New Beginnings • A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter Eight

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry about not posting. This fanfic unfortunately isn't my main priority anymore since so many other things are happening in my life. But I promise this chapter is one of the goodies. Stay tuned for even more dRaMa!!!

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"I swear I'm going to kill him!" Harry said, running after Ron.

"No!" Hermione grabbed his arm. "It's not worth it. Plus... He was.. He was right. I kissed you knowing you were with someone else. I deserved that..."

"Don't say that."

Both of them sat in silence. Hermione was obviously very hurt, but tried to hide it by covering her forehead with her hands.

"Let's just keep searching for more answers." She sighed.

"No! We can't just sit by and pretend that didn't just happen. What a complete ass! Just how low can a person get?" Harry said in a louder tone, catching the students' attention.

"Shh! People are looking. Besides, I doubt we can do anything about it now.. And if we do tell someone about our theory, the likelihood of them actually believing a word we say is very little. We need proof before we can confront Professor McGonnagal or anyone." Hermione explained.

Harry scowled.

"I guess you're right... I'm just so angry with him. Even if he was consumed by this repulsiveness potion, I.. I don't know. The Ron we know would never say such things."

"It's not Ron talking, it's the potion. Assuming we're correct about this." Hermione turns to look at the clock. "We best head back. It's almost time for supper."

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Dinner was silent, as per usual for the past few days. Time and time again Hermione and Neville would try and get a conversation going, but failed miserably. There was a humongous elephant in the room (EDIT; for those of you who don't know, this is a metaphor for a big problem that's not being addressed within a group of people whilst they're together), but no one was willing to address it.

The only interactions were among Ron and Lavender. It wasn't much of a conversation, though. Lavender would constantly kiss him and nuzzle his cheek.

"Oh, Ron! You're so adorable!" She gushed.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry was tempted to snort, but for a moment he considered the feelings of his Hermione if he did that. He sighed, tracing his fork over his plate in circles.

Ginny looked over at Harry and groaned.

"Do you mind? Some of us are trying to eat here."

Harry felt a stab in his chest as those words tumbled out of Ginny's mouth. He had never seen her this angry before, and he couldn't help but think that it was all his fault. What had he done to her?

"S-sorry." He mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Ron! Stop it! That tickles!" Lavender giggled.

Harry glanced at the couple in front of him only to find Ron poking at Lavender's hips, which was then followed by a quick peck on the lips. She then took his hand and began dragging him out of his seat.

Still kissing, they both stood up and made their way out of the dining hall.

"I think we need to get going now.. Ron-ny and I have some stuff to do, don't we?" She laughed, almost menacingly, and turned back around to leave with Ron.

When they were out of sight, Hermione dropped her fork and began to storm out of the dining hall as well.

Harry decided not to interfere this time. After all, Ginny was right beside him, and he didn't want to hurt her even more.

After the dinner, he rushed out to the common room in hopes to find Hermione. At last, there she was— oddly enough, the only person in the room. She was sat there with a quite stoic expression on her face, as if she was deep in thought.

"You okay?" He said, sitting down next to her.

A few seconds passed. She didn't reply. Instead, she stared at the wall in silence, completely oblivious to Harry.

"Hey. Hermione, listen to me." Harry began. "I know you're upset. I just wanted to tell you that we ARE going to get to the bottom of this. And, for the record, you don't need to worry about Ron.. Well, because... I guess you've got me. I— I've been wanting to say this for a while.. And.."

He smiled to himself. Just as he was about to open his mouth to continue, he was hit with the realization that Hermione didn't move an inch the entire time he was talking.

Harry began to worry now. He thought maybe she was just deep in her own thoughts, but it turns out she was completely still. Even up until that moment, she continued to sit there with a completely expressionless face and a motionless body.

He tugged on her robe.

"Hermione? You there? Earth to Hermione.."

No answer.

Panicked, he began to speak in a louder tone.

"Hermione! Are you in there? Please say something. This isn't funny!"

He felt his heart race as fast as the hooves of a horse on a racetrack. Desperate for help, he bolted for the corridors.

"HELP! Someone, help! Hermione.. She's not moving!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, tears beginning to swell in his eyes.

Professor Mcgonagall happened to be standing across Harry, and quickly ran to the panicked boy.

"Potter! Is Granger alright?" She asked nervously as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No! Come see for yourself! She.. She isn't moving! At all, professor! Please help!" He shouted once again.

"Oh dear! I'll send the nurses right away!" She assured him, and raced to the medical ward.

In a matter of minutes, several nurses were gathered around Hermione, accompanied by the new Potions teacher that year, Professor Lewen. They examined her body, placing all sorts of medicinal treatments on her.

The nurses and Professor Lewen discussed something in silence, to which Harry was increasingly worried by.

After what felt like forever, Professor Mcgonagall and Professor Lewen turned around to Harry, who had been standing their in utter shock for a while.

"I don't know where to begin. Uh.. Perhaps you should start, Professor Lewen." Professor Mcgonagall said, looking down at her feet.

"Right. Harry.. I'm not quite sure how to break this news to you, but your friend here has been poisoned." He confessed.