Italics: flashbacks.
Non italics: present day.
His legs seemed to not move fast enough through the snow that surrounded the iron gates. Her head was hung low, her long curly hair obscuring her face from view, her clothes were in shreds, scarlet burned through the ivory ice that crunched beneath his feet. He pulled violently, desperately at the bonds that held her up, like a sacrificial lamb. She fell into a crumpled heap onto the floor and Harry cringed at the sound that shattered the silent night air. He scooped her up into his arms and felt the faint, ragged breaths she drew into her lungs.
And he ran, the gates shutting behind him instantly, the hum of magic whirling around him as the wards around the school corrected themselves. He felt helpless, running toward the school without any idea how to assist her, she had healed him so many times without a second thought and Harry felt helpless and incompetent for never learning them himself.
A small whimper escaped her lips as he entered the castle and started sprinting up the stairs, her body jolting with each hurried step. He skidded into the hospital wing, his shoes soaked through, body shaking from the cold. Madam Pomfrey looked up startled at the man standing before her, his black hair hastily shoved out of his face, his scar gleaming in the candle light.
Her eyes travelled to the limp figure cradled in his arms and she rushed forward, flicking her wand so that Hermione travelled to one of the white beds, curtains immediately obscuring her from view. Harry followed after her as the hospital doors opened behind him and Poppy looked up, an outraged expression on her face.
"Mr. Potter! I need to examine her! I doubt she will appreciate you witnessing it!" she exclaimed whilst running a diagnostic spell over the shivering body before her. Harry narrowed his eyes and stood beside Hermione defiantly as Poppy ran to her potions cabinet. Harry watched as the medi-witch poured potions down her delicate throat, she spluttered and Poppy frowned.
"Harry! Leave before I throw you out!" Poppy all but screamed but Harry remained motionless, his hand besides Hermione's limp one on the bed, his pinky resting over hers.
"Harry." The warning voice of Dumbledore came from behind him but Harry growled and warded the curtains, preventing the headmaster entrance. Harry turned back to Hermione and found Poppy removing what remained of her dark clothes. Blood was staining the pure white sheets, very much in the same manner of the snow, he watched as what appeared to be a gaping hole in her stomach was cleaned and lathered in an unguent Harry could not name. His heart broke as he saw the bruises that lined her abdomen, her chest had violent imprints of fingers, the black and blue contrasting violently with the pallor of her skin. It was as if finger nails had been dug into her breast, the angry red marks gleaming up at him.
He felt a surge of anger course through him and turned his eyes back to the gaping hole which he realised with a wave of relief was closed and now in its place was a small, circular scar about an inch in diameter, pink against her skin. Poppy looked up and covered Hermione from his view.
"Was she… did they touch her?" he stammered and Poppy sighed heavily.
"I am not certain, but if you leave I will be able to determine what Miss Granger has been subjected to on this night." Harry took one last look at her and turned to go when he felt a cool hand grasp his own. He span around and smiled when her large eyes stared up at him, glowing in the flickering light. He leant down when she opened her mouth to speak and Harry strained to hear the faint whisper of "stay." Harry nodded and stroked her hand tenderly, his eyes never leaving her face as Poppy continued her examination. Harry knew it was wrong to be in the witches way as she attended to her patient, that it was against all conventions to be witnessing the physical examination of a woman, that it was wrong to be inhibiting others the audience of Hermione. But somehow, sitting there, with their eyes locked and hands entwined, it all felt so right.
Hermione stared at him in wonder, he didn't dare observe Poppy's movements and yet he stroked her cheek tenderly when an uncomfortable expression crossed her face, yes, definitely glad he isn't looking. She felt her body be wrapped in a thin fabric and looked up to Poppy who merely smiled reassuringly at her.
"So? Did they.." he trailed off, unable to complete his sentence. Hermione felt him hold her hand tighter as Poppy ran her fingers through her hair.
"No, Miss Granger is still as innocent as the day she was born." At this Hermione blanched and stiffened under his fingertips and Harry felt warmth spread to his cheeks. Poppy walked off, oblivious to their reactions as if she had said the most normal thing in the world.
She did not just say that! Hermione thought flabbergasted as Harry turned toward her, a tinge of scarlet staining his cheeks and a smile playing on his lips as he took in her mortified expression.
Harry stroked the back of her hand gently with the pad of his thumb and a crease of confusion crossed her face, before a flicker of pain which made Harry reach forward and touch her forehead. She shook her head and placed their entwined hands over her stomach, her eyes fluttered closed at the contact and he watched her face screw up in pain momentarily until she looked past his shoulder, eyes wide in shock.
Minerva McGonagall stood there, a stern look on her face, Dumbledore beside her and behind them whom Hermione would guess was Amelia Bones. All three had their wands drawn all three looked tired and wary. Hermione looked to Harry in confusion and watched in shock when he stood and withdrew his own wand pointing it carefully at their three elders.
Minerva and Amelia were the first to lower their wands, in what appeared to be a simultaneous movement, seemingly rehearsed. He felt heat course through him as he blocked Hermione from their view, anger rose up through his throat and spewed out of him in the form of words. "She wouldn't be hurt if you hadn't asked us to come here." He spat and Dumbledore lowered his wand, his eyes sparking with fury.
"She wouldn't be hurt if you had protected her, if you had never-"
"Never what? Never allowed Voldemort to kill my parents? Well sorry mate but I was a BABY! Never became her friend? Never fell in-"
"STOP IT!" she felt her voice strain and falter as she screeched and clutched her stomach in agony as pain rippled through her.
Poppy ran to her side and glared daggers at possibly the most powerful wizards in the world. "If you cannot behave yourselves leave! Miss. Granger is in a very delicate state, I may have healed what I could but she needs rest and a stress FREE environment in which to do so!" Hermione at that moment loved the witch as if she were her own mother. A pain relieving potion was poured down her throat and Hermione immediately felt drowsy as the effects began to overcome her.
Harry pocketed his wand and looked to the floor guiltily, Dumbledore merely had that damn twinkle in his eyes. Harry felt relief coursing through him when he finally realised she had interrupted him from saying something bad very bad indeed.
Dumbledore nodded to the elderly medi-witch and turned swiftly, leaving the room with a swish of his midnight blue robes. The two stern women immediately followed and the doors shut with a snap behind them. Hermione closed her eyes once more and sighed in relief.
"Miss. Granger, im going to be in the next room if you need anything, if anything goes wrong let me know by-"
"I'll fetch you." Harry interrupted and the older witch nodded her flyaway gray hair shifting in the cool draft coming from the halls.
"Rest, Mr. Potter, is what she needs, rest." And with that she was gone and Hermione felt a tear roll down her cheek. His fingers were warm on her cheek as he brushed the moisture away his face full of worry.
"What happened?" he asked gently and Hermione shook her head, furiously biting her bottom lip whilst more tears escaped her traitorous eyes. "'Mione, please, don't cry, its okay, I-I wont let them have you again, never again. You're safe now." He whispered his hand entangled in her hair, gently stroking her head.
"I'm scared." She whispered in a strangled sob and he buried his face in her neck, his arms wrapped around her waist, she let out a yelp and Harry immediately froze, his head rising slightly to look at her, guilt and concern riddling his features. "Did I hurt you?" he questioned in a quiet voice unlike his own.
"Just a little bit." She whispered and smiled at the tenderness of his actions as he placed her body gently back into the stiff hospital bed. I wish I could cast a cushioning char- my wand? Where did I put it? Does Voldemort-oh no! Harry watched as the emotions of calm then apprehension flickered across her face like a spinning wheel. "My wand?" Hermione whimpered and Harry held her hand as he reached into his pocket and withdrew her delicate instrument, her hand shook as she took it and watched the tip glow brightly before the like dissipated and Hermione grinned. With a glorious wave Hermione felt her magic channel through the dark wood and felt her body sink into the magnificence of a cushioning charm.
Harry pulled a hard backed chair up to her bed and sat down watching as her eyes fluttered closed, her wand falling with her hand, to rest loosely within her delicate fingers.
He watched as her breathing slowed and her face took on the expression of immeasurable peace. Harry continued to watch her as she snuggled into the pillow, her body resting on one side, facing Harry. His eyes moved over to the old clock the adorned the stone walls, the cream coloured face indicated that it was well past two in the morning, the cool night air was slowly creeping through his damp clothing and he shivered slightly, casting a simple drying charm on himself, not daring to take of his cloak to dry his underclothes.
Warm purple rays of light shone through the stained window directly adjacent to Hermione's bed. She shifted when the bright light of morning shone through her eyelids, casting a violet glow on her pale cheeks. She grimaced as she turned her head and felt a rush of blood flow to her head in a dizzying manner. Black hair tickled her arm and Hermione smiled down at her best friend his heavy breathing the only sound in the entire hospital wing. Hermione glanced at the clock and sighed when she realised it was twenty past six, too early. Hermione shivered when the cold air hit her skin and drew the heavy blanket over her chest once more, snow must have fallen in the early morning as the soft whiteness covered the window sill as if it were attempting to obscure a keen observer the view of the white grounds.
Hermione sat up once more when she heard the sharpness of Harry's breath, his exhale was more of a shudder, his body shivering with each breath of crisp air. Hermione found her wand after a moment of searching her tangled bed spread and cast a warming charm around her bed. She reached out and touched his shoulder, gently pushing his hard flesh until he jumped up, slightly delirious, wand aloft.
He looked down at the calm Hermione and sat back down his head once more resting against her bed, a low groan reverberating from deep within his chest.
"Harry, you should change out of your wet clothes, you will catch a cold or-or worse." Hermione whispered shakily and Harry nodded pulling out her beaded bag in a flourish, and walking to the bathroom on the other side of the room.
Hermione fell back into the comfort of her warm bed and felt sleep begin to overcome her once more. All was peaceful except for the feeling that she was being watched. "Miss Granger." Dumbledore's voice echoed within her head and she frowned looking up at him, his blue eyes looking down at her as if she were dying.
"Sir." She said softly and he smiled ruefully.
"Shall we have that conversation now?" He whispered and Hermione swallowed heavily, nodding her head as she heard the door to the lavatory open and Harry stare in shock at the headmaster whom was dressed in midnight blue robes that darkened his usually cheerful aura. Dumbledore turned to Harry and with a soft wave of his hand Harry was knocked backward, the door slamming and locking before him.
"Was that really necessary?" Hermione exclaimed and Dumbledore sighed.
"For what we need to discuss, every precaution is necessary." And with that Dumbledore transfigured Harry's chair into a wheel chair and Hermione felt herself being raised into it gently.
"Hermione!" she could hear Harry yell as Dumbledore pushed her down the halls, his cries soon diminished until she could hear no more, but found herself oddly yearning to hear his voice once more, just one last time.
Hermione approached Minerva's bed cautiously, the last time she had been here, she had not been recognised, her friend had merely thought she was another nurse to look after her, before that her long lost daughter she never had. Hermione wondered if it would be different today, if the old Minerva would return to Hermione, return when she needed her mentor so much.
It had been six years since that fateful day, six years since the elderly transfiguration professor had been cursed, six years. Hermione sighed and opened her mouth to speak when the older witch motioned for her to sit beside her.
The smile remained plastered on her lined face as she surveyed the witch before her. "You were a student of mine, I remember you had large buck teeth and unruly hair, but your mind was sharp, like my own…" confusion suddenly overcome the older woman as she looked out of the window cut into the opposite wall. "I just cant-cant remember. You are eleven years old aren't you? The brightest witch- forgive me- who are you?" the same blank, dazed expression overcome the once stern witch and Hermione smiled slightly and placed her hand over the frail one of her mentors.
"I am an old friend Minnie." She said clearly, although her voice had risen an octave, signalling the tears forming that were threatening to spill over. Her eyes lit up as if a memory had flashed before her pale green eyes.
"Minnie! Oh I remember back in my youth, my daddy, he would call me that…" Hermione listened and felt her heart clench as she watched the woman before her struggle to grasp a hold of memories, glimpses of her past slipping through her fingertips before she could gain any tangible rewards from them.
Hermione glanced over at Poppy who was staring at them sadly, Hermione knew why, the healer knew both of their fates, both fates were grim, however Hermione took comfort in the fact that Minerva McGonagall the one fearless leader of Gryffindor house would pass into the unknown white light in the peaceful embrace of ignorance.
An: sorry, its been so long, family emergencies…
Your thoughts are appreciated.