Hazel gasped when Ernie admitted to having confronted Alecto, and she withdrew her hand before she could apply pressure to his wounds. Had Professor Carrow done this to Ernie? The notion that Ernie could have said anything to deserve what had been done to him was one Hazel could not accept.
"I, well, Ernie," Hazel breathed, eyes filled with a new impression of the boy she was beginning to feel rather strongly about. The bruise that spread from cheek to brow was like a badge of courage, and though she did not like to imagine how he must have gotten it, she admired him for how very scary it must have been to do such a thing.
But why would he do it?
"With the things other students have been saying I'm surprised she didn't... didn't do something worse. Oh, Ernie!"
She wanted to hug him, but he could have more bruises, bruises she couldn't see.