Light trickled in through the window, directly into the eyes of Hermione Granger, who promptly pulled the covers over her throbbing head. Ten minutes until the day really starts…. she thought, reaching for her drawer of remedies.
The thumb-sized purple vial held a potion whose taste vaguely reminded Hermione of grass, moldy sardine pizza, and cow manure. This potion, however, helped her ward away the daemon of a hangover she possessed from last nights solo activities. Just until I've got my studies and personal life at a manageable level, she lied to herself again. After all, it's not doing anyone any kind of damage….
Ginny sat up in her bed as she had all night, and every night these past few weeks. Something was out of sorts with Hermione, but she hadn't mentioned anything and surely she would have said something. It wasn't just work stress, Ginny knew that, even if Harry and Ron didn't notice a difference. They seemed to be going for the title of Best Blunderboy lately and were thusly oblivious. Ginny felt like a helpless outsider trying to save them all, and mused about whether Harry ever felt that way.
Hermione got to breakfast early, as usual, and the Great Hall was near empty. Pointing her wand at her goblet through her robes, she muttered the spell under her breath so those few around her couldn't hear. She took a sip, silently admiring her handiwork. The pumpkin juice she had just transfigured into firewhiskey seemed the perfect reward. She sipped and read, finishing off a goblet and a half before Harry and Ron showed up. She slowed down to participate in small talk, and then ran off to class, another goblet or so of whiskey in her system.
Ginny didn't bother with breakfast, heading instead to Professor McGonagall's office. After being allowed in, the nervous young woman fidgeted momentarily.
"Professor…." She started weakly. McGonagall looked up at her.
"I am not a Legillmens, Ms. Weasley, please speak."
Ginny explained, stuttering, that Hermione had been acting strange. The mood swings, the apparent sleep deprivation, the lack of telling people how she was. There was a moment's silence.
"I don't think there really is any kind of problem, Ms. Weasley. I think it's just how Hermione is. Best leave it be."
Ginny sighed, being waved away by the Head of House. As long as Hermione's grades weren't suffering, she didn't really expect anyone else to care about the pain her friend was going through. Hermione had slowly been pushing Ginny away these past few weeks, since about September 1st. It couldn't be just the workload, that wasn't Hermione's way.