Revelation

REVELATION

CHAPTER TWO-SCHOOL SPIRIT

I shrugged Ron's hand off, but deep down in my heart, I knew it was true. I felt tears forming in my eyes.

Hermione's eyes were closed and her head was turned away from me. Mud had gotten caked in her hair.

There was silence when suddenly, Hermione let out a cough and began coughing up a lot of water. She had turned on her side.

"Hermione! THANK GOD!" I cried relieved.

Hermione was still coughing up water and when she was finally done, she began shivering. She looked pale and sick.

"The M-Marwizjol dragged m-me down and I f-felt the sucker dig into m-my ankle," Hermione gasped.

"Someone go and get Dumbledore!" Hagrid yelled.

Lavender eagerly ran full speed back to the castle.

I remained hovering over Hermione.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine," I said softly but I was biting my lip, trying to believe my own words.

Hermione just smiled.

"I would've went for her Harry, but I don' know how ter swim," Hagrid said, sounding guilty.

"It's okay, Hagrid. She'll be okay," I said reassuringly.

But he still seemed guilty and upset.

"What an oaf," Malfoy sneered. "It was his fault! He brought that dangerous beast into the school."

Hagrid looked worse after Malfoy had said that.

I glared at Malfoy. "It was not his fault! The Marwizjol was just scared of the storm and it lashed out! That's all!"

"Right Potty...stick up for the oaf," Malfoy jeered.

I pulled off my robe and covered Hermione with it to keep her from catching pneumonia.

"Shut up," Ron snapped at Malfoy.

Before Malfoy could retaliate, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape came hurrying across the grounds.

"Good heavens! Is she alright?" Professor McGonagall asked worriedly as she crouched down beside Hermione.

"Harry saved her," Parvati said.

"Well, ten points to Gryffindor. Let's get Miss Granger up to Madam Pomfrey," Professor McGonagall said.

Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and magicked Hermione onto a stretcher. "Class is dismissed,"

We all trooped back to the castle and Ron and I followed Dumbledore up to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey kept Hermione warm with blankets and Tylender Potion which, was used to stop any pneumonia signs from settling in. Then, she put a Saxem salve on the spot where the Marwizjol injected the mild poison.

"She should be as good as new," Madam Pomfrey said softly.

Feeling a bit better, I sat down beside Hermione on the bed. Ron was sitting in a chair beside me.

HERMIONE.

I lay, in one of the cots under two blankets and I was already starting to feel better. Harry was sitting on the edge of my bed next to my thigh and Ron was sitting in a chair.

"Thanks for saving me, Harry," I said quietly. "I was terrified."

"I'm sure," Harry said gently. "It's no problem."

"Don't be so modest. That was heroic," I replied.

Harry just blushed and shrugged but there was a look on his face that said something was bothering him deeply.

"What's wrong, Harry?" I asked.

"It's what happened. Hermione, you were clinically dead for 15 minutes. It was sort of a miracle that you came back at all," Harry replied quietly.

"WHAT?" I asked shocked.

Harry nodded.

"How do you know?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"I grew up with Muggles, remember? The Dursley's don't know this but I took a Muggle CPR class. They thought I had gone over to Mrs. Figgs for a bit but I went to the nearby hospital," Harry explained. "I recognized the signs. Your brain was deprived of oxygen for fifteen minutes. Normally a brain can't go ten with out oxygen."

I sat, absorbing all this in. I was dead for fifteen minutes? Oh my God...

Ron looked even paler and when he spoke, his voice was wobbly.

"Look, Hermione's okay now...let's just forget it okay?"

I sank deeper under the blankets and fell quickly asleep.

The next morning, I awoke to find Ron and Harry gone. Naturally. They couldn't stay in the hospital wing with me overnight. Madam Pomfrey came in to check on me.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked gently as she checked on my ankle.

The wound was completely gone. Then, she pricked my finger with a Oppet, to check and make sure the poison was gone from my blood.

"Better," I replied.

Madam Pomfrey consulted the Oppet and smiled. "Good news...the poison is gone from your blood. You are free to go,"

I grinned and climbed out of the cot.

"If you feel sick at any time, don't hesitate to come back okay?" she asked.

I nodded and proceeded to leave the hospital wing.

I entered the Great Hall and immediately, the Gryffindors looked up and broke into a loud cheer. I couldn't help but grin as I walked up the aisle between the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. I took my seat next to Harry. Ron was sitting across from us. I got slaps on the back and hugs from Parvati, Lavender and the first year named Amy.

"My God...you must have been terrified!" Amy gushed.

"I was, but I don't really remember much," I said honestly.

Amy looked as if she had swallowed a piece of squid. "You poor thing!"

I gave her a friendly smile and then turned my attention back to Ron and Harry.

The cheering died down and the Gryffindors returned to their breakfasts.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Great," I said grinning at him. "Madam Pomfrey checked my blood with an Oppet and said that all the poison is gone from the blood. I'm okay."

Harry and Ron looked relieved.

"Hey Mudblood!" Malfoy called across the Hall. "I heard you were 'clinically' dead....what a shame it wasn't final."

"Shut up!" Harry snapped back across at him.

"Might I suggest that everyone eat and refrain themselves from tearing each others heads off? I don't think Miss Granger is up to that just yet," Professor McGonagall scolded loudly.

Malfoy was silent now.

I just happened to glance up at the entrance to the Great Hall. I saw a girl, about 13 standing there. She was dressed in a pearl white nightgown. Her hair was fluffed around her shoulders. She had red stains on the front of the gown. But what sent chills down my spine was the way she was looking at me. She had this taunting, evil smile. I grabbed Harry's arm.

"What's wrong?" he asked alarmed.

"Do you see that girl standing by the entrance way?" I whispered.

Harry followed my gaze.

"No," he said.

He carefully scrutinized me. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

I blinked and she was gone.

"Yeah. It probably was just a second year," I muttered.

Ron went back to his eggs but Harry however, kept his eyes on me for a bit before returning to his French Toast.

After breakfast, we went to Potions. Professor Snape, to my surprise, didn't pressure me into doing my potion, which Ron and Harry found odd. Secretly, I was a little relieved. Maybe Dumbledore told him not to force me to class work just yet. I just crossed my arms on the desk and rested my chin on top of my arm. My hair fell around my face framing my honey/brown eyes.

"Miss Granger?" Professor Snape's voice came from beside me.

I jumped from being startled and sat up straighter.

"Yes sir?" I asked politely.

"You will make up this class tomorrow," Professor Snape said. "I was told to let you rest today from the Headmaster."

"Yes sir. Thank you," I said.

Professor Snape returned to making his rounds. Naturally, Ron's potion was not the right color. Harry's was though. We were making the Coyelen Potion, which was used to treat colds. It was supposed to be a light red color. Ron's was burgundy. Snape deducted 10 points from Gryffindor while Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind Professor Snape's back.

Harry gave them a dirty look before returning to his potion.

When class was over, we headed to Charms.

"God those gits are impossible!" Ron growled angrily.

"You mean those 'girls'," Harry muttered.

Ron laughed.

While Professor Flitwick taught us the Protean Charm, which I used last year to put a spell on coins so the D.A would know if the meetings had changed, I looked out the window. Apparently, Dumbledore told all of my teachers to let me rest, which I was grateful for.

I saw a boy around our age walking calmly across the grounds. His robes looked torn and shabby and there was a dark liquid staining the collar of his shirt. When he looked up, I swore he saw me but there was a piece of his skull and head missing. He smiled.

I screamed.

"Miss Granger!" Professor Flitwick cried.

I felt strong but gentle hands grabbing my shoulder. I snapped around in my seat. Professor Flitwick was gently holding onto my shoulders. Ron and Harry looked scared.

"Are you alright dear?" he asked.

"I-I saw s-someone on the grounds! A-a piece of their head was g-gone!" I stammered feeling my stomach starting to churn.

Ron peered outside.

"There's no one there now, Hermione," Ron said.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I heard Harry ask beside me.

"Maybe you should take her back to Madam Pomfrey," Professor Flitwick suggested gently.

Harry nodded and he led me out of the classroom while Malfoy was laughing, which resulted in Professor Flitwick deducting 20 points from Slytherin. The laughing stopped immediately behind us.

I stopped in the corridor and faced the wall. I lightly began banging my head on the wall.

"Hey...what's gotten into you? Stop," Harry said seizing my shoulders.

"I'm loosing my freekin' skull," I muttered.

"What's going on? Please tell me the truth," Harry said, facing me.

His emerald green eyes caught the sunlight and the light reflected across his face. His eyes were filled with concern behind his black-rimmed glasses. He folded his arms across his chest somewhat hiding his robe and uniform.

"I'm seeing people," I replied taking a deep breath. "But yet they aren't alive...they couldn't be."

"What do you mean? Like ghosts?" Harry asked.

"Yeah and not the ones we have here...these ghosts seem different," I replied closing my eyes.

"Different? How?" Harry asked.

"I don't know...but these are not school spirits...they're not from this age," I replied re-opening my eyes.

"You mean you're seeing ghosts from different times?" Harry said slowly.

I nodded.

Harry was silent.

"I'm not crazy!" I cried.

Harry held up his hand. "I didn't say you were,"

"You believe me?" I asked incredulously.

Harry nodded.

Relief flooded over me as I lunged forward and threw my arms around Harry's neck. I gave him a big hug.

"Thank you for believing me!" I sobbed into his shoulder.

"Hey..." Harry said as he gently pulled back from the embrace. "It just seems a little weird that you died but then came back. But I'm glad. I don't know what I would do without you. You saved my ass a few times."

I grinned as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands.

"Let's go back to class and we'll tell Ron," Harry said.

We linked arms and headed back to class.

After Charms we had about 30 minutes before Transfiguration. Harry and I sat down and told Ron.

He looked at us when we were finished and had a blank expression on his face.

"Hermione, I really think you need help," he said slowly and concerned.

"You don't believe me?" I cried.

Ron shook his head. "Blimey, I mean it does sound a little weird that she's seeing ghosts...probably the ones here in school. Nothing more,"

"These are not ghosts from school, Ron! They're different!" I yelled at him.

"I'm sorry Hermione," Ron said looking upset. "But I'm really concerned about you though."

He turned to Harry. "And I can't believe you don't see the fact that Hermione is sick,"

Harry narrowed his eyes at Ron.

"For starters, Hermione wouldn't lie. That' s not her. Why would she start lying now when she has never in the beginning?"

Ron was silent. "I don't know but I'm really skeptical about ghosts,"

"Why? We've seen stuff that Muggles wouldn't believe!" Harry argued. "Like giant spiders, giants and Lord Voldemort."

Ron just shook his head and left the common room to head to bed. I just glared at him. I couldn't believe he was acting this way.

"At least you believe me," I said softly and quietly.

Harry turned to me.

"Of course. How could I not?" he said sounding surprised.

Grinning and feeling a bit better, I stood up and headed to the girls' dorms.

Around midnight, I felt the room get extremely cold. I shivered and pulled the covers up over me tighter, but when I opened my eyes, my breath was coming out in puffs of steam. I looked around. The other girls were normal. Their breaths were not visible. I sat up and blinked.

Standing at the edge of my bed was a girl dressed in the Hogwarts robes, but the house colors looked more like Ravenclaw.

She looked like she had been burned. Her robes were shredded and her skin was red and raw looking. She reached into her robes and pulled out what looked like a lighter. I watched her nervously. She flicked the flame on and lowered it to my bed sheets. I screamed as hot flames began licking the bottom of the bed.