Chapter 22

Overheard Conversations

Another week passed in Hogwarts. The snow was lightly coming down and students began praying for it to stop. As it passed most of the sixth year's knees, no one would leave the castle much.

Hermione, who always was on top of every one of her studies and classes, began to slightly fall behind. Once in awhile, she would skive off a class to head to the library. She refused however, to divulge the purpose of going there every day.

Ever since the defense against the dark arts class with McGonagall, Hermione had been a bit more reserved especially around Harry. He would mention something and she would snap her head up and mumble a quick yeah and leave.

It was very aggravating.

Ron hadn't seen much of her either. Being his girlfriend and all, they would sneak off for "prefect duties" or "study time" but lately, Ron was left to dry. He would talk to Harry about his troubles and Harry would talk to Ginny about Ron's problem's and Ginny would talk to Hermione about Harry and Ron's problems but she wouldn't tell them anything.

Ginny seemed the most bothered by it. Her and Hermione were best friends and told each other everything. Hermione and Ginny would sit with each other at meals when Ron or Harry had detention with Snape (he was giving them none stop lately) or would walk to some of their classes together. Lately, Hermione had pushed away and buried herself in a pile of books.

"Have you seen Hermione? She hasn't come back from the library almost all day and she missed some of her classes. That's so unlike her," Ron stated. The day of classes was complete along with wandless magic and occlumency.

Hermione had been absent from Care of Magical Creatures that way and missed an interesting lesson about Fang coincidently.

Harry shrugged as he tried to finish an essay from charms class. He had wondered where she was and what she was doing but Harry had just thought she had wanted to finish her essay quickly.

"How about we go looking for her? I just want to make sure she's okay," Ron said worriedly to Harry. The corridors were becoming darker and if Hermione didn't come back to the common room soon she would have to walk down the pitch black halls by herself. Harry sighed and nodded.

"Let me get my cloak and the map, I'll be right back," Harry told Ron. He ran up to his dorm and came back down with his cloak and map.

"Ready?"

Ron and Harry walked quietly down the corridors. The only light was of the crescent moon. It was eerily quiet as they stepped closer to the library. No one was out except for the occasional prefects.

The Marauders Map was closed tightly; Harry didn't want to say the incantation quite yet.

As they grew closer to the library, voices intervened the silence. It sounded like Hermione and another man; not a student but a man.

"Please Hermione, you must quiet down," the man said pleadingly. Harry and Ron sped up a bit, thinking that Hermione was in trouble but stopped as she quietly yelled,

"How could you do this? All of you? I can't believe you all! This is…this is like a dream come true and everyone HAS BEEN HIDING IT!"

They both looked at each other nervously and took another step.

"Hermione," the man said.

STEP.

"NO! DON'T TALK TO ME! I'LL TELL HIM YOU KNOW!"

STEP. They were growing closer.

"Hermione, we were planning on telling him, just not yet. We needed the perfect timing. Please Hermione, please, I'm begging you."

STEP. The voice sounded oddly familiar.

"No, you don't… you dare… don't you… don't," she stuttered trying to find her words.

STEP. They were close now.

"Hermione, you are very bright and I knew it would only be a matter of time but please, this is not the time for anyone to find out," the voice said to Hermione.

STEP. They were about to turn the corner.

"Don't you dare tell me "it was a matter of time" you bloody GIT! He is my best friend and you are doing this to him, Harry has suffered so much and now this!" Hermione freely screamed.

Ron and Harry stopped at the corner. Ron looked at Harry who looked back wondering who Hermione was talking to. From the sounds of it, Hermione was madder at this person than ever before; she never swore.

"Do you think we should keep moving?" Ron whispered to Harry. Harry stood there for a moment, contemplating whether to see what was going on or not.

"Maybe," Harry started, "Maybe we should wait a moment, if something is wrong, we can see." For some reason, Harry felt as if he was intruding. It was an odd feeling seeing as they were talking about him after all.

"Hermione, I promise you, I will tell him soon, very soon, please just keep this to yourself for a while longer," the man's voice pleaded again.

"Don't you touch me. I just… I just can't believe it," Hermione cried.

They could hear her begin to weep and just as they were close to lunging at the man she was talking too he said something.

"Hermione, please," was all he said.

Ron and Harry could hear Hermione give a shaky breathe and she said I won't. She quickly ran away with tears in her eyes past Harry and Ron. She was muttering under her breath quickly and she seemed as though she was about to collapse. They watched her go and when she turned the corner, Ron and Harry ripped the cloak off and rounded the corner to find…