Earth Plates
By Written Promises
Chapter Three - Aftershock
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Hermione limped heavily as she made her way towards the terminal. She groaned, as she throbbed in all places. She knew she needed medical treatment, but she would never go to the police. It would get out into the Muggle world, and her true world. She cursed herself for not remembering her wand; she could have easily killed him.
But yet, that would have gotten out too.. A muggle dying of something unknown? It was too risky. Hermione was freezing, just like she was in the Warehouse. She was wearing the ratty old tee shirt and thin jeans. She had no jacket. At least she got her boots.
Out of nowhere, a big bus pulled up. "Need some help, Miss?" It was the Knight Bus! The bus that helped all Wizards and Witches in need. Hermione looked up to the still pimpled face driver, Stan. "Yes, desperately," She yawned.
"What happened to you?" He asked. Hermione stepped on the bus, but it took a while. Her feet were hard to shuffle. "I was .. I fell." Stan looked at her suspiciously, but didn't say anymore. "That'll be fourteen sickles if you want a ride, fifteen for a toothbrush and hot chocolate, and sixteen for everything."
Hermione carried muggle money with her, but also, in the secret compartment of her wallet, she had knuts, sickles, and gallons. "I'll take the everything package," She mumbled. Then she remembered she didn't have her wallet.
He must have taken my money anyway! Hermione thought, infuriated. Now I'm screwed .. No pun intended, Herm, she thought.
"I.. I seem to have lost my wallet." Hermione almost started to cry. Now they wouldn't let her on the Knight Bus, or any bus for that matter. She didn't have her wand to Apparate and she didn't have any Floo Powder, and it would take days to find a suitable Portkey.
"It's okay, Miss -" Stan started.
"Granger," Hermione said, giving in.
Stan looked as if he were about to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he closed the doors to the bus and called for an everything package. "You can take a bed," He said.
"I'd rather stand." She mumbled.
"Where to, then?"
"Diagon Alley."
Stan nodded and pushed down on his brake-pedal. The bus lurched forward, and Hermione almost fell back, but she had grabbed onto the railing. She hadn't forgotten how dangerous those rides could be.
"Miss Granger," Stan started, "with all duo respect.. It does not look like you fell to me." Hermione sighed, and finally took a seat on the first bed, closest to the door. "Do you mind telling me what happened? It's for your own safety," Stan said.
Yes, I do mind, Hermione thought irritably. But she was in no mood to argue. She had to give in, even if it meant being exposed. "I.. I was attacked."
Stan stopped the bus so quickly, a bed raced down the aisle and slammed into another bed with a crash. "What do you mean 'you was attacked?!'" Hermione knew where this was going.
"I.. I work in the Muggle world, and.. I was leaving my job, to go to the bus terminal, and someone grabbed me from behind and took me to a warehouse." The words escaped Hermione's mouth so quickly she had no time to think about what she was doing. Stan gaped at her.
"Please, don't tell anyone about this," Hermione begged. "I'll be fine. Really, I will." Stan nodded. "I..I promise, Miss Granger." He paused. "Well, go on now, your clothes and hot chocolate are waiting for you in the backroom."
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The England Reporter, Muggle Newspaper, 12/ 9/O2 at 18:27 pm
Young Woman Attacked Last Night
Last night, around six-thirty, on Monday, December 9th, 2OO2, a young woman was attacked and raped in the abandoned warehouse in London on the corner of Realer's Avenue and 26th street.
The young woman in said to be in her early twenties, with brownish-blonde hair and brown eyes. She's about five feet, five inches, and weighing about one hundred and fifteen pounds. She was said to let go, where she mysteriously disappeared. She's not identified, neither is the suspect.
Rewards for finding the woman - 1000 Pounds
Rewards for finding the suspect - 5000 Pounds
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Maria read that paper while she was in the kitchen, fixing Harry breakfast. Harry came in, yawning. "Morning," He mumbled. Maria grinned and kissed him quickly on the lips. "I'm making you some eggs," She said. "I just read the most horrible thing in the paper -" She showed Harry.
"Wow. That's really awful." Harry said. "I hope they find the bastard."
"And her as well," Maria said. "She's probably traumatized or something. Rape really messes with you. I do hope she's alright." Harry nodded. "You better be careful, Maria. It was off the corner of Realer's Avenue. Don't you pass by their everyday to go to work?"
"I'm going to go another way today," She assured Harry. "Take the car," Harry said. "I don't have work today," He said. Maria nodded. "Alright, thanks," She said. She grabbed the keys from the hook by the door. "Be safe," He yelled.
"Will do!" She called back.
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"Miss Granger?" Stan called. It was already morning, and the light sun shone on Hermione, causing her to moan groggily. "We're almost near Diagon Alley." Hermione stretched. She was wearing a nice pair of pants, and a bulky sweater for the cold. But she still didn't look in tip-top shape.
She was crusty all over from dry blood, and she couldn't wait to take a shower. She took her toothbrush and shoved it in her pocket. "Off you go, Miss Granger," Stan said, helping her. "Please .. Be careful." She nodded.
Hermione stepped off the bus and gaped at Diagon Alley. She hadn't been there since she graduated Hogwarts, and it felt so good to be back. The only problem was, if people recognized her. How would she ever explain her return?
She walked around .. and saw Gringotts. "Yes," She murmured. She had remembered her vault number, and she was eager to get some money. She walked into the stone decorated building and asked the first goblin she saw.
"Vault number 282, please. I left my key here ages ago." The goblin nodded. He looked about thousands of keys. "Are you Miss Hermione Granger?" He asked. "Yes," She said.
"Very well, come this way," A cart pulled up and Hermione got in. She held onto the sides as the cart lurched back and forth.
"How much will you need?" The goblin asked her. Hermione needed money for a house, food, and nessecities. "I'll need 600 galleons, 100 sickles, and 30 knuts." She reasoned that might be enough for an old place to bide her time in.
"Very well," The goblin handed her the money, and Hermione was pleased to see she still had a lot left. "Thank you," She said. "That will be all."
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Ron had taken a day off from work. Allison had not been feeling well; and Ron wanted to stay with her. "Allison, I'm going to Diagon Alley to get us some breakfast. I'll be back in 30 minutes," Ron called out from the kitchen. "Just stay in bed."
He and Allison didn't live far from Diagon Alley, so he decided to walk and get some fresh air. He would get them breakfast, and he would just browse around the stores. Maybe he'd see something nice for Allison.
Even though it was only seven in the morning, Diagon Alley was already abuzz. It was filled with young and old magic like people. But professors and children from Hogwarts weren't there of course; this was during the school year.
Ron noticed some people he had seen before. The old witch buying Dragon liver, and complaining about the price; the middle aged man who always waited outside the Leaky Cauldron before it opened up; and many faces were anew.
Ron spotted one girl looking through the window at the Robes store. She seemed so familiar, that it bothered Ron not to remember who she was. She had soft, honey brown hair, brown eyes, and was wearing decent clothes.
The girl turned around to notice Ron staring at her. She kept his gaze, hoping he would offer her some help. Instead, he stood there, and then just around.
Hermione found that very odd. Surely he'd seen I was in need, she thought. Some people are so rude. I wonder if he would do that to his best friend.
Yet, it also bothered Hermione that he looked so old to her, like she had known him for years. She knew she had seen red hair and freckles like that before; but where?
Then suddenly it hit. "Oh my god," She whispered, "Ron!"
Ron shook the feeling of weirdness he had felt from that girl. Was it a girl he had dated before he met Allison? Was it someone he knew from school? He sensed intelligence and confidence from her, the way she held his gaze. It was like she was -
"Blimey!" Ron shouted. "Hermione!"
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A/N: Well, there you have it, folks. I know this one is relatively short, but oh well. It seems as if deja vu just hit both of them, but what are they going to do about it?
Disclaimer: I'm just a poor girl from New York. Don't own nothing. =[