"What should we do Harry?"
"We just...need to wait..." Harry rubbed his brow, they'd already checked Aberforth's where she had gone last time. He hadn't seen her. Fred and George had gone to the apartment to see if Ron was there but they hadn't come back with any news yet. Everyone else had stayed behind with different stages of worry on their brow. Mrs. Wealsey, Tonks, Neville and Luna were keeping Teddy busy with some of the balloons they'd blown up in the living room but he knew they were worried too.
"What if...somethings happened?"
"Like what?"
"Maybe...Snape revealed himself?"
"Why would he do that now?"
"I don't know, Harry but sitting around doing nothing is making me itchy." Ginny rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
"Mom?!" Fred came bursting through the front door with great urgency in his voice. "Harry!?"
Ginny and Harry glanced at the other with pale faces pushing themselves out of the kitchen where they'd gone to talk privately. Neville was the first to make it out of the living room with Teddy sleeping against his chest protected in his arms. The women who'd kept them company followed just as quickly behind with Molly coming through the doorway first.
"What's happened?"
"It's Ron, he's been hurt."
"What? Where is he?"
"The apartment. We couldn't get him to come with us...there was blood everywhere. George is still there now..."
"Hermione?"
"Don't know, she wasn't there."
oOo
Hermione sniffled softly gently folding the cloak down into the seat beside her. The inn was pleasantly warm and the weight of it was more than she could bear at present. The man at the bar had given her a small glance when he'd made his way out but otherwise, she hadn't been paid any attention. The couple that was sitting at one of the tables near the center of the room were still holding their quiet conversation, neither of which had given her another glance since she'd come in.
Reglan had been most kind. He'd informed her that she'd found her way to a very secret and very well hidden valley called Baile Prionnsa. That the wards she'd felt and gone through had been placed many years ago by those who had ruled over the land. Their name and subsequent history having been lost to most of the residents in the town save one. An elderly woman to whom he had told her to speak to if she found herself with more questions. He'd told her that the wards only became active at night and that she was very lucky to have had the charm with her. Saying that she would never have been able to even find the place without it.
"There we are, something nice and warm to fill your belly." Reglan smiled softly setting the plate down in front of Hermione.
"Thank you...I haven't got much money..." Hermione turned to look into the small bag at her hip when a small chuckle turned her head back to the man.
"Now don't you worry about that. We don't use money here anyway. A barter system works much better when you don't have much contact with the outside world. We grow our own food and keep to ourselves. Most of us have no need for it as we just share whatever we can spare and those who do travel out to sell their wares usually just bring back things we can't otherwise make here."
Hermione blinked slowly her mind turning, what could she possibly have to barter? What could he possibly need in return for the food he'd made for her? "I...I don't know...what I could offer you..."
"Well don't worry about that now, I'm sure someone here needs a job done. Are you any good at charms?"
"Uh...I'm not terrible..."
"Maybe you could help me then, I've been trying to get this clock to chime whenever there's a visitor that's come in and I'm in the back working. Maybe you could help me with that?"
"I could do my best." Hermione smiled very slowly then, her eyes turning down to the food he'd brought her. It looked delicious. Fried tomatoes, roasted parsnips, carrots with thin cuts of roasted meat. There was even a small Yorkshire pudding sitting on the corner of the plate just outside of the gravy. "This looks amazing..."
"My wife was the real cook, but she taught me a few things before she left this world. If you be needing anything else, just ask."
"Actually...there is one thing...is it possible to send an owl from here?" The small interlude between them had rudely reminded her that she'd quite literally run away from her own Birthday Party no doubt leaving those behind in an awful mess. She hadn't been able to process it at the time she'd been on the road but with her body calming down it had made its reappearance.
"No owls go out at night, for obvious reasons but, you should be able to send one as soon as the sun hits the fountain in the square. That's when the wards go down. You'll want to talk to Mrs. Numpton about that. She cares for most of the animals around here."
"Thank you...again...you've been most kind."
"It's not every day a beautiful woman walks into your Inn now is it?" His charm was kind and without any hidden meaning, merely a compliment meant to make her smile. She had looked beyond sad when she'd first came in and even now he could see she was struggling to find the light in the darkness. Whatever it was that had brought her here wasn't his business to know, but he could try to make her comfortable while she stayed. He reached into his pocket pulling out one of the room keys on the second floor. "Second floor, first room. All yours. My rooms are in the small house behind the building. I'm up at sunrise, but if you need anything in the between time, just pull that string over there by the stairs."
"Thank you..." Hermione could feel the tears welling up just from the kindness that was being offered to her. She took the key with a trembling hand but a smile on her lips. "Thank you..." She sniffled softly and looked down at the meal that had been given to her.
"You're more than welcome. Eat up now."
Hermione gave him a watery smile and watched him make his way back over to the bar to clear away the dishes the man had left behind. She sniffled softly and wiped the tears gathering in her eyes before turning to look down at her bag. Setting down the key gently, she opened the zipper looking inside. She was sure she had a bit of parchment in there as well as a pen or pencil. She needed to write a letter, she needed to let Harry know she was alright.
oOo
"What or who do you think did this?" Nearly the entire group that had come to celebrate Hermione's party had found their way to St. Mungo's. Neville and Luna had stayed behind to watch after Teddy and be there if Hermione returned; while the others had gone with Fred. Harry stood with crossed arms and worried brow listening to Mrs. and Mr. Weasley speak with the healer who'd come out to speak with them.
"We don't know, what we do know is that he will be physically fine. The blood that your son had seen came from his ears. He's suffered some intracranial pressure that was thankfully released when he started to bleed. I know it doesn't sound all that pleasant but it really was the best thing that could have happened in the circumstances."
"What could have caused this?" Molly was trying to keep a stiff upper lip but it was clear there was worry all over her face. She couldn't bear to lose another child. She'd never survive.
"We don't have any answers right now. The spells we've tried to use to get a report have revealed nothing that we can interpret. The only spell we were able to identify was the Legilimens spell. It would explain the bleeding from his head but we have no idea what had caused the damage...below..."
"Will he live?"
"Yes, there is no doubt. We'll know more when he wakes up...for now, I suggest you go home and rest. You can see him first thing in the morning."
"Thank you."
Harry offered the both of them a small if weak smile as they turned towards them. He felt selfish to even think about asking their opinion about what they should do about Hermione. The fear that she might have been the cause of their friend's injuries did linger in the back of his mind and he was sure he wasn't the only one.
"Come on Ginny, we should get you and Luna back to Hogwarts..." Molly gave Harry a gentle squeeze on his shoulder before taking her daughter around her waist. Ginny didn't argue but did look back as her father stayed behind.
"Mr. Weasley...I'm so sorry..." Harry swallowed slowly, "You don't think Hermione did this do you?"
"I don't think so Harry, but someone did. You do what you need to do, we'll take care of Ron."
"Yeah...I just hope there'll be something to find..." Harry lowered his eyes as Mr. Weasley moved to join his wife and daughter by the floo. Harry felt a weight he hadn't felt in a long time starting to press down on his shoulders. Where could she be?
oOOo
The light of a new day shone brilliantly over everything it touched. Every blackwashed stone melting away to shine in its golden rays, giving new life to the village. The world was still quiet, with only the flittering sound of birds waking from their sleep to greet the new day.
Hermione shifted from her back to her side, a deep sigh passing her parted lips. She didn't want to wake, her mind and body having obviously fought a war against the other. She hadn't dreamed at all, at least, nothing she could recall. She'd accepted the offered room and had found herself pleasantly surprised by the accommodations.
The room had been modest in design, a double bed with a dresser and small attached bathroom. It held a small shower inside but she hadn't used it. As soon as she'd made her way upstairs a new wave of emotion had taken her under. She'd cried for the loss of her friend, guilt over all that had been done to celebrate her birthday and the feeling of being hopelessly lost in a world she could no longer understand. For someone who had been accustomed to always having an answer the feeling of having no idea on the proper course left her feeling bereft.
She'd only barely made it into the bed before she had exhausted herself. She hadn't even gotten under the covers but rather curled herself beneath Snape's cloak. She hadn't even known she had fallen asleep until the soft song of birds filtered into her ears.
Her eyes opened to the brightened room around her and for a heartbeat, she'd almost forgotten where she was. Her head pulsed duly as she brought her mind back into focus and her hand came up to rub at her dry eyes. A few other small adjustments pushed her up into a sitting position and her eyes looked around the small space. It was then she noticed a small folded paper that had been shoved under the door. Still not sure she could trust her legs she pulled her wand from inside the cloak still partially around her and called the paper over.
With a small yawn, she unfolded the paper and read what was inside. It was a letter from Reglan, reminding her who she needed to talk to about sending out her owl as well as the name of the woman who she could talk to about the history of the town if she chose. He'd also included a small hand-drawn map of where she could find them as well as a small footnote welcoming her down for breakfast if she wanted.
She smiled softly and set it aside before running her hands down her face. First thing first, she needed a shower.
oOo
"I told you, you were a horrible match maker." Galia looked up from the book she was reading as the front door came open. She didn't need to be a mind reader to hear the thoughts running through the man's mind, his heavy footsteps were enough. "Did you sleep in the woods?"
"Just be quiet."
Galia smiled softly and slowly set down her book turning her head to watch him through the doorway that led to the kitchen, "Don't you want to know where she is?"
"Galia." His tone was sharp and warning, he was about three ticks away from blowing up half of the house.
Galia smiled softly and brought herself to her feet setting the book down on the chair as she made her way just as silently to the doorway. She watched him rifle through the cabinets for a moment before crossing her arms over her chest with a slow exhale. "She's here."
oOOo
Hermione took a slow breath of air stepping out of the Inn. She'd taken his offer for breakfast and even helped Reglan create the charm he had asked about the night before. She felt much better for having been able to repay his kindness in some way but her heart was still heavy. She looked down at the paper in her hand before turning down the main street. The town more beautiful than she had originally believed.
People were out, moving about doing this and that, though she was still dressed in her beautiful party dress no one paid her more than a passing glance. She'd returned the cloak back into her bag after cleaning the tails and even did a small charm over her own clothes to make them feel less worn. She hadn't thought to put extra clothes in her bag as she hadn't anticipated being taken someplace she wasn't prepared to go.
She turned her head up to a small shop that had many domesticated animals sleeping peacefully in the window. She smiled softly at one of the kittens that was stretched out in the sun before pushing her way through the door. The woman feeding one of the birds turned her head to her entrance and like the others, gave her a kind smile.
"Hello...I uh was wondering if I could mail this letter?"
"Of course dear, where does it need to go?"
"Borough of Islington, London..."
"Oh that's a bit far, I'll have to get one of my strong fliers. Just a moment dear."
Hermione nodded her head taking a few more steps into the shop. She smiled at one of the birds sitting on a perch and offered him one of the cookies that was held in a pouch beneath. It was beautifully colored. Like a rainbow. She'd never seen a bird like it before. It had the face of an owl with the body of something close to resembling a parrot. It was strange but beautiful in its own unique way.
"Here we are, it'll take at least a day for him to get through but your message is safe with him." The woman came around the counter holding the falcon sized owl on her arm. It was just as beautiful if not more so than the rainbow colored one. Its eyes were a deep green and its black feathers almost shifted color in the light.
"He's gorgeous..." Hermione offered out the small rolled parchment before reaching up to pet the top of the bird's head. The bird tilted its head back letting out a soft trill when her fingers lightly brushed through the feathers sticking up from around its eyes.
"Yes, he is," The woman slipped the small paper into the holder on its leg before tapping her wand gently against his head, "You know where to go. Good boy."
Hermione and the shopkeeper each took a step back as a large skylight overhead came open. The large bird gave another soft trill before swooping up towards the light. Hermione felt some of the pain that had settled in her heart leaving with him. When the door to the sky closed Hermione lowered her head back down glancing around the shop. "Is there...something you need?"
"Ah, yes, well actually I'm alright right now. So consider this free of charge."
"You're too kind." Hermione gave her a gentle smile, "I don't know how long I'll be staying but...I'll see you before I go..."
"Sounds good dear."
Hermione nodded her head and turned to make her way back out of the shop. She pulled the paper from Reglan free from her bag and furrowed her brows at the map. When she turned to try and get her barrings she found herself standing in the shadow of something she clearly missed before. What she had originally thought to be mountains were revealed to be, in the light of day, a large castle.
Her head tilted back as she took in the tallest tower, crumbling away it still stood taller than the rest of everything. Her eyes widened slowly as she was sure she recognized the general shape and the color of the stone. Her heart sped up just a bit as she made her way through the wide main street. As she grew closer, the houses grew farther apart. The stone beneath her feet however remained. A bright shimmer of silver caught her eye and she turned her eyes from above to below.
Two large wooden gates stood partially collapsed at the entrance to the castle. A large crest tarnished and broken. She was still too far away to make out the insignia but her interest officially peeked. She pushed the paper Raglan had given her into her bag and hastened her steps. Like an invisible rope pulling her, she saw nothing else but the brilliant shine sticking out from the white wood. She found herself alone by the time she'd reached the gates, only one house stood a few meters behind her but she hadn't taken any notice of it. Her eyes squarely on the design that had taken shape before her.
She had seen it before. She knew this symbol. It was a coat of arms, it was broken, the top missing and one of the supports gone as well. The metal was nearly as large as her entire torso stained black by the weather and years, nearly all discernable engravings were worn smooth. She tilted her head, slowly leaning down to try and read the words that hadn't been washed away with time. She could feel it in her bones. Pulsing right beneath the surface. Her hand slowly came out to brush away some of the moss that had grown over the bottom when a voice, a deep voice, stilled her hand.
"Miss Granger."
Hermione's heart jumped into her throat and her entire body froze in place. Her mind told her that it couldn't possibly be who she thought it was while a mantra had started to whisper past her lips. A desperate plea for her reality to meet her dreams. She rose herself slowly, her lips pleading silently for it all to be real; desperately pleading that when she turned around that he would be there. That she truly had found him.
Severus had seen her from the window of his home, at first he hadn't been sure himself. He didn't understand the how, and that only made him more cautious. She was been wearing the same gorgeously shimmering dress he had seen her wearing just the night before. It was the only thing that had given him hope that it was really her. Like she, he had found himself pulled by an invisible force, leading him to come to stand in the center of the road.
He was ready to face to his punishment, ready to face what he had done. His back straightened slowly as she turned towards him, her eyes nearly as wide as his own. They each took the other in for a long moment, longer than either of them had ever experienced. The world between them melting away leaving only the other to stand in its place.
"Professor..."
Her steps were slow but sure, her eyes watching him as though if she were to blink, he'd suddenly vanish. Severus stood his ground letting her come to him. He'd forgone his coat leaving him in brilliant white, his face held a sadness that only those who knew him could easily see. Still, he knew she could see it. The anger he had been anticipating wasn't there, rather she was in awe of him. His chin lowered down keeping their eyes locked, there were so many things running through her mind. Broken and disorganized. He had left her defenseless against the world. It was so clear to him now.
His eyes flickered to the side when her hand rose up and her body nearly closed the distance between them. So many emotions flashing through her eyes, his own lowering down to watch her lips slowly part as if to speak. When her hand fell gently upon his cheek, he'd flinched inside but when her fingers lightly traced the bone of his jaw he found himself breathless.
Hermione could hardly believe what she was seeing was real, even when her hand brushed against his cheek, she couldn't truly be sure. Her eyes turned, slowly tracing the line of his jaw to the curve of his neck taking in the partially discolored skin. Her fingers ran down very lightly tracing its edge before her head tilted back up. She felt herself moving closer, rising higher, as though in a trance. His breath smelled sweet, like apples. She could have laughed but she didn't have the mind to. A small smile ticked at the corner of her lips before her eyes started to close. He didn't move away when she leaned up just a touch closer, her body having a will of its own as she felt herself pressing so softly against him.
Their lips met, slowly, cautiously. Hermione could feel an entire rainbow of feelings rampaging through her as she pressed herself against him. Her hands had gone to his neck lightly holding him in place. He didn't kiss her back, not at first. Possibly just as shocked as she by her actions. Then, within two heartbeats she felt him lower his head down just enough to make it proper.