Hermione POV
Immediately after the bell rang, I slipped out of the class, putting a barrier of students between myself and the men that were going to be a pain to shake. I knew that Theo and Malfoy would come looking for me now that their parole officers had left. With classes over, I couldn't go back to my room so I walked the halls. In an empty corridor, I chugged the entire flask of magic suppressant, knowing full well my body would reject it in an hour or so. That's all the time I needed anyway. Once the gates were opened to the students, I would leave. My bags were packed and would magically transfer to whatever destination I chose. Probably a wizard hotel. I was fully prepared to spend Christmas break anywhere except Hogwarts, Grimmauld Place, or The Burrow. I couldn't risk staying at school. What if they stayed instead of going to the Manor? Or what if they stayed purely because I did? I would be alone at Grimmauld, but the thought of my old room made my stomach turn. Being around the Weasleys in The Burrow was not worth the questions or concern.
I had previously considered going to my parents' old home in Hampstead Garden. I owned it after all. It had been my one and only purchase with the funds I had received after the downfall of Voldemort. The problem is that every time I had gone there, it had pushed me harder into depression. A hotel would be the safe choice especially since I finally seemed to be making an improvement. There wasn't a single stutter in my speech and I had barely had to try.
Granted, I didn't know if that was because I was improving or another side effect of the kaleidoscope disease.
That was a whole other worry.
Wherever I went, I would need to have access to an extensive magical library. The local magical library for London residents wasn't nearly as equipped as Hogwarts, which I had already exhausted, and the Ministry's library had only just started to recover its catalog. I was beginning to come to the conclusion that I wasn't going to find the information I was looking for in a public collection.
Harry would have connections to access private libraries. All I had to do was ask. That would cause questions though, questions I would never answer, and I doubted he would believe a lie. He knew me too closely, knew all my shitty tells. At what point would the risk outweigh my preservation? I wasn't sure, but apparently I hadn't reached that point yet. I needed another friend with influence, one who I could lie to easily with the magical suppressant fresh in my system, one that would be too excited for my recovery to question my motives. My only option was Headmistress McGonagall.
I was sure she had gone straight to her office while I had zigzagged through the halls in a panic. The stairs were lowered. I hoped she hadn't changed the password.
"Glynnis Griffiths."
The stairs began to move at the mention of her favorite quidditch player of all time. As I rode them up, I noticed a strange twisting in my stomach. I knew it had nothing to do with the stairs. No…it was too soon for the potion to be retaliating. Only it was. I'd just have to fight my body. Hold it in for as long as possible. Joy. I knocked on the door.
"Ms. Granger." Her face broke out in a smile when she opened it to find me standing on the other side. "I was hoping I would see you before you left. Come in, come in."
She motioned for me to come inside and offered me a biscuit. I shook my head politely in refusal. It might taste good going down, but I doubted it would taste as good coming back up. We took our prospective seats across from each other at her desk, and I hid the wince at the clench it caused in my stomach.
"You seem better," she said, never one for beating around the bush and I had never been more appreciative. I didn't have time for the niceties of small talk.
"I feel better," I replied, though my stomach bubbled against the potion.
"I'm so glad. In class today, it was almost like seeing you three years younger." She shook her head slightly, clearing her throat. "Anyway, I received your owl about leaving for break. Where are you headed?"
"I'm going to go to my parents' old home," I lied. "The Burrow would be far too complicated. Besides, I want to get some reading in, maybe research a way that I can improve my parents' memories. Actually, I was hoping I could request a favor."
She practically glowed with every word that I spoke, her eyes shimmering. I felt bad. It wasn't all my own ability like it had been during the veritaserum presentation. I was sure it was the suppressant that was making the sentences so easy.
"Anything, dear." Her response was soft and immediate.
"Would you be able to get me access to a large private book collection? I've already read most of the standard books on memory restoration. I was hoping to get my hands on some other source material. Maybe an older collection from one of the 28?"
The older the book, the better. If I was going to find anything on kaleidoscope disease it would probably be in a sacred 28 collection.
She thought for a moment, her lips pursing as she contemplated.
"I should be able to get you access to the Shacklebolt catalog. Would that do?"
"That would be perfect."
A silence grew between us and my stomach retaliated, twisting with the need to expel the potion. I could feel the sweat on my face. I looked at the time, needing an excuse to leave.
"I should go," I said, standing, fighting the bile rising in my throat. "I'm going to meet up with Harry and Ginny for an early dinner before they head to the burrow for the holiday season."
"Of course. Tell them I said hello. And take a biscuit, Granger. You look a bit peekish."
She held out the tray and I grabbed the biscuit, giving her a smile. My feet couldn't move to the door fast enough. The last thing I wanted to do was throw up in McGonagall's office.
"Oh, Hermione!" I looked back at her at the door. "Have a Happy Christmas."
"You too, Headmistress."
I threw up half way down the stairs.
A vanishing and mouth refreshing spell later, I was beelining to the now open gates to apparate. The grounds were a flutter of students headed towards the gates for the train or apparition. A light snow was drifting, blanketing the already white ground. I had maybe ten minutes before my magic would come back full force and there was no more potion. I was trying not to freak out. I could see the gate, it would be fine. I would get to London and check in to a hotel. I would wait for McGonagall's correspondence. I would…I noticed a face in the crowd. Blond hair and stormy gray eyes. Malfoy was wearing an expression that was all predatory. He took a step in my direction and I picked up speed, tucking my head down, weaving through the crowd.
I should have expected it. The hand on my arm in the mess of bodies, the tugging sensation that made me slip into the trees. A part of me did expect it because I barely gasped. The invisible hand on my arm disappeared, but I was quickly lifted off my feet, enveloped in the smell of gillyweed and musk. There was no point in screaming or fighting and the clenching between my thighs at that smell was making my stomach do flips. The Shack came into view. The door opened and I was placed on my feet. The invisibility cloak dropped to reveal my known captor. Warm dark hair, deep blue eyes, and an expression of pure anger.
"Theo, what are you-"
Lips, teeth, clashing and merging. My whole body softened instantly. I couldn't think. Not about anything. It had been too long, and my body reacted with purpose. His hands burrowed into my hair. The door to the Slytherin Shack slammed shut behind us.