Vows

Chapter 4

Hermione woke up in a small room on the ship.
She went on to the deck to see the sunrise.
A blanket fell onto her shoulders. She looked up and realized that Sirius had placed it there,
“Sister … you were on your way to the Abbey were you not?”

“Yes”

“And then?
“And then ... what?”
“Where were you going after you took your vows?”

“I was staying there.” she looked out on to the sea, “The Abbey was going to be my home.”

She looked back at Sirius; he had a confused look on his face, but nodded.

The gang went ashore soon after but Hermione was puzzled. She saw no land while climbing in to the boat and then a strip of land appeared out of nowhere.

Hermione did laundry all morning and then she went up the church to pray.
Hermione was distracted from her prayer because Harry just kept popping into her thoughts. She said her prayers quickly without much thought except for Harry. As she came down the huge hill she met up with him. They walked down the hill together talking about the party and how she had never had a chance to dance before since she was a child.

She feared Harry was going to talk about Ginny and how he liked or worse how he loved her. But all he said was that he’s known the family most of his life and that it was the only family he had besides Sirius who was his godfather.


Hermione got back to her chores and then prayed in her room. She prayed that Harry wouldn’t see that she was jealous of Ginny.
She thought about what Sirius said to her earlier on the ship. Hermione could just sail away to another land and start a new life. The thought did excite her.
She could study medicine and become a nurse or a teacher.

She looked up at the Cross Father Lupin made for her and the guilt was terrible. How could she turn her back on God? She knelt down and prayed for forgiveness.


The next few days Hermione prayed, did her chores and went to the church in the morning and afternoon. As she walked up the hill she reflected on how good the Church was to her. All the nuns were her sisters. They cared for her when she was ill and Father Lupin had been her best friend. It was God’s will that these pirates were kind to her and that they were going to bring her to the Abbey. She will learn from this experience that there is good, even in criminals.

Although she was not wearing her habit, she did wear a scarf on her head.
She started to pray at the dinner table and made everyone bow their heads.

Once more the boys rowed out to the ship and went on some business. She went up the church and said her prayers quickly with her thoughts again focused on Harry. They returned the next afternoon with a man they were thinking of doing business with.

A Mr. Barty Crouch Jr. came in to the house as Hermione was in the root cellar. She got a jar of peaches to make a pie with for dessert. In the kitchen, she put wood in the oven to make the piecrust.

Moody came in and watched her for a while with his glass eye intensely studying her and he said,
“We have an extra for dinner, and Sirius will need some drink and some food while they have their meeting.”

“Tea and Biscuits?”
“Maybe something a little harder.” Moody suggested.
“Cider? Ale?” Hermione questioned.

“Yeah and some bread with cheese.” Moody nodded.
“Ok, I’ll bring it in, in a few minutes,” Hermione said, as she got out several kinds of cheese and bread.

She got out a few mugs put them on the tray with the breads and cheese.
The novice carried the tray in to the room as quietly as possible, so not to disturb the men talking.
She set it down in the middle of the table in front of Sirius on the other side of the table.
Hermione looked at the man sitting two seats away from her, he looked straight at her. She nodded to him as to say ‘hello.’
She heard the man say “What a sweet creature you have there.”
Hermione went back in to the kitchen and grabbed a large pitcher of ale.
She brought it in to the room and set it on the table.
Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed Hermione by the waist and pulled her down in to the guest’s lap.

“You my dear are sweet and…” his hands pulled her body to face him, “so ripe.”
He pulled her into an tight embrace and said,
“You will make my bed warmer and so much sweeter to be in,” the man whispered to her and then tried to kiss her.

Hermione pushed as hard as she could against his chest.

“Barty! LET the girl go!” Sirius yelled.

“Come on Sirius just having a bit of fun.” Barty said gazing at Hermione while caressing her back, shoulders and then sliding to neck under her chin.
Hermione felt Barty’s body stiffen.
Hermione pulled her face away from him. He released her and Hermione ran behind Sirius. It was then she saw the twins had their wands pointed at the man’s head.

“Do not ever touch our sister or you may have a very unfortunate accident.” George announced to Barty.

“Sister? She doesn’t look anything like you.” Barty commented.

Sirius turned to Hermione and put his hand on her shoulder,
“You all right? Sorry about him he has a weakness for beautiful girls,” nudging her toward Harry, “Harry take her back into the kitchen”.

Harry put his arms around her. She relaxed against him for a moment feeling safe.

Harry took Hermione’s hand and they went back in to the kitchen.
“You alright?”
“Fine just don’t like to be grabbed like a piece of meat.”
She started to clean and season the chicken and the vegetables. She just had time to make a couple of loaves of bread.

Everyone sat down at the table as Hermione and Harry set out the food. Hermione sat next to Harry and Sirius asked her to say grace for once.

A pair of eyes were on Hermione most of dinner, but she tried to ignore them. Every now and again Hermione felt Harry’s hand on her hand, shoulder and elbow. It was comforting to know he was close and able to make her relax.

She cleaned the dinner dishes and let them soak in the deep sink in the kitchen. Hermione was constantly surprised that the sink could hold all the dishes and realized that the house was a magically enhanced house. That the people who lived there were magical as well... including Harry.

It was especially obvious when the mountain size hill was having a snow storm and there was a large spring garden blooming just below it.

Hermione bid goodnight to the boys and went to her room.

It was late when Hermione heard someone at her door. She thought perhaps one of the boys was sick. She got on her robe and opened the door.

There in his robe was Barty Couch Jr. Hermione gasped and slammed the door or at least tried to, his foot got in the way. Hermione just kept pushing until she knew it was a losing battle then she let the door fling open. Barty tripped landed hard on the floor.
The novice jumped over him ran out of the room down the hall to Sirius’ bedroom and knocked feverishly on the door. When Sirius answered the door, Hermione told him in a panicked voice,
“Sirius he’s after me again.” she cried. Sirius was already awake and grabbing his wand.
“Stay here.” He ordered.

Hermione sat in the chair in the corner waiting. About ten minutes went by and the door opened, Hermione stood up.
Sirius walked through the door and said,
“Barty will not be bothering you anymore. Why don’t you go back to bed?”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” Hermione replied.
Sirius nodded and pulled back the cover to his bed and said,
“You can sleep here tonight,” Sirius said.

“But sir, where will you sleep?” Hermione asked.
Sirius plopped himself in the chair,
“Here is where I’ll sleep just to make sure you are safe tonight.”

“No!” Hermione started to say but Sirius put up on finger as to say something and then he smiled and tried to get comfortable in the chair and fell asleep after a bit of tossing and turning.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning Hermione woke up to see Harry in the doorway staring at her. He looked very surprised and mouth was open. She pulled the covers up to her neck and looked around forgetting where she was for a moment as she sat up.

Harry left without saying a word.
Hermione grabbed Sirius’s robe went into kitchen there she found Sirius, Harry and Moody talking.

“Good morning.” she said softly getting the hot water for tea.
“Can I get anyone else some tea?”
Sirius and Moody raised there cups of tea or where they were drinking saying,
“No, thank you.”

Harry walked over and said flatly,
“I’ll have some,” walking over to her. He looked straight at her with a furious face barely disguising his rage.

“What’s wrong Harry?”
“I don’t know. Just a shocked to find a girl who suppose to becoming a nun soon is in my godfather’s bed.”

“Harry, Mr. Crouch came to my room. I opened the door to see who it was and he pushed his way in. I ran to Sirius for help. I was afraid to go back to my bedroom so, he let me sleep in his bed. He slept in the chair.”

“Why didn’t you come to me? I thought we were friends. I could protect you from Crouch.” Harry remarked in a resentful tone.

“Sirius is in charge he’s your leader, the captain of ship and crew. I went to the one in charge, and yes we are friends Harry and … ”
she was looking in his eyes and getting lost in them.

It was Sirius’s voice that brought Hermione back to reality,
“Sister why don’t you get dressed and get breakfast going for the boys we’ll be going out again this afternoon.

Sirius looked at Harry and said,
“We’re leaving you behind. Why don’t you make some tea and have it in the garden with our dear sister.”
“All right, sure,” he nodded.

Hermione got dressed in a light brown and red dress and pulled her front of her hair back in a draping just above her ears.

Harry and Hermione watched the crew get on the ship and sail away once more.

Harry went into the kitchen got a teapot and made tea. He got some biscuits, put them on a tray and brought them into the garden.

He called to Hermione and asked her to join him.
They sat on the ground getting comfortable.
“Why did Sirius tell you to have tea in the garden?” Hermione posed.
“Perhaps he thought we should enjoy the flowers” Harry replied as he poured the tea.

Hermione wasn’t going sure she should believe what she was hearing. She sipped her tea and took a bite of a biscuit. Hermione felt she stomach getting very warm spreading upwards to her head and then down to her toes. She felt dizzy and a little giddy.

Harry looked at her and reached up and caressed her cheek. He pulled her chin toward his face and looked at her eyes.

“I’m sorry Hermione but I just gave you a potion to make it easier for you to understand. You’re a witch you have magical powers just like me and everyone else on the island. If the church knew you were witch they may burn you. Even good witches are burned or drowned. You don’t have control over your magic which makes you dangerous. Sirius thinks that’s why your parents sent you to the convent. You couldn’t control your powers. They may have thought you were possessed. Giving you to the church they probably thought the church could exercise the spirit or demon in you.”

“No, you’re mistaken. I don’t have powers. I’m not evil. I’m going to become a nun and do God's work.”

“You have powers. You healed me. I know it scares you, but don’t be afraid of it. It’s a gift. A gift you can use to help others. I’ll teach you how to use it.
Harry took out a wand and handed it to her,
“Wands help to direct the magic.”

Hermione point the wand at Harry absent mindedly and he pushed it down,
“Be care where you point it. Now, we’re going to try a few spells.”

Harry took a one of the tea cup and broke off the handle.
“Okay, here I want you to fix this. Point your wand towards the teacup and say ‘Reparo’.”

Hermione pointed her wand at the cup and said “Reparo.”
The cup instantly was repaired.

Hermione eyes widened.

“Very good!” Harry said smiling. He looked at the cup that had tea stain in it.
“Here’s something you’ll like. I want you to clean the tea cup. Point at the inside and say ‘Scourgify’.”

Hermione pointed her wand at the inside of the cup and said,
“Scourgify,” the teacup as like new the next moment.

“Wow! You’re really good at this.” Harry commented and then he said,

“Say ‘Lumos’.”

“Lumos?” Hermione asked and her wand lit up at the tip.
Hermione looked at it curiously and put her finger to the tip and smile when it didn’t burn her, “That’s fantastic.”

“It’s amazing how fast you’re learning this,” Harry said with a concerned looked on his face.

He poured some more tea in to the cups and took a bite of a biscuit.
“Were your parent magical too?” Hermione asked.
“Yeah but they died when I was very young, Sirius is my family. Well the crew is. I’ve known the Weasleys for years. Mrs. Weasley, I think, always hoped that I would get job in the Ministry of Magic with Mr. Weasley and marry Ginny.” Harry said.

Hermione heart started to beat faster.

“She had a crush on me and then I had a crush on her. We saw each other for a bit, but it didn’t work out.”

Hermione felt relieved when she heard him say this and cursed her self for being jealous.
“Oh that’s too bad she seems like a nice girl,” Hermione said trying to ease her conscience and nervously played with the hem of her dress finding several ladybugs on her dress.

She let them crawl on to her and brought them up to her face to have a closer look.
One flew on to her tip of her nose.

“I think this one likes you,” Harry said laughing.
It made it way up to her hair. Harry careful swoop up the others and put them in Hermione’s hair.
“Harry what are you doing?”
“Putting bugs in your hair.” Harry remarked and then whispered something else.
“I fathomed that.” the novice replied.
“Accio mirror,” standing up Harry said aloud.
A moment later a mirror was in Harry’s and he helped Hermione up and handed it to her.

She looked at her hair and saw the ladybugs had turn to beads in her hair.
They looked very pretty.
“Harry? You didn’t kill them did you?” Hermione asked with worried voice.
Harry smiled and shook his head,
“No, I can turn them back,” and he waved his wand and they all took to the air.”
“Eh they’re gone.” Hermione said sadly looking up, “Flown away.”
“One more spell to teach you today.” Harry said handing her the wand.
He picked a feather off the ground and put it on a nearby boulder.
Harry came up behind and Hermione said,
“Okay this time you have to move your wand, swish and flick.”
His hand was on her wrist and his chest was on her back and shoulder.
Her arm tingled when his grazed hers.
“Okay now say ‘Wingardium Leviosa’.” Harry said softly in her ear.
“Wingardium Leviosa,” Hermione said softly as the wand moved through the air.
The feather began to float upward.
Harry snitched the feather out of the air. He looked at the novice,
Harry’s eyes widened and looked at her curiously and whisper,
“Do you want to fly?”
Hermione laughed at the question and said,
“I have no wings.”
“I have something better,” and he went over to the gate and came back with a broom.

He mounted the broom and got it hovering in the air,
“Come on,”

Hermione looked at the broom and looked at her dress,
“I can’t ride. I’m in a dress.”
Harry pulled her on to the broom and they rose up.
Hermione clung on to Harry. She was afraid at first but they floated up slowing without bumps or drops. Soon Hermione was looking over the tree tops admiring the view. Her arm was still clutching Harry’s shirt though.

They came down gently after a few minutes of flight. Harry helped Hermione off and then put the broom aside.

The effects of the potion were wearing off and slowly all the things she was told, saw and did started to sink in.

“Well I think you did a brilliant job at casting your first spells. Why don’t we going in a have some lunch?” Harry commented.