This chapter was actually quite hard to write, so, alas, it is rather short. I hope you enjoy it none the less and the next chapter should be more interesting :)

Chapter Two

Signs

It had been two days since Hermione had been taken to Hogwarts, where the Order now resided in the unused wing of Hogwarts. She had been healed on arrival and let out the next day.

She had taken to wandering the halls, seemingly talking to an invisible person.

"We have to get out of here." The Voice snapped.

"We can't. Hogwarts is the safest place in the Wizarding World." Hermione argued.

"I want revenge, damn it!"

"So do I, but not right now. We need to be safe. It's what they would have wanted." Hermione replied feebly.

"No! I want revenge now! We're powerful, we can take them all and win!"

"Are you insane? We would be killed!"

"I can't just sit around and do nothing."

"You will whether you like it or not!" Hermione scolded.

"Uh, Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione growled, spinning round to find Harry and Ron standing behind her. "Oh, it's you. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just rather tense at the moment." Hermione apologised.

"We noticed." Ron grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione smiled at him.

"Pathetic. Really, it is." The voice snarled.

"Shut up." Hermione snapped, forgetting the presence of the boys.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, concerned.
"Pathetic drivelling fool."

"JUST SHUT UP!" Hermione roared.

The two boys stepped back a bit, Ron with a hurt look. "Okay, Mione. We'll be in the common room if you need us."

"No, I didn't…" Hermione protested, but they were already gone. "Look at what you did."

"Hey, you're the one who told him to shut up."
"I was telling you!"

"They don't know that. They can't hear me. Tsk, Tsk. Besides, it was about time anyway."

Hermione let frustrated scream and stormed off, not noticing a certain Slytherin Prince who was under the secret protection of Professor Dumbledore. He had seen the entire thing.

At lunch, Hermione sat opposite the two boys and apologised to them. They both just waved her off, saying it was what grief could do to someone.

Both boys had noticed something unusual though. Hermione's hair and eyes seemed to be darkening each time they saw her.

"Blah, Blah, Blah. Those two are so boring!"

Hermione stiffened a little, unknown to the boys who were still talking about a Quidditch Game they had played with Ginny, Charlie, Bill, the twins and a newly returned Sirius.

"Go away." Hermione whispered almost silently.

"And why would I do that? It's so much fun to annoy you."

"Please, just go."

"Nope."

Harry and Ron looked at each other before trying to get Hermione's attention. "Are you sure you're alright?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine." Hermione smiled.

"Fine and Dandy except from the fact I am talking to you and you have to listen to the crap that come from those two."

Hermione's smile tightened. "If you will excuse me, I have to go to the, uh, library."

"What for?" Ron asked with a frown.

"Something to look up for the Potions Essay." Hermione lied.

"To escape their annoying presence."

"Snape's over there. Why don't you ask him?" Harry suggested with a grin.

"Yeah, Hermione. Why do you need to go to the Library to look up that imaginary fact when the greasy git is just there?"
"I want sometime to think about some things too. Besides, would you want to interrupt Professor Snape when he's eating?" Hermione replied with a wry grin. She had to get out of there before she lost it and yelled at the voice in front of everyone.

"Go on, I dare you. It'll be great fun. I can just imagine them. 'Oh look, Hermione's cracked under the grief', 'oh, yes. Poor girl. She always was such a know it all. No-one liked her, did they?'"

"I have to go." Hermione spat out before standing and running from the hall, keeping her retort bottled up until she was alone.

Harry and Ron watched her go. "Is it me, or is Hermione acting very odd?" Harry asked.

"It's not you mate. I wonder what's wrong?" Ron agreed.

"Dunno. But I think we ought to find out. We'll talk to her tonight about her behaviour." Harry replied.

"Yeah. If it's grief then I'm sure talking to someone will help ease it a bit." Ron nodded.

Hermione wandered the halls until late that night. She skipped dinner and went to the Kitchens instead. The House Elves were very happy to serve her and left her to her own devices, allowing Hermione to argue aloud with the Voice without judgement.

Of course, there was one person who had seen her. Draco Malfoy was hidden under a disillusionment charm and had been sat in the corner of the kitchen when Hermione came in. He alone had witnessed the argument and it puzzled him more than anything.

After her dinner, Hermione had gone to the courtyard she had found during her fifth year and sat in the shelter of the weeping willow tree that was there.

She continued the on going argument with the Voice about going for revenge, the personality of all her friends and about the personality of herself.

Finally getting annoyed, Hermione resolved to ignore the Voice and stormed up to the Weasley/Potter/Granger Common Room.

She burst into the room in a rage and threw herself into a chair in front of the fire, all the while blocking out the Voice as it whispered into her ear nasty things.

Harry looked up at Ron from across the chessboard and the two paused the game. They walked over to Hermione and sat down opposite her. Harry gasped when he saw Hermione.

Her eyes were now so dark they were almost black and her hair had turned a chocolate brown, instead of the usual honey brown colour it usually was.

"Hey guys." Hermione greeted, smiling.

"Uh, Hi. Look, Hermione we're worried about you. You've been acting rather weirdly." Harry began, cutting to the chase.

"Yeah. You have really bad mood swings and talk to yourself a lot. It's like you're having a conversation and we're only hearing one side." Ron agreed.

"Wow, the two dumbos might not be as stupid as I thought." The Voice mused.

"Is it your time of the month?" Ron asked awkwardly.

"No, No. I was right. They're just stupid."

"Will you just go away!" Hermione snapped loudly.

"Nope. In fact, I am just getting started."

Hermione suddenly doubled up with a cry. The two boys exchanged a worried look.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, kneeling down beside Hermione.

Hermione's head suddenly snapped up and the black eyes looked right into Harry's emerald ones. "I'm sorry; Hermione Granger isn't here right now. Can I take a message?"

Please Read and Review. I hope you liked that chapter and the next one should be up soon. Next Chapter: Introducing Hermione's Alter Ego.