Here it is, the sequel to Face Down! This one is in third person because, quite frankly, I hate writing in first person. And, you know, it would make no sense to write in second person. And if I did start, then I'd accidentally write it in all of my essays and fail. Anyways...!
I don't own Harry Potter or the song Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?, which belongs to The Offspring.
...
Can you stay strong?
Can you go on?
Kristy, are you doing okay?
A rose that won't bloom
Winter's kept you
Don't waste your whole life trying
To get back what was taken away
Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?-The Offspring
...
Hermione was deep in thought. Her head was rested in her left hand while the right scrawled in neat penmanship the notes being spoken aloud by Professor Lupin, but really, it wasn't even being filtered. He could have been talking about bananas for all she knew. Every word he spoke was going from his mouth and straight to her hand, completely bypassing her brain, which was currently preoccupied.
She knew she should really pay more attention at these Order meetings, but she just couldn't help it. Her thoughts kept going back to everything that had happened to her over the past year. Her ordeal with Ron, their break-up, her growing friendship with Draco, her falling out with Ginny, the fact that Harry was now almost officially her brother, and that she was an Order member on the side of studying to become a healer and her part-time job at a coffee shop owned by Katie Bell. On her mind were so many more important things. More important than the topic of the Order meeting, in her mind, even if she had no idea what the topic was anymore. She was sure if she thought about it she could figure it out, but she was content with this for the moment.
She had to give Draco her share of the rent. Did Harry have his in yet? She wasn't sure. But she promised she'd have it in by last night, and it had just slipped her mind altogether.
That seemed to be happening a lot lately, things slipping her mind. Studying for exams, checking in on the Order, giving Draco or Harry, her roommates, their mail, buying groceries. That was only a few things. She was afraid she was losing her mind. Just the other days she was freaking out because she couldn't find her wand and found it mysteriously in the bathtub.
She sighed and looked down at the words she was writing. Apparently, the topic was on Rodolphus Lestrange or something.
"You alright, Hermione?" Remus asked, pausing in his words.
Hermione looked up at him. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. There's quite a bit on my mind at the moment."
Remus smiled and nodded. "I think that's enough for tonight. It's getting rather late, isn't it? We'll continue this meeting tomorrow. Be here at five o'clock sharp. Dismissed!"
Hermione stood and gathered her note-taking materials, dumping them in her backpack. She stood and pushed in her chair, stretching once before looking around the room. Draco and Harry were both on their way towards her.
"Draco, I need to give you the rent!" she exclaimed once he'd reached her.
Draco quirked an eyebrow at her. "Hermione, you gave me the rent three days ago."
"I did?" she said, trying to retrieve the memory.
Oh. Right.
"Are you feeling alright, Hermione?" Harry asked her. "You seem a little bit...distracted."
Hermione shrugged. "I'm not sure. Recently I've found reason to believe that I'm losing my mind. You guys have to help me stay sane."
The boys laughed. Draco reached out and took her backpack. "Alright, then. First things first, you need some sleep. Why don't we go home?"
Hermione nodded and went around to everyone, saying goodbye, avoiding Ron and Ginny as best she could. Finally, she turned to Draco and Harry, giving them a smile that let them know she was ready. She floo'd home first.
Hermione had been the one to convince Draco to become a member of the Order, and he'd agreed without hesitation. After getting his wish approved by Remus, he owled his parents, letting them know of his decision. They'd almost immediately disowned him, before first asking him to spy for them, and then to send a few Death Eaters after him, apparently in hopes of beating sense into him.
After he'd finished healing, with no help from St. Mungo's, since they couldn't take a wanted man out in public with Death Eaters almost completely running the ministry, even with Shaklebolt as minister, he, Harry, and Hermione bought a flat together, and had been living together for about two months now.
Hermione liked living with people. After having shared a room with four other girls since she was eleven, she didn't know if she'd be able to share a room another night. But she also knew she wouldn't be able to live alone. So, she was thrilled that they'd agreed.
Their flat had three rooms, one with its own bathroom, Hermione's bathroom, another bathroom, a living room, and the kitchen. When Hermione tumbled through the fireplace, she looked around before lighting a few candles and dumping her bag on the coffee table. She was beat.
So tired that she didn't notice the pile of mail on the coffee table.
Draco came through the fireplace next. He spotted the mail, though, and was able to hide it before Hermione noticed by leading her to her bedroom. She was starting to rock back and forth, which worried him.
So he unlaced and removed her shoes, had her lay down, and pulled the blankets over her shoulders. He smiled down at her. She was already half asleep.
"Goodnight, Hermione," he said. "Have good dreams."
He said that every night, even though she continued to have nightmares. They were recurring, all about Ron.
Draco couldn't believe they'd let that git back into the Order after all he'd done. He knew he had no right to talk, considering he'd been a Death Eater, but he had never done anything as awful as hitting a girl.
It was disgusting, in his opinion.
Sighing, he blew out the candle beside Hermione's bed and left, shutting the door behind him.
Harry was standing in front of the table, organising the papers Draco had left there. Harry was the only person he'd told about the letter.
"Have you decided what you're going to do?" he asked as Draco approached.
Draco shook his head. "No idea. I guess I'm just going to keep an eye on Hermione and hope for the best."
"You should really tell someone about this," Harry replied, handing over the stack of papers. "It's not my place to tell anyone, but it is my place to try and convince you to tell someone."
Draco shook his head again and sighed. "You don't understand. If I tell Remus or someone and something happens to Hermione, everyone will think it was my fault."
"But if you don't tell anyone and something that could have been prevented happens, won't you feel even worse?"
Draco sighed, and, just to placate Harry, replied with, "I'll think about it. Goodnight, Harry."
Harry nodded. "Goodnight."
Draco returned to his bedroom, locking his papers inside his private drawer, returning the key to it's secret hiding place inside one of his bookends with a secret door.
He hated keeping secrets, but it was for Hermione's own good. He was only looking out for her. And until she was completely recovered from her ordeal, he refused to bring in another one.
...
And here you are! I stayed up a half hour past my bedtime to write an post this! Haha! ^^
I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me a review! Constructive (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism is appreciated, as well as any other questions or comments. ^^ This seemed a little rushed to me, and kind of vague, but some things just can't be helped. ^^
