Breed
Get away, get away, get away
Get away, away, away from your home
I'm afraid, I'm afraid, I'm afraid
I'm afraid, afraid, ghost
Your head is still reeling as you try your best to recount the events of yesterday to the headmaster. Channelling Poppy, you try a dispassionate recounting of what happened. It helps. But it still causes your heart to start racing, the only thing that seems to be helping is the realisation that Hermione has taken hold of your hand and hasn't let go for the last 5 minutes.
Poppy is soon hovering next to the three of you as well, making it quite obvious that Albus should just bugger off as its upsetting you.
"I'm afraid I must insist Poppy, it's imperative that I learn what happened yesterday evening so that –. " he manages to get out before he's interrupted.
"It's Senior Healer Pomphrey to you at this moment Albus, my only concern for the for the next few days is the wellbeing and recovery of this remarkable young man."
An unusual feeling of warmth spreads through your chest at her words as she continues, and you don't even realise you've started squeezing Hermione's hand just that bit tighter as she continues.
"I will be starting Harry on Lactolaudinum Elixir in an hour or so, to treat the aftereffects of the extended Cruciatus he was placed under yesterday, as the healer directly responsible for young Potters care I will authorise more esoteric ways of gathering his memories if you just kindly sod off in the next 2 minutes."
This leads to a brief explanation from the headmaster as to how Pensieve's work and him leaving with your memories of yesterday in a little crystal vial. Watching Dumbledore walk off with a full day of memories you turn and fully take in Hermione for the first time. Giving her, what you think is a cheery smile you watch her cheeks tinge pink just as Poppy cuts in again.
"Right, you two, as I told Albus, Harry will be starting his treatment within the hour. Unfortunately, I will still be insisting that while he's under the effects of the Elixir he will be allowed no visits from classmates except for an hour, around now, for the next 2 days."
With that she gives you both a warm smile and nod and quickly walks off, so you have some privacy.
Again, you're drawn back to the warm feeling of Hermione's hand in yours and you suddenly feel nervous, like you're doing something wrong enjoying the sensation of touching her. Trying your best to formulate a sentence, any sentence, to convey what you're feeling now, thankfully she takes charge just as you manage to start a strangled "Euur Herm -."
"Shhh Harry," She interrupts your fumbling start of conversation, "I don't have a lot of time according to Madam Pomphrey, if you're going to be starting your treatment soon, save the explanation as the why of that for tomorrow." She's withdrawn her hand from yours and smooths down her shirt and straightens her skirt and suddenly looks nervous. You can feel your heart start to race again. This isn't the usual Hermione you know and… your brain freezes up and you feel your heart increase in speed further.
Taking a deep breath, she looks directly into your eyes and continues, "What do you know about my family Harry?" You mutter something about dentists and being normal, neither of you have much love for the term muggle, which gets you a wan smile and she presses on.
"Well yes, I come from a none magical background, I know you were raised, " her face darkening at being made to think of the Dursley's, "normally, but both of your parents were magical. Your father was a pureblood lord for fucks sake. By dint of your birth things are always going to be different for you," she makes an all-encompassing gesture around the hospital wing, "in the magical world than they will be for me." You nod numbly, you're painfully aware of the racism openly displayed in the magical world and you try to make an apology for something that is in no way your fault. Thankfully she ignores you and continues.
"Yes Harry, my parents are dentists, Dr's Monica Granger MFDS RCSand Wendell – do not laugh – Granger MBBS, BDS, FRCS (OMFS). But only my mum is practising at the moment."You try your hand at an intelligent contribution, asking what the letters mean.
"It means they're very good at what they do Harry," is her soft reply, "but that's not the point I'm getting at. Will you please stop trying to be sweet, " her cheeks reddening slightly again, "and let me continue." You just nod, a bit shocked at her complimentary reprimand.
"My father is currently no longer practising dentistry." There's a short pause as she makes sure you're not going to try and cut in with something as stupid as a platitude before she takes a deep breath and continues, "He would be the first to tell anyone that he's Major Wendell Granger, 3 Commando first and Dr Wendell Granger MFDS RCSsecond."She gives you a moment to let that sink in before she ploughs on.
"He served in the Falklands war when we were toddlers before my mum… convinced him that being a serving member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces wouldn't be conducive to mine, or his well-being."She again pauses to smooth out her already immaculate skirt and you realise just how nervous she is, unbidden your hand retakes hers. You get another smile.
"I keep no secrets from my parents Harry, they know about the Troll in the first year, they know about me being petrified for a month in the second year, and all about the Dementors, our little trip and Sirius in the third year. It was the petrification that allowed my father to convince mum to let him take a new job at Thames House."
Your blank look must speak volumes about your lack of understanding of the information she's just imparted about her family; you get another wan smile as she carries on.
"That means you knucklehead, that my dad works for MI5. The British Intelligence Service. They know about the wizarding world and they're not happy with it."
"What about the statue of secrecy?"you manage to cut in. You receive a small hand squeeze and the biggest smile you've seen from her all afternoon.
"That's the thing Harry, the Statute of Secrecy ratified in 1692, is predated and superseded by both the Domesday Book compiled in 1086 and the Magna Carta of 1215. The British government has always known about the magical world and was happy to allow it to exist in quiet isolation, just as long as it was adequately governed, taxes were paid, and most importantly citizens' rights where preserved."
"Hermione – ",you cut in before she continues the impromptu lecture of ancient historical documents, gesturing to yourself on the hospital bed you find yourself on, "Could you keep things a bit simpler please? As you can see, I don't find myself at my intellectual best at present and all those dates have made my foot go numb."
Huffing at you, she lets go of your hand, now looking more nervous than you've ever seen her before, she takes a deep breath, her chest rises in a very attention-grabbing way and some interesting thoughts start creeping across your mind. Luckily for everyone present she politely ignores the fact that your eyes are now focused about 8 inches lower than they should be, with only the slightest of colouring to her cheeks and continues.
"You don't know what you're missing, they're truly fascinating. Written in Medieval Latin… – " she notices your scowl, "Right yes, simpler… Bollocks Harry this isn't easy or simple; I had the whole thing planned out to um… ease you into it as it were."
Now you're really worried, Hermione doesn't beat about the bush; while trying to think of something to say to make her feel better she manages to compose herself and tries again.
"Harry, there's now a third side in this stupid bloody Voldemort vs The Wizarding World war. Her Majesty's Armed Forces are going to be deployed to protect the realm from an internal threat and now they're debating exactlywhat that threat is."
Gulping, you feel the weight of the information Hermoine has just given you settle onto your chest. It's so heavy it's almost stopping your ability to breath. Oblivious to your newfound discomfort, she presses on, a small smile flickers across your face when you realise she's back to not beating around the bush.
"Naturally, I've told daddy all about you and how you're being treated in the wizarding world...,"her voice lowers and her gaze drops "… and the normal world."
The weight on your chest is becoming painful, but what you're being told is important, man up a little Potter, she always has a reason for what she does and says, briefly thinking back to the Firebolt incident, you try and school your face into not looking panicked.
"Daddy wants you to spend this summer with us instead of going back to Privet Drive, and he would very much like to talk you round to our… no my side. As it is my side Harry, even with Voldemort gone I can expect nothing more than being treated like a second-class citizen. Because my parents weren't magical? Fuck that. I'm better than that. I am worth more than that."
Hermione's tirade pauses, probably because she's running through what she just said in her head and criticizing it. This you know how to deal with, taking her hand you start tracing circles with your thumb in her palm, drawing her back to herself. Smiling at your gesture she finds her confidence again.
"The British armed forces aren't known for losing Harry, and as Daddy says the wizards will run out before the bullets do. They want Voldemort gone, they want equality for all warps of life, even if they don't understand half of them. I want to help get those things and I want you too…"
You watch her face turn crimson as she's interrupted at a very ambiguous point in the discussion by a certain Madam Pomphrey clucking about it being time for your treatment to start and it's time for Hermione to wrap things up.
Knocking back the milky liquid, the weight on your chest instantly disappears. Marvelous stuff this.
"Things are going to change Harry, and I need to know you'll be on my side." Hermione says, now suddenly standing and resisting being led away by Poppy.
Feeling the magical Morphine pulling down your consciousness into its peaceful embrace, you remember replying to her. Reassuring her of your continued friendship. See you did good, look at her smile, its beautiful. Why is Poppy laughing while shows Hermione to the door?