Bad Moonlight

"BAD MOONLIGHT."

Chapter one-Unwell.

The girl hurried up the stairs. She had been coming out of one of the dungeons after a talk with the professor when It had appeared and began chasing her. She tripped on one of the steps and went sprawling face first on to the middle of the staircase. It was behind her. She could hear it breathing and growling. She could smell it. It smelled like a dog that hadn't bathed in weeks mixed with gasoline. She shakily turned over. It was hovering over her. She screamed and began trying to scramble away. It lashed out with a huge hand-like paw and dark nails caught her across the leg, tearing her robe and into her skin. Its bright, evil, jaundice colored eyes were locked on hers. She screamed again and got to her feet. She ran into her common room in time just as the portrait hole swung closed behind her, locking it out in the corridor.

She collapsed.

"Hey, Hermione? You're drooling," said Ron.

Her head snapped up. She had crossed her arms on top of her desk in the library and had dozed off.

"Oh. Sorry," said Hermione wiping the corner of her mouth.

I studied her.

"Are you okay, Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry. I'm fine. Why are you asking?" asked Hermione straightening her robe.

"You've been sleeping a lot during the day, then seemed wired at night," I said, frowning.

"It's just the work Professor McGonagall gives. I'm fine. I promise," said Hermione, flashing a grin at me.

I still felt there was something wrong with her. She didn't seem to be acting like her normal self. She seemed a bit more laid back and relaxed. The spooky thing is when she gets angry, she gets angry. I remember one time last week she went off on Malfoy and scratched him real good to the point that Madam Pomfrey had to magically heal the scratches and that wasn't the only thing that was weird. When I looked into her eyes after she scratched Malfoy, they had an orange-gold tint to them. I told Ron what I had seen and he reckoned it was the lighting, but non-the less believed me.

I looked at Ron. Even with the load of work Professor McGonagall was giving, it still didn't explain why Hermione slept during the day and was wide-awake at night. From the look on Ron's face, I knew he was thinking the same thing.

"But Hermione, even with the work, it doesn't explain why you're doing that. You aren't taking Evelor at night, are you?" asked Ron.

Evelor is a caffeine pill wizards and witches use for reversing the effect of the Sluggish Curse. The Sluggish Curse causes the person to become lazy, slow at understanding things, sleepy, and to have reduced energy. One pill quickly restores them to their normal state. Too many causes the person to almost split apart from wanting to do too many things at one time.

Hermione's dark brown eyes narrowed dangerously.

"No. I would appreciate it if you dropped it. I told you I am fine,"

I threw Ron a warning look saying, "Let it go,"

He nodded and we fell silent.

Truthfully, I was wondering the same thing. I was worried about her more. I just wanted to help her. I haven't told Ron this, but I loved Hermione...more than a best friend. I have since the first year. It's now our 5^th year at Hogwarts. Fred and George were a year a head of us. Ginny was now a 4^th year and Percy was still the Prefect of Gryffindor.

"Let's get to Potions, okay?" I said, forcing a grin.

"Yeah. We've got a test today," moaned Ron as we stood up, gathering our stuff and headed out of the library and out into the corridor.

Ron walked ahead, while I hung back with Hermione.

"Hermione, what is really going on? This isn't like you," I whispered so that Ron couldn't hear.

She sighed.

"I don't know. I feel so tired during the day, and when the night comes, I'm full of energy. I don't understand what's happening," said Hermione quietly.

"Why didn't you tell us in the first place?" I whispered back keeping my eyes on her as a group of Ravenclaws were standing by one of the classrooms and me not really paying attention, I jostled two of them.

"Because I wasn't sure I understood it myself,"

"Oh," I said quietly.

"It's so weird," said Hermione pressing the heel of her hand against her forehead. She stopped walking and winced.

"What's wrong?" I demanded as I also stopped walking and stood beside her. I gently grabbed her arm just above the elbow.

"I just got sharp headache," said Hermione, lowering her hand.

"I'm really worried about you. I think you should go to Madam Pomfrey and have her check you out," I said, peering into her eyes.

"Yeah, I reckon you're right," said Hermione. "Why don't you tell Professor Snape that I went to Madam Pomfrey."

"Okay. No problem," I said, as I watched her start toward the hospital wing. Ron had stopped walking ahead and then approached me, following my gaze to the direction Hermione had gone.

"Where's Hermione?" asked Ron, looking at me.

"She went to Madam Pomfrey's to get checked out. She just got a serious headache and I'm worried about her," I said, still not able to take my eyes away from the direction.

"'Arry, Hermione will be fine," said Ron, energetically waving a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Earth to Harry."

I jumped.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I know. Let's go tell Snape where she went," I said, as Ron and I began walking to the dungeons.

_____________*******************____________

Madam Pomfrey looked up as Hermione Granger entered the hospital wing.

"What can I do for you?" asked Madam Pomfrey softly.

"I've been feeling funny for a while. I'm tired during the day, but energetic at night. Plus, I just got a bad headache just before," said Hermione.

"Okay. Have a seat," said Madam Pomfrey, gesturing to one of the empty cots. Hermione sat on the edge of the cot.

Across from her, was another cot with the coverings pulled around it, shielding someone from view. Madam Pomfrey came over to her and began checking her out. She took a small blood sample by pricking Hermione's index finger. Madam Pomfrey touched the tip of her wand to the index finger and Hermione's finger healed immediately.

"Rest here for the night so I can keep an eye on you. I'm going to go over that sample," said Madam Pomfrey as Hermione laid down on the cot and curled up into a ball. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Madam Pomfrey checked over the sample. She couldn't believe what she saw. She had to tell the headmaster right away. She left the hospital wing and carefully closed the door behind her not wanting to disturb Hermione. She hurried to the headmaster's office.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in," called the headmaster.

Madam Pomfrey entered the office.

"Ah, Madam Pomfrey. How can I help you?" asked Professor Dumbledore delightedly.

"You really need to see this," said Madam Pomfrey as she handed Professor Dumbledore the blood sample, which was on a small strip of paper, which magically searched for disease, bacteria, or any unusual activity in the blood. It would turn green if there were unusual activity. For disease and bacteria, it turned yellow. Then, the name of the bacteria or disease would magically appear in the upper right hand corner, as well as what unusual activity was in the blood. Professor Dumbledore looked at the results.

"Oh my," said Professor Dumbledore. "Whose blood is this?"

"Hermione Granger's," said Madam Pomfrey.

"Oh dear. This is strange. We haven't had one of them in the castle since the 3^rd year," said Professor Dumbledore.

"I know, but in order for Miss. Granger to be one, there has to be one in the castle we don't know about. What shall we do? We can't take blood from every student. It would take forever," said Madam Pomfrey.

"We're just going to have to keep sharp eyes out for anything for now,"

Madam Pomfrey nodded and turned to head out of the office.

She checked her watch. It was three o'clock. She decided to go back to the hospital wing.

_____________****************___________

I looked up from the potion I had just dropped a ladybug into when the dungeon door opened. I was expecting it to be Hermione, but it wasn't. It was Neville Longbottom.

"Longbottom, you're late," snapped Professor Snape.

"I-I know sir. I'm sorry. I had dozed off...don't know why I'm falling asleep so much," stammered Neville as he took his seat in front of us.

Ron and I looked at each other and raised our eyebrows.

Weird.

"Five points from Gryffindor and where is Miss Granger?" asked Professor Snape, turning his dark eyes onto Ron and I.

"She's probably still in the hospital wing, sir. Perhaps she's really sick," I offered.

Snape narrowed his eyes and turned on his heel to walk toward the blackboard, his black robes billowing out behind him. His shoulder length greasy black hair was hanging against his shoulders, framing that stiff expression he always wore when someone came into the class late, or was missing from class.

"Where is Hermione? It's almost the end of the class. She can't be that sick...could she?" whispered Ron, leaning close.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out when classes are over,"

After Transfiguration, Ron and I rushed to the hospital wing and entered it. We saw Hermione curled up on one of the cots fast asleep. Madam Pomfrey was tending to someone lying on a cot across from Hermione's, but the coverings were drawn.

"Madam Pomfrey? How's Hermione?" I demanded.

Madam Pomfrey jumped a mile.

"Oh. Sorry," I said, sheepishly.

Madam Pomfrey closed the coverings around the cot more and came over to us.

"Miss. Granger is very sick. I need to keep an eye on her,"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"She's got Trackles," said Madam Pomfrey quickly.

"Trackles? Blimey, where'd she get that?" asked Ron.

Trackles was the equivalent to the Measles and Mumps, but when it hits a witch or wizard, it's ten times worse. The witch or wizard sleeps a lot, has trouble thinking and gets very bad headaches.

"Probably just a fluke. Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," said Madam Pomfrey ushering us out of the wing.

"Can we at least see her?" I asked.

"No. Sorry. She needs her rest and medicine. When she's back to herself, I'll let you know," said Madam Pomfrey as we stepped out into the hall and the door closed behind us, catching my robe. I angrily tugged it out from the door.

"Did you get the feeling that Madam Pomfrey wasn't telling us everything?" I asked.

"Yeah. What do you reckon we should do?" asked Ron.

I grinned.

"Time for the Invisibility Cloak,"

Late that night, around midnight, Ron and I snuck out of Gryffindor's common room under the cloak. It was hot underneath it but we carefully made our way up to the hospital wing. The corridor was lit only by torches, which gave it an eerie look and feel to it.

As I passed by one of the windows, I just happened to glance out. A full moonlight hung in a midnight sky. Clouds moved over it, briefly covering it. Ron and I continued.

We waited outside the wing as quietly as we could.

"Hey, 'Arry. I just realized something," whispered Ron.

"What?" I whispered back.

"I haven't seen Ginny in any of our classes,"

I frowned, deep in thought.

He was right. We saw Ginny in our classes last week, but now, I haven't seen one hide or hair from her.

"You just realized that now? I know. It's weird,"

"I was so busy thinking about Hermione that I forgot. I'm worried about Ginny. I wonder if she's in the dorm room sick and no one knows," whispered Ron.

"I don't know, but that's the second mystery we're going to solve,"

Just then, there was a scream from inside the wing. Ron and I pressed our backs against the wall as we heard a thud, then something charging the door. The next thing we knew, a huge shape burst through the door. The splintered halves fell to the floor. I felt Ron gripping my arm tightly as the shape stood up on two legs. My jaw dropped.