Exam stress
Italics are from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 31 OWLs, pages 632-633; British version (is there really a difference because I'm not sure)
"Only four exam's left," said Parvati Patil wearily as they headed back to Gryffindor common room.
"Only!" said Hermione snappishly I've got Arithmancy and it's probably the toughest subject there is!"
Nobody was foolish enough to snap back, so she was unable to vent her spleen on any of them and was reduced to telling off some first-years for giggling to loudly in the common room.
"Will you be quiet! Honestly if you're going to making the noises of a horse after its hair has just been pulled out could you please do outside. Preferably from the bottom of the LAKE!" she punctuated the last word so roughly the girl she was looking at jumped. "That way the rest of us can work in peace."
Half the common room stared at Hermione. The First year girl she had been looking at sniffed and tears started to leak from her eyes. Her two friends and year-mates, a boy and a girl put arms around her and the boy glared at Hermione who was so stressed and so volatile she was not the least bit aware she had just caused a scene.
Harry looked at the First Years, Hermione shouldn't have done that. He looked at Ron, he too didn't like what Hermione had just done. Ron looked at Harry and Harry looked at Ron. They nodded.
"Seamus, Neville, Dean we need to use the privacy of the dormitory for a while do you mind?" asked Harry
The boys shook their heads, like everyone else in fifth year they had studying to do.
"Ta!" said Ron he and Harry approached Hermione and they each grabbed one of her arms.
"HARRY, RONALD WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I HAVE IMPOR…"
"Hermione." Said Harry very firmly but very calmly stopping her from speaking "You, Ron and I are going to have a little chat. You, Ron and I are going up to our dormitory so we can speak undisturbed. Is that understood?"
Hermione stuttered then managed to regain herself "Harry James Potter I have important work to do I…"
"…have been studying non-stop for nearly five years and can spare a few minutes to listen to what we have to say." Said Ron cutting across her.
With some effort they forced Hermione into the dormitory and shut the door. Harry forced her to sit on his bed.
Hermione tried to stand back up but…
"RIGHT!" snapped Harry
Hermione was again so shocked at her friends firmness that she found herself taking a seat on Harry's bed again.
"Hermione do you know what you just did?" asked Harry
Hermione looked at him incredulously "Do I know what I just did. DO I KNOW WHAT I JUST DID? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I JUST DID. I HAVE JUST SPENT THE LAST HOUR REVISING CHARTS, TABLES, FORMULI AND EQUATIONS. What a stupid question Harry. Why would you ask that?"
Harry sighed, she really didn't know "It may have been a stupid question but you answered it wrong."
Hermione looked ready to explode, but before she could Ron cut in.
"Hermione you just reduced a little Firstie to tears. They just finished their exams today and you go and snap at her like that. Just for being Happy."
"Ronald that is a ridiculous suggestion what…"
"It is not ridiculous" said Harry, his voice raised, "That little girl…" Harry didn't know her name, neither did Ron the only person out of the three of them that ever bothered to learn names was…
"Robin…" said Hermione automatically answering a question asked "Robin Price!"
"Well Hermione you just reduced Robin Price to tears." Said Ron
"Oh you're being ridiculous, Robin is 11-year-old, nothing I said to her could possibly make her cry." Said Hermione dismissively "Now if you'll excuse me we have a Care of Magical Creatures exam tomorrow and I need to revise. As do you two."
"Just one more thing Hermione." Said Harry
Hermione glared at him.
"Do you remember what you said to Robin?"
Hermione growled, "What does that matter?"
"Hermione what did you say?" said Harry looking very grim
"All I said was for her to stop making such a racket and…" Hermione stopped herself from talking. Harry recognised from the look on her face that the cogs in her brain were turning "I didn't just say I yelled… and I yelled at her too…"
"Essentially drown herself in the lake. Hermione I know I'm not the most sensitive person in the universe but that was harsh." Said Ron
"Oh Merlin what have I done. I made her cry. She's going to hate me. What do I do?" Hermione was in absolute hysterics. Harry sat down next to her and put and arm round her. Ron sat down on her other side and mirrored Harry's actions.
"Hermione you we love you right?" asked Harry
"Of course. Both you and Ron and I, we…" she didn't need to finish her answer, they all new.
"Then please listen to us." Said Harry "You are brilliant Hermione, more so than any other person in this room, in the house, in our year group, heck inside this entire castle. If anyone can pass their exams with distinction you can. But you're really stressed out. I think you should stop working, just for tonight."
"Harry I can't I haven't looked at my Care of Magical creatures Exam stuff yet."
"Hermione" said Ron "you know more about magical creatures than any of us, you will pass this exam tomorrow and get an O. You need to take a break."
Hermione sighed, her body was shaking "I've been bad haven't I?" like a girl half her age might ask.
"You're just stressed Hermione." Said Harry "But that thing with Robin…"
"I should apologise shouldn't I?" said Hermione
Harry smiled, "Like Ron said, he's no expert on sensitivity and I'm not that sharp. Out of the three of use, you're the expert in that regard. So believe it or not you're the best person to know the answer to that question."
Hermione snorted "My boys are completely hopeless aren't they?"
Ron and Harry grinned "Yeah we are." Said Ron "Just as hopeless as our best friend. You might know her she has lots of bushy hair and tried to take every subject on the timetable during our third year."
Hermione mock glared at him.
"You know its true Hermione." Said Harry
"I suppose I'd better go down and apologise to Robin now. Aside from anything else over half the house just saw two boys drag me forcefully against my will into their bedroom."
The three of them each gave out small chuckles. Then they as one escorted Hermione down stairs where they found the First Year girl, Robin. Robin was still sitting between her two friends. The male of which was glaring at Hermione now that she had returned.
"Er… Robin!" started Hermione. All three First Years were now looking at her. The other girl was glaring to. "I… I'm sorry I snapped at you, I'm just a little… stressed. I really didn't mean to make you cry…"
Robin, although her eyes were still red smiled but then "Yeah… well you did." Barked the boy.
"Jack she said sorry." Said Robin softly, giving her friend a slight reproachful look.
Jack looked a little uncomfortable.
"It's alright Robin. I deserved that." Said Hermione "Anyway I'll leave you alone now."
Hermione, Harry and Ron left and went to have an early dinner, deciding to take a break from the studying.
Robin did feel a little better and a couple of minutes after the trio left she and her friends were laughing and talking again. Undisturbed.
ORACLE2PHOENIX
"Well we were always going to fail that one" said Ron gloomily as they ascended the marble staircase. He had just made Harry feel better by telling him how he had told the examiner in detail about the ugly man with a wart on his nose in his crystal ball, only to look up and realise he had been describing his examiners reflection.
"We shouldn't have taken the stupid subject in the first place," said Harry.
"Still at least we can give it up now."
"Yeah" said Harry "No more pretending we care what happens hen Jupiter and Uranus get too friendly."
"And form now on. I don't care if my tea-leaves spell 'die Ron die' – I'm just chucking them in the bin where they belong."
Harry laughed just as Hermione came running up behind them. He stopped laughing at once, in case it annoyed her.
"Well I think I've done alright in Arithmancy" she said and both Harry and Ron sighed in relief. "Just time for a quick look over our star-charts before dinner then…"
"As long as it is just a quick look." Said Ron
Hermione actually smiled at him "Relax Ronald there will be plenty of time to fill your stomach at dinner."
Harry laughed again as Ron scowled.
Changing the subject Hermione asked "Did Divination go all right?"
Suddenly both boys smiled and chuckled as they proceeded to tell her about their… predictions. Soon all three of them were laughing.
This Story is in honour of the fact that my dissertation and my extended essay were handed in yesterday. Not my best work but i hope you like it.
Jessica Black and My Brother will be updated soon.