Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 19

Morning arrived and Hermione had not stirred. She still sat motionless in a crumpled heap on her bathroom floor. She not moved or slept since it had happened. She was still shaking and sitting with her knees pulled up tight into her chest. Every time her eyelids had drooped from exhaustion she would see herself under the water again, and snapped them open in a desperate bid to stay awake. As the light came in through the little window high in the wall on the other side of the room, Hermione started to come back to reality. After awhile she slowly got up, but wandered about the bathroom absentmindedly, as though she was not all there. She padded over to her vanity and saw her dishevelled form in the mirror. Though she was looking right at it, she didn't seem to see her reflection at all. Suddenly she lunged at the toilet and threw up. She sat with the toilet between her knees, elbows perched on the seat and head hanging limply over the bowl.

What time was it? She had taken off the watch her parents had given her before she got into the bath, and her left her wand in her room. She was too terrified to leave the bathroom in case he was there. Too weak to stay sitting up, she let herself lay backwards, still in the same position and stared blankly at the ceiling. After some time Hermione could no longer keep her eyes open. She finally but reluctantly fell asleep.

Hermione did not show up to any of her classes that day. She was not a breakfast, lunch or dinner, and had not told anyone where she was or what she was doing. Harry, Ron and Ginny were more than worried, and approached the teacher's table at the end of dinner. They went to Dumbledore and expressed their concerns.

"Professor, we're worried about Hermione." Ron began. Harry cut in.

"We haven't seen her all day. She skipped all of her classes and hasn't come to any of the meals."

"It's so… unlike her" Said Ginny, real concern in her voice. Dumbledore thought for a moment.

"Ginny, I'll send you to her room to check on her." The boys went to protest but he simply raised a hand to hush them.

"I think it is best that we send one of her girl friends. She may just simply be unwell and she doesn't need the three of you storming in. Ginny will go and make sure everything is alright. Come with me, I will give you a password to get into their room." He leaned in and whispered a password into her ear.

Ginny left the Great Hall with Ron and Harry in tow, and they soon arrived outside Hermione's living quarters. The boys were fidgeting and pacing. Ginny gave them a reassuring look and went to whisper the password to the small statue. Harry stopped her. He pulled her in close with fear in his eyes.

"Ginny, it's too dangerous. What if he's in there? He may not take too kindly to you barging into his room uninvited. Let us go with you."

"It's ok Harry. I saw him heading outside with his broomstick when I went to the toilets during dinner. He'll probably be on the Quidditch Pitch for a while. I'll be fine, don't worry about me." She smiled and whispered the password to the little man.

Once the door opened she rushed in and made sure the boys did not follow. She ran up the set of stairs she knew to be Hermione's, and knocked gingerly on her bedroom door.

"Hermione? Are you in there? Are you ok?" When she didn't hear a reply and opened the door and walked in. She expected to find Hermione in her bed, but it was neatly made and didn't look slept in. She surveyed the room and didn't find Hermione, so she decided to try the bathroom.

She found the door was locked, and removed her wand to unlock it.

"Alohamora" She whispered and she heard the door unlock. She twisted the handle and opened the door.

What she found startled her and it took her a minute to understand it all. She found Hermione lying on the floor with one leg on either side of the toilet bowl and her knees slightly bent. She was dressed in bikinis and was very pale. Her face was stained with tears and the bathroom had a sickly smell to it. She rushed over her friend and knelt down beside her.

"Hermione?" She asked urgently. She did not stir. She was relieved to see the other girl's chest rising and falling. At least she wasn't completely unconscious. Ginny noticed that her face was stained with tears and though asleep, the area around her eyes was red. She lifted her hand and brushed her cheek softly to try and rouse her.

"Hermione?" She whispered again. Hermione's head moved slightly and she could see her eyelids start to flutter open.

The minute Hermione's eyelids started to open, she snapped violently back into reality. She was stunned at feeling a hand on her cheek and immediately grabbed at it with her hand. Ginny was startled when Hermione's left hand suddenly clutched her wrist and her eyelids flew open. As soon as Hermione realised it was her friend she relaxed and let Ginny's wrist go.

"Ginny" she whispered hoarsely. She let her eyes close again for a second.

"Hermione, are you ok? What are you doing here? What's happened?" Her friend opened her eyes but did not look at her. Ginny decided to help her friend up and leant her against the bath. She crouched in front of her and tried to get her attention. A lone tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. She looked terrible. He hair was a mess, she was pale, and her eyes were blotchy. She reached out to put her hand on Hermione's, and noticed that she was also shaking. Hermione's head kicked suddenly into gear and she remembered once again the events of the evening before.

"What happened?" Ginny asked softly. Hermione took a sharp, deep breath. The tears started flowing more freely now and she broke into sobs.

"I…I wasn't feeling well and I… I umm threw up and I must have just fallen asleep." She looked at Ginny and put on a weak smile to show that everything was ok. Her friend eyed her suspiciously but didn't ask her any more questions. She just brushed her hair out of her eyes and reached for her wand that was lying on the floor.

"I think we'd better get you to the hospital wing." She said. Hermione shot a frightened glance at her friend but did not say anything.

"No, I'm fine. Really." She seemed nervous and Ginny couldn't understand why she was acting this way.

"I really think we need to get Madam Pomfrey to have a look at you. No offence, but you look terrible." Hermione was desperate not to go to the hospital wing. She didn't want to leave her room or be seen by anyone. She knew she would just get into worse trouble if he saw her there and she didn't want to make him mad. But Ginny was determined and Hermione knew that no matter what she did her friend was not going to give up on this. Reluctantly, Hermione made to stand up. Ginny helped her and they walked towards the door. Just as Ginny was reaching for the handle Hermione pulled away and ran to the toilet, vomiting again. Ginny went over to comfort her friend and hold her hair, but when Hermione stood up again she had nothing left and passed out on the cold tile floor.