Blood Moon

BLOOD MOON

CHAPTER ONE:

THE ATTACK

He was running through the Forbidden Forest, the tall dark trees either side

of him a blur ... he realized that he wasn't human; he was an animal, running

on all fours, hunting something that had trespassed in his forest ... still

racing, he sniffed the air, smelling his prey ... with a howl he sped up, his

paws pounding the ground ... he raised his head and looked up at the dark

sky, lit only by a full moon...

He then knew what he was, a werewolf. The prey was right ahead of him trying

in vain to outrun him ... the prey was human, no more than sixteen years

old ... he could smell its fear, almost taste it ... it was like a drug to

his system, making him run faster. The prey screamed for help and he knew it

to be a teenage girl, he looked at her, black Hogwarts robes fanned out

behind her as she ran in terror ... long brown curly hair bobbed with every

step she ran ... it was Hermione, his human brain told him.

Then he knew he was sharing the sight of a werewolf chasing Hermione, watching

helpless through its eyes as it hunted her down. He could hear her screaming

for help, but he couldn't do anything to help her, he tried to wake himself

but it was an ongoing nightmare. He saw her trip over roots, slowing her

down ... it gave the beast its chance, he felt its muscles tighten as it

jumped into the air, slammed into Hermione and brought her to the ground. She

let out a bloodcurding scream as claws ripped into her black robes and

skin ... then the vision started to fade, he was finally waking up. But

before he was fully awake he could hear clearly the dreadful sounds of teeth

ripping into flesh.

"HERMIONE!" Harry awoke yelling. He was half out of bed by the time his yell

had woke the rest of the room.

"What the hell's going on?!" Seamus' voice came from behind his bed hangings.

Harry didn't care, he ripped open Ron's bed hangings. He was sitting up in

bed blinking awake.

"Ron, I've just had a dream about Hermione..." he panted.

Ron rolled his eyes "Keep the details to yourself, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "Not 'that' kind of dream, the kind of dream I had last

year about your dad being attacked by a snake!" Ron's eyes widened.

"You mean Hermione's been attacked by a snake?"

"No I was a werewolf, I...it was chasing her, it attacked her and then I woke

up."

"Harry, are you sure it wasn't a nightmare, I know you've been having alot of

them lately" Harry glared at Ron, he was wasting his time.

"No it wasn't a dream. I... can still taste her blood in my mouth," he said it

with a shiver. "Ron - Hermione, out there in the Forbidden Forest! Alone! God

knows what its done to her... I'm going to see Dumbledore." he said, grabbing

hold of the jumper that lay on the top of his trunk. He pulled it on and

raced across the room not waiting for Ron, but Dumbledore was already

standing at the top of the stairs. Harry stopped in his tracks.

"It's Miss Granger, isn't it?" Dumbledore asked simply. Harry nodded.

Dumbledore led him out of the castle and across the grounds towards Hagrid's

hut. The hut door opened and Hagrid stepped out.

"She's in here," he told Harry.

"She's alive?" Harry questioned, fearing the answer.

"She's alive," Hagrid confirmed, stepping aside as Harry raced into the large

room.

He saw Hermione straightaway. She was lying on top of Hagrid's large bed, her

Hogwarts robes were in tatters. She looked very pale, almost ghostlike. Harry

fell to his knees by the bed and reached out and ran his hand over Hermione's

hair, she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Harry..." she whispered, and Harry took hold of her hand.

"I'm here, you're safe now" he told her. Dumbledore and Hagrid had entered the

hut by now and Dumbleldore stepped up to them.

"We had better take you to St. Mungo's, Miss Granger," he said, as Hermione

nodded slowly in pain. Harry watched as Dumbledore took a teapot from

Hagrid's boat size table. Dumbledore pointed his wand at it casting a portkey

spell on it. "If we're all ready?" he asked.

Hermione looked up at Harry. "I don't I think I can stand," she said. Harry

nodded as he bent down and gently lifted her from the bed, she gasped in pain

as he wrapped his arms around her.

He winced. "I'm sorry..." he said and she gave a weak smile.

"Just don't try to move much and I'll be fine." Harry returned the smile and

gently walked over to where Dumbledore was standing, he reached out and

touched the teapot, straightaway he felt the powerful jerk behind his navel.

A few seconds later, he, Hermione and Dumbledore were standing outside the

disused shop Purge & Dowse Ltd. Harry watched as Dumbledore walked up to the

dirty glass window.

"We have a emergency", he told the dummy. After a few seconds the dummy nodded

and Harry looked down at Hermione who was biting her lip agaist the pain.

"How are you doing?" he asked her.

She looked up at him tears pooled in her eyes. "I don't feel so good," she

said. Harry nodded and Dumbledore motioned for him to step through the

window. Once past the window they were met in the reception area by a small

group of healers. One of them stepped up to Dumbledore.

"What type of emergency do we have?" she asked him.

"A student of mine was attacked by a werewolf it seems to be quite serious!"

Dumbledore replied. The healer nodded and walked over to where Harry was

standing with Hermione in his arms.

"We'll take her now, she'll be safe" she said to Harry and he let her take

Hermione from his arms. The healers started to walk towards the double doors

by the reception desk. Harry went to follow but Dumbledore stopped him with a

hand on his arm.

"She's in safe hands now Harry, I know you'll want to stay around, so why

don't we go up to the fifth floor and wait till we hear some news, and have a

cup of coffee... I think we both need one right now."

Two hours later Harry was still sitting in the virtually empty tearoom.

Dumbledore had left him five minutes earler saying that he would send a

member of the Order to keep him company. His coffee lay untouched in front of

him, he sat with his hands covering his face. Thoughts were racing through

his mind.What was Hermione doing in the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the

night? Harry sighed to himself and took his hands away from his face. Apart

from two other wizards the tearoom was empty. Standing up and leaving the

tearoom, Harry entered the shop, and a plump-looking old witch smiled at him.

He walked around glancing at things, his mind elsewhere. he passed a few

shelves full of teddy bears and stopped to pick up a soft pink elephant which

lifted its truck and softly trumpeted at him. Harry smiled slightly and with

the pink elephant walked to the cashdesk.

"2 Galleons and 3 sickles please" said the old witch and Harry then realized

that he didn't have any money with him.

"Er...." he started to say.

"Wotcher, Harry," a voice said to the left of him. He turned to find that

Tonks, who today had short blonde spiky hair, and Lupin, who was looking a

bit worse for wear, were standing next to him.

"I'll pay for these Harry," Tonks said, taking the latest copy of Witch Weekly

and adding to his elephant.

After paying Harry followed Tonks and Lupin back to the tearoom and ten

minutes later they were all sitting together with fresh coffee.

"I didn't realize Dumbledore was sending two people?" Harry asked Lupin.

"Dumbledore did send for Tonks, but when she told me what was going on, I

thought it be best for me to come as well, I can always talk to Hermione...

try and tell her that its not all doom and gloom from here on in...."

Harry looked at Lupin with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" he

asked.

Lupin looked across the table at Harry. "Harry, Hermione was attacked by a

werewolf, there is a high chance that she was bitten by it as well", The

coffee cup that Harry was just about to take a drink from slipped from his

hands and smashed to the ground. In the aftermath of the attack Harry had

forgetton that if a human was bitten by a werewolf they would become one

themselves. Harry stared at Lupin while Tonks repaired the coffee cup with a

quick wave of her wand.

"Are- are you telling me that Hermione... might become... a werewolf? " Harry

stuttered, not wanting Lupin to answer, but to Harry's dismay Lupin nodded

slowly.

Chapter Two

AN: Thanks to all who reviewed my first chapter, and to Justine for beta reading this chapter *huggies*

"I'm so sorry Harry" Lupin said looking at Harry with a mixture of regret and sorrow.

"She's going to be okay" Harry said, his words more a statement then a question, Harry stood up looking around.

"What's taking them long?" Harry said getting agitated;Tonks looked at Lupin and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should talk to him; I'll get us some more coffee" she said as she got up from her chair. Lupin nodded and watched as she left the tea shop, then turned to Harry who was pacing.

"Harry I think you should sit down, " he said, trying to calm Harry down.

"I want to know what's taking them so long; we should of heard something by now," Harry said not paying attention to what Lupin was saying.

"If you sit down Harry, I will try and find out what is happening."

Harry seemed to take this in and slumped into his seat crossing his arms and resting his forehead against them. Lupin stood up just as Tonks entered the room carrying a tray. She placed a cup of coffee in front of Harry, but he pushed it away. Tonks rolled her eyes and picked up the blue elephant, turning it over in her hands.

"This is cute," she said, placing it back on the table. She and Harry watched as it walked around the table. "I think Hermione will like it." Suddenly Harry slammed his fist into the the table making Tonks jump and causing the elephant to topple over.

"Why is it taking them so long?" he said pushing his chair back and getting to his feet.

"Harry you need to calm down; Lupin shouldn't be that long." Harry slid back into his seat and stared moodily at the table.

Lupin soon appeared with a healer, Harry jumping to his feet when he saw them.

"How's Hermione?" he asked.

"It was a bit touch and go at the start, but we now have Miss Granger stable. Unfortunately we are still not out of the woods so to speak." Harry glared at the healer at his choice of words.

"Can I see her?" Harry asked.

"Her parents are with her now, but she has been asking for you".

Harry followed the healer, with Tonks and Lupin in tow, up to Ward 3. When they arrived the healer stopped in front of the door that led to the ward.

"I can only allow one more visitor ; I must get back to my patient" he said before disappearing into the ward. Lupin turned to Harry.

"You go ahead Harry, I've got to get back to Hogwarts and update Dumbledore on the situation. Plus, I have to take my Wolfbanes potion, we don't want a repeat of three years ago do we?" Lupin remarked, a ghost of a smile on his face. Harry nodded. "Tonks is staying here until someone else from the Order is sent to replace her." Harry nodded and watched as Lupin left. Tonks settled herself on the chairs beside the door.

"Tell Hermione I'm asking after her; I'll be here if you need me."

"I will do" Harry said, pushing open the door to the ward.

The ward was cast in semi-darkness; the only light came from the shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling, and from the wand tips of the healers that milled about the ward. A young female healer with blonde hair walked up to Harry.

"You must be Harry, I'm Celia Temple, the healer taking care of Miss Granger. If you follow me I shall take you to her." Harry followed Celia past a couple of occupied beds, -one of the patients had bright pink tuffs of hair growing out his ears; he ducked under the covers in shame as Harry past.

"Here we are," Celia said pulling back curtains that hid the occupier from the rest of the ward.

Hermione lay on her side facing her mother.

"Harry!" she said weakly. Mrs. Granger looked up as Harry stepped through the gap in the curtains; he could tell that she had been crying.

"Harry how are you?" she said getting to her feet.

"I'm okay, Mrs. Granger." Mrs. Granger smiled.

"Call me Helen," she said turning to her daughter.

"I'll see you tomorrow sweetie," Mrs.Granger said reaching forward to plant a kiss on her daughter's cheek before leaving. As soon as she was gone, Harry sat down and pulled his chair close to Hermione's bed. Hermione reached out and Harry closed his hand around hers.

"How you feeling?" he asked.

"Sore!" Hermione said, "But they've given me a potion for the pain," she said wincing slightly.

"But you're going to be okay right?" Harry asked.

"How okay is okay when you've been bitten by a werewolf, Harry?" Hermione said her voice full of tears.

"God, I'm sorry Hermione," Harry said reaching out and brushing away the tears that fell. He wanted to ask Hermione lots of questions, but he knew that she just needed him to be there for her. The curtain moved and Celia walked in carrying a goblet.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave Harry, I need to give Miss Granger a sleeping potion." Harry went to get up, but Hermione tugged on his hand, pulling him back into the seat.

"Stay, please," she said, "at least till I fall asleep. If that's okay with you," Hermione said looking at Celia.

"Just as long as you're quiet and don't disturb the other patients.

"We won't" Hermione said, taking the goblet from Celia. Harry watched as Hermione drank the potion down, making a face as she handed the goblet back.

"That was foul," she said with a yawn. Celia walked off with the goblet as Harry helped Hermione settle back into bed, watching as her eyelids started to flutter closed.

"Stay," she whispered as her head touched the pillow.

"I will; don't worry She reached out and entwined her hands with his and then she fell asleep, leaving Harry to watch over her.

Blood Moon

Chapter 3: Escape

A/N:

Again thanks to all those who reviewed, I’ll try and update quicker.

Thanks to Justine to being a fab beta reader.

They were dancing, Harry dressed in dark green dress robes, Hermione in pale pink robes. Harry tightened his arms around Hermione as they swayed in time to the music.
"Sorry I'm not a very good dancer, Hermione." Hermione looked up at him, smiling.
"It's okay, you haven’t trod on my foot in the last five minutes, so I think we're quite safe," she said grinning. The music stopped and people clapped.
"Want to go outside?" Harry asked Hermione. She nodded and he took a hold of her hand, leading her outside onto the balcony that overlooked the lake.
Hermione snuggled into Harry's embrace; he bent his head, kissed her hairline, but she suddenly stiffened in his arms.
"Hermione, what is it?" Harry asked, and that when he noticed the full moon.
"Have you taken your potion?" Hermione shook her head.
"It's too late." Her voice was muffled. Then, Harry felt a sharp pain. He looked down to see that Hermione's hands had turned into claws and he felt them rip into his chest.





Ahhh! Harry jolted awake to feel someone's hand on his arm. He pulled away.
"Don't touch me!" he said, still half lost in his nightmare.
"Sorry!" came Hermione's soft voice. Harry finally woke fully to find Hermione looking quite hurt. "Sorry, just a bad dream that's all," he said, reaching out to take a hold of her hand, but at that moment the curtains parted and Celia walked through looking slightly angry.
"Who yelled?!" she asked.
"That was me, sorry. I had a weird dream," Harry said sheepishly. Celia rolled her eyes.
"Is that all? Good thing everyone on the ward was already awake, otherwise I might have to chuck you out."
"Sorry, it won't happen again," Harry said. Celia nodded and turned to Hermione.
"Seeing as I'm here, I might as well change your dressings," she said, giving her wand a swish. Seconds later a box of bandages a purple looking goblet of potion hovered over her shoulder.
Harry stood up from his chair.
"I'll just wait outside the curtains," he told Hermione.

Once Harry was outside, he stretched, working the kinks in his lower back from sleeping on the chair. He turned his head when he heard Hermione hiss in pain.
"Some of the wounds aren’t healing, I'll need to give you some potion."
"Will the scars fade?" he heard Hermione ask in a soft voice.
"Not completely," Celia said, and he heard Hermione sniff back tears. Harry lifted his hand and parted the curtains to see Hermione facing away from him. The curtains rustled, causing Celia to turn around.
"Hey!" she said, lifting a robe to cover Hermione's back, but not before Harry saw the long crude claw marks that marred Hermione's skin.
"I'm sorry," he stuttered before closing the curtains. As the curtains closed, Harry put a hand to his mouth. The sight of Hermione's scars was burnt into his mind. He absentmindedly reached up and traced his own lightening bolt shaped scar.

Five minutes later the curtains parted and Celia stepped out.
"You can go back in now." Harry returned to find Hermione sitting up in bed.
"Did you see the scars?" she asked as he sat back down. Harry nodded slowly and Hermione give a small sniffle.
"They don't look that bad," Harry said reaching out and tucking a stray strand of Hermione's hair behind her ear. "Hey, at least your scars don't give sudden twinges without warning," Harry said with a grin, not wanting to see Hermione cry. Hermione broke into a smile, the first one Harry had seen since they had arrived at St. Mungo's.
"There's the Hermione I know," Harry said winking at her; he moved his hand to cup her cheek. Hermione closed her eyes, leaning her face into his palm.
"I'm glad you're here, Harry," she said softly.

Suddenly the curtains moved and Tonks stomped in, her arms full of books, a backpack slung over one shoulder and a wicker basket hooked over her left wrist. She grinned at the sight in front of her.
"Not interrupting anything am I?" she said as the two teenagers jumped apart.
"No!" Hermione said, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"A little help here, Harry, before my arm decides to drop off," Tonks said as the books threatened to tumble to the ground. He jumped to his feet and relieved her of the books.
"This is your stuff, Hermione," Tonks said putting the backpack down. "As is this," she said setting down the wicker basket on the bed. Hermione opened the basket and Crookshanks lept out and made a beeline for his owner.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione said smiling as the ginger cat padded up to her and rubbed his face against her cheek. Harry sat down on the edge of the bed, allowing Tonks to have the seat.

"You want the good news or the bad news first?" Tonks said pulling a copy of the Daily Prophet from inside her robes.
"The good news?" Hermione asked.
"I've talked to your healer and she said that you're doing well."
"When can I leave?"
Tonks made a face, "That's part of the bad news; Celia wants to stay here until after your first change."
Hermione nodded slowly and held Crookshanks close to her.
"I also talked to Dumbledore and he said that was fine; he will send you your schoolwork every day."
"What's the other bad news?" Hermione asked.
"This!" Tonks said throwing the Prophet on the bed. Harry looked down at the newspaper:


10 Azkaban Prisoners Escape!

"WHAT?" Harry yelled as he snatched up the paper.
"How?" Hermione asked, seeing the moving picture of Lucius Malfoy.
"They think it was someone working from the inside; the breakout was last night."
"It was all of them who were at the Department of Mysteries that night," Harry said scanning the article. "They think Lucius has the breakout planned for months, the Bastard!" Harry yelled, throwing the newspaper down in disgust.
"Harry!" Tonks scolded.

"I bet Draco is as pleased as punch," Hermione said icily. At that moment they heard heavy footfalls and the curtains were pulled back, Hagrid lunging into the area where Tonks, Hermione and Harry were.
"Dumbledore sent me, 'arry, they've found out who attacked ye, Hermione," he said. "But she won't talk to anyone but 'arry.
"She?" Hermione asked puzzled. "It was a female werewolf that attacked me, but female werewolves are rare… very rare.”
"We didn't know she was one," Hargid said.
"Who is it?" Tonks asked.
"Bellatrix Lestrange."

A/N: Sorry for the wait been busy were work, Thanks again to Justine *huggs*

Blood Moon

Chapter Four

Harry barely had time for the name Bellatrix Lestrange to register before Hagrid pulled Harry to his feet.

"We don' have long 'arry."

"Right!" Harry said stumbling to his feet. He looked at Hermione.

"Go!" she said. "I'll be fine; I've got Tonks here to keep me company."

"Right," Harry said again as he followed Hagrid out of the ward, Hagrid digging into his tent sized pockets and pulling out of one of his rock cakes.

"This is the portkey. We can't go outside cause of the muggles, 'ere," he said, thrusting the rock cake at Harry. Harry touched it and felt the tug and moments later he was outside Hagrids' hut,. Hagrid walked up the stairs and Harry followed into his hut, the door shutting behind him.

"Harry. Finally," said a female voice,. Harry turned and felt anger boil up in his blood.

"You," he hissed,. Bellatrix Lestrange was tied to the floor, thick black chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles. Harry stepped forward, but Hagrid stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Let her speak, Harry," came the soft voice of Dumbledore,. Harry turned and saw that Dumbledore was sitting in one of Hagrid’s large armchairs,. Fang was lying on the floor next to him. Then Harry spotted Mad Eye Moody, who was dressed in normal wizard’s robes. His normal eye looked at Harry, while his magical eye was fixed on Bellatrix- as was his wand.

"Speak,” he growled at her, the chains around her tightening, but Bellatrix just smiled as if she was were enjoying it,. She looked up at Harry.

"How's the mudblood?" she asked Harry.

"Don't use THAT word in my presence, Bella!" Moody hissed, the chains tightening even more.

"Moody!" Dumbledore warned,. Lestrange watched the whole thing with a grin on her face.

"Sorry, how is darling Hermione?" she asked sarcastically,. Harry glared at her.

“Why… why did you attack her?”

“What Master wants, Master gets,” came the reply.

“You mean Voldemort ordered it?” Moody questioned.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Lestrange smiled and lifted her arm as much as the chains would allow and pointing at Harry.

“You need not kill a man to break him, Dumbledore,” Lestrange smiled happily. Harry felt his heart drop in to his stomach.

“You mean it’s my fault Hermione was attacked?” he asked,. Lestrange nodded.

“Shame the half breed here came across us in time, otherwise I would have left the mudblood’s broken body on the steps of that school for you to find. But this is even better Harry, I want you to hear the mudblood’s bones crack and break; I want you to hear her screams as her body bends when she changes for the first time. My first time was hell; I blacked out due to the pain,. Do you think the filthy bitch mudblood will be able to stand the pain?”

Harry didn't know how he got free of Hagrid's grip, but suddenly he was across the room, his hands around Lestrange's neck, and he wanted to squeeze the life out of her.

"I HATE YOU!" Harry yelled at her, his grip around her neck tightening. "You killed Sirius, you dared to touch Hermione… you should be the one that's dead, not Sirius." Harry yelled as tears rolled down his cheeks; he could hear Lestrange choking as his hands tightened their grip. Then he felt hands pulling him away; he looked up to see Dumbledore looking down at him.

"Take her away, Moody," he heard Dumbledore say.

"Harry, I think you need to rest," he said, pulling Harry to his feet.

"But...Hermione!" Harry said weakly, watching as Hagrid and Moody lead Lestrange out of the hut.

"I'm sure Miss Granger is fine,. Tonks is with her and I'll check on her myself later," Dumbledore said as he lead Harry over to an arm chair,. "Now sit." Harry curled up into the chair suddenly feeling exhausted,. He felt Dumbledore wrap a blanket around him.

"You can see Miss. Granger after you've had a rest." Harry nodded, letting his eyelids fall closed, and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Harry was awoken by the sound of clinking china and the smell of bacon cooking. He opened his eyes and found that he was still in Hagrid's hut,. Hagrid himself was cooking, Fang at his heels. Harry yawned and Hagrid turned around.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked

"The rest of the day and most the 'ight."

"What time is it?"

"'Bout 9."

Harry stood.

"I need to get back to St.Mungo's.”

"Not just yet 'arry, you'll be needing somthin' to eat and perhaps a shower as well. A change of clothes migh' not go amiss either." Harry nodded.

"Sit down at the 'able," Hagrid said, going back to the stove. As Harry sat down there was a knock on the door ,. Fang let out a loud bark.

"Down Fang!" Hagrid ordered as he made his way to the door and opened it,. Harry saw Ron standing on the steps.

"Come in, Ron," Hagrid said, stepping aside to let him in,. Ron nodded and stepped into the hut,. he looked at Harry

"How's Hermione?" he asked, taking a sit.

"She's okay," Harry said.

"So was it true, that she got attacked by a werewolf?" Ron questioned, not looking at Harry. Hagrid placed a cup of coffee in front of Ron.

"Yes."

"Was she bitten?"

"Does it matter if she was? She's still Hermione isn't she?" Harry questioned Ron.

"No, but…"

"Yes, yes she was bitten." Harry watched as Ron spilled coffee all over the table.

"Oh!" came Ron's reply and Harry knew that Ron didn't like the idea of Hermione being a werewolf; he looked up at Hagrid who just shrugged his massive shoulders.

Twenty minutes later, Harry was washed, changed and ready to go. Lupin had arrived five minutes before. The past Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher looked pale and withdrawn.

"You two ready?" Lupin said asked, looking at Harry and Ron, and holding a rock in his hand,. Harry nodded and stepped forward and touched the stone, however Ron hadn't moved. Harry looked at him.

"Hurry, Ron, we don't have a lot of time," Lupin said,. Ron shook his head and took a step back.

"I can't,. I can't go, I'm sorry....I just can't face Hermione."

First off, a big sorry for the amount of time between Chapter four and this chapter, real life is manic, and a big thank you to Meagan, my Muse and Beta reader.

Blood Moon

Chapter Five

Harry felt his feet touch the ground in the reception area of

St.Mungo's.

"Ron!" He questioned, Lupin looked at him.

"Give him some time Harry, I'm sure he's a bit confused at the moment." Harry glared at Lupin.

"I'm sure he is, let’s just go and see Hermione." Lupin nodded and followed Harry up to the sixth floor, he watched in amusement as Harry rushed up to the curtains that surrounded Hermione's hospital bed and pulled them apart.

"Hey, Hermi-" Harry stopped in mid sentence when he saw that

Hermione's bed was empty, the bed covers had pushed towards the end of the bed in a haphazard way. Harry spurn around and Lupin had to step backwards to stop from being bowled over.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked a healer who was heading towards another bed.

"Who?" he asked perplexed.

"Hermione Granger, she's the patience that should be in that bed?"

Harry said sharply, his tone of voice rising.

"Er, I'll just..."

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Celia came running up to Harry and Lupin.

"It's okay Harry, Hermione is sitting out in the hospital garden, she went about an hour ago."

"Is she okay?" He asked, as Ceila smiled.

"She's fine, she said you might panic if you saw an empty bed, I only popped away for a few seconds and then I heard you yelling, you'll find the entrance to garden by the lift.”

Harry nodded muttered a thanks and rushed off in the direction of the garden.

"Is he always like that?" Celia asked Lupin, he nodded and smiled.

"I think he gets it from his father."

Harry raced down the stone steps that led into a walled garden.

"Hermione?"

"Over here" came the reply from next to a large oak tree, Harry followed the voice to where Hermione was sitting on a bench reading with Crookshanks on her lap purring away merrily.

"You found me?" Hermione said with a grin.

"Yes, Celia told me that you were out here, is okay if I sit next to you?"

"Of course it is." Hermione moved aside a small pile of books before Harry sat down and looked around him at the small garden. A few other patients were enjoying the sun or the company of their visitors and healers. A small girl no more than eight with teddy bear stuck in her hair was playing by the side of a water fountain of a mermaid.

"That's Sara, she tried to use her mother's wand to Accio her teddy on to her shoulder but as you can see it didn't work," Hermione explained,

"The healer should be able to remove the teddy bear in a couple of days, but I think Sara likes the teddy where it is."

"I think it looks quite good, at least her teddy is always with her,"

Harry chuckled.

"She's a cute little girl, I was telling her all about Hogwarts, she said she can't wait to go herself." Harry nodded

"How long have you been sitting here for?" He asked reaching across her to tickle Crookshanks' ears.

"About an hour, I was just getting some homework out of the way, Tonks brought me more this morning."

Harry frowned. "You should take it easy Hermione."

"Why?" Hermione questioned, "I'm only here because I'm a werewolf, not on death door, it doesn't stop me from doing school work."

"Oh," Harry said softly, it finally dawned on him that this was still the Hermione he knew for almost six years. Her being a werewolf didn't change a thing. Hermione smiled softly at him and took his hand in hers.

"Harry, I'm still me, I might just be a bit furry and have sharp teeth once a month." Harry couldn't help but smile.

"I just wish Ron would see it that way?" He said squeezing her hand.

"He just needs time to think things over, he'll come around, don't worry." Hermione said just as Sara skipped over to them.

"Hiya!" she said looking up at Harry, "You're Harry Potter aren't you?"

Sara asked staring at his scar.

Harry chuckled. "Yes I am."

"WOW," Sara said in amazement "are you Hermione's boyfriend?" She blurted out, pointing to Harry and Hermione's clasped hands. Harry blushed deeply and pulled his hand away from Hermione's who was trying not to giggle.

"No"

"Then why are you holding hands for? My mum and dad hold hands and they love each other, does that mean you lo-"

"We're friends Sara," Hermione jumped in before the young witch could say anything more, "Friends holds hands as well." Hermione said trying to explain.

"Why" Sara asked again, Harry was now blushing scarlet.

"Umm..." Hermione started to say, but luckily Lupin appeared saving them. Sara smiled at them both, skipped off with the teddy bear bobbing gently up and down in her hair.

"Hello you two," Lupin said with a grin," Dumbledore has arrived and wished to speak to you Hermione."

Harry and Hermione followed Lupin out of the garden and back to the hospital wing, Crookshanks following behind them. Lupin led them to them a head healer's office where they found Dumbledore sitting.

"Feeling any better Miss. Granger?" He asked as he motioned them to sit down.

"Yes thank you" Hermione said as Crookshanks leap onto her lap.

"I think you why I am here?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes," Hermione nodded, "you want to know why I was in the forest the night I was attacked."

Dumbledore nodded, "but only if you're ready to Miss. Granger?"

"Yes."

"But sir, I-" Harry started to say, but Hermione stopped him, laying a hand across his.

"It’s alright, Harry. I have to tell them what happened." Hermione turned and faced Dumbledore.

"It all started when I had a nightmare," Dumbledore nodded while a quill next to him made some notes on a piece of parchment. "I dreamed that Vol-Voldermort had Harry captive in the forest. Voldemort ordered me to come in the forest, otherwise he'd kill Harry." Hermione looked down at her knees and picked at a strand of loose thread, but she continued.

“I remember waking up to find myself standing in the middle of the forest. I can't remember how I got to be in the forest, but I knew that Voldemort had tricked me." Harry watched as a tear trickled down

Hermione's cheek, he reached across and slipped hand around hers and felt her fingers tighten.

"I stood there, not knowing what to do or how to get out. I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face when I heard something running through the undergrowth towards me. I broke into a run, hearing it behind me, but then I tripped and the thing... t-the werewolf crashed into me, I couldn't get up off the ground because it was pinning me. I felt its claws rip into me and then nothing... I blacked out. I came to in Hagrid's hut." Hermione stopped talking in a flood of tears. Harry was up off his seat and kneeling next to her while she wrapped her arms around him.

Dumbledore sighed softly to himself and stood, the quill dropped silently to the desk.

"Thank you, Miss Granger, I will not trouble you anymore." He turned to

Harry. "I do believe there is a tea room in this hospital, why don't you take Miss Granger with you and see if I'm correct?"

Fifteen minutes later Harry sat across from Hermione in the tea room, both had a large ice sundae in front of them. Miniature chocolate frogs hopped from one ice cream sundae to the other.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked Hermione, she hadn't spoken since they had left Dumbledore. Hermione looked up from her ice cream.

"I'm just glad that I've finally been allowed to talk about it," Hermione said, taking a small of mouthful of ice cream. Harry nodded and watched as two chocolate frogs jumped onto Hermione's spoon. She handed one to Harry and bit the head off her own.

"When do you have to be back at Hogwarts?"

"Anytime I think, Lupin is going to come and collect me." Hermione nodded.

"What is Dumbledore's reason for me not being at school?"

"Family matters, don't worry Hermione, only myself, Ron, Lupin and Tonks and Dumbledore know the real reason."

"Good, the less people know the better." Hermione said looking down at the table. She spoke so softly that Harry barely heard her. "Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?" Harry watched as Hermione's hand curled around her ice cream glass.

"When you were at Hagrid's did you see Bellatrix Lestrange?" she asked not looking up.

"Yes"

"Did she say why she attacked me?" Harry gulped, knowing he couldn't tell Hermione the truth.

"Sh-she just wanted to taunt me," he stammered, he was never good at lying to Hermione.

"Your lying Harry," Hermione said softly, "Did Voldemort order her to attack me?"

Harry sighed, "In a way, yes," He said, watching as Hermione's grip tighten on her glass.

"Was it to get to you? Did Voldemort order Bellatrix to attack to get to you?" Harry lowered his head.

"Yes, I'm so sorry, Hermione," he said reaching across the table to take a hold of her hand. Suddenly without warning the glass in Hermione's hand broke, the sharp glass shards cut into her hands and the table was splattered with ice cream.

"Gods! Hermione, your hand!" Harry said seeing blood seep between her fingers. Hermione glanced at her hand as she opened it to find glass embedded in her palm. Harry jumped to his feet.

"Come on, you need to see Celia," he said touching her on the arm to get her to her feet. Hermione glared at him.

"I can find her myself, you should go, Harry." She icily got to her feet.

"But...your hand?" Harry questioned.

"I said I will find her myself, just go and find Remus and go back to

Hogwarts, now!" she seethed.

Harry blinked shocked.

"Okay?" he said feeling confused but he didn't move.

"Just. Go. NOW!" she hissed at him. Harry nodded still feeling confused, turned and started to walk across the tea room, before leaving, he turned around, glancing a look at Hermione, she was still standing looking at her palm.