Hunter and Prey

That had been nice. Hermione took herself to bed smiling. She noted without surprise that in the Black Mansion, with its long galleries of bedrooms, Crookshanks had naturally colonised hers. He meowed to her as he stretched then settled back into the centre of the bed.

“You are going to have to move, Crooks.” She chuckled at him and because there was no one else to see, Hermione preened in front of the ornate standing mirror. Her hair was making a bid for freedom from the bun but otherwise she looked pretty damn good. Have to remember the cut of the dress for later impromptu events. Her fingers smoothed over the fabric, over her breasts and down. Over her belly. She pulled her hands away sharply.

No. It was her stomach. Part of her she would not be ashamed of whatever the situation. She had done nothing wrong. Hermione resolutely touched her bump. Pretending it didn’t exist was not a good strategy. If Professor Snape did not come to her rescue she was going to get bigger and bigger. Before she brought three werewolves into the world.

The thought shook her. Yet she would have to face it as a possibility. Time was passing and she had said herself once she was into her third trimester the choice was largely moot. Hermione knew she was strong enough to have an abortion. It was not a choice lightly made but she could do it. Could she make the same decision in November? She was due two weeks before Yule and the spectre of infanticide rose like the ghost of Christmas Past.

It would be a lot easier if she were religious. She could put all of this tumult in God’s hands and let herself be blown along by the divine wind. Kamikaze drifted into her thoughts. That word meant divine wind. Was she getting her theology mixed up with Elizabethan history? He blew with His winds, and they were scattered...

The defeat of the Spanish Armada was not going to help her. Hermione undressed without looking at herself and got ready for bed. When she climbed under the covers, Crookshanks graciously moved over for her, settling himself behind her knees. She dropped off quickly but dreamt lewdly and woke with a climax late in the morning.

Hermione pulled the pillow over her face. It had been Malfoy this time, she remembered his pale hair. She supposed she should be grateful she wasn’t dreaming of Ron. With an inarticulate cry of outrage she dragged herself out of bed.

The vacation was over. She was going to get some work done. No more wringing her hands. Hermione had a long shower while she made mental lists then dried herself with a charm because twisting around to towel herself off made her lose her balance. She tied back her hair with the diligence of a samurai caparisoning for war. No mangy dog-botherer was going to beat her.

Kreacher was poised for breakfast and metaphorically hovering again. Hermione had brought a scroll and quill with her as her PDA didn’t work. There were too many clumsily meshed layers of wards in the house. The tangle could be undone but it wasn’t her home to interfere with nor was fiddling with the defences right now a sound idea.

“Here is a list of errands, if you would be so good.” Hermione jotted down a few more tasks, all within the purview of a house elf, then handed it to Kreacher. He made a face. Not at her requests but at her courtesy. He went however leaving her to eat breakfast in peace. She tapped the end of the wand idly on the table, thinking.

She should get some more practise in. She had missed Fenrir at point blank range. He had not paused to shake off the stunner, she was mortifyingly certain of that, so she had missed. Missed with a spell she had mastered in third year. Hermione mulled that over. It was quite tempting to think she had not missed so she was reluctant to jump to conclusions. However...

Studying her wand assured her it was the genuine article but she had known that as soon as she had touched it. It had been out of her hands for weeks, more than long enough for someone to tamper with it. Basingly had said the team had found it at Hutchins farm but not when. Ryan might just have been able to cast diagnostic charms but altering with a wand was definitely out of his league. So he was working with someone.

That was less of a revelation than it sounded. He was working with Fenrir Greyback. Someone else had to be involved. No one had informed her yet of the progress of inquiries, something she meant to change. Hermione summoned more parchment. She missed her laptop already. Stuff this for a joke. She’d go to the SMS Department and get some real research done. Even if the sodding werewolf could find her there, he’d be swimming in serum 42 before he could plead for floaties.

Hermione left a note for Kreacher then left for work.