The next day was Saturday, which meant no classes.
Harry, Ron and Hermione spoke to Dumbledore, he checked up on everything and they reported that all was well. He reminded them not to interact with anyone they know and not to form a bong or relationship with anyone, to which the three said they hadn't and wouldn't. Hermione felt a twang of guilt and uneasiness go through her, she had already had interactions with Bellatrix and created a somewhat strange relationship with her, if you could even call it a relationship.
After been given a brief tour of the castle by Rosa and Lyra (which they did not really need), Ron, Hermione, Harry, Lyra and Rosa decided to go down to the Quidditch pitch a have a mini game, much to Hermione's despise – she never had been good at flying.
"Oh great." Rosa sighed as she walked into the Quidditch pitch, "Slytherins are here."
Hermione's eyes darted around the pitch – she spotted Bellatrix up amongst 5 other Slytherins. "Maybe we should just come back later." Hermione suggested – she did not fancy embarrassing her self in front of Bellatrix.
"Nah, this could be interesting." Harry said with a slight grin – needless to say neither he nor Ron recognized Bellatrix for who she actually was.
"Oh look! If it isn't some prissy little Ravenclaws and their little friends." A Slytherin boy yelled down from his broom, "You fancy a little game? We wouldn't mind kicking your hairy, blue butts." He yelled, earning sneers and laughs from the other Slytherins.
"How good are you guys at Quidditch?" Rosa asked hopefully.
Ron shrugged, "Alright." Harry nodded in agreement.
"Harry's just being modest!" Hermione interjected, "He's a brilliant Quidditch player!" Ron agreed.
"We might just stand a chance, then!" Rosa grinned, "Come on – let's get some brooms."
In a few moments, they were all up in the air and Hermione was starting to feel uneasy on her broom and she could feel Bellatrix's eyes on her, which didn't help. With in a minute Rosa had scored, she was quite good. The Ravenclaws were in the lead for a while, but the Slytherins caught up. Unsteadily Hermione flew over to defend – well try and defend the three goal posts. Before she knew it, Bellatrix was flying straight toward her with a quaffle in her hand; she threw the ball towards the middle hoop hard. Hermione flew up and stopped the ball… but not in the way she had planned. The ball hit her in the stomach and the last thing she remembered was falling fast from her broom before it all went black.
Hermione woke up in the hospital wing surrounded by Harry, Ron, Lyra and Rosa.
She was bombarded with 'Hermione!', 'thank Merlin you're awake', 'how are you feeling?' before Madame Pomfrey bustled over, shooing them all away from her bedside, "Let the poor girl breath!" She exclaimed, to which Hermione smiled lightly, "Drink this up – it's to help with the pain and the concussion." She said, handing Hermione a small glass of orange liquid. Timidly Hermione smelt it; it smelt like orange, she deemed it okay to drink so she threw it all back in one go.
"You should be alright to leave by morning." Madame Pomfrey informed her as she said before she walked away.
"Are you alright, 'Mione?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, just a little sore." She smiled, "And hungry." She added with a light chuckle. Lyra handed her the chocolate on her bed side table which she ate gratefully, "What's the time?"
"Uhh – 6 pm." Harry said.
"You guys will be missing dinner; you should go before all the good food is gone."
"It's okay, we will stay with you." Harry said, the others nodded in agreement.
"Don't be silly – go, really it's okay." She smiled, "I'll see you guys tomorrow when I get out."
Hermione started to regret telling them to go – there was really nothing to do but think, and of course, that led to Bellatrix. She didn't blame Bellatrix for putting her in the hospital wing; it really wasn't her fault, Hermione should have known better than to try and stop the ball.
Flashbacks of the other night swarmed Hermione's head – the way Bellatrix's hand were soft, the way she felt a surge of electricity run through her at the touch of the other witch.
When Hermione heard footsteps she was about to protest, thinking it was Harry or Ron and tell them to go to bed because it was late, but when she looked up she saw Bellatrix walking her way. She couldn't help but smile when she sat down at her bedside.
"Hi?" She said slowly.
Bellatrix jerked her chin up as if to say 'hi'.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"I don't really know." She shrugged, "I suppose I owe you an apology for knocking you off your broom, or something."
"I could have died." Hermione said with a slight sarcastic tone, which Bellatrix didn't pick up.
She rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Stop being a drama queen."
Hermione just smiled, "You don't really owe me an apology; it was my own stupid fault to think I could actually stop your ball successfully."
Bellatrix shrugged, "I can settle with it being your fault, then."
Hermione laughed lightly.
They sat in an awkward silence for a bit then Bellatrix announced she should be going.
"Wait – no!" Hermione said a bit too urgently. The Slytherin girl raised her eyebrows, "Why don't you stay, I mean I'm pretty board down here."
Bellatrix hesitated, "Well I did actually have plans for a tea party in the 5th floor bathrooms." She joked, maybe even smiled a bit. Hermione chuckled lightly, "But I suppose I can stay." She concluded.
"Hey – what did you mean when you said you were an emotional mess?" Hermione asked her.
"What is it with you wanting to know things about me?" She snapped.
"Maybe I care about you." She ventured.
"Maybe?"
Hermione just shrugged, "Are you going to tell me?"
Bellatrix sighed, "It's complicated, okay?"
"We've got all night."
"Listen, Hermione – you don't want to get involved with me and my fucked up little world."
"Maybe I do."
Bellatrix looked at her; their eyes piercing each other. Bellatrix looked down, "Trust me – you don't."
"But what if I do? Maybe I can help," Hermione paused, "If you let me."
"There's nothing you can do to help." She said sharply.
"Will you at least tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"What the problem is, why you're an 'emotional mess'."
"It's just family problems, okay?"
Hermione decided not to push the subject anymore, she had already pushed a little too hard, and if she had kept going Bellatrix probably would have got up and left.
"Okay… well, if you change your mind and think I'll be able to help – you know where to find me."
Bellatrix was slightly taken aback by Hermione's kindness.
"I should get going, it's pretty late." Bellatrix said.
"Oh, okay…" Hermione said; the other witch picked up a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"I'll see you around." She said softly, with a hint of suggestion in her voice.