Hermione's Musical

Hermione trudged up the stairs to her dormitory, having trouble with opening the door because of the large bundle of books in her hands. Her eyes were half-closed and red from lack of sleep, her bushy, uncontrollable hair even more frizzy than normal. She dropped her books unceremoniously into her trunk and then fell onto her bed. She didn't even bother to undress and before she knew it she was fast asleep.

The next morning when she woke she was late for breakfast. Feeling extremely disorganized and frantic she got ready (cheating by using some quick cosmetic spells) and zoomed down the stairs to the Great Hall.

She wondered what in the world was wrong with her. She had had late-night study sessions before but they had never caused her to wake up late. A little more tired than usual, yes, but never late.

She stopped when she neared the doors. A sound that she didn't expect was wafting from the Great Hall. She leant forward to hear better.

"Eggs, mash,

Bacon, toast and jam!"

Snap. Snap.

"Eggs, mash,

Bacon, toast and jam!

Nutrients we need for class

To answer, "Mandrakes, ma'am!"

Bang. Bang.

Hermione shook her head and listened again, but there was no mistake.

They were singing!

She walked slowly to the doors and peered into the large room. Her eyes popped open wide.

Not only were they singing they were dancing too!

The snapping she had heard were their plates being curtly tapped on the tables. They would tap twice then spin around and sing again before hitting their cups against the tables.

Hermione took one cautious step into the room and suddenly everything was normal. People were chatting, people were trying to wake up, the teachers were having quiet conversations, and nobody was singing.

She glanced around warily as she took her seat next to Ron and Harry. She swallowed and turned to look at her two friends who were looking very sleepy, as usual.

"Um…were you just singing?"

Ron turned to look at her, raising his eyebrow. "Was I what?"

"You know…singing?" Hermione whispered, not wanting to sound like a fool.

"Bloody, 'Mione, I don't sing!"

"Right, right…"

And that was that. Her breakfast went by normally. In fact, most of the day went by pretty normal.

Until Potions class.

She walked in, taking a seat at the table she shared with Ron, Harry, and Lavender Brown. She set up her books, the incident that morning forgotten.

The idle chatter died suddenly as the door to the dungeon slammed open and Snape walked in.

His heels clicking to a steady beat…His robes swishing along to his rhythm…

"Oh no…" Hermione muttered as her eyes widened in fear.

Snape stopped in front of the class and spun on his heel, an awful smirk on his face.

"Listen here, parasites and beetles,

I'll teach to brew with a lizard's tail,

And tonsils from a newt.

You may find your humanity sloping a little!

This was a nightmare. It had to be! Because suddenly the Slytherins had jumped up, spinning around with their cauldrons as they made their way to the front of the room. They stood in a formation around Snape. When they cauldrons hit the floor he began to sing again.

"But if you wear the red and gold of Gryffindor,

You'll find yourself covered in troll boils.

Before you know it you'll be growing extra eyes,

And bodies will mutate before you can get out the door!

"Poisons, potions, rot and grot,

Slytherins are the best of the lot.

Detention for Gryffindors, cheating or not,

Until they're too tired to get to their cots!"

Hermione had never been happier to hear that bell ring, signaling the end of classes for that Friday and the beginning of lunch. She was even happier today because instead of going to the Great Hall she, Harry, and Ron were going to have lunch with Hagrid. She would have to scrub her teeth extra hard that night to get the treacle cake off but she always enjoyed visiting with the half-giant gamekeeper.

So after putting their books away in Gryffindor tower they began their normal every day walk across the grounds.

Apparently that was too much to hope.

As soon as they got out into the sun Ron and Harry linked arms and began to skip towards Hagrid's singing,

"Visting Hagrid's! Visting Hagrid's!

To Hagrid's hut we gooooo!

Visiting Hagrid's! Visiting Hagrid's!

The greatest giant we knooooooow!"

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth hanging wide open as she watched her two friends skip gaily towards the hut. Unable to take much more she turned around and ran back into the castle.

She slammed the door to her dormitory closed and sat on her bed, taking deep breaths. She was imagining things, she had to be!

If there was one thing she could count on to be the same, it was her homework. She pulled it out and began to work on her History of Magic essay when suddenly…

Scribble-scribble.

"WarLOCK conVENtiooooooons…"

"AHHHHHH!"

"HERMINOE!"

With another loud scream Hermione jumped up, her bushy hair sticking up like Medusa and her eyes so wide her eyeballs should have fallen out and rolled away.

Lavender Brown stood over her, looking shocked and scared. "Um…Hermione, are you okay?"

"The singing…" she whispered, looking deranged. She grabbed Lavender's robes and pulled her down to her. "The singing has to stop!"

Lavender swallowed and smiled nervously. She gently pried Hermione's hands away from her collar. "I think those late night study sessions need to stop..."

So, it had only been a dream? Because she studied too hard? She sighed, feeling relieved and finally calming down. Lavender took this chance to back out of the room, bolting down the stairs as soon as she was out of sight.

Hermione pursed her lips. The songs in her dream were awful. She thought her imagination was better than that!

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione Granger!

The more she studies the more she grows stranger!"

END