The potion was complete. Now, on Valentine's day the potion would be ready and the plan was in motion. Fred and George would set off some kind of distraction, Neville would make sure the three Slytherins were not to be found while they were being mimicked. Ron, Harry and Hermione would join Draco in the Slytherin common room. Hermione would go into the girls dormitory and look for anything unusual.
When breakfast was starting, the whole group was gitty in anticipation. The school was slowly coming alive with the idea of love floating through the air. Ginny sat down on the end of the table, the black book Draco gave her sitting at the bottom of her books.
Harry came rushing over to sit next to her, sliding on the floor. The other girls in first year waved at him and blushed. "Are you excited about Valentine's day?" One of the pathetic girls asked.
"Sure," Harry said to her before handing Ginny a snitch.
"Thanks," She said slowly, moving it in her hand.
"It's the first snitch you caught against me. Don't worry, it will be the last."
Fred, who was sitting close enough to hear the conversation, face palmed while George laughed in his face.
Ginny blushed profusely while rolling her eyes.
"Okay, you've go the robes, Draco. Ron's got the hairs. Harry has the Map for emergency purposes. Neville will stay here as look out. And I've got one, successfully, brewed polyjuice potion. Now remember, I'm young, so this will only last for about 45 minutes with my magical skill. So, we're ready," Hermione said, getting the plan laid straight in her mind.
"Mione, I don't have a hair for you," Ron said sheepishly.
"That's fine. I took care of it during that horrid dueling club last month. Totally worthless if you ask me," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, gang, I've got this separated into three cups. You lot ready?" Neville said, handing first Harry and Ron then Hermione a glass of polyjuice.
Hairs went in and Hermione disappeared into a stall to change while Ron and Harry stripped down in the middle of the bathroom, not caring who saw what because they'd all seen it anyway. After donning the robes and shoes, Ron and Harry saluted each other and downed their potions.
"Wow, it's Crabbe," Harry said, staring at Ron.
"You can talk! You're Goyle! Mione! You're brilliant! Get out here and let's go!" Ron replied.
"Go on without me!" Hermione said from her stall.
"What? Why? We're all or none, we are," Harry protested.
"No! Just leave and do this. We'll discuss it when you get back! You're wasting time!" Hermione commanded, making the boys jump and run for the door.
An hour later, they arrived back in the girls bathroom.
"Your common room is so freakin' cold! How do you snakes live in those conditions?" Harry said, pushing the door open.
"We have an underwater view of the Black Lake. Trust me when I say it's the best common room in the school. Yours has nothing on ours," Draco said, rolling his eyes.
"Hermione, we're back. Now, tell us what the problem is," Harry demanded.
"How did it go?" Hermione hedged from her stall.
"Good luck, guys. She's refusing to come out," Neville said, bringing up the rear.
"Mione, get out here, or we'll come in," Draco said, panic rising.
"Fine, you nosy lot," Hermione caved, walking out of her stall.
The boys gave a valiant display of chivalry… for about ten seconds. Once they had fully taken in the cat ears, cat tail, whiskers, and paws, they cracked. Hermione got progressively angrier as they continued to laugh, rolling on the floor. Her hair, her human hair that is, was crackling when Draco finally pulled himself together.
"Millie! You were paired with Millie and you swiped hair from her robes, didn't you?" Draco's mirth shining.
"Why? Why do you know that?" Hermione demanded.
"She's… she's got that cat! Principessa! That's her name!" Draco said, clutching his stomach. Hermione's anger drained out and she stared at the ground.
"Now I have to go to the Hospital Wing," she said lowly. "I've failed, and now I have to go to the Hospital Wing."
The boys sobered quickly at that statement.
"You didn't fail, Mione. You made a mistake," Harry corrected.
"Mistakes are failure, Harry," Hermione said exasperatedly, as if she had been told this all her life, and had learned her lesson well.
"No they aren't. But we're not talking about that right now," Harry said, hugging the girl.
"He's right. Right now, we're throwing this invisibility cloak over your head and Harry and Ron are taking you to see Pomphrey. Nev is going to go get Minnie and I'll get Severus, and we'll all meet there shortly. Maybe they will know what to do," Draco directed. With that plan in mind, they took off.
"Madame Pomphrey! Madame Pomphrey! You have to help us!" Harry yelled as he and Ron barged into the infirmary.
"Potter? Weasley? What have you done now?" Poppy asked, rolling her eyes and reaching for burn cream.
"It's not us! It's…. Can we have a privacy wall?" Harry asked, looking around the room. There were no students in at the moment, but that could change in a heartbeat.
Madame Pomphrey complied, then turned on Harry and Ron, "Now, tell me what this is all about?"
Hermione pulled off the invisibility cloak and handed it to Harry.
"Polyjuice! At your age! What was Severus thinking?" Madame Pomphrey shrieked, pulling out her wand and readying a bed. "You just sit right there and we'll get this sorted."
"I can assure you, Poppy, that I had nothing to do with the situation at hand," Snape drawled, floating into the room followed by Draco. "I am quite certain, however, we will get the whole story shortly."
"Fine," Harry said, glaring at the potions professor. "But we have to wait for Aunt Minnie. Nev went to get her."
"You'll not be waiting long. Explain," Professor McGonagall demanded harshly. Then she looked at Hermione and her face softened. "Polyjuice with cat hair. You poor girl."
"Yes, we can all see that. Now, explain where and how you managed this, and to what ends," Snape demanded, not deigning to look at the students.
"It was my idea, professors," Hermione said, looking down.
"A likely excuse. One we've already heard, I believe. Do try again," Snape said, rolling his eyes.
"No, Professor, it really was my idea. We wanted to know if Zabini could possibly be the Heir of Slytherin, since he has no known father, and Draco's too close to the situation to be of any use. So, I got permission from Professor Lockhart to get Moste Potente Potions. Then, we owled away for the ingredients we didn't have on hand and I brewed the whole thing in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Hermione explained, barely stopping for breath.
"And I am to assume that you were going to impersonate Miss Bulstrode, going by your appearance?" Snape asked.
"How does everyone one know that?" Hermione asked, shrinking into the bed.
"She has a fondness for those great hairy beasts, but is not currently allowed to have one at Hogwarts. All of her robes are covered in their hair, not matter how hard the house-elves try to clean them," Snape informed her.
"Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done to reverse it. You'll just have to stay here while it wears off. How long do you think, Severus?" Pomphrey asked.
"Given that a second year shouldn't have been able to successfully brew the potion in the first place. How long did the potion last, Draco?" Snape asked, turning to his step-son.
"Um… 45 minutes," Draco replied.
"Then two weeks. She'll be here about two weeks," Snape informed the group. Then he grabbed his robes, flung them about, and made another dramatic exit.
"I'll arrange for all of your homework to be sent up," McGonagall informed her. "After I have a serious conversation with Mr. Black about sending second years dangerous potions ingredients."
"Professor… I'm ahead the next seven weeks. Would it be okay if I just give you my work?" Hermione said, sheepishly.
"That will work. The rest of you, back to your common rooms. You won't be punished for this, based solely on the fact that I'm so impressed. I don't think even Severus could have brewed that potion so young. It's good for him to remember he's not the best potions master in the world, just England. Besides, his feathers are ruffled now. Having class with him will be punishment enough," McGonagall informed them, smirking as she shooed them away.
Hermione was left alone after that. Poppy summoned her pajamas and she settled down with several books for the long two weeks ahead of her. The monony was broken up by bouts of coughing, which produced horrendous hairballs.
Later, much later, she heard shuffling echo through the deserted infirmary. She grabbed her wand, ready to hex when she heard, "Shh, she's just around this way."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief as Fred and George pushed her privacy curtain aside.
"What the hell happened to you?" George asked, manners completely deserting him.
"Polyjuice gone wrong," Hermione shrugged.
"Where'd you get polyjuice?" Fred asked, turning his nose up.
"I brewed it," she replied simply.
"No, really," they asked in unison, laughing at the perceived joke.
"No, really. We owled Sirius for the ingredients, then I brewed it in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It's quite easy, once you read the directions carefully. The only place I messed up was at the end. I used a hair from Millicent Bulstrode's cat, not Millicent Bulstrode. Now, I'm stuck here for the next two weeks," Hermione explained.
"Wow. You've… polyjuice in a toilet. Wow. You're scary," Fred said, the first to come to his senses. Hermione just blushed.
"Say, since you're, what, seven weeks ahead on your homework, would you mind taking a look at some of potions ideas that we have? You don't have to brew them or anything, just research the ingredients and make sure we didn't mix anything that would counteract badly." George asked, grinning slyly.
"Only if you bring me any book I want, no questions asked," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.
"Agreed," the twins said, shaking her hand.
After Hermione's release from the infirmary, Ron, Neville, Harry, and Hermione were all sitting by the fire, writing up a paper for McGonagall about how to the transformation of an animal into an object happens. Hermione, who was already finished with her paper was reading Neville's, fixing his mistakes.
When they heard the noise coming down the steps, it didn't startle them, but it was who was making it that had them confused.
Ginny, with her black book walked down the steps in her night clothes and went to exit the tower.
"Ginny, it's past curfew. Filch is going to skin you with all that's going on." Neville said.
Ginny kept walking.
"I'll go get her. Finish your work." Hermione said, getting up.
"Yes mum," Harry muttered then gained a glare from Hermione before she turned around.
"Ginny," Hermione called as she jogged to the girl. "Ginny, come on." She said, grabbing her arm, but Ginny didn't stop, she just pushed her away. "Ginny, I know something is bother you, but you've got to talk to one of us."
Ginny pushed her aside again, and walked away.
"Hermione, it isn't Ginny." Draco said, putting his book down. "She couldn't possibly do those things. You were in the dorms all night. Plus, she can't speak snake."
"I think you're being blinded by your feelings." She told him pulling out another book."Ginny was completely out of it last night. When she saw the writing on the wall the first time, she ran away from us. She knows something."
"Hermione, Ginny isn't capable of doing something like this. She was friends with Colin. I saw them eating lunch together the day before he was petrified."
"Did you really not hear what you just said." Hermione said, deadpan as someone came to their table. Draco went pale. Hermione turned around and smiled at Ginny.
"Hey Ginny." Hermione said, acting as if she didn't hear anything.
"I-Justin Flinch-Fletchley was petrified." Ginny told them, she eyes filling with tear. "And I didn't even know him. Would you like to blame this on me too?"
Draco stood up to follow Ginny, but Hermione put her hand to his shoulder. "Sit. She needs to be alone, and we have research to do."
Hermione started questioning me about what I've been doing. She even thinks I'm the one doing these things. Am I? I keep feeling like something is in charge of my body, why would something want to hurt me? Would you hurt me? You're my only friend. You keep showing me parts of your past, I wish I could have been there with you. You're smart and nice. I doubt you could have hurt anyone.
You once said that you could be here with me. How much longer to I have to wait. You're my only friend, Tom, and I want to see you here, everyday.
Ginny watched as her words swirled away to Tom. Finally, he replied.
Who is Hermione? How does she fit in with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy?
Thinking hard, Ginny finally replied.
She's my friend. Or, at least, I think she's my friend. It's very complicated. Ron met her last year because she's a muggleborn. Now we spend a lot of time teaching her about our world because she doesn't understand it. She's really studious and helps me with my studies, but lately she disappears for long periods of time. I hope she isn't the one doing all of these things.
"The game is cancelled, you lot better come with me," Professor McGonagall announced, marching onto the Quidditch pitch.
"What's going on, Professor?" Harry asked, a sinking feeling in his gut.
"There's been another victim, Mr. Potter. No more questions, you lot come with me," she said, leading the Weasley boys and Harry up with to the Hospital Wing. The sinking feeling only got worse as they got closer. He was going through the list of people who were missing. He'd seen Ron, Ginny, Neville, and even Draco. That left only one person.
"'Mione!" The twins shouted, running to her bed. "What happened?"
"She and Miss Clearwater were found petrified outside of the library. Miss Granger had a mirror in her hands. Can any of you explain that?" Professor McGonagall asked. Pointing to a pocket mirror Hermione had in one hand.
"No, Aunt Minne, we can't. She's not one of those girls. She doesn't care what she looks like," Harry said, looking at his professor. "Have you told Padfoot yet?"
"I haven't had the opportunity to inform anyone just yet. I came to cancel the Quidditch game first. My next stop is to inform the parents, as well as Sirius and Hestia. You can stay for a bit, but they are sealing the common room for the rest of the weekend. I'll let you know more when I can," Professor McGonagall told them, taking her leave.
"I can't believe this happened to her. What are we gonna do? She's the brain, what are we gonna do?" Fred asked, putting his head in his hands.
"Who's gonna make sure we do our homework?" George asked. "Who's gonna find the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Harry? Harry, tell me it's not her," Draco said, running into the Hospital Wing.
"It is. It's Hermione. And now we have no way to figure out where the Chamber is," Harry said in defeat.
Gabs: Dun-dun-duuuuuunnnnn. Sorry about the late post. Busy weekend for both of us.
Kat: Yes, both of us were out of town. Thanks to all of you who reviewed the last two chapters!
Gabs: Special thanks for the birthday wishes! And for the Brit picking. We're really trying, we promise.
Kat: Yes! We love the constructive criticism and how you guys are enjoying the glossing of the story. Also the score is now tied at 2!
Gabs: Yes! The glossing! We hope to finish up CoS next chapter.
Kat: Yes! It may be an extra long chapter, so sorry if that offends you. We own nothing.
XOXO
Gabs and Kat
