Why did Hermione lie?

[errolowl <nithya_rachel@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51508




Going way back to PS for a trivia question.You know, Hermione's 
reaction to the Troll-in-the-bathroom scene in PS has always confused 
me and I haven't found any discussion on this. Lets see,

Hermione is crying in the bathroom `cause Ron insulted her;
she misses the Halloween feast.
She doesn't know about the Troll or hear the order to get back to
the dormitory 
Harry remembers Hermione
Harry and Ron go to warn her
Enroute they bump into the troll and imprison it in a room
Then they realize that that's where Hermione is
They enter the bathroom, battle and defeat the troll
McGonagall, Snape and Quirrel find them
McGonagall demands an explanation

Then comes the passage that confuses me. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
"Please Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me"
"Miss Granger!"
Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last. 
"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could
deal with it on my own – you know because I've read all about
them"
Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger telling a downright lie to a 
teacher?
"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Harry stuck
his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They 
didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish
me off when they arrived."
Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story was not new to them. 
"Well, in that case.." said professor McGonagall staring at
the three of them, "Miss Granger you foolish girl, how could you 
think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"
Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last 
person to do anything against the rules, and here she was pretending 
she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started 
handing out sweets. <g>

<snip>
"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that". Ron
admitted.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

*What* trouble?? As far as I can see, they did nothing wrong. They 
did go and save her when there was no time to get anyone else. The 
only thing that Hermione lied about was *her* reason for being there. 
She was crying and missed dinner. Surely that was better than saying 
she went after the troll herself?

Perhaps they were so new that they didn't realize that missing a
meal was not a major transgression. Still that's *Hermione* in
trouble not the boys. Hermione could just have said that she'd
been in the bathroom, (no need to mention she'd been crying), and
hadn't heard the announcement (true), and that the boys had come
to 
get her(all the same as before). 

I just don't _get_ this thing! :(

Errol