Vows

Chapter 3 Jewels

Hermione opened the front door to find him walking towards her.
“Harry, where have you been?"
“Come with me" and her pulled her by the hand a few yards away from the house placing a blindfold over her eyes. He pulled her along a path.
Hermione heard a squeak and then a clank.

Harry walked behind her and untied the blindfold.

The sight Hermione saw stunned her.
She was in the middle of a garden just beginning to bloom.

“In a few days you'll be able to draw real flowers and plants. The fruit you'll have to wait a while for I'm afraid." Harry said.

She turned to him,
“This is a miracle. Is it spring?"
"It's spring time here." he said looking at Hermione in a puzzling way.
"How?" Hermione said shaking her head.
"Like you said, it a miracle."
She turned to him and kissed and hugged him,
"Thank you for showing me this,” she whispered.
She broke the embrace saying,
“I just hope I don't run out of paper,” but feeling a blush come to her cheeks.
“I can always get you more paper,” Harry replied bashfully with a pink tone coming to his face and a finger tracing the spot Hermione’s lips were a moment ago.
“Well I have a few days before things start to bloom. I have the whole house to clean before then,” Hermione said bringing herself back to reality.

“Do you want to go up to the church?” Harry asked.
“Yes. Can we go this afternoon after lunch”
“Sure.”
“Oh I forget breakfast is ready… burning!”
They both ran back to the house. Hermione remembered to take their breakfast off the fire.

That afternoon Harry and Hermione climbed the huge hill to the church.
Hermione said her rosary and other prayers.
Harry looked on watching the novice pray.

They did that for a week. Even when the others came back,
Hermione did her chores and then went to church escorted by Harry.

Harry’s wound kept mysteriously reopening. The stitches kept loosening or falling out. So on the next trip out, Harry had to stay behind.
Hermione prayed that the wound would heal faster and she put more healing herbs on it. She discovered Harry himself was pulling them out one night. But why? Maybe he didn’t want to go off to sea. Maybe it spring and young men, like himself, just want to be around a young woman more than his mates on a boat.
That night she tried to sew him up again but he asked her to pray and lay her hands on him on the injury and heal him.

The novice knelt down to pray and he took her hands and put them on either side of the wound and said with a daring tone,
“Heal me.”

His skin was warm and firm under her fingers. His hands held her hands in place.
“Concentrate!” he whispered.

“Harry! I’m not… I’m nothing special. I can’t heal you.” Hermione said regretfully.

“Try” He begged.

Hermione closed her eye and said thought ‘heal.’

Hermione stayed there for few minutes. Her hands got very warm or Harry got cooler.

She opened her eyes and looked at Harry saying,
“See it’s doesn’t work,”
Harry stared at her and he held her hands and gave them a squeeze.

Hermione couldn’t think as they looked in to each other’s eyes.
Her heart was pounding and she felt lightheaded.

She heard someone coming through the door and pulled her hands away from Harry’s grasp. She put her hands together as though in prayer. Harry laid his hands on his stomach.

Sirius came in the room and bowed his head in respect of her praying.

Hermione got nervous and said a prayer softly,

“Benedic Domine, nos et hæc tua dona quæ de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen” and then blessed herself and arose.

“Thank you Hermione,” Harry said.
“Your welcome. Rest now.” Hermione replied.
As she was leaving the room and Sirius had a strange expression on his face.

Hermione left the room and hear Sirius laugh out loud,
“What were you two doing here?”
“Nothing … she was just saying a prayer. Why?” Harry replied.
“Prayer? Yeah a prayer.” Sirius repeated chuckling.

Hermione thought about the prayer she had said and realize it was a pray before a meal.
She winced at the thought of how it looked. She felt so stupid and felt her face got hot.
By the next morning Harry’s wound had healed completely. He looked at her and said, “You’re an angel don’t let anyone tell you any different.”

“Angels have wings to fly, I do not,” Hermione said.
“Perhaps, wings are what you don’t need. Besides wings can be broken,” Harry remarked.


That afternoon the men ship out for three days including Harry. Hermione felt lonely for the first time there.
She went up to the church every day and prayed for them to return safely.
On the third day she went up to the church and prayed. On the way down the hill she tripped and hurt her ankle.
She took her time coming down the hill. As she looked over the cliffs she saw the ship and a boat coming to shore. She saw the sun was beginning to set. She hobbled down the rest of the hill. She saw Sirius walk out of the house and looking around and then Harry came out. He too was looking around.

Hermione limped to the edge of the line of trees near the house before Sirius saw her. She waved to get his attention.
Harry’s head looked in the same direction and he came running. Hermione hobbled towards Harry. Hermione was relieved that they made it back safely, but of part of her was very happy to see him.

“What happened to you?” he asked as he came closer.
“I tripped and fell.” She replied.
“Come on, the suns almost down,” and her picked her up in his arms.
“Harry put me down,” Hermione hissed.
He put her down and put his arm her to help,
“We have to move fast the suns almost down.” Hermione tried to ignored the pain and quickly stumbled to the house.

Sirius warmed up some food for the crew and Hermione. Short after that the boys told her of the treasure they found many jewels, silver and gold.
The men then got ready for bed.

Harry came up to Hermione while Ron and the twins whispered something to him and then pushed him towards her.
“Hermione, I got something for you.” and he looked back at the boys with a doubtful face and then looked at Hermione.

Harry extended his hand out to her and showed her a ruby. It was very red like the bishop’s ring.

“Here take it it’s yours.” Harry urged her.
She raised her hand and he put it in her palm.
It was stone cold and for a moment it looked like blood in her hand.

“It’s very beautiful, Harry. Thank you, but I don’t know what to do with it.”

“Make it into a ring brooch or a necklace,” he suggested.
“Nuns don’t wear jewelry but a wedding ring that they are buried with. The Abbey will take this and sell it.” she said and she handed the gemstone back to him.

“I’m sorry,” Harry said a sad expression was on his face.
“Keep it for me Harry just in case you or I need it or the church will not pay my ransom.” Hermione stated.

They said good night to each other and Hermione added,
“I’m glad you got home ...safely.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hermione did her chores and went to the garden to draw her flowers and plants.

She heard a funny buzzing sound and looked around. There she saw a hummingbird flying around the tops of the trees.
She smiled at the thought of having hummingbirds around they were so magical and went back drawing her plants.
Hermione couldn’t wait to tell Harry she saw a hummingbird. When she did he seemed happy she saw it but not surprised.

“Well I think they’re beautiful creatures. They’re like flying jewels their color and they are so fast and sweet. You know they can fly backwards?” she said wondrously.

A few days later Harry was called to Hermione as she was drawing in the garden.
He was near the tree and his back was turned to hers.
“ What is it Harry?”
“Look “ he said softly. He nudged her arm with his elbow.
His hands were cupped together and holding on to something.
He slowly opened his thumb and index finger to show Hermione what he had in his hands.

A tiny long thin beak peeked out of his hands and then went back in. Harry slowly shifted the opening and Hermione saw it was a hummingbird.
It was beautiful and so teeny. It was glittery green like an emerald and with violet here and there.
“Here.” Harry said softly and very gently handed the bird over to Hermione.
Hermione held the bird for a minute and opened her hand to get a better look at it. The bird stayed in her hand for a minute. She spoke gently to it and it lifted off of her hand and hovered for a few moments then darted off.

Hermione looked at Harry and hugged him saying,
“Thank you for that. It’s like beautiful jewel, a flying emerald.”
She looked in to his eyes and they too were beautiful and for some reason she wanted to ask him if he could fly.
“How did you catch it?” Hermione asked.
“Lucky I guess” is all he said with an odd tone staring at her.
She leaned to him and kissed him on the cheek,
“It was a wonderful gift.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Once more Hermione was in the library reading a book a new one she hadn’t seen before ‘ The Muggle and Wizard Worlds’. It was about magic and that there were people in the world that had powers.
Some used their power for good and some used theirs for evil. Some are born of muggle parents and may not know they have to ability while some just ignore it or fear it. It is witchcraft but whether it is good or bad depends on the people and their upbringing.

For some reason it excited Hermione and scared her at the same time.
She went to get some tea in the kitchen when she bumped in to Harry.

“Reading another book?” Harry asked.
“Yes The Muggle and Wizard Worlds’.” Hermione replied.
“How do you like it? Informative?”
“Interesting. Is it yours? I’m not sure if I belief it magical people?”
“Believe it. I was hoping it could help you find some answers.”
“Answers?”

“That way we can help each other.”
“How can I help you? How can you help me?” Hermione asked. She felt strange, uneasy and wanted to change the subject. She felt scared and confused,
“Has any one sent word about me being here? Has the church given you any money for me? I think I’ve helped around here enough. I shouldn't be here helping you. You're pirates, criminals and kidnappers.”

“And what do you want, to lock yourself away in an Abbey where you can hide from life?”

“I'm not hiding from anything.”
You hide in your room and in the library. You must have read every book in there twice. Your mind is full of questions. Do you not want the answers?"

"All the answers I need are at the Abbey. That is where my life should be.”


"Why do you want to go? To what? Scrubbing floors, doing laundry and to a church that separates a child from her family breaking all contact with everybody you know, to give up EVERYTHING EVEN YOUR WILL. Praying. Kneel down to a God that doesn't answer you."

"I've got nowhere else to go." Hermione shouted pushing him away from her with all her might.

In frustration, Harry pushes her right back, but she falls next to the fireplace.
In an instant her veil catches fire as it touches the red embers.
"HERMIONE!" Harry shouts.
She screams and tries to clapping out the flames with her hands but it spreads up to her head and Harry grabbed the veil and pulls it off of her head. He stamped the fire out with his feet.

“Are you alright?" Harry asked her.

Hermione's body was shaking as she nodded.
Harry helps her off the floor and embraces her. Her arms don't go around him but lay against his chest.

"I'm sorry Hermione I didn't mean to..."
“It’s all right Harry. I pushed first."
"But that doesn't give me the right to..."
“Harry It's alright ..."
Hermione felt him smooth her hair or rather run his fingers through her hair.
It was longer than she remembered past her shoulders now.
She heard a puff sound and looked behind her.
The veil was up in flames and burning bright and fast.
Harry threw it in to the fireplace saying,
"Maybe you should forgo the habit while you're here."
"I have nothing else to wear but my habit and my wedding dress."
Wedding dress?"
"Nuns are Gods brides. We too wear wedding dresses," she laughed.

“We have women's dresses in storage I'll get them tomorrow.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bright and early there came a knock on Hermione’s door. She opened the door.
Harry rolled in a trunk that had some very nice dresses. In it were a few everyday dresses and three elegant dresses.
Hermione had fun trying them on and was received wide eyed looks and nods from the boys.
“Our little sister has changed” one of the twins remarked.
“Sister you look beautiful,” said Sirius.
She heard a chuckle in the dark corner where Moody was sitting murmuring,
“Sister looked like you should be in a painting.”

She turned to Harry who had a warm smile on his face and his eyes looked like he was peeking at a Christmas present.

“Just your luck you got into a nice dress, Sister. We’ve been invited to a party this evening by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, ” Sirius said.

The boys swore up and down they had nothing to wear, so Hermione did the laundry all morning wearing one of the everyday dresses and wore a scarf around her head.
By that afternoon everyone had clean clothes to wear for the night festivities.
Sirius asked Hermione if she could leave the scarf at home and just be a girl for this evening.

Hermione went to her room and slid off the scarf and brushed out her hair. She hadn’t done anything with her hair in years. It would be considered vain to style your hair when it was to be covered by a veil. Hermione pulled her hair back on both sides of her head with a barrette she found in the trunk. She put on a pink dress with tiny satin roses on it and a pair of pretty slippers that somehow match everything.

They boarded the boat just before the sun went down.

The sailing was smooth. The ship plowed through the water quickly.
Hermione took this time to ask Sirius if anyone sent word about the ransom.

“We are still waiting for word from the Church. There were a lot of nuns traveling that day and four are missing. I wrote back which one we had. They were puzzled because a Sister Hermione was found dead just outside a village not far from port she was robbed and murdered. She was woman not young like you.”

“My birth name is Hermione, when I take my vows I will be Sister Jane. The convent I lived at started calling me Jane. The Abbey knows me as Sister Hermione who will become Sister Jane.”

“I will get word to them now.” Sirius told her.
He went into this stateroom and wrote a note. The owl flew out the window with a note tied to its leg.

It wasn’t long after that they landed and boats came out to get everyone.
Hermione was ushered on to one and taken to shore.

There Harry took her arm and escorted her to a house where music was playing.
There was a lot of chatting going on and the novice heard cups clinking and a mugs being slammed down on tables.

A woman with red hair came to the group and greeted them. Hermione slowed her pace feeling shy and uncertain.

“What’s wrong Hermione?” Harry asked.
“I don’t understand why I’m here. I’m your prisoner why have you brought me here?”

“They know what we do. They’re not happy about it but…”

“Aren’t you afraid I might escape?”
Harry smiled at her and his eyes lit up,
“Where would you go? You have no idea where you are or how to leave. So just enjoy the party,” and he pulled her toward the red hair woman,

“Mrs. Weasley, Happy Anniversary” and he gave her a hug. He extended his arm, signaling for Hermione to come closer,
“This is Hermione. Sirius mentioned her to you. She’s our guest on the island.”
“Hello Hermione. I’m Molly Weasley. My sons have told me about you.”
The woman looked Hermione over,
“You don’t look like a nun.”
“I haven’t taken my vows yet, so I am able to wear regular clothes, but I usually wear my habit. “ Hermione explained.

“Harry, Ginny is out in the garden with Dean. She’ll be so happy to see you.” Mrs. Weasley said.

Harry walked Hermione to the garden.
Hermione heard a girls voice and as they walked through the gate,
“Harry! You made it!” and a red head girl ran to Harry throwing her arms around his neck hugging him.

Hermione felt ill as her heart died at the sight of Harry hugging the girl. She backed away and bumped into a rose bush, pricking her finger on the thorns.
She looked at her finger as it started to bleed and her eyes welled with tears.

“Hermione, this is Ginny Weasley.” Hermione heard what Harry said but she just looked at her finger holding it with her other hand as to comfort it as she said,
“Hello,” looking up at the couple.

“Hermione are you hurt?” Harry asked.

She dropped her hands down,
“I’m fine it just stung for a moment.” and she started walking to the where people were dancing and the food was,” I’m just going to get something to drink.”
Hermione looked back at them and Harry was holding both Ginny’s hands as she spoke softly to Harry.

Hermione got to where the drinks were and poured her self some punch.
There were so many people on the dance floor spinning and skipping around.

She felt a finger tap on her shoulder and turn to see Sirius,
“Would you like to dance? And don’t tell me nuns don’t dance. I’ve seen them kick up their heels.”

But before she could say anything they were waltzing to the next dance.
Sirius whispered in a sneaking way,
“You know this would be an excellent time in your life to figure out what you want.
No one believes you’re alive. You have the choice where YOU want to go from now on. We sail to a lot of ports. You can start your life over. Do what you want to do.”


‘What makes you think I don’t want to be a nun?”
“Your parents made that decision for you, didn’t they?”

“Yes.”

“Hermione it’s not that you wouldn’t be a good nun… you’re a great person. I think you could do something better then pray all day for people. You could make a difference in people’s lives.”

“Make a difference? Like be wife..? For one of your boys?”

“You’ve made a difference in your lives already. You know how many people would love the chance at starting their life over. Think about it.”

The dance ended and one of the twins stepped in to dance with Hermione. Then Charley did and then other twin danced with her as Ginny pulled Harry on to the dance floor.
George or Fred skipped and prancing about and spun Hermione around the large dance floor.
When the music ended Harry was next to Hermione.

The music started up again and Harry held his hand out to Hermione. She slid her hand onto his. It was a slow waltz. The kind he had his hand on her waist and held her other hand in his. She stared at his neck instead of looking at him in the face.

“What ‘s wrong Hermione?”
“Nothing. I’m just concentrating I don’t want to step on your foot.”

She looked up at him at them moment and everything faded away the music the noise of the people around them it was just her and Harry dancing. She sensed his hand on her waist move slightly and his hand gently squeezed hers. His eyes were gazed in to hers. She felt naked and vulnerable and dropped her eyes down. The loud noise roared on her ears as she senses came back to her. A few more steps and the music stopped, dance was over.

Harry guided Hermione off the floor and set her at a table,
“Here have a sit. I’ll get you a drink.”

Moments later Harry was back with drinks.
Dean came over with Ginny and the group started to chat about the recent adventure in finding treasure and appropriating merchandise from the Death Eaters ships.

“It’s been a good season for Death Eater ships. They drink too much which is lucky for us. They are stuck up thinking no one could catch them off guard.” Harry said.

“I glad I’m not on a ship. I get seasick just watching the waves. I’m a land lover. I have good job at the Ministry of Magic with Mr. Weasley and Percy. I’ll never get rich doing it, but it’s a good job and it’s a stepping stone to something better.” Dean said looking at Ginny.

Ginny smiled at him and patted his shoulder,
“It’s a start.”
The party went on for hours but Hermione was tired and Mrs. Weasley show her to a guest bedroom where she sleep a good part of the night.

She was woken by Sirius who was carrying her out to the boat.


This is the prayer Hermione said when Sirius came into Harry's room, Bless us, O Lord, and these, Your gifts, which we are about to receive from Your bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.