Rays of sunlight lazily peeked into the cave where Hermione lay sleeping. A gull cried up above. The surf gently lapped at the beach.
Hermione awoke and her eyes scanned the cave and the beach outside. It was deserted.
Hermione wasn't sure where she was.
She tried to think back. It felt like she had been on Ron's broomstick for a while. One hour? Two? It was hard to gauge. The panic had fogged her mind.
Hermione got up and stretched. She covered up the remains of her fire, walked outside the cave, and looked around.
It appeared to be an island. There were dozens of islands around Great Britain.
Hermione started walking back the way she thought she had come the night before.
"I wonder if I could apparate out of here." Hermione thought. She was still a little shook up from the previuos night. What if she splinched herself?
Hermione continued on and eventually the rugged beach curved around to a path leading away from the water. She followed it.
The path went on and on until it turned a corner and suddenly Hermione was on the side of a motorway.
Relief spread through her. Roads led to towns. She would walk to the next town and then figure out what to do.
Hermione took off her cloak and folded up her wand inside it. She didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. Then, she started walking.
Hermione had walked for about five minutes when she heard the sound of a car coming. Should she try to get a ride? That sounded too risky.
On the other hand, they could tell her where the next town was and how far away.
Hermione turned and watched the car approach. She smiled and waved her hands. The car slowed and came to a stop.
An older gentleman rolled down the window and poked his head out.
"Hello. I was wondering if you could tell me how far the next town is." Hermione said to the man.
"Kirkwall, up the road about a mile." The old man said. "I'd be happy to give you a ride."
Kirkwall! Hermione thought. She was in Orkney in the islands north of Scotland. That wasn't very far away from Hogwarts.
"No thank you. I'm happy to walk." Hermione told the man.
"Sure? It's no trouble." The man said.
"Thanks but I'll walk." Hermione said. The man drove off and Hermione continued on.
When she got to Kirkwall she would decide what to do next.