Disclaimer: The characters and setting most definitely do not belong to me – they came from that wonderful story-teller J.K. Rowling.
Ron and Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room after having anxiously combed the school for signs of a struggle. Seeing no supine forms of Hermione or the three Slytherins, Harry and Ron had turned a corner and run right into Professor Snape. Fortunately, this meant Hermione had not hexed or cursed their Potions instructor. Unfortunately, Snape had been carrying a vial containing a very rare, very expensive dragon's heart. Running headlong into students and dropping a vial with a very rare, very expensive dragon's heart usually portends misfortune for those students involved. Luckily, Harry, Ron, and the dragon's heart escaped intact, albeit with the Gryffindor hourglass thirty points lighter. The boys had been ordered back to the common room or else be subject to two weeks worth of detention.
"Just who does that old git think he is?! It was a bloody accident!" Ron yelled.
"Yeah, well . . . furnunculus," Harry spoke to the portrait and continued as they walked in. "He's lucky I didn't hex his long, ugly nose . . . Hermione!"
Both boys looked up to see the dripping form of their friend curled up on a chair and writing in a small leather-bound notebook. Hermione slowly tore her eyes away from the apparently fascinating text and looked at them.
"Hi," she said, and went back to writing in the notebook.
"Is that all?! HI?!?!?!" A furious rouge crept up Ron's neck. "We just spent two hours searching Hogsmeade AND the castle for you and all you can say is 'hi'?? I mean, we almost got two weeks worth of detention for Snape for bumping into him and all you can say is 'hi'?!?"
"Ron," Harry muttered, "give her a chance to explain."
"Sure. Go on then." Ron crossed his arms in front of his chest and fixed Hermione with a gaze that would penetrate a steel wall.
"I was just tired. That's all. Um . . . you weren't at the pub and I was tired, so I came back," Hermione explained weakly.
"You didn't come looking for us?" asked Harry.
"Like I said, I was tired."
"Why is your hair wet?" Ron piped up.
"I took a bath. It helps me relax. I'm sorry," she said as she gathered her things, "I'm just amazingly tired. I'll see you later, okay?" With that, Hermione strode up the girls' tower.
Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione was never one to back down from an argument. He turned to Harry. "Strange, that one?"
"Yeah, sure" answered Harry. He didn't mention what Ron had failed to see when Hermione strode past – her cheeks were glistening, but it hadn't been from the bath. Harry was absolutely positive that Hermione had been crying.
Ron and Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room after having anxiously combed the school for signs of a struggle. Seeing no supine forms of Hermione or the three Slytherins, Harry and Ron had turned a corner and run right into Professor Snape. Fortunately, this meant Hermione had not hexed or cursed their Potions instructor. Unfortunately, Snape had been carrying a vial containing a very rare, very expensive dragon's heart. Running headlong into students and dropping a vial with a very rare, very expensive dragon's heart usually portends misfortune for those students involved. Luckily, Harry, Ron, and the dragon's heart escaped intact, albeit with the Gryffindor hourglass thirty points lighter. The boys had been ordered back to the common room or else be subject to two weeks worth of detention.
"Just who does that old git think he is?! It was a bloody accident!" Ron yelled.
"Yeah, well . . . furnunculus," Harry spoke to the portrait and continued as they walked in. "He's lucky I didn't hex his long, ugly nose . . . Hermione!"
Both boys looked up to see the dripping form of their friend curled up on a chair and writing in a small leather-bound notebook. Hermione slowly tore her eyes away from the apparently fascinating text and looked at them.
"Hi," she said, and went back to writing in the notebook.
"Is that all?! HI?!?!?!" A furious rouge crept up Ron's neck. "We just spent two hours searching Hogsmeade AND the castle for you and all you can say is 'hi'?? I mean, we almost got two weeks worth of detention for Snape for bumping into him and all you can say is 'hi'?!?"
"Ron," Harry muttered, "give her a chance to explain."
"Sure. Go on then." Ron crossed his arms in front of his chest and fixed Hermione with a gaze that would penetrate a steel wall.
"I was just tired. That's all. Um . . . you weren't at the pub and I was tired, so I came back," Hermione explained weakly.
"You didn't come looking for us?" asked Harry.
"Like I said, I was tired."
"Why is your hair wet?" Ron piped up.
"I took a bath. It helps me relax. I'm sorry," she said as she gathered her things, "I'm just amazingly tired. I'll see you later, okay?" With that, Hermione strode up the girls' tower.
Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione was never one to back down from an argument. He turned to Harry. "Strange, that one?"
"Yeah, sure" answered Harry. He didn't mention what Ron had failed to see when Hermione strode past – her cheeks were glistening, but it hadn't been from the bath. Harry was absolutely positive that Hermione had been crying.