The Morning After
A ray of sunlight illuminated Hermione's face. Her face contorted into a face which suggested that, more than likely, she didn't want to wake up.
Hermione's right eye opened slightly as a huge figure stepped in between the ray of light and her face. She squinted, now with both eyes open. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the bright light.
"Where am I? Mom? Dad, is that you," asked Hermione rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Quit playin' aroun' Hermione. You know tha you're in my hut," said Hagrid, an apron around his waist, and a spatula in his hand.
Hagrid turned his attention back to his stove. "You've been sleepin' nearly the whole day, an' now ya can' even remember where ya slep'? Well, never mind. Wha' would ya like fer breakfas'?" Hagrid lifted up the pan and showed Hermione fried rice, with bits of eggs and shrimp in it.
"Yes, please. I'm starving," said Hermione grabbing a plate, and goblet from the cupboard. As she sat down, Hagrid started to fill her plate with fried rice and her goblet with pumpkin juice. Hagrid in turn filled his plate with fried rice, and filled his goblet with some beer. He gave Fang the rest of the fried rice and water.
"So, wha' abou' Ron," asked Hagrid looking up from his plate, and swirling around his beer.
"Huh," said the startled Hermione, who was caught with a mouth full of food. She quickly chewed it, then swallowed. "Well, I don't know what to do. I think he likes me, or liked me, but now he's been hanging around Christina, and they're - were going to the ball."
"Well, have ya tol' Ron how ya fell abou' him?"
"Well. no, but I thought that boys were supposed to make the first move."
"Hermione the times are changing, an' wha' I've always liked abou' ya was your forthrightness. I'm sure Ron is as scared as hell."
"So am I, is it a good idea if I just wait for him to make his move?"
"No Hermione, you an' I both know how stubborn Ron can be. And who knows, maybe he'll jus get picked up by some other lass." Looking at Hermione's crestfallen face Hagrid instantly regretted his wording. "I'm sorry Hermione, thas not wha' I meant."
"It's all right Hagrid, you're right. I should tell him how I feel, and even if he rejects me at least I won't have to be anxious all my years at Hogwarts," she said with a forced smile.
Hagrid could only look down on his small friend with somber eyes, feeling apologetic for what she's gone through, and what he most likely is making her do.
Hermione put her, and Hagrid's plates and goblets in the sink. She gave Hagrid another hug and headed out the door to the castle, where a person was waiting for her in front of the doors.
Hermione ran toward the doors thinking it was Harry, but was taken aback when she found professor Snape.
"P - professor Snape, what are you doing here," asked Hermione, forgetting she was the one who spent the night at the Grounds Keeper's house.
"I'm afraid the question is what are you doing here, Ms. Granger. Unfortunately because of the incident with the troll last night, Madame Pomfrey was left in charge of you and Mr. Weasley. Now, what do you think happened when Professor McGonagall found out that you were missing and Madame Pomfrey didn't know where you were?"
Hermione stood there, motionless. Maybe if she stood still for long enough he wouldn't be able to see her. Snape, used to silence from students, continued.
"Madame Pomfrey was docked a months pay thanks to you, Ms. Granger. Now if you'll speak to Professor McGonagall maybe you can get Madame Pomfrey's pay back," Snape said before turning on his heel and motioning for her to follow him with his index, and middle finger.
Hermione kept her eyes on the floor as she walked through the doors. Though there was no one staring at her she felt like there were people eyeing her. Most likely she was the talk of the week. Being attacked by a troll, and the next day not there? The student's probably thought that she was dead, and Ron just injured.
She never looked up from the trip from Hagrid's to McGonagall's, she knew the way there by heart. Snape was just there to throw his power of authority in her face, just as he always does. He probably just squealed on her to McGonagall, just to get her in trouble; it wouldn't surprise her in the least. What did surprise her was that Snape didn't take away any points from her.
"Oh don't worry about points," Snape abruptly said, startling Hermione. "I can trust Professor McGonagall to fair in taking away points, I always have, and relished in the thought of the Head of House taking points from their own house." Snape then opened the door to McGonagall's office. "Have a pleasant stay." With that Snape left, a slight smile on his face.
Upon opening the door Hermione saw that McGonagall was sitting at her desk doing paperwork, probably something about the incident with the troll. McGonagall looked up in surprise that she had visitors in her office at this time of the day.
"Ms. Granger, where have you been?! We've been searching all over for you," shrieked McGonagall. Her eyes were clearly bloodshot, to Hermione's utter surprise, and there were bags under her eyes, her hair in a mess, and clothes the same thing she wore when she found Hermione in the library with the fiery troll, and the unconscious Ron.
Her hands shaking, she decided to put them in her pockets before she answered. "I was at Hagrid's hut. I went there to talk to him, and then I became to tired to go back to the dormitory."
"Too tired, more like too lazy. I expected more from you Ms. Granger," McGonagall said, which always received the same reaction from Hermione, a frown and a depressed demeanor.
"I'm sorry professor, I won't do it again."
"And to make sure that it doesn't, I'm afraid that I'll have to ban you from the dance," she quickly finished with, "or you may choose to have Gryffindor lose two hundred points."
Hermione quietly nodded her head.
"Professor, could you please not dock Madame Pomfrey her month's pay for my disappearance. It wasn't her responsibility for babysitting me, I should have been able to do that for myself," she said, eyes shining with tears from the news she previously heard. McGonagall only nodded and motioned with her hand for Hermione to leave her office.
Hermione quietly closed the door behind her, and began to walk down the corridor but was stopped by Malfoy. One of the few people that she didn't want to see, aside from Peeves, the rest of Slytherin, and Christina.
"Well, well, well. I heard about what happened to you and your boyfriend," said Malfoy standing in front of her. "Pity that it wasn't you that was smacked by the troll, but Weasley is a satisfactory target. Of course if it were I, the troll would have been killed, and I wouldn't have a scratch on me."
"I don't have time for this Malfoy. Now get out of my way before I do something that you'll regret."
Hermione took a step to her left, as to get around the obtrusive Malfoy. Malfoy simply stepped to his right to impede her journey to the Great Hall. Hermione growled in frustration, and stepped to her left once again and then quickly moved to her right, but was met with Malfoy's arm followed by his body.
"I don't think you should be cheating on 'the poor one' with 'scar head', though if you were going to cheat with Diggory I'll let you through. Just let me get my camera and we can start the lesbian photo shoot." Draco gave Hermione a grin, and winked.
"I warned you," Hermione said springing out her wand. "Obliviate!"
Immediately Draco went slack, and he stopped blinking. Hermione, in the mean while was thinking up what to replace Draco's memory.
"You love muggle-born wizards and witches, Harry, Ron, and I are not your enemies, you are homosexual - meaning that you like boys - oh - and you have a humungous crush on professor Severus Snape."
Hermione calmly walked away from the dazed, memory modifyed, Draco who had just begun to come to from Hermione's spell and had the sudden urge to write Professor Snape a book of love poetry. He took one fleeting glance at Hermione and walked away in the opposite direction.
Upon entering the Great Hall Hermione was quickly dragged away by Harry and Christina, pulling her into the shadows of one of the Great Hall's corners. Hermione practically tripped her way to the corner being pulled by mindless pulling machines.
"Neither of you could have said, 'Hey Hermione, over here.'," asked Hermione looking between Harry and Christina. Shocked, they turned their heads toward each other, then back to Hermione: "Hey Hermione, over here."
Hermione sighed and shook her head reminding herself not to do that again. "What do you want? I'm hungry." But in fact Hermione was very full, but was just a tad bit thirsty from her confrontation with the notorious Malfoy.
"Listen you guys I'll tell you everything after I get some pumpkin juice," Hermione said grabbing Seamus' goblet and draining it in one pull, much to the dismay of Seamus.
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
A/N: I cut this chapter short, because chapter 10 was short. Don't worry kids, the end is near; I mean the end of the fic. Time for the flaming, I'm sure I'll be known as the flame broiled author. Remember a flame is better than nothing.
A ray of sunlight illuminated Hermione's face. Her face contorted into a face which suggested that, more than likely, she didn't want to wake up.
Hermione's right eye opened slightly as a huge figure stepped in between the ray of light and her face. She squinted, now with both eyes open. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the bright light.
"Where am I? Mom? Dad, is that you," asked Hermione rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Quit playin' aroun' Hermione. You know tha you're in my hut," said Hagrid, an apron around his waist, and a spatula in his hand.
Hagrid turned his attention back to his stove. "You've been sleepin' nearly the whole day, an' now ya can' even remember where ya slep'? Well, never mind. Wha' would ya like fer breakfas'?" Hagrid lifted up the pan and showed Hermione fried rice, with bits of eggs and shrimp in it.
"Yes, please. I'm starving," said Hermione grabbing a plate, and goblet from the cupboard. As she sat down, Hagrid started to fill her plate with fried rice and her goblet with pumpkin juice. Hagrid in turn filled his plate with fried rice, and filled his goblet with some beer. He gave Fang the rest of the fried rice and water.
"So, wha' abou' Ron," asked Hagrid looking up from his plate, and swirling around his beer.
"Huh," said the startled Hermione, who was caught with a mouth full of food. She quickly chewed it, then swallowed. "Well, I don't know what to do. I think he likes me, or liked me, but now he's been hanging around Christina, and they're - were going to the ball."
"Well, have ya tol' Ron how ya fell abou' him?"
"Well. no, but I thought that boys were supposed to make the first move."
"Hermione the times are changing, an' wha' I've always liked abou' ya was your forthrightness. I'm sure Ron is as scared as hell."
"So am I, is it a good idea if I just wait for him to make his move?"
"No Hermione, you an' I both know how stubborn Ron can be. And who knows, maybe he'll jus get picked up by some other lass." Looking at Hermione's crestfallen face Hagrid instantly regretted his wording. "I'm sorry Hermione, thas not wha' I meant."
"It's all right Hagrid, you're right. I should tell him how I feel, and even if he rejects me at least I won't have to be anxious all my years at Hogwarts," she said with a forced smile.
Hagrid could only look down on his small friend with somber eyes, feeling apologetic for what she's gone through, and what he most likely is making her do.
Hermione put her, and Hagrid's plates and goblets in the sink. She gave Hagrid another hug and headed out the door to the castle, where a person was waiting for her in front of the doors.
Hermione ran toward the doors thinking it was Harry, but was taken aback when she found professor Snape.
"P - professor Snape, what are you doing here," asked Hermione, forgetting she was the one who spent the night at the Grounds Keeper's house.
"I'm afraid the question is what are you doing here, Ms. Granger. Unfortunately because of the incident with the troll last night, Madame Pomfrey was left in charge of you and Mr. Weasley. Now, what do you think happened when Professor McGonagall found out that you were missing and Madame Pomfrey didn't know where you were?"
Hermione stood there, motionless. Maybe if she stood still for long enough he wouldn't be able to see her. Snape, used to silence from students, continued.
"Madame Pomfrey was docked a months pay thanks to you, Ms. Granger. Now if you'll speak to Professor McGonagall maybe you can get Madame Pomfrey's pay back," Snape said before turning on his heel and motioning for her to follow him with his index, and middle finger.
Hermione kept her eyes on the floor as she walked through the doors. Though there was no one staring at her she felt like there were people eyeing her. Most likely she was the talk of the week. Being attacked by a troll, and the next day not there? The student's probably thought that she was dead, and Ron just injured.
She never looked up from the trip from Hagrid's to McGonagall's, she knew the way there by heart. Snape was just there to throw his power of authority in her face, just as he always does. He probably just squealed on her to McGonagall, just to get her in trouble; it wouldn't surprise her in the least. What did surprise her was that Snape didn't take away any points from her.
"Oh don't worry about points," Snape abruptly said, startling Hermione. "I can trust Professor McGonagall to fair in taking away points, I always have, and relished in the thought of the Head of House taking points from their own house." Snape then opened the door to McGonagall's office. "Have a pleasant stay." With that Snape left, a slight smile on his face.
Upon opening the door Hermione saw that McGonagall was sitting at her desk doing paperwork, probably something about the incident with the troll. McGonagall looked up in surprise that she had visitors in her office at this time of the day.
"Ms. Granger, where have you been?! We've been searching all over for you," shrieked McGonagall. Her eyes were clearly bloodshot, to Hermione's utter surprise, and there were bags under her eyes, her hair in a mess, and clothes the same thing she wore when she found Hermione in the library with the fiery troll, and the unconscious Ron.
Her hands shaking, she decided to put them in her pockets before she answered. "I was at Hagrid's hut. I went there to talk to him, and then I became to tired to go back to the dormitory."
"Too tired, more like too lazy. I expected more from you Ms. Granger," McGonagall said, which always received the same reaction from Hermione, a frown and a depressed demeanor.
"I'm sorry professor, I won't do it again."
"And to make sure that it doesn't, I'm afraid that I'll have to ban you from the dance," she quickly finished with, "or you may choose to have Gryffindor lose two hundred points."
Hermione quietly nodded her head.
"Professor, could you please not dock Madame Pomfrey her month's pay for my disappearance. It wasn't her responsibility for babysitting me, I should have been able to do that for myself," she said, eyes shining with tears from the news she previously heard. McGonagall only nodded and motioned with her hand for Hermione to leave her office.
Hermione quietly closed the door behind her, and began to walk down the corridor but was stopped by Malfoy. One of the few people that she didn't want to see, aside from Peeves, the rest of Slytherin, and Christina.
"Well, well, well. I heard about what happened to you and your boyfriend," said Malfoy standing in front of her. "Pity that it wasn't you that was smacked by the troll, but Weasley is a satisfactory target. Of course if it were I, the troll would have been killed, and I wouldn't have a scratch on me."
"I don't have time for this Malfoy. Now get out of my way before I do something that you'll regret."
Hermione took a step to her left, as to get around the obtrusive Malfoy. Malfoy simply stepped to his right to impede her journey to the Great Hall. Hermione growled in frustration, and stepped to her left once again and then quickly moved to her right, but was met with Malfoy's arm followed by his body.
"I don't think you should be cheating on 'the poor one' with 'scar head', though if you were going to cheat with Diggory I'll let you through. Just let me get my camera and we can start the lesbian photo shoot." Draco gave Hermione a grin, and winked.
"I warned you," Hermione said springing out her wand. "Obliviate!"
Immediately Draco went slack, and he stopped blinking. Hermione, in the mean while was thinking up what to replace Draco's memory.
"You love muggle-born wizards and witches, Harry, Ron, and I are not your enemies, you are homosexual - meaning that you like boys - oh - and you have a humungous crush on professor Severus Snape."
Hermione calmly walked away from the dazed, memory modifyed, Draco who had just begun to come to from Hermione's spell and had the sudden urge to write Professor Snape a book of love poetry. He took one fleeting glance at Hermione and walked away in the opposite direction.
Upon entering the Great Hall Hermione was quickly dragged away by Harry and Christina, pulling her into the shadows of one of the Great Hall's corners. Hermione practically tripped her way to the corner being pulled by mindless pulling machines.
"Neither of you could have said, 'Hey Hermione, over here.'," asked Hermione looking between Harry and Christina. Shocked, they turned their heads toward each other, then back to Hermione: "Hey Hermione, over here."
Hermione sighed and shook her head reminding herself not to do that again. "What do you want? I'm hungry." But in fact Hermione was very full, but was just a tad bit thirsty from her confrontation with the notorious Malfoy.
"Listen you guys I'll tell you everything after I get some pumpkin juice," Hermione said grabbing Seamus' goblet and draining it in one pull, much to the dismay of Seamus.
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
A/N: I cut this chapter short, because chapter 10 was short. Don't worry kids, the end is near; I mean the end of the fic. Time for the flaming, I'm sure I'll be known as the flame broiled author. Remember a flame is better than nothing.