While You Were Sleeping

This story is going to get pretty AU. Not DH compliant!

Thoughts swirled in my head as I stared up at the ceiling. Although a bit hazy, I did remember the defeat of Voldemort. It was utter chaos in those final moments. Everywhere I looked there were Order members battling Death Eaters. Curses shot past me from all directions. I must have been hit by a stray one. Or perhaps one intended for me. Who knew? Lying here in a bed in Snape’s flat, the war now seemed so long ago. I felt so disconnected to it all. Like it had happened to someone else.

The sound of urgent footsteps broke through my thoughts. I turned my head toward the door in time to see Harry come barreling through. He was out of breath and his hair was sticking up in all directions. He had never looked better. My eyes teared up at the sight of my long time friend.

“Hermione!” Harry quickly crossed the room and embraced me in a bone crushing hug.

“Oh Harry!”

He released me and looked me over. Our eyes met and the smile he gave me could have powered half of London.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Meanwhile downstairs......

Uncle Sev was diligently working at wearing out the plush carpet of his study. The only thing I could do was sit pensively watching from the couch. I was wishing Blaise would hurry the hell up and get here before I started pacing too. This was the day we had all been both dreading and expectantly waiting for ever since the Ministry had filed the marriage papers and Uncle Sev had brought Granger home.

Life had been a whirl wind since the final battle. After my parents were taken into custody by the Aurors, the first thing I did was send an owl to Blaise in Italy. Thank the Gods he had left the country at my insistence. His safety was the last thing I needed to worry about in the final hours of the battle. Of course Blaise was reluctant to leave me behind but knew me well enough to know that arguing with the me would get him no where.

Two days later Blaise returned to find me lying in the middle of the Slytherin common room. After I sent off the owl I had set up camp on the common room floor and proceeded to work myself into quite a state. I refused to eat and fell in and out of sleep, never managing more than a few hours at a time. I freaked out on anyone who dared come within a foot of me.

At some point someone had finally sent for my godfather, who I later found out had been holding vigil by Granger’s bedside. I remember pulling my wand on him and telling him that I wasn’t going anywhere until Blaise came back. He starred down the barrel of my wand with narrowed eyes. A curt nod and he was gone.

I had again fallen into a fitful sleep. I slowly came to with a feeling of someone leaning over me. I opened my eyes to cerulean blue, reflecting my face back at me like a mirror.

A greeting of “Did you miss me?”, came with a mischievous smirk that had me grinning like a loon.

Now here he was leaning against the door frame in that way of casual indifference he had perfected through much practice during our Hogwart's years, his eyes tracking Sev’s constant pacing around the room. “Granger’s awake.” He turned his eyes on me and let out a slow breath. “Potter is up there now.”

Blaise crossed the room and sat down beside me. “What’s the plan? Will he tell her now or do we have time to find suitable accommodations? I know of a heavily warded safe house in a remote part of Africa. Unplottable, I’ve been told.”

That was enough to set Severus off. He turned quickly and strode to the small side bar. I don’t recall ever seeing him pour that much fire whiskey into his glass before. I glared at Blaise. He just shrugged his shoulders by way of apology. With a full glass and not a word to either of us, Uncle Sev strode out of the study to commence a steady march up and down the long foyer, my favored location for pacing.

I turned toward Blaise and lent my forehead against his shoulder, my thoughts quickly returning to whatever was transpiring upstairs.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Harry held my hands in his, examining them intently. I could see tension building in his shoulders in anticipation of the questions I would soon ask. He knew me too well.

“Why am I here? Where are my parents? I tried to get some answers from Snape but he took off before I really had a chance to pry anything out of him.”

Harry blew out an unsteady breath. Dread crept into my stomach once again. “Hermione, there was an accident a few months after the battle.” He wasn’t meeting my eyes. A muscle in my chest clenched.

“What kind of accident Harry? What do you mean?”

“An automobile accident. I’m so sorry Hermione. Your parents……they didn’t make it.”

It felt like all the air had suddenly been sucked out of the room. My hands tightened into fists and I opened and closed my mouth a few times. My mind had gone blank.

“The Weasley’s and Severus helped me insure that they received a proper burial. It was very dignified; I’m sure you would have approved.” I could only nod my head, tears now slowly making their way down my face.

Harry tightened his grip on my hands. “Afterward Severus expressed his concern about the care you were receiving at St. Mungo’s. With no next of kin the decision had fallen into the Ministry’s hands. St. Mungo’s felt the chances of you waking up were slim to none. We refused to believe their prognosis. Severus was livid.” Not for the first time that day I felt confusion at Snape’s concern for me.

He took in a big breath and exhaled. “Severus went to the Minister himself, sure that he could convince him to release you into his care. Kingsley, who took the position after Fudge accidentally fell in front of an A.K.,” at this the corner of Harry’s mouth twitched slightly, “sympathized with our concerns, but without a relative or spouse to take custody of you he was reluctant to grant Severus’ request.”

Harry chewed on his bottom lip and finally met my eyes. “Before I proceed to tell you how this problem was solved, Dumbledore has asked me to tell you that he takes sole responsibility for what has occurred. He did what he felt would be in your best interests. We were actually quite surprised when Kingsley agreed to sign off on it as it was virtually unheard of.”

I had narrowed my eyes by this point. “Harry. What the hell are you talking about?” I was tense. ‘It’ sounded bad.

Harry shifted his weight on the bed and licked his lips. Another deep breath. In, out. “Dumbledore came up with an idea. Let me assure you, Severus was taken aback by the suggestion. He felt wrong about it, seeing as we were doing this without your consent and all. Draco thought the idea was surely grounds for murder and suggested the Ministry confiscate your wand for the protection of all those involved.” He chuckled. I pressed my lips together in a thin line. With a look of distress, Harry cleared his throat and continued.

“After much discussion, Sev finally agreed to the plan.” More deep breathing. At this my patience had finally run out. Pulling my hands out of Harry‘s, I jumped up from the bed. Too fast if the wave of dizziness that crashed into me was any indication. A hand to the nearest bed post steadied me. I spied a dressing robe at the end of the bed. Snatching it up, I quickly strode to the door.

“Hermione! Wait! Please let me finish!”

“Your taking too long Harry. Besides I feel this is something Snape should probably be telling me himself.”, I snapped back. I had a sneaking suspicion of what had taken place while I was floating around in my comfortable ocean of oblivion, none the wiser. Head’s were going to roll.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


Note:
This chapter demonstrates a bit of my dark sense of humor through Blaise. And what is up with him and Draco? Hmmmm. Plot bunnies are popping up like dandelions on a warm spring day. (Huh?) Please review!