Chapter One.
Disclaimer: I only own Garnet, Rachael and Juliana; all other references (including Fred and other characters) are the sole property of JK Rowling.
The common room was almost empty, giving over to the peace of Ravenclaw tower. A dark-haired girl (about sixteen by the look of her) wandered down from the girls' dormitories, running a hand through her hair and sighing. She took a seat in one of the armchairs by the dying fire and rubbed her temples.
"God, I wish I could sleep," The girl said aloud to the fire-warmed air. In all her years at Hogwarts, she'd never had this much trouble sleeping. Truthfully, she probably should've been awake anyway to write a Transfiguration essay, but that was due in three days. She sighed again, checking her watch for the time. It was almost four o'clock in the morning. She only had about three more hours to struggle with her mind to sleep before she had to get up and get ready for yet another long day. She slid her wand out of her night-robe, wondering if she knew anything that could help her get to sleep.
"I want to sleep," She told the wand, not really expecting it to do anything. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair, and comfort overtook her. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, falling back into the comfortable black blanket of sleep.
"Garnet!" Someone yelled, and the girl woke with a start, confused. There were three girls around her, all looking like they had already taken a shower. Garnet leapt up from the chair she had fallen asleep in, and rushed up to the dormitories to take a shower.
"I wonder why she was asleep down here?" One of the girls said as they walked to the door to get out into the hall over the sounds of Garnet rushing up the stairs.
"I have no idea," A second one replied, and they waited for the third, who shook her head.
"I'll wait for Garnet," She said, and turned to walk back upstairs. When she got there, steam had infested the area around the bathroom and she shook her blonde head.
"Garnet?" She called, knocking softly on the bathroom door.
"In the shower!" Garnet replied, shouting through the steam and door. The blonde girl smiled.
"I know, it's Juliana, I came to wait for you," Juliana said. Garnet said some reply and shut off the water in the shower. She emerged several minutes later with her robes over one arm and one hand reaching up to scrunch her damp hair.
"Seriously, who serves breakfast at eight A.M? It's insanity," She said, walking past Juliana to grab makeup out of her bedside drawer.
"Well, you might want to hurry so you get some insanity," Juliana told Garnet, who smiled and leaned closer to the mirror to put on mascara. She inspected her eyes then walked back to her bed, throwing her robes on and turning to Juliana.
"Let's go. Maybe you'll see Fred!" She said, leading Garnet down the stairs.
"He's so annoying," Garnet said, lifting her robes so she didn't trip on them as she went down the stairs.
"He likes you," Juliana said, and Garnet slammed the door behind them, much to the annoyance of the talking doorknob, which she ignored.
"He's just dumb," Garnet said, and that ended the conversation until they arrived in the Great Hall, where she most certainly did see Fred Weasley.
"Go in front of me, maybe he won't see us," Garnet hissed, and kept close to Juliana. She didn't have to bend down, as Garnet was among the shortest sixth-year girls.
"Garnet Cromwell!" A loud booming voice carried over the chatter and tinkle of silverware. Juliana and Garnet stopped in their tracks and Garnet sighed.
"Damnit," She whispered, before turning to face the red-head who had materialized before her, so unwitting of her reluctance to speak with him.
"You're late to breakfast this morning! I feared I would not see you," Fred said, and Garnet was fully aware of his twin George, their little brother Ron and his friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter staring in their direction. Garnet refrained from rolling her eyes with great difficulty and forced herself to look up at Fred.
"You're annoying," She said, and turned away. To her surprise, Fred reached out and caught her arm. She turned slowly to face him, and noticed his visage had lost the look of glee and arrogance.
"Do you have a break anytime today?" He asked. Garnet rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"After lunch, but I was planning on using it to catch up on work. Why?" She asked resignedly. Fred smiled.
"Meet me in the Entrance Hall," Fred said, winked, and then left. Garnet watched him go, with her arms still crossed and a frown on her face.
"Are you going to?" Juliana asked, staring after Fred like Garnet was. Garnet shrugged, turning towards the Ravenclaw table.
"Probably not," She said, and sat down in a vacant seat. Yawning, she grabbed a piece of toast and spread marmalade on it. She also grabbed a mug and filled it with hot coco.
"If Fred Weasley threw himself at me, I'd take him up on it," Another girl from Garnet's dormitory, Rachael, told her. Garnet set down her toast and looked very carefully at Rachael.
"Well, that's the difference between you and I, isn't it?" She said. Rachael looked taken aback and Garnet just shook her head. She grabbed her toast and walked out of the Great Hall, but not before Fred could spot her. "Garnet! Where are--?" He said, but Garnet just walked right by him, annoyed at everything. She walked blindly to the staircase and up, until she emerged onto the third floor and found a comfortable corner to eat her toast. She yawned and sighed, leaning her head back against the hard stone wall. I really need to start sleeping she thought to herself, and finished off her toast. She got up, dusted off her robes, and set off for Charms.
She entered the class and sat down in her assigned seat, her head buzzing with a haze of tiredness. She continued that way throughout the rest of Charms and Transfiguration. McGonagall had to repeat her questions to Garnet several times in Transfiguration, which won her an after class talking to.
"Garnet Cromwell, this isn't like you," McGonagall said, peering at Garnet over her glasses. Garnet sighed and nodded.
"I'm sorry Professor, I just haven't been sleeping well," She said, and McGonagall looked up at her again.
"See that it is fixed. Now, off to lunch with you," She said, dismissing Garnet. Garnet nodded and set off for lunch, her head feeling heavy on her shoulders. She sat down next to Juliana at the Ravenclaw table and laid her head upon her arms, not even bothering to pick up any food.
"Did you decide yet?" Juliana asked, taking a swing of pumpkin juice. Garnet shook her head, not even bothering to look up.
"He probably wants me to test out some of their stupid 'products' for them," Garnet replied from the depths of her arms. Juliana laughed.
"You're in a good mood," She said.
"Shut up," Garnet retorted, and got up.
"Where are you going?" Juliana asked.
"To take a nap," Garnet replied, and walked away from the table. She cut through the Entrance Hall and heard Fred call her name. She stopped and turned, unsure of if she would walk over to him or continue on to her wonderfully comfortable bed. He watched her eagerly and she closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them.
"Come here," Fred coaxed, and Garnet looked at him quizzically. She opened her mouth to reply…