Hunter and Prey

“The Ministry sent you?” Hermione’s surprise made the question sound insulting. Ron continued to look at everything but at the woman in the bed. Harry answered hastily to avoid a fight. He had got into that habit after the brunette, though his two best friends had argued a lot even before Ron’s indiscretion.

“I volunteered and Ron is still legally your next of kin. He insisted on coming. We’re both really concerned about you, ‘Mione.” Harry glanced apologetically to Mr and Mrs Granger. They were Hermione’s parents but until her divorce was finalised they didn’t have priority. The Ministry had improved its attitude to Muggles immensely since the War but most wizards still preferred dealing with other wizards.

“He came and now he can go.” Hermione put a little too much emphasis on ‘came’ for courtesy but she managed to keep her tone moderate. “I’ll talk to you, Harry, in private.” She looked to her parents, who abided by her unspoken request and excused themselves from the infirmary. Perhaps there was somewhere in this Gormenghast they could get a cup of tea. Mutely, Ron followed them out.

“He made a mistake.” The Boy Who Lived sounded more like the Man Who Tried. Harry said his piece on that subject then put it aside. He was here in his official capacity as the most senior Auror available. He took a seat by her bedside, pulling out scroll and a Quick-Quotes quill. He’d learned late but Hermione’s habit of taking notes had proven itself very useful to him too. “I’m here for you so I’ll stop talking.” Explaining was much easier when people didn’t keep interrupting. He smiled at her. “Just the facts, ma’am.”

Hermione smiled back in spite of everything. Harry had found his vocation and had blossomed as an Auror. None of his charm or confidence was feigned. Taking a deep breath, she started with Hutchins’ farm then the barn. She managed with a minimum of queasiness until she had to describe what she had done in the Cottage. The recollection of offering herself to the werewolf made her turn green. Harry found a pail for her. She used it in between explaining about her hazy memories and Patrick Ryan.

“Do you have any idea where in Scotland you were being held?” Harry asked, trying to find something to say. ‘I’m sorry’ just didn’t cut the mustard. He was going to find Greyback and ensure he was punished so thoroughly no one ever raised a hand to her again.

The entry of a young Hufflepuff in search of Madam Pomfrey delayed Hermione’s reply. Poppy emerged from her office, where she had been keeping a discrete eye on her patient, to accompany the 2nd year to his Common room. Their whispered conversation, and the boy’s blushes, distracted Hermione and she had run out of second-hand porridge so she drank water slowly then sighed.

“I have no idea. I think it could be a distillery. Ryan talked about drinking whiskey and the room where I woke was tiled. Maybe it was a brewing area? I just don’t know.” Hermione was not much of a drinker and had only the vaguest idea of how liquor was made. “It was a muggle building, old enough to be turn of the century before last.”

“I’ll get right on this, ‘Mione.” Harry said in his professional voice. He stood up, gave her a quick hug then aparated away before his self-control wavered and she saw the distress on his face. Hermione sat back to stare at the ceiling. It wasn’t much to go on. Maybe if she had looked around the building rather than rushing for the wall she could have found out more.

Giving into curiosity, Hermione pulled up her hospital robe to look at her belly. She had not seen it in the clear light of day and she was frankly curious. Revolted too but if she kept thinking about that she would not be able to do anything constructive. So, emptying her mind of anything but book-learning, she studied her bump.

It looked rather more obvious than it felt. She tried sucking in her stomach but that just made her want to go to the bathroom. Feeling slightly stupid, she poked herself. The bump was hardish. Hermione laughed, mostly from nerves. Hardish! What sort of logical observation was that?

There was a low noise almost like a growl. She tensed instantly, reaching for Ryan’s wand that she had kept close on the bedside table. Hermione jumped out of bed to get her back to a wall. She was not far from hexing anything that moved. Then she noticed a pair of shoes at the foot of the bed opposite hers. They had been out of sight while she was sitting down but they were visible now. And attached to socks.

“That is a damn dirty trick, Ron.”