By the time they finally made it up to Dumbledore's office, Hermione was exhausted.
In the Headmaster's office, she and Draco and Harry had to go over everything again, detailing everything that had happened. Hermione was relieved she'd left Draco with fuzzy bits where he'd 'hit his head' – it was hard enough to make sure nothing she said contradicted what Harry said. She was glad Draco was easier to match.
After that, Rita had wanted another interview – a profile on the Heroine of Hogwarts, she was calling her – so it could be featured in the paper along with Hermione's defeat of the basilisk. McGonagall firmly put her foot down at that, insisting Rita could come back the next day and schedule such an interview, but that her students needed to get to sleep. After Rita had been dismissed, McGonagall dismissed Ernie, before fixing her remaining three students with a look.
"Mister Potter," she said finally. "You managed to keep your head in a crisis and ran and told a teacher, which is just as you should have done. Twenty points to Gryffindor."
Harry looked surprised and pleased. He shot Hermione a grin, which she returned.
"Mister Malfoy," McGonagall continued. "If you had not been wandering around alone tonight against the rules, none of this would have happened." Her eyes and tone were sharp, and Draco hung his head. "For endangering yourself and your classmates, I deduct twenty points from Slytherin."
Draco looked upset by this, but he was wise enough to hold his tongue. Behind them, Hermione could see Snape's eyes glitter, and she suspected he'd be fixing those lost points one way or another.
"Miss Granger."
Hermione quickly looked up and faced McGonagall. Though her professor's face was sharp, her eyes softened.
"Though I would have preferred you go and get a teacher, I cannot deny that you saved a classmate's life tonight," she said gently. "You acted immediately, in the face of great danger, and at great personal risk. And not only did you save Mister Malfoy – you have saved the school, too."
She looked proud of her, and Hermione beamed up at her.
"Thank you, professor," she said.
"No, Miss Granger, thank you," McGonagall said. She raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "For your selflessness in action and saving of the school, I award you two hundred points to Slytherin." She paused. "We'll probably get you an award for Special Services to the School, too."
Hermione's mouth had dropped open.
"Two hundred points?" she echoed, her eyes wide. "I've never heard of anyone earning more than fifty in one go!"
"Well, I daresay no one else has ever saved a classmate's life and killed a basilisk in one night before, either," McGonagall said, her lips pursing in amusement. "…actually, both of those are monumental firsts. Take another two hundred points for Slytherin, Miss Granger."
Hermione flushed with pride and embarrassment. Draco was grinning at her now, his own point loss forgotten, and Harry was laughing.
"You win the House Cup too, Hermione," he teased. "Just take it now."
"Oh, shut up," Hermione shot back good-naturedly. "You're just jealous."
"Of fighting a basilisk?" Harry snorted. "Yeah, right."
"Professor Snape will escort you all back to your dormitories," McGonagall told them, amusement flickering in her eyes at their teasing. "Classes will be cancelled tomorrow – in celebration as much as safety. Miss Granger is right that the basilisk will need careful rendering. There's no telling what noxious vapors might result if it is left there to decay."
Hermione and Harry exchanged a look.
"What will you tell the school, Professor?" Harry asked. "Are you going to tell the school everything?"
McGonagall looked at Harry oddly.
"Why would I not?" she asked. "Are you ashamed of your part?"
Harry flushed.
"I mean, I don't like the attention," Harry muttered. "But that's not what I meant."
"I think he means there's still the Heir of Slytherin out there to worry about, Professor," Hermione chimed in, biting her lip. "Without knowing who was causing the basilisk to attack people in the first place, there's still someone at the school out to murder others."
McGonagall sobered, immediately following their train of thought.
"That is true," she said grimly. "Though no one is in immediate danger anymore, there's no telling what such a person might do upon discovering the basilisk has met its end." Her eyes looked between Harry and Hermione. "They may even come after you."
"Right," Hermione said, wincing. "And… I'd really prefer not to have that happen."
McGonagall looked torn.
"You are right," she sighed. "The risk is too great." Her eyes flicked up to Snape. "Severus, can you make sure Miss Skeeter holds off on her story? Buy us a little time?"
"I can try," he said, folding his arms. His eyes glinted. "But with Miss Skeeter, there are no guarantees."
"That's the best we can hope for, I suppose," McGonagall sighed. She turned back to her students. "Classes will have to be held as per usual, tomorrow, then," she said. She frowned. "Please refrain from telling your classmates about your little adventure tonight until later."
"Um, Professor?" Hermione ventured. "One more thing."
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Miss Granger?"
She winced. "Well – it's just, Draco and I have Astronomy in twenty minutes. And I'm not sure about him, really, but I'm exhausted and my body hurts—"
McGonagall laughed.
"You and Mister Malfoy will be excused from class, Miss Granger," she assured her, eyes twinkling. "Severus? If you would take the students to bed?"
Snape gave her a short, mocking bow. "Of course."
They went and dropped Harry off first before going down to the dungeons, Snape pausing at the entrance to the common room with them, raising an eyebrow.
"If I might suggest," he said, "perhaps before you collapse into bed, you might consider a shower?"
Draco flushed, looking down at the ruined state of his robes, and Snape's eyes glinted.
"Have a good night," he murmured, his robes billowing as he turned away. Hermione dully gave the password, and the two of them entered the common room, both of them weary and exhausted as the door closed behind them.
It was late, past curfew, and the only students up in the common room were their classmates, all waiting for Filch to come and get them to escort them to Astronomy. Whatever conversation had been going on stopped immediately at the sight of Hermione and Draco entering the common room – Draco bedraggled and filthy, and Hermione with a sword around her waist.
"Hermione!"
"Draco!"
Their peers rushed forward, Blaise, Tracey, and Millie surrounding Hermione, while Pansy, Daphne, and Theo ran to Draco. Hermione could hear Theo demanding to know what happened, Pansy worriedly shrieking around him, while Hermione's friends were looking at her intently, silent, their eyes all-knowing. Tracey looked attentive, alert, while Millie looked darkly amused. Hermione turned to look at Blaise, something that felt uncomfortably like nerves twisting in her middle as she met his eyes.
Blaise's eyes were dark, but he was looking at her like he always did. There was concern and pride there, but his core good regard for her hadn't changed at all. As she held his eyes, his smirk widened just a little bit, and his eyes danced.
Hermione tore her eyes away from him and back to the group in general. She wondered what she had even been looking for; it wasn't like she even wanted anything to change now, was it?
Then why did she feel somehow… disappointed?
"Blaise mentioned you were off having an adventure," Tracey said finally. Her eyes danced. "So… you saved Draco from Slytherin's monster?"
Hermione withdrew her sword from her sheath, dried blood staining the blade. "I did."
Millie raised an eyebrow.
"You need to clean that off," she said with good humor, rummaging in her robes and giving her a handkerchief. "A sword like that, you're going to want to take good care of, Hermione."
Hermione grinned and took it. "Thanks."
Blaise and Tracey both looked proud of her, Tracey still vibrating with excitement, Blaise just looking relieved and proud, his smirk wide.
"So you did it?" Millie asked, her eyes gleaming. "What happened? And where did you get that sword, Hermione? Is that how you killed the monster?"
"We're not allowed to talk about the details yet," Hermione said, casting a sideways glance at Draco, whom Pansy was currently fussing over. "But I'd say things went just about perfectly."
"'Just about'?" Blaise questioned, and Hermione winced.
"Well, I was an idiot and forgot an important thing," she admitted. "But I managed to work around it and use Plan B and other magic to mitigate for it until I remembered."
Blaise's eyes sharpened. "Were you in danger?"
"Draco came closer to biting it than I did," Hermione objected. "But I was smart about it! I knew the risks—"
"Let's not focus on what could have gone poorly right now, yes?" Tracey interrupted. "Instead – do we all know how tomorrow's going to go?"
Blaise and Hermione fell silent and sobered, exchanging a glance.
"I… have some finishing touches I have to make," she said. "A few last-minute things to prepare…"
"Then you go do them," Tracey told her. "Finish while the rest of us are in Astronomy, if you can." Her eyes glittered, and her smile turned mean. "We need to make sure tomorrow goes off perfectly."
"You're practically more excited about it than I am, Tracey," Hermione teased.
"So what if I am?" Tracey challenged. Her eyes were hard. "She's getting what's coming to her."
"Quiet," Millie hissed at them all. "Not here. We have class now, remember?"
"Right. Hermione, go," Tracey said, pushing her toward the dorm. "We'll see you in the morning!"
Hermione did as she was bid with a tired smile, returning to her bedroom with exhaustion. She looked around her, the other beds empty, the room mostly dark. The other four beds would remain empty for at least an hour and a half until Astronomy was over, and the dorm was as empty as it would ever be.
Hermione bit her lip.
Her night wasn't over yet.
With a gesture at the door with her wand and a "Colloportus," the door locked shut.
Hermione had brewed a Wide-Eye Potion a few days ago in advance, knowing she would need an extra kick to do what needed to be done. She pulled out her flask and knocked back half of it, energy flooding her system and waking her up once more. Taking several deep breaths to steady herself, allowing her air magic to help wake her up and sharpen her senses even more, Hermione made sure her magic was smooth and even before she opened her eyes, determination returning.
And, leaning down under her bed, she pulled out the diary.