The Witch and The Hunters

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Page count: 8

They'd been in the car and driving for the past six hours and as Sam had predicted, they'd stopped to refuel and Hermione returned from the station with her arms carrying a bag that was overflowing with beverages and junk food, keeping Dean quiet and happy.

Dean happily drove whilst nodding along to the music, every so often stuffing his face with a cupcake or chocolate bar. Sam was content in reading the book Hermione had given him, his peace and quiet protected by the Silencio Hermione had applied after he'd all but begged her with his damn puppy dog eyes. And Hermione sat in the back seat, oblivious to anything and everything around her as she focused her attention on the report before her. Every so often, Dean and Sam would look back at her to see a focused, thoughtful frown on her face as the pen moved quickly across the papers she had resting in her lap; she hadn't looked up from her report in the last three hours.

Finally her attention was drawn away when she heard the familiar hoot of her owl, though it was drowned out by Led Zeppelin which Dean currently had blasting through the speakers.

"Dean!" She yelled, but he didn't hear. "Dean!" She repeated, again with the same results. She huffed and leaned forward, flicking him on the ear.

He startled and turned to scowl at her, reaching over to turn down the music. "What the hell was that for?" He grouched.

"I tried calling you but you didn't hear me, I love Led Zeppelin as much as the next sane girl, but is there any need for it to be so loud? Are you trying to deafen me?" She asked him, he continued to scowl at her and she sighed. "I need you to pull over whenever you can."

"Why?"

"Just pull over," she rolled her eyes and leaned back into the seat, listening as she could now hear the hooting louder and she was sure it was Ricky.

After ten minutes, Dean pulled over onto a slip road.

"Thank you," she said, and she climbed out of the car when he stepped out to let her past.

"Why did I have to pull over?"

He got his answer when a louder hoot was heard and Ricky circled over their heads, swooping down and landing on Hermione's shoulder. He rubbed his head against her cheek affectionately and she laughed, reaching up to pet him.

"I know, I know, I missed you, too," she cooed. "Now, what do you have for me?" She asked and Dean watched, leaning back slightly away from the owl. Sam chuckled as he stepped out of the car, watching them both as Hermione reached up and removed the letter he had attached to his leg.

"Where's he been? I haven't seen him since the night before we left Bobby's," Sam questioned.

"I sent him to England with my report, along with a few presents for my nieces and nephews. He always gets sidetracked when he visits, I'm actually surprised he came back this early, he usually stays for close to two weeks as he loves the children, they spoil him rotten when he's there which is why he's getting fat." She jumped when he nipped her finger. "Don't be getting snippy with me," she warned the owl. "You are getting fat, you've put on at least two pounds since I last saw you, you need to lay off the bacon and pancakes," she told the owl, Sam snorted and Dean looked a mixture of amused and freaked out at her interactions with the animal.

Hermione opened the letter and her eyes scanned the page.

"So, what does it say? Who sent it?" Sam asked.

She looked away from the letter, her expression slightly dazed and her eyes glazed over as if she were remembering something.

"Hermione!" Dean snapped his fingers in front of her face and she startled, searching her surroundings and remembering where she was, she got her bearings back.