Hermione manages to avoid being caught by Narcissa and Bellatrix on her way back inside the manor and resumes her cleaning. Once Narcissa goes to bed, she'll sneak into Ron's room to discuss what she witnessed.
Ron and Hermione eat dinner by themselves. She feels like she might burst with the need to tell him, but what if Narcissa decided to join them?
But she doesn't.
Hermione lays awake, listening for the sounds of Narcissa going to bed. She hears nothing. The house is silent.
Maybe she's already asleep?
She crawls out of bed and creeps to the door. Poking her head into the hallway, she peers around. No one. Eyes on Ron's door, she steps out -
"Why were you spying on me?"
Hermione jumps. "Narcissa! I didn't see - " She pauses. "Where are you?"
Narcissa mutters " finite incantantum " and becomes visible, sitting against the wall beside Hermione's door. She stands up. "I'll ask again - why were you spying on me?"
"What are you talking - "
"Don't lie to me. I saw you sneaking back into the house this afternoon."
Hermione thinks quickly, pulse racing. "I wasn't sneaking. I fancied some fresh air. Why do you assume I was spying on you?"
Narcissa narrows her eyes, and Hermione knows she has her stumped. If Narcissa had any proof that Hermione had followed her, she would have said already. But now that Narcissa may doubt, she needs to decide what to say. Will Narcissa admit that Bellatrix was here?
"You're a terrible liar," Narcissa says, and the words strike a painful cord in Hermione.
"We both know that's not true," Hermione says coldly before she can stop herself, gripping her forearm, feeling a phantom burn along her scar.
Narcissa's eyes drop to Hermione's arm, and she frowns, something flashing through her eyes. "I..."
Hermione blinks back tears. "Forget it. When you're ready to talk - actually talk, not accuse me of things - we'll continue this."
"You knew what I was talking about," Narcissa says. "You never asked what I thought you were spying on."
Narcissa disappeared into her room, and Hermione cursed.