The Last Black (Hermione Granger x Male Reader) Vol.2

CHAPTER TWO: The Order of the Phoenix

When I awoke the next morning, the discomfort in my side had dissipated, and I realised how desperate I was for a shower. The hot water felt good against my skin as it washed over me. I scrubbed out the dirt from every single crevice of my body, being mindful not to scrub the bite too hard since it still hurt a little. My hair was completely matted and full of knots, which took a full five minutes of combing to undo. I searched the small ensuite bathroom for a razor so I could get rid of the thick stubble covering my cheeks and upper lip, but there was no sign of one anywhere. When I returned to the bedroom, I found a large wool jumper folded neatly on the bed. It must have belonged to Lupin; it didn't look like something Sirius Black would wear.

I dried myself off and found some underwear and socks in the chest of drawers, as well as a plain shirt and some brown coloured trousers in the antique-looking wardrobe. I hated the feeling of wool against my skin, so always wore a shirt beneath my jumpers. Once I had fully dressed, I looked in the full body mirror beside the door and stared at my reflection. The reflection starring back didn't look like it belonged to me. I'd lost a bit of weight, and my hair had never been this long and untidy before. My stomach felt as though it was made out of scrambled eggs; it wouldn't stop aching and grumbling. It was like an intense hunger which caused nothing but discomfort. Even when I tried to smile at myself, I looked terrible - definitely not happy.

The old staircase creaked as I descended onto the ground floor. Voices from the drawing room echoed down the hallway. "He's safe Hazel, he's just resting," Lupin's voice said comfortingly.

"And the bite? Was it treated correctly?" My mother asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm actually surprised he could do such a good job of it with the state he was in," Lupin explained, "but the fact that Greyback had all the supplies ready to treat him himself is worrying."

"What do you mean?" Mum questioned, "why is that worrying?"

"I've spent time with Greyback Hazel," Lupin told her, "he wouldn't have that sort of stuff close by if he hadn't intended on turning (Y/N). He would have wanted him to join his pack." I could hear my Mum gasp now, but I wasn't entirely sure what this meant.

"So, he might try to find him?" Mum proceeded to question.

"Well, if he does, I'll kill him myself," Sirius Black said coolly.

I made my way into the drawing room now, nervously. My hands gripped tightly at the cuffs of the jumper sleeves. Lupin and Sirius both smiled at me, Mum stood up and began to cry hysterically, rushing forward and embracing me in a tight hug. "Ow," I grimaced, flinching away from her arms around my torso.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart," she apologised, "you're safe. You've come back. Oh, my sweet boy." She used the side of her hand to wipe away the tears, "why did you not come home?"

"I thought you'd kick me out, for getting bitten," I confessed, trying to hold in my emotions as best as I could.

I'd never thought I'd see her again, and now here she was stood in front of me. "Oh, silly," she called me between sobs, "you'll always be my baby, wolf or not." Tears were seriously threatening to fall from my eyes now, as she caressed my cheeks in her hands, "even if you need a shave, you'll always be my baby." I nodded my head. Usually, I would have felt a little embarrassed by her talking like this to me, but I was just glad I had gotten back to her.

"They took my wand Mum," I was actually sobbing now upon remembering I didn't even have a wand. It seemed like such a stupid thing to cry over, but I loved my wand, we'd been through so much together, and it was really good. That had been the wand I'd cast my first spell with, the wand I'd defeated a dragon with, and the one I'd attempted to disarm The Dark Lord with.