Hermione was running.
She was running to forget.
Forget this world which was turning out badly. Forget the fear which was forming a whole part of their lives since the return of the Dark Lord. Forget this sadness which was always there. Forget all these feelings which was killing her. Slowly.
She ran until she became too weak to continue.
She ran. And she didn't forget.
Unconsciously, her feet had driven her to the astronomy tower. She let her slip on the floor. Stars were beautiful tonight. They were twinkling as diamonds and illuminating the night with promises and hope.
Footsteps got her out of her contemplation. Immediately, her muscles became strained and her hand looked for her wand. Survival instinct. The ennemy was everywhere, even at Hogwarts, she knew it.
-Relax, Granger. I don't wanna kill anybody.
Her fingers tightened their grip around the wand. She suddenly got up, ready to attack.
-Don't be close to me.
-Low your wand. I just heard noise and I came to see what was going on, that's all.
-Go away Malfoy!
Hermione took a step forward. Menacing. And yet, there was a strange glimmer in her eyes. Fear's glimmer. Terror 's glimmer. Hermione's heart was beating wildly. She was already seing in her head Malfoy's allies coming and killing her.
-For god's sake, Granger, low that damned wand. I'm not gonna do anything to you, is that clear? If I wanted, it would have been done...Look...I don't have my wand...No weapon. Now, calm down.
After few seconds, she lowed her hand. She didn't release her grip, not off-gard. Hermione didn't understand. If he didn't want to attack her, why was he still there? Now that he knew that it was her, the mudblood, who was there, he should have left.
-What do you want? Tension was piercing in her voice.
He didn't answer and let him slip on the floor as she had done some minutes ago. Like her, he admired the stars and light of this november's night. Like her, he tried to forget closing his eyes.
Hermione decided that it was the occasion to slip away. The most quietly possible, she made for the strairs which would get her away from him.
-Stay, he said while he was standing up.
The order had bursted forth. Clear. Not waiting for a refusal. However, Hermione didn't stop. On the contrary, she was hurrying up. He was too fast: his hand caught her arm before she could reach her aim. Hermione tried a sudden move to relieve her of his grip but she didn't expect to meet his gaze.
And then, it was a shock.
Hermione had just lost herself. She had plunged in a silvery sea where waves were crashing against the others. Dazzled. Dazzled by so much glitter. Dazzled by so much emotions in the eyes of the person, she though, was the most unemotional of her world.
-Why? She whispers slowly after she had recovered her mind.
He looked like he was hesitating. He seems lost. Somewhere in his brain trying to find out the answer. A logical one. A coherent one. She saw his fingers release their grip.
-I don't know...
And before she could react, he was gone.
Hermione stayed in the astronomy tower for a long time. She was wondering if the scene which had just happenned was real or if she was becoming mad. Hermione thought about it for a long time under this starry sky. And then, she dropped.
This night, against all odds, she spent a good night. First time since an eternity. She had finally forgotten and she was sailing on a silvery sea...
