There was nothing to be done. Sheik thought glumly as she looked over her copy of 'A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration.' Transfiguration made absolutely no sense to her whatsoever, at least on the theoritical level.

She sighed, and threw the book aside, where it lay cluttered with her unfinished Potions essay and the apple she had been trying to charm into regenerating itself after every bite. There was no point in struggling with something you didn't understand: It was best to get someone else to explain the homework for you.

Her heart lurched uncomfortably in her chest as she descended into the common room: It was at times like this that she most missed Hermione's company. They had not really spoken since the incident with the dog. Hermione made every effort to pretend that Sheik didn't actually exist.

At first, Sheik was rather relieved that Hermione was planning on never speaking to her again, but over time, she began to feel rather left out of the loop. She had never made much effort to meet with any of her other classmates, as she found them odd at best, but then again... she had found Hermione rather strange as well.

It was a very strange situation, and Sheik did not really know what ot make of it. Lavender and Parvati, were, of course, always very nice, but Sheik found herself avoiding them of late as well, as they seemed very interested in the well doing of their roommates.

She sighed, her head bent low as she walked through the portrait hole. The Lake was always lovely this time of night.

...

Despite herself, Sheik had found herself listening in on the excited conversations of her classmates. Today was, in fact, a Holiday, and there would be a feast.

Well, that's just great. Sheik thought. She had been in a very bad mood already, and this just made her even more annoyed. "Every meal is like a feast. Why would I want MORE food?"

"Why, it's all in the nature of the thing, my dear!" Nearly Headless Nick exclaimed as he soared over. Sheik was rather fond of Nick, although she felt that he was a little too interested in her for her liking. "I mean, take myself, for instance. I was executed-"

"Excuse me, Nick." Lavender said, as she pushed through the ghost and moved to sit across form Sheik. She shivered slightly as Nick soared away, offended. "I was... umm... Parvati and I..."

"Spit it out, will you?" Sheik said irritably. Lavender scowled.

"I just thought you'd like to know that Hermione is in the bathroom crying her eyes out."

Sheik scowled. "You think I care?" She snapped. "Honestly." She bit her tounge here... she very nearly made a passing reference to the year before, and how she had to flee her homeland in order to escape the chaos her life had become.

"You care about her a lot, Sheik." Lavender said, her voice warm and soft. "I really think you should just talk to her."

Sheik stabbed a piece of pork with a fork.

"Fine!" She snapped. "I shall do as you ask!"

She leapt to her feet and left the Great Hall. The Entrance Hall seemed strangely quiet and lonely with no one around, and Sheik was strangely unsettled by the loud clinking noise her shoes made on the hard floor. She quickly made her way up the steps to the next floor.

Her walk was brief, but Sheik could not shake the uneasy feeling that was building up inside her stomach. She was, in fact, rather frightened at the idea of actually confronting Hermione. Their last argument had left a very bitter feeling in her mouth, and Sheik felt absolutely no desire for a repeat of that perfomance.

She reached the bathroom door and pressed her weight against it, only to find, to her very great surprise, that the door was locked. She could make out a fairly audible sniffing sound in the room.

She reached inside her bag and fumbled around.

"Ah. Where is it?" She muttered. The instant that the words left her mouth, she was surprised to hear the sound of footsteps quickly approaching from down the hall.

Not wanting to be questioned on why she was trying to break into a bathroom, Sheik quickened her search and managed to find that the object she was searching for had in fact slipped out of it's special pocket.

The Magical Key was one of the few possessions Sheik had managed to steal away during her flight. Lavishly colored gold, with a beautiful lions head engraced on the backside, the Key was fully capable of breaking open any lock, enchanted or otherwise. It was more of a family heirloom then an actual tool, but Sheik had occassionally found uses for it, especially in this Castle.

She jammed the key into the lock and pushed the door open. She looked to the side and saw, to her horror, that Snape was just now walking across the corner. She dashed inside, hoping he would not stop to question her. She waited with bated breath, pressed against the wall as she heard Snape quickly walk past.

She let out a relieved sigh as she stepped forward.

"Hermione?" Sheik called out. "That is you, isn't it?"

The sniffles suddenly stopped.

"Look," Sheik said. "I... Umm... I know I can't exactly be the easiest person to get along with, and I know you can be kind of kind of... not as well liked as you deserve. I know that people say terrible things about you, but I... uh, care about you a lot. You're a great person to be around, a little too stuck up, maybe. But I couldn't ask for a better friend."

She walked forward, running her hands along the side of the stalls.

"At least, I hope we're still friends." Sheik said softly. She stopped, her hand pressing against the side of the stall.

"Sheik..." The door suddenly unlatched. Sheik was suddenly face to face with Hermione, teary eyed and red faced.

"Hi." Sheik said, softly. She moved closer. "What's wrong?"

Hermione rubbed her eyes. "I-I... I just can't stand it." She moaned. "I just feel so... alone. All the time. Everything I do just so feels empty, and I can't..."

"You're not alone." Sheik said firmly. "You have me, you have our teachers, you have our entire house supporting you." A ragged, breathing suddenly filled the room, and a foul stench along with it.

"Ugh!" Sheik covered her mouth with her robes, trying to block out the smell. "What is that?"

A fairly audible click filled the air. Someone had locked the bathroom door.

"Stay Here, Hermione." Sheik turned around and looked past the open stall door to the entrance to the bathroom. Standing there, next to the now closed bathroom door, stood a giant Troll. It's arms seemed too long for it's body, and it's club was dragged along the ground.

"Hermione." Sheik said slowly. "Whatever happens, do not panic."

"Sheik? What's out there...?" Hermione asked. Much to Sheik's horror, she was already starting to become frightened.

Sheik herself could not even move. She had long ago fancied that she was easily capable of slaughtering giant beasts all by herself, especially as she had been quick enough to initate a counterattack against an even worse monster just a year ago. But this was somehow different: this was not a game of politics, this was a confrontation, something that she had little experience in.

And then it started to move towards her.

Sheik gave a dismayed cry and backed away, eyeing the beast as it slowly stepped forward, sizing up it's opposition. Hermione finally broke and looked past the crack in the stall hinges in order to size the beast. She shrieked in surprise as well, and the beast stupidly turned to face the stall.

Sheik's fear gave way to desire to protect Hermione. She drew her wand, and sent blue sparks flying into the monsters eyes. It flinched, but it seemed to be little more then a sting then actual damage. It looked down at her, and snorted. It raised it's club, and sent it tumbling down on top of Sheik's head.

She jumped to the side, the club whizzing past her head as it contacted with the ground.

"Hermione, the door! the door!"

Hermione was crawling along the ground, underneath the stalls. The troll was, however,tall enough to see over the stalls, and let out an amused roar as it swung an oversized fist, crushing the last stall to bits.

"Hermione! Sheik!"

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were standing across the hall, looking over the scene in awe.

"Get out of here!" Sheik screamed. "Go!"

"Oy!" Pea Brain!" Ron chucked a piece of debris at the troll, smacking it in the head.

It turned and looked at Ron. Sheik groaned inwardly. Why did boys have to be so stupid?

Sheik glanced back towards Hermione, who was still hiding in her stall.

The troll swung it's club, and Sheik gasped as Harry dashed towards the troll's arm, wand in arm, and grabbed on. He was swung around like a rag doll.

"No!" Sheik screamed.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club suddenly jerked out of the trolls hand and floated a few feet above it's head. It look up stupidly, and was smacked in the face.

"Harry!" Sheik screeched, as he flew off the troll and thudded on the ground. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He grunted. He got to his feet.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Sheik called, as she helped Harry to his feet.

"I'm okay!" She said. She emerged from the rubble, her clothes covered in debris, trembling.

...