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Chapter 3: Seizures and Dreams
The first thing she heard was whispers, and sat up, in surprise, but immediately regretted it as her head began pounding. She let herself fall back onto the bed.
Looking around, recognizing she was in the hospital wing. Someone pulled back the curtains surrounding her bed. It was Ron. "She's awake!" He called.
She winced at the noise. He was looking at her. "Oh…sorry, Hermione." He smiled apologetically. Madam Pomphrey hustled in, asking, "Miss, Granger, how do you feel?" Hermione answered, saying, "Fine, I guess. But what happened?"
Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably. This made Hermione sit up again, and asked more urgently, "What happened?" Harry was the one that spoke up. "Hermione, how much do you remember up to?"
She tried to think, realizing it was hard to concentrate, and said, "I remember Malfoy shoving me into my seat in the carriage…but…nothing else…"
She looked up at her friends questioningly, Ron looked relieved, saying, "See, I knew it wasn't her that did it!" But Harry, looking deeper into the problem, didn't look relieved at all.
Hermione pressed, on, "Did what?"
No one said anything for a couple seconds, so Harry told her, "You jumped out the carriage, and ran up behind Malfoy and you, er, did the Crucio curse on him several times in front of the whole school. Then you dropped your wand, and Draco came over, yelling at you, then you started laughing, and collapsed. When you collapsed you started twitching, or, er, something…"
Harry trailed off at Hermione shocked expression, and Madam Pomphrey took up where he left off, "You had a mild seizure, but I believe you're safe now."
Hermione looked into her face, seeing some doubt there, and asked, "Do you know why I had a seizure?" "No. No I don't. But if a person has a past of seizures, then-" But Hermione interrupted her, "I've never had a seizure before."
So Madam Pomphrey continued, "Did you have any other symptoms?" "Well." Said Hermione, "I had been quite giddy." Madam Pomphrey added, "Sometimes seizures are caused by emotional distress."
Hermione nodded, saying, "That must be it. I found out about Dumbledore earlier." But when she really thought about it, it didn't seem the right cause, and said, "Wait, wouldn't that cause emotional relief? Plus, I felt a bit giddy even before I heard about Dumbledore…"
She was talking mostly to her self now. Madam Pomphrey interrupted her thoughts, saying, "There are many other causes of seizures, such as high fever, infections, migraines-" Hermione interjected impatiently, "Yeah, but would migraines cause me to black out and shoot random Unforgivable Curses at people?"
Madam Pomphrey just looked at her, and responded, "Well, it could." But Hermione saw the obvious doubt in her eyes. "Plus," she continued, "I haven't had migraines, I don't have a high fever, and I'm pretty sure I don't have any infections of any kind."
Ron was looking at Hermione with worry, "Do you want it to be something serious, Hermione?" Hermione shook her head, "Of course not, Ron! I just want to know what's really going on!"
Harry finally spoke, "Maybe…you're under a curse." Hermione thought about it. It all fit. She had all the symptoms of someone trying to fight a curse.
She looked up from her thoughts, at Harry, saying, "I think you're right. But that opens up another whole set of worries." Madam Pomphrey nodded in agreement, saying, "I best start testing you for the normal curses."
Several hours later, Madam Pomphrey looked tired and desperate. She finally said, "I just can't find anything wrong with you! I've checked for all the normal curses, and even all the rare ones I could think of! Without any further clues, I guess you'll just have to go for now."
She sat down in a chair as Hermione shakily got to her feet with the help of Harry and Ron.
They were just heading out the door when it occurred to Hermione she had no idea where the head's dorm was, but luck would have it that right then Draco walked around the corner.
Hermione realized that, since she was caught up in worry at what could be wrong with her, she forgot to actually ask about Malfoy, so when he walked over, pausing in front of them, she said, "Malfoy-I-I'm so sorry. I, er, wasn't myself."
He replied, "Whatever Granger. Don't worry about it. Not like it's the first time or anything." He gave an odd sort of smile, more like a grimace, and continued, "I guess you'll be needing to know where the dorms are."
With that, he turned and headed off in a direction opposite of the Gryffindor commons. Hermione turned and said goodbye to her friends, but Ron asked, "You sure you're ok?"
She smiled, saying, "Of course. For now. See you guys tomorrow." She hurried off after Draco.
After going several flights of stairs, down many long hallways, and through a couple secret passages, Draco stopped in front of a large picture of a pirate ship, with a rugged looking captain standing in the center.
Draco barely glanced at the painting and said, "Skittles, taste the rainbow." Hermione raised an eyebrow, and he looked towards her, and seeing her expression, said, "Dumbledore picked the password…" "Oh, that explains it…" Hermione answered.
They both walked into the common room and Draco walked immediately to their left and up a small staircase to a door which Hermione presumed was his dorm, jerked open the door, went inside, and slammed it shut.
Hermione jumped slightly at the sound, rolled her eyes at his little show of attitude, but quickly forgot it when her eyes swept around her new common room.
'This sure beats out the Gryffindor commons' she thought as she took in the magnificently carved fire place, royal-looking couches and chair, a small library on one side, and a grand piano near and a glowing gold fountain in a corner on the other.
She saw another flight of stairs, and mounted them, knowing it led to her room. She pushed the wooden carved door open to her bedroom. Even though it was dark, she could tell the dimensions were enormous.
She wanted to explore some more, but was feeling rather drowsy and decided to call it a night. She jumped onto her king-size bed and snuggled into the red satin sheets and fell quickly to sleep.
She looked around frantically. She was in some dark room, lit only by a few flames. She was standing in the back of the room, watching a circle of black-cloaked figures gather around a throne where a lone figure sat.
It raised a pale hand, pointing in her direction. 'Bring me the girl' hissed a voice cold enough to freeze flame. She felt hands grab her, and roughly drag her up before the throne and throw her down. 'Careful!' the voice hissed again, 'I have plans for this one.'
The figure stood, and glided down until it was a foot away from her. It drew a wand from the inner foldings of its cloak, pointing it at her. 'Up.' The voice commanded. She stood. 'Your left arm.' She obediently raised her arm.
The pale hand reached up, pulling back the sleeve of her robes. At its touch, her body felt like it had turned to ice. The figure took its wand firmly in its hand, pointing at her left forearm.
She looked down, horrified. The figure apparently could sense her fear, for it said, 'There's no point in being scared anymore.' With that, it jabbed its wand to her forearm. A terrible pain erupted from the site of contact and spread throughout her body. 'NOOOO!'
Hermione woke suddenly, sitting up, drenched in cold sweat. "It's just a dream." She told herself, and fell back into an uneasy sleep, not to remember any part of her dream in the morning.
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