Managing to exit the bar unscathed Hermione turned down the adjacent alleyway, pulled out her wand and apparated back to her messy motel room. She didn't see the two men follow her out and turn down the alley just as she span on her heel, then disappeared.
Dean looked at Sam eyes wide, mouth agape. This night was getting weirder and weirder; he had only invited the girl to sit with them because he thought that she was just a nice girl. Now it seemed there was more to Hermione than he previously thought.
"Well, we should probably head to the motel." Sam started lamely, but Dean had other ideas. He sent Sam an extremely snarky glare then strode down the alleyway searching for any clues as to what Hermione was or where she may have gone.
"You saw what she did as well as me Sammy. Don't tell me that you are not in the slightest unsettled by this." His grave voice echoed around the empty alley as he eyed Sam leaning near the entrance.
"Sure it was weird and strangely demon-like, but we can't just jump to conclusions. We might as well meet her at the motel and hear her out; she obviously knows something about the case in this town"
"Yeah, yeah. You're right, let's go." He stood up and marched back out towards the impala in the parking space right in front of the bar. "But don't think that I will hesitate to shoot her if she pulls something like that again. She might even be the one killing these people."
Sam laughed, "Did we meet the same girl? She could barely walk twenty feet without bumping into something. And that was sober!" Grunting, Dean walked past him opening the trunk to put away the gun he had in the waist band of his jeans. Without Sam seeing he picked up the demon knife, two flasks of holy water, some salt and a silver blade, and stored them about his person. They both settled into the car as the engine roared to life and headed towards the motel that was incidentally the same one they were staying at, the unfinished argument still fizzling in the air.
With classic rock blaring from the radio Dean pulled the impala into a spot next to their room, he turned off the music and then to Sam. "What's the game plan then Sammy?" Sam snorted.
"We haven't got a game plan Dean. She's just a girl; we are just going to talk to her." Dean was still glaring at him, "you take the knife, and I'll take some holy water?" He added sceptically at the end. That satisfied Dean as he nodded, handing a flask of holy water to Sam. Sam, although being still concerned about the way Dean was acting decided to take the lead.
Sam stepped up to the door, the plastic 119 reflecting the headlights from the impala, and rapped on the door. He heard some shuffling from within, then the scraping of the lock, and finally the door opened a crack and Hermione's face peeked through the opening. She smiled at him, fully opening the door to a spotless room with only a small purple beaded bag lying on the bed. Three cool beer bottles were stood on the small table along with a bowl filled with chips.
"A real feast." Sam stated with a chuckle, Hermione giggled and joined him at the table picking up her already open beer.
"Is Dean here?" She started cautiously, glancing back towards the door as the headlights went off.
"Yeah he should be right along" he smiled kindly, "just having a little strop."
The door slammed shut and Dean walked in muttering under his breath in a different language. Hermione listened intently as Sam glared at his brother. A sudden look of realisation passed over Hermione's face. In an instant she was stood in front of Dean a scowl plastered across her face.
"Now you listen to me," she turned to face Sam as well, "I don't know who you are, but I am not a demon." She turned back to Dean a defiant air around her, "You got holy water? Try me" Dean grabbed her arm and pulled up her sleeve revealing a jagged scar. Immediately Hermione pulled back her arm, the treat of tears glistening in her eyes. At some point Dean had pulled out a knife with strange symbols on it. She looked between the brothers now knowing what was going on. She uttered one word. "Hunters"
"Yes we're hunters. And if you know that you must be something we are hunting an-" Dean was cut off as Sam stood in front of him as Hermione backed up towards her bag withdrawing her wand from her jacket. There was a scuffle between the brothers and suddenly a gun appeared pointing at Hermione.
"What the hell Dean? We came here to talk about the case! Why did you even bring a gun?!" Sam was now practically screaming at Dean who was trying to point the gun around him at Hermione.
Hermione knew who they were, from the description of devilishly handsome men via a secretary at the ministry and her instincts. The Winchesters. Hunters. A nuisance. Sure they knew how to stop a meddlesome ghost or kill a few demons, but when death eaters were involved they were just collateral damage. She moved forward, Dean and Sam watching as a single tear fell down her cheek.
"I think we should start again. My name is Hermione Granger, you are Sam and Dean Winchester. You are hunters of all things supernatural. Correct?" She watched as Sam nodded and Dean tightened his grip on his gun. "I can guarantee that this case is not the sort of thing that you are equipped to deal with, despite your impressive arsenal."
"How do you know that it is not something that we can deal with? We've-" Dean began but was cut off again.
"I know, wendigo, demon, ghost, djinn. But this, this is something that I have to do alone." She paused taking in a deep rattling breath, "you can't handle this. Just... Just leave. Please" she sat down tears falling freely, her wand lying in her lap.
"You forgot werewolves, shifters, witches…" Dean trailed off as Hermione flinched, wet streaks growing on her cheeks. "Shit, don't cry. I know it's a lot to take in, everything that goes bump in the night, real and ready to attack…" The crying hadn't stopped so both brothers settled either side of Hermione on the bed, Dean forgetting his earlier instinct to kill her. All three sat in silence until Hermione stopped crying. Slowly she stood up, wiping her face.
"What I am about to say is breaking laws, international laws, but I think that you need to hear it. Just don't shoot me until I finish, okay?" Dean nodded so she continued. "I work for the American Ministry, not the one you know though. I am tracking some criminals from England that escaped after the war before being persecuted for the crimes they committed. You can't stop them because they are very powerful wizards called Death Eaters, but I can because I am a witch." Although Dean had agreed to listen, he rose swiftly with gun in hand, and shot straight at Hermione's heart.
The sound of the gun-shot echoed around the motel room as three things happened all at once.