And so Hermione waited, researching elder wands and horcruxes and developing theories in her spare time, completing her homework in a timely manner, as she always did. The pitying looks from her professors had increased tenfold, and they were finding little ways to slip her encouraging messages. McGonagall gave her an entire basket of miniature muffins, claiming the House Elves had left them in her office. Professor Sinistra burst into tears and gave Hermione a week off from schoolwork, claiming that the young girl needed time to rest and recuperate. All of her grades came back as Outstandings, even the assignments Hermione had hastily finished in the middle of the night. 