Catching Her Heart Pt. 1

Chapter 39

"Ms Granger."

Hermione blinked, opening her eyes and stretched, her moving her arm up by her head, blinking again and moving her fingers. Realising what she'd done, she turned to stare at her flesh coloured hand and moved her fingers independently once more.

"Ms Granger."

At the sound of her name, she turned back and saw Madam Pomfrey was standing at her bedside, looking at her expectantly.

"Good morning," Hermione told her and sat up. She blinked again, and took in the fact that this morning, she was indeed back to normal.

"Good morning, Ms Granger," Madam Pomfrey said. "You may return to class today, it is nearly time for breakfast, but before you go, I would like to speak with you in my office."

"Alright," Hermione said with a nod.

"I will leave you to get dressed and meet you after I check on my other patients. You can let yourself in and wait for me there."

Hermione nodded once more and the matron was gone. Reaching under her pillow, Hermione collected the letters she had received from Oliver and reached over, picking up the animated sketch of the cat, placing it on top before putting them back on the bedside table. She swung her feet out of bed and sat on the edge, wiggling her toes for a few minutes before she got up and picked up the uniform that was lying in the chair by the bed, freshly laundered and waiting for her.

Once she was dressed, she combed her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out and flatten it a bit. Though she was loath to admit it, that was one thing she missed about being a cat, at least she'd had smooth fur. She picked up the stack of letters and folded them, tucked them into the pocket of her robes before making her way to Madam Pomfrey's office.

"Thank you for meeting me, Ms Granger," Madam Pomfrey said when she entered her office to find Hermione sitting there.

"Of course," Hermione said.

Madam Pomfrey sighed and sat down, studying her a moment before she spoke.

"You know, Ms Granger," she said calmly. "I really wish you had more faith in me."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione said, wrinkling her brow in confusion.

"I have to admit that you have some good, devoted friends," Madam Pomfrey clarified. "Friends willing to put their own academic careers on the line for you when you make a mistake, friends willing to help you through the time when your own academic career could suffer. I must say that not many people have friends like you do. Now, I won't say anything to Professor McGonagall about anything that has occurred, that is on your conscience, not mine. However, I wish that you had enough faith in me after I had helped you in the past to warrant telling me about the mistake made in the Polyjuice Potion."

Hermione swallowed, paling and blinking in surprise, before lowering her head as shame filled her. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I-it was stupid," she admitted. "I should have come to you about it."

"Yes," Madam Pomfrey agreed. "You should have. I could have helped correct the situation sooner, had I known. You would have still missed out on some classes, but not as many as you did."

Hermione swallowed again and nodded her head.

"Now, as I said, I won't say anything to Professor McGonagall, I will leave it to you whether or not you do. I don't know for certain why you were making Polyjuice Potion, but I have my suspicions. I assume that Mr Potter and Mr Weasley were involved since they came to visit you?"

Hermione nodded.

"And they took the potion as well?"

"Yes," Hermione said quietly.