Author's Note: Sorry I haven't added more lately, I've been SO busy with school, acting, etc. etc. (I know, I know, likely story). Enjoy the next part, and thanks for your support! ~Moondream
"What I don't understand," Harry was saying as they sat down in the Three Broomsticks, "Is why Ariele likes Malfoy, anyway."
Hermione squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, and Ron coughed loudly, but neither said anything. There was a moment's pause and Harry was looking at them rather expectantly, assuming that either they would say something to back him up, or at least say something. Finally Hermione changed the subject.
"So, did Malfoy hit you for any particular reason?"
"Dunno," Harry replied all too quickly. "Probably his idea of some Halloween joke."
"I'm sure," Ron muttered sarcastically under his breath, but Hermione heard him.
"Ron, you didn't have anything to do with this, did you?" Her teacher tone was alerted.
"Of course not," Ron replied, reaching for his mug.
"You didn't provoke him, did you?" Hermione said, looking at them both.
"Nope," Ron replied at the same time as Harry said, "That would be a waste of breath."
"For wizard's sake, what happened?!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Nothing that's your business, I'm sure," Ron said, making Hermione glare.
"Exactly," Harry agreed. Hermione gave up. With a frustrated sigh and an irritated glare, she sloshed the remains of her butterbeer around in her cup. She glanced up when she heard the door to the Three Broomsticks open, and was hardly surprised to see Ariele and Malfoy in, but what did surprise her was the fact that they were arguing--or at least, they appeared to be.
"No," Ariele was saying, "I hate the Spiders." She was referring to Malfoy's favorite band.
"But didn't you like their new song?" Malfoy encouraged.
"Nope," Ariele replied. "I thought it was awful. Too screechy, too howly, too much music and not enough words, too spidery, too everything. " Hermione frowned. Something about the way Ariele said it made it seem like she didn't mean it. Across the table Ron looked at her with raised eyebrows and Hermione decided he must have noticed too. They turned back to their mugs and Hermione swallowed the last of her drink, which was now Luke-warm. Suddenly she saw Ariele stand up from her table abruptly.
"How," She was saying angrily. "How could you even consider that!? How could you even say that out loud?" People started turning their heads to look at the commotion. Malfoy was shrinking in his seat.
Ariele continued, "Draco Malfoy, you disgust me. How you could ever say something like that, about my friends--and to my face!--is beyond me." A large group of Hogwarts students turned around in their seats to find out what was going on, and the barkeeper paused with a bottle in hand.
"As of right now," Ariele's voice went frighteningly calm. "I don't know you."
She spun on her heel and stormed out of the restaurant, slamming the door behind her. Hermione jumped out of her seat and left after Ariele with Ron and Harry close at her heels. Ron called a "Nice going, Malfoy," to the shrinking figure. As they left, she noticed something--Everyone was looking at Malfoy.
~~~~*~~~~
Once outside the door, none of them spoke. They all looked around for some sign of Ariele, but she was no where to be seen. Harry was the first one to break the silence.
"I'll go left, and Hermione, you go right. Ron, check up the street that way," He pointed. "We'll meet at the entrance to Hogsmeade in half an hour." He didn't even have to say why they were doing it. They split up. Passing the Golden Goblet, and Zonko's Joke Shop, Hermione wandered down the street, occasionally calling Ariele's name. When she guessed that her thirty minutes were nearly up, she turned and headed back to the entrance. Ron was already there.
"Any luck?" Hermione asked him, but he shook his head. "Me either."
They both waited in nervous silence for Harry to return. Hermione prayed that Ariele would be with him. Finally he returned. He was panting.
"I think I found her," He breathed. "Stay here. Don't worry." Then he turned around and left.
"Hurry!" Hermione called after him. Then she added quietly, "We don't want to miss the bus again." Ron looked at her quizzically, as if asking what Harry was doing. Hermione shrugged.
"We've just got to trust him on this," Hermione sighed. They stopped talking. Hermione's mind started racing. Thoughts like, What in the world is he doing? and I wonder if something's wrong... ran through her head. She wondered if Ariele was okay, and why Harry said not to worry. Of course, the first thing she did after he said that was worry. And wait. Ron kept checking his watch once every few seconds. It got quite annoying after the first five minutes.
"Where are they?" He said nervously. "The bus'll be here any moment now."
"Shut up," Hermione commanded. Then they waited some more. Finally, they saw Harry's figure coming down from the hill on which the Shrieking Shack stood.
"He's alone!" Ron exclaimed, peering into the growing darkness. "No, no, wait...He's carrying her! What in the name of Merlin is he doing that for!" Hermione shrugged, then rushed forward to meet them.
"Harry, what in the world--" She began, but he gave her a Look, so she clamped her mouth shut.
"She's been bitten by something," He said quickly. "It's kinda funny looking...On her arm. Hurry up, I'm gonna drop her." Hermione hurried.
"Ron," She gasped, as the red-haired boy came to join them, "Ariele's been bitten by something. Find her a place to lay down. I want to look at it. She's completely unconscious."
At the moment, Ron seemed quite annoyed at having Hermione boss him around, but he sighed heavily and left in search of something to lay on. Several moments later he returned.
"There's a nice, mossy area over there," He pointed. "That's the best I could find."
"Great," Said Harry, his voice a strained whisper.
"Oh!" Ron took the hint. "Let me carry her for a while."
"Good idea," Replied Harry, hoisting up the girl enough so that Ron could take her.
Ron directed them to the place he'd mentioned, then set Ariele down gently in the moss. Hermione dropped to her knees and examined the bite.
"You would never believe, from looking at her, how heavy she is," She heard Ron tell Harry.
Hermione studied the wound. It was a funny one...The puncture itself, which consisted of three tiny (but deep) pricks, was an odd, purple color, but the area surrounding it was a nasty, poisonous green. Ron peered over her shoulder, took one glance at it, before making gagging noises and stepping away hurriedly.
"Oh, gosh," Hermione whispered.
"What?" Harry descended down beside her.
"The ball's in your field, Harry," Hermione whimpered.
"Wh-what?"
"I can't do anything about it."
"Why not?" A horrified expression crossed Harry's face.
Hermione shuddered, tears threatening to escape from her eyes. "Oh, Harry, this was the lesson I missed. You have to hurry!"
Harry stared at her.
"Hermione, I think you've gone crazy. You haven't missed a single lesson all term, and I still don't know what you're talking about!"
"But I did, Harry!" She sobbed. "I missed one, early this month. Remember? Neville spilled Remstant potion all over me and I grew flippers. Remember? Remember?"
"Hermione, you're starting to scare me." Harry frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"
"You have to do something!" Hermione cried, and fresh wave of tears came on. "I missed the lesson! The lesson on Krytes! I've read about them, but I don't know about curing bites!"
Harry went pale. "You're not telling me...You can't be...Ariele's been bitten by a Kryte?"
Hermione bit her lip and nodded. She tried to force her mind away from the horrible creature: about the size of a large dog, but resembling a dragon. Red, with three pointed and highly poisonous fangs. Hermione sniffed.
"That...Oh, shoot, I don't remember...You've read about them! Come on Hermione, you have to know!"
Through her shudders (the kind that always come after you cry) she managed to say sarcastically,
"Oh, yeah, I know all about stunning them and avoiding them, but, Harry, believe it or not, there's no Kryte HERE!"
Ariele's entire arm was the horrible green color now. Hermione eyed Harry expectantly. They stood up. Harry went to work.
"Ron! RON!"
Ron came out of a nearby grove of trees, his face a color close to the green of Ariele's arm.
"What?" He asked. Harry looked at him.
"Listen to me. I need you to help."
Ron eyed Harry nervously. "Fine, just as long as I don't have to look at that." He nodded in Ariele's direction.
Harry continued, "I need you to run to Hogsmeade...Find someone to help...Then wait by the entrance for Professor Meldrum...She should know something..."
Professor Meldrum was the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She was very pretty, and spoke fourteen different languages. Ron quite admired her.
"All right," He agreed, and set off back towards the path. Hermione looked back at Ariele.
"W-w-wait a second," She stammered. She knelt back down. "It's...It's starting to swell!"
Harry groaned.
"There's something we're supposed to do," He said thoughtfully. "A charm...Er...Um...Kestermum....No, no, wait, that's not it....Kiterum...No, hold on...Krytitum Severnum! Hermione, you say it, I don't have my wand!"
Hermione grabbed her wand out of her pocket, and muttered, "Krytitum Severnum!" The swelling instantly began to lessen. She gave a sigh of relief. "Good..."
"Yeah, now we just have to wait for somebody to show up," Harry added. Then they both made themselves comfortable, and waited.