The Cupboard Series 2: Hermione's Book Nook

Chapter 30

Hermione laid one quill aside, only to immediately take up a second. After a little while, she paused and sat back to admire her handiwork. A small smile graced her lips in pleasure at the schedule that she'd developed. Every subject was colour coded. There was time allotted to 'spare time' and even meals. Normal classes were differentiated by shade as opposed to its corresponding revision time.

Yes, she decided, it'd do perfectly. And with the Easter holidays only hours away, it was done none too soon. Brandishing her wand, she replicated the revision and study timetable twice.

"Hey, Hermione, what you got there?"

Looking up, she found herself face to face with her round-faced, friend.

"Neville! Perfect timing. Here, this one's for you," she said, passing across one of the time-tables.

"Er, what exactly is this, Hermione?" Neville asked, deep furrows cutting into his face as he frowned.

"Your study timetable," she explained. "Exams are only six weeks away and we've got to start preparing. Really, I should have had this done ages ago, but time seemed to get away from me. We'll be able to make a good start on it over the holidays."

Neville nodded his head at her, a somewhat frightened look on his face which, Hermione considered a good thing. At least he'd realised what little time they had left to study for their exams.

"Do you know where Harry is? I've got his copy here, too," she said, brandishing the parchment.

Neville's eyes shifted to and fro as though he was searching for a way out of answering the question.

As Hermione waited for an answer, she found herself frowning at the thought of their messy-haired friend. He'd seemed distant, distracted for the past couple of months. She knew that there was something bothering him, but for the life of her, she just couldn't get him to tell her what it was. And every time that she confronted him about it, he'd hummed and hawed, before quickly making up some excuse to run from the room.

There had only been the one time that she'd managed to corner him. He'd been back late from Quidditch practise and therefore tired. His defences were down and she'd managed to trick the tiniest amount of information out of him. Not that she'd been able to make much sense out of it.

Yes, Daphne Greengrass had said something to him that had confused him. No, it had nothing to do with the Valentine's Day Card that Daphne had sent him. Yes, she'd be the first person that he told once he'd sorted it all out. And then he'd clammed up and raced off for the dormitories.

Finally, Neville sighed and began pulling out the things that he'd need to finish his potions essay from his bag.

"Have you heard that we need to choose our third year electives these holidays?" Neville asked, his face still buried in his bag.

"Oh, yes. Some of us are going to get together tomorrow to discuss what we know about the subjects to help us choose," Hermione replied, before, "and don't change the subject, Neville Longbottom! Do you know where Harry is?"

"He said something about wanting some time to himself," Neville muttered.

With a glare and a slam as she closed one book, Hermione pulled another one towards her. "I just wish that he'd tell us what's going on. Surely he knows that we'd help no matter what it is."

-oOoOo-

For his part, Harry was holed up down in his secret cupboard. It wasn't easy sneaking into it, not with the aurors still patrolling the corridors, but somehow he'd managed it. Even though there hadn't been any more attacks since before Christmas, the aurors weren't going to be leaving the school until the four that were petrified had been cured and were able to tell everyone what had attacked them.