Draco and Ron burst into the Hospital Wing to find Hermione naked and Harry caressing her bare skin with a wet rag.

"Potter, what the hell are you doing to your sister?!" Draco shouted, Ron's eye wide and his mouth agape.

Harry stepped to the side to let them see what he was doing and said, "Calm down!  She needed to be cleaned of all her vomit and blood for the next part of the healing, and I was here to do it.  We don't know what's wrong yet-"

"Actually," Madam Pomfrey spoke somberly, her voice shaking, "I do know what's wrong.  And it's not good."

When she didn't continue, the three boys exchanged worried glances and Draco prompted, "What's wrong with Hermione?"

"I think it's best if no one except me and the Headmistress know for the time being.  We've got to explore our options before revealing the results."

Draco was absolutely furious.  They weren't going to tell him whats wrong with the girl he wanted to love?  Then it hit him like a brick: he wanted to love her.  He wanted an opportunity to get to know her, spend time with her, build a friendship and a relationship.  Draco wanted to get to know the girl he's hated for seven years.  He had to speak against this outrage. 

"Listen here," he began in a dangerously low voice, "you're going to tell me what's wrong with her, because if you don't tell me I can't help you.  And you know the- the Malfoy Library holds more books on healing than you've read in your entire life, so you'd better tell me, and Weasley and Potter, what happened to her or else-"

"While I do understand your concerns, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, patient/healer confidentiality does exist.  I would like to have a word with Madam Pomfrey before you go all wild-goose on our poor matron," Professor McGonagall said sternly, but you could sense the care and concern in her voice.

Draco huffed, walking away from Hermione's bed followed by Ron and Harry.  The three boys stood near the door watching both women talk with tears in their eyes, and that's when they realized that their fifth member was missing.  

"Hey, where's Izzy?" Harry wondered aloud.

-------------------------------------

Izzy sat on the bathroom floor, pale and panicking.  She poisoned Hermione Granger, the girl she most wanted to be friends with.  And it's the Golden Trio and Draco Malfoy, so there's no way they won't find out.  She'll have to move his plan along faster than was expected.

That's why Izzy grabbed her cat and took him into a broom closet to speak with him.  She cast a spell ("Intellegite Animalis") so that she could understand her cat, something she rarely did, and began talking in hurried whispers.

"I thought you said I had five days until the poison would kick in?  Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age, is laying in a hospital bed, helpless.  And it's all my fault.  I expected to have more time to execute the plan!  Keep in mind, this wasn't my idea!"

"You know why you're following my orders.  Keep talking like this and you'll lose your sister.  Remember, I have people in places you wouldn't even know could be infiltrated," Milav spoke.

"I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to continue following the orders of a man living in a cat.  You may have used to be Lord Voldemort, feared, evil and ruthless, but now you're nothing more than an annoying fur ball."  Izzy instantly regretted saying it.  She couldn't afford to talk back and step out of line anymore, or her mother and sister would die.  They were already using Cruciatus on her father.

"Hush!  I told you, I don't need the families of a snarky servant.  They could get killed at any moment of my choosing, stupid girl," Milav growled.  "Now, as for how long we would have to kill the boys, I had also expected more time.  You'll have to work quickly, which doesn't give you any time to use that sharp tongue of yours.  Prepare the lock down and give the orders, and then begin explaining the poison to the unsuspecting worthless children.

"This is the comeback no one was expecting.  This, my dear, is the time to rise."  Milav began laughing, and Izzy removed the charm, throwing the cat that used to be Lord Voldemort into the common room.  Breathing heavily, eyes watering, she went to her room to get the pre-written letters issuing the lock down orders and have her owl deliver them.

It seemed like time was frozen around her.  She wasn't listening to anyone asking her questions about Hermione and the Trio; all her focus was on hoping people would understand, that maybe her new friends would give her another chance and understand.

She sent the owl off and went to prepare herself.  The lock down was going to begin within the hour.  And she had to be ready.