The Hogwarts Poets' Society

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron finally asked. He had woken up late, despite the fact that it was Monday and he had to go to class. This meant that he had to eat his breakfast even more quickly than usual, which was saying something.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said in a very strained, high-pitched sort of voice. Judging from her tone, she obviously was not fine, but Ron Weasley wouldn't be able to pick up on subtle signals. In fact, Hermione would have had to blatantly say she was not fine. And even if she did so, Ron still might not pick up on the fact that she was not okay. He was just that dense sometimes.

"If you say so," he said, shrugging. "You just haven't said anything all morning. You weren't in the common room when I woke up and you've been acting strange."

This was a very deep understatement. Hermione was acting strange, but it was more than just a little bit strange. She wasn't speaking, she wasn't eating, and most of all, she wasn't studying.

"Of course she's not okay, you dolt!" snapped Lavender Brown. "What happened, Hermione, you can tell us!"

"No, no, really, I'm fine," Hermione repeated. Ron shrugged his shoulders. Just then, Harry walked into the Great Hall. As soon as Hermione saw him, she blanched and stood up.

"Hermione, you haven't eaten anything," Ron said.

"I'm not hungry!"

"Well, the mail hasn't even come yet," Ron said. "You ought to stay until the mail comes, at least." He tugged at her robes to get her to sit down. Finally, she heeded the annoying tugging, though she really didn't know why.

"Good morning, Ron. Good morning, Hermione," said Harry cheerfully. He, of course, had been so sleepy that he hadn't realized Hermione had seen him in the Room of Requirement.

Hermione said nothing. She was feeling a bit nauseous, to be honest.

"Er, are you okay Hermione?" he asked, feeling genuinely concerned. "You don't look so great."

"Am I okay?" she whispered dangerously. Something flashed in her eyes-fury, nausea, hatred-and Harry picked up on this. He was sure what it was, but he was afraid to find out. Something about her tone made the whole situation worse. If she would just shout, thought Harry desperately, it would be all over.

"Sorry I asked," he said sarcastically. Wrong move!

"No, Harry James Potter, I am not okay!" she said in a hushed voice that wasn't quite a whisper. The entire Gryffindor table silenced and turned to look at Hermione. Harry was speechless.

"What's going on?" asked Dean Thomas, confused. He was shushed by half of the table.

"Would you be okay, Harry, if you were to find that one of your best friends disappeared in the middle of the night? And this is after you were locked in a closet for the weekend! I was up all night worrying about you. Then I went to Professor Snape. I thought, well, maybe this has something to do with the Plan of Imminent Doom. Perhaps you've been locked in a cupboard," she said. She was trembling slightly, Harry noticed.

"Well, I'm just fine," he said. "So, you don't have a crisis to solve today!"

This stab at diplomacy was badly received.

"Shut up and let me finish!" Hermione hissed. "Then we find you in the bloody Room of Requirement."

Harry paled and his heart started to thud. She knows, he thought desperately.

"Hermione, not here!" he said quickly. Something similar to triumph flew through her eyes now.

"And who do you think I saw in there with you, Harry?" she asked, realizing that she had him trapped.

"I don't know, Hermione," he lied, blushing full well and feeling shamed and betrayed and confused and more.

"Oh? Don't you remember who you shagged last night?" she taunted. Her voice had gone up to a high, jaunty taunt.

"Hermione!" Harry pleaded.

"Well, I wonder how you're feeling today," Hermione said, as though she were going to keep his confidence. "I've heard Draco Malfoy is great in bed."

The entire table gasped simultaneously. Some started to laugh, others looked a bit nauseous.

Harry felt very unmanly tears well up in his eyes, and he fled from the Great Hall. Ron looked horrified at her.

"I can't believe you did that," he said sadly to Hermione and ran after Harry.