I don't remember how long I was down there, but apparently not as long as I thought. I had curled up into a ball on the damp, cold floor and just gave up. Apparently I fell asleep because the next time I opened my eyes I was in the Hospital Wing. On the way down into the dungeon I had received a cut I didn't even feel and they were concerned that it would become infected because of where I was. Madame Pomfrey had put a special ointment on it that would fix me right up but I had to wait a few minutes before I was able to get to my classes. I was out of the dungeon and I didn't even know who I needed to thank. I asked the boy in the bed next to mine who brought me here but he said that he had gotten there a few minutes after I did so he didn't see. I learned that the boy's name was Neville and that he was in Gryffindor. He seemed rather shy for a Gryffindor, though. He never looked me exactly in the eye when we talked and was rather frantic when he realized he had lost something.
"My remembral!" he exclaimed, standing up. He only had one useful hand so it was rather odd watching him turn in circles trying to reach his opposite pocket. "I don't have it!" He sat back down on his bed, staring at the floor. "My gran is going to kill me."
I eyed him curiously. "Why would your gran kill you? I'm sure you'll find it soon enough," I reassured him, but it didn't seem to help.
"She gave it to me to help me remember things I've forgot but now I've forgotten it somewhere."
"Hey," I moved to sit next to him on his bed. "I'll help you find it if that will make you feel better."
"Really?" His face brightened a bit. "That would be a bit help. Thank you," he smiled.
I smiled back, "Don't mention it."
But my help was not needed. Harry Potter had retrieved it from Malfoy who had gotten a hold of it and quickly returned it to Neville. Back in the Hufflepuff Common Room I was working on some Charms homework when Susan appeared to interrupt my thoughts.
"I didn't see you after Transfiguration. What happened to you?"
I didn't say anything. I knew she was trying to be a good friend and all but I just didn't feel like talking about the Slytherin dungeon yet. But to my surprise she kept on talking.
"What was he like? Is he as handsome as everyone says he is? Was he all heroic and stuff?"
"Whoa! Wait, what? Who?" I asked. I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Cedric Diggory," she continued. "You know, that really cute Fourth Year boy in out House?" she looked at me like my face had suddenly turned orange. "You didn't see him did you." It was more of a statement than a question.
"See him where? When? What are you talking about?" I was confused.
"The whole school is talking about it. How Draco had put you in the Slytherin dungeon and how Cedric Diggory rescued you!" she smiled.
"What? Did he come down and get me or something?" I didn't remember any of this. I was asleep when I was moved to the Hospital Wing.
"Not really. Heard you crying down there and Cedric went and got Professor Snape, the Head of Slytherin House. He used a special spell to open the dungeon and used a charm to lift you out. Cedric carried you to the Hospital Wing though." I had been rescued by one of the cutest boys in school and I missed it. I just HAD to sleep through my own rescue!
Susan continued. "Everyone's calling him the Heroic Hufflepuff now!"
"So now what's everyone saying about me?" I asked.
"Um," she began. I could tell this wasn't going to be that great. "They don't really know you...you're just the crying little Hufflepuff girl."
So that was it. Cedric got to be the hero and while I was the victim I wasn't even recognized. Draco got punished all right, but I felt cheated because I was representing my House in all this. So much for being a good Hufflepuff.
