When We Were Beasts

All of Your Lies

The smell of rubbing alcohol, cleaning supplies, and latex stirred Hermione from her sleep.

As if she were underwater, she heard two female voices. Slowly, they grew clearer, until she could hear them without fail.

"How was I supposed to know she'd take off like that?"

Ginny. The voice was Ginny's. But what was Ginny doing in the BackRooms?

"Hermione will never forgive you." Pansy hissed. There was so much venom in her voice that Hermione opened her eyes. "She loves him."

"She loves my brother." Ginny retorted, but it was weak. As if she wasn't sure in her answer anymore.

"Why won't I forgive you?" Hermione croaked. The words were barely more than a whisper. Her throat was dry and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She looked around for water.

Hermione was in St. Mungo's hospital. Her room held a high window, and the sun shone through on her bed to warm her blankets. On the table beside her was a pitcher of water and a glass, as well as a bouquet of flowers. Through the open doorway she saw doctors and nurses dart across the hallway in their green robes.

Everything crept back to her slowly, a sinking feeling, and the more she remembered the faster it devoured her.

She was free. She had escaped the BackRooms.

Here, in reality, her magic was more potent. It hummed in her blood. Colors were brighter and textures felt more vibrant under her fingers. It was as if she'd been in a dream those months...

But it wasn't months. Not according to Ginny, at least.

Nine. Days.

Hermione pulled her hospital gown sleeves up.

Everything inside of her screamed when her scar only said mudblood. None of the extra words left by Bellatrix. No Perseverance rune on her other arm. She pulled down on her gown to see her chest...No scar from the vampire either.

Hermione's heart sank to her toes and hid among her bones.

Pansy and Ginny noticed she was awake then. Ginny's hair was down, like liquid copper down her back. Pansy's was no longer long but again the jagged bob it had been during their time in school.

Pansy sat on one side of the bed, Ginny on the other. Both seemed nervous.

"What's going on?" Hermione whispered. "Where's Draco?"

Pansy was pouring a glass of water for her as Ginny fidgeted with her shirt.

When Pansy handed her the glass, she clung to it like a lifeline.

"Answer her, Red." Pansy growled, and the way she looked at Ginny made Hermione wonder if she truly hated her. "This is on you."

"Ginny." Hermione let her name slip off of her tongue. "Talk to me. Please."

Chaotic confusion was all that Hermione knew in the moment. So many questions struck her like spears, and for Hermione almost nothing was worse than a lack of knowledge. Especially now, when Draco was involved.

"Hermione, I didn't know." When Ginny finally looked at her, Hermione saw tears swimming in her gaze. "I'm so sorry. She promised me she'd bring him and whoever else she could back here. I didn't know she was lying."

"Who." Hermione's voice was cold. Pansy leaned over and gripped one of her hands. "Ginny-who?"

"Narcissa didn't bring Malfoy and Nott back here like she was supposed to." She swiped at her eye as a tear escaped. "She was supposed to bring them here for a medical examination, but no one can find her. Kingsley has magical authorities in France and North America looking for them, but they think she ran for fear her and Malfoy would be tried for their war crimes. We promised her immunity and she ran anyways." She sniffled. "I'm so sorry."