"What do you mean we're moving to Canada? I have to go back to Hogwarts and finish my schooling. This is utterly ridiculous!" Hermione said angrily Christmas morning, stamping her foot as she glared at her parents.
"Canada will be a much better environment for you, sweetie. And there's a good school there."
"But it's not Hogwarts!"
"I think what you mean to say, young lady, that it is not the place that has your lover." Her father narrowed his eyes at her. "There is no way you are returning to that den of iniquity. Thank heavens Harry wrote to tell us what was going on. You will help your mother to pack up the house and be ready to leave in a week. This is not optional, Hermione, it is for your own good."
Hermione struggled not to cry and turned on her heel, stalking from the room. Not for the first time did she regret not having an owl. How could she get word out to Ron or Sibyll? They'd be sure to help her. But with no fireplace and an embarrassing lack of apparition talent, she was stuck here. Patrick hopped up on her shoulder and she petted him absently, finally letting her tears fall.
As she curled up on her bed, she heard the lock of her door latch. A fresh bout of sobs broke from her as she realized how completely Harry had destroyed any trust her parents had in her. What could he have told them that would make them react like this? Her mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this latest disaster.
She gathered control of her emotions, sitting up to take a look around her room. Her school trunk was missing, and with it her wand. This made things a little harder as she would have to focus her skills more narrowly. Professor McGonagall had been teaching her wandless magic since sixth year, but this forced necessity might stretch her limits.
Hermione took out a piece of paper and a pen, writing a quick letter to Sibyll, begging her to come save her, explaining what Harry had done to the best of her knowledge. Rolling the letter up, she found a ribbon on one of her stuffed animals and used it to hold the paper closed. Taking the bear in hand, she focused on it, turning it into an inconspicuous looking pigeon. Quickly, she tied the paper to its leg and opened her window. "Deliver that to Sibyll Trelawney at Hogwarts," she whispered lowly as she released the bird to the sky, knowing it was her last hope.
Thanks to the speed charm Hermione had designed into the faux pigeon, it made good time, landing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts just as Christmas dinner was about to be served. Unerringly, it walked along the main table until it stopped in front of Sibyll, holding out its leg. She dropped her fork onto her plate and untied the ribbon.
She read the letter with increasing haste, pausing only to look up at Harry and glare. He had the good grace to blush under her scrutiny of him. "I have to do something. How could he do this to her?"
"Do what to whom, Sibyll?" Minerva asked, noticing her look of concern.
"Read this, you'll understand," she replied, thrusting the letter at her. Minerva's face lost all color, and she, too, glared at Harry, who began to squirm in his seat. Sibyll watched Ron say something to him, and saw him shrug. "You know exactly why we're looking at you, Mr. Potter," she said loudly, every eye in the room turning to look at her. "Why don't you tell everyone here how you single-handedly managed to destroy the life of yet another person."
"What's she talking about, Harry?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I don't know, Ron. Maybe she's finally gone starkers," Harry replied, chuckling slightly.
"Mr. Potter! That is enough! Fifty points from Gryffindor and come with me to my office," Minerva said, standing quickly. Harry blanched and stood up, looking for an escape. None presented themselves as every eye in the room was now trained on him. His shoulders slumped and he followed Minerva out of the room.
"Rose, what's wrong?" Gil asked, leaning close to her.
"It's Hermione, Gil. Harry told her parents something that freaked them out. They've forbid her from returning home and are dragging her off to Canada come the new year."
"What?" Ron said incredulously as he took the seat Minerva had just left.
Sibyll turned and looked at him sadly. "I'm afraid so, Ron. She wounds quite heartbroken from this letter she sent me. We have to free her. But how? She has no access to her school things, they've been taken from her."
"I'll make you a special portkey, Sibyll," Albus said, resting his hand on her shoulder. "One time only, keyed to her alone. Just figure out how to get it to her." He moved off to his office and she sighed.
"I'll help. We can come up with a great plan, Professor Trelawney, I just know we can." Ron looked at her hopefully and she nodded. She stood and they followed her lead, Gil taking her arm, Ron trailing a step behind. As they sat down around the fireplace, Ron took a deep breath. "You know, we had these weird people come to our door once, trying to tell us about their religion. If you could pose as two of those people and keep her parents occupied long enough, I could sneak in the back and hand off the portkey to Hermione and then apparate out of there."
"That might work. Do you remember what these people looked like?" Gil asked.
"The man was wearing a suit and tie, dark colored, no patterns. The woman was in a long dress, nothing form-fitting, again, muted in color." He looked at Gilderoy. "You'll have to do something about your hair, though. His was cut short, kind of like Prince Charles."
Gil made a face and nodded. "All right. Now, we need to do this as quickly as possible. We only have six days before she's gone forever."
Sibyll nodded. "I'm ready to go as soon as Albus gives us the portkey." She pulled out her wand and pointed it at herself. Moments later, she was dressed like Ron had described, in a forest green ankle length dress. Then she pointed it at Gil and transformed him into a sharp looking business man, his golden hair close cropped and combed over. She giggled at the look of him and he went over to the mirror.
"Oh, Rose, I look so drab now," he moaned, pouting a little.
"I know, but you look so funny like this, I couldn't help but giggle. It will only be for a short time, you know." He nodded and sat back down.
Ron stood. "So, tomorrow it is then, since I'm sure Dumbledore will have the portkey ready by then. I'll side-along apparate us to her street and we'll go from there."
"Wait, what are we called?" Sibyll asked, looking up at him.
"Right, that would be helpful. Jehovah's Witnesses, I believe. I know they had a Bible in hand when they came to our door." He smiled brilliantly at them. "I'm so glad I can help you with this. She needs friends like us right now."
After he'd left, Sibyll leaned against Gil. "It won't end like last time. I refuse to let it."
He kissed her temple. "Force of will doesn't always work, Rose."
"This time it will. You'll see."
In the morning, Sibyll charmed herself and Gil once more. Together, they went down to the Great Hall and met Ron. "Here, I found this in the library with Madam Pince's help yesterday." He handed Gil the leather-bound Bible. "Now you look the part."
They were joined shortly by Albus, Minerva, and Poppy. "How's Severus this morning?" Sibyll asked, looking at Poppy with apprehension.
"Better than the day before, Sibyll, but I worry about what will happen if you can't bring Hermione back. Godspeed you three," she whispered as she hugged Sibyll tightly, and then walked them to the outer boundaries of the castle.
"Everything will go fine, Poppy, you'll see. The three of us will get our mission done and we'll be back before you know it."
"You'll need that optimism, Sibyll. Ron, here's the portkey. Tell Hermione that the moment she touches it, she'll be transported here, so she had better have anything she wants to bring in her hands."
"What about her school things? She wrote that her parents had taken them from her," Ron asked as he put the marble in his pocket.
"We'll take her to Diagon Alley when we get back," Gil said suddenly. "I've money to spare, or so I'm told and it's the least I could do."
"There you go, Mr. Weasley. Everything will be fine in the end." Albus smiled gently and touched Minerva's shoulder. "Now, should we let our intrepid trio get on with their mission?" They all nodded and Ron took hold of their hands and Sibyll felt the familiar tug of apparition in her stomach. Soon, they were standing on the corner of a quiet street.
"All right, Hermione lives at Number 24 on this street. Give me eight minutes to get around to the back of the house and then knock on the door. I'll try to be as quiet as possible, but don't worry about them seeing me. I requisitioned Harry's invisibility cloak. It was the least he could do for getting us into this mess."
Sibyll nodded and sighed. This made their chances almost certain to succeed. Unthinkingly, she reached out and hugged him. "Oh, Ron," she whispered, struggling not to cry.
"Don't cry, Professor Trelawney. It would look odd if you came to the door with red eyes," Ron said as he patted her back awkwardly. He let go of her and squared his shoulders. "All right, I'm off. Remember, give me an eight minute lead." He took off down a side street and Sibyll began to rock back and forth, nervous anticipation filling her bones.
"It's time, Rose. Take a deep breath," Gil said, placing his hand on the small of her back. Together, they walked down the pavement, looking for No. 24. Gil tugged on her arm and they turned down a walkway. Gil cleared his throat and knocked on the door strongly.
A frazzled looking woman answered the door. "May I help you?"
"Yes. We've come to talk to you about the Lord. May we come in?" Gil asked as he smiled charmingly, taking a step inside the open doorway.
Hermione's mother nodded absently and led them into the kitchen. "Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked as they sat around the kitchen table.
"That would be lovely," Sibyll said softly, looking around the cozy kitchen. "Is it just you here?"
"Oh no, my husband had to go in to work today. He's finalizing his transfer to Canada." Mrs. Granger poured three cups of tea and handed them around. As she sat next to Sibyll, she surprised her by bursting into tears.
"What's wrong?" Sibyll asked.
"I'm so glad you came, it's as if God sent me two angels in human form. I've been in such turmoil since my daughter came home for Christmas break. My husband is so upset and I don't really want to move and uproot her when she's almost finished with her schooling. What would God suggest I do?"
Sibyll looked at Gil desperately. He shrugged slightly and reached out to pat Mrs. Granger's hand. "He'd want you to do what's right. What is your heart telling you to do?"
"To let her go back. She was going to leave us anyway after this holiday. She wasn't really ever meant for this world. But I can't go against my husband."
"Everything will work out just how it was meant to be. That's how God works," Sibyll said gently, covering Gil's hand with hers. Mrs. Granger looked up at her and nodded slowly.
"I'm sure you're right." She bit her lip and Sibyll took a sip of tea.
Gil looked at his watch and nodded at Sibyll. "We need to go now, to visit your neighbors. But just remember, God is always with you, my child, as long as you listen to Him."
They stood and Mrs. Granger escorted them to the door. To keep up the pretense, Gil and she walked down to the next house. Gil reached up to knock on the door when they saw Ron down at the corner where they had begun the day. He nodded and they nodded back. Gil took Sibyll's hand and she apparated them back to the castle.
Hermione was watching for Sibyll, Gil, and Ron the moment she appeared at Hogwarts. Minerva was waiting with her, a warm hand on her shoulder. "There they are, Miss Granger, coming up the path."
She looked to where the woman was pointing and shoved her book into Minerva's hands, taking off running towards the trio, tears flowing down her face. Sibyll saw her and jogged towards her, arms open. Hermione threw her arms around Sibyll, almost knocking them over, were it not for Gil supporting their backs with his hand. "I knew you'd be able to rescue me," she sobbed out, burying her face in Sibyll's hair.
"Of course I came for you, my dear. You asked for my help and how could I deny you?" Sibyll gently kissed her forehead and they went back up to the castle. "Have you seen anyone else yet?"
"Just Albus and Minerva. I wanted to thank you all for what you did," she replied, not letting go of Sibyll. She waved her free hand in front of her face. "I'm sorry I'm so emotional."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Miss Granger. You were in a highly emotional situation and can finally release those feelings. Rose, I'm going to go on ahead and tell Poppy we're back." Sibyll nodded and he and Ron moved on ahead, leaving the two women alone.
"Were you able to bring anything with you?" Sibyll asked her as they slowly walked along the path.
"Patrick and the Shakespeare book. At least I can make Gilderoy happy," she said with a watery laugh. "I don't have my wand, though. Classes are going to be so much work without it. Transfiguring the pigeon wore me out completely. I guess I'll just have to practice a lot during the rest of break."
"We'll get you a new wand before classes start, I promise." They made it up to the castle and found Poppy standing there, waiting for Hermione.
"He hasn't woken up yet, but he's getting better. Would you like to go up and see him?" Hermione nodded and let go of Sibyll's arm and followed Poppy up the stairs. She was nervous about seeing him, not wanting him to be taken from her like everything else almost had. She blanched a little when she saw Ginny in the Infirmary, taking a step back.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"Penance, mainly. It's my fault they had to go rescue you, after all. I am sorry about that, it's just, I had no idea Harry would go off the rails like that. Can, can you forgive me?" Ginny looked down at the floor, as if unable to bear seeing what her answer would be.
Hermione surprised herself by taking a step forward and touching Ginny's arm. "Yes, I can forgive you." Ginny smiled and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly.
"Now go in and see him. I think he's just about to wake up," she said as she hurriedly wiped away her tears.
Hermione nodded and went into the room. She took a seat next to his side, noticing that his color was much better than it had been when she'd left. Hesitantly, she reached out and picked up his hand, holding it in her own. Time slowed to a crawl as she watched for some sign of wakefulness from him. Almost imperceptibly, she felt his hand close around hers, squeezing lightly.
"Hermione, what happened? Are you all right?" he asked hoarsely.
"I'm fine now that you're awake, Severus. I thought I'd lose you there for a while. Whatever poison Draco used on the blade was most noxious indeed. But you're here and that's in the past." She could feel the tears running down her face and wiped them away with her free hand. "These are the last sad tears I cry for a long time. I'm tired of being a weepy woman." She laughed a little at his smirk. "What? Don't you believe me?"
"If you set your mind to it, then it will happen. You are the first person I've met since Lily with such strength of will."
Poppy came bustling into the room, a bright smile on her lips. "It's wonderful to see you awake, Severus. Hermione, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave now. I have some tests to run here. Feel free to come back after lunch. Young Mr. Weasley is here to escort you down to the Great Hall." Hermione nodded and stood up, squeezing his hand once more before she left.
Hermione went out into the main room of the Infirmary and found Ron pacing the room. "'Mione! I heard he's awake. Is he doing all right, then?"
"I believe so. Madam Pomfrey just has some tests to run, I guess," she replied as they went out of the room. "Is Harry going to be at lunch?"
"No one's seen Harry since McGonagall took him away yesterday. I'm worried about him, I really am. Whatever would possess him to do something so awful to you? We've been friends for so long."
"Well, I did call his mother a bitch, Ron. That did help me at all."
"You were angry with him, and for good reason. He blew things out of proportion. And don't you dare apologize to him before he sincerely apologizes to you. I know you, too well it seems sometimes."
Hermione felt her cheeks redden. "I'm glad I've found out who my friends are, Ron. Sibyll was right about you, you totally understand where I'm at. Thank you." She kissed his cheek lightly, watching him blush.
After lunch, Hermione went back up to the Infirmary. She passed Gil and smiled at him as he left. Knocking on the door, she entered Severus's room and saw he was sitting up, thumb in her sonnet book. He looked serious and she felt her brow furrow a little. "Please, sit. Gilderoy told me about rescuing you from your home."
She sat in the chair and looked steadily at him. "That is not my home any longer. Here is home. Had I been able to talk to my parents first, things might have turned out differently. Obviously, Harry had different plans for my life. That does not change the fact that I shall cleave only onto you." She dropped her eyes down onto her clasped hands.
Hermione was surprised to feel his hand on her cheek, cradling her face gently. "Gilderoy left the sonnet book with me and it fell open to this verse." He cleared his throat and began to read. "O! never say that I was false of heart, Though absence seemed my flame to qualify, As easy might I from myself depart As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie: That is my home of love: if I have ranged, Like him that travels, I return again; Just to the time, not with the time exchanged, So that myself bring water for my stain. Never believe though in my nature resigned, All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood, That it could so preposterously be stained, To leave for nothing all thy sum of good; For nothing this wide universe I call, Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all."
She sighed and nuzzled her face into his hand. "Oh, Severus, I love you, too." She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, finding the sweet promise of content years to come in his embrace.