A True Riddle

Chapter 18 - Letters

A/N: The italic and bold in the middleish of this chapter is just a time notice. The italic at the end is a letter.

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Eyelids slowly open, revealing intelligent brown eyes that quickly look around the room, cataloging everything in an almost photographic memory, before finally settling on the person sitting by the large bed.

"Professor Snape?" She croaks, with a voice hoarse from screaming and disuse whilst sleeping.

"Severus is fine, Miss Granger." The teacher smiles down at his once student.

"Then Hermione is fine. Where am I?"

"Malfoy Manor, your friends brought you here last night."

"Who?"

"Fred and George."

"Oh god." Hermione's head drops back against the pillow.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Do you want a glass of water?" Severus asks, pouring water from the jug on her bedside table into the glass also on the bedside table.

"Sure." Hermione lifts her head to drink the water, before letting it drop back down.

"May I ask what happened, Hermione?" Severus says carefully.

"Surely you know." Hermione says.

Severus declines his head, "I know what the twins told me, but it may help to talk about it."

"Does everyone know?"

"Only the twins, Hadrian, Draco, Tom and I. Maybe Grindelwald, I don't really know how much attention he pays to things."

"Why would the previously most feared Dark Wizard know?" Hermione asks, raising an eyebrow.

"We might have broken him out from Nurmengard. And he was looking for Tom, when everyone was with you." Severus explains.

"Oh."

"We are hoping he will help us defeat Dumbledore. Are you feeling up to standing? I've healed all the broken bones, the larger wounds, and most of the smaller wounds, but your body has still been through a lot." Severus asks.

"I think I can." Hermione slowly sits up and swings her legs off the bed. Severus stands up and helps her up.

"Great. Can you try walking over to the door and back?" Severus says. Hermione nods and slowly walks towards the door and back.

"Did you feel any pain?" Severus asks.

"No."

"Great. Do you want to come downstairs? I'm sure your friends will love to see you."

"I don't know if I want to see them."

"I understand. But you must know, none of them will ever judge you, they are only worried. I had to bully Fred into leaving, and he only did it because I bullied Hadrian, with Draco's help, into leaving and getting Angelina, who bullied George into leaving, who convinced Fred to leave."

"Can't they come here? I don't want to see other people." Hermione pleads.

"Sure. I'll go get Fred." Severus turns and leaves the room, heading down to the dining hall where Tom and Grindelwald are explaining their plan.

At the same time as that was happening

"Will she be okay?" Draco asks Hadrian as they walk through the winding corridors.