alone ;

disclaimer: That's freaking it. This disclaimer goes for the rest of the chapters, okay? I own NOTHING until my ass-like llama decides to let me own it. (And yes, from the llama bit I think you can guess one of my favourite cartoons is Disney's The Emperor's New Groove. Check it out. Die laughing!)

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recap: "Don't. Remind. Me. Of. The. Holidays." Hermione said, through gritted teeth and eyes welling up with tears, before wiping them on her sleeve of her robe, and running out of the compartment.

While Drano Malfoy stood there, with death glares from Harry and Ron, rubbing his cheek and smiling, correction – smirking, as though a sinister plan had played through in his mind.

# chapter five

Ron and Harry were genuinely concerned for Hermione, and were perturbed by her eccentric behaviour. What had happened to her?

From their Hermione, one that could hold her conversation well, highly intellectual witch to that Hermione. Spacing out, screaming her head off and just being so distant away from everybody, guarding some sort of secret.

And it was definitely scaring them.

Ron and Harry heard Lavender and Parvati gossiping at the Gryffindor table during breakfast, and what they heard confirmed that Hermione was weird. Definitely weird.

"Did you hear at night? Hermione would just cry and cry…"

"Like, duh! She's getting creepy. Her grades are dropping and such!"

Even teachers were getting concerned over it, and Hermione was just as though she was turning more and more into a shadow…

Slipping out of their grasp.

Ron and Harry could not bear it any longer. They wanted to find out the truth. The truth, beyond Hermione's guarded exterior.

"Come on, Hermione! Tell us!" Ron cornered the bushy haired bookworm when she came out of Ancient Runes. Harry took out his wand when he saw her hand twitched to her bag.

Harry and Ron cornered Hermione to the wall, whose eyes were welling with tears.

"Don't touch me! Don't! Go away! Leave me alone…" Hermione cried, flinging her arms wildly – she was really scared of Harry and Ron.

But had she forgotten the friendship that they used to share?

Hermione, in her rampant fear, tripped and knocked her head against the wall of the Hogwarts corridor, leaving a trail of blood as she fell down unconscious.

The portraits gasped as Hermione blanked out, as Harry and Ron just stared. Not knowing what to do.

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author's note: yeah, sorry for the cliffy (or that's what I think). But yeah, I was running out of ideas (I don't really plan) and so…you can probably guess it out? Stupid me. Sorry people for the really short chapter but I just failed my subjects and am in a veeerrrryyy fucked up mood now. Sorry!

I promise the next chapter will be longer (:

Definitely.
And yes, well-wishers out there can wish me good luck for my audition for SNYO (Singapore National Youth Orchestra).

Ciaos (: