It's been a month since the last time Hermione had woken up. The trio being broken up like this has spread through the castle like wild fire. People have placed cards and presents near Hermione's hospital bed most of them saying. `Get well.`
Ron was in the Great hall, his head on the wooden table of Gryffindor. "You're staying for vacation again, Ron?" Dumbledore questioned with sympathy. "Yes, headmaster. I'll be staying until Hermione wakes up." He said defiantly.
Dumbledore's mouth curved into a kind smile while he placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up. Get some rest this vacation. Not having any rest would defeat the purpose of even having a vacation." He said, and walked off towards the teachers table.
Ron muttered a few profanities secretly to the headmaster before getting up from the table. When he was about to reach the entrance someone he disliked very much called out his name.
"Hey Weasel!" Malfoy sneered with delight. "What do you want ferret?" Ron shot back making the boy in front of him glower in anger. "Where's the mudblood? Still unconscious?"
Ron glowered and didn't answer the ferret faced boy in front of him. "She deserves whatever she got." Malfoy sneered and looked at Ron with amusement.
"Shut it Malfoy." Ron spat out, his face was turning into a red tomato from anger. "Why should I?" Malfoy questioned. "Because I'll make you if you don't. Don't think I won't try." Ron said.
"Oh, like the time you 'Made me eat slugs'?" Malfoy laughed. "I recall that was a pleasant time." Ron glared at Malfoy. The both of them hated each other to no end.
"Well, I best be off. I've got things to do." Malfoy said with a twisted smirk making Ron feel uncomfortable.
Ron turned on his heel and stalked toward the hospital wing where Hermione was staying. "Bloody ferret." Ron whispered to himself while turning the corner.
He was nearly at the hospital wing when he heard voices inside.
He slowly hid on the side of the door and listened in.
"I swear, there's always someone near Hermione she's never alone." His brows pulled together in confusion. "Please, my lord you have to understand that." Ron's eyes widened at the mention of my lord and his face paled. He didn't want to stick around so; he immediately ran to the headmaster's office and paced back and forth waiting for him to return.
"Ah, Ron. What a lovely surprise. Would you like some tea?" Ron looked up from the floor and at the headmaster, and gave a slight nod. "Lemon Drop." said the headmaster and the stairs came out from the stone in a spiral.
They walked upstairs and into Dumbledore's office. "Please, tell me what's bothering you." Dumbledore said while a small tea kettle floated over from the side table by a couch near the fireplace.
"Well headmaster, I...was at the door of the hospital wing When I heard someone say "my lord." Dumbledore's eyes lifted from pouring the tea into a tea cup for Ron. "Are you sure you're not just tired?" He asked while giving Ron his cup of tea.
Ron put in a few scoops of sugar and milk.
"Headmaster, I swear I heard it with my own ears!" Ron blurted out, when he finished he took a sip of tea.
"This isn't possible, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named isn't able to come into this castle my boy." Ron sighed and placed his tea on Dumbledore's desk. "But sir, I feel like it was one of his death eaters contacting him." Dumbledore slowly stirred his tea with a spoon. "Hm, maybe that is possible."
"I'll look into it Ron, but really I want to know how you've been coping with everything." Ron sighed.
"I've been trying to handle everything with a steady head professor. The stress is getting to me I think." He said while lacing his fingers together. "Please, get some rest tonight in your own common room and not the hospital wing. It will help greatly." Ron nodded. "Thank you Headmaster." Ron said and stood up. "I'm here if you need to talk Ron. Hard times are upon us and we all need to prepare." With that Dumbledore left the conversation in a serious matter.
Ron left the office, and headed towards the common room of Gryffindor, listening to the headmasters advice. He'd see Hermione tomorrow, bright and early right after breakfast.\
-0OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo-
It wasn't what Hermione thought she'd be doing during her last year of Hogwarts, and it's not quite what she had in mind for her future afterwards. Well she woke up after being in a coma, somehow seeing through the vision of Voldemort's eye's.
She'd close her eyes and appeared in a room made specifically for her. She never wanted to see what he saw, but sometimes she was forced too. Hermione sat down with a book in her hand, she either spent her time reading or writing in the small black book that wrote back to her.
She smiled, wondering whatever it was would be their. She got up and walked over to a small desk made of an oak tree.
Hello, friend.
She wrote, and watched as it disappeared and what reappeared made her eyes light up.
Hello. How are you? Has anything interesting happen lately?
No, Just the usual stuff.
Like what? I'm curious.
You...wouldn't believe me.
Of course I would. Why would you think that I wouldn't believe you?
Because she thought he'd stop talking to her..
I don't know. Guess I'm over thinking things.
That's alright. So what do you mean by I wouldn't believe it?
She took in a deep breath. Here we go. The chance to ruin contact by scaring off the boy…
I'm a horcrux.
She stared at the blank piece of paper and waited for a few minutes. Why'd she tell him!? She was a stupid girl. Little stupid stupid girl. She growled to herself as she slammed it back into place and flopped into bed not wanting to do anything any more.
The only contact to the outside was that one person, and she screwed it up by telling them! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!
While she was thinking the person who has yet to give a name wrote back.
Who did this too you? -D.M.
Faded away, from the page as Hermione closed her eyes and fell asleep only to be forced to see what Voldemort saw.
I know what you wrote to that boy. Voldemort voiced, well it sounded more as a mangled angry cat too her.
And? Now people know.
You've just sentenced the only thing to death that you will have contact with to keep you sane.
Don't kill the person! Please!
She could practically see the smirk plastered onto his face as she begged for her only means of contact to the outside world not to be killed. He didn't reply to her. Which made her worry the most. He...he...he can't. She needed to wake up, needed to! Come on Hermione! You're the brightest which of your age. Think!
I don't think so. You're not ready to be woken up. Voldemort scolded, and sent her tumbling even deeper into his mind.
-oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo-
Draco closed the book after no reply came. A person was a Horcrux... that wasn't right. Draco thought as he stood from his bed and walked out into the Slytherin common room. It was most likely the dark lord who did that.
But what would possess him to make someone into a Horcrux? He asked himself. He walked down to the hospital wing. Wanting to see the mudblood for a strange reason.
As he strolled in his stomach churned with guilt and worry at the sight of an empty bed. "What's the matter boy?" The nurse asked him. "Where's Granger?" When he talked his voice shook. "In her bed of-" The plump lady's eyes opened wide at the sight of her missing patient. "Oh dear. Oh dear." She muttered while pacing back and forth.
Draco left and hid around the corner and lifted up his sleeve and flinched back as he saw the dark mark on his forearm moving. The dark lord was summoning them. Why? He thought as he walked to a fireplace and floo powdered over to the meeting place.
"Ah, Draco. Nice too see you here. Along with your father." Most of his circle of death eaters were there. Seated in their regular seats.
"Now, I have done something most never would have dared to do." Voldemort bragged. "I have made another Horcrux." Gasps filled the room, along with a small applause coming from Bellatrix. "What object is it, my lord?" His father asked. That's when Voldemort smirked, finding his question amusing.
"It's not an object. Lucius. It's a girl." More gasps filled the room, and Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "Yes, and this girl is somewhere safe. I'm not risking giving the location out. If any of you mention about this to ANYONE. You'll be Nagini's next dinner." He growled out, making everyone cast their eyes towards the table. "You're dismissed." Draco watched as Voldemort stood and walked towards a closed door. When it opened his heart stopped.
The mudblood he bullied since first year laid on the bed. Un-moving. He flinched as the door slammed shut.
