Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter. The whole Potterverse belongs to the genius of J.K. Rowling, who is a goddess amongst writers. I seek to make no profit from this venture and I promise to return everything back the way I found it.
This fic is only canon compliant to Book Five.
Unexpected Comfort
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)
July 3rd - undetermined, 2005
Chapter One, She Makes a Stand…
Hermione awoke to the sound of crying in her room and without opening her eyes, she moved out of the bed towards the crib. A sound nearby brought her fully awake, eyes wide open with a hand inches from her wand. A dark form was crouched over the crib and as Hermione recognized him, her heart stopped. While she could not see what he was doing, she knew, with an ever-growing fear, what was happening. He had never before attempted it and if she had her way, he would never again get the chance.
She quickly drew her wand from the pocket she had sewn into the shirts she wore to bed and yelled, "Stop it, Uncle Geoff, or you will be sorry!" She pointed it for a brief moment at the small video camera next to her bed, just as she did every time he entered her room. As soon as she had, she quickly trained it on him.
The man's hands stilled as he turned to her. Upon seeing the wand, he drew back from the crib and away from her, but his eyes burned angrily and there was an evil scowl on his dark features.
"You dare tell me what to do, you little tart?" he asked menacingly.
Hermione's eyes narrowed and she took a few steps forward, sinfully pleased when he took an equal number of steps backwards.
"Yes, in fact, I do, you pathetic creep. I warned you before, if you ever touched him, I would twist your body into unimaginable shapes from the horrible pain," she threatened, waving her wand ever so slightly. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to perform that particular curse, especially on a Muggle, but the threat and her wand wave was enough to make the man blanch.
"I've a free right to do exactly as I please. I'm sick of you and your threats and your interference in my affairs," he said. His hand snaked quickly into the pocket of his coat and withdrew a small object and only when she heard the audible click did she realize her uncle was pointing a gun at her. Without thinking, Hermione yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"
As his arms and legs snapped together, she pointed at the gun that had become airborne and yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa," controlling its decent to the floor. She then grabbed a t-shirt from the stack on laundry on her chair and used it to gather up and wrap the gun. She then walked to the crib and looked inside, where her baby brother lay naked, except for a partially unfastened diaper, still crying his heart out.
"Oh Matty, it will all be fine now," she said softly, stroking his brown curls. She reached for a diaper, a sleeper and a blanket and quickly dressed and bundled him up and then picked him up out of the crib, making soft shushing sounds as he cried.
"We are going to go someplace safe," she cooed to him as she glanced to the floor. She could see her uncle's terrified eyes, the only part of him still able to move, flicking rapidly around. She walked to stand beside him and looked down.
"We are leaving and never coming back. Don't try and find us," she said in a quiet, deadly voice and then turned her back on him. She shifted Matty to one arm and quickly shoved various items from drawers and shelves into his diaper bag. She picked up the bag and went to the wrapped gun, which she stuffed inside as well and then walked to her bed stand and grabbed the video camera. She quickly rewound the tape and placed it on top of the contents of the bag, zipping it shut.
She looked down at her clothes. The shorts and t-shirt she had worn to bed would have to do for now, she wasn't about to stay in this house one moment longer to change or even to pack for herself. She could get what she needed another time.
For now, she had only one thought, of the one group of people she knew she could trust without hesitation.
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Severus Snape was sitting in an armchair in his office when the flames in the fireplace rose and glowed green as a head appeared.
"Severus, would you go down to the gate for me? I believe we are to have visitors," said the face of Albus Dumbledore.
Severus sighed and spoke with a resigned voice. "Yes, Headmaster." The head disappeared and the flames settled back down to their normal color and size.
He rose from his chair, wondering why he was being sent to the gate. It wasn't as if anyone in their right mind would consider him a welcoming presence. But when the headmaster asked, it really wasn't asking so much as telling.
a/n: I know it is just a short little bit of a chapter (they will get longer), please R/R, I would just adore it!