Thanks for all the reviews, I am now ill at the moment, I seriously didn't sleep at all last night! So tired :( So reading those reviews have been making me feel better :)

ForevrJaci, Michelle Black a.k.a Elle, hansbmd, MrsBlaCKwIfeY, MsDateman, BFFofCrazyShopoholicPixe-Alice, crazedchick, Missy222, yellow 14, SinDoll

Hope you like this chapter- my longest yet I think!

Chapter 21: Discovery

The next morning, the sun gleamed through the slightly frosted windows, making the beams bounce around the room. Hermione woke, and marvelled at the sight. She saw that Parvati and Lavender were still sleeping; she quickly left the room to change into her robes. It felt nice to wear proper clothes again; the Hospital Wing gown had gotten uncomfortable after wearing it since December. She collected her bag and went down to the common room.

It was now February. Hermione had been in the Hospital Wing since December. It had been a long 2 months and it didn't take long for her to notice the mood in the Gryffindor common room had changed. There was hope. It had been months since the last attack. Everyone had been praying that it was over- that life could return to normal.

Hermione sat in the cosy armchair by the fireplace, and waited for Ron and Harry to wake up and come down. It didn't take long.

"Hermione! You're up early, we were gonna wait for you. Quick, Harry has something to show you," Ron said excitedly.

Hermione looked up to see Harry thrusting something in her face. It was a diary. Hermione frowned.

"It's a diary…." Hermione stated, somewhat confused. What was this about?

"It's not just a diary! We went to see Myrtle; there had been another flood outside her bathroom. She said something had come in and thrown it at her. Look at the date Hermione," said Harry.

Hermione peered at the back. 50 years ago.

"But that's-"

"50 years ago. When the Chamber was last open. It's T. Riddles diary. He was awarded a special services award by the school," Ron continued.

Hermione opened it and flicked through.

"It's empty…. Oooo! Maybe it has some kind of special power!" Hermione said, finally sharing their excitement. She knew that there was something important about this book. Maybe…

Harry looked at her. She knew that they had the same thought.

Ron looked at them, a puzzled expression appearing on his face.

"What?"

"Ron, think about it. The Chamber of the Secrets was opened 50 years ago," Harry started.

"We also know that T. Riddle was awarded an award to the school 50 years ago," Hermione continued slowly.

But Ron still looked confused.

"Ron! The dates! They match. Maybe T. Riddle got the award for catching the Heir of Slytherin!"

Realisation dawned on Ron.

"Oh!"

Harry continued, "And maybe this diary has information about the Chamber. How to open it, what's inside, what really is attacking the students, and more importantly, how to stop it!"

"But Harry, nothing is written in it…"

"It could be invisible ink, or maybe you have to say an incantation or charm to make the words appear," suggested Hermione.

Hermione took out her wand, tapped the book three times, and whispered, "Aparecium!"

Nothing happened. Determined to uncover the diary's secrets, Hermione rummaged in her bag for her revealer. She pulled it out triumphantly.

Harry and Ron looked blank.

"It's a revealer, I got it last summer," explained Hermione.

She opened the book, and rubbed the revealer on the date in the top left corner. Nothing happened.

"Ugh."

"Maybe you're wrong, maybe he just got a useless diary for Christmas and was too busy to write in it," Ron said dejectedly.

Hermione could definitely feel hope now. Even the sun shone every day, although there was still a cold breeze, it was nice to be able to feel the sun's rays on your face.

Even though Hermione had returned to school, she still had periods of time where she couldn't stop her mind wandering to a certain Hufflepuff. It was nearly Valentine's Day- an extremely popular day in the Muggle world, and even bigger at Hogwarts, as that's where the whole teenage population of Britain were kept. Hermione began to have daydreams, of giving or receiving a card from Cedric. But she knew it was just a silly fantasy. He felt angry from the visit, Hermione was sure of it. But, maybe if Hermione sent him a card…. it would try and repair their friendship. Hermione didn't want to lose it, it was too precious to her.

She looked in the newest edition of the Daily Prophet and went to the back page, it had an owl order form for Valentine cards. Hermione sneakily filled out the form and borrowed a school owl. It returned the next day. Harry and Ron exchanged looks, as Hermione saw the owl, took the attachment, and then ran up to the empty common room.

It was a blank card, with a picture of two bears staring into each other's eyes. Hermione took out her wand, and transfigured them into a lion and badger. She opened the card and wrote in it. She left the quote in the middle; 'In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer'

She added, You are the person who relit my fire, thank you. I'm sorry.

Then signed it, Love Hermione.

She looked at the card, and admired it. It wasn't really a real love card, more of a friendship card, with the hint of romance. It was true, when she was with Cedric last year, she felt more alive than she had ever been. He was her close confident, just like Harry and Ron. But with Cedric, it was more than that. Like they were meant to be more than friends…

She hid it in her room, and then returned to breakfast. She didn't offer an explanation and the trio walked to class.

Cedric noticed what Hermione had done. Then when he saw his owl flutter through the window, Cedric did exactly the same thing.

After Hermione had returned to daily school, Cedric had increasing thoughts about her. How she was doing. Did she truly hate him? Things like that.

Cedric just wanted to be friends again. He didn't care what Harry and Ron thought. All he cared about was Hermione's opinion. He knew Valentine's Day was approaching, and decided to send her a card. Hopefully it would start to mend their broken friendship. Cedric filled out the Daily Prophet order form and then waited for it to arrive.

Cedric took the card to his dormitory. He looked at the card, he had chosen well. It had a picture of a couple holding hands, walking into the sunset.

He opened it, and wrote in it. He left his quote; 'Forgiving is love's toughest work, and love's biggest risk. If you twist it into something it was never meant to be, it can make you a doormat or an insufferable manipulator. Forgiving seems almost unnatural. Our sense of fairness tells us people should pay for the wrong they do. But forgiving is love's power to break nature's rule. ~Lewis B. Smedes.' then wrote, Forgive me?

He signed his name then sealed the envelope.

He hid it under his bed and then left to get to his next class.

Valentine's Day arrived, in a flurry of pink. Overnight the castle had been transformed. Hermione had a shrewd idea of who was behind it.

She was proved correct as she entered the Great Hall. Professor Lockhart stood at the Staff Table, wearing lurid pink robes.

She sat down and laughed at Harry and Rons expressions. They looked horrified, and then disgusted when the cupid dwarfs marched in. She knew that Harry especially wouldn't enjoy this day. She wasn't listening to Lockhart's speech, instead searching in her bag for her card for Cedric. When she was satisfied it was there, she searched the Hufflepuff table. She spotted Cedric immediately, and their eyes met. Hermione felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine. She smiled at him, and he smiled nervously back.

She now had to plan how to slip it into his bag.

She decided to follow him to his class, then make his bag rip so his books fell on the floor.

She told the boys to tell Professor Flitwick she would be just coming, if she wasn't back in time. They were both pre-occupied and didn't seem to care where she was going.

She searched for Cedric, then spotted him behind her. She hid behind a pillar, then saw how Cedric looked round, looking bemused.

He went up the stairs, following Ron and Harry.

She came out of her hiding place then followed him. When the crowd thinned slightly, she pointed her wand and muttered the incantation to make his bag rip. Cedric looked surprised and bent down, picking everything. Hermione quickly vanished the card and made it re-appear in his bag, between the books which he'd already stored in his bag. Satisfied, Hermione scuttled away, thinking of the successful job. She didn't notice Cedric spot her.

Cedric made sure that his card was in his bag whilst he was in the hall. He wasn't surprised by the awful decorations. With Lockhart as part of the staff, it was bound to happen. He had sat a bit away from Tom and Claire; they were being all couply, something Cedric couldn't stomach at that precise moment. He searched the Gryffindor table, looking for Hermione. He spotted her first, then smiled as Hermione looked at him. He knew what he was going to do. He was going to slip it into her bag as he passed her. If she talked to him, that would be nice, but no doubt she would be mad at him. That was the whole point of sending her a card.

He watched her go out the hall, and followed her. He made it to the Entrance Hall, then stopped. She had disappeared. He spotted Harry and Ron ahead of him, and made a decision to follow them, in case Hermione re-appeared. He followed them all the way to the Charms corridor, where he noticed a crowd of cupid dwarfs. One spotted Harry and pushed its way to him. Cedric immediately knew what would happen and decided to leave.

He went down a quieter path, now heading for his class, when suddenly, his bag ripped open.

Surprised, he bent down and picked his books up. He didn't notice an envelope slip into his bag.

Finished, Cedric stood up, and saw a familiar looking second year Gryffindor run out into another corridor. He quickly followed Hermione, wondering what kind of game she was playing at. He could still see her, not that far ahead. He knew that she didn't know he was behind her. Hermione had to wait on the stairs, and Cedric walked slowly towards her. He carefully slipped the card inside her bag, then ran back down the stairs before she noticed what had just happened. Mission completed.

Then he went back to History of Magic, Professor Binns hadn't noticed he had just arrived. He sat down next to Claire and smiled to himself.

Neither of them noticed there was a card in their bags that day.

Cedric was busy practising Quidditch to look in his large bag. It wasn't as if he expected a card to be in his bag. All the cards he had received that day had been delivered by dwarfs, much to his embarrassment. He had heard Harry had received a singing card, and thought himself lucky that no-one loved him that much.

Hermione, on the other hand, was busy thinking about Hagrid. Harry had told her everything that happened the previous night. She knew Hagrid had a fondness for dangerous creatures, but she couldn't believe it was him that set the monster on the Muggleborns. She didn't know what it was, but something didn't make sense.

"Maybe Riddle got it wrong….. maybe it was something else that attacked the students," Hermione suggested, desperate to come up with another explanation.

"How many monsters do you think this place can hold Hermione?" Ron said bitterly.

"We knew he was expelled, we just didn't think to ask," Harry said miserably.

"Plus the attacks must have stopped, otherwise Riddle wouldn't have got his award," Ron said.

Hermione sighed. This was their friend. Hagrid. Why did he have a hatred for Muggleborns? What about me?

They decided not to talk to Hagrid unless there was another attack. It had been four months since the double attack of Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. Peeves had stopped being cruel to Harry, and even Ernie was being polite again.

She went to bed that night, dreaming about a huge spider…

Next update will be sometime next week, i've already written it and part of the chapter after that : )

Until then, thank you everyone who likes this story. It's my pride and joy and I never thought i'd be still writing it.

And don't forget, if you haven't already, please read my other stories. House Unity is much more fun and has more humour than this one : )

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