Chapter 4.

Disconnected

"How can the not have noticed, she wasn't the same she had always been..."

Ginny's POV

I ran. I ran as fast as my legs would allow me to, I had to get there, I knew I was already late but I had to get there before the git I had for a brother ruined my best friends life. I pushed through nurses, healers, patients and even an odd looking, walking and talking plant, that looked suspiciously like Neville. I didn't care what I had to go through, my friends life was at stake here and if anyone could help I was going to make sure that was me. I was running along the last corridor, the final hurdle, when I saw Him go in. Crap! I got to the door as he was closing it and heard the click of a lock. SHIT, that stupid arse had locked the door. I froze, oh, he was going to pay. I took out my wand and tried to open the door, but as I had suspected he had put a locking charm on it. The situation had come to it's peak, it was time for desperate measures.

"Reducto" I whispered. The door blew and I ran in. Inside was a dead looking Hermione and a panic stricken Ron. "What have you done!?" I screamed "You stupid git. She looks like she is dead, What have you done?" I was screaming so much now I could only hear the anger that boiled in my veins.

"I...I... I didn't do anything, I just said hello."

"You arse! She is in shock. She nearly died yesterday and she is probably going to go into a coma! You stupid, annoying, foul idiot! Argh. First of all, how did you even find out about her?"

At that Ron looked bemused. "Haven't you read the papers lately?" he said as he handed me a copy of the American Daily Prophet. "The news are all over the world."

I looked down at the newspaper I had in hand. It said:

"What has Happened to the third part of the Golden Trio? Has the brightest witch of our age turned off? Is she really the role model you want for your children?"

Hermione Jean Granger Brightest witch of our age, part of the Golden trio and best friend to Harry Potter. Was seen this morning half dead in the St. Mungos lobby. There was blood all over her and the stink of alcohol could be smelt from at least 6 meters. There are people that even say the could see pills tangled in her hair. Has our wonderful witch become 'not so wonderful'? Contacts have informed that she had been found drunk, de-blooded and overdosed on painkillers to the point of near-death. Evidence shows that this information is actually true. While at to record a potion making program, The Daily Prophet photographers were able to take these following pictures of Hermione. So parents, think again. Is a drunken, overdosed depressed teenager really what you want your children to become? Is that girl the one that actually saved the world from the clutches of "You-Know-Who"? Or was it all just luck? Will Hermione Jean Granger be dying soon? These are questions we would all like answers to, but unfortunately Doctors have deprived her of any human contact with people who do not work there. The press would like to know. Was the war really such a loss to take her own life? But most of all.

What has really happened to Hermione Granger?

Written by The one an only Rita Skeeter"

Beneath there were three pictures. The first had Hermione unconscious, a mess of unruly hair and blood. She was half covered by Harry, but that didn't stop the people from seeing all the pills in her hair and all the firewhisky stains on her t-shirt. The second one showed a levitating Hermione and Harry and me to one side, worry etched on our faces, and Malfoy with his wand raised towards the mess that was Hermione. The last picture showed Hermione on the levitated bed sprawled, pale and bloodied, with tubes attached to her and an enraged Harry looking at the cameras. I was still a small shacking frame next to him.

I started swearing. Couldn't that stupid woman go bother any other heroes of the war? Hand't she already done enough damage as it was? Did she really need to make her life miserable?I looked up and saw that Harry and Malfoy.

Ron immediately took out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy.

"Harry, what are you doing walking with this scum?!"

"Ron", I re[plied "put the wand DOWN! Please help her Malfoy. I don't know what happened."

He took one look at Hermione and his expression took out his own wand and started fixing things while Harry was trying to hold Ron back. He set Hermione on the bed and started to re-connect all the electronic cables and oxygen transfusors. He

"Harry, let me go, Don't you see what he is doing to her? Harry! Ginny help me! Get this lying, death eater bastard off 'Mione! How can you even let him touch her!" Ron yelled.

He was trying to desperately to escape Harry's grip. To get to Hermione's limp figure.

I was frozen on the spot, staring at the scene unraveling fast before me. Hermione was looking deathly pale and a strangled beeping noise was coming from one of the many machines that were attached to her. I watched in fear of loosing my friend, in fear of loosing yet another important person in my life.

Malfoy looked up from what he was doing, and stared straight at Ron.

"Weasley," he spat with venom "if you didn't already know I am a healer. I am taking care of hopefully you have managed to figure out that she isn't exactly up for visits." He stared coldly at Ron, which only made his fury increase.

"And you want me to believe this bull. Harry come on mate, help me. It's Malfoy we're talking about here! He is going to hurt her!" Ron was now screaming as if he were trying to wake us up from a trance. "What have you done to them Malfoy? Have you imperiused them? Let them go! I tell you I will have a bunch of 20 aurors looking for you if you don't release them!"

"Ron! Shut up. He actually has cared for her for a couple of days now. You're the one that is putting her life in danger. Shut up and get out. I can't even think you are my brother. If you still have some love for Hermione in that blackened heart of yours you will leave and never see her again. Do I make myself clear?" I yelled out at him

By this point a group of about five nurses had gathered at the door. Malfoy waved them off and the crowd dispersed. I took my wand out and pointed it and Ron.

"Ron leave now, or I swear to God I will hex you to the next millenia!" I felt like I could flame up with the anger inside me.

At that moment Malfoy interjected. "You know if she dies it will be entirely your fault."

With that Ron burst out of Harry's grasp and left, slamming the door with unnecessary force.

I was numb what Malfoy had said left me speechless. I could seriously loose my friend.

Darcos POV.

I hand't meant to imply that Hermione would die but she sure as hell didn't look her best. I tried and tried but I could slow her heart rate. Finally I decided I would have to give her calming draught by vain so, plugging yet another cable into Hermione, I managed to slow the beeping 'till it ceased completely.

Weaslette stared at me and said "I'm sorry Malfoy. My brother is a git."

"Don't worry," I replied "I have managed to get her heart to a normal rate again and her breathing had become steady once more. You can go back home."

"Please Malfoy, even if Hermione tells you not to you have to let us know how she is."

"Potter. If there is one thing I respect more than anything is privacy, so if Hermione wishes for me not to say anything I will not. How ever if she says nothing, I will make sure to update you on her condition." I replied.

"Thanks again Malfoy. We owe you." Replied Potter.

"None sense, this is my job. I am simply doing it. Now if you don't mind I'll ask you to leave so I can finish here and move on to other patients, visiting times have been over for at least a couple of hours."

"Of course, sorry." Ginny replied as she went to Hermione and hugged her making sure not to disconnect the cables. "Why?" I hear her whisper

Why? That was a very good question, and as they exited the room and closed the door I asked myself that question. Why? Why her? Why now? Why me?

I remembered the broken eyes I had seen on Hermione's face and could not believe that her friends had not seen it earlier. The girl lying on the bed was not Hermione Granger. She was a girl whose world had been shattered far too many times. She was truly a girl living with broken foundations.