"Hey Harry have you seen my copy of Arithmancy: A Guide for 7th Years?" asked Hermione, overturning cushions on the Gryffindor common room couches as she spoke.
"Er no, I haven't" Harry replied as Hermione shooed him off the couch.
"Hermione, how many books do you have this year?' Harry asked tentatively.
He did not think that had seen Arithmancy: The Guide for 7th Years among her many.
"Well, I have 2 for Arithmancy, 3 for Herbology, 3 for Potions, 4 for Astronomy, 4 for Transfiguration, 1 for Defence against the Dark Arts, 1 for Divination (I can't believe you guys are making me take that awful class.) I have two for Care of Magical Creatures, 2 for Muggle Studies, 5 for Ancient Runes, and uh, 3 for charms, 5 for History of Magic and I borrowed about 10 from the library on Nicholas Flamel. I wanted to know more about him. You know from our first year" she said calmly as she continued to search for the missing Arithmancy book.
"Hermione. That is a total of 45 books!!!!!!!!! You can't handle this much!" Harry exclaimed, looking at her unbelievably.
"Harry, this is N.E.W.T.S year. I want to be Ministeress for Magic, ok? And seeing as I am a Muggle-Born you know that they're not going to like it. I want to succeed Scimageour. If I do, I can make the magical world a better place for all mistreated magical humans and creatures. Like us Muggle-Borns. We wouldn't be treated like dirt everywhere we go. And house-elves. Don't think I haven't forgotten about S.PE.W! No way, that is still running "answered Hermione angrily.
"Hermione, you'll make a great Ministeress but I think that maybe you are overworking yourself. Look, I don't think you have Arithmancy: A Guide for 7th Years. You never did. You're imagining things because of stress and exhaustion, Hermione" said Harry, stepping towards her.
"I AM NOT! I just need to find that bloody book!" Hermione cried with frustration and then collapsed. Harry had very quick reflexes from Quidditch so he was able to catch her before she hit the ground.
Two hours later Hermione woke up with Ron, Harry, Professor McGonagall and Ginny surrounding her bed. She was in the hospital wing and as soon as she opened her eyes they all cried "Hermione" in unison.
Madam Pomfrey came rushing over and force-fed an awful smelling purple liquid to Hermione.
She did not have enough energy to complain and just lay there waiting for someone to say something.
"Miss Granger, I have been notified by Mr Potter that you have been overworking yourself and are pretty sick as a result. Madam Pomfrey said you had a cross between a stress and anxiety attack. So i as head of Gryffindor am forbidding you from leaving the Hospital Wing for at least a week, and if you must do homework, I insist it be minimal and only two subjects" said Professor McGonagall.
Hermione was shocked at the extent of damage that she had done to herself. She was also frustrated that she had to choose only two subjects to do homework on. And she was going to miss out on SO much class.
"How am I going to pass N.E.W.T.Sif I am missing out on a week of class? I mean, Arithmancy alone is going to give me a least 3 essays in a week. And Defence Against the Dark Arts, well that's practical work. How can even catch upon that? I mean I can't very well apply to the Ministry of Magic for another time turner, can I? That would take months and months just to get a reply and they will probably say no. Ugh!!! How am I going to do this?????" Hermione thoughtupset
"Hermione, I promise that of the classes I have with you, I will bring you all the work I can and for Defence Against the Dark Arts, I will videotape it and then you can practice in an empty classroom when you are better" said Ginny.
Hermione looked dumbfounded and said
"How on earth did you know what I was thinking?"
"Hermione how can you not remember that when Riddle possessed me I was given the power of telepathy and mind-reading?" Ginny asked.
"But, I am sure you have never told me" Hermione said, puzzled. She thought back and could simply not remember being told.
Before she could say anything, Ginny replied with
"I am sorry Hermione. I think maybe you have been working yourself so hard you've lost bits of your memory."
But Hermione was still upset at the thought of losing some of her memory.
"Now Miss Granger I will be seeing you every day to check on you and I am assured by Madam Pomfrey that she will be treating you hourly with Assindium, the liquid that was given to you just before. I hope that you make a very fast recovery and I assure you that you will NOT be working as hard when you do recover." said Professor McGonagall, just before leaving.
Hermione screwed up her face at the thought of having to take the Assindium hourly for a week.
"Erm, I have to go. But I will be back tomorrow" said Ginny, and stood up.
"Yeah me too" added Ron. He and Ginny both left. Harry was left sitting beside Hermione. He did not look very good. His hair was tousled and out of place (but then again it always was) and his eyes were red. He looked like he had been awake for a VERY long time.
"Harry. How long have I been unconscious?" asked Hermione softly. She was still exhausted.
"About 2 days" he said tiredly. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Two days?? But that's ages! How come no-one told me straightaway? That's practically a coma" she exclaimed. Madam Pomfrey looked at them reproachfully and said
"Perhaps Miss Granger should not have any more visitors tonight. She needs to rest."
Harry looked up quickly and said hopefully
"Five more minutes?" Madam Pomfrey simply nodded and walked off to tend another patient.
"Look Hermione, I didn't know what was happening when you collapsed and for the past two days i haven't left your side." At this Harry took Hermione's hand. She smiled and wondered why Harry's face suddenly lit up a little.
"Hermione, I told you that you need to calm down. But you didn't. And now this has happened. Please don't tell me that you're just going to wear yourself down again just as soon as you have recovered. Okay, Professor McGonagall was seriously thinking of sending you home for a few months but Ginny and Ron talked her out of it. Do you realise that you could have been in a coma for well over 3 months? That it's lucky that I got you to Madam Pomfrey as soon as I did?" he said angrily.
Hermione didn't know what to say. She just looked at him and wondered again why when she looked in Harry's eyes all she saw pure sadness.
Harry smiled and reluctantly left, promising that he would be back 1st thing tomorrow. Hermione lay in bed thinking about what had happened, and tried to remember what had caused the "breakdown." All she remembered was a copy of Arithmancy: A Guide for 7th Years.
"I wonder where that is? I have been looking for it for ages" she thought, before falling asleep.