Hermione Snape and the Divergence Point: Vol #2

Chapter 11: Disasters at Duelling Club

November was drawing near an end and Hermione still sported a tail and ears, but the fur and tabby markings were gone and she could handle cat-brain impulses better. Her father, who had decided after much pleading on her part not to transfer her to Saint-Mungo's, had still taken to visiting her daily. She assumed he'd want space after she and Harry ventured out that night, but he instead seemed more keen in keeping tabs on her. After the incident with Harry's eye, Pomfrey had told her she was only allowed two visitors at a time. Luna sat with her daily while Harry (who had suffered a week's worth of detentions courtesy of her father), Ron and O'Malley dropped in only every so often. She got a lot more school work done, but she found she hit a wall on her research. She couldn't wait till she got out and could be more thorough.

Hermione reread the letter once again from Sato. Was she real? Was this a cruel prank? She didn't know. All she knew was that if Sato really was her m-the woman who gave birth to her, she abandoned her. Hermione hated herself for thinking that, but she couldn't help it. Sato, if she were even real, was ill. It wasn't entirely her fault, Hermione kept telling herself, but she was still so...what? Disappointed? Angry? Hurt? Yes, she was all of those things. Maybe she had no right to be so, but she was. Did that make her a bad person?

She didn't even know if that woman was real, but it consumed her. She kept trying to distract herself with homework, writing letters to her friends, and when all else failed she'd take a sleeping potion and enjoy being unconscious for a few hours. Or attempt to anyway...nightmares plagued her still.

I'm not about to ask the only person who could tell me either... Hermione wouldn't be surprised if Sato and her father had the relationship described in the letter. Anytime someone asked about Hermione's mother, her father got particularly nasty. He was happy to pretend that she didn't exist. That kind of hurt isn't easily forgiven, and Hermione knew her father was not the type to forgive and forget. The thought often crossed her mind that her father adopted her-though she'd never ask-but if that were true, why would he be so upset whenever someone asked why a mother wasn't in the picture. There had to be something personal right? And the letter would make sense...but something felt so wrong about it.

Hermione heard footsteps and stashed her letter in her copy of 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi before pouring over the first page she flipped to. She looked up when her father approached and casually set the book on top of the now considerably smaller pile that her research into the creature went nowhere.

"How are we feeling?"he asked, sitting next to her.

"Second week of December I should be good to go," Hermione sighed. "To think I was originally given two weeks..."

"You've proved a difficult patient," he sighed, placing a hand on her head. "I can't believe you talked me out of transferring you."

"Don't know how I managed it either," she shrugged with a smile. "So, you're aware of how dreadfully boring my life's been. How about yours?"

Her father stared at her for a moment, his face once more inscrutable. Had Hermione inadvertently said or done something?Why was he looking at her like that? Hermione's stomach churned and she dug her nails-which were now just nails-into the back of her hands. Did he find out about her investigation? Perhaps about her half-written article for the Herald? Or...the letter?

"It's come to my attention," his expression softened and he absently petted her head. "That stress makes you revert, so I've been putting it off. Though now that you're starting to make improvements, I have to ask, love: What aren't you telling me?"

Do you want a list? Hermione bit her lip and stared at her clasped hands. She could make up a crush, that would make things awkward and maybe they'd leave it. If she named a boy in Japan, he couldn't antagonise the object of her made up affections. And with Hiro, it wasn't totally a lie. She could say the transfiguration messed with her cycle...it wouldn't even be a lie either. Though she wasn't confident in his shying away from that conversation as she was with other males in her life. Or she could say she had a suspicion she would be cursed again once she got out. That also wasn't untrue...the longer you take...