Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. The Harry Potter world and everything in it belongs to JK Rowling. I write this for the enjoyment with others and to spread awareness of the affects of CFS and depression. No money was made out of this, and no copyright infringement was intended.

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Chapter 1 - The Flu

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It was winter at Hogwarts, and Hermione Granger was not feeling well at all that day. It all started when she got up that morning and nearly fell back in bed again, feeling weak and nauseated. She eventually dragged herself out of bed, feeling all her muscles protest at having to move. She had been feeling fine last night so it was a bit of a shock waking up to feel so ill. She looked in the mirror; she was pale, and her skin felt clammy. After getting dressed she walked down to the common room to meet Harry and Ron.

"Mione, are you alright?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine, Harry," Hermione lied.

"You sure? You look like death," Ron added.

"Thanks for the flattery, Ron. I'm fine."

"Sure you wouldn't go to the hospital wing?"

"I'll be fine. I just need to have some breakfast, and besides we only have Potions this morning for one period, then we have nothing until after lunch."

"You don't look like you should be going to class, Mione," Ron told her, sounding concerned.

"I told you guys, I'm fine," Hermione, replied angrily.

"Ok, but if you are sick, make sure it's over Snape," Harry joked.

****

After breakfast Hermione somehow managed to get down to the dungeons. Her sore and tired body still protested having to move. She walked into the scary and gloomy-looking classroom that was filled with various odd-looking pickled potions ingredients, and there was little light coming through the small windows that were positioned high up the walls, almost touching the ceiling. The classroom was almost full, and chattering noisily, as she was one of the last people to enter the room. Quickly and quietly she went and sat down in her normal place beside Neville and Harry. She didn't even hear either Harry or Neville asking if she was okay, she was too busy thinking about the churning she was feeling in her stomach. She was also beginning to wonder if she had caught the flu.

*Not much can be done for the flu even in the wizarding world,* she thought to herself, shivering, feeling colder than usual. *Must be running a temperature.*

She was also regretting having eaten anything this morning as she was fighting the urge to be sick. She was so busy clenching her teeth, trying not to throw up, that she didn't notice when Professor Snape entered the room. She looked up suddenly, and all the other students around her already had their cauldrons out and were preparing ingredients.

"Miss Granger, would you care to explain why you have not been paying attention in my class?" Professor Severus Snape was now standing behind his usually very alert student. He had never seen her this distracted, not for the past six years she had been under his tutelage.

Hermione felt her stomach give a lurch, and was afraid to open her mouth. She had to get out now. She stood up, turning around sharply and ran into Snape. She was so desperate to get out of the classroom, she had forgotten he was there.

"20 points from Gryffindor for not paying attention in class, and for not looking where you are going."

She opened her mouth to protest, but regretted it instantly. She clapped her hands back over her mouth but it was too late. She couldn't help throwing up now, and did so all over herself and Professor Snape. *Now I'm in for it. *

The other students in the room were torn between disgust and laughter. Harry and Ron looked shocked and concerned at the same time, after all Harry was only joking when he told her to be sick over Snape.

"Well, Miss Granger. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Snape asked, his voice dangerously low and silky. His face was expressionless. "If you were feeling ill why did you not go to the hospital wing?"

Hermione tried to say she was sorry but nothing came out. A heavy feeling came over her and she passed out.

****

Hermione awoke to feel a pillow under her head and warm sunlight on her face. She opened her eyes, and after a few seconds recognized the whitewashed walls of the Hospital Wing.

She sat up in bed and looked around, wondering how she got there. Then with a flash of embarrassment she remembered the events of her last Potions lesson.

Madame Pomfrey the medi-witch came up to where Hermione was sitting, holding a container with what looked like Pepperup Potion. "Here you go, drink this up dear. I'm afraid there's not much I can do for you, since you have the flu. Just rest for the next week and you'll be as good as new."

Hermione drank down the potion, Madame Pompfrey handed to her. She felt a lot warmer now, and noticed that her hair was smoking. It alarmed her at first, but then she calmed as she remembered that it was just a side effect of the potion. *Oh God, Potions!* "H-How did I get here?"

"Professor Snape brought you in, and I sent him away after he told me what happened. He was rather smelly. So it would be best to avoid him a few days."

*A few months more like, pity I have to sit in a class with him --* "But I have him tomorrow!"

"No you don't! You are to go back to your dorm and stay in bed. If I hear of you getting out to go to class or the library or anything of the sort, you are going to be staying here till you get better."

"Yes, Ma'm."

"Now of to bed with you for at least 4 days. Then I want you to report back to me."

So after being dismissed, Hermione politely excused herself and dragged herself back to her dormitory.

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A/N: Yes, unlikely she would be sent away, just bear with me; it's part of the plot line, because what is going to happen next would be less likely to happen if she stayed.

Big thank you to my wonderful beta, who I think this story would be complete crap without.