The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 2

The Very Secret Diary

TW: i mention the slug incident :/

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Hermione has to stay in the hospital wing for several weeks after the cat incident. When term starts back up, rumors start going around about her disappearance and whether or not she'd been attacked. She wasn't, of course, but she told Harry and Ron not to tell anybody so they can't debunk the rumor like they want to.

They visit her every evening and when term starts back up, they bring her homework with them.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," Ron says one evening.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," Hermione tells him, like she does every time he says something about her taking a break. Tonight, her spirits are lifted because, according to Madam Pomfrey, all the hair is gone from her face and her eyes are slowly returning to their normal brown color instead of bright yellow.

"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she adds, whispering so Madam Pomfrey can't hear her.

"Nothing," Harry shrugs.

"I was so sure it was Malfoy," Ron mutters. Harry can't even begin to count how many times his best friend has said that since they broke into the Slytherin common room.

"And guess who told you it wasn't?" Harry says like he always does.

"Oh, piss off," Ron kicks Harry's foot and he smirks. "What's that, Mione?"

"Just a get well card," Hermione says hastily.

There's a flurry of movement before Ron begins reading, "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."

There's a beat of silence that has Harry holding in a laugh.

"You sleep with this under your pillow?" Ron says, rightfully disgusted.

Madam Pomfrey swoops in to deliver Hermione's evening dose of medicine, sparing her the pain of finding an answer to get Ron to lay off. Harry and Ron say goodnight and leave.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron says as they walk back to Gryffindor Tower.

"I'm so glad I didn't have to see him when I had sight," Harry says.

It's the first time Harry has brought up the fact that he could see for an hour and Ron quickly seizes the opportunity to talk about it.

"What was it like?" he asks. "Seeing?"

Harry shrugs, "Not very cool, honestly. I suppose I had my hopes up because the last time I could see, I was so young and everything was so bright and pretty but... well, that's not what I saw this time. And I know we were in the dungeons but still."

"So... you don't want to see again?"

"Not really," Harry says. "I couldn't even read. I felt like a four-year-old, staring at that newspaper clipping, I couldn't make out any of the letters!"

"You couldn't read?"

"No! I never learned before I went blind. I've only read braille since I was seven-years-old and before that, I could never see clearly enough to read properly. It just... wasn't everything I imagined it would be. I think I'll stick with being blind for now."

Ron is spared the struggle of responding to that by a furious shout from the floor above, most definitely from Filch. Harry and Ron stop walking, consider their options (go back to Gryffindor Tower and do Snape's homework or go and see what has Filch so angry), and then rush upstairs.