Thank you to the five of you who reviewed. I am aware that the first chapter made no sense, and was incredibly short, but I hope that didn't deter you from continuing. Now, on to the story, and remember, I own nothing. Also, HBP SPOILERS!
Chapter 2 – The Blame Game
'Where am I?' Hermione thought. Her eyes were closed, but she could tell there was a light on right above her. She wished someone would turn it off, so she could go back to sleep. She was awfully tired, and vaguely wished she could at least figure out where she was.
Then she heard the faint sound of voices. She couldn't understand what they were saying, but one of them sounded brisk and stern, as if they were scolding a student.
As Hermione's hearing returned back to normal (and perhaps a little better) she recognized the voice as McGonagall's.
"You do realize how serious this is?"
"Yes."
"And you realize that I could have you not only fired, but sent to Azkaban for this?"
"Yes, Headmistress."
'Wait a minute,' Hermione thought as she finally opened her eyes, but the light above her was blinding, so she shut them again and thought for a minute. She remembered going out last night to Hagrid's hut to help him with Fang, who had gotten ill, and then, while walking back to the castle….
Her eyes snapped open as everything came flooding back to her, including the pain in her leg. It felt like it was on fire! Wincing, she tried to move it into a position that might be less painful, but it wouldn't budge, so she eventually gave up.
Hermione jumped slightly when the hospital wing doors opened and Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Madam Pomfrey came in. They stopped talking abruptly when they saw Hermione was awake. Lupin was the first to speak.
"Hermione, I am so sorry. I --"
"For what?" Hermione asked, causing Lupin to falter.
"What do you mean? Don't you remember what happened last night?"
"Of course I do, but what are you apologizing for? It's my fault. I was the one who was out that last on a full moon," Hermione said serenely, managing to pull herself up into a sitting position. She looked up at him, no regret at all on her face, but a silent fear bubbling up inside of her. What was going to happen to her?
"Hermione, don't you understand?"
"Yes, I do! I'm a werewolf! I know! I've known you for four years! I know what you go through."
"Then you know you will be shunned from society for the rest of your life?"
"Yes."
"And you're okay with that?"
"Yes," Hermione said, remaining as stubborn as ever, "because it's the people in society who will only see me for the beast I'll become once a month, and, yes, I know I'm dangerous, but just think. Did Sirius and James shun you aside when they found out you were a werewolf?"
"You know what?" Lupin said, exasperated, "I don't even want to have this conversation. I'll see you later."
He turned to leave, but McGonagall called him back.
"Remus, could you please fetch Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley? They'll want to know about this."
"Yes, ma'am," Lupin said, then turned and left.
"Well," Madam Pomfrey said, breaking the slightly uncomfortable silence, "you seem to know what's going on. Are there any questions that you do have?"
"Yeah," Hermione said, turning to McGonagall, "He's not really going to be sacked, is he? And what about me? Am I going to be able to finish school?"
"With you, I'm not the one who decides it. We have to send in to the Ministry that we have another werewolf. From there, it's Rufus Scrimgeour's decision. You may be able to graduate in eight months, or you could be sent to the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures tomorrow. There's really no way to tell. As for Remus, if you're allowed to stay, I want him here at least for your first transformation, to make things a bit easier for you."
Hermione didn't say anything, but looked away, her mind racing. She might not be able to graduate? And even if she could, she would have to hide what she truly was from the rest of the students. And what about Lupin? Even if she could stay, he might get fired or maybe even sent to Azkaban. She just wished she could erase the last twenty-four hours.
Suddenly, the hospital wing doors banged open, knocking Hermione out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw frantic-looking Harry and Ron rushing towards her.
"Hermione," Harry panted as he came to a halt beside her bed, "Lupin told us to come down here, but he wouldn't tell us why. What's wrong?"
"Well," she started slowly, wondering how they were going to react, "you know how I was out late last night, helping Hagrid with Fang?" she paused to allow them to nod, "Well, I seemed to have forgotten that last night was a full moon."
"What's that have to do with anything?" Ron asked, looking usually clueless.
"Ron! Just think
for once!" Harry said, annoyed at the fact that his friend couldn't
even put two and two together, "Full moon, Hermione was out late at
night," he paused, but just sighed and turned to Hermione when Ron
continued to look clueless, "So, are you saying you got
bit?"
Hermione just looked up at him with nothing but fear
painted in her chocolate eyes. Harry's worst fears were confirmed
when she nodded.
"Oh, god," Harry whispered, distractedly running a hand through his hair, as he always did when he was stressed, while Ron seemed to have finally caught up with them.
"You mean you're a werewolf!" he asked, nearly screaming.
"Yes, Ron," Hermione said, finally looking away from Harry.
"When's the next full moon?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Hermione said, "I'll have to check whenever I get out of here."
"And do you know when that will be?" Harry asked, looking at Madam Pomfrey when Hermione shook her head.
"She will have to stay here at least until she can walk," Madam Pomfrey said, "Since magic can't heal werewolf bites, I'm sure that'll take quite a while."
"Can't I just use crutches?" Hermione asked.
"Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said, suddenly stern, "I do not have time to meddle with silly Muggle remedies. Besides, how on earth are you going to navigate with those sticks in a school of a thousand people?"
"I never said I would go to my classes," Hermione said, "I'll just be in my dormitory with Harry, resting for as long as you want me to, but I'll still be able to get up and move around if I need to."
"Oh, very well," Madam Pomfrey said in defeat, "but I will be up there at least twice a day to change your bandages and administer a pain-relieving potion, and" she turned to Harry and Ron, "if you think you notice anything wrong, bring her straight to me. Fortunately, I think I do have a pair of crutches somewhere in my office. I'll go see if I can find them."
"How's Lupin taking this?" Harry asked, once the door to Madam Pomfrey's office closed behind her.
"Expectedly, he's blaming himself for this whole thing," Hermione said this as if she couldn't really care less.
"And, let me guess," Harry said, smiling at his friend's stubbornness, "You think you're to blame?"
"Well, yeah. I was the one who was out that late, not realizing it was a full moon. Being that stupid, I deserved to get bit."
"Hermione, you're far from stupid, and nobody deserves this. Honestly, I think you're both to blame. Lupin for not going to someone else when he knew Slughorn wasn't up to making his potion, and you for not realizing it was a full moon."
Hermione was about to say something else when Madam Pomfrey's office door opened, and she came out holding a pair of crutches.
"We'll probably have to shorten them for you," she said, laying them across the foot of Hermione's bed, "and you know I'm a little skeptical about using these Muggle contraptions, but I suppose they'll work well enough, at least until you can walk properly. You two," she suddenly shot at Harry and Ron, "help her stand up so that I can adjust these to the appropriate length."
After a minute of fighting with her still very painful leg, Hermione managed to get upright, with her right hand on Harry's shoulder and her left on Ron's, so she wouldn't fall over. Once Madam Pomfrey had the crutches adjusted, and Hermione was standing with them, she laid down some rules.
"You are not to leave your dormitory for anything. You may have Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley bring you food. If you have any questions, have them notify me or Remus and we shall come to you as soon as we can. Are there any questions you have now?"
"Yeah," Hermione said, not looking at Madam Pomfrey until she asked, "What about my classes? Even a few days off, and I would fall behind, but now I'll be gone for, what? At least a week?"
"Well, what I would suggest doing is having Mr. Potter, since you two are Heads and share a dormitory, write down the assignments and hand them in for you. Your teachers will, of course, be notified of your condition, and will understand completely, and I hope you will as well, that you may have to miss a few days, or at least mornings, here and there."
"What about Arithmancy? Neither of these guys have it."
"You could try to catch up when your leg heals. Are there any other students in your house that are in Arithmancy with you?"
"Yes, but they aren't in my year."
"That doesn't matter. Just have somebody bring you the homework and hand it in for you. Anyway, you should probably head up to your dormitory now that the halls are clear. I'll contact your teachers," she added to Harry and Ron, "to explain why you are late."
"Don't bother," Harry said, "It's Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin'll understand."
"Still, I would feel better if I at least wrote you a note," Madam Pomfrey said, taking out a scrap piece of parchment and scribbling a quick note on it. Handing it to Harry she added, "Take Miss Granger up to her dormitory first and get her settled."
Harry nodded and the three of them turned and left the ward.
