The next night there had been more. The hours crawled past, night after cold night while she cut and cut. As many razor fine lacerations as she wanted. She could heal them all without so much as a scar.
She was good at it. Fixing external wounds. It was an exceptional talent of hers. It was something to do at night.
When she emerged from a visit with Ginny, she found Harry standing outside the door.
He looked feverish. His skin was pale, but his eyes were glittering brightly.
“Is she doing alright?” he asked before Hermione had shut the door behind herself.
“She's doing fine. There isn't any change yet,” Hermione said before Harry's expression could become hopeful. She removed all the protective wards and cast cleansing charms on herself quickly.
He nodded rapidly. “Does she know about Ron yet?”
“I told her. I told her I'd let her know as soon as we got him back.” She rested her hand on Harry's arm. “We're going to get him back, Harry.”
“I know. I know we will,” Harry said, then he glanced sharply around as though he suspected someone might be eavesdropping. “Can you — can you come with me?”
Hermione eyed him worriedly. “What is it, Harry?”
Harry shrugged with false carelessness. “I just need a healer, and you're the best one.”
Hermione's heart stalled. “What have you done, Harry? Have you — have you tortured someone?”
Harry's head jerked up, and he stared at her, horrified. “What? No. Why would you think that?”
Hermione gave a faint gasp of relief and closed her eyes briefly. “Someone broke into my potion closet and stole almost our entire veritaserum supply for the month. I don't know what other things you might be doing.”
Harry eyed her and shoved his hands into his pockets. “We just went and got a few snatchers. None of them know occlumency. Veritaserum works.”
“What do you need me for then?”
“I'll tell you once we get there,” Harry caught her by the wrist and pulled his invisibility cloak over their heads. He led her out of Grimmauld Place and apparated.
They reappeared at an empty lot. Harry reached out and grabbed something invisible in midair. There was the screech of an old gate and Harry stepped forward, still holding Hermione by the wrist. As she followed him, a small cottage started appearing, surrounded by a large garden and a pond which she and Harry were standing beside.
“Where are we?” Hermione glanced around.
“It was the Tonks' house,” Harry said. “Remus and Tonks re-warded it so Remus would have a safe place to transform.”
Hermione stared in disbelief. “Tonks comes back to the house her parents were murdered in?”
Harry looked up at the building and his eyes grew wistful. “It's her childhood home. She got married in the living room. She says she had to come back. It's all that's left of her parents. If my parents' house in Godric's Hollow were still standing, I'd go back there too.”
He stood staring at the cottage for a minute before rousing himself. “Come on.”
Harry led the way along a winding gravel path up to the front door. The entry opened into the sitting room with a dining room beyond. Charlie, Fred, Remus and Tonks were all standing around a table. They looked up when Harry entered. Hermione followed him into the room.
“I got a healer,” Harry announced as he walked in.
Everyone stared back in disbelief.
“Hermione?” Fred said in an incredulous tone. “I thought you were getting a field healer.”
“They don't know enough,” Harry said flatly as he walked up to the table. Hermione hung back. “It's been three days; we don't know what kind of injuries he might have. Hermione can heal anything.”
“And the last time she was on a mission was when?” Charlie said, arching an eyebrow as he stared at her.
Harry looked over to Hermione.
“Three and a half years,” Hermione said, avoiding everyone's eyes.
“We can't take her,” Fred said, folding his arms. “The Order needs her. There's no replacing her as a healer, and she has no experience in the field.”
“What the Order needs is to stop losing people, or there won't be anyone left for her to heal.” Harry said in a furious voice.
“Padma. Padma's good with healing, and she's used to being on a battlefield.” Remus said, studying Harry rather than Hermione.
Harry shook his head. “Padma's only got one foot. She might be ready for missions with a prosthetic in a few months, but she isn't now. Pomfrey is in her sixties and gets winded on the stairs. I need someone who can move fast. Hermione doesn't need to be used to fighting. We can cover her.” Harry's jaw jutted out obstinately.
“What are you planning? The five of you can't possibly think you can break into Hogwarts for a rescue,” Hermione said, clutching her wand.
“Ron's not at Hogwarts,” Harry said matter-of-factly, tapping a scroll of parchment. “We went out and got some snatchers. The word is that they moved him closer to London for interrogation. There's a smaller prison near Cambridge.”
“Near Cambridge?” Hermione echoed. There were no known prisons in Cambridge. Draco would have mentioned it. “And you got this from snatchers?”