What now?
Then I realized the truth.
I must have something on my face! Lettuce in my teeth, or a bit of ketchup on my cheek!
But if that was it, then what could explain how everyone was acting?
Madam Pomfrey was giving me this cross between a sympathetic smile and an alarmed expression, complete with widened eyes, of course.
She asked me, "Are you sure you want to know?"
Of course I did, how could I not? This was why I had come!
But what if it was bad? A dark secret? A deep, dark secret?
"I think so...," I said uncertainly. "Can I get back to you? I have to get to class."
Excuses, excuses, I chastised myself.
"Of course," the nurse responded, a bit relieved, it seemed. She winced as I hiccuped again.
Why?
That was her question of the day, I thought wryly as O headed off to my Arithmancy class, still hiccuping every few moments.
For the first time in weeks- maybe months...or years...or just for the first time- I didn't take notes.
I knew that I would be doomed to be working on homework late tonight, but I was too occupied with her own thoughts to care.
Why had they looked at me like that? Even Madam Pomfrey had been frightened!
I had checked, and there was nothing obviously wrong with my appearance.
I had had a feeling that that was a desperate hope, anyways.
And even Malfoy had been shocked! Malfoy!
The world must be coming to an end, I thought wryly, smiling to myself.
"Ms. Granger?" asked Professor Vector. "The answer?"
I jumped and said, "I'm sorry, Professor, what was the question?"
He shook his head sadly, "Mr. Malfoy?"
Malfoy was in this class?
As he answered the question, I watched him.
For some strange reason, I thought that his voice had a nice tone.
The world had officially ended, I thought.
But not wryly. Grimly.