"Let me in!"

"No, I can't—"

"Madam Pomfrey, now!"

"Certainly not with that attitu—"

"MADAM POMFREY!"

"SHUT UP!" someone from behind Madam Pomfrey yelled. "And just let them in, Madam Pomfrey. They'll go to Dumbledore if you don't."

Madam Pomfrey glared at Harry and Ron, who were screaming outside the Hospital Wing at lunchtime. She slowly opened the door, and Harry and Ron pushed the door the rest of the way, knocking her off her feet in their haste to find Kelly and Hermione.

The two were in beds near the back, side-by-side. Both looked the worse for wear, but otherwise all right. Harry had feared they had been murdered in the Great Hall, only to find to his relief that they had used up all their energy in their trip here. Neither had yet explained how they had got here or what happened to anyone but Dumbledore.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, running over to them. "Kelly!"

Harry followed him, getting there just a little before Ron did because he was faster. "What happened?"

Kelly and Hermione exchanged smiles. "Knew it," they said together.

"Knew what?" Harry asked, still too relieved they were alive to really care what.

"That would be the first thing out of your mouth," Hermione answered.

"Well…" Ron asked slowly. "What… what did happen?"

Hermione and Kelly looked at each other, faces now a little grim.

"Sorry," Ron muttered. "Just—"

"No, it's okay, Ron," Kelly said. "We need to tell someone other than Dumbledore."

Ron looked a little relieved, and he and Harry pulled up chairs to listen to their story, Madam Pomfrey huffing about as she did her duties, angry with the pair of them.

"Well, we were talking in our dorm when it happened," Hermione started.

"A hooded person burst through the window and grabbed us!" Kelly exclaimed.

"We put up a good fight. We couldn't use spells because they took our wands away the moment they got there, but you might have heard all the thumping?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, we heard it," Harry said, listening intently.

"Well, they eventually got us when they stunned us," Kelly continued. "They're not a fantastic stunner, though. Or maybe it was the exit. Anyway, they put us on broomsticks that were magically connected to the one they were riding, and we woke up just in time for the take-off."

"But they weren't careful enough," Hermione continued. "About halfway over the forest, they looked forward for a little too long and we slipped off."

"You slipped off?!?!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yes. We had to get away, didn't we?" Kelly continued. "Anyway, we landed in a clump of trees, and that's where I broke my leg, and Hermione misplaced her shoulder. The person came searching for us. It was a really close call. They almost found us, but we were quiet."

"It was weird. They looked right at us and didn't see us. I guess it was because of the darkness," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Anyway," Kelly said loudly, making Hermione come back to the present, "they left, I guess thinking we had run off somewhere, and we got down."

"That's how we got several scars and bruises and twigs all in our hair," Hermione said. "We started walking through the forest, but we were really weak because of the fall. Not to mention every step we took drained energy. We didn't see the person again, thank God."

"We walked for what seemed like ages. It was many hours until we spotted the edge of the forest. By then, daylight was obvious," Kelly said.

"We guessed it to be about six o'clock, it took so long. I'll never forget it, " Hermione finished.

"But… it took you forever hours to get to the castle from the forest edge?" Ron asked.

"No…" Hermione answered slowly.

They went quiet.

"Then… what?" Harry asked.

"Well… okay, so it took us about twenty to thirty minutes to get to the castle," Kelly admitted. "Ya know, with my leg and her arm, it was quite difficult."

"So what did you do for the rest of eternity?" Ron asked, slightly sarcastically.

"Well… it wasn't six o'clock when we arrived at the edge of the forest," Hermione said.

"What time was it?" Harry asked. Why wouldn't they stop beating around the bush?

"Twenty to thirty minutes before we arrived in the Great Hall," Kelly said.

"It took you that long to get through the forest?" Harry asked, amazed. He didn't think it took that long, but then again, the forest was rather large.

"We would have gotten there sooner," Hermione explained. "but…"

"But what?" Ron asked instantly.

"Well… our kidnapper's not the only bad thing in the forest," Kelly said slowly.

"What'd you meet?" Harry said, suddenly understanding.

"Oh… stuff," Hermione said absentmindedly.

"More like things," Kelly said grimly.

"What?" Ron pressed.

"Well, you know… the usual," Hermione said, as though it weren't anything important.

"Chimaeras?"

"If only."

"Centaurs?"

"Bane's a pain in the rear."

"Hippogriffs?"

"It had to be the ones Hagrid didn't tame."

"Werewolves?"

"Barely got away without a bite."

"Arcomantula?"

"Aragog's not nice."

"Vampires?"

"Just the one on vacation from Madagascar."

"Grawp?"

"Never again…"

"Well, you two sure had an interesting night," Harry said, shaking his head. No wonder they were sitting in hospital beds. Chimaeras must have seemed like a walk in the park compared to what they went through, and Hagrid liked Chimaeras.

"Yes, it was very interesting," Hermione agreed. "A night never to be repeated."

"Hermione, that's the best suggestion you've had since bowing to the Hippogriff," Kelly said, closing her eyes.

Hermione grinned but said nothing.

A bell rang outside the Hospital Wing, making them all jump.

"CLASS!" stormed Madam Pomfrey, who was obviously eager to get rid of them. "NOW!"

Harry and Ron reluctantly headed off toward Herbology. As soon as Madam Pomfrey shut the door, however, they immersed themselves in conversation.

"Grawp? Hagrid hasn't taken him away somewhere else?" Ron asked, disbelieving.

"Apparently not," Harry said. "But what annoys me most is that Kelly didn't explain what she said to Dumbledore. You know, 'trow-med-love' or something."

"Yeah… that is odd. Think we can risk asking McGonagall?" Ron asked, though sounding very doubtful.

Harry gave a hollow laugh as they entered the grounds. "McGonagall? She wouldn't tell us if our lives depended on it!"

They continued the conversation until they reached Herbology. They left the class one hour later, however, in very foul moods, with a stench to match. Harry didn't remember what Professor Sprout called the plant things they had worked with, but he was determined to never mess with one again.

The Gryffindors went to take showers, and then headed off for their last class of the day. Dinner couldn't have been more welcome. Harry and Ron gulped down food and sprinted back to the Hospital Wing to talk to Hermione and Kelly and bring them their work, for both insisted on not staying behind.

"Besides," Kelly had said, "it will give us something to do."

Harry and Ron went back to the common room, not able to get out of Kelly what 'tromedlov' and whatever else she'd said meant. They sat down in two chairs for a short discussion before Ron nodded and left the common room. Harry laid back and waited.

He looked at the portrait hole expectantly. It was Parvati. He sighed and turned back to watch the fire.

The portrait hole opened again a few minutes later. Harry looked around, but it was Lavender searching for Parvati. Harry directed her to her dorm and turned back around.

Ten minutes later the Fat Lady allowed someone entrance again. Harry looked around, and it was Ron.

"Well?"

A/N:

BUM BUM BUM…. (Gotta stop doing that…) So, are you wondering what Harry and Ron talked about, and what Ron went to do? Well I'll tell you next chapter. Speaking of which….

Harry calls the first D.A. lesson of the year because it's obvious that with a DADA teacher as satanic as Diane, they've got to be ready for whatever's she got. Then… Harry has a surprise request for Ron. While Harry will be clearing his mind by himself at night for Occlumency, Legilimency is something that requires two.

So, I was wondering if I made you worry at the end of last chapter? That's the single reason I said that they specifically looked surprised. Did I kill Hermione and Kelly? Actually, I do kill one of them…. Oh, BUT THERE I GO WITH PLOT GIVEAWAYS AGAIN! (-DIE, EVIL, NOT-SO-EVIL, KINDA, NOT REALLY GIRL!-)

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the part where you know I'm having too much fun writing the author's notes. This is also the part where you pray I realize this and move on to what is stated below.

Review, make me smile!

Thankx,

Riles