In early May, Hermione discovered that Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and Ron Weasley were up to something – something they didn't want anyone else to know about.
Hermione believed that people were entitled to their secrets (she surely was!); however, she also believed that if people wanted their secrets to remain as such, they very well ought to do a good job at making sure no one discovered said secrets.
So when Ron's hand mysteriously swelled to double its normal size seemingly overnight, Hermione's curiosity surfaced.
"What happened to your hand?" Lavender asked at breakfast that morning. She had just arrived with her friend, Parvati Patil, and had therefore not heard the other four people unsuccessfully inquire about the redhead's hand.
"None of your business," the redhead grouchily snapped back, leaving Lavender flustered and angry. She flipped her hair and turned to Parvati, loudly complaining about how rude their housemate was being.
"Perhaps you should get it checked out," Dean Thomas suggested as he stared at the redhead's hand in grotesque amazement.
"Bugger off, all of you!" Ron exclaimed in exasperation. He hid his hand beneath the table in an effort to avoid further staring, pointing, and whispering. "It's none of your bloody business."
Harry and Neville both looked apologetic for their friend's behavior.
"He's not feeling too well," Neville attempted to explain, but his explanation was met by deaf ears. It seemed people were content to remain angry with Ron's crabby attitude.
"That's what happens when you touch yourself down there, Ronnikins," the Weasley twins chorused as they claimed a seat across from where their brother sat.
"Imagine how our poor mother will take this bit of news," one twin mused aloud.
"She'll be shocked!" The other twin exclaimed.
"Horrified!"
They broke into boisterous laughter as Ron grumbled something under his breath.
Harry jabbed Ron with his elbow, causing the redhead to glare angrily at his friend.
"Your hand is green," Hermione remarked dryly as her pineapple performed a series of impressive acrobatics across the tabletop during their Charms lesson later that day.
Ron scowled at her, but the effect was lost by how nauseated he appeared. He brought his good hand to his mouth, as if holding back his breakfast.
"If you do plan on vomiting, please don't do it on me," Harry joked weakly. He was concerned about his friend, but he also knew the redhead did not like to be told what to do. Harry did not want to be the source of Ron's anger.
"You really should go to the Hospital Wing," Neville urged. He had unsuccessfully tried to convince his friend to go during their previous class, Herbology, but the redhead seemed dead-set on denying himself medical treatment. Hermione thought if he died from an infection, it would serve the idiot right.
"Shut up," the redhead responded through clenched teeth as he failed for the umpteenth time to make the pineapple perform a cartwheel. It rolled over pathetically in response to his attempts.
Ron wiped away the perspiration that had formed on his forehead with the sleeve of his robe.
"Seriously Ron, just go," Harry said, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Just say a dog bit it if you're asked."
Hermione had unintentionally caught the last bit.
"What actually bit him?" Hermione inquired.
Harry glanced at her in surprise, as though he hadn't thought she would hear. By the look on his face, Hermione could tell she was about to be lied to.
"Ron's rat, Scabbers, bit him the other night. Ron's pretty attached to the thing, so he doesn't want anyone to know that it bit him. It might be put down if anyone knew," Neville interjected, saving his black-haired friend from having to respond.
Hermione stared at the three friends. She thought it was a good story, playing up the entire boy-loves-his-pet bit. However, she was already well aware that Ron held little affection for the rodent called Scabbers. He was always complaining about the hand-me-down pet and the only term she had ever heard Ron refer to his rat by was not one of endearment.
She did not have a chance to call the boys on the discrepancy because Professor Flitwick arrived to inspect their section's progress.
"Good job as always, Ms. Granger," the Charms instructor praised with a smile. "Take a point for Gryffindor!"
Hermione beamed at the short man's generosity.
"Oh my – Mr. Weasley, please go get that hand checked at the Hospital Wing at once!"
Ron's face was sour as he picked up his bag with his good hand and left the room.
"Healer's Guide to Magical Creature Bites?" Tom inquired. "Usually you find more exciting names to use to hide what you're actually researching. I liked the one you used last time. Snake Handling 101, if I recall correctly. It was creative and the humor was not lost on me."
"I'm trying to see which creature's bite can cause swelling, nausea, and greenness," Hermione replied, reading through the section on spider bites.
"And here I was thinking you were studying exploding jinxes or conjuration," Tom said with a smirk. Hermione had no idea what subject he was reading about in Naval War Strategies. "I suppose there's a reason for researching creature bites?"
Placing her finger on Attercoppe, Hermione glanced up from the text to explain. "Ron Weasley showed up to breakfast this morning with a hand that had swelled to double its original size. Later in the day, it turned green. He was also pretty nauseated and irritable, but I think the irritability is just his personality rather than a symptom."
Tom pondered what Hermione had told him. He didn't particularly like the Weasley boy in his time and he doubted his descendant was any better. Given Hermione's constant complaints about how bothersome the redhead was, Tom was under the impression that his assumption was correct.
"It sounds poisonous," Tom suggested.
Hermione nodded, having already thought of that possibility. "Unfortunately, that does not narrow it down too considerably. Apparently there are a lot of poisonous creatures in the magical world. I've already covered snakes. I'm looking at spiders now."
"You should try dragons after," Tom suggested. "I read a book about dragons back in September. I had been surprised to learn that they actually existed and had wanted to learn all that I could about them. There are a few breeds capable of a toxic bite. Then again, if he were bitten by one of those dragons, he'd probably be dead by now."
Hermione smiled at her companion. "I will do that – thank you for the suggestion. But I really do wonder: what would Ron Weasley be doing with a dragon?"
"What were you doing with a dragon?" Hermione hissed as she shook Harry awake from a deep slumber.
Harry blinked up at her and then adjusted his glasses, which had shifted on his face while he had rested against the tabletop.
"Wha— what time is it?" Harry asked.
Hermione shrugged. She knew it was later than one in the morning, but she was not certain of the exact time. "Late. But answer my question: what were you three doing with a dragon?"
Harry's eyes widened in surprise and he glanced around the common room to see if anyone else was listening in on what they were saying. However, the room was empty except the two of them. Neville, who usually slept on the table with Harry and Ron, had likely retired to bed without wishing to disturb his friend from his much needed slumber. And Ron, Hermione could only assume, was holed up in the Hospital Wing under orders from Madam Pomfrey.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Harry lied.
Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration. "I know you are lying, Harry. Ron was bitten by a Norwegian Ridgeback. Now please explain, why on earth would Ron have been around a Norwegian Ridgeback in the first place?"
Harry sighed. "Would you at least tell me how you found out? Did Malfoy tell you? Although I can't see why he would."
"Malfoy? What does he have to do with anything?" Hermione inquired. She wondered why Malfoy would know about the situation.
"Never mind," Harry stated. "So how did you find out about Norbert?"
"Norbert?" Hermione asked, again feeling confused by the conversation. "Who or what is Norbert?"
"The Norwegian Ridgeback."
"Its name is Norbert?" Hermione inquired in a tone that suggested Harry was insane for naming a dragon.
"Hagrid named it," the bespectacled boy replied defensively.
"Hagrid … wait, you mean the half-giant groundskeeper, Rubeus Hagrid? What is he doing with a dragon? They're not exactly legal! How is he even hiding it?"
Harry groaned to himself. "I wasn't supposed to have told you that. I thought you knew. Hermione, you cannot tell anyone what I've told you. Please!"
"You haven't told me all that much," Hermione retaliated. "At least, you haven't told me anything that makes much sense."
"That's probably for the best," Harry muttered under his breath.
"I already know that Hagrid is hiding a Norwegian Ridgeback named Norbert," Hermione said the name as though it were distasteful. "And this Norbert bit Ron…and somehow Malfoy is involved?"
"That's pretty much it, but don't worry about the Malfoy bit. It's not important," Harry explained in a manner that suggested Malfoy's involvement was actually incredibly important, but not in a good way.
Hermione stared at her housemate with a look of disdain. "No, that's not pretty much it. Why isn't Ron dead? Norwegian Ridgebacks possess a highly toxic bite. If he was bitten, he shouldn't have survived."
Harry's complexion paled as he absorbed the last bit of information. "He could have died?"
"Yes," Hermione confirmed, gauging his expression. He appeared incredibly disturbed by the fact. "So why isn't he dead?"
"Norbert is just a baby at the moment… well he's growing really fast, but he's still not fully-grown," Harry explained after a few moments of silence. He still remained incredibly disturbed by the news that his friend could have possibly died.
"That makes sense," Hermione stated. "It explains why nobody has caught onto the fact that Hagrid is raising a dragon and why Ron didn't die from the bite."
"Can you stop saying that?" Harry pleaded, not wishing to be reminded of his friend's possible demise.
Hermione shrugged her shoulders, but ultimately consented. "Fine, but your friend really got off lucky."
Harry nodded slowly. "Now, would you tell me how exactly you found out about Norbert?"
"It's called research, Harry," Hermione said, pulling out Healer's Guide to Magical Creature Bites from her book bag. She then proceeded to flip to the section on dragon bites. After finding the page she was looking for, she handed Harry the book.
"Norwegian Ridgeback," Hermione commented. "Does it look familiar?"
Harry read the passage slowly, realizing the definition matched Ron's bite exactly. A fully-grown Norwegian Ridgeback's bite would have paralyzed its victim, turning the skin green from a buildup of poison. Other results of the poison included swelling of the body, nausea, and ultimately death. There was little hope for bite victims unless immediate treatment was provided.
The bespectacled boy inhaled loudly after he finished reading the section. A question weighed heavily on his mind. "If Ron hadn't been sent to the Hospital Wing during Charms, would he have died if he had left the wound untreated?"
"That's a very likely possibility," Hermione remarked. "However, it would have taken some time for the poison to spread throughout his body."
Harry handed the book back to her with closed eyes, as though imagining his friend's demise.
"Do you mind keeping this conversation between us?"
"Don't worry, I will," Hermione agreed. She had no reason to share the information. The mystery had been solved and her curiosity was satiated. "Have a good night, Harry."
When she reached the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitory, she turned around. "Oh, and you messed up on your homework. The Calming Draught uses mint, not lint."
Harry glanced down at his Potion's essay and discovered the error. When he looked up again, Hermione had disappeared from view.
A/N: Wow! I was surprised to see such an overwhelming response for the last chapter. As thanks, I decided to put together a quick chapter to get readers through until the weekend, which is when I usually try to update.
I hope I addressed some questions/concerns that people had through PMs. As always, feel free to leave your feedback, as I do enjoy reading what people have to say.
Quite a few people asked about Voldemort-on-the-back-of-Quirrell's head, and what he's thinking about regarding Hermione. However, this story will merely assume that he is concentrating first-and-foremost on regaining his body. I mean, would you want to talk to your friend from the future if you were just leeching off some guy's head? I wouldn't!