One-shot

‘Satisfied?’ Harry looked around nervously, anxious to be gone.

Hermione sighed. ‘S’pose so… I was sure he’d return home, though.’ Her eyes scanned the titles on the nearest bookshelf, but she wisely kept her hands to herself. ‘It’s the most obvious place.’

‘Too obvious, probably,’ said Harry. ‘Can we go now, like… before the Aurors arrive?’

‘Alright.’

With obvious relief, Harry Disapparated, leaving Hermione to her own devices.

‘You know,’ she announced to the empty room, ‘Harry’s very perceptive, but he doesn’t have a terribly good sense of smell.’ Nor had he noticed the spots of blood on the carpet.

*

‘He’s right about the Aurors, though,’ Hermione continued, astutely ignoring the shimmer in the furthest corner. ‘So it’s just as well I came prepared.’

Fishing out a scrap of parchment from her beaded bag, she placed it on the table. ‘My parents’ address. They’re away. In Australia…’ A pot of Floo Powder joined it. ‘In case you can’t Apparate, and these…’ assorted phials and bottles tinkled against the wooden surface ‘… are all the healing potions I've got.’ She turned to leave. ‘Good luck, sir. I’ll owl before I visit.’

A croaky, ‘Insufferable know-it-all,’ was all the thanks she needed.