There was a serious possibility that isolation was driving Hermione completely insane. She was used to spending her life in the constant company of others. As a child, she was often dragged to her parents" dental practice to spend the days and hours she wasn't at school sitting behind their receptionist's desk trying not to annoy the poor woman with her constant questions. It was where she learned to love books. When she was told to be quiet, she would just open up another volume and lose herself in the words. But, even reading in the middle of a crowded room wasn't being alone.