Not Yet (A Hermione Granger fanfic)

Chapter 7

A/N: I know I'm going to go way over my initial estimate of 10 chapters. I'm having too much fun playing with these characters that are not actually mine.

Happy reading!

*********Chapter SEVEN*********

Hermione lifts her hair away from her face and holds up the mirror. Her roots are definitely lighter. She casts another charm to make them a dark brown, then frowns. There's no denying that her roots are also kinkier, her curls trying to force their way out again.

She's taken too long to check her appearance. Out here in the forest for weeks, with only the trees for company, Hermione hasn't bothered to keep up her disguise as well as she had in England. With a sigh, she casts another charm to tame the new growth, and puts down the mirror.

Orev is outside waiting on her. He's conjured a small fire inside the wards. It's flames cast blue shadows on the darkened trees. Hermione brings a mug of tea for both of them, handing him one before sitting beside the fire. The warmth of the fire and tea feels good in the cool night air.

"So you think," Orev says without looking up from the fire, "that the wizard you're seeking is the one I've been chasing around in this very forest."

Hermione had carefully filled him in on her mission, excluding names, dates, and places.

"The timeline fits," she says. "He committed a murder just over a year ago. And no trace of him was found." Hermione's voice grows quiet, even though she doesn't want to let on how much the death personally affected her.

"And no one saw him—"

"—or her—"

"—or her—enter the place that you won't tell me about and leave the object you won't be specific about in this room."

"Yes."

"You do realize that it could be anybody."

"I am aware. If we could have narrowed it down, we would have caught the murderer already."

"Who's we?"

Hermione doesn't answer.

After a moment, Orev smirks. The way the corner of his mouth sneaks up reminds her of someone. Who? Then the look is gone, and so is the resemblance.

"What?" she asks.

"I was just thinking. You did want my help. I told you I'd been searching for a rogue wizard for over a year. That's why you came after me."

Hermione flushes and tries to hide her gaze in the fire. "It was an impulse."

"Are you always so impulsive?"

She looks over at him. His dark eyes are staring back at her. Again, he reminds her of someone. She just can't place who. Hermione shifts in her seat. "When I need to be."

They sit in silence for a while. It's comfortable, sitting here with him. And she's only known him for what, less than a day? That she already feels so at ease around a complete stranger disturbs her.

"So," Hermione says, taking a sip of tea, "when did you first notice you weren't able to Apparate?"

"The first time I tried to do it after recovering from my injury."

"What happens when you try?"

"It's what doesn't happen that's the problem. That's why I'm telling you about it."

"So, no tingling, no dizziness . . ."

"Nothing. I just stand there like a complete fool, turning around on my heel like a ballet dancer."