A/N: Once again, I apologize for the delay. The lake house my family rented for a short trip didn't have electricity, so I worked on writing more by hand, but had to wait until I got home to post. I'll try and get another chapter up before I leave on another trip.
Chapter Seventeen
The troll had Hermione trapped, the stall she'd tried to hide in completely smashed. He arrived just in time to see the thing lift her up with the ease of a child lifting a doll, and fling her against the wall.
Forcing herself on to her feet shakily, she attempted to escape, but it took no genius to see that she wouldn't make it out of the way in time.
He had no time to try and figure out how he might use the basic charms, or transfiguration he'd learned with so much effort in order to keep up with his year-mates. He threw himself forward, grabbing her, and floating her up, and out of the way of its next blow.
She felt his arms around her, and saw his face, right before she finally collapsed from the damage of the previous blow, and everything went black.
It was at that moment that the twins arrived, and with their arrival the situation shifted so abruptly that it was almost laughable. A muttered incantation later, and the troll's attention was no longer focused on any of those present, but rather on trying, without success to get at the flying bits of debris that now followed it around, banging repeatedly against the back of it's head.
"We were working on developing the spell this morning to enchant snowballs with," explained Fred upon Harry's inquiry.
"Though we expected our first test subject to be Quirrel's turban. Never imagined it's be a troll," added George.
It seemed a rather strange scene to the teachers who arrived moments after the twins- a troll spinning around in circles with debris repeatedly hitting the back of it's head, the limp and battered body of an eleven-year-old girl lying on the floor, and the two redheaded twins animatedly discussing pranks with a ghost.
"Hello, Professors," Fred addressed them solemnly.
"What, for goodness sake, is going on here?" demanded his irate Head-of-House.
"Harry sent Peeves to inform us that one of the younger students was in trouble. We decided that we didn't have enough time to search for back up, he replied, shrugging. "Given the amount of damage already done by the time we arrived, I'd say we were right in thinking we didn't have much time."
Harry, didn't bother waiting around, and floated off to inform Madame Pomphrey of the incident. The teachers, after their brief inquiry (and a brief debate between professors Snape and McGonagall on whether to give or take points) had finished dealing with the troll, and then dismissed the twins without telling them anything about what was to be done.
On the following morning the Granger girl was, at for the moment, still alive, and had been sent up to the hospital wing for medical examinations and treatment. Meanwhile, in the corner of the Gryffindor common room a whispered conversation was taking place.
"What are you going to do? If she talks-"
"She won't."
"You've got a plan?"
"Of course."
"Good old Harry, of course he has a plan, how could you ever think otherwise, Fred? Oh, my heart-"
"Enough with dramatics, George. I'll survive, really. See you two later."
"What? Wherever are you going?"
"To the hospital wing, naturally. It'll be best if I'm there when she wakes."
"Wait- Harry- aren't you going to tell us your plan?"
Harry smirked as he pushed open the portrait hole. "Of course not."
The hospital wing was empty, save for Madame Pomphrey and the still unconscious Hermione Granger.
"Madame Pomphrey? I was wondering how Hermione's doing."
The hospital matron looked rather surprised. Apparently it wasn't a common occurrence to have ghosts visiting the hospital wing. She recovered her composure, and surprisingly chose to answer. Whether it was because she wanted to talk to someone about the state the young girl was in, or because she'd heard about Harry's role in her rescue, he wasn't sure.
"She's in critical condition, but I think she'll pull through. She received several broken ribs, and a punctured lung, but what I'm most concerned about is the damage to the back of her skull."
"How bad is it?"
"It'll take time to mend. There are spells and potions that help, of course, but only a certain amount can be done at once without causing additional problems. The tissues are delicate, and will take time to heal and strengthen. The brain tissues especially are a delicate issue. It could cause memory loss, blindness, confusion, loss of coordination . . . all sorts of side effects to be present for until they mend properly, because of the focus of her magic in that area."
Harry nodded. "Have you applied any treatments yet?"
"Some cleaning and healing spells. Would you mind watching over her while I go pick up some potions Professor Snape is brewing specifically? I'd like to get them to her as soon as possible."
"Sure, no problem." He drifted over to the bed containing Hermione.
"I'll be back in a little while." With that Madame Pomphrey headed hurriedly out of the hospital wing. As much as she tried not to show it, she was obviously deeply anxious.
For several minutes after the hospital matron left, Harry watched Hermione's unconscious form. Wake up. He thought of somehow pushing energy into her, making her to wake so he could settle this . . .
Her eyes flickered open, though he was unsure whether or not she could see him.
"Hermione," he coaxed softly, "it's Harry. You're in the hospital wing, safe. Everything is going to be all right."
"Harry?" she tried to push herself into a sitting position, but collapsed back down onto the bed. "You never were a ghost at all."
"No, not particularly," he replied nonchalantly. She started to laugh, but the laugh soon turned into a cough which racked her small body. Harry waited for the coughs to cease before he spoke again.
"Although, I may soon be a ghost in fact as well as belief if it is discovered that I'm alive. I have reason to believe that there is trouble brewing- but that is nothing you need to worry about. You just need to rest, and get well. Ah, and here is the healer now. I'd best leave you to your rest."
Floating through the halls after leaving the hospital wing, Harry knew two things for certain; he knew he'd successfully made sure Hermione would say nothing, and he knew, because it was plain to see, that there was a certain aristocratic Slytherin headed down the hallway whom he would assuredly have to address.
"Potter," sneered the blond. "So, even as a ghost you've managed to create a stir."
"Is that so?" asked Harry coolly, raising an eyebrow at the Malfoy heir.
"Saving the poor likkle mudblood," he continued, as if he hadn't heard Harry, "sending for help so she wouldn't get squashed by the big bad troll. What a pathetic fool."
"Really, Malfoy. Ponder this; if it is wise to 'know thine enemy ,' is it not also wise not to let 'thine enemy' know you?" He smirked at the surprised blond. "I see nothing of disadvantage to me about gaining the trust of others while keeping my own purposes concealed."
Malfoy looked at him for a moment. "You know Potter, you're not quite as thick as I thought. Almost intelligent, even, for a ghost at any rate.'
"I'm flattered," Harry answered, his voice thick with sarcasm. Then, nodding to the boy, he began once more on his way. "I'll see you around Malfoy," he concluded, glancing over his shoulder, before disappearing around the corner. He couldn't help but be amused as he made his way up to Gryffindor tower to meet with the twins that the Malfoy boy showed no signs of having picked up on the fact that Harry's description of practical ways of dealing with others might refer to him just as much as anyone else.
A/N: Once again, I apologize for the delay. Many thanks to:
wizzan, joe, azntgr01Slash Goddess ConnlaBaranwynpazedjbfritzHarrySlytherinsonLinker27Hazel MaraaFairyQilanjust dont tell my mumcaptunivBewittchingrlmessKaaeraSukeraSoldieroftheMoonJDZ, k, ginnyNharrysecretlove, FairyBlue, shion20Crazy-PhyscoKira6Bukama Stealthdesithug, E.A.V., websurfferSir Read-a-lotgaul1the1TRUEST3heir2of7SLYTHERINranma hibikivimrcdsSmiley Face3AngelaStarCatjapanese-jewLucifer's Following, InfinteThought, Dernhelm-caorann, Winstin, Damaru Jigoku, kiralliealbert87C. Rosefluffy-89flowerweasleymagicalbratNamelessHereticBobbokyDementedtearz