10 Chapter 10

Hermione pov ***

Hermione had been looking forward to the Halloween feast for weeks. As a Hufflepuff, she was excited to see the Great Hall decorated in black and orange and to indulge in all of the delicious treats that the Hogwarts kitchen had prepared. However, as she sat down at the Hufflepuff table and began to load her plate with pumpkin pasties and cauldron cakes, she felt a sudden cramp in her stomach.

"Oh no," she thought to herself. "Not now."

Hermione excused herself from the table and made her way out of the Great Hall. She knew that the closest bathroom was on the second floor, so she began to climb the stairs, her hand pressed tightly against her stomach. She felt embarrassed that she had to leave the feast early, but she couldn't help the pain. As she reached the second-floor landing, Hermione noticed that the corridor was empty. She sighed in relief, grateful that she wouldn't have to explain herself to anyone. She made her way down the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

Finally, she reached the bathroom and pushed open the door. She made her way to one of the stalls and closed the door behind her. She sat down on the toilet and closed her eyes, trying to relax. The pain in her stomach began to subside, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She leaned back against the stall door and listened to the sound of her breathing. It was a peaceful moment, and she was grateful for the respite from the noise and chaos of the Halloween feast. Suddenly, she heard a loud crash that echoed through the bathroom. Hermione's eyes shot open, and her heart started pounding in her chest. She listened carefully, but she couldn't hear anything else. Maybe it was just her imagination? Just as she was about to dismiss the noise and leave the stall, she heard it again. This time, it was followed by a low growling sound. Hermione's mind raced as she tried to figure out what was going on. Was it Harriet trying to scare her or Tonks? She slowly stood up from the toilet, trying not to make any noise. She tiptoed over to the stall door and pressed her ear against it. She could hear the sound of heavy footsteps, and the growling was getting louder. Panic set in as Hermione realized that it wasn't a prank. It was a troll, and it was heading towards her. She quickly scanned the bathroom, searching for a place to hide. But there was nowhere to go. She was trapped.

Hermione's mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. But she knew that she was no match for a troll. she was in danger and trapped by a troll, fear gripped her heart. She couldn't move, couldn't think straight, and all she could do was cower in fear. She was helpless, and it seemed like the troll was going to crush her any moment. But just as she thought it was all over, she saw a figure creeping up behind the troll. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and the troll stumbled forward, disoriented. Before she knew it, someone had grabbed her and pulled her to safety. She looked up to see who it was and was shocked to find that it was a man she has never seen in the castle. Was he a seventh-year?

Hermione was both grateful and angry at the same time. She couldn't believe what was happening, but she knew that she was safe now. She wanted to ask questions, but the man didn't give her a chance. Instead, he hit her neck, and Hermione felt herself growing drowsy. The next thing she knew, she was in the hospital wing being examined by Mme. Pomfrey Hermione blinked several times, trying to clear her head. She was disoriented and confused, and it took a few moments for her to realize where she was."The hospital wing?" she muttered, her voice hoarse.

"Yes, Miss Granger," came the soft voice of Madam Pomfrey. "You took a hit in the neck making you sleep."

Hermione sat up slowly, wincing as she did so. She looked around the room and saw Tonks and several other students from her house standing at the foot of her bed.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice still groggy.

Tonks stepped forward. "We were at the Halloween feast when Dumbledore interrupted us. He asked if anyone had seen anything suspicious, and that's when we heard about the troll."

"You were attacked by a troll," said Dumbledore, who had just entered the hospital wing. "Can you tell me what you saw?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "The troll? I remember! Is it still in the bathroom?"

"No, it's been taken care of," Tonks said quickly. "But we were wondering if you saw anything. Did you see who killed the troll?"

Hermione's mind raced. She remembered the boy who had saved her, but she didn't know who he was. "I...I didn't see who killed the troll," she said finally. "But there was a boy who saved me. He stunned the troll and pulled me to safety."

It was at this moment that Pomona Sprout came in said asked "Can you first tell me what you were doing in a bathroom at this moment?"

Hermione took a deep breath and began to recount the events from the start. She told them about feeling sick and going to the bathroom, and then about the troll entering the school. She described how the troll had chased her and how she had been saved by a boy who had stunned the troll and helped her to safety.

Dumbledore listened intently, his expression unreadable. "Do you know who this boy was?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I never saw his face. But he was brave. He saved my life."

"I see," said Dumbledore. "Thank you for sharing your story with us, Miss Granger. We will do everything in our power to find out who this boy is and to ensure that he is properly rewarded for his bravery."

Hermione nodded, still feeling a bit dazed. She couldn't believe that she had been so close to danger and that she had been saved by a stranger. She wondered who he was, and if she would ever meet him again. As Mme. Pomfrey finished examining her, Hermione couldn't help but feel afraid. She smiled weakly at Harriet and Tonks, grateful for their concern.

Harriet pov ***

When I heard from Tonks that Hermione was in the Hospital wing I panicked, She was one of the first friends I made who didn't care about my status as the daughter of my father. If she died, I don't know what I would do. I quickly made my way to the hospital wing, bursting through the door to find Hermione lying in a bed with Madam Pomfrey attending to her.

"Hermione, are you okay?" I asked, rushing over to her side after she finished her discussion with the Headmaster.

"I'm fine, Harriet," Hermione replied weakly. "I just had a bit of a scare."

"So what is it about this boy saving you?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"I was in the bathroom on the second floor when a troll came in," Hermione explained. "I tried to hide, but it found me. Then, this boy came in and saved me."

"A boy?" I repeated, my interest piqued. "Who was he?"

"I don't know," Hermione said with a shrug. "But he was amazing. He took down the troll with just his wand."

I couldn't believe it. A first-year student had taken down a troll? That was something incredible. Although Bella and Andi had tutored me in magie I wasn't at a level to do that without using the Dark Art from what I heard about them from Narcissa I wondered who this boy could be and if I had ever seen him before.

"Did you get his name or his appearance?" I asked.

"No, I didn't, I never saw his face. He was wearing a hooded cloak." Hermione admitted. "But I think he might be a Ravenclaw. He had their colors on his robes."

I nodded thoughtfully, making a mental note to keep an eye out for this mysterious boy.

As I left the hospital wing, my mind was racing. Who was this mystery boy? And why had he risked his safety to save Hermione? I was determined to find out, even if it meant doing a little detective work of my own.

Over the next few days, I talked to anyone who might have information about the incident. I even asked the professors if they had seen anything suspicious. But no one seemed to know anything about the boy in the hooded cloak frustrating me. Just when I was about to give up, I ran into Lucinda Malfoy in the hallway. Lucinda was like my older sister, Aunt Narcissa had obtained her custody five years ago when her father's affair had been discovered. She was a tall woman with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She was cold and aloof and walked with an air of superiority as if she was better than everyone else. I knew that she was in Slytherin so it didn't brother me that much. It was only when I approached her that this aura diminished a little.

"Hey, little sister," Lundinda said, smiling. "What's up?"

"I'm trying to find out who saved Hermione from the troll," I said. "Do you have any idea who it might be?"

Lucinda's face lit up. "I think I might know," she said. "Come with me."

She led me to the Slytherin common room, where we sat down in front of the fireplace.

"So, who is it?" I asked eagerly.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking. "I don't know his name," she said. "But I saw him in the corridors before the feast, just before Hermione went missing. He was wearing a hooded cloak. From his height, he should have been a third year"

My heart skipped a beat. Could this be the same boy that Hermione had mentioned? It seemed too much of a coincidence.

"Do you have any idea where he might be now?" I asked.

Lucinda shook his head. "No, I haven't seen him since that night," he said. "But I'll keep an eye out for him."

I thanked Lucinda and left the Slytherin common room, my mind racing with possibilities. Who was this boy in the hooded cloak? And why was he so mysterious? I was determined to find out.