There was a scream, and all was gone.
The next time Hermione woke, she screamed as she bolt upright in bed. But she wasn't in her dorm, or even at home in London. Where was she?
It took her a moment to figure out she was in the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey stood above her, telling her to calm down, and started telling her something about her being petrified.
"…you've been out for two months…"
Hermione only half-listened to the rest, because after this statement, she couldn't figure anything else out. It just didn't make sense. She couldn't have been out for two months. This could mean that the monster probably attacked half the school, and some may be dead…
She felt groggy, like she had slept too long, or too little. And she couldn't see very clearly at all. She looked around the room, and saw other petrified figures, like Colin Creevey and Penelope Clearwater. Then she saw (very foggily) Ron.
He was explaining to Madame Pomfrey about something, and Professor Lockhart stood next to him, looking happier and stupider than usual, Hermione couldn't believe she ever liked him…
Then Ron looked over at her and met her eyes. His own eyes widened, and, completely forgetting about Lockhart and Pomfrey, rushed over to Hermione.
"Hermione!"
"Ron, is that you?"
She really couldn't see well, and she needed Ron to confirm he was Ron, so she could be almost completely at ease.
"What? Hermione, of course it's me…"
Hermione's whole body sighed in relief. He was now kneeling so he was at eye level with her, so she could see his face clearly. For some reason, he was covered in dust and grime. But he was indeed Ron, and right now, he was the only face she wanted to see. After seeing the horrid face of the basilisk in the mirror, anything could be better. She slowly lay back down onto the many pillows that were behind her.
Suddenly, Hermione was thrust into a panic. She bolt straight up in bed. "Ron, I know what the monster is! It's a basilisk! We need to figure out how to destroy it before – "
She was cut off as Ron gently pushed her back down in a lying position. "Hermione, you need to calm down before you have a seizure. Everything is fine. The basilisk is dead, and it can't hurt you anymore."
"It's dead? But how – "
Ron shook his head, and Hermione noticed he looked weary. "I'll explain later, Hermione," he said, "You just need to rest."
Hermione flushed angrily. "Ron, I've been out for two months, and you think you're not going to explain anything to me?"
"Hermione, I will, just not now, a lot has happened – "
"Where's Harry?"
The question caught Ron off guard. "Dumbledore's office, but – "
"Right." Hermione threw back the blankets, and was surprised to see she was still in the same robes she had been wearing when she had been attacked. She got up out of bed, despite Ron and Madame Pomfrey's protests.
"I'm fine!" she snapped at both of them. "I'm going to find Harry! I know he'll explain something to me!"
"Hermione, he won't!" Ron snapped back at her for the first time. "He's just as tired as me, and I know he'll just say the same thing as I did!"
Hermione, knowing he was right, for the first time, gave up on their argument, and crawled reluctantly back into the hospital bed, and crossed her arms across her chest.
Ron seemed to be surprised by this too. Madame Pomfrey, however, was satisfied, so she strode across the room to tend to other patients.
Ron knelt back down beside her, and said, "I would be angry too. But you have no idea what has happened. It can't be explained right now. Not here, anyway." Ron looked around at the other patients, who all seemed distracted, but who also could be hanging on to every word Ron and Hermione were exchanging.
Hermione stared straight ahead at her feet, determined not to look Ron in the eye.
"But I will tell you what's going on," Ron said. "Tonight, I promise."
Hermione sighed, and rolled her eyes, but on the inside, she celebrated. "Fine."
