There have been several instances where Hermione has tried to get out, but every time, failed, eventually giving up. She couldn't tell if she gave up or if she simply forgot about her plan. All she was able to think about were the voices that nobody else heard, the people nobody else saw, the shadows that were never actually there.
She was allowed visitors, but only for five minutes at a time under supervision. Harry, Ron, and Ginny would try and see Hermione at least twice a day; and every time they came, they'd always have their conversations wondering back to who would have done this to her. Every time, this was brought up, Hermione would simply shrug her shoulders.
"I don't know," she'd say. "But can we just leave it, please. I'm sure I'm getting better."
"Really?" Ron asked, excitedly. Hermione would nod and give her best enthusiastic smile. Every time she did that, though, Ginny would see right through it.
"How sure, exactly?" she'd ask.
It was then, it would be apparent and clear she was only getting worse, because she would say something like, "Just as sure as I see Malfoy sitting in the corner."
People would turn around, but nobody would see Draco. Because he wasn't there. For some reason though, to Hermione, he was always there, sitting in the corner when people were there. When she was alone, he'd come up to her along with his aunt and Voldemort, etc. and taunt her, laughing and cursing and sneering and jeering.
Hermione was never able to tell whether or not she wanted to be alone because she didn't want to have to deal with it herself, but at the same time, knew deep down nobody was there, and didn't want people to see her, Hermione Granger- war hero, smartest witch of her time, best friend to Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, crazy. That's why she looked forward to her occasional visits from Blaise; he was the only one, oddly enough, to keep her calmer than she'd normally be, during these instances.
That's why late that night, when she heard the door open, she expected it to be Blaise; not Draco Malfoy.
She didn't say anything, waiting for him to come to sit in the chair next to her hospital wing bed. She heard somebody sit down, but when she turned around to see Malfoy and not Blaise, Hermione took it oddly calm.
"You're back," she said.
"What are you talking about, Granger?" Draco asked, confusedly.
"You've been coming here for days and days now." Draco just looked at her. "Where's your aunt?" she asked.
"My aunt?" he asked. "What in Merlin's beard are you talking about?!"
"Why isn't Voldemort here?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione!" Draco said, completely unaware he used her first name. "I don't know what it is you're talking about or how real or fake- or whatever- you think I am, but I need to talk to you!"
Hermione's face became distorted as realization dawned upon her. Before she knew it, her eyes became slitted and she was glaring daggers at Malfoy. She could not believe he was actually there, at her bedside in the hospital wing, not taunting her.
"Malfoy," she sneered. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to get you out," he said, dangerously.
"What?" she asked, perplexed.
"I'm getting you out of the school?"
"Why?" she asked.
"I'll tell you after."
"After what?"
"After we get out."
"We?" Hermione asked.
"We," Draco said.