The Hospital Wing

            Maria once again found herself awaking in the dark hospital wing. It appeared to be night, and the whole room was silent. She turned over to see if there was anyone in the room, but it was completely deserted accept for the bed beside Maria's. She peered cautiously over her own blankets and gasped. Dru Delaney was lying in the bed next to hers, her eyes wide open and fearful. She involuntarily twitched and looked as though she had just seen a ghost.

            Maria hoisted herself up with much difficulty; once again she felt groggy and sick, but this time she did not have a faulty memory.

"What are you doing here?" Maria asked.

Dru remained silent.

"Are you okay?" Maria began to sound slightly worried.

Dru did not move.

"Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?"

She shook her head.

"Do you need anything?"

She shook her head once more.

Maria rolled her eyes; if she was going to be stubborn and not ask for help, then Maria wasn't going to push the situation. She pulled her blankets up to her chin and almost immediately drifted back to sleep.

The next morning, Dru was nowhere to be found. Maria almost believed that she had dreamed the whole occurrence, until she saw Madam Pomfrey's clipboard with Dru's name written on it along with yesterday's date.

"Ah, good morning Miss Thompson." Dumbledore entered the hospital wing, smiling grimly and taking a seat next to Maria.

"Good morning, sir." Maria greeted. She then remembered. "Sir! There was one of those snakes in the castle! Not on the north side, but in Snape's office-"

"Yes, I am fully aware that a snake has left its wall." Dumbledore said, ignoring her disrespect towards Professor Snape. "And if it wasn't for you, then Professor Snape could have been badly poisoned. You are extremely lucky that you received immediate care and you were only touched by a very minimal amount of the poisonous gas."

"I saved Sn- Professor Snape?" Maria asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, you did." Dumbledore surveyed Maria through his half-moon spectacles. "Professor Snape is now in your debt, but I ask that you do not go around the school bragging about your triumph, as honorable and noble as it was."

Maria nodded. "Sir, if one snake can get out, then can't several others as well?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Yes, I suppose they can. Which is why Professor Tonks will be teaching her classes to defend themselves against these snakes. Most students will only be able to dispose of one or two if the event that they travel throughout the school occurs, but I highly doubt that more then a few will leave the wall anyways."

"Professor, can't you destroy the wall?" Maria asked, fearing the answer.

"I'm afraid I can't." Dumbledore replied, confirming her fears. "It is a very powerful spell that created that wall of snakes, and only the creator can abolish it. I am working very hard on finding something that just may allow me to destroy it, but until then I'm afraid it remains. If it puts any of the students in any grave danger, then I'm afraid the school will have to be closed."

Dumbledore gave one last grim smile to Maria before exiting the hospital wing, leaving Maria to stew in her thoughts.

That evening (after telling Madam Pomfrey several times that she was perfectly fine), Maria was released from the hospital wing. She spent the night with Hermione, Harry and Ron, throwing around possible ideas for what was happening at Hogwarts.

"So Dru was in the hospital wing last night?" Hermione asked, stroking Crookshanks.

"Yes." Maria nodded. "And she looked terrified. I couldn't tell if she was in pain or if she was just really scared about something."

"That's odd." Harry said. "Especially since she was gone this morning. We saw her at breakfast."

Ron sniggered.

"What?" Hermione shot at him.

"Snape is in debt to Maria." Ron said, indicating Maria sitting on the hearthrug in front of the fireplace. "Does this mean he waits on her hand and foot until he repays her?"

Harry laughed, while Hermione glared at him. "Don't you think, Ron? Remember when Snape was in debt to Harry's dad? He still loathed him, even if he was in debt. He just made sure Harry was safe as a favor to James. I suppose he thought it would erase the debt; James saves Snape and Snape saves Harry."

"So Snape has to save me or someone close to me in order for this to all be over?" Maria asked, looking skeptical. "Good luck with that."

"I'm not sure," Hermione said. "But I think that Snape is definitely going to be nicer to you now."

"And all of you." Maria said. "I'm going to make sure of that."

"He's still a Hogwarts professor!" Hermione exclaimed. "So be sure to hold your tongue!"

Ron sniggered again, causing Hermione to glare at him.

"Well, Hermione, you and me both know it's rather difficult to hold your tongue when Snape is concerned." Ron said.

"Ron, can I talk to you for a second?" Hermione asked him, sternly.

Harry looked at Ron, giving him a smile that clearly said, Ha ha you're in trouble. Glad it's not me.

"I'll see you soon, mate." Harry said, clapping his hand on Ron's back and saying goodnight to everyone.

"I think I'll go up to bed, too." Maria said quickly, not wanting to witness the argument that she was sure would soon break out.

Maria half-walked, half-run up to her dormitory. Faye was sleeping soundly in her bed, along with everyone else. Maria changed into her dressing gown and slid into bed, thinking about the day's occurrences. What could all of this mean? Then she suddenly realized that she had left her Transfiguration homework in the common room. Cursing herself for her bad memory, she threw her feet over her bed and hoisted herself up. Slowly so that she would not wake the others, she walked across the dormitory and down the stone steps towards the common room.

Her jaw dropped open. Standing there, in the middle of the Gryffindor common room was Hermione and Ron kissing. Actually, they weren't standing. They were together on the couch, Ron on top of Hermione. Thank god they were fully dressed. Maria thought. They were kissing passionately, running their hands through each other's hair. Maria quickly left back to her dormitory, leaving her homework abandoned on the table beside Ron and Hermione.

I'm sorry I know it's a short chapter! Next one will be longer I promise! If you want a next one, then review please!