Chapter 5

I woke up to soft crying and I laid there in utter pain. Ugh…how can one hex put me in that much discomfort…I tried to turn my head and shift and all of a sudden the crying stopped. I opened my eyes and there was Hermione with her legs pulled up to her chest looking miserable. She rushed over to me and pulled up a chair to watch me as she held my hand gentle. I tried to smile but it turned into more of a grimace. I looked at her tear stayed face and felt her hands slightly trembling.

"Are…you okay…" I croaked out.

She gave a relieved laugh/sob and put her forehead on my hand that she was holding.

"Am I okay…look at yourself!" Her head raised up and got closer to mine. "You're in an infirmary bed…I'd say I'm quite alright! You on the other hand..."

"Peachy…?"

We both started giggling and I squeezed her hand starting to feel my strength coming back.

"How long was I out…"

"A few days…"

My eyes widened. "What!"

That's when we heard Madam Pomfrey tut as she walked inside the curtain.

"Mrs. Knight! May I remind you…YOU ARE A PATIENT AND AS SUCH YOU WILL NOT YELL INSIDE MY INFIRMARY!...Do I make myself clear?

My eyes were wide and mouth hanging open. "Y-yes ma'am…"

"And Mrs. Granger…what did I say about agitating our patients…" I looked over at Hermione and she was blushing in embarrassment.

"Need I remind you…you already have detention for sending the first strike."

"But…" I protested.

"No but's Mrs. Knight. Even if she came to your aid to the bullying problem you seem to always fall into…she should have had a cooler head then to hex another student."

I growled and Madam Pomfrey ignored me.

"And further more Mrs. Granger here scared the slytherin girls so bad they INSISTED to be moved to their dormitories thus making my job a whole lot harder."

I tried not to snort but it came out anyway.

She narrowed her eyes at me and Hermione and we kept our faces neutral.

"I'll let you off with this…both of you, but if it happens again I can't guarantee one of you won't be expelled so please be careful."

We both nodded and she walked away and I sighed.

We were silent as I continued to stare into space and she still had a hold of my hand staring at me.

"What is it…something on my face?" I turned my head and looked at her."

"No…I just wanted to say I was sorry for running off."

"Apology accepted."

I turned back to looking at the curtains and I felt her stand up.

I held her hand tightly as she began to leave and she turned back to me.

"I've been out for a few days…does that mean that buckbeak…"

"Yeah…he's dead…"

"Oh…" I was actually sad about it…I had been there when Malfoy had pissed of the hypogriff it was his fault and Hermione knew too.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm alright…I was just so scared you weren't going to wake up Gaile…I had said something horrible to you…and yet you saved me back there…from that hex. I should have been where you are now."

I shook my head.

"Naw…to be honest I was going to beat them up you just kind of started the whole use of spell catastrophe." I winked at her and I saw a small smile.

"I couldn't help it…I snapped. They were going to hurt you again."

My eyes widened. "Wow Hermione Granger snapping and losing her cool…that's a first."

"Well there's a first for everything. You being a big first in my life to be completely honest."

"Yes I know how you feel."

"You were my first friend."

I looked at her and she was looking down at our hands.

"Me too.."

She looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey…I have to meet the boys…will you be alright?"

"Yeah…it's not like I'm going anywhere heh."

"Yes I can see that."

"See you later?"

"Of course."

Then she did the craziest thing that I didn't think was possible. She kissed my cheek and got up and walked out.

…I think my mouth is hanging open…let me check….yup it was.

A few weeks went passed. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me out of her sight…that old hag…she said I had to stay in here a whole month! Are you kidding! Hermione was nice enough to get all the work I missed and the teachers were kind enough to come to me for one on one tutoring lessons. To be honest I liked this a lot better than a classroom and I learned faster too. I was sitting on my bed cross-legged reading a very interesting dare I say it…textbook…yeah I said it…guys I know I admit I'm a nerd…but all the greats are.

And of course Hermione does that appear randomly stuff she's good at which happened to be the moment I decide to turn a page…I ripped it clean out of the book and I screamed like a little girl with her laughing behind me. I swear to god I was going to get her back for this…sooner or later. I fixed my glasses back on my face and flicked my wand at the book and page. "Oculious repearo…Honestly Hermione you're going to get kicked out if Madam Pomfrey finds you in here not during visiting hours…sheesh…"

Hermione hopped up beside me in bed and scooted me over. "She'll only find me if someone doesn't learn to be quiet." I smiled at my book and brought it closer to my face.

"Yes…well…I'm not the one sneaking into other peoples beds in the middle of the night love."

I saw her blush in the candle light and I grinned as I looked down at my book.

"Say's the person still up at midnight studying."

"I don't sleep well at night."

"You don't? Then how come you push me off to bed because you're tired?"

"So you don't end up falling asleep in bed next to me and give Madam Pomfrey a hernia?"

"Good point…but Gaile…you need your sleep."

"I know…but it's just been a habit of sleeping during the day when I can and staying up at night…my household wasn't safe remember."

"Yes."

"Okay then."

Hermione began to cuddle my shoulder and arm and wiggle herself to get comfortable as we read together and she taught me a few things since she's already gone through the book multiple times.

"Gaile…"

"Yes?"

"Do you think love can change easily?"

We were again nestled laying down in bed with her laying on my shoulder as I began to read another book.

"I don't know Hermione…love is a mysterious entity, devised by the want and feeling in our heart. We can't control what it does."

Like I really could talk from experience or something…yeah right…

"I think my loves changed."

I tense and she feels it. She gets off of me and looks me in the eyes.

"W-what do you mean?" I said…not sure of where she was going with this.

And then…a howl could be heard all throughout the castle.

Hermione sat up so hard she fell a bit as she got off the bed.

"Harry!" She exclaimed as she rushed out of the infirmary.

I was completely dumbfounded.

And there I was again. Sitting all alone. Just like the first time in the train.

I layed back trying to figure out what she had meant by that last part…I barely knew a lot of Hermione when it came to Harry and Ron…but I was going to find out…