Who would have thought you'd get an update so soon? Definitely not me! Hope you enjoy the new chapter - sorry it's a bit short but figured better short and sooner rather than long and later! Don't forget to leave a review!
- HermionesPolyjuice xo
Chapter 9
Harry,
I know you're trying to help, but truly you're not. I'm fine, really, I am, and I don't need an owl a day trying to find me. Please put more time into looking after yourself, Ginny, Remus and everyone else. I promise I'll get in touch with you when I'm ready, but for now, please, just leave me alone.
All my love,
Hermione
Harry had read the letter at least a hundred times since it had arrived yesterday morning and he still couldn't get over it. He was so glad that she was fine and well, but he was gutted that she wasn't coming back and not wanting his help. The tears stung his eyes, not for the first time in past months, but he rubbed them away fiercely. He scrunched up the piece of parchment and threw it across the room towards the bin. It missed and landed a few feet short. Harry was angry. He wasn't just angry at himself, he was also angry at Hermione. He had no idea what was wrong with her and he was frustrated she didn't think she could ask him for help. But being angry at her only made him feel worse. He knew she had a reason for distancing herself from him, and even three months later it bugged him. Obviously, something was wrong, very wrong and all he wanted was to be there for her. She was his best friend for Merlin's sake.
There was a quiet knock on the office door, but Harry didn't answer it. Instead he heard the hinges creek as it was pushed open. He heard the soft footsteps carrying her across the room to where he sat at his desk under the window.
"What is it Ginny?" he asked, sounding angrier than he meant.
"You know exactly what it is, Harry. You can't lock yourself away, it's not good for you. I know you're frustrated and upset about Hermione but she's fine. She's got in contact with you and told you to back off. So that's what you need to do, you need to honour her wishes and leave her alone. She'll be fine, she's Hermione Granger, she's not dubbed the Brightest Witch of Her Age for no reason. Please, Harry, stop wallowing in self-pity," Ginny sighed.
"I'm not wallowing," Harry responded in gritted teeth. He didn't need to turn around to know he was receiving raised eyebrows from his girlfriend. "Fine, but I can't promise I'll stop worrying about her."
"I know that, and I don't expect you to but it's time to start moving on," Ginny said squeezing his shoulders and feeling the tension begin to subside.
"Why is it you always know what to say?" Harry said turning his chair around and pulling her onto his lap, his lips meeting hers. He felt her lips twitch upwards in a smile and knew that despite everything, it was going to be fine.
[-||-]
Remus,
I hope you are well! Life is ticking along with me over here. I have a new hut-mate, I won't say who just for his own privacy but he's keeping me sane. He doesn't know about me though, at least he doesn't give off that he knows, but I'm not sure how I can keep it a secret much longer. I'm going to need to start on the Wolfsbane again soon. Talking of Wolfsbane, if it wouldn't be too difficult, do you think you could send a small vial over by owl at some point, just to make sure I don't run out in the near future?
I miss you terribly Remus, but I hope all is well with you, Teddy, Harry and the Weasleys.
Much love,
Hermione
Remus felt the tears prickle in his eyes as he read Hermione's letter. It had been the only one he had received and judging by what Harry was saying at dinner the previous week he had also received one from her. He was happy. She seemed to be alright and at this stage that was all he could ask for. He pocketed the letter, there were details in there he didn't exactly want someone to stumble upon, and made a mental note to send over some potion soon. He stood up from his chair, his aging joint creaking, and left his small study on the hunt for Teddy.
"Harry? What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you for at least another two hours," Remus asked stunned when he saw his best friend's son and godson sitting at the kitchen table, a black-haired baby gurgling happy next to him.
"I finished work earlier so decided I would come and keep you company. Ginny may have mentioned you seemed a bit morose when she popped in yesterday."
"That's nice of you, but you really don't have to. I am very capable of keeping myself busy," Remus said rummaging in the cupboards for some tea.
"I know but I wanted to see my delightful godson," Harry responded with a laugh as he tickled Teddy's round tummy. Remus couldn't contain the smile that spread across his face as he watched Teddy laugh at Harry's actions and thought about his packmate a few hundred miles away.
[-||-]
Hermione had just finished her weekly shop at the supermarket in Kinzig when she decided to take the long route back home. It was a glorious August day, hot and sunny, the sky a rich periwinkle and she felt an overwhelming sense of joy as she pulled down her sunglasses and took off down the high street. She wandered through the village, peering into various shops and catching snippets of conversations, but very much in her own bubble. There was one thing, however, that was bothering Hermione. Despite being perfectly happy, or as happy as she could be all things considered, she knew she couldn't carry on like this. She missed her friends and family, she missed everything about being in the UK, but out of everything, she missed working the most – needless to say, she was getting bored. She was beginning to think she had grown out of her little hut in the woods and needed to move out into the world and find a job.
As she reached the edge of the woods, she had decided that it was time to move on. She wasn't ready to go back to the UK, the Weasleys and everyone she knew and loved. But she was ready to socialise with actual people, preferably muggles for now because the thought of being found by the wizarding world sent shivers down her spine.
"Well, this is going to be an interesting conversation to have with Draco," she mused as she lifted her sunglasses onto the top of her head as she entered the darkness of the trees.
"And what may this interesting conversation be about?" a snide voice came from behind a tree, causing Hermione to jump a few feet into the air, and whip out her wand in one go. She let out a deep breath, however, as none other than Draco Malfoy stepped out from behind said tree.
"You know that would have been an interesting situation to have got yourself out of if I had been a muggle," he added, glancing at the piece of wood pointing straight at his head.
"Yes, well you're not so I don't have to," Hermione responded tartly, stuffing her wand back into her jeans pocket.
"So, what is this interesting conversation you need to have with me about then?" Draco asked as he hurried to catch up with Hermione's retreating back. Hermione remained silent for a while, mulling over her thoughts. The best way forward would be to be honest.
"I think I'm ready to move on," she said quietly as she navigated them both through the thickening trees.
"Oh thank Merlin. I'm so ready to go back home, live in a proper house, eat proper food and have a proper bath," Draco said with a sigh of relief.
"No," Hermione whispered quietly before pausing for a while. "I'm not going back to England. I'm going somewhere else. I don't know where yet, I guess I'll decide over the next few weeks. Maybe somewhere more East."
"But why not England? You said you were ready to move on. Surely that means you're ready to go back home?" Draco questioned, genuinely confused.
"No, I'm not ready to move back home. But I'm ready to start meeting people. I'm ready to find a job, I think in some muggle town somewhere. I'm not ready to go back into the wizarding world," Hermione responded not looking Draco in the eyes.
"Wait, I'm confused."
"There's nothing confused about it, Draco. I'm going to move away from the hut, but I'm not going back to England nor am I going to find some other wizarding community. You can stay here, go back home or come with me. It doesn't bother me either way," Hermione said as she stopped abruptly and turned around to stare straight into Draco's grey eyes.
"Well, I'm not going to leave you to be by yourself so it looks like you're stuck with me for a bit longer. Now, where are we going then?"
"I don't know. Like I said, probably somewhere east. I guess I'll look into it. Maybe we could leave in a couple of weeks?" Hermione had every intention to stay for one extra full moon and see where her wolfish senses direct her to go.
"Right. You tell me what to do and where to go and I'll be there," Draco said as she found themselves in the clearing just a few hundred metres from the hut they had occupied.
[-||-]
The 2 weeks flew by and before Hermione knew it it was the day of the full moon on September 6th. She struggled to believe that she had already experienced 3 transformations. She was somewhat excited about that night, however, as she knew she could pick up a scent, or something similar, to tell her where to head next the following afternoon. Ever since the conversation with Draco, they had both found themselves eager to leave. Hermione had kept on trying to make up excuses, the next one lamer than the one previous, as to why they needed to wait for 2 weeks. She was beginning to have a hunch that Draco knew something was up, she dreaded to think what he knew but he wasn't exactly stupid. Surely, he had made some kind of connection?
Just like the last two full moons, Hermione pretended to sleep early and waited until she heard the tell-tail sign of deep breathing coming from Draco signifying his sleep before getting up. She grabbed her small backpack and quietly tiptoed out of the hut, shutting the door silently behind her, unaware that Draco's eyes had opened a crack large enough to see her leave. She kept her footsteps quiet until she knew she was far enough and started to walk normally towards her clearing, her heart hammering with excitement and anticipation.
It was a cool, autumnal evening and Hermione was glad she had pulled on a hoodie, which she subsequently discarded once she reached her clearing and sat down. Yes, she was excited but why was she nervous? What reason did she have to be nervous? Tonight was no different than any other, so why was it that she felt like someone was watching her?
The next twenty minutes were stressful for Hermione as she paced around the clearing, the constant fear that there was someone in her presence; she could smell them. She was almost relieved when she caught sight of the first rays of moonlight hitting the ground. The transformation was fast and painful, but each month was a little better than the previous. As usual, wolf Hermione let out a howl into the dark, cool night.
She darted off into the woods, feeling freer than ever. As she ran, though, she was struck by an overwhelming sense of foreboding. Something was nearby, or rather someone, and they weren't in the form of an animal. The hackles stood up on the wolf's neck as Hermione came to a halt. The smell was so very familiar, a smell she smelt every day. Her heart began to pound, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Oh no. Oh shit. Fuck. No," Hermione's voice shouted in her head. She hadn't come across a human whilst in wolf form. She didn't know what wolf Hermione would end up doing. Human Hermione knew she would never hurt anyone intentionally, but wolf Hermione, well, that was a whole other matter. Hermione knew exactly who it was and knew she couldn't go anywhere near them in fear of what she might do. She may be on Wolfsbane that kept her sane but there had been cases of even wolves on Wolfsbane attacking humans. She couldn't take that risk. She needed him, and she needed him a lot more than she cared to admit.
The wolf took off in the opposite direction, away from the very familiar scent and after the one that had intrigued her in previous months. Its legs carried it through the woods and closer to the scent. But it never got closer, or rather any stronger. It was as if she was running in circles, but Hermione knew she wasn't. She was heading south east, and she knew that that was where she had to go next: Eastern Europe.
Once Hermione tired a little, she turned around and ran back towards the clearing and the hut, ready for a couple of hours to nap before sunrise. She sped through the forest, taking in her surroundings. It was the last time she would be here, and she wanted to remember it. It had formed such an integral part of her life, the time when everything reset, and she had no intention of forgetting it.
The rest of the night passed quickly and without adventure. As Hermione neared the clearing, she noticed that the all too familiar scent had lessened indicating that he had left the area. She reached the clearing a few hours before sunrise and settled herself down and curled into a ball in the trees and slept until the painful transformation happened once again.
Once she had pulled on her clothes and stretched out her muscles, Hermione began the trek back to the small hut, a slight spring in her step despite last night's activities. She was excited about their next adventure in Eastern Europe. But that feeling of happiness disappeared almost immediately as she shut the door and turned to see Draco sitting at the table staring at her.
"I think it's time we have a chat," he said eyeing her appearance and beckoning her to where a steaming mug of tea sat next to him.
(A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, let me know your thoughts in a review! I know the last bit was super rushed but I wanted to get it finished and posted so I can move on to more exciting bits!)
