You Made Me What I Am

Chapter 12: Hermione

Draco had told Severus of Hermione's clearance the next morning as soon as he dressed and was awake enough to speak without being groggy. Severus said the girl had a free period after lunch and that this would likely be the best time to seek her out and try to persuade her to talk to them freely as possible.

Severus decided he would get her as she would more readily come to his office with him if she believed she had been caught doing something wrong and was being punished for it than if Draco had told her he had asked for her personally. Draco agreed readily to this and had said he would be here when they got back though he doubted she was going to comply easily if he was.

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The day progressed slowly for Hermione, and her mind was running a million miles in every direction for every minute that passed by here. She seemed distracted as she left Defense while she walked to the Great Hall to have lunch.

"Ms. Granger, come with me please." Severus asked over the hall's noise

Hermione eyed the man wearily, but silently nodded in dismay and made no move to disobey him or to disregard the order he had issued. The Gryffindors had done nothing to defend her from his words; while knowing she had done nothing to earn herself trouble, and had even smirked to her being in trouble. Even though she actually was not in any form of trouble. This was troubling to him.

The girl was obviously sad and shaken up by the loss of Harry around here. Her quietness did nothing to ease his mind on the matter; her former peers seemed to not want to help her, comfort her, or even associate with her now. It was though she had been outcast as she had been in her first year.

When they finally entered his office and she saw Draco too; her eyes glared at him with fury and hatred.

"Why is he here?" She asked, "And whatever does this have to do with me?"

Severus then warded his office from them being eavesdropped on and sat down, "You are here because Draco and I have been 'instructed' to help you." Severus said cautiously

Draco stepped towards her hesitantly, "You don't have to trust me Hermione; I have done a lot to you in past, but now is the time to forget such things when you are in danger of being manipulated here due to your loss of control."

Hermione's eyes narrowed now, "And how would you know?"

Draco smiled slightly, "You are worried for him terribly, aren't you? You are concerned for his safety and well-being in world where he is all alone right now? You don't know if he is safe, has shelter and food or even if he is alive, but you do believe he is?"

Hermione's eyes burned, "Don't you dare try to hurt me with the one who I consider my brother in all but blood. He was my first friend; one that has sided with me through thick and thin. I would gladly die for him, if only to see him happy and safe again."

"Harry is alive and well, Hermione. He has shelter, food and a place to call his own outside these walls that can no longer be his home." Draco told gently

Her eyes widened as they turned to Severus and he too nodded to this.

"You were right, Hermione. He has been hiding this whole time, but not for the reason you believe he is. He was betrayed by someone he considered very close to him and now the truth has been spilled. He seeks revenge for the hurt he has been through unintentionally." Draco told her, "I have seen him and spoken to him. He cannot return here."

Her eyes widened, "Why?" She whispered as she fell to the ground desolately

"Because Harry learned the truth and he is also now an Incubus by birthright. Albus views him as a very large threat to his power and the night he disappeared; the Aurors were dispatched to capture him and to interrogate him. Albus knew this would expose him badly, so he tried to kill Harry and he failed."