Excelling in research was really the only thing that Hermione took any pride in these days. She spent nearly all her time in the library, under the reproachful gaze of Madam Pince, shirking her homework and leaving it in untidy piles in her quarters. To their credit, her professors never inquired; even Slughorn, the puffy blowhard, gave her a sad-eyed look in the hallway but did not ask why she hadn’t been submitting her potions assignments. Dutifully, he continued to grade her as Outstanding. So did all the rest. 