Vows

Chapter 2

Hermione made herself a meal and then went to library.
She picked up an art book and looked at the drawings.
There were drawings of flower birds animals and people.
She looked at the nudes. They were beautiful, not depressing like the pictures of Christ hanging on the Cross and people starving and suffering in the bible. There was a beautiful woman smiling, draped in sheer clothes. They were elegant.
The men were wonderful to. Strong bodies that looked like they should be bronzed with an inscription, “Unknown Greek God,”
she thought.
There were wonderful men and women embracing with such love in their faces.
She remembered that look she saw on a bride when she was very small. The bride was beautiful in her dress. That was the day her father told her that she was going to be a bride someday, too. That she was going to married God.


Hermione kept turning the pages of the book. The man looked so strong and young with smooth muscles.
Hermione had only seen one man half naked and that was Father Lupin.
He didn't look like a Greek god, just a man. He had hair on his chest and he was pale from what she could remember, but she didn't want to remember.
He was gone, drowned in the sea.

Four days had passed and now Hermione was worried her captors were not coming back. Hermione did her chores of cleaning the bedrooms each day. There always seemed to be more rooms that needed to be cleaned.

The fifth day early in the morning as the sun was rising Hermione heard something on the beach.

The novice dressed and rushed down to the shore.
Two men were rowing the boat one was laying on his side.
She could tell he was hurt by the stain of blood on his shirt.

The two men carried the injured man toward the house.
Hermione ran back to the house and kept the door open for them.
She got clean rags, hot water and whiskey and anything they may need.

The men put wounded man on the kitchen table.
She opened the man shirt to find a deep hole with wood chips imbedded in the wound.

Hermione started to clean the injury, but the man started to yell in pain.
The novice grabbed the bottle of whiskey poured it down the man's throat.
"Drink this, please!" Hermione begged.

She started to clean the injury again and picked out chucks of wood. She poured some linseed oil with some healing herbs cleaned letting it adsorb the wood slivers and pus from the wound. She waited a few minutes and cleaned the wound again and sewed the wound closed.

The two men had left and returned with another wounded man.
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
“British Navy ship came out of no where. Fired on us. Harry got the worst of it."

Hermione spent all morning cleaning and patching up the sailors.
She then made them soup with healing roots and herbs.
The novice helped the injured get into their beds.
The sheets on the beds were awful, so, she took it upon her self to launder them and anything else she could find to clean.

By the end of the day Hermione was exhausted.
She looked in on the wounded and changed what dressing needed to be changed.

Hermione sat down at the kitchen table next to one of the men who carried in the wounded.

The man turned to her and said,
"I don't know how to thank you, Sister. Maybe it was horrible of us to kidnap you. But right now I thank God for it. You should get some rest."
The man had long dark hair moustache and beard but a warmth in his voice and sadness in his eyes.

Hermione stood up and said,
"Good night..... sir."
He looked up at her and said,
"Sirius." and he extended his hand to her, she took it and he squeezed it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hermione woke up several times during the night and checked on her patients.

Sirius kept a watch over Harry who was badly wounded.
Hermione did the only thing she knew she could do now…pray and she did it with all her heart. It was something she hadn't done in years, not since Remus was alive.


By morning the whole lot of the boys were on their feet and raising hell.
Hermione woke up early and made them breakfast. A pair of twins were harassing Hermione as she made the meal. She was yelling at them to stop when Sirius came in the room to see what was going on.

"Stop it both of you. Show some respect without her Harry could have died, and a few of your mates would have lost a limb or their life."

The two looked at the novice apologized and sat down and ate their breakfast.


A man humbled into the kitchen. He had one regular eye and one false one strapped to his head and looked at Hermione and then Sirius.

"Come here, girl." He ordered.
Hermione timidly walked over to him. The brut grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against him looking at her face. Hermione had her hand against his chest trying to get away. He pulled off her veil and wimple, exposing shoulder length hair. He turned her around one hand held her still the other hand ran down her spine her buttocks down her thigh and legs making them squirm. He let go of her. Hermione put her head piece back on quickly.

"We’d fetch a lot money for this one in Algiers, if we let her grow out her hair a bit. I say she's still a virgin and we could sell her as a bride...” he said.

“I said NO!”, Sirius yelled, “Look at how she's taken care of the men. How could you in good conscience sell her Moody?"

"Just a thought." Moody murmured.

“I thought I was being held for ransom… I thought you were going to ask the church for money for me?" Hermione commented.

“We may." Sirius replied, "Most likely you will be ransomed and we will put you down at the Abbey... At their door. But we may need you for an exchange also. You're not the only nun we got hidden away. But I must say you are the prettiest and nicest. You are a credit to your Sisterhood. Your other sisters were ready to die and did not help when we were fired upon."

"What if the church doesn't pay, then what? Sell me as what?" Hermione asked.

Moody started to speak but Sirius interrupted him," I said no. Sister, go look in on Harry please. And if anyone gives you trouble. Come directly to me.” Sirius ordered to her."

Hermione walked down the hallway towards Harry's room listening, waiting to hear what they were going to say but heard nothing.

Hermione looked into Harry's room. He was in bed his eyes were closed and he looked like he was sweating.

Hermione sat down on the bed and put her hand on his forehead.

Harry's eye's opened and looked at Hermione,
"How does the wound look?'
She unbuttoned his shirt and cut the dressing off. The wound looked a little pink, felt warm and smelled foul. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey and told him to take a few sips.
Hermione got a pair of small scissors and cut the stitches. There in the wound she found a small piece of metal and removed it clean the wound again and stitched it again.

Harry looked dreadful. He was sweating, pale and had dark circles under his eyes.

Hermione got a large bowl of hot water, soap, several towels and face cloths.

Hermione removed Harry's glasses and washed his face and neck.
She removed his shirt and washed his chest arms and back. His chest was pale and had some hair but it was muscular and smooth as his a back was.
His arms were slim but nicely toned. She got him a clean night shirt and helped him put it on.
Harry put his glasses back on as she put a towel on his hips and some how undid his pants and underwear and washed his legs and turning him on one side carefully back side washing him then the other.
All the time Harry smiled and drank the whiskey for the pain.

Harry watched her with great curiosity,
“Why did you want to be a nun? He asked.
"My family wanted me to be one." she answered.
"Your God is lucky but crazy."
"Why do you say that?"

" He has all you women hidden away in a convent covered up with your veils, sounds like a harem to me." he teased.

Hermione covered her mouth as she laughed,
“I never thought about it that way but yeah, I guess."

"What would you do if God came to you one night after you married him?"
Harry asked with all seriousness.
"Die of fright I think... well I am his vessel. I would do whatever his wished." the novice replied.
Hermione looked at the only place on Harry’s body that had yet to be cleaned.
Harry took another gulp of the whiskey wincing at the taste,
"We had other nuns you know. But I think God would pick you, you’re the prettiest and by far the nicest."
She handed the wet face cloth to him,
“I don't want to invade your ... privacy so you should wash... you."
Hermione took the bottle from Harry and looked to see how much he was drinking... half gone. He's drunk.
Harry took the face cloth and Hermione turned her back toward him.
"I will not be so pretty tomorrow," Hermione commented looking at the bottle.
"You were pretty before I left a few days ago, you're pretty now." Harry replied, “All clean now."
Hermione took the face cloth from him.

"Get some sleep Harry. I will peek in on you from time to time during the night."

Harry took her hand and said
"You are an angel of mercy." and kissed her hand.
It sent a warm feeling in her, deep inside.

As promised she looked in on him as she did the others.
Hermione checked his wound as he slept but her eyes wandered to peep at his chest and arms. She felt his forehead and it was cool. The novice was little disappointed hoping to feel a warmth there so she had an excuse to stay with him. She knelt down and murmured a prayer, as she gazed at Harry. There was something about him that seemed familiar but she wasn't sure what.

Hermione heard footsteps behind her and knew it was Sirius. He put his hand on her shoulder and said softly, “I’ll look after him now.

She went to the library this time she read books on different religions. Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism, Paganism and a few others.

She read there quickly half absorbed and half worried someone might see her read something other then the Bible. Up till then that's all she was allow to read and for once in her life she was getting answers to questions that were made fun of in the convert.

She liked Paganism. It was very basic and reminder her of Rem
us who like working in the garden, feeling the earth being one with nature. Trying to be positive and helping others to make life a little happier for someone.
Again she fell asleep in the library that night.

She woke up the next morning and changed her habit. She had three and had to wash the others when they were dirty.
She fixed breakfast for the boys as Sirius called them. Half were the Weasley's. They were Charlie, a pair of twins named Fred and George, and Ron. Cedric and Neville were not from the Weasley clan but they were all like brothers and of course Harry was considered one of them.

Harry made it to the morning meal. While the men were eating Sirius told Harry he wasn't going on the next trip out to sea. Harry looked at Sirius and said,
“I thought so. How long are you going out for?"

"Not to long, about a week. I have to talk to Moony about things." turning to look at the novice, "We'll be leaving this morning."

Sirius looked at the two with a concern tone,
"I want you two to look out for each other," and then his expression changed to a warning fatherly expression that took Hermione by surprise,
“And I want you two to behave yourselves."

Hermione jaw dropped and Harry chuckled staring at his plate of food.
"Sir I am a nun."
Harry looked at her smiling, and shook his head slightly saying without a sound,
“Not yet."

They left an hour or so later.
Hermione went back to cleaning the house and Harry went back to bed. Hermione brought in his lunch and made him tea with healing herbs.

She looked at his wound again and saw one of stitch undone pulled loose.
"Harry you have to be careful you've pulled one of your stitches loose."
"I thought I felt something." He said casually.

The novice felt the young boy's eyes on her,
“When do you pray?" he asked.

" In the morning, afternoon and evening and when I feel the need for it."

"Well there’s an old church up on the hill pass the cliffs, if you want I can walk you there tomorrow."
"Yes that would be nice if you are up to it?"
“I like going for long walks up the hill, the woods and the beach."
"I do too."

Hermione looked in to his eyes they were beautiful and suddenly she couldn't see anything but his eyes. She felt warm in her chest and shoulders and dropped her eyes from his feeling dizzy.

She was able to get out the door and stand against the wall for support.
Hermione had never experienced anything like it before.

She went to her room and did the only thing she normal did... pray.
Pray to have strength to not give into a...a crush yes it was a school girl crush. Just a momentary crush she was still a young girl after all it was natural and she hadn't see a lot of boys her own age just very young one and the much older ones.

Hermione prayed and within an hour her crisis was over. She felt normal again.
The novice made dinner and Harry made it to the dinner table all by himself.

Hermione looked at him during dinner, and laugh to herself for panicking at the boy sitting across from her.

She couldn't help but go back to the library that night and read another book.
Books on poems, plants and she peeked at the art book with the beautiful nudes in it.

The next day she was inspired to try to draw the flowers and plants in the book. It helped her remember what each plant looked like.
That afternoon Harry suggested they try for a long walk up the hill.
They had to rest a few times for Harry but they finally got to the church.
One side of the church was gone fall down over the years, but all the pews were still there. The altar, the pulpit and the cross were also present in some rudimentary form in the Church.

Hermione knelt down at the first pew blessing her self. Harry just sat at down in one. Hermione felt as though she was looking back at her life as she looked around the church.


This was her church now.
She said her rosary and prayed the sailors would come back safely. She also prayed that the church gives Sirius the ransom or exchange for her so she could go to the Abbey. She felt a pair of green eyes on her. She intertwined her fingers together and whispered “Heal Harry."

They took there time going down the hill helping each other.

Hermione made dinner and Harry asked,
“What do you pray for? Can you say or is it like a wish, if you tell it won't come true." he teased.

“Well, I pray for patience and strength."

“No, what did you pray for at the church?"
"I recited the rosary. I prayed for your shipmates to come back safely. That the Church pay the ransom so I can go to the Abbey and take my vows and live my life there."

“You seem happy here why not stay? The house has never had a woman touch and it feels warmer here with you." he admitted.

"Moody doesn't like me. He was trying to get Sirius to sell me."
Hermione said.

Harry looked at her and thought for a moment,
“He’d want to sell you as a slave or as a wife to some rich prince or sultan. Sirius doesn't believe in selling people. So don't worry. And if he did I'd buy you." he teased.

"Oh really?"
"I'd let you go after a few years of service. This place had never looked so clean and you can cook. Nurse us back to health. I'd want you to stay around for a little while” he nudged her elbow, “besides you may save our souls from going to hell."

Hermione chuckled nodding.

She noticed that they both had cleaned their plate of food.

“I think the church will pay." She got up and took the dinner plates into the kitchen, washed them and came back to the dining room,
" But what if they don't. What will you do with me?"

“I don't know. People always pay the ransom. Sirius would probably let you go." Harry replied slowly getting up from his seat.

Harry went in to the kitchen and put more wood on the fire.
Hermione washed the dishes and went to the library again.
She spent every night in the library. Reading about anything and everything.
The more she read the more questions popped in to her mind until she got headache. When she wasn't reading she drew the plants and flowers from the book.

Harry walked in to the library one night and peeked at Hermione drawing as she was reading.

“These are very good." Harry said out loud startling Hermione.
"Oh thank you. Drawing them helps me remember what they look like.
"You're an artist."
"No, I just copy from the pages."
“Bet you could be an artist."
"It's better to copy from real life, bowl of fruit, real flowers and plants."
"All right," Harry replied nodding and then went to bed.

The next morning Hermione cooked breakfast and when she went to get Harry he wasn't in his room. Hermione checked the rest of the house, but couldn't find him.