Hermione was jolted awake by muffled voices coming from downstairs. For a
moment, she was confused. It couldn't possibly by morning already- the
darkness of the room said otherwise. Something was wrong.
Groggily, Hermione trudged downstairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. She could hear Mrs. Weasley's worried voice over the other hushed murmurs. In fact, Molly Weasley was the only one that did not seem determined to keep quiet.
"-the Crutacius Curse, Severus, how could they?! He's only a boy-"
Hermione strained her ears, trying to catch some scrap of other conversation. She heard what sounded like Snape's voice, but she couldn't be sure.
"It hurts exactly the same no matter how old you are."
Thought it was quiet and indistinct, Hermione heard a trace of bitterness in that statement. For some reason, that stuck her as rather personal. It had sounded- almost- as if Snape would know. Unbidingly, Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for the cruel potions master, and immediately took it back.
"Molly," Remus's voice came, sounding as if he hadn't caught Snape's comment, "He's all right, you heard what-"
"All right? ALL RIGHT? YOU CAN'T PRETEND HE'S ALL RIGHT, REMUS! THE CRUTACIUS CURSE ON AN OPEN WOUND-"
"I assure you," Snape's voice said, much more audibly than before, "that I saw- with my own eyes- that he is quite alive. He should be out of St. Mungo's by next week if all goes well."
"See, Molly?" Remus said, in a hopeful attempt to calm her down, "He's fine. Harry's been through plenty of-"
Hermione couldn't suppress a small gasp. Harry?! She suddenly felt cold, very cold, as if she were drowning. She felt herself march into the dim light of the kitchen. The faces swam before her, many of which she thought she recognized, but couldn't place. Everyone seemed to blend together...
"What happened to Harry?"
Her voice was demanding, but hollow.
"Nothing that concerns you, Miss Granger."
A familiar voice met her ears, edged with a dangerous hidden blade... Snape, she thought. Probably delighted that Harry was hurt...
"What happened to Harry?"
Hermione's voice cracked. The faces before her were suddenly looking less and less familiar.
She was drowning...
Someone got up from the table...
She heard snatches of conversation, but couldn't understand...
"-is her friend, Severus-"
"-obviously in a right state-"
"-won't do, Remus, but-"
She was falling...
"-had enough for one night-"
"Molly, don't be ridiculous-"
All she could see was darkness...
She heard a ringing in her ears...
"Hermione!"
"-for heaven's sake-"
Someone was carrying her... where she was going, she had no idea...
Her head hit the pillow and she was asleep once more.
Groggily, Hermione trudged downstairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. She could hear Mrs. Weasley's worried voice over the other hushed murmurs. In fact, Molly Weasley was the only one that did not seem determined to keep quiet.
"-the Crutacius Curse, Severus, how could they?! He's only a boy-"
Hermione strained her ears, trying to catch some scrap of other conversation. She heard what sounded like Snape's voice, but she couldn't be sure.
"It hurts exactly the same no matter how old you are."
Thought it was quiet and indistinct, Hermione heard a trace of bitterness in that statement. For some reason, that stuck her as rather personal. It had sounded- almost- as if Snape would know. Unbidingly, Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for the cruel potions master, and immediately took it back.
"Molly," Remus's voice came, sounding as if he hadn't caught Snape's comment, "He's all right, you heard what-"
"All right? ALL RIGHT? YOU CAN'T PRETEND HE'S ALL RIGHT, REMUS! THE CRUTACIUS CURSE ON AN OPEN WOUND-"
"I assure you," Snape's voice said, much more audibly than before, "that I saw- with my own eyes- that he is quite alive. He should be out of St. Mungo's by next week if all goes well."
"See, Molly?" Remus said, in a hopeful attempt to calm her down, "He's fine. Harry's been through plenty of-"
Hermione couldn't suppress a small gasp. Harry?! She suddenly felt cold, very cold, as if she were drowning. She felt herself march into the dim light of the kitchen. The faces swam before her, many of which she thought she recognized, but couldn't place. Everyone seemed to blend together...
"What happened to Harry?"
Her voice was demanding, but hollow.
"Nothing that concerns you, Miss Granger."
A familiar voice met her ears, edged with a dangerous hidden blade... Snape, she thought. Probably delighted that Harry was hurt...
"What happened to Harry?"
Hermione's voice cracked. The faces before her were suddenly looking less and less familiar.
She was drowning...
Someone got up from the table...
She heard snatches of conversation, but couldn't understand...
"-is her friend, Severus-"
"-obviously in a right state-"
"-won't do, Remus, but-"
She was falling...
"-had enough for one night-"
"Molly, don't be ridiculous-"
All she could see was darkness...
She heard a ringing in her ears...
"Hermione!"
"-for heaven's sake-"
Someone was carrying her... where she was going, she had no idea...
Her head hit the pillow and she was asleep once more.