PART TWO
Hermione's Account
CHAPTER FIVE: Brink of Insanity
Tap-tap. Tap-tap. Tap-tap.
I stirred in my sleep.
Tap-tap. Tap-tap. Tap-tap.
There it was again. It was really starting to irritate me; I was never able to have a decent nights sleep! I slowly opened my eyes and the sun poured in from the window directly opposite my bed. 'Who opened the curtains?' I wondered, irritated again. Then I saw something flitting outside the window. I sat up in bed to get a better look at it. Then, suddenly, I realized as I glanced around the room that I wasn't in my bedroom at home. It looked like a hospital - hospital? Hospital! What was I doing in a hospital? Then my eyes glanced back at the window, and I saw the strange creature outside it.
I gently got out of bed, for some reason it involved a lot of pain, and I slowly walked over to the window. Each step took so much effort. What was wrong with me? I looked out of the window and saw nothing except green landscape. It was very beautiful, lots of lush scenery. I pressed my face against the windowpane for a better look and, suddenly, the creature appeared in front of the window. It gave me a frightful scare! It seemed like the creature was an owl – a lovely, snowy white owl that looked vaguely familiar - but where had I seen owls before?
Then - words flashed into my mind: muggle, Hogwarts, Harry Potter, Ron Weasely, witch, wizarding world...Draco Malfoy. They seemed to mean something to me, but I couldn't figure out what. Then - a range of images floated in my mind like a movie, they went on one by one - a building, broomsticks, pointed hats, strange creatures...a cauldron? Then - it clicked - Hogwarts, Qudditch, Harry, Ron, the muggle world, the wizarding world - I was a witch! I was Hermione Granger - highest student of my year! And there was someone named Draco Malfoy who seemed to play a big part in all of this. Then I remembered: the Yule Ball, dungeon, whipping and Lucius Malfoy! Draco! Where was he? Was he all right? Then...
Tap-tap. Tap-tap. Tap-tap.
I looked back out at the window and saw that the owl was still flying about outside. Then it clicked again. It was Hedwig, Harry's owl! I opened the window and Hedwig flew in. I untied the message she was carrying from her foot and stroked her. Then she looked up at me and I realized she was waiting for me to reply to the note I still held in my hand. I opened the note and it read:
Dear Hermione,
Where are you? What has happened? I have sent Hedwig off in search of you.
Me and Ron and the rest of the school are worried sick about you!
Malfoy also seems to have disappeared; do you know what has happened to him? Are you two together? Have you two run off? I hope not!
Well, once you get this note, Hermione, please reply as soon as possible via Hedwig. Tell us your whereabouts, so we can come and fetch you!
We are still searching for you!
Harry
I looked around the room for any sign of a pen and some paper to write a reply to Harry, but I had no such luck. I then saw the button you pressed to call for help. I rushed over and pressed the button, then I quickly went and hid Hedwig outside the window so the nurse would not have a shock when she saw a massive owl. Then, a nurse appeared. I quickly asked her if she would be able to give me some paper and a pen. She seemed puzzled but did not ask any questions as she went out to fetch some for me. When she came back, with my pen and paper and handed it to me, I asked her where I was and why.
"This is St. Mary's Hospital in Manchester; you were carried in by some people, unconscious along with a young man."
"Draco?"
"We do not know his identity yet but he has white blonde hair and has a pale, pointy face."
"Yes, that is Draco, may I ask what room he is, at the moment, so I can later visit him?"
"He is in Room 402."
"What room am I in?"
"Room 403."
"Thank you, may I please have some privacy now?"
Then, she went out the door. So, Draco was in hospital too...but back to the letter.
Dear Harry,
I am in St. Mary's Hospital in Manchester, so is Draco. Yes, we are together, it is a long story, I will explain when you arrive.
Currently, I am in Room 403 and Draco is in 402, but when you arrive, ask the receptionist, just to make sure I am still in this room.
Please contact my parents and tell them to come. You, Ron and Dumbledore must come together. It is your decision or Dumbledore's, if Draco's parents are to come.
Love from, HermioneAfter, I went over to the window and called Hedwig in, and then I tied the message to her foot. She flew out of the room and soared off into the sky.
Just when I decided to go next door and visit Draco, a doctor came in to see if I was okay to take a blood test...
"Hermione, dear?" a gentle voice said.
I slowly opened my eyes. I figured I had fallen asleep after the blood test. Slowly, as my sight came into focus, I could just make out a crowd of faces around my bed.
"Mother?" I whispered to woman who was the owner of the gentle voice.
"Yes, it's me, dear and father is here too."
I looked up to my mother's face and smiled. I sat up and threw my arms around her.
"What about me?" said a deep voice behind mother.
"Father!" I said delighted and threw my arms around him.
"Harry, Ron and Dumbledore have come as well."
I looked around and saw the grinning faces of Harry and Ron, and Dumbledore staring down with a twinkle in his eye.
"Glad you're alright, Herm," said Harry.
"Jolly, well are. Where is Malfoy? I bet he did this to you, wait till I get my hands on him!" That voice definitely belonged to Ron; I laughed, it felt so good to laugh, I felt like I hadn't laughed in a lifetime.
"Miss Granger, Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother is next door with him at the moment, his father, well, we do not know his whereabouts at the moment."
"Thank you, Professor," I said to Dumbledore. "Am I allowed to visit him, I haven't got the chance so far?"
"Yes, you may, shall I ask his mother if that is all right?"
"Thank you."
I sighed and leant back on my pillow. Was Draco all right? I hoped he was.
Then, Professor Dumbledore poked his head around the door and said that it was fine for me to go and visit Draco. I got out of bed, told everyone I would be back soon, and went next door.
When I arrived, I saw Draco's mother, head in her hands and crying. I went over and gently tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she was all right.
"No, Hermione, I'm sorry, no, and I don't think you will be either."
I looked over at Draco and he was staring blankly at his mother. I stared at him for a few seconds but he turned away and looked outside the window. I turned back to his mother, puzzled.
"Why?"
"Because - because, Draco has - has Amnesia!" and, she burst out in tears again.
Amnesia? Draco has amnesia?
"How? Why?"
"The doctors say that Draco has badly hurt the bottom of his spine, so at the moment his brain is kind of paralyzed, so he can not remember a single thing, he doesn't even know who he is and he has to sit in a wheelchair!" she wailed.
I saw a wheelchair next to his bed.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered.
Mrs. Malfoy then dashed out the room, crying.
I turned to Draco.
"There goes your mother."
"That lady crying is my mother?" Draco replied.
This was going to be very hard. I sighed.
"Yes, she is, would you like to go downstairs?"
"In that?" he asked and pointed to the wheelchair.
"Yes, in that, I'll push you."
"Can I go outside?"
"Sorry, but it is snowing and the wheelchair would slip."
"It's all right."
I helped him into the wheelchair because he was so frail. I wheeled him next door to my room first to let my parents, Ron, Harry and Dumbledore know I was taking Draco downstairs, and told them to tell Mrs. Malfoy.
As we entered the empty lift, Draco asked me one question that I knew I would never forget because it shattered everything he and I had been through together.
"Who are you?"