Through the whispering dark, and the branches tapping on the windows, the boys and girls of Hogwarts sleep, their dreams reaching out and grasping realms that nobody could ever claim again, and only they would know of.
Let us, for a moment, focus on a fifth year student, Miss Ginny Weasley. She sleeps on her side, her arms wrapped around herself. She would usually dream of romantic adventures, of love, and lust. She rarely remembers her dreams, but is always contented by them.
Now, let us take a look at a Mr Draco Malfoy. His dreams are of a savage variety, invariably containing images of pure darkness, monsters only ever described to him, but created by his mind to be as horrifying as only he could imagine.
He always remembers his dreams.
But tonight will be different.
As Ginny slips into the twilight zone known as sleep, she finds herself surrounded by dark, rotting trees, groaning under their own weight. Stepping forward, she trips and lands in a large puddle of thick, black mud. She sees her reflection in the murky pool, swimming in front of her, mocking her. She continues to stare for a while, not realising that the world is spinning and altering around her.
Draco steps forward, seeing a dishelleved girl in black before him. She is sitting in a puddle, seemingly admiring her own reflection. Draco lets out a small cough.
The girl looks up.
He recognises her.
"Weasley?"
"Malfoy?"
"Do you need any help?" He asks, reaching for her hand. She takes it, and he pulls her gently to her feet.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"Where is here?" He replies, and spreads his arms. She notices for the first time, the ever changing scenery.
"Am I dreaming?" She asks.
"Who knows?" He replies.
"Aren't you scared?" She asks, stepping towards him.
"Terrified." He replies, meeting her eyes.
She reaches for his hands, and he lets them be taken in her gentle grip. They move closer together.
She can feel his cold breath on her face. Her eyes close, savouring the feeling. He moves closer, and their lips touch. She tilts her head slightly, and...
*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*
Ginny jerks awake and slaps her alarm clock.
"What an odd dream."
Let us, for a moment, focus on a fifth year student, Miss Ginny Weasley. She sleeps on her side, her arms wrapped around herself. She would usually dream of romantic adventures, of love, and lust. She rarely remembers her dreams, but is always contented by them.
Now, let us take a look at a Mr Draco Malfoy. His dreams are of a savage variety, invariably containing images of pure darkness, monsters only ever described to him, but created by his mind to be as horrifying as only he could imagine.
He always remembers his dreams.
But tonight will be different.
As Ginny slips into the twilight zone known as sleep, she finds herself surrounded by dark, rotting trees, groaning under their own weight. Stepping forward, she trips and lands in a large puddle of thick, black mud. She sees her reflection in the murky pool, swimming in front of her, mocking her. She continues to stare for a while, not realising that the world is spinning and altering around her.
Draco steps forward, seeing a dishelleved girl in black before him. She is sitting in a puddle, seemingly admiring her own reflection. Draco lets out a small cough.
The girl looks up.
He recognises her.
"Weasley?"
"Malfoy?"
"Do you need any help?" He asks, reaching for her hand. She takes it, and he pulls her gently to her feet.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"Where is here?" He replies, and spreads his arms. She notices for the first time, the ever changing scenery.
"Am I dreaming?" She asks.
"Who knows?" He replies.
"Aren't you scared?" She asks, stepping towards him.
"Terrified." He replies, meeting her eyes.
She reaches for his hands, and he lets them be taken in her gentle grip. They move closer together.
She can feel his cold breath on her face. Her eyes close, savouring the feeling. He moves closer, and their lips touch. She tilts her head slightly, and...
*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*
Ginny jerks awake and slaps her alarm clock.
"What an odd dream."