The Girl Who Fought | h.p |

Nova Adopts A Child

The increased security and safety measures made it impossible for the Golden Quartet to visit Hagrid at night, meaning they could only speak during lessons. 

"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoystood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly whathe told 'em. . . ." Hagrid said, dabbing his eyes with his handkerchief. 

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet,we're working on it!" 

Nova, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were walking back to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyal were laughing. 

"Look at him blubber!" 

Nova's blood turned to fire. 

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy."And he's supposed to be our teacher!" 

Nova rounded on her cousin, ready to give him the wrath of Nova Black. 

SMACK

Hermione had punched Malfoy. 

The blonde boy stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again."Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —" 

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand asshe swung it back. 

"Get off, Ron!" 

As the three snakes hurried away, one could hear Nova shouting. 

"THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND, BITCHES!" 

"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed. 

"Harry, Nova, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!" 

"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione with immense admiration. "We'd better go." 

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom. 

"You're late!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out,we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"

Harry, Nova, and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened theirbags. Ron looked behind him. 

"Where's Hermione gone?" 

Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door. 

"That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. 

"Maybe — maybeshe went to the bathroom or something?" Nova said, hoping to cover for her. She knew what Hermione was doing. 

But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson. 

"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," saidRon as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly — the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment. Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finishedtheir apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried. 

"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. 

They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole intothe common room.