Well, the days have been a bit hectic. Writing had to be shelved for a few days, well, more than a few, but now things are back up and running. As you see I've changed the Title of this story. I never knew why I went with Damage Case, but I think Harry Potter is a better fit, if not original. I've been doing a lot of planning, if there's one thing that I do too much its planning things out. I think I have more fun planning out the stories than I actually do writing them.

I had planned to write this as a three part story (Part One: Ignorance is Bliss), but now I think I'll expand it. I'm thinking series like, I'm thinking adventures, I'm thinking of a lot of other things. Well see how it all pans out.

So with that, enjoy the story. Thanks to all those that read and all those that review, and if you do read, remember to review, not only for the warm flush of happiness it brings to me, but also so that I can hear any criticism or complaints with the story.

XXX

Chapter Sixteen

Snakes Strike Back

Hermione was filled with a determination. She felt as if she had done something big, and indeed she had. Though she still felt a smoldering sense of outrage, anger, and disbelief at some of the things she had heard the night before. The world didn't seem the same anymore. There was no more clear divisions between right and wrong and it seemed that everything had been turned upside down.

Dumbledore would ignore an egregious wrong just so that he could keep an eye upon the children of his enemies. Ron had done something almost as bad just so that he could stand up for his friend. Not to mention Harry's own act of violence against Draco, which pretty much started this entire downhill slide.

Hermione mulled over those thoughts as she sat in the Great Hall for lunch. Again she was alone, but for once she was glad of it. She needed to think, she needed to try and figure out what was going on. An untouched plate of food sat before her, beside sat an unread book, and the scattered remains of parchment she had been scribbling upon, putting ideas and thoughts upon paper to order them, lay about her.

Harry's condition she couldn't do anything about. Healing was a subject she had yet to delve into deeply. Though the thought did give her pause. Learning simple healing spells and potions would come in handy, if the past week was any indication. Broken bones, bruised skin, hurts and pains. Those weren't terribly difficult to learn. Hermione wrote that down upon her parchment, She would look into it later.

Ron and Ginny on the other hand were going to be a little more difficult. Ron was still acting strange, casting her looks of defiance and challenging stares, as if just asking her to argue with him. Hermione assumed that's what he was indeed trying to do. But she was tired of arguing with him, tired of the yelling, and tired of his blind stubbornness. Plus with the new information she had discovered, she was no longer angry about his own act of violence against Draco. A part of her grinned gleefully that Draco had been put through pain, that he'd been hurt. She tried to bury that feeling, but at odd moments it surfaced and she grinned foolishly.

What Ron had done was wrong. But for once his blindness and stubborn prejudice had been correct. Draco had been involved in Harry's attack and he had paid for what he did. She wondered briefly if Ron was satisfied with his revenge, or if he could continue to pursue it more. She sighed. She didn't know if she wanted him to. A small part of her wanted Draco to suffer more, for him to hurt more. She shoved that feeling down.

Hermione frowned slightly. She would have to talk with Ron, tell him she was sorry and try to patch things up. That was a conversation she didn't want to have. Ron if anything was not humble when it came to being right, even if his judgments had been haste and unfounded at the time. Hermione sighed again. She didn't know if they'd ever be as close as they had been. There was Ron's jealousy of Harry's feelings toward her and there was also his own feelings towards her. Hermione groaned to herself; that was another puzzle she'd have to deal with.

She still didn't know where she stood with Harry. After regaining his memories they hadn't said much to one another. Their first conversation had been him yelling at her and then chasing her out of the Hospital Wing. Their second conversation had been about preparing for the war, Hermione still didn't know what Harry was planning for that one, and then the next day he'd been attacked. Hermione shook her head. She would have to talk with Harry once he awoke, that was another conversation she didn't relish. Her own feelings on the matter were still churning within her and nothing was set yet. She desperately wanted their friendships back. She wanted to have the same closeness with Ron and Harry again as it had been before all this happened.

Hermione rubbed her temples. There was also Ginny to deal with. Hermione paused, looking at her name written upon the parchment. There was still anger and outrage at her betrayal and Myrtle's attack. She felt the urge to retaliate, to set things even, but that was an emotion she also pushed down. Ginny was her friend. She had been for years. But how far could she trust her now that she had done what she had done? Could they once again be as close as they use to? Hermione shook her head. That was another conversation she didn't want to have, but it had to be done. All their friendships were important to her. Actions could be forgiven, harsh words could be forgiven. Ginny had never meant to cause her harm. Hermione nodded to herself.

Hermione crushed the parchment she had been writing on. Things could be worked out with a little time and a little planning. She would set things right, settle things with Ron, apologize, settle things with Ginny, apologize, and when Harry awoke, settle things with him and sort out the whole mess that had been occurring.

Quickly she stuffed her book into her bag and cleaned up the crumple parchment that surrounded her. it was best to begin things as early as she could. She glanced around, neither Ron nor Ginny were in the Great Hall, which wasn't really surprising. The Great Hall was nearly empty, plenty of students chose to eat outside or skip the midday meal. She glanced at her watch; it was still another thirty minutes before class began. She could find one of them before then.

She wished she had Harry's map. It would have shown her where they were, but since she didn't she'd have to do it the old fashion way. She headed out of the hall, forming the words she would say when she got to either one of them. She was concentrating upon what to say that she didn't see who was entering the Great Hall until she nearly collided with them.

"Watch where you're going!" Draco snarled, taking a step back.

Hermione looked up, frowning. Draco stood in the entrance, flanked by Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and Pansy, plus a few other Slytherins she didn't recognize. They all looked at her as if they smelled something bad, their mouths pinched and noses wrinkled. Hermione felt a surge of rage, white and nearly overwhelming.

Hermione glared at all of them, especially at Draco. "I see you're out of the Hospital Wing." Hermione said, barely keeping the fury out of her voice.

Draco ignored her, sniffing and wrinkling his nose. "It seems someone left rubbish out. Only trash can smell like that." He looked past Hermione as if she wasn't standing before him; a cruel chuckle ran through the group.

"Strong words from a boy who was capering around in his underpants the other day." Hermione said coldly. Draco snarled, glaring at her. "How did it feel to show the world what you are, Monkey Boy." A low growl sounded from the group, more than one hand was going for the wand.

"What's going on here?" McGonagall suddenly said, appearing in the doorway. She glared at them all, eyes narrowing when she saw Hermione. "You're blocking the entrance, get inside or out." She said.

Hermione stood her ground as they swirled around her, hands clenching her wand tightly. She felt a little shaky, a little flushed with the sudden surge of adrenaline and fear. Hermione laughed softly to herself. She had been actually thinking of taking them all on. Harry and Ron were really rubbing off on her.

"You of all people should have sense." McGonagall said, turning on Hermione. She suddenly seem to tower over her. "There's been enough violence in the past days for everyone. We don't need people starting fights."

Hermione frowned angrily. "They're the ones who started it."

McGonagall sighed. "Get to class. I don't want to discuss this right now." She said wearily, Hermione nodded and quickly left. Relief flooding her.

She headed for the stairs. Ginny or Ron would probably be in the Common Room. If not, then someone would know where they were. She headed up the stairs, nodding to a group of Gryffindor students who were heading back to the Common Room.

There was a clattering down the stairs and Hermione looked up to see half a dozen students rushing down the stairs. She frowned; someone could get hurt doing that. Then she noticed they were all wearing masks. For a moment she was confused and then someone shouted.

'There she is. Get her!" A finger was jabbed in her direction.

Hermione had only enough time to grab her wand before she was hit by a wave of light. She gasped in sudden pain and dropped to her knees, the other Gryffindors she had been by also did the same thing. Their cries echoing hers.

"Tell Weasley we'll be looking for him too. This time hiding under an invisible cloak won't help him." A drawling voice said in her ear. Hermione looked in shock, the voice belonged to Draco. But how? He was in the Great Hall. "Never mind. We'll tell him ourselves."

Hermione felt a wave of pain engulf her and then there was darkness.