Her vision was curtailed as her eyes watered in response to the latest waves of cramps, but her hearing seemed unencumbered as she heard the squeaky obsequious elf-voice bid a polite "Hello, mistress", before a tell-tale popping noise signalled the immediate departure of the House Elves. Hermione couldn’t help but groan as she struggled to manage the pain in her nether regions. She wished that she could curl up in a ball and die.