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Then I realized I never let go of my arm. I slowly looked across my body and my brain could not interpret the data it was receiving. There in my hand was my left arm. The arm was severed at the shoulder, but there was no blood the end was black and charred like an overcooked piece of meat. I looked at Ms. Granger and said, "Oh! You did not say get out of the rain yo. You said Look out for the Rhino. But that was not a Rhino that was an Erumpent." Then the world went black.

Chapter 4: When You Assume...

The world started to take shape. I felt warm and comfortable. I could hear people around me speaking quietly, but I could tell it was an animated conversation. "What are we doing here?" a male voice stated.
"Ron!" whom I surmised was Ms. Granger retorting, "We are here because he put his life on the line for me. He did not have to protect me from those Dementors. So it is my fault he is in here."
"I think you fancy him." Mr. Weasley hissed.
"If I do what business is it of yours?"
"What business is it of mine?" he bit back sarcastically, "you are my girl, and I don't like it when my girl starts liking somebody else."
Ms. Granger's voice went to a yell, "Your Girl!"
"Shush..." Mr. Weasley interrupted.
Now in a heated whisper, "When in the hell did I become your property? Hmm?"
"I did not mean it like that," he replied, "and you know it. What I meant was we are dating."
"Oh really," her voice dripped heavily with sarcasm, "I am glad you finally told me. How long have we been going out?"
I guess my body twitched or something Mr. Weasley's voice went to a low whisper, "this is not the place to talk about our private affairs, he could hear."
"So now it is an affair!" her voice razing a little louder, "what do you think of me a scarlet woman? We can talk about it right now. I don't care if Professor Blackwood woke up and told you off." There was a tense moment of silence, I think so Ms. Granger could collect her thoughts. "When did I say yes to you asking me out?"
"You didn't. I assumed since we have been staying in the same place and hanging out all the time that we were going out."
"No Ronald, that means we have been friends. We have been helping to take care of Harry. That is why we are living in the same place. Is that why you said you would stay with Harry? So we would date?" her voice lost all pretence of quiet and it was a full blown argument.
"No I did it because I wanted to make certain you were not..." his voice trailed off trying to take back what he started to say.
Ms. Granger already caught on, "You arrogant ass. You volunteered to make certain that I was not going to shag Harry behind your back." The silence was defining. Mr. Weasley mumbled something, "What was that Ronald?"
"I said if the wand fits!"
That very moment I could hear metal scraping on tile as both, I assumed the opponents jumped to there feet. I took this moment to open my eyes to see the two standing face to face. Ms. Granger's right hand had a handful of Mr. Weasley's shirt. Her left hand held her wand pointed at the floor, ready to come up and hex the young angry man in her clutches. Mr. Weasley stood his face redder than his hair. His arms crossed over his chest almost daring her to try something.
The small room, I am getting ahead of myself. The room itself was white with simple black and white checkered tiles. There was a window, but the blinds were drawn. I could tell it was daylight. The Sun was out or as much as could be said for dreary London. The room was square in shape I would guess about 10' X 10.' There was nothing on the walls. The two chairs the quarreling duo ejected them from were at the end of the bed. The bed itself was situated with the headboard on the right of the door. It was a twin bed. Ok, now back to them.
Ms. Granger's voice was low and dangerous, "Get this though your dumb ass that is perched on your shoulders. We are not dating. We were friends but now I think you ruined that just now. If you ever make a suggestion like that again I will turn you from a rooster to a hen in one flick. Don't think I won't do it, you prick!"
I bolted up as Ron wrenched her hand from his shirt and yelled, "Don't you touch me again you... Filthy... Little... Mud..."
"Hold it right there, Mr. Weasley!" I interrupted their little spat that was turning violent. My hand pointing like it had a wand in it. "You had better get out while you still can."
He did the first smart thing since I woke up, more since I had known him. Mr. Weasley retreated toward the door. I knew it was too good to be true as he turned with a sneer on his face, "So it is true you do fancy her. Don't worry I will make certain you won't be mine or anyone else's professor at Hogwarts."
"Mister, you have said quite enough, unless you are apologizing, leave. Consider you presence no longer welcome." I commanded calmly.
I guess my volume carried farther than I realized. There were people I did not know rushing in, knocking Mr. Weasley to the ground in all the kayos. I did recognize Madam Pomfrey among the group. 'Why is it that in the wizarding world everyone's style is from an earlier age? Oh well I could not tell you.'
"What is the meaning of this?" she commanded bringing the room to a halt.
I recognized Mr. Potter; he was starting to pull Mr. Weasley to his feet. There was a heart shaped face young woman with purple hair keeping a careful eye on me and Ms. Granger. A shabby dressed man with graying hair was trying to assist Mr. Potter. He looked sickly like he burned the candle at both ends. An unlearned person would underestimate him as a threat. I could tell from the moment I looked in to his eyes. I didn't want to be on his bad side. When I got a good look at his face he looked too young to have all that grey. Also there were two identical young men with shocking red hair and an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Weasley as well. They did not actually come into the room they stood snickering at the door. I was worried there would be retribution especially from, I assume twins, about ejecting what mostly was some family of theirs. I know I was in some sort of medical care but I did not want more.
The silence was broken by a very quiet whimper. All eye turned to where Ms. Granger had sank back into her seat. Her face was buried in her hands and her body was shaking with each hitch and sobs that emitted from her. My heart went out to her, but I was distracted by the very angry voice of Mr. Potter. "What did you do to Hermione?" he accused very heatedly.
I thought he was accosting his friend, Mr. Weasley. When I looked to him suddenly all eyes were on me, 'Great!' I mused 'now everyone is going to have a piece of me for just waking up.' I took a calming breath, "Before you loose you venom on me, Mr. Potter. Please inquire to your," lacing the next word with sarcasm, "friend why Ms. Granger is in this state."
With wary eyes all not crying shifted to Mr. Weasley. I broke the tense silence, "Well, please explain why I requested you to leave the room."
"Oh Sure," he bit back, "Make me look like the bad guy."
I very slowly started rubbing my temples with my thumbs my hands covering my brow from in frustration. "Fine," replying shortly, "If Mr. Weasley will not explain himself then I want him out of this room. This is what I wanted in the first place."
Slapping Mr. Potter's hand away, Mr. Weasley quickly stood and barreled his way out of the room. Shoving his, I assume, brothers into the room. The door slammed behind him with a resounding thud. I made the connection that the crack I heard next was Mr. Weasley Apparating away. Ms. Granger started to sob louder now that her offender was gone.
Mr. Potter immediately rushed to her side. The rest of the group was still sizing me up. The grey haired man, now frustrated looking, broke the ice, "What in Merlin's beard is going on here?"
I started to explain, "I was waking up when..."
"No professor," Ms. Granger found her voice, "I was my fault." She gulped in a couple of breaths before I could get over the shock of her incorrect revelation she continued, "I hurt Ron and now I don't know where he went." The last part was almost unintelligible as she started to cry again. She stood and pushed her way by Mr. Potter. The others seemed to be giving her a wide birth. I knew in her current mood she might do something drastic either to herself, or if she found, Mr. Weasley.
In a moment she was attempting to open the door. The purple hair woman reached for her but missed and fell on the graying gentleman hindering his attempt to stop her. As she opened the door, which swings away from my bed, I reached out and grabbed her with my left... Hey I had a left arm! Thank you God! I grabbed her wrist as she was halfway out the door. She was pulling my arm along as I attempted to pull her back a weird yet gross sound came from my shoulder.
"Slurp, POP!" The 'pop' came with painful consequences. What felt like tendrils of lightning shot though my head and down my body. My body went into automatic mode. My voice boomed out a guttural yawp of, "SHIT!" My other hand immediately clamped onto the arm, in fear of it coming off again. The hand was still clasped like a vice around Ms. Granger's wrist. I pulled my arm back so quick it caught her off guard.
She in shock from being cursed at was pulled onto her posterior into the room between the twins. The two were completely engrossed in the action around them like they were watching a drama on TV. All they needed was a bucket of popcorn between them to top off their watching pleasure. Sure if there was Ms. Granger would be sitting in it right now. The oil stain from the butter would have been the cherry on top of her shit day.
The room went into motion. Madam Pomfery rushed to me quickly waving her wand over my shoulder. The twins, yeah they were still watching. The three that were left, the purple haired woman the old looking gentleman and Mr. Potter, rushed to Ms. Granger's aid.
I was brought back to pomfry's attention when she grabbed my arm and held straight out from my body. She cradled the arm with her back to me. Quietly she said, "Brace yourself." Before I could have her repeat, I yelled out again, "Shit!" I felt my arm pop back into socket.
Ms. Granger was inconsolable after my uncontrolled out burst. The three were trying to calm her down. I saw the grey haired guy pull out his wand. I turned to Pomfry she somehow knew the answer I needed and nodded I was Okay. I quickly turned back to the huddled groups just in time, "Don't cast that sir."
They all looked at me sharply. The grey hair man with his wand still at the ready, "Tell me why I should not place her under a cheering charm?"
"This is a depression brought upon by multiple systems, fear, shame, and regret." I replied calmly though Ms. Granger was still in a right state. "We must first take care of some of the symptoms before she can be cheered. The cheering charm would only take care of her depression her fear and shame would still be there."
He lowered his wand as I turned my attentions fully on Ms. Granger. She was no longer sobbing. She was being cradled by the protective arms of Mr. Potter. I watcher for a moment her body was tiring out from the onslaught of such crushing feelings. As I fear she would not look at any making certain not to be able to look at me.
I tried to get her attention, I wanted her to see I was Okay. "Ms. Granger," no response. A little more forceful, "Ms. Granger look at me." She buried herself deeper in Mr. Potter's chest at that. I took a risk by using her first name and making certain I used a calm soothing voice, "Hermione, please look at me."
This did the trick. The realization I was using her first name really struck home as she sat up from Mr. Potter and stopped crying. The fear and shame were still etched upon her face. I had to act fast if I before she slipped back. "I am Okay," her doubt started to cloud her vision, I tried to intercede, "Look at me Hermione I am okay." Her face was still doubtful. I mused in thought, 'In a world full of magic. Why does she have to be a doubting Thomas?'
First I looked to Pomfry again she seemed to understand and nodded. (To be a healer does you have to be psychic?) I reached out my left arm to her, inviting her to prove to herself I was not hurt. Slowly light a wild animal trying to trust she stood and move toward me. All eyes seemed to be glued to her, but they knew this was a journey that had to be made on her own. Any noise or break in concentration and she would not go thought with it. Apprehensively she made it across the room. Her touch at first was feather light, like I was going to exploded or something. Oh, yeah I did explode, or something. Then once the fear of explosion was gone she started really holding my shoulder.
I made her jump out of her thoughts, "Give it a tug. Let's see if it will stay."
She grabbed my wrist and with a light pull, my arm stayed in place. She looked to me as if asking what happened. I replied, "I think what happened was my arm was not fully in socket when it healed. When I grabbed you it pulled out ready to be completely rest and help finish fully mending the shoulder." I tuned to Pomfrey, "Was I correct in my diagnosis?"
"Well I usually don't like it when people diagnose their own injuries, but since I ma here and, yes you are correct." She stated reluctantly.
My vision was suddenly blocked by a mass of brown hair as I Ms. Granger engulfed me in a huge hug. "I am so sorry Professor Blackwood. If it was not for me you would not be here."
"Ms. Granger did you, tell those Dementors to attack you?"
She still held on and replied quietly, "No, but..."
"Oh so you are saying that you made the Erumpent Animagus attack me and blow off my arm? Is that what you are saying?" I retorted in a patronizing, yet poking fun tone.
My comedic jab did the trick in getting her to stop crying. She had let go of me and crossed her arms in a huff, "you make it very hard for a person to place blame where it was needed. So I guess the only thing left for to blame in your eyes it Ron. So..."
"No," interrupting her before she could get going again, "you had no control or did not ask him to react the way he did. It is not your fault you don't have feelings for him. Besides he did go about it backwards."
"Backwards?" Both twins chimed in at the same time. Then they started to ping pong the next statement between them.
"How..."
"Can you..."
"Get dating..."
"Backwards?" They both finished.
"Before we go any further," I stated, "This information is kind of touchy for Ms. Granger. I know she is comfortable talking in front of yall..."
"Yall?" they all repeated in chorus.
I smiled knowingly, "Yes 'Yall' it is the conjunction of you all, southern statement. I don't know if you already know my name. I am David Blackwood. At the end of my school year at Oxford," Ms. Granger seemed to perk up at this mention but let me continue, "I was hired as the new transfiguration professor at Hogwarts."
"We explained that to the twins," Ms Granger started, "Pointing at each thye are Fred and George, AKA Gred and Feorge. They are Ron's," she bit out his name in disgust brothers."
"Great to meet you," they chimed in together then went ping pong again.
"Do you..."
"Really ride horses,"
"And have gun battles."
"In the streets?" they finished together.
I chuckled to myself, "Do you still pull swords out of stones and have jousts?" their faces went red, and "If that was true I would not be shooting guns I would be shooting arrows."
"Ohhhh!" they said in understanding.
Ms. Granger getting us back on track, "Anyway, this is Professor Lupin,"
"Former," he interjected.
"Former," Ms. Granger stated rolling her eyes, "professor at Hogwarts, and the best we had, for Defense against the Dark Arts."
Blushing he stood from his crouching position clasping my hand, "Please call me Remus," turning the young woman, "This violet hared young lady you see is Nymphadora Tonks."
As she passed by Remus to shake my hand, she elbowed him in the ribs, "Git," under her breath, "Great to meet you, and call me Tonks." giving Remus a sideways glance as she shook my hand.
Smirking, "I take it there is a sore spot when it comes to your name?"
Remus groaned, but my attention was drawn back to Tonks. She so sweetly replied, "I am so glad I got to you in time. So I could do this." Immediately she punched me in the left arm.
Rubbing me arm as the rest of the room quietly snickered, "So quick to violence, and even though a little maladroit I would say an Auror."
Shock showed on her face, "You are a profiler."
"Of sorts," I sat up in bed Indian style. "With My Doctorate in Psychology it comes with the territory. For instance, I would need to be an Animagus around the full moon with Remus."
"Now you're creeping us out," she retorted. Remus seemed to shift nervously from foot to foot at my revelation.
I smiled warmly at Remus, "I fear your disease, Remus. It's a Disease same as a cold. While you take the proper precautions it can't be passed to another person. Since it is a disease it doesn't define who you are. By the way where am I, St Mungo's?" apprehensively I asked the group.
All Smiling sympathetically the twins chimed in, "No, We decided"
Fred, "To keep this little incident,"
George, "Out of the press for,"
Both, "safety reasons."
"Who was my attacker?" I asked matter-of-factly.
The room seemed to go quiet, "It was a Death Eater, Antonin Dolohov." Hermione spat it out like she had eaten something foul.
"Yes," I said recalling what I had read, "The battle at The Department of Mysteries. I am glad you recovered well. I have heard of that spell and it can kill. In America it is an unforgivable."
"It was a tough recovery but I have been completely healed for a while." She said smiling affectionately.
It turned to Mr. Potter who was keeping quiet I the background, "I am sorry about your godfather."
"You look like him," was his only reply.
"Hagrid had attacked him," she interjected, "for that very reason. Since the patient is felling better, I will take my leave."
Forgetting my modest, when she turned to step out the door, I flung the covers off while hopping from the bed. It was then I quickly checked for clothes. I was wearing my Eskimo Joe green plaid pants and a simple white under shirt. Before she could react swept her up in a hug. "Thank you so much," I gushed while hugging her, "If not for your knowledge of medical magic I would be giving you half this hug."
She trilled a small giggle, and embraced me back, "this was one of the better reactions I had to my treatments." Smiling she left the room and apparated away.
As I got back into bed, the twins started ribbing me, "Have a thing for older women eh?"
George, "Stay away."
Fred, "from our mother."
Both, "If you please."
I started to chuckle and come back at their banter, but Hermione struck back will claws out, "wait till I tell your mother what you said about her. Besides there is no way he fancies Madam Pomfrey."
"Now, now Ms. Granger..." I started to reply.
"Stop calling me that," looking confused at her she continued, her voice went timid, "you can call me Hermione if you want."
The faces of the twins lit up like they had gotten Christmas early. The couple smiled and tilted their heads as if saying, 'ah how cute.' Mr. Potter on the other hand seemed to draw more into himself. I was snapped back to the twins who were whispering to themselves about how they could use this against her.
If looks could kill then the twins would be dead where they sat. The look Ms. Granger was giving them was priceless. I could tell she was about to pound them. I quickly placed my hand on her shoulder to keep her sitting on the end of the bed. "Clam down Ms..." She shot me a look, "Hermione, I am certain the twins did not mean it like their brother."
My attempt at diverting away from a fight worked. They all shifted their attention back to our original topic. Remus asked the question that I am certain was on their minds, "What did you mean by backwards?"
"He had assumed Hermione was dating him, but never asked Hermione out. That was not the reason I kicked him out of my room." I stopped there hoping the group of wizards would not press me for more information.
"Please enlighten us." Mr. Potter chimed in seriously. He had not moved from his position in the corner with his arms crossed.
I was so scared of them thinking I was lying, I stuttered out, "H-h-h-he called..."
Hermione helped me out, "He called me a mud-blood." The room erupted in shouts of expletives. If they were not on their feet they were now. All faces were masked in rage.
Mr. Potter was heading toward the door, "He had better be packed and out of the Dursley's home by the time I get there."
I guess I was the goalie and the door the goal. Mr. Potter was the second person I did not let pass as I held him back. "Why do you think I kicked him out, Mr. Potter?" He glared at me as I continued, "we need to keep calm heads. Before we rush off and do something that could get us in real trouble."
"What we need to do is damage control," Remus spoke. "Case in point. The threat of Ron getting our new professor fired before he can teach his first class. Just for dating Hermione."
"Hold on, the status of me dating Hermione..." I was interrupted by a stern female voice.
" Yes," Mistress McGonagall said coolly, "Please elaborate on you dating one of my students, Mr. Blackwood."