Hospital wing two weeks later. Hermione had skipped all her classes, not being able to attend. She had to stay in hospital for a while until she fully recovered.
Outside the hospital wing, the corridor. She hears the voice of Harry and Ron talking before they enter.
Staggering under the weight of the library books in their arms, Harry and Ron make their way to Hermione's bed, which is covered in... books.
"Oh, good. Put those anywhere".
They look. There is no anywhere. So they just... drop them.
"Madam Pince asked that we relay a message to you, Hermione. She'd appreciate it if you'd leave a few books for the rest of the school".
"I've got to keep up, haven't I?"
Just then, Hermione's tail twitches into view. "Is that thing ever going away?"
"Any day now, according to Madam Pomfrey. I'm just thankful I've stopped coughing up fur balls".
"We all are, believe me".
"Now. What about the Chamber of Secrets? Any new leads?"
"Nothing". said Harry.
"And has it gotten any better? I mean... is anyone speaking to you?"
Harry nodded his head. "Neville asked to borrow a tube wormin Potions yesterday. I suppose that's something"
Ron takes a get well card from under Hermione's pillow.
? ﾝﾑﾜ ? ﾝﾑﾖ? ﾝﾑﾠ ? ﾝﾑﾟ? ﾝﾑﾛ? ﾝﾑﾒ?. ? ﾝﾑﾖ?￢ﾄﾎ? ﾝﾑﾛ? ? ﾝﾑﾜ? ? ? ﾝﾑﾝ? ﾝﾑﾒ? ﾝﾑﾦ ? ﾝﾑﾒ? ﾝﾑﾜ? ﾝﾑﾒ? ﾝﾑﾦ, ? ﾝﾑﾟ? ﾝﾑﾚ ? ﾝﾑﾜ? ﾝﾑﾟ ? ﾝﾑﾜ? ﾝﾑﾐ? ﾝﾑﾟ? ﾝﾑﾒ? ? ﾝﾑﾒ? ﾝﾑﾐℎ? ﾝﾑﾟ.
? ﾝﾑﾖ? ﾝﾑﾑ? ﾝﾑﾟ? ﾝﾑﾦ ? ﾝﾑﾜ? ﾝﾑﾘℎ? ﾝﾑﾟ?.
"You sleep with this under your pillow?"
"Of course not. I don't know how that got there. Now go. I still have six hundred pages to read in ``Transformation Through the Ages".
As Harry and Ron leave the hospital wings. Not any moment Snape bursted inside.. he stood beside Hermione's bed.
Looking up from the book. Her brown eyes meet his dark eyes.
"How many times must I tell you Miss Granger? Perhaps by writing words you will be able to understand me".
Hermione frowned. Snape eyes drop on a get well card beside her pillow. His hand reached it and read.
"From your concerned teacher..." Snape eyes on hers. "Gilderoy Lockhart".
Hermione snatched the card, she hid it under her pillow. "So he's here isn't it?" She shrugs. "Don't lie!"
"As a teacher for his students. Not more than that".
"You nearly got attacked by the snake Mr. Malfoy because of it".
He snapped. "If the snake hadn't attacked Mr. Fletchley that snake probably would have turned to Miss Granger. And now.. you cause yourself to change into a cat, coughing hairballs, shaking your tail, growing fur.. and your favorite teacher sending you a well card!"
He leaned closer to her. "What's your excuse now Miss Granger? Again... you disobey my orders!"
"I don't have any excuse. If Professor Lockhart gives this card to me, it doesn't bother me neither you, Professor Snape. I deserve to have a well card or gifts from someone".
She sighs. "Professor, I need to study and do my homework right now. I had more to do than talk to you".
"You will never forgive me, Miss Granger. I know that".
"I do not know why you need my forgiveness".
Snape smirking, said. "Because you won't".
"If you don't mind, Professor Snape. I don't know what you are talking about. You need to leave before somebody else does see you in here".
She points around her bed, books, everything. "Indeed".
Snape turns his feet, walk towards the door. "I'll make sure you won't involve anything that is risking your life again Miss Granger! Not again..!"
A warning tone from Potions Master as Snape bolts out from the hospital wing.
"Are you alright Miss Granger?" Madame Pomfrey on view. "Is that Professor Snape visiting you dear?"
"Technically he's not. He just asked me if I stole something from his office".
"That Severus Snape I know. He likes to accuse someone without any proof. You'll be fine dear".
Hermione smiled and shrugged. Madame Pomfrey leaves the place.
Hogwarts high over the castle, as below, students hurry to their classes. Hogwarts grounds later.
"It was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chambers of Secrets fifty years ago".
"It can't be Hagrid. It just can't be". said Hermione.
She is quite well now. Human form. No coughing hairballs, furry hair. Tail. She's still the Hermione Granger we've known.
After being out of the hospital, Snape kept his eyes on hers if they bumped into each other or not. He's suddenly become a protective teacher not to students.
Just her. His wicked witch.
"We don't even know this Tom Riddle. He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me".
"The monster had killed somebody, Ron. What would any of us have done?"
"Look. Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go and ask him about it?"
Ron laughed. "That'll be a cheerful visit! ―Hello, Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"
"Mad and hairy? You wouldn't be talking about me now, would ya?"
The trio wheels, spots Hagrid grinning at them. They instantly look guilty. "NO!" said The trio.
Hagrid looks at them curiously. Harry nods to the strange canister in his hand.
"W- what's that you've got, Hagrid?" ask Harry.
"Oh, It's a- Flesh-Eatin Slug Repellent. For the Mandrakes, ya know. Now, according to Professor Sprout, they've still got a bit o' growing up to do. But, once their acne clears up, we'll be able to chop em up and stew them, and then we'll get those people down at the hospital in-Petrified. In the meantime, though, you three had best be looking after ourselves. All right? Hmm".
They nod, watch Hagrid lope away. Just then, Neville comes running up. He looks pale with fright. "Hello, Neville!"
"Harry- I don't know who did it, but you'd better come! Come on!"
Gryffindor tower dormitory. Harry's space is a disaster, trunk riffled, drawers flung open, bed clothes strewn on the floor.
"It had to be a Gryffindor. Nobody else knows our password- unless it wasn't a student".
"Whoever it was, they must have been looking for something".
"And they found it... Tom Riddle's diary is gone".
Students stream into the Quidditch Stadium. Harry, dressed in his Quidditch robes, dashes down the staircase with Ron and Hermione. Down below, Ron spies Ginny.
"Hey, Ginny! Going to the match?"
Ginny looks up, startled, then shakes her head and exits. "I tell you, she gets weirder and weirder by the day..."
Kill this time... Let me rip...Tear.
Harry freezes. Ron and Hermione stop, knowing by his face... "No... don't tell me..."
Harry turns, as if following the sound, absently touching his fingers to the wall as he glances around. Hermione studies him with great interest, studies his fingers then, abruptly, Harry turns away, shakes his head _ it's gone.
Hermione looks up, eyes vaguely upon Harry, but her mind miles away.
"Harry... I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"
As Hermione sprints back up the stairs, Harry yells.
"What do you understand!" But she's gone. Harry turns to Ron in puzzlement. "The library?"
"That's Hermione. When in doubt, go to the library".
Rear of Quidditch stadium. Later. Harry and his team mates march toward the Quidditch tower. The cheers of the crowd are heard.
"Alright, listen up. We play our game, Hufflepuff doesn't stand a chance. We're stronger, quicker and smarter".
Fred said. "And not to mention, they're dead scared that Harry'll Petrify them if they fly anywhere near him".
"Well, that too". Just then, Professor McGonagall appears, barring their way. "Professor McGonagall".
McGonagall looked panic in her face. "This match has been canceled".
"We can't cancel Quidditch".
"Silence, Wood. You and your teammates will go to Gryffindor tower now. Potter, you and I will find Mr. Weasley. There's something the both of you have to see".
Hospital wing. Moments later. McGonagall pauses outside the door, turns to Harry and Ron.
"I warn you, this could be a wee bit of a shock".
She opens the door. Madam Pomfrey is leaning over a bed where a girl lies. As she straightens up, we see the girl is...
"Hermione!"
Harry and Ron rush in. "She was found near the library, along with this. Does it mean anything to either of you?"
She holds up a small circular mirror. Harry shakes his head. McGonagall nods gravely.
"Alright then. That is why Quidditch must be canceled because of this. We're in great danger, Potter. It attacks students and becomes petrified".
"I don't understand. Hermione.. you know when she doubts something".
"Let Miss Granger rest boys".
McGonagall leads them out. As they go, Hermione's hand clinched something tight in her stiff knuckles, barely visible, is... a piece of paper.
Midnight. Hospital wing. Snape sat on a chair, beside Hermione's bed. Petrified, Hermione shows him no movement from her.
Snape cried. Wiped his tears. It's been over years he hadn't cried since Lily's death. After her death, Snape became more and more heartless.
Now Harry is here. Snape took advantage of Harry. Because of what his father did when they were young. James Potter.
Harry's father makes Snape's life miserable.
Somehow Snape looks after Harry from harm. Because his love towards Lily never ends. Snape promised himself to keep an eye on Harry.
Now, here is his little witch laying petrified on a hospital bed. His hand touches hers. Then he took it back. He doesn't want people accusing him for being a molested teacher in Hogwarts.
That's not kinda like him. He's Severus Snape. Cold, heartless man.. students afraid of him.
"Hermione.. Hermione.. my Hermione.." He whispered.
"You give me a chance to be loved, you just like Lily's. Everyone here is afraid of me, hates me but you two girls I know.. never. You make me feel alive again that I possibly have. You make me walk into the sunlight, you make me out from my hiding place, my own shadows".
Silence, "I couldn't give you happiness. I promise I will. I want to see your smile, I want to see you around me. You took my heart without you noticing. You are my.. everything I wanted to spend my life with. I know I couldn't. You're young, greasy git old me.. never".
He cried again. "Love me, Hermione. Love me, do what I'd said.. I'll protect you".
Snape felt someone hand on top of his shoulders. Quickly he wiped his tears knowing whom.
"That's... wonderful speech my boy. Sadly Miss Granger couldn't hear it".
Snape breathed. "How long you've been standing behind me, Headmaster".
"Just now". Dumbledore smiles. "Severus.. my boy. If Lily's still alive, she will be happy for you. Including James that.. you found a second chance to love. Not Lily but Miss Granger".
"She doesn't like me, Headmaster. I know".
"Miss Granger doesn't know what kind of love she had beside her parents. When she grows up, she will learn and realize how much your love towards her is equal".
Dumbledore tapped Snape's shoulder. "Patiently waiting, Severus. Miss Granger still young and petrified". As his eyes studied Hermione's body. "Pray for her health, my boy. That's all Miss Granger asks.. from you".
Dumbledore left the room. Snape gently up from the chair, lean closer to her face and give Hermione a kiss on her forehead. He smiled.
"I'll see you again.. my witch".
Then Snape left the room, back to the dungeons. Hoping no one doesn't realized he was there crying beside Hermione's petrified body.