To Willowfairy, who missed out, when I was thanking everyone else!
Chapter 25
"I'm FINE!" Hermione tried to argue with the matron, who was bent on making her stay at the hospital wing. "I have my DUTY tonight!"
"Duty or not, you have to stay here Miss Granger. You're over-worked, and I want to ensure that you're perfectly all right before I discharge you!" Said Madam Pomfrey, trying to get Hermione to lie down.
Hermione squirmed away from her grasp. Nothing, and no one, was going to stop her from seeing Draco after dinner. What if Draco found more of the Trapping Potion? She shuddered. She jumped nimbly off the bed, and grabbed her pile of homework off the table.
"I HAVE to go! You don't understand!" She said, reaching out for her cloak. Then, she made a dash for the door. She knew what it was like to be rebellious now. She gripped the doorknob firmly, and threw the door open.
Professor Dumbledore stood there, his hand just inches away from where the doorknob was a few seconds ago. Madam Pomfrey quickly put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, and began to speak quickly to the professor.
"Sir, please talk some sense into Miss Granger! She wants to have dinner with her friends, and do her duty afterwards! Would you please -?"
Professor Dumbledore held up his hand, as Hermione opened her mouth to argue with him too. "Miss Granger, you understand that it is only the second week of school, and you are already over-worked, don't you?"
Hermione nodded slowly, fearing the worst.
"But," the old man said slowly, his eyes twinkling, "Since you're convinced you're okay, I don't see why you shouldn't join the feast."
Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Headmaster -," started Madam Pomfrey.
"Now, now, Poppy, the feast is about to start in ten minutes, so get ready for the feast, why don't you?"
Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes at Hermione, and went into her office, slamming the door behind her.
Hermione could've danced for joy. "Thank you, sir! You don't know how much this means to me!" She breathed, restraining herself from dropping her things, and hugging him.
He merely smiled down at her, winked, and said, "Well, maybe I do, Miss Granger. Maybe I do."
Then, thanking him for the last time, Hermione sprinted all the way up to her room, with Hedwig hooting softly, as she tried to keep up. Dropping her things on her bed, she hurriedly changed into a newly-pressed set of school uniform, did her tie, and left her room, while pinning the badge onto the front of her school sweater, her cloak over her shoulder. Hedwig flew out through her window, into the cold night.
In less than five minutes, Hermione was at the hall. She stopped at the entrance, as her eyes scanned the crowd. Draco, who had spotted her before anyone else had, merely gave her a slight nod, and turned back to his friends. Then, Ginny, whose eyes had been wandering around at the hall, as though looking for someone, saw her, and began to wave energetically. Ron and Harry followed her gaze, and saw Hermione, who began to walk up to them, smiling.
"Hermione!" Cried Ginny, throwing her arms around Hermione. "Welcome back!" She said, stepping back.
Hermione laughed, and sat down in their usual place and position; opposite Harry and Ron, whose backs were to the Slytherins, with Ginny on her left side.
Seamus, who was seated on Hermione's right, pretended to throw his arms around her. "Hermione!" He shrilled exaggeratedly, "Welcome back!"
Hermione laughed out again, and mockingly pushed him away. "Ooh," came the teasing echoes from Dean and Lavender.
Professor Dumbledore strode in a while later, with Professor Snape behind him. Both looked grim.
After taking their seats, Professor Dumbledore merely waved his hand, without even saying, "Let the feast begin", and turned to talk to Professor McGonagall, in a low tone.
Hermione studied them carefully, as she allowed Ginny to spoon some soup into her bowl for her. She wondered if Professor Snape had finally told Professor Dumbledore about the Trapping Potion, and if Professor Dumbledore was discussing it with Professor McGonagall, who looked more serious by the minute.
"Hey, Herm," said Ron, trying to get her attention. "Want some of this chicken gravy?"
Hermione nodded, and turned back to the Professors, who were silent. She turned back, and tried to focus on her dinner
Dinner continued as usual. As Hermione was about to help herself to her third helping of roast beef, she saw Draco stand up, and walk briskly towards the doors, which led to several routes, one of which led to an almost-direct path to the dungeons.
Hermione excused herself, and left after Draco. When she was just behind him, she put out a hand, and took his shoulder. "Hey," she said, smiling at the back of his head.
He stopped, turned around, and looked down at her. Hermione felt her smile fade.
"I have the answer," he said, looking seriously into her eyes.
"Answer?" She repeated, puzzled. "What answer? Are we playing Trivia?"
"No. The answer to your question. The one you asked before I left."
"Oh, that one. Okay, what is it?"
"I came to see you because -."
"Mr. Malfoy? Miss Granger? Could I have a minute of your time?"
The two of them turned, and saw Professor Dumbledore standing there, looking uncharacteristically grave.
"Yes, sir," they said in unison as they allowed Professor Dumbledore lead them towards his office.
Hermione, though she had a great respect for the headmaster, felt a little annoyed, as she'd have to find out the answer from Draco later. She glanced at Draco, and saw that he looked somewhat relieved.
Professor Dumbledore stopped outside the distinctive gargoyle to his office. "Fizzing Whizbees," he said. The other two hopped onto the moving stairs behind him, and tried not to look at the scared expressions on each other's face. What had they done? Was it because they had stopped to talk for a minute on their duty? Just a minute! What was wrong with that?
Professor Dumbledore sat behind his desk, and motioned to Hermione and Draco to sit. Stiffly, they fell into the seats opposite the headmaster, and looked at their hands.
"Now," he said, still in a serious tone. "Professor Snape has just told me this evening that the two of you found two puddles of potions while on duty, and I would like to have your word, that I can trust you."
Hermione looked uncomfortable. "Professor, I already -."
"Told Harry and Ron?" he said, his eyes twinkling. "Yes, I am well aware of that." Smiling at Hermione's surprised look, he continued. "They will join us after dinner, and I trust they will arrive soon," he finished, just as they heard the stone begin to shift. "Ah, here they are." He rose, and Hermione and Draco followed suit. They looked worriedly at each other.
However, it was not Harry and Ron who stepped off the stairs. It was Professor McGonagall, and Hermione could've sworn she'd never looked this grim before. And they soon found out why.
"Headmaster," she said, seriously, searching for something within the folds of her cloak. "This is very serious. Severus and I found a big puddle of the... potion on the second floor. We have sent all the pupils to their dorms. But if you'd like to see -."
Then, she held out a small glass vial, and, as light fell on it, Hermione and Draco saw that it was, without a doubt, the Trapping Potion.
Chapter 25
"I'm FINE!" Hermione tried to argue with the matron, who was bent on making her stay at the hospital wing. "I have my DUTY tonight!"
"Duty or not, you have to stay here Miss Granger. You're over-worked, and I want to ensure that you're perfectly all right before I discharge you!" Said Madam Pomfrey, trying to get Hermione to lie down.
Hermione squirmed away from her grasp. Nothing, and no one, was going to stop her from seeing Draco after dinner. What if Draco found more of the Trapping Potion? She shuddered. She jumped nimbly off the bed, and grabbed her pile of homework off the table.
"I HAVE to go! You don't understand!" She said, reaching out for her cloak. Then, she made a dash for the door. She knew what it was like to be rebellious now. She gripped the doorknob firmly, and threw the door open.
Professor Dumbledore stood there, his hand just inches away from where the doorknob was a few seconds ago. Madam Pomfrey quickly put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, and began to speak quickly to the professor.
"Sir, please talk some sense into Miss Granger! She wants to have dinner with her friends, and do her duty afterwards! Would you please -?"
Professor Dumbledore held up his hand, as Hermione opened her mouth to argue with him too. "Miss Granger, you understand that it is only the second week of school, and you are already over-worked, don't you?"
Hermione nodded slowly, fearing the worst.
"But," the old man said slowly, his eyes twinkling, "Since you're convinced you're okay, I don't see why you shouldn't join the feast."
Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Headmaster -," started Madam Pomfrey.
"Now, now, Poppy, the feast is about to start in ten minutes, so get ready for the feast, why don't you?"
Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes at Hermione, and went into her office, slamming the door behind her.
Hermione could've danced for joy. "Thank you, sir! You don't know how much this means to me!" She breathed, restraining herself from dropping her things, and hugging him.
He merely smiled down at her, winked, and said, "Well, maybe I do, Miss Granger. Maybe I do."
Then, thanking him for the last time, Hermione sprinted all the way up to her room, with Hedwig hooting softly, as she tried to keep up. Dropping her things on her bed, she hurriedly changed into a newly-pressed set of school uniform, did her tie, and left her room, while pinning the badge onto the front of her school sweater, her cloak over her shoulder. Hedwig flew out through her window, into the cold night.
In less than five minutes, Hermione was at the hall. She stopped at the entrance, as her eyes scanned the crowd. Draco, who had spotted her before anyone else had, merely gave her a slight nod, and turned back to his friends. Then, Ginny, whose eyes had been wandering around at the hall, as though looking for someone, saw her, and began to wave energetically. Ron and Harry followed her gaze, and saw Hermione, who began to walk up to them, smiling.
"Hermione!" Cried Ginny, throwing her arms around Hermione. "Welcome back!" She said, stepping back.
Hermione laughed, and sat down in their usual place and position; opposite Harry and Ron, whose backs were to the Slytherins, with Ginny on her left side.
Seamus, who was seated on Hermione's right, pretended to throw his arms around her. "Hermione!" He shrilled exaggeratedly, "Welcome back!"
Hermione laughed out again, and mockingly pushed him away. "Ooh," came the teasing echoes from Dean and Lavender.
Professor Dumbledore strode in a while later, with Professor Snape behind him. Both looked grim.
After taking their seats, Professor Dumbledore merely waved his hand, without even saying, "Let the feast begin", and turned to talk to Professor McGonagall, in a low tone.
Hermione studied them carefully, as she allowed Ginny to spoon some soup into her bowl for her. She wondered if Professor Snape had finally told Professor Dumbledore about the Trapping Potion, and if Professor Dumbledore was discussing it with Professor McGonagall, who looked more serious by the minute.
"Hey, Herm," said Ron, trying to get her attention. "Want some of this chicken gravy?"
Hermione nodded, and turned back to the Professors, who were silent. She turned back, and tried to focus on her dinner
Dinner continued as usual. As Hermione was about to help herself to her third helping of roast beef, she saw Draco stand up, and walk briskly towards the doors, which led to several routes, one of which led to an almost-direct path to the dungeons.
Hermione excused herself, and left after Draco. When she was just behind him, she put out a hand, and took his shoulder. "Hey," she said, smiling at the back of his head.
He stopped, turned around, and looked down at her. Hermione felt her smile fade.
"I have the answer," he said, looking seriously into her eyes.
"Answer?" She repeated, puzzled. "What answer? Are we playing Trivia?"
"No. The answer to your question. The one you asked before I left."
"Oh, that one. Okay, what is it?"
"I came to see you because -."
"Mr. Malfoy? Miss Granger? Could I have a minute of your time?"
The two of them turned, and saw Professor Dumbledore standing there, looking uncharacteristically grave.
"Yes, sir," they said in unison as they allowed Professor Dumbledore lead them towards his office.
Hermione, though she had a great respect for the headmaster, felt a little annoyed, as she'd have to find out the answer from Draco later. She glanced at Draco, and saw that he looked somewhat relieved.
Professor Dumbledore stopped outside the distinctive gargoyle to his office. "Fizzing Whizbees," he said. The other two hopped onto the moving stairs behind him, and tried not to look at the scared expressions on each other's face. What had they done? Was it because they had stopped to talk for a minute on their duty? Just a minute! What was wrong with that?
Professor Dumbledore sat behind his desk, and motioned to Hermione and Draco to sit. Stiffly, they fell into the seats opposite the headmaster, and looked at their hands.
"Now," he said, still in a serious tone. "Professor Snape has just told me this evening that the two of you found two puddles of potions while on duty, and I would like to have your word, that I can trust you."
Hermione looked uncomfortable. "Professor, I already -."
"Told Harry and Ron?" he said, his eyes twinkling. "Yes, I am well aware of that." Smiling at Hermione's surprised look, he continued. "They will join us after dinner, and I trust they will arrive soon," he finished, just as they heard the stone begin to shift. "Ah, here they are." He rose, and Hermione and Draco followed suit. They looked worriedly at each other.
However, it was not Harry and Ron who stepped off the stairs. It was Professor McGonagall, and Hermione could've sworn she'd never looked this grim before. And they soon found out why.
"Headmaster," she said, seriously, searching for something within the folds of her cloak. "This is very serious. Severus and I found a big puddle of the... potion on the second floor. We have sent all the pupils to their dorms. But if you'd like to see -."
Then, she held out a small glass vial, and, as light fell on it, Hermione and Draco saw that it was, without a doubt, the Trapping Potion.