A/N Nothing to say for this chapter really... just keep reviewing! And
reading of course. Here it is!
~*~
The loudest laughter that Hermione had ever heard in her life filled the room. Mr. Hart laughed and laughed, and the tears ran down his cheeks. Tears that were the coulor of the mist that had previously filled up the room. Herminoe felt awkward standing there, watching him laugh, and she looked at the other two, who were stariing at the man in disbelief. Hermione smiled a little. She walked over to the other two and looked at Mr. Hart.
"He must have found several things very funny," she said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. Penelope smiled and Ginny giggled. Soon, Hermione laughed too. It was infectuous. The door flew open and a very worried looking nurse entered the room. She looked quickly at Mr. Hart and at the other three.
"You!" she screeched, pointing at the three of them, "What do you think you're doing? What has happened? Why is he laughing? What have you done?" she asked, sounding very angry indeed.
"Which would you like us to answer first?" Ginny asked smartly. The nurse glared and Hermione poked Ginny in the ribs. Penelope quickly took charge.
"We're from the Ministry. Official business. Miss Granger here," she said, motioning to Hermione," has invented a countercurse. We were trying it out. Seems to be working because he was supposed to be laughing, wasn't he?" Penelope asked Hermione.
" Indeed," agreed Hermione.
"Don't you agree it's working?" Ginny asked the nurse sweetly.
" Well- I.... Yes, it does seem to be working. What a wonder. ... Thus must have been a very powerful spell. You've cured him, it seems. Tell me, I used to be fond of Charms, what is the spell?"
"It's a new one," Hermione explained. "Lacrima Abegere, meaning for the victim to..." and she went into an explanation long enough for Mr. Hart to stop laughing and lie back in bed. All four of them looked over at him when they heard his snores. He seemd to be sleeping peacefully, deep in sleep.
"He hasn't slept since he arrived," the nurse explained."This is wonderful. When are you publicising this spell? We could help so many."
"I realised that. That was one of the reasons why I did it. But I don't know when it will be publicised, I still need to show it to the Ministry..." Hermione said, looking at her watch. It was five o'clock and if he kept sleeping....
"How long do you think he'll sleep for?" she asked the nurse. The nurse looked at Mr. Hart inquisitively.
"Hard to say. Probably until next morning. You could come back then. But out with all of you! He needs his sleep!" she said with finality, pushing them out of the room and closing the door on them when she went back in.
" A regular old Madam Pomfrey," Ginny said, staring at the door. Hermione laughed as she remembered the old school nurse.
"Wonder if she's still there?" Penelope asked." She took such good care fo me when I- well-" she cut herself short, realising that Ginny was standing next to her. Ginny winced as a fresh batch of memories swept over her.
"Oh Ginny. I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean-"
"I should be the one apologizing!" Ginny interupted." I'm the one who Petrified both of you!"
"But that wasn't your fault Gin," Harry said, coming up beside her and touching her arm. Ginny appeared startled that he had heard her.
"But it was," she insisted softly.
"No, it wasn't. How could an eleven year old girl win a battle of mind power against the most brilliant and cruel wizard of our time?" Hermione said. Ginny crossed her arms and hmphed. She apparently wasn't going to realise she shouldn't be ashamed. It was something she would be ashamed of all her life. And nobody was going to make her see differently, not even two of the people who had been Petrified. Hermione sighed, and decided to change the subject. She smiled up at Ron, who was bouncing on his toes.
"Did it work?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes, it bloody well did," said Ginny before Hermione could answer. The next thing Hermione knew she was wrapped up in a huge hug and Ron was twirling her around, shouting things incomprehensible to her.
"You're bloody brilliant," he said to her as he put her down. " Isn't my girlfriend brilliant?" he asked the others, still holding her hand.
"Ron! How many times have I told you not to-" Hermione started to scold, but Ron covered her mouth.
"Do us a favour Hermione, and shut up." he said grinning down on her. He started pulling her towards the exit.
"By the way, we're going to the Ministry. You're all invited for supper around seven," he called behind his shoulder. " She needs to apply for a job and tell me how it went," he finished.
Then he continued to drag her away, but dropped his hand from her mouth and held hers instead.
~*~
~*~
The loudest laughter that Hermione had ever heard in her life filled the room. Mr. Hart laughed and laughed, and the tears ran down his cheeks. Tears that were the coulor of the mist that had previously filled up the room. Herminoe felt awkward standing there, watching him laugh, and she looked at the other two, who were stariing at the man in disbelief. Hermione smiled a little. She walked over to the other two and looked at Mr. Hart.
"He must have found several things very funny," she said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. Penelope smiled and Ginny giggled. Soon, Hermione laughed too. It was infectuous. The door flew open and a very worried looking nurse entered the room. She looked quickly at Mr. Hart and at the other three.
"You!" she screeched, pointing at the three of them, "What do you think you're doing? What has happened? Why is he laughing? What have you done?" she asked, sounding very angry indeed.
"Which would you like us to answer first?" Ginny asked smartly. The nurse glared and Hermione poked Ginny in the ribs. Penelope quickly took charge.
"We're from the Ministry. Official business. Miss Granger here," she said, motioning to Hermione," has invented a countercurse. We were trying it out. Seems to be working because he was supposed to be laughing, wasn't he?" Penelope asked Hermione.
" Indeed," agreed Hermione.
"Don't you agree it's working?" Ginny asked the nurse sweetly.
" Well- I.... Yes, it does seem to be working. What a wonder. ... Thus must have been a very powerful spell. You've cured him, it seems. Tell me, I used to be fond of Charms, what is the spell?"
"It's a new one," Hermione explained. "Lacrima Abegere, meaning for the victim to..." and she went into an explanation long enough for Mr. Hart to stop laughing and lie back in bed. All four of them looked over at him when they heard his snores. He seemd to be sleeping peacefully, deep in sleep.
"He hasn't slept since he arrived," the nurse explained."This is wonderful. When are you publicising this spell? We could help so many."
"I realised that. That was one of the reasons why I did it. But I don't know when it will be publicised, I still need to show it to the Ministry..." Hermione said, looking at her watch. It was five o'clock and if he kept sleeping....
"How long do you think he'll sleep for?" she asked the nurse. The nurse looked at Mr. Hart inquisitively.
"Hard to say. Probably until next morning. You could come back then. But out with all of you! He needs his sleep!" she said with finality, pushing them out of the room and closing the door on them when she went back in.
" A regular old Madam Pomfrey," Ginny said, staring at the door. Hermione laughed as she remembered the old school nurse.
"Wonder if she's still there?" Penelope asked." She took such good care fo me when I- well-" she cut herself short, realising that Ginny was standing next to her. Ginny winced as a fresh batch of memories swept over her.
"Oh Ginny. I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean-"
"I should be the one apologizing!" Ginny interupted." I'm the one who Petrified both of you!"
"But that wasn't your fault Gin," Harry said, coming up beside her and touching her arm. Ginny appeared startled that he had heard her.
"But it was," she insisted softly.
"No, it wasn't. How could an eleven year old girl win a battle of mind power against the most brilliant and cruel wizard of our time?" Hermione said. Ginny crossed her arms and hmphed. She apparently wasn't going to realise she shouldn't be ashamed. It was something she would be ashamed of all her life. And nobody was going to make her see differently, not even two of the people who had been Petrified. Hermione sighed, and decided to change the subject. She smiled up at Ron, who was bouncing on his toes.
"Did it work?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes, it bloody well did," said Ginny before Hermione could answer. The next thing Hermione knew she was wrapped up in a huge hug and Ron was twirling her around, shouting things incomprehensible to her.
"You're bloody brilliant," he said to her as he put her down. " Isn't my girlfriend brilliant?" he asked the others, still holding her hand.
"Ron! How many times have I told you not to-" Hermione started to scold, but Ron covered her mouth.
"Do us a favour Hermione, and shut up." he said grinning down on her. He started pulling her towards the exit.
"By the way, we're going to the Ministry. You're all invited for supper around seven," he called behind his shoulder. " She needs to apply for a job and tell me how it went," he finished.
Then he continued to drag her away, but dropped his hand from her mouth and held hers instead.
~*~