"Can you please look it over?" Ron asked, practically begged. He had a potions essay due tomorrow and was sure that Snape wasn't going to think his essay was somewhat decent without Hermione's help.
After almost a half an hour of Ron's constant begging, Hermione finally gave in.
"Alright calm down. But I'm only helping you. Not doing the assignment for you." Hermione said as she tore the paper from Ron's grasp.
"Yes! Absolutely! Thanks Hermione you're the best!" Ron cheered happily as though the Chudley Cannons had just won the Quidditch World Cup.
"Could you look over mine too while you're at it? Thanks I don't know what I would do without you." Harry said thankfully. Hermione rolled her eyes at the boys as they scurried out of the library and headed off to Quidditch practice.
"You owe me!" Hermione called to the boys but she doubted they heard her. They only time those two came into the library was when they needed something from her. The library just wasn't their scene. Hermione on the other hand, loved it. No matter what mood she was in or how she was feeling, the library always had a book that she could enjoy. Whether it was a text book on Ancient Ruins or a fiction novel about a struggling witch trying to make a living in the Muggle world, books were her happy place.
She snapped out of her trance and stared at the two papers in front of her. Hermione hadn't even started her own essay, which was very unlike her. She had about five more hours before the library closed for the night and she planned to use every last minute of them. As the hours went by, people began to leave the library. There weren't that many people to begin with. After night fall at around eight o'clock, Hermione was the only student left in the library. Madam Pince was asleep in her chair. It was pretty dark. The only light in the room was coming from the lantern lit at Hermione's table.
Madam Pince awoke thirty minutes later but left without even noticing Hermione. She hadn't made nearly as much progress on the essays as she had hoped for but figured that since no one was her to scold her about being out after hours, she could stay as long as she liked. This wasn't something Hermione would do ordinarily but in her delusional state of mind, it sounded like a good idea. She started working at a faster pace, determined to get to the common room by midnight.
"Albus! Is everything alright? Why would you summon me at such a late hour?" Professor McGonagall asked looking rather flustered. Probably from running up to Dumbledore's office after getting the distress call.
"Minerva, I'm afraid that we have a problem" Dumbledore spoke with a grave look in his eyes behind his half-moon spectacles.
McGonagall's face fell. "Is it what I think it is? This hasn't happened in almost 200 years!" She mumbled, looking almost panic-stricken.
"I'm aware Minerva. However the situation has occurred again and we must deal with it" Dumbledore spoke as calmly as he could.
"Are all the students in their common rooms?! Tell me Albus, is it true?" asked McGonagall breathing quickly.
"I'm afraid not all students are in their common rooms. It appears Hermione Granger is in the library. We're still looking to see if there are any other students on the grounds." McGonagall took a sharp breath. Dumbledore continued "And yes. There is an attacker in the castle."
Hermione awoke wither her head in her potions book. She must have fallen asleep while working on her essay. Deciding that she should go get some sleep, Hermione began to pack up her books and quills when all of a sudden she spotted a bright light coming down the corridor at a fast pace. Hermione hid under the table immediately, afraid that one of the professors would find her. She the light came closer, she was able to recognize the shape of a phoenix and discovered what she thought was a professor was actually a patronus. When the patronus arrived in front of Hermione, it began to speak in a hushed voice.
"Miss. Granger, it pains me to tell you that there is an attacker inside the castle." Hermione gasped as the phoenix with the voice of professor Dumbledore continued. "Because you are not in your common room, you are putting yourself and others at great risk. However I cannot allow you to go to the common room because the attacker is near the Gryffindor area. So Miss. Granger you must follow my instructions carefully. As far as I know, only you and one other student are not where you should be at this hour. He is receiving the same message as you at this very moment. He is close to you and I would like you to try and find him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I will give you further instructions once you arrive. Good luck Miss Granger and I'm sure that you and Mr. Malfoy together will be able to get to safety." The patronus disappeared and Hermione was left standing dumbfounded.