The Telepath: A Hermione Granger x Male Reader Story

28) Nightmares

"You're sure it was Hagrid?" asked Harry after Y/N and Hermione explained what they saw in the diary.

"Yes, it couldn't have been anyone else." said Y/N.

"It was some kind of spider creature?" questioned Ron.

Hermione nodded and Ron gulped in fear.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person." said Harry "Maybe it was some other monster attacking people."

"How many monsters do you think this place can hold?" said Ron

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled." said Hermione sadly. "And the attacks must have stopped after Hagrid got kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have gotten his award."

"Riddle sounds like Percy." groaned Ron. "Who even asked him to grass on Hagrid?"

"I don't trust Riddle but the monster had attacked someone." said Y/N. "That's what's stumping me, if the attacks stopped after Hagrid got kicked out then it must have been him... I don't know, but we all know Hagrid never meant to hurt anyone."

Ron sighed then bit his lip.

"Wait, we saw Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't we?"

"He was buying flesh-eating slug repellent." said Y/N.

The four of them fell silent. After a long pause Hermione hesitantly asked the question they were all considering.

"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it?"

"That'll be a cheerful visit." said Ron. "Hello Hagrid, tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately."

Eventually the quartet decided it would be best not to ask Hagrid unless there was another attack. The next day Y/N and Hermione began looking into large arachnids which had the ability to petrify and kill people. They had no luck, meaning the creature was so dangerous either books about it were in the Restricted Section or it didn't exist.

As the Easter holidays came it had been almost four months since the last attack and now the second-years' thoughts were turned to choosing their subjects for next year. Hermione was taking this deadly seriously and made sure to remind Y/N, Harry and Ron constantly.

"It could affect our whole future." she said. "You seriously need to think over it."

"I just want to give up Potions." said Harry.

"We can't." said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it, it's not." said Ron.

"We've had Quirrell and Lockhart two years running. We're bound to get a good teacher eventually." said Y/N.

Y/N then leant over Hermione's shoulder to see what she was picking and he saw that all the boxes on her subject sheet were ticked.

"Mione, please tell me you aren't actually taking every subject. The stress might kill you."

"I'll be able to deal with it, don't worry."

"You were stressing out over tests last year, imagine how you'll be next year." said Y/N. "And you definitely don't need to take Muggle Studies, at least drop that."

"It will be interesting to see it from a wizarding perspective." said Hermione. "And since you're so eager to question my choices, what are you taking?"

"I'm definitely taking Care of Magical Creatures. Not sure what else, Divination could be interesting, I've always thought Seers were cool."

"It'd certainly be useful to see into the future." said Hermione. "If you wanted a third choice I think Arithmancy could be quite good."