Later that day in the hospital wing, Ron and Harry were sitting next to Hermione's bed waiting for her to revive herself (professor Taaaaaquuiiiiiiiii was in the cot next to Hermione and still out cold, albeit snoring peacefully).
"Have you written to Sirius about this little 'incident' yet Harry?" Ron asked, as the complete silence in the hospital wing was doing his head in.
"Yeah, I wrote to him after that 'non' potions lesson, I sent Hedwig off with it a second ago." Harry replied.
"How's it been living with him this summer?"
"Oh, it's been ok so far. It was a little weird at first but we soon got over it. When he got that job as an Auror though, we haven't been able to spend much quality time together." Harry smiled wistfully.
"Er, Harry?"
"Yea?"
"You're starting to sound like Professor Taqui."
"Oh God no." Harry banged his head on his hand as if in an effort to knock himself out of this phase he was going through.
They sank back into the silence of the hospital wing for a while. After what seemed like ages – but was only in reality about 10 minutes (in which Ron had fallen asleep) – Harry looked up at Hermione and noticed there was a strange essence of a face that was not Hermione's but still looked familiar.
Harry had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right. "Ron, wake up! Look at this."
"Hm, whazzamatter?"
"Look at Hermione's face. Something's not right"
Ron took a long, hard look at Hermione's face. "Oh yea. I see what you mean! It's not Hermione but it's still familiar."
"I can't quite put my finger on it though." Harry sank into deep thought to try to think who this was on Hermione's face and why it was there. "Ron..." he said suddenly "do you remember when we took that polyjuice potion in our second year?"
"Oh yea! That stuff was awful!!"
"Do you remember what happened when it started to wear off?"
"Er ... no, why?"
"When it started to wear off on you? Your hair started to go a little red and your nose was starting to lengthen? The essence of your face started to show?"
"You are not trying to say that this isn't Hermione but someone taking polyjuice potion?"
"I know it sounds mad but look, those bony cheeks definitely aren't Hermione's, neither is that nose." Harry once again sat staring at Hermione's (if that was really her) face. Ron was also thinking racking his brains to try to think where he had seen that face before.
After a long period of thinking, during which the face in front of them became less and less like Hermione and more like someone else. Then out of the blue it hit Ron like a thunderbolt. "I'VE GOT IT!!!!" he exploded
"Ron!!" Harry and Madame Pomfrey said at exactly the same moment. Harry because he had just jumped about three feet in the air. Madame Pomfrey because the quiet of her hospital wing was being seriously disturbed.
"Ron Weasley! Will you please control yourself! This is a hospital wing not a shouting contest!!" and with a tutting noise she walked off to her office muttering about noisy teenagers and time wasters.
"I know where I've seen that face before!!" Ron exclaimed (but quieter this time).
"Well I'm completely stumped, so tell me."
"Look, do you remember when we went to the Quidditch world cup? Well do you remember who was sitting behind us?" Ron went on eagerly.
"Are you trying to tell me that this is Narcissa Malfoy in disguise?!" Harry asked. Ron nodded at him "But it's impossible!"
"Well you said yourself that Hermione has been acting really weird lately, so why not? This certainly looks like her." Harry just sat staring at this person in front of him, which was quickly changing into Narcissa Malfoy. "I think that we had better get Madame Pomfrey." said Ron, still staring at the face of Narcissa Malfoy wishing his friend back.
"I think you might be right Ron." Harry agreed and went straight to Madame Pomfrey's office.
"What did you just say Mister Potter?" said Madame Pomfrey with an air of disbelief in her voice.
"The girl who you thought was Hermione was actually someone disguised as her using polyjuice potion! Look, you must understand! That is not Hermione in there it is someone else!" Harry explained to a quite disbelieving Madame Pomfrey.
"And who, might I ask would that someone be?" Madame Pomfrey demanded, with a clear hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Well, I think…that is it looks like her…"
"Well spit it out Potter."
"Well…"
"Look are you going to tell me or am I going to have to throw you out of my hospital wing!"
"Well erm, Narcissa Malfoy." Harry finally managed to get out.
"Uh huh, and Professor Dumbledore is Mickey Mouse or whatever those Muggles call that abomination in a rubber suit. What would a *respectable* lady such as Narcissa Malfoy – even if she *is* rather horrible – bother to impersonate Hermione Granger. I've heard the Malfoy's don't take too kindly to … Muggle borns, your story just doesn't fit, Mr Potter!"
"Look you have a choice, you can believe me and get that piece of scum who is pretending to be my best friend…"
"Language Mr. Potter!!"
"Sorry. Or you cannot believe me and let my best friend be… impersonated for all time whilst God knows what is happening to her." Harry finished triumphantly, but all at once what he had just said came back to haunt him. What *was* happening to Hermione? What had they done with her?
Harry went back to tell Ron what happened and Madame Pomfrey followed after him a little worried about his sanity.
"Look Mr. Weasley I just came out to satisfy myself that no-one is trying to impersonate my patients." Said Madame Pomfrey.
"Well everything's fine in here Madame Pomfrey." Ron lied smoothly and eloquently, which, quite frankly, worried Harry as Ron had never been particularly smooth or eloquent since Harry had known him – which was quite a while (well, long enough to know whether he was capable of being smooth or eloquent anyway).
"Ron, what is wrong with you? You saw her change! Come on back me up on this." Harry said, rather desperately, as he was trying to convince Madame Pomfrey that he was not crazy.
"Look Harry, I really don't know what you are talking about." Ron had an impassive look on his face that Harry had never seen before. He had that strange feeling in the pit of his stomach again, but this time he ignored it. He had some serious bones to pick with his friend.