Hermione shuffled along the hall looking at her feet. She was on her way to Arithmancy, her favorite class, when Draco Malfoy had knocked her down and called her a mudblood - again. She didn't really mind, he called her that all the time, but it still kind of hurt.
She re-organized her books as she walked, making sure they were in the correct order. Draco might've called her a stupid mudblood, but that didn't mean she was excused from class. She still had Arithmancy and Defense Against the Dark Arts before she was excused for the day.
Hermione walked up the stairs thinking about all of these things at once. Arithmancy was two floors up from where she was, if she kept going at this pace she would get to class exactly two minutes ahead of schedual.
When she turned to go up the next flight of stairs she was so busy thinking, she did not notice the creak of the stairs until too late. As she put her foot on the stair in front of her, the stairs folded upwards and Hermione lost her balance. She grabbed for the railing as it receded, but she was pushed off by the next staircase.
Hermione screamed as she plummeted. She heard a crack which must've been the sound of her hitting the concrete staircase. She opened her eyes, looking at a spot, three floors up, where she used to be,. "I'll never make it to my next class in time," she thought, then blacked out.
Hermione woke up in the hospital wing fourteen hours later. She was surprised to see Ron by her bedside. "Ron, it's the middle of the night, how come you're in the hospital wing?" she mumbled hazily. "How come I'm in the hospital wing?"
Ron's face relaxed and Hermione could see how worried he had been. "You fell off the stairs this morning on your way to Arithmancy.
"Three floors, I know," said Hermione. "Wait, I fell off the stairs? Where – who found me? How did I end up here? Am I late for class? Oh shoot I missed it didn't I."
Ron chuckled a little. "Yea, you missed it."
"I have a lot of catching up to do then," Hermione said decidedly.
Ron laughed. "Hermione, it was only two classes. You only have the homework you didn't do tonight."
"Yea, but that's still a lot of catching up to do," Hermione said, "Now can you tell me what happened? Apparently I was unconscious."
Ron took a deep breath and began. "Hanna Abbot heard you fall and ran to get help. Ginny got the news and told everyone in the common room to come help. Neville, Seamus and I got there first and carried you up to the hospital wing. Apparently you broke three ribs, the lower part of your right leg, dislocated the knee of your left leg, broke your left ankle, sprained your left wrist, and did something to your spine except I can't remember what.
"My left spine or my right spine?" Hermione joked. "And did Madam Pomfrey tell you how long I'm going to be in here?"
Ron's face scrunched up thoughtfully. "I think she said you could leave tomorrow morning," he said finally.
"So I only have like four more hours in the hospital wing?"
"No, I said tomorrow morning. It's not tomorrow, it's today."
"But it's only five minutes until tomorrow's today right?" Hermione looked at the glowing clock beside her bed. "No wait, tomorrow turned today five minutes ago."
Ron laughed. "You seem pretty cheerful for a girl who woke up at 11:45pm and found out she'd just broken every bone in her body."
Hermione smiled grimly. "Yea, I just about did, didn't I. So how come you're in the hospital wing in the middle of the night? Did Madam Pomfrey give you special permission or something?"
Footsteps sounded in the hall and Ron paled. Hermione giggled. "Quick, under the bed," she whispered.
"WEASLEY," Madam Pomfrey screeched, throwing aside the curtain surrounding Hermione's bed. "Hmm, that's funny, I was sure he'd sneak in here. Oh, hello Hermione, you're awake."
"Yes," said Hermione, trying not to laugh. "Did you say Ron was here?"
"He might've been," Madam Pomfrey said, "He was worried sick about you. Filch had to drag him out of the hospital wing when visiting hours ended. I wouldn't wonder if he snuck back here sometime during the night to see how you were doing."
Hermione smiled. "You haven't seen him have you?" Madam Pomfrey said curiously. She had an unreadable expression on her face.
Hermione started. "Oh, hmm, what? No, he wasn't here I don't think," she said hurriedly.
Madam Pomfrey just smiled. Hermione had a feeling that Madam Pomfrey knew she wasn't telling the truth, but she turned around and walked out of the hospital wing.
"Phew," came a voice from under her bed. "Thank goodness she's gone. It's horrible dusty down here, I was afraid I'd give it all away when I sneezed." Ron's head poked out and he sneezed. The rest of him slithered out from under the bed and Hermione could see that it really was dusty under the bed.
"I suppose I'd better leave soon," Ron sighed, "You know, before morning comes and visiting hours start."
"Yea, I suppose so," whispered Hermione.
"Well, see you in, what, five hours?"
"Sure."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Ron crept out of the curtained area and snuck down the hall. Hermione snuggled down into her pillow, breathing in what was left of Ron's smell. "Good night Ron," she whispered to herself. "Don't get caught by Madam Pomfrey on your way out."
"I KNEW YOU WERE IN THERE WEASLEY!"
Auror's notes: Yes! I got the "horizontal lines to work! Well, maybe I didn't, I'll just have to wait until it's published. I'm also sorry (to all the people who actually waited for the next chapter) that it took me so long to get this published. I had to rewrite it three times until I had satisfied myself. That's not counting what I deleted when I took out the part when Draco Malfoy bullies her.
So...
Even if all you have to say is "I liked it," I'll still be happy if you review.
Aww, cmon, it'll make me so happy I'll write another chapter twice as fast as this one.
Please?