Actions 3: Falling Asleep in an Exam

Sleep Deprivation

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily, trying to relieve their dryness and the ache that had settled behind them. He was exhausted and starting to regret returning to Hogwarts to finish his NEWTS. Only a month into the year and they had their first transfiguration exam to see how much they'd learned and how much they remembered from their sixth year.

Harry had felt somewhat prepared for the exam. He'd borrowed Hermione's notes from sixth year and had gone over his own notes from the past month. And yet here he sat, hardly able to understand what the question was asking him.

Explain Gamp's Law of Experimental Transfiguration.

Harry knew that it had something to do with food. It was the reason why they couldn't transfigure their meals while on the run. Why he'd had to go to a town under his cloak with the horcrux around his neck, meeting dementors and being unable to conjure his patronus. The suffocating cold filling his entire being, filling his brain with fog...

A cough broke Harry out of his stupor and he realised that he'd been on the verge of falling asleep yet again. He'd had nightmare after nightmare last night. Whenever he'd closed his eyes he'd feel the hands on inferi clawing at his skin, dragging him into a lake where ice-cold water filled his lungs and then, abruptly, he'd awoken, panting, in his dormitory.

Harry sighed heavily and dipped his quill into the ink. Gamp's law of experimental transfiguration is...

Harry placed his quill down and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes trying to concentrate on the question. The sound of quills scratching on parchment was oddly soothing and he felt himself relax, gradually leaning his head on his hands.

Harry jerked awake as his hand gave away. He sank down into his chair and yawned widely, his head drooping onto his chest as his eyes closed against his will.

Harry dozed in and out of sleep for an undiscernible amount of time, physically unable to keep his eyes open no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to complete his exam, he really did, but he was too exhausted mentally and physically.

A hand gripped his shoulder, jerking him out of sleep once more. He looked up blearily to find Professor McGonagall peering at him sympathetically.

"Potter, you're exhausted. Go to your dormitory and sleep properly; you're exempt from classes for the day. Miss Weasley is going to come with you. You can make up the test later."

It was then that Harry noticed that Ginny was holding his bag. Harry nodded and stood, swaying slightly, and left the room with Ginny.

"Are you ill?" Ginny asked, once the door to the classroom had closed. "Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

Harry shook his head, dragging his feet as they walked. "Just tired. I couldn't sleep last night."

Ginny gripped his arm as they came to a staircase, tugging him along every time he wavered slightly on his feet. It seemed that in no time at all, to Harry, that he was climbing through the portrait hole and walking up the stairs to his dormitory.

Ginny opened the dormitory door and Harry stumbled in. He came to his bed and fell on top of the covers, asleep before his head had hit the pillow.

Ginny laughed quietly as Harry fell asleep on top of his covers and fully clothed. She gently undid his shoe laces and pried off his shoes, putting them beside him. She then took his glasses off and took his wand out from inside his robes and placed them on the bedside table, noticing the vial of purple potion on the side. She loosened his tie, smiling as Harry shifted slightly in his sleep.

"Harry, Harry, you need to take a potion for me." Ginny shook him gently.

Harry's eyes opened blearily and grabbed the vial of dreamless sleep potion out of Ginny's hand. He took several gulps before his eyes slipped shut once more and his hand let go of the vial. Ginny managed to catch the vial before it hit the floor and she placed it back upon the bedside table.

Ginny grabbed the maroon blanket on top of Ron's bed and placed it over Harry, gently tucking him in before slipping silently out of the dormitory.