All of Me by Muddgutts
Herbology Newt Final Exam 7th year
Harry carefully lifted the spore pod of the Bidens Pilosa plant from the terracotta pot into the waiting glass domed seedbed. The pod pulsed slightly turning redder as its quills throbbed. Ever so gently he placed it in to the shallow hole and set aside his tongs. Letting out the breath he was holding he placed the glass dome over the plant and stepped back waiting for Professor Sprout to inspect his work.
He carefully scanned the class over, settling on Ron three tables over and watched him extract his spore pod. His ears were turning a brilliant shade of red to match his hair. He was sure that Ron knew, just as he did, that if the Bidens Pilosa pod was disturbed during any point of the extraction it would release its seed spores. This wouldn't be so bad if the plant didn't have such a nasty defense mechanisms. It would explode if disturbed and shower the area with deadly spores that borrowed into the ground, or anything else for that matter, like termites. Ron gave him a hearty thumbs up and smiled, but his expression changed to a look of concern as he gazed past Harry.
Harry removed his dragon hide gloves and pretended quickly to be cleaning his glasses as he turned to investigate what caught Ron's eye. It was Hermione; she looked very tired and was starting to lose her focus on the task at hand. Harry knew this was due to Hermione's late night study habits this year. She was pushing herself well beyond her limits this year. Almost every day of the week she would be up till 2 in the morning studying for NEWTs.
Her head was bobbing to the side as her eyes where starting to flutter closed. Then she shook herself out of it and reached for the tongs. Harry threw Ron a worried look as Ron was staring intently at her. His hands where gripping the side of the table so hard that he was shaking. Harry turned completely around and was watching Hermione's dreamy movements as she pulled the pod from the soil. The spores where throbbing at a very menacing speed now. Her grip on the pod was starting to loosen and the plant slipped from her grasp.
*
Three very loud sounds filled the Green House #4 very rapidly.
Crack…Crack, BOOM! Which was followed by a long low hissing sound. Hermione could feel herself being crushed by a pair of strong arms. She opened her eyes to see Harry holding her. She let loose with a blood-curdling scream as she met his eyes. His whole body was twitching violently and his eyes started rolling back into his head, then he dropped to the floor. Harry was convulsing as he rolled on to his stomach to reveal the horror that was his back. Hundreds of spore seeds were borrowing into his body. Ripping threw his cloak into his skin and spreading their tiny hair like roots under the flesh. She dropped to her knees next to him screaming while holding his hand.
Everything after that moment happened with a dream-like fog in her mind. Ron and Neville where the first to her side. Ron pulled her to her feet shaking her and screamed something at her, then pushed her off to the side of the classroom to Lavender Brown. Neville and Prof. Sprout held Harry down and started spreading dioxide all over his body.
Before she passed out she heard Lavender saying, "It's going to be all right Hermione just relax." Although, the look on her face was anything but relaxing.
Hermione awoke some time later in her own bed not knowing how she'd gotten there. As she sat upright looking around taking in the room two things came to mind. 'Why am I in my room and not the hospital wing?' and 'Why is Pavarti in my room?' Being the Head girl meant that no one could just walk into your room, they had to be let in by herself or her head of house.
Pavarti look very relieved to see her awake and placed a reassuring hand on her leg, "How are you feeling Hermione?"
"Ok I guess. Why am I in bed? How did you get in here?" Hermione questioned.
The look of concern on Pavarti's face seemed to trigger her memories back into place. All at once the events of the greenhouse flashed back into her mind. 'Oh my god. . . what have I done . . . Harry!'
In one swift motion she swung her legs off the bed and grabbed her cloak. Pavarti didn't seem to know what to do and ran to block the doorway. Hermione just cocked her head to the side and withdrew her wand.
"You're not supposed to go to the Hospital wing just yet! Madam Pomfrey said I couldn't let you go." Pavarti said firmly.
"Are you mad? What makes you think that you could stop me if you tried?" Pavarti eyed the wand in her hand then back at Hermione. "Now get out of the way or I'll turn you into a newt!"
"You wouldn't dare, I'm not afr…"
She was unceremoniously cut off as Hermione did just that. She reached down and picked up the now Newt-Pavarti and placed her on her shoulder, "Come on then we're going to see Harry."
Newt-Pavarti just flicked her tongue at her in defiance. Hermione tore through the halls at top speed, pushing anyone out of the way. As she came skidding to a stop in front of the double doors, she straightened her robes and took a calming breath. Stepping inside the hospital wing, it didn't take long to find Harry, or where he should be at least. The whole Gryffindor Quidditch team was presently standing vigil at his bedside. They were talking and making jokes half-heartedly. Then, all at once they stopped and turned to see who'd just come in. Their icy glares were anything but welcoming. Her face turned to stone and marched straight over to them.
Ron was the first to break the silence his tone was cold, like the way he talked to Malfoy. "Hermione I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here right now. So please leave."
His words hit her like a hammer and she staggered for a moment, then pushed past Neville, Dean, and Seamus towards the bed, "Harry? . . . Are you going to be . . .!?"
She clapped her hand over her mouth at the sight of him. Harry was face down on the bed. His back was bare except for about fifty small glass jars that covered what she guessed where the spores that were eating away at his flesh. That wasn't the bad part though. Inside of each glass jar was a small black slug like creature. The creatures slowly slid across his skin and chewed away at the burned flesh and the plant spore embedded in him. It was horrible to watch, and she couldn't imagine what it must feel like.
"Oh…Harry!" was all she could manage. He stirred a little at the sound of her voice trying to turn his head. The act of movement alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. His head struggled to flop in the other direction opposite her.
"I told you not to let her in here!" he yelled.
"Harry . . . I, I just wanted to see if-"
"I don't want you to see me like this! Get out! Go away!"
Ginny came up behind her and hooked her arm pulling her away.
"Harry I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. . . . I'm sorry . . ."
"Ron get her out of here . . . all of you just get out! Leave me alone!"
All the yelling had caught Madame Pomfrey's attention, and she quickly pushed the group toward the door, telling them that no one is to come back and visit until further notice.