Bound

Chapter Thirty-Four ~ Separated

A/N: I managed to get this chapter edited up nice and early this week, so that's good, but I am running out of pre-written chapters, so that's not as good. Also, if this chapter ends up going up on Sunday (Sydney time) instead of Saturday, or at some other weird time, I'm sorry. I'm probably still drunk from Saturday night.

"Hermione? Hermione, it's time to go."

Hermione jolted awake, sitting up so fast her head started to spin. She pressed her palm to her forehead.

"Sorry," Ginny said.

"No, I sat up too quickly," Hermione replied, waving her off.

"Well, you need to get dressed and grab your trunk. It's almost time to go."

Hermione nodded. "I'll be down in five."

"How about I meet you here and we can go down together. I'll have to get you to help me with my trunk – if you don't mind?"

"I don't mind. I'll get ready and meet you in the hall."

Ginny beamed. "See you in a few." Turning, she dashed off in the direction of her own bedroom.

With a groan, Hermione rolled out of bed and surveyed her room. Lucius' belongings were gone; the cot on the far wall was the only indication anyone other than herself had ever been there. On the cot lay her duelling clothes, her boots on the floor, tucked under the edge. Her wand, which she had left on the nightstand, was tucked into a holster sewn into the outside of the left sleeve. She removed it, returning it to the nightstand while she dressed.

Once she was done, she pulled on her cloak and picked up her wand, summoning her beaded bag. She tied the bag to one of the belt loops at the side of her trousers, where it wouldn't interfere in a crisis, and stuffed her pyjamas into it.

She circled her room, collecting up the medical supplies that had been strewn about and returning them to her healing kit. She made a mental note of what would need replacing and what would need topping up soon, and sat the kit on her bed while she shrunk and stored her trunk.

Finally, she placed the healing kit in the top of the beaded bag, vanished the cot, and made up her bed.

When she was done, she slipped her wand inside the holster on her sleeve, where it sat against her inner arm. She surveyed the room once more, to ensure nothing had been left behind, then stepped into the corridor, where she found Ginny swearing at her trunk as she tried to drag it across the floor.

"That looks a bit heavy," Hermione commented, trying – and failing – to stifle a chuckle.

Ginny dropped the end she had been pulling on and turned, scowling at her friend. "Not at all," she said sarcastically.

Hermione smiled. "You got a pocket?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, but mum said I might... Y'know..."

"You might set off the trace?" Hermione said, withdrawing her wand and flicking it at the trunk. "Surely it would have triggered by now if it was going to."

"You'd think," she said, picking up her tiny trunk and stuffing it into her pocket. She stopped, mouth dropping open as she caught sight of Hermione's outfit. "Merlin's shorts, Hermione! Where'd you get that gear?"

Hermione shrugged. "I got it from Professor Snape when I started my duelling lessons. He had them ordered because, apparently, not having proper duelling equipment is a massive inconvenience to him and a waste of his precious time."

Ginny snickered. "Only Snape would give someone a gift for inconveniencing him."

Hermione returned her grin. "You know, I think you're right."