10. Plagued by Night

"I conjure thee, I conjure thee. Oh dream lover let me see. In my dreams you will be; reveal your true face to me. Luna Amor." – The Little Book of Love Spells, Sophia

That night it was as if the entire castle did not sleep well for they were all plagued with dreams.

It started out as any other dream might for her…

Hermione sat curled up in a high back chair, with padded arms and reddish pink suede fabric. She had a light blanket covering her as she sat in front of the fire reading. The book was phenomenal; filled with ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Half way through the book, it grew. It grew so large that she had to push the pages with all her strength and body weight to get it to turn. It grew taller than she was, every page containing a life-size image of Ron.

Each page held a different picture of him; different expressions; different scenery. But as each page turned, the image of Ron slowly became distorted. His eyes were always whole: vacant and filled with emotion. And there was always limp red hair.

Slowly, as she kept turning the pages, his image was becoming dismembered. She wanted to stop but she had no will power to do so. She could only keep turning the pages and see him become less and less recognizable. The scenery behind him became horrific as well, with dead trees, cracked ground and lightning.

Finally the last page turned and it was just a mass of swirling color with a large red streak across the middle that had been his hair and his eyes were whole and hidden in the mess. They seemed to focus on her and plead for help.

Hermione tried to shut the book, but it was stuck open. A shrill scream was echoing around her. She looked and looked but found no one else there besides herself.

That's when she realized the scream was her own.

Although Hermione did not wake up, she tossed and turned all night whimpering slightly.


Ginny was exhausted as she climbed into bed. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was already fast asleep.

She was back on Paradise Island, in the home of Natalie McDonald's on the perfect beach on the perfect night. It was only her in the house and so she was readying herself for bed.

It was late and so the sun was setting on the west side, the last orange rays flooding the room in a warm glow. Her dark red hair was up in an elastic, the ends tickling her shoulders. She wore a white camisole and white cotton panties as she climbed into bed.

It was such a comfortable feeling, being nestled between the soft fabrics – the wonderful feeling against her bare skin - and her head resting on the heavenly fluffed-up pillows. She pulled one to the front of her and hugged it tightly before she fell asleep with a content smile on her lips.

Her sleep was interrupted by the movements in her arms. Her eyes fluttered open to see a man's body being held firmly to her almost bare self. Ginny gave a slight gasp. It caused the man to turn over and she came face to face with an equally bare Draco.

He smiled to her, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her slightly on the tip of her nose.

"Didn't mean to wake you, Mol." He whispered and nuzzled closer to her. "I love having you in my arms."

Ginny's eyes shot opened. Her attention went straight to the curtains moving, rubbing against her arm which must have been the sensation that had awaken her to begin with. With the blankets held tightly to her chin, she investigated a little further, poking her head around to reveal the room. She sighed in relief and attempted to calm her fluttering heart when she saw it was the breeze from the opened window making her bed hangings dance. But as she closed her eyes and realized she was alone in the bed, her heart beat a little louder at her unbidden desires.


Harry had been ecstatic to retreat to the confines of his four-poster. He was relieved to finally shut out the world around him and sleep safely in his own bed. But it was a nightmare from the start when yet again he had missed Ginny before she ran up to her room.

He stood alone in the middle of an empty room. Or was it a room at all? It was dark; so dark that he couldn't see anything. The only thing visible was himself.

He was hit in the back by something. It had stung. Harry spun around to face his attacker but there was no one there. Laughter soon filled the air.

He recognized the voice but could not place it. He was hit again and again there was no one. But now, where there was only one voice, it has been joined by others and slowly they multiplied. Whatever it was he was being hit with had started to come more frequently. They hurt too. He thought at first they were balls of water, but no, the substance was too thick. Then he thought perhaps paint because of the texture and color. But no, it was too slimy.

Harry stopped analyzing the disgusting stuff when one hit him on the side of the head, on his right ear. That's when he noticed what the substance did. When hitting a piece of fabric, the fabric would instantly stiffen. If he moved that piece or touched it at all, it shattered like glass, the pieces falling to his feet.

But when it hit his skin, his flexibility was gone completely and became unusable, even painful. He couldn't hear out of his ear. Where another hit his wrist, there was no movement at all and a pain he'd never dreamed possible.

He looked up and was startled at all the angry, laughing faces. He was right to recognize the laughter but they weren't who he'd thought they'd be. They were his friends, all laughing cruelly and hitting him with these balls.

The faces were spinning around him, slowly at first. All his friends were there, his girlfriend and the rest of the Weasleys. They were all laughing at his misery; laughing at his pain; but none more than Ginny. She was laughing the hardest. She laughed so hard, tears were falling down her cheeks. It was a cruel, evil laughter and her eyes were filled with disgust. All of their eyes were filled with the same emotions, little variation.

Their faces were starting to spin around him faster. He realized they were pictures like on a television. They were becoming more grotesque with large sharp teeth and blood red eyes.

Harry screamed.

When he awoke, it was from the impact of him hitting the floor, the pain radiating from his wrist. He looked around wildly until he recognized his surroundings as safe and quiet.

"Bloody hell." He muttered and climbed back into bed. But he could not sleep.


He stood facing his father. He could feel the anticipation and dread fill his chest.

Lucius looked at him with cold calculating eyes. Then, as if a fire ignited, he towered over Draco surrounded in flames. "You what?" his voice bellowed echoing off the invisible walls.

Draco's heart was beating painfully hard against his ribs. "I'm in love with Ginny Weasley."

The sure steady voice he spoke in surprised him.

Lucius regained his normal form. "I see. You've turned into a traitor as well."

"No." Draco was quick to say.

"You cannot love a Weasley." He spat. "They're lower than vermin."

"You're wrong. I love her. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"Nothing?" A smile spread across his sharp features. "Nothing you say?" And he started to laugh.

Fear rose though him as he started to tremble.

"I'll show you nothing boy." He waved a hand and somewhere to the left a torch ignited.

Draco did not want to look. But he did. There sat Ginny on her knees, hands tied behind her back and gagged. Her clothing was torn and dirt marks covered her skin. There were patches of dried blood all over her body and clothing.

"Ginny!" Draco screamed and reached out for her. His feet were stuck to the floor and try as he may, he could not get to her.

Her eyes were pleading, begging for help.

Lucius laughed and pointed his wand at her.

Panic swept through him the moments before his father said the curse. Ginny's tormented screams filled the air as time and time again his father tortured the girl he loved and he was helpless to stop.

Draco shot up in bed in a cold sweat and panting heavily. He sprang out of bed as if it was on fire and quickly exited the dormitory. He descended the stairs not remembering he was only in shorts and therefore not bothering to cover himself as he strolled into the common room.

Tempus lay fast asleep on the couch, a book draped across her chest. Draco thanked his lucky stars there was someone around to comfort him. It was even better that it was Tempus.

He picked the book up and set it on the table before scooping the girl gently into his arms. He proceeded to carry her upstairs.

Her eyes fluttered open and a tired hand brushed against his cheek. "Where are you taking me, Draco?" she asked sleepily.

"To my bed." He said, sleep evident in his voice as well.

He pushed his dormitory door open to reveal the other occupants still fast asleep. Visions of a tortured Ginny filled his eyes and the dread of helplessness washed over his body. He hurried silent steps to lay Tempus down before he began to tremble.

Once in the confines of his silently charmed bed, Tempus said, "We agreed never to do this."

Draco ignored her reasoning and since she didn't flat out tell him no, he climbed on top of her.

Tempus sighed as he started kissing her neck. "This won't fix anything. It'll still be there in the morning." She whispered close to his ear.

He stopped abruptly and his body shook. "He tortured her." He whispered and collapsed on the bed next to her. He felt the blanket come up around him and Tempus' small soft hands rubbed his back in soothing circles.

He was terrified to go back to sleep but it fought to claim him anyways.

This time his dreams were different. It was still filled with Ginny but this one was far more enjoyable. They were doing things he had only ever dreamed a girl would do. This was how dreams were supposed to be. It was so real and life like; as if Ginny was really with him, loving him.

"And I'd give up forever to touch you 'cause I know that you feel me somehow. You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be and I don't want to miss you right now." -Iris, Goo Goo Dolls

-LC