The Yule Ball (Harry & Hermione)

Unsure

Author's Note: Hey guys! Thank you all for your support and encouraging comments in my previous chapters. I'm incredibly sorry for the long wait as I know all of you have been anticipating this chapter after the cliffhanger. Wattpad has been quite annoying, it keeps deleting my drafts and thus I have to rewrite everything two times. Anyway, thank you all for your patience. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Harry's POV

I didn't know what to think. What to believe. I couldn't process the shocking scene in front of me. Madam Pomfrey? It just doesn't make sense!

I held my breath as she stalked past me as I sat there. Invisible. I closed my eyes and tried to replay the image in my head once more. It proved to be impossible.

Curious, I slowly crept towards the bed where Hermione lay, careful not to make a sound. Not a sound to give it away.

As I walked towards my best friend however, my plan took a sharp turn into failure. Hermione started to choke, her gasps of agony reverberating around the room. This caused Madam Pomfrey to scuttle back into the room.

I immediately took as many steps back as I could, narrowly missing Madam Pomfrey as she hurried towards the bed. I heaved a sigh of relief, only to be cut short by Madam Pomfrey's harsh words.

"You've been a very good patient Hermione. I'm sorry for this but I have to do it, you know why. You'll fall for him eventually and he'll be happy." With that, she gently tucked Hermione back into bed and left as quickly as she arrived.

Thoughts and wonders zoomed into my head in a flash. What was going on? What did all those things Madam Pomfrey said mean? And the question that bugged me most, even if Hermione was somehow conscious when I was beside her, how did she sense that it was me if I was under the invisibility cloak?

These thoughts filled me as I walked back to the common room, even more confused than when I left the Hospital Wing. I didn't even know how long it had been when...

"Harry! Where have you been? You skipped dinner!" Ginny's shrill voice snapped me out of my reverie.

"What... Oh... I, umm" I stuttered, unsure what to tell her.

"Luna has been looking for you everywhere, she just showed up at dinner and she's getting a scolding from Professor McGonagall! She had something very important to tell you." Ginny informed me, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, lost track of time..." I muttered, before I sped away, leaving Ginny extremely frustrated. Had Luna seen what I had seen in the Hospital Wing?

I needed time to figure this out. Hermione would be the first one I would ask for help in such a situation, but this time, she isn't here to help. It made me realise how much I needed her. How much I took her for granted when she was here to help me.

I sighed deeply, my thoughts dragging me in a million different directions. I didn't know what to thing. Furthermore, the second task was coming up soon and I had no clue what that ear-piercing shriek the egg emitted meant.

I closed my eyes and ran my hand through my ruffled hair.

This is me without you, Hermione... I thought to myself.

A real mess.