"Where have you been?" The two boys were on their feet the minute she entered the common room.
"Yeah, last I checked, 'a minute' didn't last six hours!" Ron's face was flushed.
"We thought she'd attacked you---we were about to go to Dumbledore and tell him about how she's working for Voldemort." Harry yelled angrily.
"Correction," Ron began, rolling his eyes, "Harry thought Gwen attacked you and turned you over to you-know-who...I thought Draco attacked you and Gwen and turned you both over to you-know-who."
"Right." She gave them an exasperated look and turned to walk towards her room.
"So?" Harry prompted impatiently.
"So what?" She glanced up at them in surprise.
"What happened?" Ron exclaimed.
"Oh!" her eyes widened with realization, "I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you."
"But...you're going to tell us anyway aren't you?" Ron looked concerned.
"I guess," Hermione looked uncomfortable, "I mean, she didn't exactly swear me to secrecy or anything...of course, she wasn't really...there."
"WHAT HAPPENED?" Harry shouted angrily.
"Will you please stop yelling at everybody and everything---especially at me!" She glared at him.
"Sorry." He sulked.
"Gwen asked me to take her to the hospital wing." Hermione explained, "She wasn't feeling well."
"And that took six hours because...?" Harry glared at her.
"She's really sick...and she was scared, and she didn't want to be left alone." She shrugged, "So when she asked me to stay with her, I did...she's asleep now."
"What's wrong with her?" Ron asked, worry painted across his face.
"I don't know...but I think it's serious." She sighed, "Look, I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Listen Harry," She gazed imploringly at him, "If I were you I'd rethink your anger towards Gwen. She's sweet...and you like her...and if...you know...anything were to happen to her... I think you'd feel awfully guilty about never having resolved things with her."
"Is it that serious---" Ron jumped to his feet, but Hermione walked wordlessly out of the room.
XXX
"She doesn't look good."
"She looks fine." Harry snapped, trying to ignore the fact that Gwen did indeed not look good.
"Look how pale she is." Ron murmurmed, buttering his toast.
"She's probably just losing her tan." Harry growled.
"She never had a tan." Hermione argued.
Gwen ran her fingers through her somewhat tangled hair and sat down in the middle of the floor. She sighed wearily and began peeling an orange.
"If only she didn't have to sit on the cold hard floor." Ron stared meaningfully at Harry.
"She's not sitting here." He glowered, "If she goes, I go."
"You're such a baby!" Hermione scowled at him, "She's not a death eater, neither is Snape, and maybe, neither is Malfoy! She had nothing to do with Sirius's death, and she's right, you do have a lot of unresolved anger---and you need to stop taking it out on people," She stared stubbornly at the table, her face flushing, avoiding eye contact, "I'm inviting her over here. You can stay or go. I-I don't care."
"Yeah." Ron agreed unconvincingly.
"Well, some friends you guys are!" Harry glared.
"Harry, we are your friends---and as your friends, we have to let you know when you're being an idiot." Hermione explained.
"Yeah." Ron chorused.
"Whose side are you on anyway?" Harry snapped, "I don't believe you're standing up for that--that--that Snape." He spat the word.
"Harry," Hermione murmured admonishingly, "She can't help who her family is. She's not evil. She's not a death eater. She's a sad, sick girl, and as such, you should be nicer to her. She didn't do anything to you except tell you the truth."
For a moment he looked as though he were going to argue or disagree. He opened his mouth, but closed it again. He gave his two friends a look that accused them of their betrayal, and he stood up and walked out of the dining hall without another word.
