Unlikely Hero
The next day, Hermione woke up dizzy and tired from having finally cried herself to sleep. Maybe this was all a nightmare... she shook the thought from her mind. No, it couldn't be. Harry was gone, that much was true. Forever. The word hit her hard. How long was forever? "No," she said to herself quietly. "Get a hold of yourself Hermione." Crookshanks gave a loud meow and pounced onto her bed. Hermione looked around. The dorm was empty. She scratched the cat's ears. "You're the only one who I can trust now..." she said. Crookshanks purred in reply.
The great hall fell silent when Hermione appeared at the doorway. Then, whispers erupted like an army of swarming bees. "Hey Granger!" Draco Malfoy shouted from his seat. "I heard Potter dumped you! Now who are you going out with? Your cat?" the Slytherin table rang with heavy laughter. Hermione was too tired to care. She quietly slipped into a chair beside Luna. "Good you're here," Luna said dreamily. "Now we can eat." Hermione looked down at her plate. It had magically up with her breakfast of eggs and bacon. But she had no appetite. "No, it's okay, you go ahead." She said quietly, dropping her spoon with a clatter. "I'm going to bed." "Are you on jet lag or something? You just got up." "I'm tired." Hermione stood up and walked out without a glance.
For the next 2 days, Hermione never set foot out of her dorm, except to attend classes . She was in her own world, and set wee little Professor Flitwick on fire countless times. She spent her hours pouring over book after book after book, not taking in any info. She didn't eat, nor did she speak to anyone. The fellow Gryffindors took the matter for a crisis. Ginny, Luna, Parvati, and Lavender tried countless times to get her to speak, but had no luck. Fred and George Weasley came with handfuls of various sweets, but she shook her head. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie from the Gryffindor Quidditch team tried entertaining her with what happened at practice, but since she wasn't on the team, it ended up putting her to sleep. Dobby visited her everyday, bringing a pair of socks each time, but all Hermione could manage was a wry smile. Many greeting cards were sent from friends from other houses. Cho Chang came by to relate and speak of losing Cedric. Cho would break down, and Hermione would listen, with tears in her eyes. Still she didn't speak. Even Harry had tried to talk to her, and at times like this she just glared and look the other way. With each passing day, Hermione's eyes grew droopy and red from all the reading. She began having spells of dizziness. She went to bed early and slept through the morning. Yet she was still tired.
One morning, a week later, Hermione walked alone towards the commonroom, where she planned to sleep some more.
"Hey Granger,"
She rolled her eyes. Malfoy alert, 12 o'clock. "Look Malfoy, I'm not in the mood to talk, so do us both a favour and go."
"Didn't you say that to Potter before?" Malfoy replied with a smirk. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen.
"Just shut the hell up."
His face went purple. "Don't you tell me to shut up, you nasty little Mudblood."
Hermione approached him, face colouring. "Don't you call me that ever—" A wave of dizziness washed over her like a dark wave. She groaned and put her hand to her head. Her legs went numb and weak. She felt hot and cold all over. Her energy drained as she fell. There was a swish of robes, and she can smell Slytherin. Malfoy's arms closed in on her, and strangely she felt so safe. So warm. Malfoy jerked back, surprised. "Please..." she whispered, "H-hospital Wing..." Then the world swirled out of focus, and darkness took over.
~*~
Deep deep down. Water... so cold... Hermione struggled to keep herself adrift, but her right hand won't move. Down, down, down she went. Fire...burning into her flesh... she couldn't break free, she screamed...
"Hermione, wake up!"
Her eyes snapped open. Her optics were slightly blurred. Slowly, the Hospital Wing came into view. So did the relieved face of Ginny. Hermione breathed hard, beads of sweat clung to her hair.
"You okay?" Ginny's face was a white sheet.
"Yeah," winced Hermione. "What happened?"
Just then, Madam Promfrey bustled in with a flask containing clear liquid. For a second Hermione thought it was the Forgetfulness Potion that Snape once held years ago.
"I don't know what you were thinking, Miss. Granger," she said quickly, before Hermione could edge in a word. "Going for weeks not eating, this could damage your body permanently!" she placed the flask in front of her. "Here, drink this, it'll heal you. But really, I dare say I've never seen anything quite like this in a long while..." she continued mumbling as she hurried into another room.
Hermione took a sip. It was sweet and warm. She felt re-energized.
"We were really worried you know," Ginny said in a small voice. "When Malfoy brought you in—"
Hermione choked. "Malfoy did that? He actually brought me here?"
Ginny nodded. A smile was playing at her lips. "He seemed worried too."
Hermione laughed. "He's probably just scared 'cus he figured everyone would blame him... since he was the only one with me at the time."
"Oh sure! That's why he held your hand for half a day."
"WHAT?!" So that's why she couldn't move her hand! Hermione felt dazed. "Don't lie now..."
Ginny giggled. "It's true, I swear! he wouldn't let go. Punched Flint hard on the nose when he tried to drag him out. He's in detention now."
"How long was I..."
"3 days, you had a critical fever." Ginny looked over at the table and pointed out a pile of greeting cards. "All for you."
"And he..." Hermione didn't know what to say. This wasn't the Malfoy she knew.
" Yup!" Ginny shook with laughter at the appalled look on Hermione's face.
"I look that ugly huh?"
Ginny laughed some more. When she finally regained control, she said, "No, no, you're not ugly! Heck if you can attract a totally hot guy like him..."
"Excuse me?" Hermione grew suspicious. "When did you get all gaga over him?"
"Since second year," said Ginny promply, without a trace of embarrassment. "When I first saw him I was thinking, Hottie. But that was until he made fun of Harry. By the way, you two looked totally cute when you guys were standing beside each other."
"Shut. Up. You are Ginny, right?" "The one and only!" Ginny said proudly.
"B-but..." faltered Hermione. "I'm Gryffindor. He's Slytherin. Those two don't mingle."
"He didn't act like a Slytherin the way he was up here with you all day." Ginny argued. "C'mon, just give him a chance. I've got my Prince Charming, it's time you got yours."
Hermione remembered. "What about Harry?"
The smile vanished from Ginny's face. "He er.. came. But hell you slapped him bad."
Hermione's eyes bulged. "I did not slap anyone!"
"Not that you know of, but you honestly did slap him. Twice too. In your sleep."
"Oh..." she felt bad. "Is he alright?"
"He'll be fine."
Just then Madam Promfrey shuffled in again. "Okay Weasley, I have let you stay here long enough. Now out out out!"
~*~
When she was alone, Hermione leaned over and searched among the cards. Finally, at the very bottom, she came across a card with a golden arrow in the middle. With trembling fingers, she flipped to the inside. In golden letters, it read:
You are like
A golden arrow
Piercing through me
I ask you then
What am I?
Give me a chance
And you will see
She looked up from the card, tears welling into her eyes. There was no signature, but she knew in her heart who had sent it. He had read her mind completely. Something she realized an ordinary person won't be able to do.
The next day, Hermione woke up dizzy and tired from having finally cried herself to sleep. Maybe this was all a nightmare... she shook the thought from her mind. No, it couldn't be. Harry was gone, that much was true. Forever. The word hit her hard. How long was forever? "No," she said to herself quietly. "Get a hold of yourself Hermione." Crookshanks gave a loud meow and pounced onto her bed. Hermione looked around. The dorm was empty. She scratched the cat's ears. "You're the only one who I can trust now..." she said. Crookshanks purred in reply.
The great hall fell silent when Hermione appeared at the doorway. Then, whispers erupted like an army of swarming bees. "Hey Granger!" Draco Malfoy shouted from his seat. "I heard Potter dumped you! Now who are you going out with? Your cat?" the Slytherin table rang with heavy laughter. Hermione was too tired to care. She quietly slipped into a chair beside Luna. "Good you're here," Luna said dreamily. "Now we can eat." Hermione looked down at her plate. It had magically up with her breakfast of eggs and bacon. But she had no appetite. "No, it's okay, you go ahead." She said quietly, dropping her spoon with a clatter. "I'm going to bed." "Are you on jet lag or something? You just got up." "I'm tired." Hermione stood up and walked out without a glance.
For the next 2 days, Hermione never set foot out of her dorm, except to attend classes . She was in her own world, and set wee little Professor Flitwick on fire countless times. She spent her hours pouring over book after book after book, not taking in any info. She didn't eat, nor did she speak to anyone. The fellow Gryffindors took the matter for a crisis. Ginny, Luna, Parvati, and Lavender tried countless times to get her to speak, but had no luck. Fred and George Weasley came with handfuls of various sweets, but she shook her head. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie from the Gryffindor Quidditch team tried entertaining her with what happened at practice, but since she wasn't on the team, it ended up putting her to sleep. Dobby visited her everyday, bringing a pair of socks each time, but all Hermione could manage was a wry smile. Many greeting cards were sent from friends from other houses. Cho Chang came by to relate and speak of losing Cedric. Cho would break down, and Hermione would listen, with tears in her eyes. Still she didn't speak. Even Harry had tried to talk to her, and at times like this she just glared and look the other way. With each passing day, Hermione's eyes grew droopy and red from all the reading. She began having spells of dizziness. She went to bed early and slept through the morning. Yet she was still tired.
One morning, a week later, Hermione walked alone towards the commonroom, where she planned to sleep some more.
"Hey Granger,"
She rolled her eyes. Malfoy alert, 12 o'clock. "Look Malfoy, I'm not in the mood to talk, so do us both a favour and go."
"Didn't you say that to Potter before?" Malfoy replied with a smirk. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen.
"Just shut the hell up."
His face went purple. "Don't you tell me to shut up, you nasty little Mudblood."
Hermione approached him, face colouring. "Don't you call me that ever—" A wave of dizziness washed over her like a dark wave. She groaned and put her hand to her head. Her legs went numb and weak. She felt hot and cold all over. Her energy drained as she fell. There was a swish of robes, and she can smell Slytherin. Malfoy's arms closed in on her, and strangely she felt so safe. So warm. Malfoy jerked back, surprised. "Please..." she whispered, "H-hospital Wing..." Then the world swirled out of focus, and darkness took over.
~*~
Deep deep down. Water... so cold... Hermione struggled to keep herself adrift, but her right hand won't move. Down, down, down she went. Fire...burning into her flesh... she couldn't break free, she screamed...
"Hermione, wake up!"
Her eyes snapped open. Her optics were slightly blurred. Slowly, the Hospital Wing came into view. So did the relieved face of Ginny. Hermione breathed hard, beads of sweat clung to her hair.
"You okay?" Ginny's face was a white sheet.
"Yeah," winced Hermione. "What happened?"
Just then, Madam Promfrey bustled in with a flask containing clear liquid. For a second Hermione thought it was the Forgetfulness Potion that Snape once held years ago.
"I don't know what you were thinking, Miss. Granger," she said quickly, before Hermione could edge in a word. "Going for weeks not eating, this could damage your body permanently!" she placed the flask in front of her. "Here, drink this, it'll heal you. But really, I dare say I've never seen anything quite like this in a long while..." she continued mumbling as she hurried into another room.
Hermione took a sip. It was sweet and warm. She felt re-energized.
"We were really worried you know," Ginny said in a small voice. "When Malfoy brought you in—"
Hermione choked. "Malfoy did that? He actually brought me here?"
Ginny nodded. A smile was playing at her lips. "He seemed worried too."
Hermione laughed. "He's probably just scared 'cus he figured everyone would blame him... since he was the only one with me at the time."
"Oh sure! That's why he held your hand for half a day."
"WHAT?!" So that's why she couldn't move her hand! Hermione felt dazed. "Don't lie now..."
Ginny giggled. "It's true, I swear! he wouldn't let go. Punched Flint hard on the nose when he tried to drag him out. He's in detention now."
"How long was I..."
"3 days, you had a critical fever." Ginny looked over at the table and pointed out a pile of greeting cards. "All for you."
"And he..." Hermione didn't know what to say. This wasn't the Malfoy she knew.
" Yup!" Ginny shook with laughter at the appalled look on Hermione's face.
"I look that ugly huh?"
Ginny laughed some more. When she finally regained control, she said, "No, no, you're not ugly! Heck if you can attract a totally hot guy like him..."
"Excuse me?" Hermione grew suspicious. "When did you get all gaga over him?"
"Since second year," said Ginny promply, without a trace of embarrassment. "When I first saw him I was thinking, Hottie. But that was until he made fun of Harry. By the way, you two looked totally cute when you guys were standing beside each other."
"Shut. Up. You are Ginny, right?" "The one and only!" Ginny said proudly.
"B-but..." faltered Hermione. "I'm Gryffindor. He's Slytherin. Those two don't mingle."
"He didn't act like a Slytherin the way he was up here with you all day." Ginny argued. "C'mon, just give him a chance. I've got my Prince Charming, it's time you got yours."
Hermione remembered. "What about Harry?"
The smile vanished from Ginny's face. "He er.. came. But hell you slapped him bad."
Hermione's eyes bulged. "I did not slap anyone!"
"Not that you know of, but you honestly did slap him. Twice too. In your sleep."
"Oh..." she felt bad. "Is he alright?"
"He'll be fine."
Just then Madam Promfrey shuffled in again. "Okay Weasley, I have let you stay here long enough. Now out out out!"
~*~
When she was alone, Hermione leaned over and searched among the cards. Finally, at the very bottom, she came across a card with a golden arrow in the middle. With trembling fingers, she flipped to the inside. In golden letters, it read:
You are like
A golden arrow
Piercing through me
I ask you then
What am I?
Give me a chance
And you will see
She looked up from the card, tears welling into her eyes. There was no signature, but she knew in her heart who had sent it. He had read her mind completely. Something she realized an ordinary person won't be able to do.