Good Enough | hp

19| The Black Diary

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks after the incident. There was a flurry of rumour about her disappearance when the rest of the school returned from their Christmas holidays because everyone thought 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.

Estella went to visit her every evening, accompanied by Harry and Ron, and when the new term started, they brought her each day's homework, an idea that Estella found ludicrous.

In fact, she quite agreed with Ron. As he put it: "If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," he said, 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 slowly turning back to brown.

"Keep up?" said Estella incredulously, "Hermit, you've already memorised all of our textbooks!" While this point may have in any other situation, been a case for slight jealousy and resentment, Estella was so pleased and happy that Hermione was recovering well, that she pushed the worries out of her mind.

"Yes but that's all theory Estie," Hermione said swiftly, straightening the books on the table. She leaned forward in her pristine white sheets and added in a whisper so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her, "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?"

"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.

Harry and Ron had filled Estella and Hermione in on what had taken place down in the Slytherin common rooms during one of their many visits to the hospital wing.

"I did say it might not be him," Estella interjected serenely.

"Yeah yeah, no need to rub it in," Ron grumbled.

Estella frowned. "I wasn't-"

"What's that?" asked Harry suddenly, 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.

"Who's it from?" Estella peered over Ron's shoulder cautiously. She didn't want Ron to get upset with her but he seemed to have forgotten their momentary disagreement in the face of Hermione's secrecy.

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 Defence League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming-Smile Award."

"Well that answers that question," Estella wrinkled her nose and leaned away from the card.

"The self-gratitude takes up more space than the actual message," Harry snorted. "How selfless." Estella laughed.

Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted "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 Estella as they left the dormitory and started up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Oh most definitely," Estella agreed.

"I can't believe Hermione likes him!" Ron said in disbelief.