The response to the last chapter was absolutely phenomenal! So many of you loved it and I'm awfully glad that so many of you recognised that she was suffering from PTSD. Obviously we hadn't seen it beforehand because there hadn't been any triggers.
The sounds of breakfast being made in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place echoed around the lobby of the house and immediately Hermione froze. This place was meant to be safe! There wasn't meant to be anybody here! Yes, Yaxley had found out about it when he'd tagged along for the ride but that was months ago and with nobody going to it since, she'd assumed it had been abandoned and forgotten.
She stood up, hoping to catch her breath before she quickly escaped. She was woozy from the trip and she'd clearly apparated further than she'd thought.
"Hermione?" a voice called, coming from above and down the stairs. "I didn't know you were coming by today!" She looked up and gasped, grabbing him as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Harry, we have to get out of here," she whispered, dragging him nearer to the front door. "I don't know what happened but we got separated and I thought they'd hurt you." Her bottom lip trembled at the thought of him getting hurt or worse, killed.
"Hermione?" Harry laughed awkwardly. "What are you going on about? You've been in America for months."
"You knew where I was and didn't save me?" she shouted, her voice louder than she'd intended. She immediately let go of him, stumbling so her back was against the wall with her wand raised at him. "I suppose that's life though, isn't it? Why bother getting Hermione back, she's only a mudblood."
"Hermione, don't say that!" Harry exclaimed. "What are you going on about? You left us."
"I'd never leave you in a time like this!"
"What's going on?" a different voice interrupted, one that had come from the kitchen and she whirled, her wand facing this new addition. "Hermione, are you okay?"
"Remus?" she said with disbelief. "Shouldn't you be with Tonks? She's pregnant and you're here."
"She's given birth Hermione," he said slowly, walking forward. "Don't you remember Teddy?" She shook her head. "Tonks," he called over his shoulder. "I think you should get some of that potion we use for dreams."
"Why?" she shouted back.
"Hermione's popped by for a visit."
"A visit?" Hermione questioned. "This is hardly the time for a visit! I can't believe you're all acting as if this isn't dangerous. Yaxley knows about this place! He could come in here any second and we'll all be killed!"
"What's happening Remus?" Harry asked, shuffling closer to his old professor. "Something's wrong. She's acting like she's still in the war."
"That's because she thinks she is," Remus answered. Hermione, who was standing there listening to what they were saying, was starting to look very confused and angry. "Hermione, love, come sit down. We'll answer all the security questions you want but you look very tired."
"I-I-I… okay," she acquiesced. She followed both the men into the nearest room and sat down in a chair, her wand cradled in her hand and both eyes kept on them.
"Mine! Mine!" a young voice squealed causing Hermione to jump. A little boy with blue hair and chubby cheeks was being carried in Tonks' arms and was clearly trying to get out of them to go to her. Who was he?
"Teddy would you stop fidgeting?" Tonks asked frustratedly, rolling her eyes with a chuckle to her husband. "Hermione, how nice of you to pop by!" Hermione nodded in agreement, her forehead still crinkled in confusion. "Here, have a drink."
"No, security questions first dear," Remus cut in before Hermione could and she nodded her thanks. "Well, off you go."
"Harry, where was the dirt on Ron when I first met you?"
"His nose," he replied immediately, rolling his eyes at the memory. She smiled softly before turning to Remus.
"What colour dress was I wearing when I first met Sirius?"
"That's a trick question my lovely," he answered, smirking at her. "You were wearing a pink hoodie and trousers with a lovely cut on your cheek." She didn't even bother checking Tonks - something was clearly wrong with her and she sagged in her seat. "Hermione, drink," Remus urged and she grabbed the cup from Tonks, guzzling its contents. The running and journey over had made her thirsty.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, eyeing his best friend and wishing he could comfort her but he didn't know everything and it was bugging him. Only moments after Hermione finished drinking, he watched her face change through emotions faster than Dudley guzzled food. They ranged from shock, sadness, worry, confusion, anger and did she just cringe?
"I had another flashback," she moaned in Teddy's hair, his parents smiling when he giggled at the feel of it.
"Another?" Harry questioned, crossing his arms as he looked at everyone in the room. "What do you mean 'another'?"
"The war doesn't leave people unscathed and they experience the aftermath differently," Remus explained. "I get restless and can't sleep, having the urge to check on all members of my Pack, my family, so I know that they're safe. Tonks gets quiet, typically sitting in one room whilst she deals with her emotions. Hermione gets-"
"Flashbacks and nightmares," she interrupted, looking at her best friend with tears in her eyes. "At first it was just the nightmares, they came to me every night and I'd scream myself hoarse but then I had a couple of moments where I was convinced the war was still going on."
"PTSD," Harry breathed, feeling sick at the thought of her going through that.
"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "They weren't that bad, i'd never hurt anyone because Remus had always been there to stop me until tonight."
"What happened?"
"We went camping. Paul wanted a weekend away from the guys and to spend some time with just me, no obligations or interruptions. We could've gone to a hotel but housekeeping would have still had to come and clean the room, popping our little bubble. Camping was the best option."
"Was that the trigger?" Tonks asked, soothingly running her hand through Hermione's curls, using magic to untangle every knot she comes across.
"I think so. It must be," Hermione answered. "I had a nightmare and when I woke I was in the tent and all I could think about was when Ron left us and how it was just me and Harry and then Paul put his arm around me and I freaked."
"But you came right here though?" Remus asked, removing his son from her arms so he could pull her into a hug.
"No," Harry said for her. "She wouldn't have. The day after Ron left, Hermione got her wireless out and we listened to Potterwatch - to check if he got back okay or if he got caught - when they spoke about the new tracking spell on apparition. We'd been discussing a counter spell for it."
Hermione nodded her agreement to what he'd said. "I ran and the wolves on patrol chased after me to check if I was okay and I knocked them out. If they had growled at me, I would've done more than just sent a Stupefy."
The whole room was silent except for Teddy's gurgles. "Well," Tonks said breaking the silence. "At least they know about your magic now."
Paul stood there, staring dumbly at the spot Hermione had just been in and growled with annoyance that he couldn't go across to see if it was all an illusion because of the treaty. He stared for a few more seconds before whirling away and shifting, running quickly through the woods so he could get to Charlie's place sooner.
"What the fuck is going on?" Leah asked, running a few feet behind him because he was too fast for her today. "You never told us she could do a disappearing act."
"That's because I didn't know," Paul growled, pushing his limbs to go faster. "Why do you think i'm so shocked?"
"You're imprint is a freak," she commented lightly and whined in pain when Paul turned on her, pinning her to the ground and growling in her face. She growled back but they all sensed the shock and fear in her mind.
"If you hadn't noticed Leah, our Pack is entirely made up of men except for you. If anyone's a freak, it's you."
"So nobody knows where you are?" Tonks asked, the older woman sitting on the bed that Hermione had laid down on to rest.
"Nope, I'm lucky I even made it here in one piece."
"I'll send Remus and Harry to go speak to your Uncle, Teddy's down for his nap so it's just you and me." Tonks turned to face the younger witch but any words she was going to say died on her lips when she saw her sleeping peacefully. "And then you'll be asleep so I'll be all by myself."
"Mr Swan," Harry called, stepping through the fireplace. "Are you home?"
"Be with you in a second," Charlie called back from the kitchen and the two wizards settled themselves on the sofa. He wandered in a minute later, sandwich and beer in hand. "Harry, nice to see you ," he said, turning to face Remus, "I haven't met."
"I'm Remus Lupin, Mr Swan," he introduced himself. "We're here regarding Hermione."
"Oh she's out camping with Paul. That girl is in denial about how she feels about it. It's awfully late for you to be popping around to see her."
"We were having breakfast when Hermione popped in," Harry remarked. "She was experiencing some post traumatic stress."
"I knew it," the muggle mumbled to himself. "Is she okay? Now, I mean? The distance didn't cause her harm?"
"She's asleep in her room. She made the journey in one piece but she was extremely exhausted. She was lucky that the adrenaline in her system spiked her magic for the trip otherwise she could've splinched herself." Charlie frowned at the word 'splinched' but didn't question it - he could tell that it would only add to the worries he held for her.
Before anybody could say anything else, someone knocked on the door loudly, each knock bordering a hammer. "Who in the hell could that be?" Charlie asked, staring at the clock and watching it tick another minute towards midnight.
"You said she was out camping with Paul," Harry said. "He's got to have noticed she's gone." Charlie nodded in agreement and went to open the door, stepping back quickly as said wolf burst into the house with Jacob following behind, apologising to Charlie for Paul's behaviour.
"She's gone!" Paul exclaimed. "She just disappeared in thin air. Poof. Gone!" He paced the hall, looking upstairs, straining his ears to hear her. "Is she here? Did she come here? How the fuck could she have done that?"
"Paul!" Jacob shouted, grabbing his friend by the shoulders. "Stop. Sit. Listen." The panicked wolf did as he was told and sat down, Jacob plopping down beside him. "Who are you two?"
"That's Harry and Remus," Charlie answered. "They're friends of Hermione's." Paul turned to them, eyes wide and full of panic. "She's safe, that's what matters."
"What matters is that I get to see her. Do you know where she is? Can you take me to her? I just want to know what happened," Paul pleaded.
Harry and Remus exchanged a look before both of them sighed. "She arrived at my place not long ago," Harry informed him. "I can take you to her but you'll need to keep an open mind and let her explain everything. I'm not answering any of your questions." Paul nodded eagerly. "Will you be coming too"? Harry asked Jacob who shook his head.
"As much as I want to see her, somebody needs to tell the others. Paul called us all when she disappeared you see." Harry sent the man a wink, letting him know that he knew he was lying but sure, he'd go with it. "You can call us to let us know how she is, right?" Harry nodded and stood up, motioning to the fireplace for Remus.
He looked around the room, taking a deep breath before taking some powder from a bowl on the mantle and moving into the fireplace. "Grimmauld Place," he shouted before throwing the powder and disappearing in green flames.
"What the fuck?" Paul practically screeched, scrambling from his seat and staring at the place where the man just stood. "He just burnt himself to death!"
"An open mind would be a blessing right now Paul," Harry hinted, taking a larger handful than Remus because he'd be travelling with Paul to help him get through the fidelius charm and all of the wards that were put in place. "Stand in the fireplace, hold my arm and do not let go, get me?" Paul nodded slowly, walking into the large fireplace. Harry followed soon after, held out his arm to be held and did the exact same as the other man.
Moments later and they reappeared in a completely different fireplace, room and house. "Welcome to England." And country.
"Hermione's here?" Paul asked, looking around at the odd items and pictures that were in the room. "Did that just move?" Harry nodded. "How?"
"We agreed I wouldn't answer." Paul nodded in understanding, biting his tongue to hold all his questions as he followed Harry through the maze of a house. "Hermione's in here. Don't wake her up, let her wake naturally. Also, don't push her for answers. She'll talk now that you've seen it but she needs to do this at her pace." Paul nodded and sighed with relief when he saw his girlfriend on the bed.
"Hermione," he breathed, his muscles relaxing as he knelt down on the floor beside her. He moved a curl off her face and behind her ear gently, smiling when she nuzzled into his hand in her sleep. "I love you, no matter what."
I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter but as much as I tried, I couldn't get it out any better. If you hadn't noticed, the way I'm portraying Leah is exactly how I imagine she is. I don't like her at all. Question, what do we think about a Hermione/Garrett pairing? I'm creating a plan for one now!