It was a mystery which puzzled the whole school.
Even those who didn't know her, nevertheless knew of her and the news had flown round the school.
"I wish she could help us," was Harry's daily lament as they spent hour after hour pouring over the books in the library, hoping to find a cure.
They weren't the only ones in there. Most of their year were concerned about the mysterious illness and wanted to help put it right. The teachers had issued Restricted passes and helped with the research. There was always at least one teacher in there helping to find an answer. Everyone postulated theories and time would be spent investigating it, only for it to be discarded in frustration. Until they had worked out the cause they couldn't work out how to cure her.
Even the Weasley twins had put off annoying Umbridge to help. They had helped rally their house and one of them visited her daily in the Hospital Wing.
The facts were that Hermione had been perfectly healthy one moment, then fell unconscious the next. It had come over her so suddenly that she had fallen down the stairs as though struck by lightning and tumbled until the twins and their friends caught her.
They couldn't deduce what was wrong with her. Madam Pomfrey had examined her and declared her perfectly healthy. She was just in a deep, death-like sleep.
They had tried to wake her by conventional methods and magical means but nothing had worked. Snape had tried various antidotes to see if she reacted to any of them. Her friends racked their brains turning over and over the events leading up to what was referred to as Her Fall, to see if they might have missed something or if possibly she had taken something which might have caused it. Her room-mates and Ginny had been charged with looking through her things in case something had been slipped in there.
And all the while Hermione lay in the Hospital Wing, comatose and peaceful.
Even Draco Malfoy was rallying to the cause. He had visited her and something had clicked and he had immediately rallied the Slytherins to help. They had rounded up their books on the Dark Arts which Draco sheepishly handed over with the murmur of "no one left to pick on" as a way of excuse which no one bought.
Umbridge had made trouble, of course, by stoically reminding people of her 'no groups congregating' rule. She declared that so many people meeting in the library was not to cure one girl, but was research for an army to overthrow the ministry. The teachers cited extenuating circumstances and collectively overruled her.
As was often the case, it turned out to be a throwaway comment which provided the vital brainwave.
Luna came to visit Hermione. Both the Weasley twins were with her, and so was Harry. Harry often hoped that Hermione herself would provide the answer, just as she had about the basilisk in their second year.
Head tilted to one side Luna considered Hermione. Her lips pursed as they could practically see the cogs working in her head as she puzzled it out. "How long has she been like this now?"
"Almost a month," Fred said quickly. Luna shot him a look; he had been counting the days. She smiled gently as Fred tenderly brushed a lock of hair out of Hermione's face, his fingers lightly stroking her cheek as he did so.
Luna looked back at Hermione. "She looks like a princess."
"How do you mean?" Harry asked quietly, his voice crackling slightly with tiredness.
"Like Snow White after eating the apple or Sleeping Beauty after she pricked her finger."
At once the twins leaped to their feet and Harry straightened up.
"Luna! You might be onto something!" the twins exclaimed together before grabbing her by the arms and rushing her out of the ward, with Harry hurrying along behind them.
Soon they arrived in the library and the twins let Luna go before calling the room to attention.
"Everyone, we may have a lead. Has anyone found a reference to muggle fairytales?" George said.
"Possibly with regard to them having a basis in truth?" Fred added eagerly.
Seamus gingerly raised his hand. "I read something about wizards centuries ago developing ways to bait muggles by making their fairytales seem real."
"Where? Which book was it in?" Fred pressed.
Seamus went over to his section of bookshelves and scanned the titles until he found a specific book. He leafed quickly through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Here it is. 'It pleased certain wizards to toy with muggles and make them believe that their childhood stories were actually true. In doing so they very nearly exposed the whole world by releasing pixies into the muggle world and slipping potions into their drinks etc.'"
McGonnagal fished the book out of his hands and read it quickly before passing the book to Snape. "Thoughts?" she asked.
"I may be able to find a solution here." he replied calmly, taking the book off into a corner to study it. "Mr Malfoy? I believe you recovered a copy of the Gimmoire, did you not?"
"Yes sir."
"Fetch it please. There may be something there which was overlooked."
Draco scurried to fetch it. With both books open on the table in front of him Snape studied both. Finally he looked up at the waiting students and teachers.
"The spell which cast her into this sleep is simply known as the Fairytale Slumber. There is no known potion or spell which can undo it."
"Then what do we do, professor?" Ron asked.
"The reversal is referred to simply as True Love's Kiss. A common theme in muggle fairy stories, I believe. Miss Granger's true love need only kiss her lips and she will awaken."
Upon hearing this Ron immediately pushed his way through the crowd and ran to the Hospital Wing. Eager to see if it worked the rest followed too.
They entered the ward to find Ron sitting on her bed looking dejected. "It didn't work."
"Bad luck mate, guess you weren't her true love after all." Harry said, sympathetically.
"Mr Potter, while your comment may not be helpful, you do make a point. We need only now find her true love." McGonnagal said calmly, rolling her eyes slightly at Harry's remark. She turned to Parvati and Lavendar. "You two searched her belongings did you not? Was there any indication of who this person might be? Has she mentioned a strong romantic feeling to you or anyone else?"
The girls shook their heads and the other Gryffindors murmured no's too. McGonnagal turned to Harry and Ron. "The pair of you are her best friends, surely you must have some idea?"
"Sorry professor. We assumed it was Ron." Harry said. Ron swore.
"Very well. What I am about to suggest is the logical solution, although not perhaps the most efficient way of discovering who it is."
"If it wakes her up then by all means suggest it." Neville said.
"I propose that all the boys present kiss her one at a time."
"Surely we can narrow the field a little?" Snape put in. "Perhaps most logically, the boys of her own house first, starting with those who know her best?"
"Sound reasoning, Severus. Mr Potter, you first."
Shrugging and with a slightly nervous look at Ginny, Harry leant over Hermione and gently pecked her on the lips. She did not stir.
McGonnagal sent Neville forwards next. Visibly shaking he kissed her as though scared to cause her offence. She did not wake.
The same result came when Seamus and Dean each kissed her.
Then George was sent forwards. He sent a slightly apologetic look at his twin before briefly pecking her lips. She remained asleep.
Then Fred approached her and sat on the bed next to her, leaning over her. He took a little more time than the others; he gently stroked her cheek with his knuckles before tenderly pressing his lips to hers.
Still she did not stir. Closing his eyes as though pained Fred got up and started to walk away.
The smallest of sighs from the bed behind him made him spin round. Hermione's eyelids fluttered as she opened them. She slowly turned her head to look at them and her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed as she tried to work out what was going on.
Ginny, Harry and Ron rushed to her and hugged her while McGonnagal addressed the others quietly. "No word to her about who woke her up. Let him tell her himself."
George groaned. "We'll be waiting forever!"