So the last chapter was really more for filling in some of the holes that I created with the insanely choppy intro, for which I apologize. Thanks for hanging in there!

You just got to give me a second with the exposition, the character relationships are going to be a little complicated.

"The Patronus" might actually just be slipped into a different part of the story when it makes more chronological sense… I don't know quite yet, but I am not satisfied with it right now. If you have any suggestions, be sure to let me know.

Allie


Nightmares Are Dreams Too

Hermione had fallen asleep in her chair. And because nightmares are cruel creatures, they tormented her mercilessly, not giving her a reprieve just because she wasn't sleeping in her own bed.

This particular night terror was different. It starred someone who normally played a different role. This time, instead of a tormentor, they were instead a victim.

She was transported back to that awful manor, with Bellatrix standing above her laughing horribly. There was someone next to her, she could hear their labored breathing, but she couldn't see them yet. Her eyes were still squeezed shut in agony from the last curse.

Please don't let it be Ron. She thought, stuck in her anguish. Anyone but Ron. The nightmares that featured him were always the worst.

She peeled open her eyes when she was finally able. If she hadn't already been crying, seeing that shock of white-blonde hair would have started it.

Draco Malfoy was laying there beside her, his eyes open and staring directly at her, but there was no mistaking the lack of light behind them. She had seen that stare many times before, during the war.

He was bloody, there were ugly marks cut into his skin that mirrored hers with different letters. In place of "mudblood" there were the words "blood traitor" and other derogatory brands. He seemed to have been tortured more than even she had, his limbs twisted at odd angles, his clothes torn. But those gray eyes and that stupefying hair was beyond unmistakable.

The word "No" escaped her lips as almost a plea. This is worse than Ron, please, no. She shook her head in attempt to distill the image, but he was still there, staring at her. His arm was outstretched towards her curled form, she could see the words clearly but she couldn't seem to piece together what the scene meant, she was too stuck in the nightmare.

There was no one else in the room now, just his body and her. Somehow this was worse, she almost wanted the normal nightmares back, this one was new and she didn't know how to deal with it.

Wake up, Hermione. You're just dreaming. You control the dream; you can get out of it. But that never worked. She just lay there staring into dead eyes that seemed to call to her with some final wish.

She started screaming at herself to wake up, but this also did not work, she was still stuck on that cold stone floor.

Then, Malfoy blinked. Hermione screamed louder to wake herself up.

He righted himself, never breaking his stare. She tried to scoot away, but was rooted to the spot.

"Granger, it's time to wake up. Granger." His voice was soft, caressing, at odds with his appearance. She shut her eyes fiercely and when she opened them, she saw a very different, very alive, Malfoy calling her name.

"Granger! For Merlin's sake! Wake up!" There was no mistaking the concern now, she was certain. Through her sleep addled brain she noticed his wide eyes and his tense grip on her shoulders.

"Malfoy?" She asked tentatively.

"Well, who else would it be?" He had retreated now, the mask back into place. But she had seen it.

"No one- I just- Well-" she stammered, trying to recover from the shock of both the nightmare and waking up to that face. She pushed away his hands roughly from where they still resided on her arms. "Get off, Malfoy!" She was embarrassed to having been seen like that.

He just kneeled there for a minute before snorting with disgust, the normal Malfoy fully back in commission. "Fine then, Granger, if that's how you want to play it. McGonagall's expecting you in her office, something about you missing rounds and skipping classes." He sneered the last part and stalked off to his room, slamming the door.

Hermione dropped her head into her hands and allowed two tears to trickle down her face before wiping them away and standing. She was Hermione Granger for Godric's sake, certainly one different nightmare was not going to bring her down. She steeled herself for the inevitable scolding and disappointment that awaited her in McGonagall's office and left the Head's dorm.


"Miss Granger, I am truly sorry to have to say this, but we are going to have to ask you to step down as Head Girl. You have been missing classes, and neglecting your Head duties. Whatever is the matter with you? This certainly isn't like you at all." Minerva McGonagall stared at Hermione intensely, noting the sleep-deprived, red-rimmed eyes and the way her uniform hung on her now almost skeletal frame.

"Nothing, Headmistress! It's nothing that I can't work through! Please don't demote me from Head Girl! I'll take extra classes! I'll do extra rounds! Please!" Hermione couldn't imagine a greater shame than being lowered from Head Girl.

The former professor considered her student, one of the brightest witches she knew, and still young. She was a Gryffindor through and through all right, always saving the other two. Harry wouldn't have been able to do anything without her beside him.

Finally, she relented. "Alright, Miss Granger. But one more infraction and I won't be able to be so lenient with you."

Hermione sighed with relief, "Thank you, Prof- Headmistress, I won't let you down."

"Be sure that you don't. You're dismissed." Hermione exited quickly, aware of just how lucky she was to get out that cleanly.

Harry was waiting for her when she descended the staircase, "Hermione! Where have you been all day? Did you skip all your classes?"

"Well, I didn't intend to, I just got caught up in a project is all." She didn't want to share the fact that the Room had survived quite yet. Harry had been busy as well, and knowing him, he would probably want everything to just be cleared out so the room could be used again.

"Have you eaten at all today?" He asked, McGonagall wasn't the only one who noticed how skinny she had gotten.

"Of course, you were there at breakfast." Truthfully, she hadn't felt much like eating lately.

Harry just kind of sighed. "Alright, come on. We're going to the kitchen. You're too skinny, 'Mione."

They made their way down to the elf-run kitchen. Three eager elves ran up to them with plates laden with all sorts of breads and cheeses. Harry grabbed all three and steered her towards one of the tables. He sat down a plate in front of her, "Eat something."

They sat there munching for a few minutes while an elf brought over two goblets of pumpkin juice, Hermione was sure to smile and thank him.

"How have you been sleeping, Hermione?" Harry was anything but subtle.

"Fine, Harry. Thanks for asking, yourself?" He just gave her a hard look.

"Don't lie to me; I know you've been having nightmares." Hermione just sat there, picking at a pear.

"Its fine, Harry. Nothing I can't handle." She gave him a weak smile.

He sighed, "I'll let it drop, for now, but you know that you can talk to me, right?"

Hermione gave him a genuine smile this time, "Yeah, Harry, I know." She grabbed an extra orange to take with her to the Head dorm.

She wandered for awhile, wide awake due to the nap she had unwillingly taken, but when she finally made it back to the Head's rooms, which were blissfully empty, she discovered she was exhausted.

Placing extra strength wards around her bed hangings that night, she settled down with one of her books from the pile on her desk, muttered lumos and read as the night slipped her by.