Alright, Elizabeth (guest), had a great idea for a Animagus form for Hermione, but it pains me to say that I chose another form. I have a view for Hermione based on the animal I chose. I still hope you continue reading and aren't too disappointed!

ENJOY!

"Italics are signing"

Disclaimer: obviously, Harry Potter and Merlin are not mine to command!

Chapter 4

Merlin was turning eleven years old and what a happy day it was for his family. They loved celebrating his birthday, especially Hermione. She loved giving him gifts. She tried to make each year special for him. His mother would make him his favorite dinner and make him a desert. Hermione would disappear the whole day and come back with an amazing gift. His mother had officially adopted Hermione when Merlin turned nine. She was officially his sister and was enjoying every part of it. Merlin was an expert in sign language and reading Hermione's emotions. She couldn't yell at him, so she would use physical force. She was strong for such a small girl. Hunith was fine with any punishment Hermione dished out, less work for Hunith. Hermione's favorite way to make sure he knew he was in trouble was pulling his large ears. It was amusing to everyone besides Merlin, who's ears would ache for a week. Her throat had stopped bleeding after three years and she was ecstatic. She still wore a scarf over the scars and was an expert at wearing long sleeves in the blazing summer. She also wore leather fingerless gloves on her hands because of the carved words in both. The gloves made her face slaps a lot more painful. The one scar she couldn't hide was the one on her face. Right above her eyebrow and reaching her cheek. It was pale now and silvery, but still there. She never cared for her looks and she didn't care that she had any scars, but she hated questions. She already got enough stares for her choice in clothing, she didn't need little children asking her why she looked like a cat's scratching post. Speaking of scratching posts and cats, she tested a theory she had with her bag. She was bored one day and decided to try and pull Crookshanks from her bag. She was so sure it wouldn't work, but out came her fuzzy orange half-kneazle. She cried so much and her half-kneazle was so happy to see her. The feline wouldn't leave Hermione's arms for a week and she felt just the same. She kept the cat close like he would disappear from her. Merlin was downright excited at having a cat. Hunith wasn't as happy, but saw how happy he made Hermione. Plus, Hunith had never seen a smarter cat. Crookshanks came to Hermione without a word from her and Hunith was stumped on how that was possible.

Hermione knew that Crooks was her familiar. The cat was connected to her, mind, heart, and soul. The cat knew when he was needed and didn't ignore. Even when Hermione didn't need him, he was there just for support. The villagers called him The Ugly Orange Devil, but they knew not to hurt Hermione's precious pet. Once, a farmer tried to skewer him with a pitchfork and the cat tore the man up and to make it worse, Hermione refused to treat the man and made Merlin tell the man that if he liked to skewer cats then he could very well get infected by cat scratches and she wouldn't care.

Merlin enjoyed playing with Crooks and the old cat enjoyed playing with Merlin. They hunted mice together and scared kids and chased eachother around. Crookshanks slept in Hermione's bed and never left her until she awoke. It was all very sweet and everyone was convinced the cat would refuse to die until Hermione met her end. Hermione was sure of that too.

For Merlin's eleventh birthday, she was taking him to a secret place she found. She marked the path with symbols on the trees that only Merlin and her could see. She didn't want anyone snooping. She also set wards around the entire place to ward off everyone that wasn't Hermione or Merlin...animals weren't included in the wards. She found it while testing out her Animagus form. It was neat actually. Learning to be an Animagus without books or a teacher. She sat for a year of midnights, just connecting with her magic. When she finally found her connection, she found the elements that made her, Hermione and let an animal come to her. She would be what her spirit animal was. Her Patronus hadn't changed. It was still a swimming otter which was a relief to her. Something was the same. She had spent weeks trying to find her animal when she realized that she was looking for the wrong animal! She searched on the magic side of creatures and was close to becoming a Gryffin, but it was pushed away by a stubborn animal that wouldn't reveal itself to her. Then one day, she got so frustrated that she shot a blast of magic and a growl was released from her throat that she didn't know she was capable of.

Time froze and at the stroke of midnight on the eclipse, her animal came to her. When she saw it, she was amazed. The Black Shuck. It was an animal she read about in her original time that even the magic world was positive it didn't exist. The animal stood in front of her, tall and proud. Red eyes judging her. It phased in and out of shadows and even made a bite attempt on her. She only found the animals respect when she growled and fought for her right to be The Black Shuck. This was her animal. Strong, magical, protective and fierce. She wasn't real, just a ghost in this time, just like the Shuck was a ghost to existence. She was dark, she was haunted, she was the Black Shuck! Only then, did the animal bow to her and accept that she was ready to be the animal. She walked out of her trance as the large, black, ghost dog with red eyes that judged those for death. She was a magical creature that could not die because she didn't exist. She embraced it. When she transformed back, her senses were enhanced and she could see, hear, smell, and sense anything. Her voice was still taken from her and none of her scars healed, but she now had the ability to somehow...growl. It seemed that she had grown another set of vocal cords, but those were only used for her animal. It was sad, but she was used to not being able to speak. It gave her a reason to hit people!

She had tested out her new form by finding a special place for Merlin. His eleventh birthday held a special place in her heart. It was the age that her life had changed forever. It was the age that she found out she was a witch and entered a world of magical danger. She just wanted something special to happen to Merlin too, in the wonderful age of eleven. She ended up finding a cave that lead to a perfectly circular stone room. She checked it for traps and made sure that all it was, was a very strange rock formation, she did find that it was made by magic. So, she checked for curses, vaults, hidden messages, anything dangerous and found nothing. All she found was an ancient leftover magical signature. So, she began to make it magical. She pushed back a part of the wall and made a fireplace. She charmed it to be smokeless and put a bookshelf above it. She would let him decorate it. She made the floors smooth stone and created a large circle rug. It was green for the moment, but he could change it if he wanted. She decided that the ceiling was high enough to charm it like the great hall at Hogwarts. After she had finished the complicated charm, it shone a bright sunny day. She made a large desk by the entrance and made it regular wooden. She added a chair, fancily carved by hand. She loved carving. It was an art that reminded her of Wandlore.

She also put in a large bookshelf that curved with the wall. She made a little place for crooks to relax and then put two squishy armchairs in front of the fireplace, along with another carved piece, a circle side table. She added heating and cooling charms just to make it comfy. Then, she decided to push in another part of the wall and make a place for sleeping bags, pillows, and extra blankets. Just in case of an emergency. Speaking of that, she made the whole place also accessible to Hunith if she ever needed shelter. She made sure to stock up plenty of candles and for a final for the final touch, large wooden doors!

The doorway was a half circle and she fit double doors. She made sure they had a lock and she sat down for two days and carved intricate designs. She didn't make them girly or frilly, just lines, leaves, dragons, Knights, and a castle. It took her a week to charm it all to magically move. Just like the portraits in her time. She did that to the inside of the doors. The images stopped moving and even disappeared with the password: Hogwarts. No one would guess it. She would tell Merlin obviously and Hunith. On the outside, through the walkway to the big doors, was how she would make sure that no one ever found it. She couldn't resist. It was something she'd always wanted to do. She traveled to the outside of the cave and made the stone around the entrance black. She made another set of wood doors, but this time, a clear message was carved in them. The Gringotts Entrance Poem! She laughed the whole time as she magically wrote the words in gold.

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.

She pulled out some of the rocks and made it all shadowy and creepy. She snorted at the fact that she was purposely making everything creepy. The treasure and greed part would want to make anyone enter! Not with the boggart she had found! There were boggart in this era! She did some advanced runes and took a drop of her blood and made it so the boggart would never show its face to her. She collected some of Merlin's blood when he stabbed himself on a loose piece of glass again. She really needed to pick that up. She dropped his blood on the runes and now Merlin was protected from it. She would just ask Hunith for her blood.

Hermione had told Hunith of her magical abilities when the woman caught her crying in the woods and her magic attacking everything in sight. Once Hunith stepped into her circle of magic, she was snapped out of her depressed state. She looked at Hunith with such a helpless look, and the woman's motherly instincts kicks in. She held Hermione as she struggled to manage a normal cry. Hermione was just so frustrated with not getting anywhere in her Animagus transformation and memories attacked her in her nightmares and it was all getting to her. She felt stuck and helpless and she hated it. Hunith comforted her until she was too exhausted to continue. In her delirious state of exhaustion, she snuggled up in Hunith's arms and whispered with searing pain, "I lo-ove you, mu-um." She fell asleep in the shocked woman's arms and Hunith cried tears of joy. She didn't think she would find such joy in having another child. Merlin found them like that. He had felt the surges of now what he knew to be magic and followed it. He stumbled upon his mother smiling and crying while holding his sleeping sister. He joined his mother and in his nine year old mind, he couldn't figure out why his mother was so happy. He asked her and she smiled with a teary face, "she called me mum. Said she loved me." Merlin understood. Now Hunith knew of Hermione's magic, there was nothing to stop the family of three from coming closer.

After that moment, Hermione had still called Hunith, mum and she was working on a blood ritual to make Hermione and Merlin blood siblings. They would be actual blood relatives, the problem was making sure that their magic didn't mix. Her magic was evolved and different from magic in the medieval days. If their magic mixed, both would certainly die and she couldn't kill the Merlin. So, she was still studying it. She had found her satchel to have unlimited access to any book she wished. Books were her most prized possession, so it was obvious that that was what she would have the most access to. Knowledge was everything to her. So, maybe a volume on blood rituals from the Black family library? Yes. Later though!

With the blood of Hunith, Merlin and Hermione, they were all allowed to walk in the cave with no trouble. She also made sure Crookshanks could get in somehow. He was a smart cat, he would figure it out. The only way to let other people in was for Hermione to gather a drop of their blood and Hermione give them a temporary pass in the form of a braclet with protective runes carved in them. She made four guest passes, bracelets. She could only make one every month. Everything she was doing took a lot of magic and she needed to rest once in awhile. She had set up the security of boggarts that would be released if someone tried to force their way in. The boggarts would go back to their holding places once the person had run off or died of fear. She decided to enhance the creepy yet enchanting place. The last thing that she wanted to do, made it so that she couldn't use magic for two months and slept a whole week. She enhanced the forest trees. She made the grass grow dark green and the surrounding trees twenty yards out turn to dark wood oak trees with larger tops and darker leaves. The wards reached to the end of the trees and made a perfect circle in the middle of the forest. She released pixie lights to float around and even put a little pond to the side in front of the cave. She decided to add spirit fish in the pond, which were extremely hard to find. All she had to do was make a small portal into the spirit world and summon some elegant fish. That was what took most of her energy.

It looked like a fancy hovel, but it was so much more. She began the construction on Merlin's tenth birthday and finished the day of his eleventh birthday. She checked everything out, made sure it was all perfect and ready for her boy. She really should have saved the big surprise for when he was older, but at a younger age, everything still held wonder. Also, she had been planning everything for a while. The sun was rising and she decided everything was good to go. How excited she was! She transformed into her Animagus and sped through the forest, disappearing in and out of shadows and not making a single sound or footprint.

She reached the house before anyone was awake and quietly stepped in the house. She tiptoed to her bed on the ground and laid down next to a sleeping Crookshanks. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. She only got to sleep for half an hour before Hunith awoke and began cooking breakfast. Hermione decided to wake up and feed Crooks. She couldn't sleep anyways, she was too excited. She wanted to take him there in time for the stars to Come out. It will be the perfect time to visit his special place. She was bouncing everywhere while getting Crooks settled. She poured him some milk in his special dish. He wouldn't drink out of anything else. She put it back in the cool box she created for Hunith. She gave her mother a kiss on her cheek and sat at the table with a large smile. Her red eyes wouldn't stop flashing bright and she could care less. Hunith chuckled and whispered, "Hermione dear! Why on earth are you so excited? It's not even your birthday." Hermione nodded and signed excitedly, "turning eleven was so special for me. My whole world changed and I went to a magical place that changed me forever. I want Merlin to have the same experience, but since there's no large castle for him to go to school in, I have something just for him!" Hunith wasn't extremely good at sign language, but she caught most of what Hermione was trying to communicate. That was why she paused and asked, "going to school in a large castle?" Hermione paused and swore under her breath. Hermione took on a saddened look and was actually depressed when she told her story.

"Oh, well, I was invited to a castle at eleven and it was the school for sorcerers. I was only there for two years until it was taken over and everyone was slaughtered. I was captured and put into...slavery. I was there for three years, but I escaped and went to my parents house. The whole village was burnt. I ran and ran and somehow found myself in the forest after being attacked and tortured by bandits. Old wounds opened and well...you know the rest." Hunith caught most of what she said and tears fell from the older woman's eyes. Hermione got up and hugged her mother. She whispered in her ear, "I'm fi-ine now." It still hurt immensely to talk, but she did talk when she wanted to convey an emotional wording that you couldn't sign to understand the importance. Hunith nodded and went back to cooking Hermione felt bad for making Hunith cry, but the woman would be bawling if she heard the real story. Hermione sat back down and Crookshanks hopped on her lap, sensing her distress. She smiled at the cat and scratched behind his ears. She then got a nice idea and pointed to Merlin.

The cat got a mischievous glint in its eyes and she nodded. Crookshanks jumped from her lap and sauntered over to the still snoozing boy and jumped on the bed. The cat then bit the boy's ear and jumped off of the bed fast and Merlin shouted in pain and fell out of bed. Hermione cracked up laughing. Well, a sort of laugh. Merlin grumbled and glared at the cat that had took refuge on Hermione's lap once more. He stopped glaring when he saw Hermione laugh and he smiled at her. She motioned him over and shooed Crookshanks away. She looked at his ear and did a quick healing spell with it. He smiled gratefully and Hermione set her face in determination. She took his hands and looked into his shining blue eyes and said evenly, "Happy...Birthday." Merlin beamed and hugged Hermione tight. "You said it perfectly Hermione!" She hugged him back and then ushered him over to his seat. She sat him down and a bowl of cinnamon porridge was set in front of him. His eyes widened and Hermione conjured a spoon. She whispered to him in an even voice once more, "eat up...birthday...boy." He smiled at her again and dug in.

Merlin was so happy. Even with the rude awakening, he saw Hermione laugh her full laugh, choppy and painful, but joyful. That was birthday gift enough. He was surprised even further when Hermione spoke a full sentence without chopping up the big words. She did it just for him. He had heard her practicing one day and was proud of his sister. He dug into his favorite breakfast and felt as if nothing could bring him down from his happy state. Merlin are his breakfast and decided he wanted to sit with Hermione by the stream. It was hidden enough for her to do tiny magic tricks which he loved seeing! She explained that her magic was different from his. His magic came from the earth and was a raw powerful form straight from the ancient life of magic. That didn't make his magic more powerful than Hermione's. It just meant that he didn't have a wide range of things he could do without spells and practice. Hermione's magic came from everything around her. She and Merlin could sense magic in the air and how it feels. That's what she can do all the time because of what she said was 'evolved magic.' He didn't really care though. He enjoyed seeing the way her eyes lit up when she did a spell or give him a gift crafted by her magic. It made her happy. Merlin was convinced that if her magic left her, she wouldn't have the strength to continue on in life. Losing magic was impossible though, so no worries there.

Merlin cleared his throat and asked his sister, "can we sit by the stream today?" She looked to be calculating something before nodding and getting up from her seat. She signed over to him, "let me do a load of laundry first." Merlin nodded excitedly and decided to walk around the village until Hermione was done. He gave his mother a hug and pulled on his neckerchief before leaving. It was still too big for him, but he wore it still. It was special to Hermione and she enjoyed seeing him wear it. Everyone was out and about, doing their daily duties. Merlin didn't understand how people could do the same chores over and over again without getting bored. He was glad he had Hermione. She made most days an adventure. Taking him in the forest to play hide and seek, making him little crafts, teaching him things about magic and just being there. His only issue was his magic. He loved having magic, but his was becoming bothersome. It flashed out at random moments and people were beginning to notice something wasn't quite right with Merlin. Merlin felt like an outsider in his own village. People didn't talk to him anymore. He didn't know why, but they just stared at him weirdly. Like he had done something wrong, but he didn't know what. Yes, people still loved Hermione and thought she was an absolute angel, but they were getting tired of trying to figure out what she was trying to say when Merlin wasn't around. Hermione was just sick of the looks of pity. She had been apart of Ealdor for four years! They could stop treating her as if she were going to go off and murder them.

Merlin wandered around for an hour until he went back home and found Hermione getting ready to go to the stream. It was the summer months and he was sweating from just his walk around Ealdor. Despite that fact, Hermione wore a red long sleeve shirt, black trousers and no shoes. She hated shoes for some reason, but his mother usually wrestled her into some. The only compromise was Hermione could go barefoot to the stream. She wore her usual black scarf and black gloves. In the summer, she traded the leather for light fabric, but they were always fingerless. It helped her magic flow. She put the top part of her curly hair up and let the rest flow down until it reached mid back. She wrapped her scarf around her badly scarred neck and looked at Merlin in excitement. She grabbed her satchel and they headed to the stream, Crookshanks hot on their heals. Crooks loved tormenting the little fish in the stream, it was extremely amusing. The stream was only a short walk away since they lived in the outer part of the village. They walked silently and Hermione couldn't stop bouncing! She was so excited for his surprise that night. The two reached the stream and Merlin sat on the edge, pulled off his shoes and stuck them in the cool, clear water of the stream. Hermione tapped his shoulder and he looked to her signing, "get your feet out of the water. You'll kill the fish with all the stink." He narrowed his eyes at her and splashed water at her face.

She spluttered and splashed some in his. That's how the water fight began! It lasted for a full ten minutes until Hermione slipped and fell in the water with a splash. She sat up and spit water from her mouth. Merlin stood and laughed at her. Crookshanks was sunbathing on a rock and looked on at his mistress in amusement. Hermione glared at the cat, but he just yawned and looked away. She got a mischievous glint in her eyes and used a subtle spell that made Merlin slip. They were both soaking wet and laughing and it was just joyous. Hermione got up and motioned Merlin over. Hermione sat on the grass by the water and Merlin plopped down next to her. "Do some magic?" Hermione nodded and signed, "what would you like to see?" Merlin thought for a moment and then got a smile. "A glass statue this time. Not a stuffy." Hermione nodded and tried to think of an animal besides a dragon. She got an idea and swirled the water slowly. Faster and faster, higher and higher, until a blob of water separated from the stream and floated above them. Crookshanks tried to paw at the bubble, but Hermione moved it away from the cat. She decided to shape the water into a Gryphon. She made the perfect shape and froze it. Then the tricky part. She quickly blew an ice breath and the Gryphon was ice. She brought the ice to the ground and looked at Merlin who was watching everything very closely. She smiled and did the quick transition. Small sand grains and then she did a quick fire breath, which Merlin always loved, and the figure turned beautiful crystal glass. She cooled it down with a final chill breath and held it out to him. It was a stoic creature with a strong stance and haughty attitude. It was protective over its own and a beautiful creature for Merlin. He took it carefully and whispered, "wow." Hermione snatched it back and he looked heartbroken. That is, until she kissed it and granted the glass figure life. The Gryphon opened his wings and took flight. It danced in the air and Merlin laughed happily. She let him run around with the glass animal until it was the afternoon. Crookshanks was lounging on Hermione's lap, getting some loving. She decided it was time to go and she removed the cat from her lap and he meowed, annoyed at being moved. She just smiled at the cat and walked over to a playing Merlin. Hermione snatched the excited Gryphon from the air and kissed it back to stillness. She handed it back to a tired, but happy Merlin and signed, "we need to go back. Mum made you favorite lunch." Merlin quickly hopped away and Hermione had to rush putting on her bag and rushing after her hyper little brother, Crooks following at his normal pace. Merlin really had an infinite amount of energy. They went through the rest of the day doing chores together and always ending up dirty somehow.

The sun was going down and Hermione could finally show Merlin her surprise. She decided to take Hunith too because she would need to know where it was. She clapped to get the two's attention. Hermione signed in rapid movements, "get warm

And ready to move. I have a surprise for Merlin and you, mum, need to come too. We'll be gone till the morning, so pack cloths. Meet me at the edge of the forest!" Hermione exited the house and Hunith didn't catch a word of it it was so fast. "Merlin dear, what on earth did she say?" Merlin was bouncing excitedly and answered, "she has a surprise for me and wants you to come. We need to pack clothes because we'll be gone until morning and we are to meet her at the edge of the forest!" Merlin quickly packed a bag and Hunith packed one just as quickly. The two were excited to see what Hermione had in store.

They reached the edge of the forest where Hermione was waiting. She motioned for them to watch and she conjured three bluebell flames that would light the way. Hunith hadn't seen much of Hermione's magic, but it was absolutely beautiful. Hunith didn't know how such an intricate and artistic practice could ever be abused or outlawed. It was though.

Hermione led them through the forest and stopped at a tree. She made sure Hunith and Merlin were looking and a symbol appeared on the tree. She signed, "these lead the path. Only we can see it so no one follows." They nodded and they continued on. They walked for a while and soon reached the part of the woods that were different, darker, yet more magical. No leaves or twigs littered the lush green grass and the trees stood tall on their dark bark. She gave them a moment to gape and then extinguished the bluebell flames. They started to protest until they saw the magical pixie lights: they were all shimmering silver. Like stars floating through the air. Hermione smiled in pride as they stepped in the little forest. Hermione looked to them and signed, "shoes off. The grass is soft." Merlin almost threw his shoes off while Hunith did so hesitantly. She was surprised to find the grass softer than cotton. Like walking on water it felt like. Hermione took their shoes and vanished them to the cave. She did the same with their bags after a thought. They only had to walk a few more feet to get to the clearing with the cave entrance. Merlin and Hunith gasped in awe of the beautiful scene.

Merlin felt like crying of happiness. He ran over to the little pond on the side and looked into the clear and twinkling pool. There, he saw elegant fish swimming under the water. The fish were white and seemed to be glowing like the lights that floated around. Hermione knelt beside him and whispered, "spirit fish." He looked in awe and then Hermione led him to the door. She pointed to the golden message and he looked nervous. She signed to him quickly, "I put wards around the forest, but if anyone reaches this point will read the warning. If they still try to force themselves in, they'll be attacked by a creature that makes you live your worst fears. The creature cannot be killed either." Merlin shivered. Hermione could be scary sometimes. He thought it was clever, just a bit scary. Hermione lead them to the door and pried it open. It was a heavy wooden door...Hence the word heavy. She would need to put a feather light charm on it so Merlin could actually open it.

She lead them into the cave and grabbed the torch and lit it with fire breath. Merlin smiled and said, "you really look like a dragon when you do that." Hermione chuckled silently and lead them forward. She made sure the ground was soft enough for their bare feet and lead the way. She made sure to help Hunith, who just seemed amazed by everything. "So, is this why you slept a whole week?" Hermione shook her head and replied, "only the forest and the fish in the pond. I regrew the trees and grass and made the natural pond. That was changing nature and that takes a while. I took the fish from the spirit world, which is no easy task." Hunith nodded. The one thing Hunith couldn't believe was that Hermione cared for Merlin so much as to do all of this for him. She regrew nature and went grabbed spirits from the spirit world for him! It was heartwarming and absolutely sweet. The three reached the wooden door and Hermione placed the torch in the holder and blew it out. They were covered in complete darkness and Hermione lit a bluebell flame. She made it bright for Merlin to see her sign, "you name the place and I'll write it above." Merlin nodded and Hermione let them in. She extinguished the bluebell flame and they entered the room. They couldn't see anything yet, but Hermione slowly let her magic flow into the ceiling and the stars from outside began to become visible. Two gasps were heard and Merlin was at a loss for words. She let them gaze before lighting the fireplace with a snap and then every candle around the room blazed to life. The room was lit and Hermione swore Merlin started crying. He looked around, everywhere was stunning. Merlin explored every nook and cranny, Hunith did as well. She was so amazed by the magic. Crookshanks was laying on the cat bed she made him and the old cat was really enjoying the space. Merlin looked at the floor and laughed. "Green?" She smiled and signed, "pick a color?" Merlin shook his head and replied, "I like the green. It feels like laying on the grass and gazing at the stars." Hermione smiled and ushered Merlin over to the door. She whispered the password, "Hogwarts" and the portrait she spent two days carving appeared. The knights and dragons and castle all came to life.

Merlin did have tears leaking from his eyes as he gently touched it, "it's magnificent Hermione. You and your carving." Hermione chuckled and she led him over to look at more details. After an hour of explaining everything she did, Hermione received many hugs and many thanks. Hermione took out the sleeping bags and laid them in the middle of the room. Crooks decided he wanted to be closer to everyone, so he went over to Hermione and plopped down and curled up to her stomach. When they were all settled in, Merlin got an idea and went to his bag. Hermione looked at him questionably and he just ignore her. He took out a wrapped object and Hermione watched him go over to the mantle place and unwrap the object. On the mantle place now held a glass Gryphon. Hermione smiled and whispered, "looks good." Merlin smiled and went back over to Hermione. He slid his sleeping bag closer and snuggled up. "You're the best sister ever" Merlin whispered to her. She smiled and said, "and you... are the be-est...bro-other." Merlin smiled. He could tell she was frustrated at not being able to speak, but she tried. She would talk a lot more if it didn't hurt so much and he knew that. She explained to him that she was trying to find a way to temporarily fix the problem so he wouldn't have to translate for her. She told him one day he would leave her for his own life and she would need to communicate by herself. Merlin didn't ever want to think about leaving her. He knew he would never leave her completely and that was his promise to her.