𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐒 || Harry J. Potter [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 12 ✎

"WHAT IN MERLINS SAGGY LEFT SOCK!!"
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Third Person POV

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumour about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays because of course, everyone thought that she had been attacked.

So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again, and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

Harry, Ron and Jilly went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

"Yeah, seriously, you're mental." Jilly added. "Who'd want to do school work at a time like this?!"

"Don't be silly, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron for about the hundredth time.

"Meh, he's so stupid, I never thought it was him." Jilly shrugged.

"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.

"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud

"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."

Ron and Jilly looked up at Hermione, disgusted.

"You sleep with this under your pillow?"

"That's sick!! He's an idiot!" Jilly said, her eyes flashing red.

Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to Harry and Jilly as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

"He's more than that!" Jilly muttered, stomping up ahead of them.

Snape had given them so much homework, Harry thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it.

Ron and Jilly were just saying they wished they had asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to add to a Hair Raising Potion when an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.

"That's Filch," Harry muttered as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.

"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.