Catching Her Heart Pt. 1

Chapter 12

Hermione skipped not just one class, but multiple classes for the first time ever that day. She just couldn't seem to get her emotions under control or stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Parvati had entered after Charms, shortly after Hermione had come in, and told her Oliver was outside, wanting to talk to her. She had tearfully thanked her, hiding in the stall while the girl stood by the sinks. After she'd gone on to class, saying goodbye before she left, Hermione had exited the stall, but couldn't muster the courage to leave the bathroom. Instead, she sat with her back to the wall as she talked with Oliver through the door.

After he left for class to avoid losing points for Gryffindor for being late, she'd returned to the privacy of the rear stall in case someone else came in. Parvati returned after her next class, but didn't stay long, instead just saying that she'd promised Oliver that she would check on her again and to let her know that it was almost time for dinner.

To say that Hermione was surprised by the troll that entered the bathroom when she'd exited the stall to wash her chapped, tear streaked face and attempt to go to dinner a short time later, was an understatement.

Her mind in a panic, the sight of the ugly, smelly, towering troll with its spiked club the size of a tree trunk chased every spell and wand movement from her mind along with everything else as the colour drained from her face. Her legs somehow managed to support her even though they felt like jelly as she backed away until she was against the corner of one of the stalls. Turning swiftly she darted inside, closing the door behind her and ducked, covering her ears as the troll roared and swung its club, smashing the stalls to splinters as she screamed in fright.

"Hermione, move!" Harry shouted from out of nowhere.

Hermione scrambled quickly down the line of stalls, keeping low and going under the partitions, moving further away from the troll.

"Help!" she cried in fear. "Help!"

"Hey! Pea brain!" Ron shouted, drawing the troll's attention, allowing Hermione to move again, escaping from the stalls to cower under the sinks as she headed for the door. Her movement drew the troll's attention however, and it smashed its club down on the sinks with a loud crash. Hermione screamed, nearly hit by the club. She scrambled over bits of broken sink and ignored the water that sprayed out of control from the broken plumbing though she winced at its chill as she got wet scrambling passed as she continued down the row.

"Help!" she called again after moving out of the way, trying to stay out of the troll's sight.

She noticed Harry draw his wand as the troll faced her readying for another attack. She watched as Harry ran and grabbed the end of its club, using the troll's own movement of raising it over its head for the next swing to lift him onto its shoulders.

Realising that there was something on its back, the troll looked around and shook its body, trying to dislodge it. Harry hung on though, hanging onto the troll's forehead. In one move, he was tossed forward and nearly unseated and as the troll righted itself with a jerk, Harry's wand became lodged up the troll's nose.

"Ugh," Ron and Hermione grunted in disgust at the sight of Harry's wand protruding from its large nose. Harry hung on to the troll's ears as it sneezed and then tried to shake him off again, then Harry suddenly found himself dangling upside down when the troll reached up and grabbed his leg, pulling him off.

"Do something!" Harry cried helplessly.

The troll swung its club and Harry dodged the blow, by doing an inverted pull up.

"What?" Ron asked in a confused panic.

"Anything," Harry said, doing another inverted pull up to avoid the club again. "Hurry up," he said urgently, after the troll growled in frustration.