Give It a Year

“It’s not your fault Valora, I know you’re blaming yourself and besides why would it even attack you if you’re a pureblood?” Harry tried to calm me, I shook my head vigorously, my heart was thumping a million miles an hour. I thought I was going to pass out when I saw Hermione. I couldn’t talk, at all, I hadn’t of thought that it would even happen to Hermione. “She’s in shock the poor girl you won’t be getting a word out of her! She’ll be staying over-night, now shoo.” Madam Pomfrey was stern but all I could think about was Hermione. Madam Pomfrey laid me down on the bed beside Hermione, I couldn’t even look at her. I felt ashamed that I let that happen to her.

I saw Harry and Ron’s figures slowly linger at Hermione then left with Professor McGonagall. I stared up at the ceiling not being able to blink, I didn’t want to blink, I didn’t want to close my eyes because I knew the sight of her stiff shocked body would come to mind again. It was terrifying, my night, I was surrounded by all the victims who were petrified, I didn’t want to stay any longer amongst the students and others who were affected by the Basilisk. But any signs of me getting better were dull as Madam Pomfrey said to Harry and Ron who tried to visit Hermione and I. It was a sunny Tuesday, Madam Pomfrey was tending to some of the Victims, I couldn’t take it any more, not like this, I couldn’t possibly miss any more days off school and I cant just let Hermione rot there while the case wasn’t being resolved. I shot up out of bed, “I can’t take it! Madam Pomfrey I’m feeling better now could you please let me go?” she huffed and sat me back down again checking my temperature and other things.

“Alright Miss Diggory, be careful, if you feel like you might go back into shock again let someone escort you back.” She sternly told me, I nodded. “I’ll get a teacher to escort you back to your common room then to class.” I waited for a teacher, of course it had to be Professor Snape, I didn’t mind it too much since I didn’t bother him and stayed mainly to myself in his class. “Excuse me Sir?” I enquired as we walked to the common room, he was silently and huffed, “Yes?”
“I was wondering if I could have the notes from the class time I’ve missed?” I fiddled with my hands, I never really spoke to Professor Snape before, he was quite intimidating.

“Very well, due to your absence I want them in by no later than Friday.” I nodded and went into the common room changing as fast as I could giving Nyx a quick hug and holding my books. “I’ll escort you to your Herbology class and if you don’t wish to fail then I advise you retrieve your missing class work from my office at Lunch.” I nodded understanding and said nothing more, I think if I did he might get angry and take points off Gryffindor, I didn’t want that. Once I entered the Herbology rooms I was greeted happily. “Sorry I’m late professor Sprout, I just got out of the hospital wing.” I murmured, Harry and Ron grinned tapping the spot next to them. “Welcome back Diggory, was Granger in there with you? Hopefully dead I presume.” Not exactly a great way to begin things, when Professor sprout turned her back I got up and whacked my large potions book behind his head and he fell to the ground, knocked out cold. “I don’t know Malfoy, go see for yourself.” I muttered. I called out ignoring the horror on some of the students faces, preferably the Slytherin’s, “Professor Malfoy fell off his chair.”

Professor Sprout turned and looked at Malfoy who was on the ground in the most uncomfortable position. “Just leave him there, I want you to copy these notes down into your books and we’ll get straight into it!” she stated cheerfully, some Hufflepuff’s and Gryffindor’s laughed. “Now I definitely know why you’re not a Hufflepuff. Nice one.” Ron patted me on the back. They were very cautious with what they said around me, they knew how close Hermione and I were and I respected that they didn’t ask too many questions. I although was glad I was there with her when it happened, I’d rather be with her than prepping to run the Quidditch pitch and find out.

We were then escorted to Defence against the dark arts, I lingered back, just because I was back into my schooling didn’t mean I was alright. I did however have a little giggle as Crabbe and Goyle carried Draco with them to the next class. “You copped him a nice one, you’re a saint!” Ernie McMillan grinned with a thumbs up as he watched Malfoy getting dragged off. I faintly smiled and we walked into the DADA room ready to not learn. I sat up the back as per usual, the only class I didn’t care who sat beside me, this time was Blaise Zabini, he was very quiet and I didn’t mind him because he often kept to himself. I slumped down putting my head in my arms, and couldn’t care less about what Professor Lockhart was saying, “My dear Miss Diggory do you think it’s an appropriate time to be sleeping? You should be celebrating! The culprit was caught!”
“Right, whatever you say.” I rolled my eyes, my voice muffled, and not another word was said to me for the rest of the lesson.

The common room was quiet, I was alone scribbling notes on spare parchment and catching up on missed work from potions. It was late, near on heading to midnight maybe even one I assumed, the fire was dimming slowly which gave me very little light to work with. I dropped my quill mid-sentence and just remembered, Harry and Ron didn’t know the beast was a basilisk, I bit my lip and look up at the door leading to the boys dormitory. Should I? It’s against the rules, but then again everything I’ve done has been against the rules. I shook it off and decided to head off to sleep, I think I needed a well-deserved one. Especially with protection, the girls I room with are as threatening as a baby penguin, so Nyx was happy to have me sleep by her.

I awoke drowsy and had a headache, however it was strange, Hermione usually woke me. I widened my eyes and sat up looking at my watch, 4:45pm it read. Bloody hell I slept in. More than slept in actually, I over slept majorly. I showered and changed as fast as possible stumbling in the midst and ran down to the Hall hoping I’d find someone. I actually found the whole school assembled. I ran in and sat in between Ron and Harry. I panted, “I-need…to-tell-you… something-.” I could never finish the sentence as Professor McGonagall stood up on the podium and spoke, “Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrake Draught is almost complete and that the petrified victims will be restored to normal.” People cheered, I however didn’t and it stood out, “What’s wrong Valora?” Harry asked, as I was about to speak Ginny ran in looking rugged and scared. “I need.. to tell you something..I-.” another one who couldn’t spit something out without getting interrupted by someone. “Oh Ginny I’ll take that, I just got off prefect duty, thanks.” Percy took her plate and slumped in her spot as she ran off in a huff. Ron and Harry were to busy yelling at Percy to listen to me.

“Oh would you just listen for a-.” it wasn’t a surprise that I was interrupted. I threw my hands up and muttered, “fine. Work it out yourselves.” I wasn’t exactly pleased, it was a very important piece of information they were ignoring. Once the feast was over and announcements were finished with I stormed to the common room finishing my notes for charms and potions. “you reckon she’s okay?” I hear Ron whisper not so quietly. “She just misses Hermione, she was really angry at the feast did you notice?” Harry replied, I rolled my eyes and finished writing the sentence angrily. I stood up in a huff, “Because every time I try to tell whats going on I’m interrupted!” I muttered and yanked them over to my spot and whispered quietly, “I know whats in the chamber of secrets you stupid gits.” I hissed. “Well, what is it!?” Ron pressed, I rolled my eyes, “it’s a basilisk, a giant serpant, mortal enemy of spiders and other rubbish I forgot.. Hermione!” I paused loudly, “She must still have the piece of paper with all the information and how it’s getting around! Ugh how could I be so daft of course she has it!” I hit myself over the head for being so daft, Harry and Ron were relieved, “You two found out the day she was petrified? Why didn’t you tell us?!” Harry whispered, “One I couldn’t talk and two, I just got back and only remembered last night but I didn’t want to wake you.” I retorted.
“oh, well if she still has the paper than we’ll go see her tomorrow, convince Madam Pomfrey to let us through if the mandrake draught is finished.” Harry said, Ron and I nodded. “Tomorrow, then maybe the attacks will stop or we’ll have to kill it.”