Her smile immediately disappeared from her face when she reached the bathroom though. Looking in the mirror she noticed that her face was slightly bruised where Malfoy had held her still the day before. She reached up gingerly and ran her thumb over the bruised area, immediately noticing the large bruise Ron had pointed out the day before. �Malfoy,� she said through gritted teeth.

�Hermione! What the devil happened to your face?� Ginny had just entered and was now rushing to Hermione�s side. �Here, let me see if I have something to cover that up with,� she said while digging through her cosmetics satchel.

�Oh, Ginny, I..uh, im not sure I must have slept on it funny or something,� Hermione said with a shrug, hoping to sound baffled. �Ginny, that�s really not necessary!� Ginny had started rubbing some sort of creme on Hermione�s face.

Hermione had reached up to stop her when Ginny gasped. �Your arm! Hermione--�

�Its nothing! Listen, I have a lot of work to do today! Thanks for the creme!� Hermione rushed out of the bathroom. And back to her dormitory. Once there, Hermione examined her face more closely. �Well Ginny�s creme has made the swelling and pain go away at least,� she thought. Parvati and Lavender came in just then and immediately stopped talking and stared at her.

Hermione could feel her face getting hot and she silently and as quickly as possible got dressed and headed for the common room. She was halfway to the portrait hole when Harry�s voice stopped her.

�Hermione, wait!� he came jogging up to her and they both remembered their promises to Ron. He started, though, when she finally turned around. �Wha�Her�are you ok?� a pained expression crossed his face. �Ginny said--� he paused as she finally looked up from the floor and raised her chin giving him the full view of her face.

�Yes, Harry, I am well aware of the bruises on my face but as I�m on my way to the hospital wing anyway to see Ron and find out when he will be let out, I figured, while I was there, I�d better let madam Pomfrey have a look at them. Happy?� she snapped, already tired of everyone gawking at her face.

Harry was taken aback by her wrath but he quickly recovered, �yes, I think you�d better had,� he gestured to the portrait hole and followed her out.

****************

The trip down to the hospital wing was spent in awkward silence. Harry was concerned for Hermione but was more intrigued at the reason for the bruises on her face. Had Malfoy done that? Harry felt hot anger begin to grow in the pit of his stomach. Ever since Sirius died anytime someone even attempted to hurt one of his friends he got crazy defensive. Suddenly his stomach dropped at the thought of his godfather. The depression that he�d been fighting ever since that horrible day crept back into his heart. It had been so much harder to keep his mind off of everything he�s lost�and will lose�to Voldemort since Ron was hurt and now Hermione was hurt and they both were acting so strange.

�Harry? It�s ok, really they look a lot worse then they are.� Hermione had been pulled out of her own thoughts by a slight snuffle from Harry. She had been so worried that he would ask where the bruises came from that she didn�t dare say a thing and had mistaken his sadness about Sirius to be concern for her.

�Wha? Oh, it�s not that! Not that I don�t care, Hermione!� Harry stammered at the look of insult on Hermione�s face, �I�m sorry I just meant that I was thinking about...something...else,� he took a slightly shuddering breath and continued before she could say anything, �I just...I can�t take it when you guys are hurt...first Ron and now you...I just I can�t lose anyone else I...I love.�

Hermione wasn�t sure how to respond to this. Did he mean love like a sister or...she was saved having to think of a response though as Harry realized himself how confusing the words may seem.

�I mean you and Ron; you are all of the family I have, really.� He sighed then chuckled softly at the relived look on her face and then smiled as they had just come to the hospital wing.

Harry opened the door for Hermione and she walked slowly to madam Pomfrey�s office without removing her eyes from the invisible spot on the floor in front of her.

�Hermione?� Ron called as she walked past his bed.

�Hey ron�just let her go for now ok. I need to ask you something.� Harry caught Ron�s attention by poking him in the arm.

�Ron begrudgingly tore his eyes away from the now closed door of the office. �Yeah, sure Harry, what�s going on with her though?�

�That�s what I wanted to ask YOU. What exactly happened with Malfoy yesterday? She has bruises on her face Ron, her FACE! Ok? What did that vile twit do to her?�

�Bruises?! On her--on her FACE? Oh, Hermione!� Ron made to get out of bed but madam Pomfrey, who had at that same moment opened her office door, shouted at him to lie back down if he wants to leave the infirmary anytime in the next century.

I will not have another relapse like yesterday! You will not leave one instant before I say so is that understood?� she smiled at the nod she received from Ron (and Harry for that matter) and perused the various vials in the nearby storage cabinet. �Now where did I put�ah!� she spotted whatever she was looking for on the bedstead nearest Ron. �I will be through with miss granger in a few moments. Then--and only--then we can discuss your release do I make myself clear?�

�Yes ma�am,� Ron and Harry said in unison.

She smiled at that and bustled off to her office. �Here we go miss granger. Now, you put this creme on every couple of hours and the bruising should go away by tomorrow. Are you sure you tripped and hit your face off of the corner of the sink?� she eyed the very finger like spots on Hermione�s face suspiciously.

�Yes ma�am� Hermione said, not meeting her eye.

Madam Pomfrey just sighed and shrugged, �all-right dear, off you go then. Your boyfriend, Mr. Weasley should be joining you by lunch.� She chuckled at Hermione�s gasp at the word �boyfriend� as she ushered her out of the office.

Hermione walked quietly over to Ron�s bed still not wanting to look him in the eye, she kept her face down. The boys seemed to not notice she was coming as they continued talking in an urgent whisper.

�I cannot believe the nerve of him! Kissing her without--� Harry growled in an undertone.

�I know, but calm down, she�s fine now, and I�ll be out of here today probably and we can keep a lookout for that slime ball� Ron who was trying desperately to keep Harry�s temper under control.

Hermione felt her face getting hot, in spite of the cooling ointment she had been prescribed. �Oh, no! Harry knows what happened! Im so embarrassed! How could he tell?! Ronald Weasley!� her heart pounded in her ears with embarrassment and anger. She felt tears forming in her eyes in spite of her will.

Harry, suddenly realizing she was standing there grabbed Ron�s arm to quiet him. �Ron�she�s back.�

Ron looked up at her and gasped, �oh Hermione! Are you ok?� His forehead creased in concern.

�Yes, Ronald, my face will be perfectly fine thank-you-very-much.� She started to storm off but stopped when Ron called her.

�Hermione! Wait! What�s wrong? What did I do?�

�What indeed Ron! You told him! You�ve told Harry about what happened! I�ve never been so mortified in all my life!� She was practically shouting now, �not only do I have to face Malfoy every day but you seem to think its just fine to let everyone know what happened!�

It was Harry who was now angry, �excuse me? EVERYONE? Am I not supposed to be one of your best friends? Why the devil did you tell him about this and not me? Especially since im the one who is allowed out there and can help protect you right now! Why Hermione? Are you two going to start keeping secrets from me now? When we all know what happened the last time I wasn�t told something important and went off and did something rash.� Harry�s voice cracked at this as Sirius, who was ever-present in the back of his mind came rushing forward. He stood up and turned his back on them trying to control his emotions.

Ron, being the only one to have kept his head in all of this shouting was the one who finally answered. �She didn�t tell me. I was there.�

�You wha--� Harry began but was cut off by Ron.

�Yes, I was standing at the top of the hallway when it happened but I was too dizzy to be of much help. Why else do you think madam Pomfrey won�t even let me out of bed without permission? Because I snuck out yesterday, that�s why!�

�Why did yo--� again Harry was cut off but this time by madame Pomfrey herself.

�Yes, and since you two are here, he isn�t getting any rest so you need to leave!� She made shooing motions at Harry and Hermione. �Out! Out, out!�

With that they had no choice but to go so they turned and with an air of great disappointment left the hospital wing.

Previous Page
Next Page
Main Stories