A/N: Wow I know I haven't updated in a while, but with 11th grade stuff (prom, college, scholarships, class rings, ACT, SAT, friends problems,eating girl scout cookies..) I've been kinda busy. Not to mention I've been writing some original fictions. It's shorter than some of the others I'm afraid but it was necessary to put include this one. Well I'm going to shut up.

Disclaimer: gah do I really have to spell it out for ya? I am the easter bunny and I've come to take your soul.

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Chapter 14

In the eye of the storm

There was a blanket of snow covering Hogwarts' grounds. Winter had brought about change for everyone especially Hermione. While the other students were out on the grounds staging snow wars or practicing for the upcoming Quidditch game she was alone. Working always. Her hands cramped from holding a quill nonstop. She'd been working so hard in and out of class that when she did take a small amount of time to close her eyes the words from her textbooks were imprinted on her eyelids.

Life it would seem had gotten better. Hermione was never late and concentrated hard on her class work. Every night she could be seen up late in the common room hidden behind mountains of work.

To make things worse for her, there was always a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Paranoia. It was never good to be looking over your shoulder constantly fearing every dark corner, wondering if he was watching. Life wasn't easy but at least she had Ron right?

Ron. He seemed to keep his distance from her after her so-called emancipation from Richard. At first she allowed herself to believe he was discontent with her but it became apparent that he was afraid she might blow a gasket anytime and he did not want to be a victim of it.

Beyond trying to get herself back on the track she desired, Hermione spent "spare time" in the library trying to learn information about Richard's condition. How, if he truly was from over 100 years ago, was he currently alive and seventeen in the present day?

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Nothing. Still nothing. Hermione scratched her hair and sipped from her thermos of hot chocolate. There couldn't possibly be nothing at all about what she was looking for in the library's books.

Hermione shivered slightly and hugged her thick cloak to herself and looked over her shoulders.

"Quit being silly. Just because you feel a cold breeze doesn't mean it is him" she muttered to herself and continued to thumb through the thick book she'd gotten from the library.

She was sitting in the snow covered gardens in a Gazebo covered in vines, surrounded by books, it would have been hard for anyone who didn't know her well to find her but for him it was insanely easy.

Ron crunched through the snow trying to balance a present and a thermos of hot cocoa. When he reached the Gazebo he pulled the branches aside. Hermione looked up wide eyed and ready to attack or flee, but upon realizing who it was her eyes softened.

"Ron how did you know I was in here?" Hermione smiled slightly.

"Male Intuition" he said coyly as he placed his thermos on one of the book stacks. Hermione frowned at his total disrespect of library books.

"No really?" the bushy-haired brunette watched him incredulously.

"Fine. You really wanna know?" he heaved in a deep breath. "I figured 'hey if she isn't working then she's probably researching Shinra'-"

"Richard."

"Whatever." he waved away the comment, "anyway. ..so I said 'hmmm, it's not that cold today and my lovely friend always enjoys seclusion' and that's how I figured you'd be exactly here at the said time." Ron exhaled grinning.

Hermione chuckled warmly, "Well you were right." she noticed he was holding his hands behind his back. "Ron?"

Ron's eyes were looking over the limited space in the gazebo and trying to figure out somewhere to sit. "Yeah?"

"What's behind your back?"

Ron's grin became devilishly handsome. "I was waiting for you to ask me that"

He stood in front of her, "BAM!!!" he hollered making her jump, in her face was a thick old book. Letters on the cover fading.

Hermione's eyes traveled over the title. "Shadow hearts, unsents, and ghosts?" Hermione took the book from him with a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly" the red head was very much proud of himself. "All this other mess ain't holding no answer." he smacked a stack of books down off the bench, causing them to crash over the floor.

"You have NO respect for the written word!" Hermione gasped.

Ron plopped down beside her with a stupid look on his face. "Oh really? Oopsie my bad."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Besides, Ronald, this book is from the restricted section, how did you get it?"

A mischievous impish grin crossed his face. Hermione held her hand up, she didn't even want to know now.

"Well Ron thanks, but I already read this one thoroughly."

Ron's grin got wider. "Did you notice a couple of pages missing?" he patted her on the shoulder and then flung the book at the wall, it fell open revealing a torn section.

Hermione ignored the fact that he violated books and listened for his logic...if there was any.

"That's why I have this: it holds all the answers." he was pointing to his..pants.

Hermione felt heat rise in her face. "Ron..."

Ron fished in his pockets and pulled out a small sized thin book. Hermione chided herself for the perverted thought.

He handed her the book and she scanned the title.

"The lost heart's guide to romance: how to win them in 10 days?" Hermione blinked.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Clueless smart girl." he opened the book and instantly it was obvious two pages didn't belong in the book.

"Geostickma, the pages binded themselves to another book after being torn from the other." Hermione muttered.

"Yep." Ron patted her on the back. "The book stood out like a sore thumb in the restricted section. There's some good tips in there though."

Hermione shook her head and took the book from Ron and began to read the fist page aloud. "...while ghosts and unsents are similar to shadows..." she stopped, Ron's green orbs were boring into the side of her face. "What?"

"What did you think I meant when I pointed?" he had a small smirk on his face.

Hermione didn't answer but smacked the book on his face. "Quit being a boy."

"If I did that then that'd cause problems for you wouldn't it" Ron shot back laughing to himself.

"Shut up I'm trying to read." Hermione said willing her lips not to turn up in a smile.

"Fine fine fine" Ron said peering over her shoulder. He smelled of warm cedar and snow. Hermione inhaled and then began to read again.

"Shadows are similar to unsent and ghosts...but they are not alive or dead. Unlike unsent they aren't merely an imprint of a person's soul recreated through an intense desire to stay with the living for one reason or another. In fact shadows, also called Shadow Hearts are..." Hermione rubbed her tired eyes.

"Tired?" Ron commented. "C'mon finish reading it."

"Okay okay." Hermione turned her eyes back to the text. "they are malicious beings that can't leave the world of the living. They are only 2 accounts of people being encountered by Shadows.-"

"Three now..hell four if you count me..."

"-A shadow retains the appearance they had when they died. Unlike unsents who can change their appearance or ghosts who are always in a foggy white, they are virtually solid and passable as a human being... "

Ron interrupted with a laugh, "So let me get this straight..he's immortal?!"

Hermione stared at his warm green eyes for a moment. That was something she didn't want to think about. "Maybe. Apparently they act as they did when they were alive, powered by the darkness in their hearts and the energy of the shadow world...so if-"

"Nuh uh Hermione, we aren't going down that road...you aren't going back."he said forcefully.

Hermione sighed and checked her watch. "We'll finish this later. I've got to get back to work."

She began to get up to leave but Ron caught her hand. Hermione looked back.

"Ron's smile was gone from his face and he looked at her intensely. "Hermione..."

"What Ron?" Hermione said. She wished he would let go of her hand.

"Don't do it."

"What are you talking about?" the girl blinked.

"You're going back to him thinking that your "love" can take away his darkness and he'll leave. That's bullshit 'Mione. It's not your fault and you're not going back." Ron's eyes burned, the green flames in those orbs showed that he meant what he said.

"Well?" Ron said not taking his eyes from her.

"I've got to get back to work, I'm behind." she muttered , adverting her eyes and taking her hand back.

"Hermione you can't avoid the question!" Ron stood up frowning.

She quickly gathered her books.

"Hermione!"

She briskly left the room , muttering a swift thank you and good bye.

"Damn it" Ron muttered watching her go.

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Ron couldn't pay attention during practice. His mind kept reverting back to Hermione. Everything Harry said when in one ear and out the other.

He flew high into the air, the wind blowing fast past his ears drowning out anyone's voice.

"Alright everyone! Get in position, the game against Hufflepuff is only a couple of days away!" Ron heard Harry saying.

He watched the other teammates fly into the air.

"What are you thinking about? Her?" Ginny muttered nastily as she flew by her older brother.

Ron didn't say anything and simply got into position by the goal posts. He wasn't going to argue the point with Ginny about Hermione. Ginny didn't even want to hear the "Stuck-up two-faced ugly ass bitch"'s name.

He understood where his little sister was coming from but he was on Hermione's side and that in it's self aggravated Ginny. Claiming that he thought with his hormones and not his heart.

"Alright today we are going to do a 10 minute warm up with the Quaffle. Throwing it from one to the other." Harry's voice brought Ron back to the present.

Ron rubbed his hands to warm them up and did a small spin on his broom.

"It's cold out here hurry up!" the newest beater shouted.

Lazy Bastard. Ron thought. Hmph they'd never be as good as his twin brothers Fred and George. Thought he'd never tell his brother's that...they'd take it to their heads.

"Okay we'll start with Ginny" Harry threw the large red ball to the 'understudy seeker' and she caught it.

I wonder what Hermione is doing. I hope she's not gonna run back to that-

The wind was almost knocked out of him as his face connected with something hard. He clung to his broom to steady himself and held his face. The entire team was laughing.

"You're supposed to catch it Ron!" Ginny said, her laughter rang out the loudest and was rude, full of hidden yet obvious spite. She clapped hands with another team mate and gave her brother a cutting glare. She tossed her flaming hair over her shoulder.

"Bitch" Ron muttered angrily and felt his face. It was hot where the Quaffle had hit it and he just knew it was going to bruise.

"Okay okay everyone back to work" Harry said retrieving the quaffle before it hit the ground.

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Ron was the last to land that night at the end of practice, he was so tired, it would seem Harry was pushing for later and later practices everyday.

He flung his broom over his shoulder and walked slowly across the moonlit stadium and thinking Hermione again. It was then that it began to snow. He looked up at the sky allowing the flakes to fall on his face and cling to his eyelashes.

He heard an animal like howl. He froze and began to quickly go across the quidditch field. Who knew who was out there.

"Wait up!"

Harry was jogging toward him, his broom also slung over his shoulders. Ron groaned inwardly and waited.

"What's up?" Ron asked as they began a brisk walk toward the school.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to talk to you mate." Harry said looking over at Ron.

Ron frowned and tucked strands of his red hair behind his ears. "about?"

"You seem troubled and very distracted-"

"Don't worry Harry, I'll be on task for the game." Ron said dryly.

Why was he so negative towards people these days? Maybe he was just releasing his frustration about Hermione and that...thing..person.

"Yeah Ron I know all that. It's just that mate you've been really tense and I'm well..concerned." Harry said.

Ron sighed. "It's alright Harry, its just all that school work and stuff." he shrugged hoping Harry would get off the subject.

"It's her isn't it? You're preoccupied with her? About how she's...been?" Harry asked cautiously. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Aren't you like mad at her? Hermione?" Ron said adjusting his broom.

"Well..."

"I'm going to go ahead. I'm freezing." Ron said abruptly as the school came into view. He really did not want to hear Harry's answer, he was sure it was similar to Ginny's.

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The common room was quiet and empty, at least that's what it seemed. Ron could hear soft sobs echoing in the room. He put down his broom and walked over to the sound.

There she was her entire frame shaking with suppressed sobs, books scattered around, parchment torn, ink and quills all over the place...

"Hermione?" Ron whispered placing a hand on her back. Why was she crying? He peered closely at her.

Hermione looked up at him with tear-stained eyes, her bushy brown hair all over her head. She seemed so weak and helpless. It hurt him to see her so defeated.

"I can't do this." she sniffled, fresh tears beginning to roll down her cheeks and dot the papers surrounding her.

Ron wanted to brush her tears from her face and hold her and caress her hair soothingly and tell her everything would be okay. Instead he didn't.

"You can't do what 'Mione?" Ron said softly.

"All this work is due tomorrow..." she cried. "I'm a failure!" she tried to wipe away her tears but they continued to fall. Ron reached his free hand out but then drew it back uninsured. Usually he always made it worse so he held back.

"Mione you're not a failure. You're brilliant, strong, and smart y'know. Life, isn't easy is all." he said lamely. Hermione's head hit the desk and she sobbed again even louder.

Crap what did he say? Damn it he never did anything right.

" Mione?" Ron pulled her hair back and used a string to tie it back. "C'mon look I'll help you alright!" Ron said quickly picking up her scattered work. Hermione looked up incredulously. Ron? Offering to help? With work?

"You?" she blinked wiping away her tears.

"Heey what's that suppose to mean? You didn't know that all of this was smart? Ron said doing a flamboyant body motion with a quill, flinging ink everywhere.

A teary laugh emitted from Hermione. "Thank you." she smiled and laughed at him.

Ron's cheeks became quite hot, he quickly sat down and looked over the mass of papers. This was going to be a long night.

Hermione organized the work between the two quickly, giving him the 'easy' stuff.

She silently watched him admiringly as he managed to keep himself awake and help her. When he would look up their eyes would meet and she would quickly look down. The same thing happened every ten minutes.

Hermione lay her head down on on a book and continued to work, she just wanted to rest her eyes a bit. When she looked up Ron was snoring on a transfiguration report.

Hermione tiredly checked her watch. It didn't even seem like much time had passed. Suddenly her attention was drawn to the portrait hole, it was half open.

She got up and went over to the open hole and tried to close it but it wouldn't budge. Then she saw it.

Blood. A thick red trail of blood was oozing down the empty corridor.

Against better judgment Hermione stepped out into the hall and a cold shiver went down her spine, she hugged her cloak to herself.

She stopped short at the far end of the corridor near an adjacent hall was a body slumped over, blood splattered the walls behind it.

Hermione bent down to check the pulse, her hand went straight through the body.

"Help somebody!" she shouted running down the next corridor. She had to find someone. Anyone.

The girl's face connected hard with the cold stone floor. She had tripped over something. Or rather someone...

She felt around in the dark..and touched a limp arm. Suddenly she was blinded by a bright light and the hall way was illuminated.

She screamed. The entire hallway was dripping in a thick pool of blood, bodies slumped against walls, on the floor, and a few moaning in pain death taking them slowly.

She screamed again and ran flat out. Hermione turned down dark corridor after dark corridor, always running into the same scenario over and over again.

Clearly, she began to panic. Screaming for help, calling the names of the people she knew and loved frantically.

She fell and fell and fell, fighting the air was futile.

Her body slammed hard onto a wet stone floor stopping her. She stood slowly and looked up. She had fallen through the floor apparently. The light from above showed a figure laying on a elevated stone slab.

She sloshed through the dark water and touched the person. It was a girl, deep bloody gashes covered her body. It was then that Hermione came to the realization that this was blood she was standing in. Not water.

Cautiously she rolled the girl's body over.

"Ginny?!" she whispered hoarsely. No. It couldn't be Ginny. No. She was in her room...Hermione held her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream and hold back the need to vomit.

She shook the horribly maimed body of what used to be Ron's sister. Her flaming red hair flashed blood in Hermione's face.

"You're welcome miss Hermione."

Hermione froze and all the sound left the room but a soft evil ice like laugh. Hermione couldn't speak or move. She continued to stare down at the dead body of her best friend's little sister.

"Now we will be happy." Richard was directly behind her now, his cold eyes staring through her, his frigid hands holding her squarely by the shoulders. "This ginger haired princess will never talk against you again. Does that not make you jubilant?" he said moving Hermione's hair off her neck and kissing it.

A single tear rolled rolled down Hermione's cheek and fell onto Ginny's bloody face.

"Now dear you belong to me." Richard kissed her neck again. Her removed her cloak and exposed her bare shoulders. His lips grazed them coldly and possesivly, his sharp teeth grazed her skin drawing blood. "You are happy yes? You are beautiful when you bleed."

A strangled sob escaped Hermione's lips. Why couldn't she move? "No one will stand between us. No one will every talk against us. We will make music together. Forever. Everyone will feel our pain. Starting with her." he said icily.

Suddenly Hermione's body sprang into action.

"YOU SICK BASTARD!" she screamed hitting him wherever she could.

He grabbed her roughly by her wrists and pinned her down against a blood covered wall. She screamed "No!" over and over. "I'M NOT ABIGAIL!" she kicked and fought. His sharp nails slicked her wrist in the fray, her blood pouring out of her wound.

Richard pinned her harder, his eyes flashed dangerously, it was almost animal-like. Hermione fought harder.

"NO! STOP! NO! STOP!! GO AWAY! I HATE YOU! NO!"

"Hermione!"

"STOP I HATE YOU!"

"HERMIONE YOU'RE HURTING ME!"

Suddenly Ron came into view, she was in the common room as before. Ron was holding her hands away from her and he had a shallow cut on his cheek where she was sure she'd struck him.

"'Mione! It's okay. You were dreaming!" Ron tried to calm her down. "Shhh."

Hermione clung to his warm body and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright." Ron stroked her hair while she sobbed. "I'm with you. It's just us."

Hermione spoke through sobs."Where's Ginny?"

"Asleep..upstairs..why?"

"I...I do not know..." Hermione whispered hoarsely staring at the fresh scar on her wrist.

It had all seemed so ...real...

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A/N: I have a question. What if I changed the title of this story to something less 'unoriginal'? Would you be able to recognize the story under a new title? How do most of you who don't have me under your favorites or alerts (hint hint) find the story? By typing in the title? I mean the title really has been bugging me, I want to change it but I want everyone to still be able to find it you know. So I would love some tips on what the title should be and feedback. Oh and don't forget to review this chapter!

Also just so you know I should be updating again about three times when spring break comes alrighty? Anyway read and review and tell me what you think and what is that "dream" foreshadowing? If anything? Hmmm? Yeah I love reading your comments so give me some feedback! I still enjoy writing this story so don't worry about me discontinuing it. I promise I won't! I'm sure some of you have wondered...

Another thing: about the title. I would love some suggestions! If I like your suggestion I'll use it and give you credit in the next chapter. I need an original title, something that stands out in the masses :)

Love ya,

Goodwitch2008 (not such a good... witch..mwhaah)