The Lion and the Eagle |Neville Longbottom|

11. Helpful Hermione

"Jenelle." Someone was shaking me on the sofa. "Jenelle, wake up."

My first instinct was to reach for my wand as I sprung off the sofa. Hermione had woken me up. She gestured to a ball of bright light, which soon formed a bear Patronus. There was one person I knew that had that.

"Your mum and I are fine," the Patronus said using Dad's voice. Hermione edged in carefully. "Do not respond for safety reasons."

I knew this was no trick, this was legitimately from my dad. I had worried all of yesterday, waiting for Neville to come back or somehow get information to Hermione. The vice around my heart loosened a little. But this didn't mean my parents were out of danger completely.

"That's a way to start your morning," Hermione breathed. "Breakfast?"

"Sure. Did Ron leave?" I made my way to the table to see Hermione had food ready to go. I guess with Ron's erratic schedule, once he was up, she was as well.

"Earlier this morning. He must've done a good job at not waking you."

"I think so. He probably felt bad about my rude awakening yesterday." I plopped a seat down and began to munch.

"Once you're done eating, I have some clothes that might fit you."

"Don't donate half your wardrobe," I told her. "I'll manage."

"I want to help in any way I can. I insist." She gave a small grin.

I took my time eating. Hermione told me to shower afterwards. It felt nice getting a hot shower. Temporarily, all my worries evaporated like the water did, turning into steam that flew under the little crack under the bathroom door.

I came out; hair soaking the denim jacket Hermione gave me, a vibrant blue shirt underneath it. The jeans felt a little snug. I folded the towel I used and set it on the toilet seat. Hermione was offering me so much, the least I could was make cleanup easier on her.

Hermione almost knocked into me as she went back and forth from her room to the living room. She had almost everything laid out all over the floor: two weeks' worth of clothes, a hairbrush, pillow and blanket, some weird looking radio, and even food. It was like Hermione was packing for a hiking trip, and she was taking at least a good quarter of the house's stock out.

"Hermione, just how long do you think I'll be gone?" I gasped as I heard her scuffle back with the necessities I would need in the long haul—necessities only for women.

"You never know. I was gone for months one time," she explained. "This'll give you a decent start."

"More than decent," I grumbled. "How am I going to cram all this into a bag? I'll need at least five!"

"What makes you think all that can be jammed inside one tiny luggage bag?" she asked. "I thought this all out last night."

I was about to tell her that she shouldn't have done that, but it seemed pointless because she'd either ignore me or tell me that it was the least she could do. She barely knew me and she was treating me as though we had been friends for years.

"Make sure I got everything while I go fetch one more thing, okay?" she asked me.

Hermione flitted away, leaving me to take stock on what she was packing. Besides the obvious that I saw, Hermione packed a book—or was it a journal?—containing who knew what, and also tarp, rope, and some stakes.