Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Hermione	By : SweetHoney Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 7785 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the HP series and am not profiting from it in any way

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
Hermione arrived at Hogwarts the day before term started. She was angry at Harry when he told her of his special present, an invisibility cloak. He used it to leave his bed in the dead of night, roaming the school three nights in a row. Quirrell could have easily gotten a hold of him. She already had enough faceless people's death on her conscious. She wasn't in need of more. Her anger was fueled even more when she found out that he hadn't discovered who Nicolas Flamel was, though he continued to claim that he read that name before somewhere. She asked him if he ate all the Chocolate Frogs she had given him. He answered her with a solid yes, though she spotted of hesitation in his voice. She was tempted to hex him for his ill memories, but held back. She could very well reveal her knowledge of Nicolas Flamel to him but did not. She wanted to help him but wanted him to discover it himself. She suspected that Quirrell didn't want Harry of all people to know of his plans. If Quirrell found out that it was her who told Harry, then she was as good as dead.

But Hermione was wrong. Quirrell wanted Harry to know of his plans, some of it. He wanted Harry to know that there was a magical item that the three-headed dog was guarding, but not what it was exactly. He had a secret plan, he told her, though he didn't provide her with the details. Much to her surprise. He only asked whether Harry was good at wizard chess or not. Hermione confirmed it with a no, but she mentioned that Ron knew how to play wizard chess. She often saw him play with Harry, using a battered old chessboard. Quirrell seemed interest by this information, and told Hermione to play a few games with Ron to test the level of his skills and report her finding back to him.

Seeing as Quidditch was the only thing Harry truly enjoyed, and by Quirrell's order, Hermione let him be. She didn't bother him as much as before, letting him give his full attention to practicing and catching the snitch. His days are numbered. She knew they were, even if Quirrell didn't out right say it.

Hermione kept her distant from Harry and focused her attention on Ron. Similar to Harry, Ron was a lot smarter than she previously thought. It revealed to her that she should not have underestimated a person at first glance. Ron had spectacular control over his chess pieces. He was confident, his concentration slightly wavered but all in all he displayed himself to be a magnificent strategist. Hermione was impressed. Now, if only he could direct these qualities onto his schoolwork.

After she reported to Quirrell about Ron's talent, he told her to continue playing chess with him to become familiar with his strategies and moves. He hinted that she and Ron will be playing against each other in a much larger scale soon.

Studying the chessboard, Hermione predicted that Ron was about to sacrifice his knight. It was a strategy he often used. The knight would be sacrificed leaving his bishop free to checkmate her king. Sadly for Ron, she had figured out a counter strategy four games ago that would leave her victorious. Ron was stumped. He had nowhere to go. She had him cornered.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen -" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once. If Snape was throwing himself on the line it meant that something big was about to happen.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. She was going to hex whoever did this. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily.

Hermione made a note to herself to use this curse on Draco in their next break from school when she was Lyra again.

"I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!" Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

Harry pulled out a Chocolate Frog from his pocket, and gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy. In stinking Slytherin."

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you." As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.

As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.

"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever —"

He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron and Hermione.

"I've found him!" he whispered.

Hermione mentally huffed at Harry's outburst. It was about time.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

Although he wasn't supposed to know what the magical item was, Hermione allowed him to know anyways. It might help motivate him.

As days went by and Harry's Quidditch match drew nearer, he became more and more nervous. Hermione was as well, especially when she was around Harry. Her heart would race and her palms would sweat. Hermione entered the Hospital wing believing she was ill. But the mediwitch reassured her that nothing was wrong. She was perfectly healthy.

As Hermione made her way back to the common room, she thought over what could have caused her illness. Her feeling of sickness had nothing to do with the upcoming match. She was certain of it, then why was she ill?

"You might be going through…you know." Lavender said, giving her a meaningful look, after she revealed her symptoms to her. "The change. My mom told me about it. When a girl gets older her hormones cause her body to change. Physically and emotionally. What you're feeling now are probably early signs."

"You're right. I must be." Hermione agreed. It was the only explanation.

Lavender nodded, feeling horrible for Hermione for not having a mother to explain these things to her. She wanted to give her words of comfort about her parents, but anything that remotely involved Hermione's parents saddened her. Maybe she should tell her that she was pretty? Even if she had hideous hair and buck teeth, it might make her feel better. But something told Lavender that Hermione had already figured it out that whenever she gave her a compliment it meant that she didn't know what else to say to her. At least something that wouldn't upset her.

Having overused the word pretty and beautiful, Lavender stared blankly at Hermione as she thought up words to compliment her. "You're so mature."

"Thank you."

Hermione glanced around before she left the dark alcove to meet with Ron. They had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. She wasn't certain what Snape's intentions toward Harry were. For all she knew he and Quirrell had some sort of disagreement and Snape wanted to injure Harry to spite Quirrell and delay his plans. They'd gotten the idea from Draco using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.

She noticed that Snape has been following Harry around the school. He has got to be the worst stalker in the world. She spotted him every time he shadowed him. She wondered if Harry noticed.

"It's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione told Ron for the sixth time that day.

"I know," Ron snapped, flexing his cramped wrist. "Locomotor Mortis!"

They had been practicing for days but she didn't understand why he still couldn't do it.

"You're not doing it right."

"Yes, I am!" Ron shouted in frustration, frantically waving his wand.

"Then why aren't my legs locked together?" Hermione drawled.

Her patience growing thin, she marched across the room and grabbed Ron's hand. "Here, like this -"

Ron instantly snatched his hand away from her and stepped back, his ears red. "What are you doing?"

"Showing you how to flick your wrist. Why? What did you think I was going to do?" Hermione arched her brow, noticing the brush of red on his cheeks and how he avoided her gaze.

"I don't like you touching me." He murmured.

Hermione was taken aback by his confession. She never thought a Weasley would be disgusted by Muggle-borns. Although she wasn't a real Muggle-born, she did felt hurt. "Sorry my kind disgust you so much."

Ron whipped his head back and stared at her with wide eyes. "No! That's not what I meant! It came out wrong."

Hermione held her hand up to stop him from speaking and shook her head. "Let's pretend that didn't happened. We need to keep practicing. Harry needs us."

Ron still looked a bit uncomfortable, but he went back and continued practicing nonetheless.

The next afternoon, Hermione and Ron wished Harry good luck outside the locker rooms and were wondering whether they'd ever see him alive again. Harry gave them a tight smile and thanked them.

Ron and Hermione had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who gave them a curious look, but didn't ask any questions.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.

"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

Hermione didn't know why he was snapping at her for. She was reminding him so he could remember, and save his friend. She turned to look at Ron as he was turning his head to look at her. They held each other's gaze for what felt like hours before Hermione blinked and turned her attention to the match, breaking eye contact with him.

A flash of white caught and Hermione gasped at what it was. "Look! There's Dumbledore, he's come to watch the match."

There was no mistaking that silver beard. She and Ron sighed in relief.

"And Snape." Ron pointed, "I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look, they're off. Ouch!"

Hermione didn't hear a word Ron had said because her attention was solely on Harry. As she watched him circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch, the loud cheering of the crowd slowly faded, until the only sound that could be heard was the beating of her heart. It was thumping in a vigorous rhythm in her chest.

Hermione closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply. The sound of the crowd returned within moments and she was award of her surroundings once again. Looking back at Harry, she saw that he had stopped flying and was staring at the ground.

"Ron!" said Hermione, "Harry!"

"What? Where?"

Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers over her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape, she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches, the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.

The stands erupted. It had to be a record. Hermione had never known of the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.

She couldn't believe it. Harry was amazing. The game had barely lasted five minutes.

As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, Hermione jumped up and down cheering for Harry. Feeling something poke her leg, she looked down and found Lavender signaling her that she wanted to talk to her. Hermione nodded, silently agreeing to meet with her later. She turned to Ron gasped at the blood coming out of his nose.

"What happened?" Hermione demanded. She didn't favor him, but didn't want to see him hurt either.

"Malfoy," he grumbled, wiping the blood with the back of his hand.

She took out a handkerchief and held it out for him to take. She made sure their hands didn't touch, since he was offended by skin to skin contact with her.

"Thanks." He said and handed it back.

Hermione stared at the blood soaked clothe, "You can keep it."

"I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed."

"Neville? Where is he?"

"He was right next to me -"

Hermione gasped when she found Neville unconscious on the ground next to Ron's feet. "We have to take him to Madam Pomfrey!"

Ron took his arm, shaking him up. "Come on, Neville!"

Hermione grasped his other arm and helped. "How could you Ron? Pulling Neville into your childish fights." She scolded him as they dragged Neville between them, down the stands.

"I didn't. Malfoy started it."

"Malfoy," Hermione hissed, praying for patients. "Be that as it may, you should have stopped Neville from getting involved."

"Not like I dragged him into it -"

"Look at him! He's been trampled on by the crowd!"

They argued the whole way to the hospital wing, until they parted ways.

While everyone was busy recounting the game in the common room, and Ron gone to clean himself up, Hermione meet with Lavender in their room.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

Lavender cocked her head, staring at Hermione in an odd manner. Straightening herself, Lavender blinked as if seeing Hermione for the first time. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I am." Hermione replied, wondering why she was asking her such a question.

"Hm…" Lavender hummed. "Hermione…do you…"

"Do I what?" Hermione demanded impatiently, she wanted her to hurry so she could go see Harry. "Out with it."

Lavender pressed her lip together as if what she was afraid to ask Hermione, her question. "Do you fancy Harry?"

Hermione stiffened and placed her hand over her chest. It felt like something blunt was thrown at her. "W-what do you just say?"

"I saw the way you were…watching him." Lavender stuttered. "I've never seen that look on you face before. You were, you were… dreamy." She whispered the last word.

"Dreamy?" Hermione echoed in a tight voice. Her face was hot with emotions, the most displaying was anger.

Lavender took a step back. "I could've imagined it. The air was quite –um – my – my glasses. You know how I haven't worn them in a long time. My vision was probably askew."

"You should make an appointment with a healer to examine your vision as soon as possible." Hermione said, slowly relaxing and dismissing Lavender's earlier accusation. It was too absurd to think of any further.

"Yes, I will. Right away."

Hermione nodded, leaving the room in search of Ron and Harry.

Lavender watched her friend passed the threshold of their door, feeling sorry for her. Hermione was in love with Harry Potter and didn't even realize it.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked. She couldn't help herself from smiling at the sight of him.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right, talk about showing Slytherin! I've waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

Hermione ignored Ron, shaking her head in disapproval. All of her focus was on Harry.

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this."

He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy, and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus'. I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through."

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm. She was no longer able to understand the relationship between the two professors. Are they working together or were they enemies? Or are they both attempting to get the stone for their own gain? It seemed the more she learned the more confusing it became.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

"How much does Potter know of the third-floor corridor?" Quirrell asked Hermione one day.

"He knows there's a large three-headed dog living in there." Hermione replied. Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside.

Quirrell was suspicious of Harry's behavior towards him in the weeks that have passed. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile. Hermione believed Quirrell was interpreting it as Harry taunting him.

"Very well," he said. "I have no more use for you at this moment."

He allowed her to leave, but seemed to have remembered something and called her back to him, "Hopefully, my extra assignments haven't affected your marks. You should focus more on your classes now that you have more time. Exams are going up in what? Ten weeks."

"Yes, sir."

"I suggest you paid close attention to what your teachers are lecturing you about." He said before dismissing her.

Taking Quirrell's suggestion to heart, Hermione began throwing herself into her studies and spending most of her free time in the library with Harry and Ron. She had started drawing up study schedules and color coding all her notes and advised Harry and Ron to do the same. She didn't believe Quirrell was all that concerned about her marks. There was hidden meaning in his words, something he wanted her to know or do and her life probably depended on it. It obviously had something to do with the Sorcerer's Stone. Maybe it there was something more than Fluffy guarding it?

Whatever it may be Hermione was going to be prepared for it.

While in the Library, Harry and Ron moaned and complained and yawning. Hermione continued to read her book and took down notes. Her attention was fully on the book until she heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hermione glanced in the direction Ron was looking and Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat. She returned to her book, but kept her ear in their conversation.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's Stone."

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy."

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen, come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh."

"See you later, then," said Harry.

Hagrid shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully. Normally she would not have cared what Hagrid did, but her suspicious nature was telling her to not dismiss him.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.

Hermione tilted her head, thinking over Harry's words. If Hagrid always wanted a dragon then it wouldn't be strange for him to sought books about them, but the lines of titles are arousing her interest.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden, anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused. After Hagrid asked them what they wanted, Harry didn't beat round the bush. He asked Hagrid out right. What else was guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy? He was being tightlipped about it, refusing to tell them. But Hermione figured a few good compliments could pursue him. He revealed that Dumbledore borrowed Fluffy from him then some of the teachers' casted enchantments. There was: Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell, Professor Snape, and Dumbledore himself.

As Hagrid listed the names, Hermione realized that this was the reason why Quirrell wanted her to focus on her studies. He might wanted her to help him break the other teacher's enchantments. And then another thought occurred to her. If Snape and Quirrell had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. They probably knew everything, except, it seemed, how to get past Fluffy and there might be a dragon guarding it as well. If Hagrid's choice of reading material was any indication. Although dragons were outlawed, Dumbledore could have got a dragon if he wanted one. Enchantments are easily broken if one knew what the spells are, but a three-headed dog and a dragon would be hard to get pass. That was probably why neither Snape nor Quirrell have got to the stone yet.

Hagrid and Dumbledore are the only two who knew how to get passed Fluffy and the dragon. Dumbledore wouldn't tell, which left Hagrid. If Hermione was able to easily pursue him to reveal the names of the teachers guarding the stone, then Quirrell and Snape could have got him to tell them want they wanted to know too. This frightened Hermione. Hagrid swore he would never tell a single soul, but Hermione had her doubts.

Hermione fanned herself with her hand. The temperature in the hovel had increased since they arrived and she was boiling. When Harry asked if they could open a window, Hagrid refused and glanced at the fire. Hermione, Harry and Ron looked at it as well. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

A dragon's egg…

Did the dragon in the third floor laid it? Was Hagrid egg sitting? Dread filled Hermione when Harry's voiced suddenly echoed in her ears.

Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him... Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him… Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him...

Everything became clear to Hermione when Hagrid admitted to winning the egg in a card game with a hooded stranger. Hmm…Snape or Quirrell?

Well they get to the stone before the egg in the kettle hatched? She wondered. And what was Hagrid going to do with the dragon, a Norwegian Ridgeback? Where was he going to keep it? In his hut? It's made of wood! The creature would burn his house down to the ground.

Hagrid of course didn't listen to her when she warned him. He was too in love with his egg to pay them any mind. If that was how he was going to be then why should she care? Not like she was worried about him.

One breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: It's hatching.

Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it. She had worked hard supervising their schoolwork, making study schedules for Harry and Ron. It was driving them nuts, but it was better than dying. When the time came for Quirrell to call her back, Hermione wanted to be ready and they are not going to be pulling her into a grave with them.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing."

"Shut up!" Harry whispered.

Draco was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Hermione didn't like the look on Draco's face at all. She was contemplating doing something about him but was too distracted by Ron's annoying voice to think of a way to see if Draco heard them.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath. All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Hermione thought it looked like a large crumpled, black bat. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body, it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes. It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs. "Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!"

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?" She knew the information and wanted to see if he did.

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face, he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains, it's a kid, he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Hermione didn't have to look to know who it was.

Hermione was nervous during the next week and it had nothing to do about the smile lurking on Draco's face. She could handle him when the time comes. What she needed to focus on was surviving to the next school year. Believing the dragon had something to do with the Quirrell, she studied the dragon Hagrid was raising whenever she, Harry, and Ron went to his hut.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

The dragon had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor. Hermione was disgusted by Hagrid's behavior, the state of his hut, and his dragon, Norbert, but didn't voice her opinion.

Harry came up with a solution to get rid of Norbert by having Ron's older brother, Charlie, come pick him up. Charlie was in Romania studying dragons. Hagrid was reluctant, but in the end he agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

Hermione felt an urge to comfort Ron but recalled how he reacted to her touch earlier and decided to remain aloof about his injury.

There was a tap on the dark window. Charlie had sent an answer to their letter about Norbert. He said some friends of his would come and they needed to get Norbert up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday. His friends would meet them there. The plan was for them and Norbert to hid under Harry's invisible cloak and send Norbert off.

By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. Hermione thought he should go see Madam Pomfrey, but they didn't know whether it was safe and if would she recognize a dragon bite. By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.

Harry and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed. Once again, Hermione felt an incredible urge to comfort him, but reminded herself not to. And why would she care? Not like she particularly liked him. But seeing Ron all pathetic and suffering made her shuddered with worry and hearing how Draco was taunting him made her want to hex him in Ron's defense.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no, oh no, I've just remembered, Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

Harry and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.

"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage, nothin' I can't handle."

When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg. Hermione thought they had to hurry and get rid of Norbert before he devoured Hagrid in his sleep. Baby or not it's still a wild creature.

"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot, jus' playin', he's only a baby, after all."

The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling. Saturday couldn't come quickly enough. Saturday was a very dark, cloudy night, Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded as though the teddy was having his head torn off.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"

Seeing Hagrid all emotional about a wild creature that would likely tear his body apart and eat him, made Hermione heart filled with grief for thinking such ill thoughts about the two of them. Hagrid loved Norbert. He really loves him. Hermione wasn't allowed to say goodbye to her parents. She wondered if they would behaved as Hagrid was if they did.

How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another, even one of Harry's shortcuts didn't make the work much easier.

"Nearly there!" Harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.

Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.

Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Draco by the ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you!"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming - he's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on, I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig. She was worried about Draco and the trouble he kept getting himself in.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!" she said, when she caught Harry's stare. It wouldn't do her any favors if he found out how much she cared for Draco.

"Don't," Harry advised her.

Chuckling about Draco, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Harry and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

At last, Norbert was going, going, gone.

They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them.

As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."

They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower. Things couldn't have been worse.

Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Hermione's brain, but none would let her catch them. With her mind in disarray she couldn't see how she could get herself and Harry out of trouble. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already. Hermione would've seen this as a blessing in disguise, but feared what Quirrell and his master would do to her. Or to Harry.

Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a dragon."

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

At the corner of her eye, Hermione could see Harry sending Neville odd expressions. She didn't pay them attention or cared. They had detention. All of them and fifty points taken. Hermione didn't care much for the House points. Not like she was going to be here long term.

She had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence. She was working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions. She was glad to see Ron was doing the same and asking her to tutor him.

"Jupiter," said Hermione.

Ron knitted his brows together in concentration. "Jupiter. Fifth planet from the sun. Its the largest. A gas planet. Name...named after the Roman god Jupiter. Has at least 66 moons."

Hermione nodded as Ron recited the information.

Harry arrived and told them that he heard Snape bullying Quirrell.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell."

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."

Hermione felt her heart leap when Ron said that. She was amazed at the improvement she had made on him. He really was applying himself. She was so proud. It rendered her speechless.

"So what do we do, Harry?"

The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure." or killed.

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor, who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione looked convinced, although she truly wasn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around."

"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."

He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.

Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor McGonagall

Hermione didn't complain, she felt they deserved what they'd got.

At eleven o'clock that night, Hermione and Harry said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there and so was Draco, looking sulky as ever.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes, hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me. It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out, hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed. Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

Hermione saw Draco flinch at Filch's words. She resisted the urge to hold him, reassure him it was all right, and tell him Filch was only making up stories.

They marched off across the dark grounds.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started." Hermione heard Hagrid said.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy, it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." Filch said.

At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Draco stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" Draco repeated. "We can't go in there at night, there's all sorts of things in there, werewolves, I heard."

Hermione bit her lips to prevent the smile on her face from spreading. It was she who had told Draco that story to scare him right before he boarded the train.

Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Draco now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, a note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd -"

"- tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Draco didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Draco, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

Hermione tilted her head, studying the unicorn blood. Something was not right.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Draco quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now, that's it, an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh, so, be careful, let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Draco, Neville, and Fang took the right. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. Hermione was worried for Draco and Neville. She hope they don't run into anything dangerous.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.

Or You-Know-Who. Thought Hermione.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came, was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm..."

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt, you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured, would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view. Hermione felt something ominous about this night.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few. Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs, they know things, jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns, never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. The hairs on the back of Hermione's were erected and pricked her skin, a sign telling her that they were being watched. Harry noticed it too. He was constantly looking nervously over his shoulder. The fool. He was practically tell the stalker that he knew they were being followed. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione saw something in the air and grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

Oh, yes. Leave a group of child by themselves in a forest filled with deadly creatures. Hermione thought sarcastically.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione, worried about both.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville, it's our fault he's here in the first place."

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Draco, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Draco had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups. Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

Hermione didn't feel right about leaving Harry and Draco alone. What if whatever that was following them earlier still was? It could Quirrell or Snape, hiding and waiting to kidnap Harry. She wasn't worried about Draco as she was about Harry. If something were to ambush them, Draco would run like mad, screaming like a girl. He'll be safe. Harry, being a brave fool, on the other hand would stay and attempt to fight the intruder and possible die.

It didn't take long for her to hear Draco's familiar screams.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

He was likely running for his life by now and Harry must still be there. Greatly concerned for both boys, Hermione ran toward the direction of the screams.

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?" she shouted as soon as she saw him with Firenze. She glanced left and right looking for any sign of Draco.

"I'm fine," said Harry, "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times." He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest.

When they returned to the common room, Ron had fallen asleep in the dark corner, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest. Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort, and Voldemort's waiting in the forest, and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Harry wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so, Bane was furious, he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen. They must show that Voldemort's coming back, Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me. I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off. Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

Saying goodnight to the boys, Hermione went into the bathroom in the girls' dormitory and paced back and forth in her. Lavender saw her and followed. She locked the door and place a silencing spell in the room. She leaned against the door, her sympathetic eyes following Hermione.

"What's wrong with me?" said Hermione. "I can't think clearly anymore. Normally, I would have figured everything by now. My thoughts, my mind…they, they aren't – as sharp as before!"

Lavender straightened. "You're under loads of stress. Maybe the pressured has got to you? With all that's happened…the sudden change in pace and –and the hormones. It must be hindering your thought process."

Hermione stopped her pacing and turned to Lavender. "Stress? Hormones?" she echoed as if she had just been insulted.

Gathering her courage, Lavender left the door and turned Hermione to face a large mirror on the wall. "Look at yourself, Ly Ly. I should be happy for you. You're finally expressing yourself, but…this. It worries me."

Hermione stared at her reflection. Eyes hard, cheeks flushed with emotions. This was not her. This was not Lyra Lestrange. It was a stranger – no! It was Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger was trying to destroy her!

"Ly Ly?" said Lavender, attempting to reach her friend, who seemed lost in a trance. "Lyra?"

Hermione blinked. "I must kill her."

Lavender stiffened. "What? Kill who? Who are you planning to kill?"

"Hermione Granger, the Muggle-Born. She's trying to destroy me. I have to kill her before she swallows me whole." Hermione hissed.

"Herm-Lyra, no! You're – you're – Hermione isn't trying to destroy you." Lavender reasoned.

Hermione was having a mental breakdown and she was trying her best to calm her.

Lavender grasped both of Hermione's arms and turned her, so they'd face each other. Lavender roughly shook her and then cupped her face. "Lyra, please listen to me. Hermione Granger isn't real. She's not trying to destroy you. You created her. She isn't real."

"She's not real." Hermione repeated.

"Yes, she's not. You're probably tired. Let's go to bed." Lavender suggested. "You'll feel better in the morning."

Hermione nodded. They left the bathroom and went to their room. Lavender peeked at Hermione, watching the back of her head closely. She wished her friend wasn't facing the other way. The episode she had earlier was disturbing. She needed to see Hermione's face, know that she was all right.

Hermione pulled the sheets over her body and murmured. "Not real...I don't have to kill her."

She caught her reflection on the window and glared at it.

I'll kill you if you try. Mouthed the reflection.

Let's see who'll win, Mudblood. Hermione replied.

How dare it challenge her…

Sorry for not updating in a while and yes...Lyra is losing her grip on reality.
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Hermione