Through Her Eyes

Chapter 21: A 'Date' with Regulus

"What you did was foolish, idiotic, illogical and put your life, as well as four other students lives in danger!"

Minerva McGonagall's voice bounced off the Hospital Wing walls as Hermione sat straight in one of the beds, unmoving as she stared at her hands. Both were obscured by creamy bandages, though the right one crawled all the way up towards her lower elbow, obscuring the blackness of her veins,

"This was a blatant act of disregarding the school rules, and you should be expelled immediately!"

Hermione physically winced at the word expelled. To someone like her, that was worse then Death. She could blubber and try to apologize for her wrongdoings, or make a strongly worded argument to change the Professors mind, but Hermione knew it would be no use. She was the one who walked the others into the Chamber. She was the one who made the decision to kill the Snake. And she was the one determined to kill Voldemort before he could bloom to full power once more. She had no excuses this time, and McGongall wouldn't let her forget it,

"Miss Black, are you listening to me?"

The voice was terse and sharp, and Hermione almost felt like Bellatrix was ramming a blade into her chest over and over again. Tears prickled on her lids as she looked up slowly, into the deep eyes of her Transfiguration Professor,

"Loud and clear," she choked, inhaling as tears escaped the corners of her eyes. She could have gotten all of her friends killed tonight, that was enough. James was the worst of them by far. He collapsed in the Chamber and had yet to awaken,

'Madame Pomfrey said he easily could have died down there,' Hermione thought, holding a hand to her face frustratedly, 'I could have cost him, as well as Harry his future life. What in bloody Merlin was I thinking?'

"W-well," Minerva sputtered, eyes softening as her maternal instinct kicked in, "we'll just have to call Dumbledore here to discuss your punishment-"

"There is no need, Minerva. I am here,"

Hermione looked past the woman in Emerald to see the white haired wizard striding towards her bedside. His silver slippers shined in the morning light, and his robes moved about softly as he came to stand by his old friend. His dark marble eyes were twinkling like tiny stars, a small smile playing at his lips,
"What was this about expulsion, Minerva?"

"Miss Black's foolish actions nearly got several of her fellow classmates killed-"

"I'm sure she had a good reason to be down in the Chamber," Dumbledore croaked, "a noble quest you could say? I'm sure this was a mere...incident,"

"Are you saying this should go unpunished?" 

McGonagall looked appalled as Dumbledore shook his head and held up his hands,

"No Minerva, I'm saying that expulsion isn't necessary. I'm sure Miss Black here wouldn't mind helping an old coot like me with his extra work after classes till the Summer holidays?"

'Detention with Dumbledore? I guess it's better then detention with Snape,' Hermione thought unhappy, rubbing her bandaged arm with a hand as she watched the 'gaping fish' look currently sitting on the deputy headmistresses face. It was the same expression she held when Harry's name had been pulled from the Goblet of Fire during the Tri-Wizard Tournament,
"I think it's a fair trade. Now, I'm sure there are some first year Transfiguration students in need of your assistance elsewhere? Miss Black and I need to have a little chat before I leave,"

"Oh, very well, Albus. Stubborn fool,"

Minerva's Scottish drawl was strong as she whipped around rapidly and vanished from the Hospital wing. Swallowing, Hermione glanced up from the bed towards the Headmaster. He slowly took up a chair at her bedside with a grunt,