Chapter 12

Hermione skipped not just one class, but multiple classes for the first time ever that day. She just couldn't seem to get her emotions under control or stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Parvati had entered after Charms, shortly after Hermione had come in, and told her Oliver was outside, wanting to talk to her. She had tearfully thanked her, hiding in the stall while the girl stood by the sinks. After she'd gone on to class, saying goodbye before she left, Hermione had exited the stall, but couldn't muster the courage to leave the bathroom. Instead, she sat with her back to the wall as she talked with Oliver through the door.

After he left for class to avoid losing points for Gryffindor for being late, she'd returned to the privacy of the rear stall in case someone else came in. Parvati returned after her next class, but didn't stay long, instead just saying that she'd promised Oliver that she would check on her again and to let her know that it was almost time for dinner.

To say that Hermione was surprised by the troll that entered the bathroom when she'd exited the stall to wash her chapped, tear streaked face and attempt to go to dinner a short time later, was an understatement.

Her mind in a panic, the sight of the ugly, smelly, towering troll with its spiked club the size of a tree trunk chased every spell and wand movement from her mind along with everything else as the colour drained from her face. Her legs somehow managed to support her even though they felt like jelly as she backed away until she was against the corner of one of the stalls. Turning swiftly she darted inside, closing the door behind her and ducked, covering her ears as the troll roared and swung its club, smashing the stalls to splinters as she screamed in fright.

"Hermione, move!" Harry shouted from out of nowhere.

Hermione scrambled quickly down the line of stalls, keeping low and going under the partitions, moving further away from the troll.

"Help!" she cried in fear. "Help!"

"Hey! Pea brain!" Ron shouted, drawing the troll's attention, allowing Hermione to move again, escaping from the stalls to cower under the sinks as she headed for the door. Her movement drew the troll's attention however, and it smashed its club down on the sinks with a loud crash. Hermione screamed, nearly hit by the club. She scrambled over bits of broken sink and ignored the water that sprayed out of control from the broken plumbing though she winced at its chill as she got wet scrambling passed as she continued down the row.

"Help!" she called again after moving out of the way, trying to stay out of the troll's sight.

She noticed Harry draw his wand as the troll faced her readying for another attack. She watched as Harry ran and grabbed the end of its club, using the troll's own movement of raising it over its head for the next swing to lift him onto its shoulders.

Realising that there was something on its back, the troll looked around and shook its body, trying to dislodge it. Harry hung on though, hanging onto the troll's forehead. In one move, he was tossed forward and nearly unseated and as the troll righted itself with a jerk, Harry's wand became lodged up the troll's nose.

"Ugh," Ron and Hermione grunted in disgust at the sight of Harry's wand protruding from its large nose. Harry hung on to the troll's ears as it sneezed and then tried to shake him off again, then Harry suddenly found himself dangling upside down when the troll reached up and grabbed his leg, pulling him off.

"Do something!" Harry cried helplessly.

The troll swung its club and Harry dodged the blow, by doing an inverted pull up.

"What?" Ron asked in a confused panic.

"Anything," Harry said, doing another inverted pull up to avoid the club again. "Hurry up," he said urgently, after the troll growled in frustration.

Hermione saw Ron draw his wand, and calmer now, since the troll wasn't focused on her, she waved her hand in the practised motion from the Charms class and said "Swish and flick."

"Wingardium Leviosa," Ron said, waving his wand and saying the incantation properly.

This time, as the troll went to swing the club, not only did it miss again, but it had lost its grip on the club entirely as the club floated above its head. Looking up in confusion, the club hovered a moment before crashing down on the troll's head. It grunted, dropping Harry as it wobbled around a moment.

"Cool," Ron murmured with a slight smile.

Harry scurried out of the way just in time as the troll slammed into the floor with a thunderous crash and a cloud of dust.

"Is it dead?" Hermione asked, her voice filled with uncertainty as she and Harry got to their feet, and she hedged around it, moving closer to Harry, Ron and the door.

"I don't think so," Harry said. "Just knocked out." He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose causing it to grunt in discomfort and the wand slid out with a sickeningly squishy, slimy sound. The three of them were relieved when the motion didn't rouse the gigantic troll. "Ugh," Harry grimaced, holding up his wand that was thoroughly slimed. "Troll bogies."

He was wiping it on his robes when Professor McGonagall and Professor Quirrell entered the room, followed by Professor Snape.

Professor McGonagall slid to a stop in surprise upon seeing the prone troll and gasped. "Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed, focusing on Harry and Ron. "Explain yourselves, both of you!"

"Well, what it is -" Harry began stammering.

"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall," Hermione spoke up with certainty, drawing Professor McGonagall's attention for the first time.

"Ms Granger?" McGonagall asked in confusion.

"I went looking for the troll," Hermione said. "I've read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong," she continued, looking up at last. "If Harry and Ron hadn't come and found me, I'd probably be dead."

"Be that as it may," Professor McGonagall said. "That was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would have expected more rational behaviour and I'm very disappointed in you, Ms Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor, for your serious lack of judgement. As for you two gentlemen," she continued turning her attention to Harry and Ron. "I just hope you realise how fortunate you are. Not many first year students could take on a full-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. Five points," she concluded, "will be awarded to each of you...for sheer dumb luck."

Professor McGonagall turned after giving them a stern look and was followed out of the destroyed girl's bathroom by Professor Snape.

"P-perhaps you ought to go," Professor Quirrell stammered nervously as he ushered them out of the room ahead of him. "It might wake up."

The trek to the tower surprised Hermione. Nothing was said on the way up the stairs, but the tension that she could normally feel between herself and Ron wasn't there. She was about to head on up to the dormitory after she didn't see Oliver in the common room, when Harry spoke.

"I'm glad you're alright, Hermione," he said as she turned back to look at the pair warily.

"Yeah," Ron added quietly, and appearing a little embarrassed, his gaze flitting to her and then away. "Glad you're safe."

Hermione smiled slightly, still a little unsure about this change . "Thanks," she replied. "Good night," she continued, when they didn't say anything else.

"Good night," they replied quietly, as she climbed the stairs to her dorm.

31 October 1991

Oliver,

I — I'm not sure how to tell you this, it's still all so surreal to me... I — I think I had a breakthrough with Harry and Ron tonight.

After you left to go to Professor Binns class, I stayed in the bathroom. I felt like I wouldn't have heard the end of it if Ron saw that I was crying. I'm sure that you can imagine my surprise when I came out to clean myself up after I pulled myself back together around dinner time, and there was atrollin the bathroom!

I was so shocked and scared that everything just flew out the window. I couldn't think of anything to do! It wasn't long after I dashed into one of the stalls and ducked as it swung its club at me, smashing the stalls to bits that Harry and Ron showed up.

Harry jumped on it and when the troll tried to dislodge him, his wand ended up getting rammed up its nose. The troll eventually grabbed him and I still couldn't move. Ronfinallygot the levitation spell right — maybe he's one of those who does well under pressure? — and saved us both by knocking the troll out with its own club.

Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell showed up after that, and I took the blame when she started in on them. She took five points from me, but then awarded five points to each of them. No comment about letters home but that we should count ourselves lucky because 'not many first year students could take on a full-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale'. I have to say that I quite agree. That was one adventure I don't want to repeat.

Anyway, I think I may try sitting with Ron and Harry again. Who knows, maybe things will change for the better.

Goodnight,

Hermione

It wasn't long after she sent off her letter, a bird, to Oliver, that she got a reply, this one in the form of a dragonfly.

31October 1991

Hermione,

Thank Merlin you're safe! I was worried about you when you didn't turn up at dinner or in the common room earlier when the house elves sent the feast to the tower. That was indeed quite the adventure you had this evening, and I don't blame you at all for not wanting to repeat it.

House points don't matter when your life's at stake, lose or win. I am glad to hear of your breakthrough with the young Mr Weasley. Our spot at the table is always open to you if you wish or need to join us. Lee, the twins and I are and will always be your friends.

Let me know how it goes.

Good night,

Oliver

Hermione smiled as she finished reading Oliver's response. She was glad that he wasn't too upset with her over the evening, and the danger she'd inadvertently put not only herself but Harry and Ron into. She was also glad that he wasn't taking offence to the news that she wanted to try sitting with Ron and Harry again. She yawned widely, the day catching up to her, and put the letter with the others in her trunk before changing and climbing into bed. It wasn't long before her exhaustion from the day allowed sleep to claim her.