Chapter Three

Why Does He Stare?

#Hermione's Eyes#

For Harry and Ron, homework was stacking up like the Empire State Building; all they did was put it off. On the other hand, Hermione was beginning to worry about their O.W.L.s, since hers were all up to date and she had revised and memorized every chapter in the textbooks. Usually her two friends would complain, especially Ron Weasley, but that was common because now Hermione was no longer helping them with work.

It had just been another Saturday, and Hermione had chosen deliberately to dwell on the fact homework was, yet again, mounting up.

Surely, Harry and Ron will be back soon, but their homework will fail, and so will they if they don't care. All they care about these days, is Quidditch, she thought, holding her quill inches from the blank piece of parchment. The main objective was to complete instructions for a certain, complicated potion named the Polyjuice Potion. Although the Gryffindor trio had brewed this tonic before, it still remained as complex as usual.

She sighed.

I complete this potion in my second year, and this is what I deserve? Having to repeat it? – Oh well, it's here and I'll have to get through it … now … Hermione began writing the title and subtitles for the subject. The ingredients were – as she had admitted – were hard to remember, especially when there were over thirty components.

She had to confess, she found herself becoming somewhat unfocused, she peered out of the pane of glass, with a longing expression stamped across her face. The sky was pitch-black and the full moon was glistening the lake across the ground beautifully. It wasn't often Hermione caught that effect outside; she was usually too fixed on completing all homework tasks, or even reading a book.

The full moon reminded her of her third year at Hogwarts, when Remus John Lupin was her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He actually grew in popularity amongst most students as a teacher, he taught well and it was a pretty much practical filled timetable when at his classroom.

Although Professor Lupin became a great tutor, there was something that Hermione didn't learn until the class had their first practical in Defense

Harry stood forward, his wand at the ready. The Boggart's present shape was a swaying clown-like jack-in-the-box, it swung back and fro, when, eventually, the Boggart spun. A cold wisp of air weighted round the staff room. Hovering in Harry's way was a black robed, hooded creature. Its hands were scabby, but its face was hidden by the shadows. A Dementor

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward.

The Dementor had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silver white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.

The orb was in fact the full moon amongst a series of dark, night clouds. The thing was, Hermione discovered, that, that one piece of information, was enough to recognize Remus Lupin was a werewolf.

Faint voices muffled through the hallway as a woman's voice called, "Password," in an aristocratic tone.

"Lion Blood!" a croaky, familiar voice answered. Finally after the long wait, Harry and Ron had arrived. They shuffled slowly and easily through the hole in the wall and made their tired selves through into the common room.

"Hello," Hermione said in a light note.

"Hi Hermione," the two boys called, making their way towards the settee besides the fire where Hermione was located. The seats that sat on were their favoured place in the Gryffindor Common Room. If you were going to find them somewhere, you'd find them here.

"So, where have you two been? Practicing for Quidditch, no doubt?" the bushy haired girl asked.

"No, actually," called Ron. "For your information, Hermione, we've been studying in the library.

"Yeah, we figured that if we're going to pass our O.W.L.s we'll have to work a lot harder than usual." Harry agreed. "Isn't that right?"

"Ye.p"

"Well … I'm glad you're happy about that – it's a lot better than last year. You two have finally got it together!" Hermione said, almost flustered.

She forced herself to concur; the two were really bringing themselves together.

"Well, I just have to finish this homework, then I'm turning in," Hermione noted, and the two nodded slothfully, as Harry yawned widely.

"Oh well, I've done my chore for today. G'night."

Harry almost leapt up off the couch and rushed away hastily, Hermione shook her head with an 'oh-that's-nice' expression on her, who said, "Well, you look tired. You sure you aren't going to go?"

"You're right, I'll just distract you. C'ya."

"C'ya."

Hermione watched as the ginger-haired teenager strode off up the spiral staircase and out of sight. She spun around and yawned at her homework. It was the weekend, was there any point in finishing it so late?

After every sentence she wrote, Hermione found she began staring off into space (literally), and snapped out of it thinking she was an idiot.

Oh, I can't go on like this. I'm too tired, don't be a fool; I won't be able to concentrate well tomorrow if I don't rest now … at least I remember that…

The Gryffindor packed away her belongings and parchment into her bag and set off up the spiral staircase and into the girls' dormitories. The moon shone radiantly through the window onto her cold-looking bed. She heaved a great sigh and changed into her pajamas, paying extra attention to buttoning up her top, trying to make sure she didn't mix them up.

She slid her way underneath the quilts and lay her head down on the chilly pillow. It seemed quite comfortable, compared to sitting up dozily, trying to complete set work. She thought for a while about her two friends. Was it a trick or a joke studying in their spare time? Or had they really done their homework?

She soon found herself carrying herself onto another subject: Draco Malfoy.

I've noticed him staring at me across the classroom, and through windows during class time. What is his problem? Has he got something to say? Because usually, he'd just walk up to me and say it … I doubt it's anything else … but … but …

She felt her eyes blurring the room. She yawned.

Soon, she fell asleep, and fell into a long, deep dream…