Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR
She was running through the corridor. She wasn't sure which corridor she was running through, the castle always seemed to take on a new form in the night. Everywhere she looked she could see shadows sketched into misshapen forms along the high walls. The branches outside seemed to only make grotesque shapes that one should never trust. Logically, she told herself, she had no reason to be afraid. Hogwarts was the safest place in all of the wizarding world at this point, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling of immediate danger. If she could only get back to her room she would be able to feel safe again.
She looked behind her and thought she saw movement. Panic striking her and a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins she began to run as fast as she could. She had never been any good with anything that required physical strength, but she knew that now was not the time to second guess her instincts.
She risked taking another look behind her. Of course it was dark all around her with only the moonlight giving her sight, but there was no doubt that there was a fog quickly closing in on her. She couldn't understand how so much fog could've gotten into the castle, but she really couldn't think about that now. She was gasping for breath and she didn't know how much farther she could run without stopping. She reached a flight of stairs and cursed her own body for being out of shape. She began running up the stairs when she felt a cold and boney hand enclose around her shoulder. She let out a piercing scream and felt herself fall. She kept falling and found herself in complete darkness, as though even the moon was blacked out from the sky. She kept screaming, it was the only thing she could do, because for some reason she found herself unable to move.
Hermione woke with a start. Her heart still pounding, she sat up and began to frantically look around her to light the candle on the nightstand. Now bathed in light, she began to finally calm down. Hermione threw the blankets off of her, she was hot and sweaty and still shaking but she could breathe freely now.
Hermione felt like a fool. At least once a week since the summer she had the same dream. She was always running down a dark corridor trying to get to her room but never actually making it. Then she remembered the hand. Never before had there been a hand that had wrapped around her shoulder. She remembered how cold it was and how it looked like it belonged to a corpse with all of the bones clearly visible.
She knew she was having these dreams because of the changing climate in the wizarding world. Everyone was unsure of their futures and scared and everyday Lord Voldemort was gaining more power. She shook her head, she didn't have time to dwell on these stupid dreams. Her life everyday was full of uncertainty, and she didn't need it to infiltrate her sleep as well. Other people, like her best friend, had bigger problems and if they could handle it then so could she.
The sun was slowly making its way into her window and she would be expected in the great hall in only a couple of hours. She could use this time to get ready and head down to the Heads' office before breakfast. Still annoyed, Hermione got up and headed toward her dresser to grab her usual skirt, blouse, and robes. She didn't spend much time in front of her mirror, she knew her hair was damnably unruly and she never wore makeup. There was no use dwelling on her appearance when there were more important things to do, like finish the prefect duty schedules.
Hermione finished getting ready, grabbed her book bag, and headed down toward the Heads' office. While walking down the same beaten path to the office she shared with the Head Boy, Hermione's mind began to wander. As pragmatic and level-headed as she tried to be, Hermione couldn't shake the dream from her thoughts. It was worrying to her that the dream was now progressing. She could still clearly envision the hand that had touched her. It was so cold and eerie that she couldn't help but be spooked by it.
Finally reaching the Heads' office, she realized she was dwelling again. "Pull yourself together, Hermione," she muttered to herself. Raising her head and clenching her teeth, Hermione opened the door and was greeted with the sight of Harry and Ron passed out on the rug before the fireplace with an empty firewhisky bottle with food and sweets littered around them.
Hermione was outraged, not only was this against the rules, but for the Head Boy to desecrate the Heads' Office in such a way was outrageous. Fuming, Hermione raised her wand and whispered, "Aguamenti." A burst of water was sent pouring onto Harry and Ron.
"ARGHHH!"
"BLOODY HELL!" sputtered Ron. Jumping up and whipping around, he spotted Hermione. "Have you lost your bloody mind?! What the hell did you do that for?!"
"I thought you might like to wake up. You'll miss breakfast if you don't get a move on," Hermione said through clenched teeth.
"You didn't have to send water pouring onto us," muttered Harry. He was wringing his clothes and wiping his glasses clean.
Ron, on the other hand, was still dripping water onto the rug and seething. "You have got a lot of nerve, Hermio—."
"No, it's you that has a lot of nerve! This is a shared office and you don't seem to have the remotest sense of courtesy towards me! Just because you are Head Boy, Ronald, does not give you the right to do whatever you want and break any rule you please!" Hermione shrilled. "And you," Hermione rounded on Harry, "I could take away your Quidditch Captain badge for this!"
Both Harry and Ron stared at Hermione.
"Well?" said Hermione.
"'Mione," Harry began, "you're right. Of course you're right. We were being gits."
Ron continued to stare with disdain at Hermione. Harry elbowed him in the ribs.
"Yeah…sorry," Ron muttered.
Both Harry and Ron looked like they were being scolded by Mrs. Weasley. Hermione just felt awful now. She didn't want her friends to think of her as some motherly shrew! "Right, well, I suppose I overreacted. I'm sorry," said Hermione. "But you really shouldn't go out of your way to break rules!" she quickly added in her own defense.
Harry offered her a friendly smile. "No, Hermione. It's okay. You didn't have to be so harsh, but we were gits," said Harry. Ron was still remaining quiet if not begrudgingly. Hermione didn't expect any more than this from Ron.
"Well, you really should head up to the tower, we only have about an hour and half before class," said Hermione checking her wristwatch.
With that Harry and Ron started towards the door. As they left, Hermione could hear Ron before the door snapped shut, "Who does she think she is? I'm Head B—."
With an exasperated sigh, Hermione began to gather the mess Harry and Ron had left. She hated that she was left cleaning up after them like Mrs. Weasley would have, but she also didn't want to leave it all to the house elves to clean. After all the wrappings and the empty bottle were vanished, she finally went to pick up the prefect duty worksheet from her mail cubby. With her Head Girl cubby being right next to Ron's, she just couldn't help but take a glance into his as well. It was only the first week of October, yet Ron's cubby was stacked with parchment. Ron had worked on hardly any of his Head Boy duties and was beginning to constantly seek her for help. It should have been obvious to Ron why she was so easily agitated by him these days.
When Hermione had received her badge in the mail while at the Burrow, she was ecstatic even though she and everyone else knew she would be Head Girl this year. While everyone was gathering around her at Mrs. Weasley's kitchen table to congratulate her, Ron was still staring at his Hogwarts letter in a blank-eyed awe. It wasn't until Mrs. Weasley snapped at Ron for being rude did he timidly hold up his badge as well. The contrast between his reception and Hermione's would have been quite the laugh had not it been so shocking. Finally Mrs. Weasley broke the silence with her sobs of happiness. A third Head Boy in the family! As customary, Arthur and Molly bought Ron brand new robes which actually fit him. Shortly after, Ron took up the ego just short of Malfoy's. Molly may have been happy for her son, but everyone else was left in bewilderment. Of course, Hermione thought Head Boy would go to Ernie Macmillan if not Harry himself, but never would she have dreamt of Ron. There was a time when the thought of Ron and herself as Heads together would have filled her with happiness, but she was no longer naïve about her and Ron's relationship. They were certainly best friends and at one time she had even hoped for more, but she was positive it was only because of Harry that they remained such good friends. Now Ron was still copying her homework, shirking on his Head Boy responsibilities, and making quidditch is only priority. Well that and trying to look good for half-witted girls. Hermione knew she was growing resentful towards Ron, but it wasn't like he was helping his case.
With her head full of so many thoughts, Hermione finished writing out the new prefect duty schedule and realized she had better hurry down to breakfast herself. She made it through the corridors and down the stairs without any troubles before the peace was shattered. Hermione had not been paying attention and had run into the last person she ever wanted to run into in the Entrance Hall, Draco Malfoy.
"Watch it, Granger," Malfoy said in his arrogant drawl. "I know you're probably beginning to find yourself desperate for any attention, but you'll never come close to my type." There was a smirk plastered on his pointed face.
A fuming Hermione had to close her eyes before responding to the prat, but when she opened her eyes it was only to find other students passing into the Great Hall. Malfoy had slipped into the hall before she had had a chance to take him down a notch. Angrily, Hermione brushed aside a first-year and made her way to her seat opposite Harry and Ron. It was not yet nine in the morning, and Hermione couldn't believe how horrible her day was already.