A Midsummer's Nightmare

"Dad!" screamed Hermione in the London Hospital. "Dad, you have to live through this operation! You just have to."

Charlotte, Hermione 's stepmother, pulled Hermione away from Richard gently. "Hermione, he'll be fine. Now come, John will take you to Nell's place. I know how much you love our old house. Nell will look after you there. Don't worry, Richard will be as fit as a fiddle by the time you come back."

Both of Hermione's sisters were married. Meg was older and lived in York. Hermione hadn't seen her for years. Nell and her husband, Edward, married four years ago. They bought their father's house after they were married. Hermione and the rest of the family moved to London after the wedding. Nell was very close to Hermione, Hermione had always wanted to visit her old home again, but she wouldn't leave. "No, I'm not going," said Hermione stubbornly. "I'm not going anywhere. Not when Dad's in danger."

John, Hermione's older stepbrother, caught Hermione by her waist and carried her out. "I'm sorry," he apologised, "but you just won't walk out by yourself." John stuffed Hermione into the back of his car as she kicked around, trying to free herself.

Hermione sobbed. What if Dad died? Since the death of her mother, Katherine, Hermione's father had been her only comfort. Charlotte had been kind enough, but she never understood Hermione. Hermione would never forgive herself, if anything happened to Dad while she was away.

John drove all the way to Hertford. He tried to comfort Hermione, but Hermione just kept crying. Nell was already waiting for them by the time they got to Hertford. Nell's eyes were red from crying. She was holding a telephone, talking to Meg. Nell put the phone down and mumbled, "How could this happen? I thought Dad was healthy."

John replayed, "Yes, he was. We only discovered that he had skin cancer yesterday. Our discovery was a bit late, because his cancer is really bad now. Hopefully, we can remove everything during the operation later today. I have to go now. I'll ring you after the operation. Come to London to see Richard then."

John left and Nell rang Edward, who was on a business trip in USA. Hermione looked around absently. Nothing changed much in this house. All the furniture were still there. She dragged her luggage upstairs, into her old room. Annie, Hermione's two years old niece, was lying on Hermione's old bed, fast asleep. As Hermione put down her she thought, "How I envy that child. World is still kind to her. No sorrow has befallen her yet, since she doesn't know Dad yet." She left the room soundlessly and went downstairs again.

Hermione discovered a little door under the stairs on her way to kitchen. It was very pretty, but tiny. It was curved finely, even finer than the finest furniture in the house. She didn't remember it being there four years ago. "Nell must have put it here after we left," she thought. "I wonder what's in here." Hermione pulled the door open and looked into it. An invisible hand dragged her into the tiny chamber. Everything was spinning around her. Hermione felt sick, but everything stopped moving at the same time. Hermione found herself in the hallway, vomiting.

"Oh, my Young Lady!" exclaimed girl dressed in a long high collared dress. "Where hast thou been?"

Hermione stared at this girl. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"N'er? N'er?" the girl looked at Hermione, surprised. "I am thy maid, Molly. I have been thy maid all my life and thou do not know me! Why, thou must be really ill!"

Hermione was puzzled. "Maid? I've never had a maid before," she thought. "Why is she all dressed up? Well, I'll just pretend that I know her and try to find out what is happening." So Hermione straighten herself and said, "I beg your pardon. I don't feel well. Didn't realize that was you, Molly."

Molly looked relieved. "I thought thou were out of thy mind. My Young Lady, allow me to take you to thy room. You must rest for tonight. I'll tell Sir Richard of thy illness. Thou must be excused from supper."

Ruby was led to a room, which looked liked her old room. The furniture was the same, but candles and oil lamps were in the place of light bulbs. Clearly, Hermione was in another century, because there was no electricity yet. Hermione felt the crimson canopy bed. The bed wasn't as soft as her modern bed, because it was stuffed with hay.

It wasn't until Molly started to undress Hermione that she realized that she was wearing bodice and long skirt too. The dress was crimson with gold stitches. It was nicer than Molly's dress, which was just plain brown. The material was better too. Molly took all of her clothes off and left her in her chemise before she let Hermione lay down.

"Now rest," said Molly. "Thou shall be fine on the morrow. Perchance thou would be well enow to attend the Midsummer Party. Goodnight"

"Thank you," murmured Hermione sheepishly.

Molly turned around and stared, "Pray pardon me, I don't know what you mean."

"Um..." Hermione tried to say thank you in whatever-this-era-is English, but she could only think of Shakespearean. "I mean, grammercy," she stammered, hoping it was right.

"My pleasure," smiled Molly as she walked away.

'So this is sixteenth century," thought Hermione. "No wonder everyone dresses weirdly." As she thought of her funny encounter, Hermione fell asleep.

It was seven o'clock when Molly woke Hermione up. Molly brought in some wine and bread for Hermione to eat, but she also brought in water, toothbrush, clothes, hairbrush, and etc. to dress Hermione. Hermione stared at the wine and bread. "Is this the breakfast?" Hermione asked, before remembering there were no such things as breakfast in the sixteenth century.

Molly was shocked. "My good Young Lady, hast thy mind gone? This is what you eat every morning. Thou art ill, very ill. Breakfast? What is breakfast? Mayhap I shall not dress thee. Perchance thou should rest for today."

"Oh no," thought Hermione, "I mustn't ruin today and waste my time in bed. I must think before I say anything that abnormal in the sixteenth century." Hermione thought about what she was going to say in Shakespearean English first, before she said, "Molly, prithee dress me. I am well. I'd like to get up now. I have spent too much time resting."

Lucky for Hermione she studied Shakespeare's plays at school a few months before. Molly seemed to be convinced by her "normal" speech and dressed Hermione in a cream velvet dress. The dress was really heavy and hot, but Hermione had to put it on. Molly did Hermione's hair up and put a pretty velvet hat on top of it.

By the time Hermione was ready, it was lunchtime or dinner, as Elizabethans said. Hermione reminded herself that she shouldn't talk, unless she was sure it was Elizabethan, as she walked down to the dinning room. There she met her father, stepmother and stepbrother in Elizabethan time.

Surprisingly, Hermione's Elizabethan father was called Richard Pike Granger and looked exactly alike to her twentieth century Dad. The same thing occurred to Charlotte and John. Hermione knew then it was her family in the sixteenth century. Everything was the same except for the language and the costume. All Hermione would have to do was act normally but change the way she spoke.

"Father! Charlotte! Good day," said Hermione as she sat opposite to John.

"I am glade that thou are feeling better," said Richard. "I've been told by Molly that thou were on fever and spoke wildly last night. It would be a pity though, if thou hast to stay home when we are at the Midsummer Carouse anon. Thou may go and see the play with John after thou hast eaten thy dinner."

Dinner was raveled bread, which was not the finest nor the coarsest bread in Elizabethan age, with a mixture of beef and apricots. Parsnips were in the soup and they had perry, a slightly alcoholic peer cider, to accompany the meal. Hermione thought the meal rather sweet, parsnip soup rather sticky and the stuff floating in perry rather disgusting, but the meal didn't taste too bad.

John took Hermione out after dinner. They paid two pennies to see the play. The play was quite good, although it wasn't by William Shakespeare. Hermione liked it very much. The only thing Hermione hated was the street and theater. There were rubbish, fruit peels and animal (maybe even human) excrements everywhere in the street. The theater wasn't any better.

On their way home, somebody chucked a bucket full of excrement down from a window upstairs. It landed on Hermione and ruined Hermione's dress. John took Hermione home and ordered Molly to clean her up before the feast.

Hermione was expecting a bath, but Molly just wiped her face with a towel and changed her dress. However, Molly did wash Hermione's hair with cold water, without shampoo or soap. After Hermione was "cleaned", Molly put a lot of heavy perfume on her, trying to hide the bad smell.

The party was fun. Hermione spent most of the night dancing and singing. There were two knights, who admired her and followed her everywhere. They were Sir Harry and Sir Ron. Hermione knew those men. They were her playmates in the twentieth century. Though she hadn't seen them for four years, they were still recognizable. So she danced and laughed with them like old friends.

"Thou art most beauteous fair," said Harry when they danced. Harry was more handsome than Ron and not as hot-headed.

Ron sang very well. Hermione learnt a few songs that night. "Old Woman Who Lived Under a Hill" was Hermione's favourite. It had a lot of "fa la la" in it, but that was the reason Hermione liked it.

"Thou dost sing most marvelous well," Ron looked at her admiringly. "I shall sing for thee." Ron sang "Rose, Rose, Rose Red" to Ruby.
"Rose, Rose, Rose Red,
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will. Sir
At thy will," sang Ron. Suddenly, he knelt before Hermione, "Will thy marry me?"

Hermione laughed as Harry pushed Ron over and they fought each other.

"Plague! Run for your life! Plague is here!" shouted someone and everybody started to run.

John grabbed Hermione and yelled on the top of his voice, "It is Richard. He has the plague. Go home! We'll take care of him. Go!"

"Dad! It's dad again!" thought Hermione. The pale face of her Dad in the twentieth century was still vivid in her mind. "I've got to stay with him. Even if he isn't the twentieth century Dad, he is still Dad," thought Hermione as she ran towards Charlotte.

"John! Take her away!" screamed Charlotte. "Don't let her go near Richard. Plague is contagious."

Too late. Hermione was beside Richard already. "Father! Get up! I shall get thee home in a second. Hang on!"

"Hermione Henrietta Granger! What do you think you are doing? Get away from him!" cried Charlotte as she tried to pull Hermione away. "You will get the plague too if thou art not careful. Go home!"

John drove a carriage over and put Richard into it. He pulled Hermione off and told her, "You walk with Mother," when she tried to climb up.

"We have to leave here, or the plague would get us. Richard would have to stay behind," muttered Charlotte. "John will dismiss the servants and get our possessions. Then we'll go to Meg's. York should be safe. The plague isn't that fast. By the time the plague went to York, Hertford should be safe again."

Hermione was horrified. Were they leaving Dad behind? Were they leaving him without care and medication? It was bad enough to leave Dad behind with doctors and nurses, but it was worse to leave him to die. "I am not leaving with you," said Hermione bravely.

"Pray pardon me!" exclaimed Charlotte. "Did thou say that thou art not coming? Thou have to, or thy will die!"

"You horrid old hag!" shrieked Hermione. "How can thy do this?"

"'Enow!" scolded Charlotte. "Thou art prating. I know thou art upset, but be quiet now."

John had everything ready by the time they got home. Charlotte jumped in to the carriage and pulled Hermione in with her. Hermione freed herself and jumped down again. She grabbed her luggage and ran inn to the house. John stopped her, "Stay! What are thou doing? We are leaving! Put your thing back and get in."

Hermione pushed John away. "Father needs me! I left him against my will once and I am not letting that happen again. Thou hast been a very good brother to me, but I fear we must part now. Thy mother, Charlotte, wishes to leave, but my father is sick, I wish to look after him as any daughter should. Fare thee well, John, I hope we can meet again."

"Bless thy heart, Hermione. Not many would stay, even for their father. I'd like to stay too, but I must obey Mother. Fare thee well," John said before he left with Charlotte.

No servant remained in the house. Not even dear Molly. The house was rather empty without them servants. There was still food in the kitchen, but the stove was stone cold. Hermione lit a fire, heated some bread, and poured some wine for Father.

Hermione took the food upstairs and woke Richard up, "Father, wake up. Here's some food. They'll do you good."

"Hermione!" moaned Richard feverishly. "What art thou doing here? I'm going to die. I know it. Why didn't Charlotte take thee with her?"

"Nay, Father. I'm not leaving you," said Hermione gently. "Do let me look after thee."

Richard sighed, "Thou art wasting thy time on dead man. I have the black spot on my armpit. Thou will die too if thou stay longer."

Hermione simply refused to leave. She opened the windows for fresh air and made Richard are his food. As much as Richard wanted Hermione to leave before the whole town moved, he had no power to argue with her. The plague was sucking strength away from him.

Harry knocked on the front door on the second day. He was determined to take Hermione away with him. "Hermione, come with me. We'll get married in another town. There are no more Ron. He hast the plague too."

Kitty still wouldn't leave, so Harry stayed with her. No healthy people, except for Hermione and Harry, were left in Hertford on the third day. Richard was getting worse. Kitty tried every thing she knew about curing Black Death, but nothing really worked.

On the fifth day, the mysterious little door appeared again, but Hermione ignored it and went about her daily chore as usual. She found Richard's corpse in midday, when she brought dinner to him. Richard was covered by black spots.

Harry was eating his dinner when he heard a shriek from upstairs. He rushed up and found Hermione weeping by Richard. The food tray was dumped on the floor and there were wine everywhere. Harry glanced at Richard and knew he had died. Harry pulled Hermione away gently. Hermione flung herself on Harry as she cried, "He's dead! He's dead!"

It took a while before Hermione calmed herself down. She wiped away her tears and smiled at Harry, "Fare thee well, Harry. I must go now. Lucky this isn't real; it's just a nightmare. I shall go back now and find my father safe and sound. No more funny language either. Goodbye, Harry. I shall miss you."

Before Harry could say a word, Hermione ran downstairs and crawled through the little door. The same dizzy feeling came back. Suddenly, Hermione found herself in the twentieth century once more.

"There you are," said Nell. "I was wondering if you had settled down yet. Won't you have lunch now?"

'I... I... I feel sick. I want to go to bed," muttered Hermione as she ran to her room.

Annie had already waked up. She greeted her favourite aunt with a big grin. "Good Annie, would you like to go downstairs now? Mummy was trying to find you," said Hermione. Annie ran off cheerfully and Hermione sat down on her chair.

Was that real? Did she dozed off in the hallway or did she really been to another century? She still smelt horrible, so it must be true. No one could make themselves stink like that just by dreaming.

Hermione's cell phone rang. "Hello?" asked Kitty.

"Hermione," said the unfamiliar voice, "this is John. Come to London at once. The operation failed, Richard... is... is..."

"Dead!" screamed Hermione. "No, John, this can't be true! Tell me it's a joke! It's a joke, right?"

John sounded awful, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I can't help it. He passed away in peace, I'm sure."

"Peace or no peace!" yelled Hermione. "John William Delane! I refuse to believe you. Neither would I come!"

Hermione turned off her cell phone. She wept bitterly. She lost two fathers in two hours. It sounded unbelievable, but it was true. Hermione recovered faster than when her father in 16th century died. The first shock was over, now she didn't felt as bad as she did. Hermione was thankful that her father in 16th century died, because she had faced her father's death once and she could cope better this time.

Nell came in. She, too, heard the news. Nell had been through several deaths before, so she had recovered totally by now. "Hermione, you have a visitor," said Nell.

Hermione buried her face in the pillow. "Tell that person to go away. I feel sick. I don't want to see anyone."

However, the visitor was in her room already. "Hermione," was all the visitor said, but his voice was enough to make Hermione look at him.

It was Harry. The twentieth century Harry. He stood in the doorway. "Harry!" exclaimed Hermione. "It's you!"

"Aye, I'm here, Hermione. I was wondering if you'd know me or not. You were only fourteen when we parted," said Harry casually. "Ron died last year. I don't suppose you'd know, since you never come again after Nell's wedding. I'm sorry about your father. He was one of the finest men I've ever known. Nevertheless, everything is up to God to decide. All we human could do is to try and cheer ourselves up until we are in heaven."

Oh Harry, dear dear Harry. How could Hermione forget about her sweet Harry? The only one who stayed with her in times of danger. For Hermione, the trip to Elizabethan England was a nightmare, although it was somewhat helpful. It was one of those terrible nightmares that foreboded bad things. In times Hermione would recover totally and accept her father's death. When she does, the trip would be no more than a "Midsummer Nightmare".

Author's Note: This story has nothing to do with magic, as it is not exactly based on any Harry Potter books. Only the names of my two favorite characters are taken out. Thus, it is AU.