Hermione woke up feeling cold and stiff. She shivered and opened her eyes
to look up at Albus Dumbledore. His bright blue eyes were twinkling behind
his spectacles again...which of course meant a good thing was happening.
Hermione rose from her bed and looked around to find herself in the
Hospital Wing. "Welcome back, Miss Granger," said Albus Dumbledore, putting
a blanket around her shoulders. "Why am I here?" asked Hermione, pulling
the blanket tighter around her. "Well, you were petrified," replied
Dumbledore simply. Hermione opened her mouth, but then she hesitated. "You
do remember those big, yellow eyes, don't you?" asked Dumbledore knowingly.
The basilisk...yeah, now she remembers...
Hermione was running down the hallway, in a panic. She was clutching the
paper she had ripped from the book in the library (she made a mental note
to check the book out before Madam Pince discovered it) and knew only one
thing: she MUST find Harry and Ron before it's too late. She had a small
hand mirror tucked into the pocket of her robes. She heard footsteps behind
her and hesitated. "Hello, Hermione!" came a cheerful voice...a female voice.
Hermione turned around. Penelope Clearwater was grinning, her chestnut
pigtails bouncing as she walked. "Going to dinner?", asked Penelope,
stopping by Hermione's side. "No," said Hermione briskly, "I have to go do
some more work in the common room..." There was a huge lurch from the walls.
Like a straining. "Hmm," said Penelope, putting her head against the wall,
"We don't have that much problems with plumbing..." Hermione gasped, and
whipped out her small hand mirror. "Penelope, look in the mirror!" said
Hermione, thrusting the mirror directly toward the corner into the next
hallway.
"Why would I do-"
"Just do it!" cried Hermione Hermione felt cold sweat dripping down her neck. At the count of three, Penelope and Hermione both peered into the mirror...to see gigantic yellow eyes. Then, Hermione felt herself stiffen and turn cold. She felt very cold. It was if she was falling asleep... into a deep and endless sleep. "And I almost liked it.", finished Hermione in an almost dreamy trance as she remembered the events.
"So did I..."said Dumbledore softly. Hermione took in a sharp intake of breath. "Yes, Miss Granger. I was one of those that were attacked fifty years ago." Ron was tapping his fingers against the wooden table in anxiety. Everyone around him was eating their food and laughing at jokes. He sighed, picked up his fork and started to pick at his food. The chicken looked delicious, and he knew he wouldn't be able to deny the sweet potatoes much longer, but...Ron heard the clatter of silverware. "Ron, what's gotten into you?" asked Harry, his voice hardened in annoyance.
"Nothing's gotten into me" said Ron tensely.
Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Then can you explain why you're tapping your fingers against the table so loudly?"
Ron immediately picked up his fork and knife.
"I have no idea what you're on about, but I'm about to eat."
His fingers felt tingly, but the last thing that Harry was going to know is that Ron was getting tingles. He started to cut into his chicken, avoiding Harry's stare. He bit into his chicken, and began to eat faster and faster till Harry looked away. He started to eat slower and slower until.......
" Where the hell is-" The entrance doors opened and in strode four children- Penelope Clearwater, Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Flenchley and Hermione Granger. Hermione was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes bright. As soon as she reached them, she pulled Harry into a bear hug- which during this Ron felt a sharp tinge of jealousy in his chest- and she exclaimed, "I knew you could solve it- was just a matter of time..." She patted Harry's arm, and then turned to Ron. Her grin became wider, her teeth shining and her hair more bushy than ever, but Ron liked it on her. Hermione wore it well. Hermione expectedly pulled Ron into a bear hug and it felt like she held him longer than Harry. Ron felt a warm, comforting feeling envelope them and he wasn't sure if Hermione felt it...but he sure as hell didn't care...Ron gave the slightest squeeze and then lowered his arms. He patted his belly, and sat down. "Well! I'm starved, aren't you?" sighed Ron, picking up his fork and looking up at both Harry and Hermione.
Harry looking surprised, "Yes, Ron. Starving."
Hermione looked between the two of them, and said briskly as she grabbed a chicken drum, "Don't know what you're on about, but I'm hungry. I'm going to take this chicken..."
"Why would I do-"
"Just do it!" cried Hermione Hermione felt cold sweat dripping down her neck. At the count of three, Penelope and Hermione both peered into the mirror...to see gigantic yellow eyes. Then, Hermione felt herself stiffen and turn cold. She felt very cold. It was if she was falling asleep... into a deep and endless sleep. "And I almost liked it.", finished Hermione in an almost dreamy trance as she remembered the events.
"So did I..."said Dumbledore softly. Hermione took in a sharp intake of breath. "Yes, Miss Granger. I was one of those that were attacked fifty years ago." Ron was tapping his fingers against the wooden table in anxiety. Everyone around him was eating their food and laughing at jokes. He sighed, picked up his fork and started to pick at his food. The chicken looked delicious, and he knew he wouldn't be able to deny the sweet potatoes much longer, but...Ron heard the clatter of silverware. "Ron, what's gotten into you?" asked Harry, his voice hardened in annoyance.
"Nothing's gotten into me" said Ron tensely.
Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Then can you explain why you're tapping your fingers against the table so loudly?"
Ron immediately picked up his fork and knife.
"I have no idea what you're on about, but I'm about to eat."
His fingers felt tingly, but the last thing that Harry was going to know is that Ron was getting tingles. He started to cut into his chicken, avoiding Harry's stare. He bit into his chicken, and began to eat faster and faster till Harry looked away. He started to eat slower and slower until.......
" Where the hell is-" The entrance doors opened and in strode four children- Penelope Clearwater, Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Flenchley and Hermione Granger. Hermione was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes bright. As soon as she reached them, she pulled Harry into a bear hug- which during this Ron felt a sharp tinge of jealousy in his chest- and she exclaimed, "I knew you could solve it- was just a matter of time..." She patted Harry's arm, and then turned to Ron. Her grin became wider, her teeth shining and her hair more bushy than ever, but Ron liked it on her. Hermione wore it well. Hermione expectedly pulled Ron into a bear hug and it felt like she held him longer than Harry. Ron felt a warm, comforting feeling envelope them and he wasn't sure if Hermione felt it...but he sure as hell didn't care...Ron gave the slightest squeeze and then lowered his arms. He patted his belly, and sat down. "Well! I'm starved, aren't you?" sighed Ron, picking up his fork and looking up at both Harry and Hermione.
Harry looking surprised, "Yes, Ron. Starving."
Hermione looked between the two of them, and said briskly as she grabbed a chicken drum, "Don't know what you're on about, but I'm hungry. I'm going to take this chicken..."