𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘┊ᴴᵃʳʳʸ ᴾᵒᵗᵗᵉʳ

25 ✦ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑦

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked.

So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

Harry, Crystal and Ron went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.

"How are you today?" Crystal asked her.

"Quite good!" said Hermione with a smile.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown.

"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

"I was also not sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.

"Mhmm, you were most definitely not sure," said Crystal double checking her schedule, which was really miraculously clear for the rest of the evening.

"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.

"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:

"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award."

Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted. Crystal shook her head in disapproval.

"You sleep with this under your pillow?"

But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to Harry and Crystal as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

Snape had given them so much homework, Harry thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it.

Ron was asking Crystal how many rat tails were supposed to be added to a Hair-Raising Potion which made her face contort in a look of disgust. Just then an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.

"That's Filch," Harry muttered as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.

"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.

"Let's run away before we'll be blamed for something else," said Crystal having enough. Harry grabbed her arm to keep her from running and muttered, "stay,"

"Oh, come o---" Crystal tried to break free but Harry clapped his hand over her mouth pulling her back behind Ron with him.

"Shhhh . . . "