As soon as she was through the purple fire, Hermione's sights were immediately on Ron and nothing else. He was still crumbled on the ground where they had left him, unmoving. She ran over to his side, nearly tripping on the massive pieces of stone that had fallen from the chess pieces during the brutal match.
"Ron! Ron!" Hermione screamed. She was afraid to move him. What if he had fallen and hurt his neck? "Ron, please wake up." She brushed his bright red, shaggy hair so she could look at his eyes. She could have sworn she saw them flicker. "Ron? Can you hear me?" There was definitely a flicker. Ron groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Ron!" Hermione exclaimed and scooped him in a hug.
"Oy, gettoff me," Ron mumbled but didn't push her off.
"I'm so glad you're ok," said Hermione. "You were so brave!"
"Nah," Ron said, but blushed. "Where's Harry?! Did you stop Snape?"
Hermione filled Ron in briefly on what happened with the potions. "So we have to go get an owl to Professor Dumbledore straight away. Can you get up?"
"I think so."
"Here, I'll help you." She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Let's go."
They shuffled back into the key room and grabbed the brooms they had left propped up against the wall. "Up!" she commanded the broom but it didn't rise into the air. "Up!" she yelled again but the broom just sat there. She absolutely hated when she couldn't do something. She glanced to her left and saw Ron climbing on the broom gingerly. He hadn't noticed her struggling with the broom yet.
Hermione returned her focus to the broom. When they all had first come into the key room, she had no problem making the broom start flying; granted, she wasn't the best flyer, but she could at least get it to get off the ground. With her frustration mounting, she put her hand out again and focused entirely on the wood handle. "Up!" she cried. The broom rocked on the ground but did not rise. The urgency of their mission bubbled within Hermione, and she felt her eyes start stinging. The anxiety was coming. She put her hand out again. It was shaking. "Up!" she cried. Nothing.
"Brooms can tell if you're scared or nervous, remember?" Ron said in a small voice. There was no hint of his usual sarcasm. He was being genuine. "You got a hundred and twelve percent on the Charms exam. You were able to do Snape's riddle. You made a beautiful snuff box. You made that feather fly on the first try. You can definitely make a broom rise up. Try it again."
Hermione took a deep breath. "Up!" she cried and the boom shot into her hand. She almost let go of the broom to clap, but caught herself. Ron clapped on her behalf.
"Brilliant, Hermione!" he said. "Ok, let's go!"
Hermione mounted the broom. She was still a little shaky, but she felt exhilarated. Maybe that was the appeal of Quidditch.
Ron and Hermione flew through the key room and out into the Devil's Snare room. They zoomed over the vines and up to the trap door. Hermione paused for a moment and pulled the flute out of her robes. She started to play as Ron pushed the trapdoor open. Snuffy immediately fell asleep. As she flew past his face, she could feel Fluffy's hot breath.
Finally, they reached the entrance into the corridor, and she put the flute away. They unmounted the brooms and put them just inside the door and shut it behind them. Hermione could hear Fluffy start to stir on the other side of the door. "Ok, let's go to the owlery," she said as she and Ron took off down the hall.
When they reached the owlery, they were both out of breath. Hedwig, Harry's snowy white owl, was, thankfully, easy to spot. Hermione rushed over. Luckily, Hermione never went anywhere without a folded up piece of parchment and her favorite quill. She pulled them out and set to writing:
Headmaster Dumbledore,
Please return to the school at once. The note asking you to come to the ministry was a ruse. All of the failsafes protecting the You-Know-What have been breached, probably by You-Know-Who.
Sincerely,
Hermione, Ron, and Harry.
"There," Hermione said, folding the letter. "Ok, Hedwig, you need to find Professor Dumbledore and give this to him at once." She tucked the note into the pouch on Hedwig's leg, and the majestic owl seemed to bow his understanding before flying off into the night sky.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked.
Hermione thought for a moment. "I suppose we should go and tell Professor McGonagall, too. She may be able to do something while we wait for Dumbledore."
"She's just gonna get mad at us that we didn't listen and take more points from Gryffindor," Ron whined.
"I don't think she will," Hermione said with certainty. "She's really not as bad as you and Harry think, Ron. She's very rational and will definitely listen to what we have to say."
"Are you sure we're talking about the same Professor McGonagall?" Ron asked. His sarcasm had returned.
"Quite. Now let's see if we can find her."
Hermione and Ron wound their way down the spiral staircase of the owlery and into the deserted dark halls of the castle. "We should probably be careful not to be caught before we talk to her. She may not take too kindly to that," Hermione said.
"Right, because she'll go mental and won't listen. So, we were talking about the same woman," Ron said in a whisper.
"Shut it, Ron," Hermione said. "Lumos." The tip of her wand glowed in the darkness. A shuffling in the room to their right stopped them dead in their tracks. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. "Nox!" Hermione whispered as quickly as she could, and the tip of her wand extinguished. Ron and Hermione stayed as still as they could. Hermione didn't even dare to breath. They watched the cat sulk past the doorway and disappear into the darkness. Ron started to move again, but Hermione put her hand on his arm to make him wait. Cats had exceptional hearing… and Mrs. Norris seemed to have ultrasonic hearing. As they waited silently in the dark corridor, Hermione could feel the anxiety start to bubble again. The longer they had to wait to tell a professor, the longer Harry was alone (and potentially in danger) with Snape. Hermione forced herself to count to sixty, and then motioned to Ron to follow her.
They wove through the corridors, stopping every now and then to make sure no one was around. Finally, they reached the main entryway with all of the professors' offices and dormitories off to the side. The giant, wooden doors creaked open, stopping Hermione and Ron in their tracks. Dumbledore stood, silhouetted by the moonlight. He strode towards them. "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" he asked. They both nodded. Dumbledore took off towards the third floor. They stood transfixed for a few moments. "He may need some back up," Hermione said. "Let's go wake Professor McGonagall."
Just as they took a step, a door down the hall opened. Snape and his flowing robes walked out. What was he doing there? If he was here, who was trying to get the Philosopher's Stone?
Snape did a double take at Hermione and Ron. There was nowhere to hide. "What are you doing up and out of bed?" Snape hissed. Hermione froze in terror.
"We need to speak with Professor McGonagall," Ron said indignantly.
"She is in her room, sleeping, just like you two should be. Ten points each from Gryffindor."
Hermione didn't even care about the points anymore. She, instead, was overcome with a sudden anger. All of the anxiety and fear bubbled up into a red hot rage. "Go ahead, take the points," she said. "Take them all! Expel us if you want! It doesn't matter because we're all going to die if you don't let us speak with Professor McGonagall!"
Ron was just as surprised to hear the words coming out of Hermione's mouth as Snape appeared to be. Snape stared at them for a few moments, cocking his head. Clearly making up his mind, Snape turned on his heel and walked to Professor McGonagall's door. He knocked and, a few seconds later, Professor McGonagall appeared in her dressing gown.
"Professor!" Hermione said, rushing towards her. "Harry has gone to protect the Philosopher's Stone! We had to leave him alone so we could get help. Dumbledore just got back and-"
Hermione was cut off by Professor McGonagall and Snape rushing past her. As an afterthought, Professor McGonagall looked over her shoulder to Ron and Hermione. "Get back to the Common Room at once. It is not safe out here."
Hermione and Ron made their way back to the Common Room and stepped inside the Fat Lady's portrait door. To their surprise, they were met with a group of Gryffindor students standing around. Fred and George Weasley were at the front of the group, surrounded by Parvatti, Lee Jordan, and Neville.
"Tell us what's going on," Fred (or was it George?) said to Ron as soon as they walked in. Hermione thought it was best to act dumb (for the first time in her life). She channeled her inner Lavender Brown.
"What do you mean?" Hermione tried to flutter her eyelashes, but she had a sinking suspicion it didn't work how she had intended.
"Don't be stupid," the other twin said. "We found poor Neville here with the Full Body-Bind hex-"
"-and then we saw Dumbledore running like hell across the grounds," finished the first twin.
"-and you lot were missing from your beds."
"-and Neville told us you were going to find some rock."
"So what's going on?" the second twin repeated. "And what's wrong with your eye?"
Hermione looked at Ron, and he nodded. They sat down and filled them all in. "So there's nothing more we can do but wait, I guess," Hermione said. "I'm sorry again, Neville, but you understand, don't you?"
Neville shrugged, but remained silent. The common room was just as silent.
The sun was starting to make its appearance over the horizon when the portrait door opened again. Professor McGonagall, now properly dressed in her emerald green robes, entered. The group stood, but Hermione and Ron rushed to the front.
"Everything has been taken care of," Professor McGonagall said. "Mr. Potter survived and has been taken to the hospital wing."
"What happened?" demanded Ron.
"Did You-Know-Who get the stone?" asked Hermione.
Professor McGonagall rose her hands in the air to stop their questions. "I'm sure you will learn exactly what happened when Mr. Potter regains consciousness. The Headmaster, who is now here at the castle, implores you all to get some rest and to keep this incident quiet before he can address the whole school. It would behoove you to do as he says," Professor McGonagall said and walked out of the Common Room before they could ask any more questions.
"I suppose she's right," Hermione said. "Let's get some rest and then we can go visit Harry later."
"Are you mad?" asked George (or was it Fred?). "It's almost breakfast! This story's too good to keep quiet!"
Hermione (though the only one) did what she was told and took a nap. She was exhausted. She woke up with Parvati and Lavender staring straight at her from the other side of the room. "Ok, spill it."
"You probably already know what happened," Hermione yawned.
"No, we mean are you dating one of them?" Lavender said with a giggle.
"Absolutely not!"
"I don't believe you," Parvati said. "You've been spending so much time with them lately and now you're out roaming the halls with them after hours."
"They'd talk to me when no one else would when we lost all of those points," Hermione said quietly. "That's all it is."
Hermione escaped the awkward silence by going down to the Common Room. She found Ron, and they both made the trek to the hospital ward. Harry looked so small laying in the bed. He was so still and quiet.
They stayed for a few hours, but there was no change. Harry didn't even move. They repeated the trek the following two days. The space around Harry's bed was filling up with all kinds of candy and well wishes from the whole school. By that time, Fred and George had told the story to the whole school (multiple times with varying embellishments). Everyone knew that Harry had, once again, defeated He Who Must Not Be Named and saved the Philosopher's Stone.
On the second day, as they left the hospital ward, they saw Professor Dumbledore speaking with Professor McGonagall. He pointed towards the hospital wing and shook his head. Hermione's heart dropped. Maybe he knew something they didn't? Maybe Harry was much more injured than she had thought?
On the fourth day, Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was waiting outside the hospital ward. "Is Harry ok?" Hermione asked frantically.
"Yes, he is," Madam Pomfrey said. "He's awake. You can see him, but he is still weak. You must not excite him."
"Yes, of course we won't," Hermione promised. Madam Pomfrey took a good, hard look at Hermione, and then decided to let them in.
"Harry!"
Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but she could see he was still in a considerable amount of pain. She, instead, patted his hand awkwardly.
"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —" She couldn't find the words.
"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"
It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry told them everything: It was Quirrell, not Snape, who was helping Voldemort. He had been the one drinking the unicorn blood in the forest. "Voldemort had possessed Quirrell. He was there all along, under his turban." Hermione nearly screamed in horror. Harry paid no notice and continued his story. Voldemort and Quirrell had tried to use Harry and the Mirror of Erised to find the stone - Harry saw (and felt) the stone in his pocket but lied. Unfortunately, Voldemort could tell Harry was lying and he, through Quirrell, attacked Harry. "It hurt so bad," Harry said. "But I realized that if I touched him, I'd hurt him even more. So, that's what I did until I passed out. That must have been when Dumbledore came."
"So, the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"
"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.' "
"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.
"So, what happened to you two?" said Harry.
"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron 'round — that took a while — and we were coming back from the owlery when we met Dumbledore in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."
"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"
"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say — that's terrible — you could have been killed."
"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know? I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."
"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food'll be good."
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.
"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," she said firmly.
Hermione filled her time alternating between visiting Harry in the hospital wing and packing up her belongings for summer holidays. She was torn - on one hand, she needed a break from all the excitement… on the other hand, she didn't want to leave Hogwarts for three months. She made her way to the Great Hall for the end of the year feast. Gryffindor was in last place in the house standings, so there wasn't much to celebrate.
She grabbed a seat near Ron and Neville. Neville had finally forgiven Hermione for the Full-Body-Bind hex. They had a wonderful heart to heart the day before, and both promised to write to each other all summer.
The Great Hall erupted in whispers as Harry entered. He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.
Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. They could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded slightly.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...
"First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."
Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn. Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."
Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"
At last, there was silence again.
"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."
Hermione buried her face in her arms, and she nearly burst into tears. It was like all of the stress of the year's events evaporated in that instant. Gryffindors up and down the table were also beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.
"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points."
The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse (like Hermione) knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the House Cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.
Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place with how loud the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table was. Hermione, Ron, and Harry stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin. "We need a little change of decoration."
He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Hermione went horse that night from all of the cheering. It was a night she would never forget.
The end of the year marks were finally posted. In addition to the one hundred and twelve percent in Charms, Hermione received full marks in every other class. Her lowest score was a ninety-nine and a half percent on the Potions written exam, which she felt was solely because Snape didn't like her. Professor McGonagall took Hermione aside and told her she had received the best marks of all the first years. "In fact," Professor McGonagall said, "no one has gotten such good marks in the last fifty years. I knew you could do it, Hermione. I'm so proud of you."
Hermione's heart nearly exploded right then and there. She certainly didn't miss the fact that Professor McGonagall had called her by her first name as an equal. And, to think Hermione actually broke Professor McGonagall's record for top marks was positively mind-boggling. Never before had Hermione ever felt so loved and valued. "Thank you, Professor. For everything." She wanted to hug the stern woman but figured that may be pushing it. Hermione knew she had to continue to make the professor proud. "I was wondering if you could assign some work to me over the summer to keep me busy?"
"You don't want to enjoy the summer holidays?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"I will enjoy them more with some extra work," Hermione said with a smile. "I have to get that potion's grade up, you know..." Some of Ron's sarcasm had rubbed off on her.
"Do not get me started on that grade," Professor McGonagall said, waving her hand. "Absolutely ridiculous. Please do not let it bother you."
Professor McGonagall agreed to send Hermione some different lessons to help her prepare for her second year. "And, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said. "Congratulations on becoming a true Gryffindor this year."
And suddenly, just like that, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, and Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets. Notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly). Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake. Before they knew it, they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.
It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened, old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once (and alarming the Muggles).
"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."
"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."
People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:
"Bye, Harry!"
"See you, Potter!"
"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.
"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.
He, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together.
"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"
It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.
"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"
"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."
Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.
"Busy year?" she said.
"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear."
"Ready, are you?"
A very horrible looking man and his family were standing there on the platform.
"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.
"In a manner of speaking," said the man. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away. Hermione had to fight the urge to grab her wand and shoot a Full Body-Bind Curse at Mr. Dursley's back.
Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.
"See you over the summer, then."
"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after the miserable man.
"Oh, I will," said Harry, and Hermione was surprised to see a grin spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"
Hermione and Ron laughed and gave Harry one last hug. They watched him walk off into the distance.
"Hermione!" she turned her head to see her mum and dad rushing towards them. "Welcome home!" exclaimed Bert. He had a large bouquet of flowers.
"Oh, and hello again," Mary said to Ron's mother.
"Hello, dear! Nice to see you both again!"
"You know each other?" Hermione said, flabbergasted.
"Yes, she helped us through the wall when we dropped you off at the beginning of term," Mary replied. "How was school?"
Hermione took a deep breath so she could tell them all about it in great detail… and then stopped herself. "Exciting," she said simply. Hermione smiled to herself.
"That's all you can say about it? Exciting? Talk about the understatement of the year," Ron muttered, but gave Hermione a warm smile.
"Right then, it's time to head home," Mrs. Weasley said, trying to gather all of her children. "Your father will be home from work soon and will want to see you all."
"Mum, can Hermione and Harry come over this summer some time to visit?" Ron said loud enough so Hermione and her parents could hear.
"Of course, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "That would be lovely. And, perhaps, Hermione will be a good influence on you all. I hear she broke a record with her end of year marks this year! Best in almost fifty years!"
Bert and Mary gasped and gave Hermione a huge hug. "We're so proud of you!" Hermione smiled. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad summer after all.