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The moment Hermione realises it might be a problem is in between lunch and arithmancy when Susan Bones finds her with her head down the third floors toilets.
‘Lunch not agree with you?’ Susan asks sympathetically, gently pulling Hermione’s hair away from her face. Hermione just nods in agreement before retching again.
The reality is much worse so Hermione pretends for a bit. It really was an accident she assures herself later, skipping dinner for the third night in a row, she just got side tracked by studying. She pretends she won’t let it happen again, but she already knows she won’t be at dinner tomorrow either.
Ron has noticed, at least that’s what Hermione has assumed, based upon the looks he gives her at the meals she does attend, and the way he watches her plate, and fork, and mouth as if he’s waiting for her to vanish the food away, tell the table she’s finished and run back to the sanctity of the library.
She’s shivering in the common room again even sitting right next to the fire. Harry makes her a cup of tea, two sugars how she used to take it, he’s only trying to be nice so she drinks it anyway, then vows to run two extra laps the next morning.
Lavender watches her ready for bed one evening, ‘Have you spoken to Madam Pomfrey at all Hermione, or McGonagall even?’
‘Why would I speak to them?’ Hermione snaps ‘I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine! Everything is all right!’, she’d found herself getting irritated a lot easier than normal, instead of questioning why Hermione blamed it on her period due, even though shed missed three months now.
‘It was just a suggestion’ Lavender responded cooly.
At easter Hermione noticed her robes didn’t fit properly anymore, she decided to research spells.
She passes out after a transfiguration exam. It’s probably just stress.
They make her talk to Madam Pomfrey.
Summer happens.
The boys get her a cake for her birthday, with raspberry jam her old favourite. She cuts and eats a small slice, it’s polite, and her friends are watching.
Parvati follows her every time Hermione goes to the toilet. Lavender accompanies her instead when Parvati isn’t around, or Ginny does, Luna even goes with her once or twice.
After a while, Hermione finds she’s sleeping better again.
One Tuesday at breakfast time she asks Dean to pass her the butter. She feels the table breath a collective sigh of relief.
She’s not fixed by any means. But she is getting better.
