Hermione awoke and immediately the realisation of her situation hit her. Her parents were dead, the person she trusted above all others had said she was as good as and she was now under the care of a total stranger and her Potions Professor who previously hated her. At this point she had to remind herself that he had apologised to her and she had promised to give him a second chance. Hermione decided that despite all this it was still weird.

Hermione then remembered that she would be going home today. The thought saddened her. She wasn't really going home. She was going back to a house she and her parents had lived in for as long as she could remember. It wasn't home without them. Indeed she was getting a new home; she was going to live with her Potions Master. She was hoping that his house was a little less depressing then the dungeons he haunted. Though her hopes weren't high because of his attitude. He just wasn't the type that opened windows and cleaned.

Hermione could here shuffling feet and continued pretending to be asleep. She was well aware that this was the Hospital Wing and whilst grateful had feigned sleep as she did not want to deal with Madam Promfrey at this time of the morning. She was likely to be unhappy at seeing Hermione back in here after only just getting rid of her a few weeks ago. Indeed getting away from the itchy bedding and that too clean smell had been a luxury. Now she was determined to ignore it and think.

The unknown quantity of her new guardians was daunting and distressing to her. All Hermione wanted to do was cry and breakdown but she did not trust either of her guardians and feeling like she had no one else to go to left Hermione at a loss. Both were virtual strangers to her. One whom she had never met and another who if she was being told the truth wasn't the person he had been presenting himself as all this time. She knew she would have to get to know them but she wished this could have dragged out a little. So she had a little time to adjust but no Hermione seemed to be being punished by the universe at the moment. First Harry and Ron had taken the whole credit for her discovery. She could have lived with that but then they started being nasty. Acting as if they were above her, refusing to be seen with her and then basically forcing her to do their homework with emotional blackmail about them saving her. This had been noticed by the other Gryffindor who had also dumped their homework on her. She was now single handily doing all of the Homework for the first and second years, as well as several third years. She had wanted to get away from it all by going home. Though she had a sneaking suspicion that she would be doing their holiday homework as well.

Hermione heard more footsteps and then heard Madam Promfrey's voice speaking to her.

"You can stop pretending now. Professor Snape left a few minutes ago and you're alone here, apart from me of course. The elves sent up breakfast and Tonks will be here just after classes start to take you home."

Madam Promfrey's voice was full of concern as Hermione opened her eyes and gave a sheepish grin, a quick "Thanks" and tucked into breakfast. Indeed she had noticed his presence and chose to ignore it. Though his actions showed promise Hermione too used to Snape and not sure of Severus had decided to stay guarded for a while. Needing a distraction from everything she thought about her knew least favourite subject. House Elves. Slavery had never sat well with Hermione who had been taught that everyone was equal and to stand up for yourself and others. It had taken a long time for her to learn this and now considered it her mission to stand up for those who either couldn't or wouldn't stand up for themselves. Of course things in the wizarding world weren't always what they appeared to be. From what Sarah had told her and what she had read the Elves liked to be enslaved. So she sat back and let it go on around her. Though she hoped to at least achieve protection against abuse one day.

She barely finished eating when the door to the wing opened and Tonks entered. Hermione managed a half smile which was returned. In that brief second her empty tray had disappeared. Damn those elves were fast. Tolkien had been right about that. As Tonks approached so did Madam Promfrey. That as far as Hermione was concerned was not a good sign it meant an examination. Not good.

Madam Promfrey caught the look of trepidation on Hermione's face and returned her own slight scowl. The effect of which was lessened by her slight amusement at Hermione, that girl hated hospitals more than anyone she knew.

"It won't take long Miss Granger just a few quick and painless tests and then you can get ready to go." At this the three women's faces fell. They were dancing around the issue. Trying to avoid it. Apparently it wasn't working.

As Madam Promfrey got to work Tonks addressed Hermione.

"I know we don't really know each other but I hope that eventually you will trust me enough to let me know if something is really wrong Hermione. I know Severus is a little strange but once you get to know him it will be fine." Tonk's speech was said with conviction but Hermione was still reluctant about the situation. She noticed then that Tonks was wearing the cloak and robes that she had worn last night. She had stayed too?

Madam Promfrey straightened up and gave Hermione a pointed look. This caught both Hermione and Tonks attention, Hermione worried for what she had figured out and Tonks worried that something was wrong. Madam Promfrey then pulled up a chair before addressing them in a professional yet worried voice.

"Miss Granger whilst I haven't detected anything abnormal due to your petrifaction from earlier this year I am worried about your levels of fatigue. For a second year student you seem extremely tired. All of your teachers have noticed this and requested that I speak to you about this. Apart from what has happened in the last twenty-four hours is there anything else that is troubling you?"

Madam Promfrey was giving her a rather piercing glare and Tonks was watching on with interest as to Hermione's secret. Hermione herself wondered whether she should say something about the other Gryffyndor's homework. That she was often up until two in the morning working. That all she wanted was to scream at them to leave her alone. But remembering their threats was more than enough to stop her.

"No Madam Promfrey, there isn't anything bothering me."

Madam Promfrey gave her a disbelieving look and Hermione knew she hadn't bought it.

"Very well than Miss Granger we will leave you to get dressed."

Hermione knew as the curtain was shut by Tonks that Madam Promfrey was telling Tonks her concerns and instructing her to keep an eye on Hermione. This led Hermione back to her previous thoughts of whether she should try to trust either Severus or Tonks. The deciding factor was of course her promise. She trusted Sarah. She trusted her parents. Even though she had her reservations about the situation she would trust them. She had never had a reason not to. So as the curtain was drawn back and herself and Tonks set off towards her house Hermione reaffirmed her promise to herself. She would give them a chance. If not for them, then for her parents. For Sarah.