and hurried after her. Shunpike poked his head out of the bus as soon as she had stepped off the last step.

'Bye Prof! Take care of -'

Professor McGonagall gave him a stern look, and he faltered. He waved to Hermione, drew his head back, and disappeared along with the Knight Bus.

McGonagall was walking rather fast, and Hermione had to run to catch up with her. 'According to Professor Dumbledore, you have been sorted into Gryffindor house. I trust he explained you about the giant hourglasses?' And, before Hermione could answer, 'Your own robes have been stored in Professor Dumbledore's office.'

She glanced at her wrist-watch, which didn't have numbers on it. Instead of those, it had miniscule writings on it, saying things like 'Grading Time' and 'Check on Peeves'. Currently, it had a large silver hand pointing towards 'Dinner' and a smaller silver hand, underneath the first; to 'You're late.'

Professor McGonagall sighed, and didn't say anything else for the remaining part of the trip. When they reached the large front doors of the castle, she pushed against them and let Hermione in, immediately closing the door behind her.

She led Hermione towards the doors of the Hospital Wing, and turned around to face her. 'Best not to mention this trip, Puckle.'

Hermione nodded. 'Thank you, Professor.'

The Professor gave a curt nod, and disappeared out of sight. As if right on cue, Madam Pomfrey poked her head out of one of the Hospital Wing doors. 'Ah, Miss Puckle. Glad to have you back.'

She ushered Hermione inside and guided her towards her bed. Hermione's stomach growled, and she blushed. 'Oh, right, it's dinner time!' said Madam Pomfrey.

With a flick of her wand, the nightstand to Hermione's bed was filled with a small, white plate, filled with sandwiches, and a goblet. 'Have a nice dinner, dear.'

'Thank you,' said Hermione politely, as she placed her bags on the foot of her bed. Madam Pomfrey tapped her wand against the curtain rail, and they surrounded her bed once again.

When she had eaten enough (the plate kept refilling itself), Hermione leaned her head back and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

'Where do you reckon Minnie is, Prongs?' asked Sirius Black, when the seat next to Professor Dumbledore, which had always been for Professor McGonagall, wasn't filled.

'Dunno, Padfoot,' answered James Potter, shrugging. 'It's strange; she's never been late for dinner before.'

At that moment, Lily Evans slipped into the seat far away from James, and he took off to grab the seat next to her. Sirius and Remus exchanged a look, and Professor McGonagall and her strange absence from dinner that night, was forgotten.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing.

Now, I won't tell much about what exactly is going to happen in this story, or who's going to fall in love with whom (if they are, that is), because it spoils the reading. However, this story will revolve about Hermione and one other person, that much can be told.