Changes Can Be Made
Disclaimer: I vow on this day, and this day forth, that I, Kimzy-bubble, will take more time in making this fanfiction! On that same note, by the subtitle 'disclaimer' you can probably get that I do not own the awesome Harry Potter series… this fanfic is mine though ;)
A/N: Hi guys! Well good news first! I graduated high school and finished all this paper work for college and now I am officially a College student (that won't start school till June)! Yay! Hahaha… ok, so now I'd like to take this opportunity to say this… I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG WAIT! Sorry guys T-T … I'd also like to tell everyone that I am a movie franchise fan of this and have never read the books… I know! I'm sorry guys if you got the wrong idea… also, I'm really sorry for making the characters OOC and the whole thing about Nymphadora, yes I know it seems really random just throwing her into the story in the marauder's time, I actually COMPLETELY forgot about the age difference and the whole unrelated stuffs… anyway, I'm gonna have to change that chapter (chapter 18 I believe…) so anyway, moving on with the story!
Chapter 24: Nightmares are Normal
Hermione wandered lonely through the corridors as her mind worked. She was supposed to be heading to DADA. Well, that was her initial goal, however when she left Professor McGonagall she thought of nothing but her past. Her school memories played over in her head. She walked lazily through the empty halls, heart aching as it usually did when she thought of Ron and Harry. At first, they were happy memories, then the bad ones took over.
"Bloody hell," she whispered angrily. Tears pricked her eyes as she tried desperately to stop the images in her mind. After a few minutes, her efforts were rewarded. She breathed a sigh of relief as the images slowly started to fade away and bring her back to her new reality. The last image she saw was the one of the locket horcrux. She just had to see Dumbledore immediately.
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Sirius and Lily arrived promptly at DADA. Sirius took his seat next to James, and a conversation of pointless meaning and planning pranks began quickly. Lily rolled her eyes, 'Boys… When can they ever be serious…'
She waited by the door, awaiting Hermione's arrival, but when Merrythought entered before any signs of Hermione, she swiftly seated herself beside the ever-energetic James Potter. "Strange…" Lily mumbled still eyeing the door. 'Why hasn't Hermione come yet?'
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Hermione made her way to Dumbledore's office and found him smiling as if he had been expecting her.
"Miss Granger, I've been waiting," he gestured to a seat, which she gladly accepted. "I thought you would have come earlier."
"Sorry Sir," she smiled awkwardly.
Dumbledore gently stroked her cheek as a grandfather would. "Child, you mustn't keep the pain inside."
She forced a smile, "It's better this way… I cannot burden anyone else… They should not have to know the pains of a past that may become the future… This is my burden to bare…"
"Maybe that is only what you believe, my dear."
'Speaking in riddles as always…' Hermione tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"Our future is something we all are burdened with. It is not a burden that one or two people should carry."
She faced her joined hands that rest in her lap as she thought of the future she came from. The future she knew was something she did not want to burden others with, it was too horrible. Dumbledore's hands cupped her own. She lifted her head as she gazed into the elder's gentle face. In this time, he was the closest thing to family she had.
"You cannot do this alone, my dear. When the time is right, you must tell them."
"Professor… I can't," she pleaded with her eyes. "This… I… They…" she couldn't find the words to express her feelings on the matter, "I… I-I just can't…"
Dumbledore patted her hands a couple of times before retracting them from her fists of frustration. "All in good time, my child... Now, for other matters."
Hermione became so alert instantly, "The Horcrux…"
"Yes, I have located the whereabouts of the cave you told me about; the one that holds the Locket Horcrux."
"When do we leave?"
"It's not that simple," he went on, "we must plan this thoroughly and go when I deem you ready. Right now you must focus on settling in this time."
Hermione nodded slowly in understanding. She could not meet his gaze; she was so obviously disappointed but was too respectful to voice out her disappointments. She had wished to go as soon as possible to get this all over and done with, but she understood Dumbledore's decision. They both knew that she could never go back to her time the same. She knew she would live out the rest of her life slowly moving towards the future from now. 'So, I must get used to this time before anything else…'
"Please bear with it, child."
She raised her head and looked him straight in the eye. "I understand, Professor," she smiled reassuringly.
"Right, now shouldn't you be heading to class?" he asked with a knowing smile.
She returned the smile sheepishly, "Right… Class… Then I'll be taking my leave now, Sir."
He smiled heartily as she slowly left his office, "Or maybe a nice rest, my dear," he called out before she reached the door. She smiled thankfully at him before she disappeared from his sight. That Hermione Granger was an incredible young lady. She had a strong spirit and a rational mind, but she had suffered more than anyone here in this time. "Be strong Hermione Granger…" the old wizard whispered.
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Merrythought was so enthralled by the duels going on that she never realized the few students missing from the crowd of cheering wizards and witches gathered around the duelling table. Sirius, James, and Lily leaned back against the wall. All preoccupied with their thoughts.
"Evans, you look very beautiful today," James nervously said to her.
She looked back at him, confusion and suspicion evident on her face. "And I look horrible every other day?"
"No! No, that's not what I meant… I meant…."
'Merlin he can be cute sometimes,' she giggled to herself as she watched him panic over her comment.
"I just meant that you look as pretty as always… yeah, that's it," he smiled in victory. He had finally found the best way to say the compliment he wanted.
"Um, thanks," she smiled trying to keep the blush from her face as she watched his boyish grin spread.
"So, about the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend-"
"James, the upcoming Hogsmeade Weekend is in about a month!" she exclaimed. 'Of all things to talk about why bring this up again?!' she thought angrily. "Seriously James, we only just started school! I don't have plans yet, but you still have the rest of the month to study before I even think about going with you," she said rather annoyed by the topic. In her opinion, it was rather ridiculous to think of that event this early in the year.
"Well I was only just bringing it up to ask you something," he retorted.
She sighed, allowing all her frustration to exit her body in that one breath of air, "What is it?"
"I just wanted to see if you had plans…" he mumbled. "And now that you don't," he grinned.
'Here it comes…' she mentally prepared herself for what's coming next.
"…Maybe you can get Hermione to tag along with me and the rest of the marauders."
"What?!" She and Sirius exclaimed simultaneously.
'Hermione? Why Hermione? I thought he liked me…' pain stabbed her heart as she thought of James fancying Hermione rather than her. It hurt… really hurt. Lily looked away from the boys. Her heart stung and she couldn't think straight. She couldn't understand the feeling. She just…. She just felt… strange… 'Is this…. Jealousy?" she wondered.
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Sirius leaned on the wall beside James. 'Mione's still not here…' Suspicion clawed through his body. He was starting to think Lily was right.
'Maybe Lily was on the right track... "Do you find Hermione… strange?" "It's just she seems so secretive, you know?" "She cries randomly and isn't fazed by the Slytherins. It's like she's waiting for something… Like she's challenging them… When she's in argument with a Slytherin she's… different." "Sometimes when she's angry she looks as if she'd be willing to… to do horrible things."' Lily's words echoed throughout his head, 'Something is definitely strange about her…' He didn't want to be the one to think these things about her. She was a good person but Lily was right to have some questions about her. 'Even now, she hasn't come to class…. Wait, maybe she's lost! That's it!' He thought comfortingly. But still deep inside he felt that there was something off about her. He shook his head. He just had to stop thinking like that. And so, he focussed on the nearest interesting thing, James and Lily's conversation.
"So, about the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend-" James said to Lily.
And Lily looked completely gobsmacked. 'Hah! Prongs you git, the weekend is still a long way off! She's going to burst!' Sirius inwardly chuckled.
And burst she did. "Seriously James we only just started school!"
James stared at her dejected from her outburst, "Well I was only bringing it up to ask you something."
Sirius pat him on the back for comfort, "Ask her when it's closer, Prongs," he whispered. James just nodded.
Lily let out an audible sigh, "What is it?"
"I just wanted to see if you had plans… And now that you don't," James grinned.
'He's still going to ask her on a date even though he still has to study for a month? Wow! You're seriously brave James… but, you have my support Prongs!' Sirius cheered for his friend.
"Maybe you can get Hermione to tag along with me and the rest of the marauders," James finished.
"What?!" Sirius and Lily exclaimed.
"Why'd you ask her to get Hermione to go with us?!" Sirius demanded the answer from James. He practically choked James. 'Why Mione?! He can't possibly like her now!'
"Padfoot! It's just my tactic!"
"What 'tactic' is that?! You're giving her the wrong idea! She probably thinks you've moved on!"
"I only asked so that if Hermione says yes, she's going to demand to go along to make sure Hermione is okay! Thus! She'll finally take me up on my date offer! But, why would she think I've moved on?"
"Merlin, that's smart!" Sirius was pretty impressed by his Quiditch Captain, 'But then again… it's still a bloody wrong way of saying it…' he inwardly face-palmed himself. "But you're still a dimwit!"
"Why? And I can't breathe with you pulling my collar too hard…" James rasped out.
"Oh, sorry Prongs…" Sirius removed his hands from the collar of James' shirt. Then he looked him straight in the eyes. "Prongs… she thinks you moved on because you asked about getting her," gesturing to Lily, "to get 'Mione to go with, and I quote, 'me and the rest of the Marauders' end of quote."
"So… she thinks that I want to go with Hermione?" James asked confused.
"Yes, you git!"
"What?!" James exclaimed and turned to Lily, "No, Lily!"
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Lily was suddenly brought back to reality by James. "No, Lily!" he exclaimed.
"What?" she snapped at him.
"Lily Evans, I love only you! Not once, did I ever consider any other girl. You, the head girl of Gryffindor, Lily Evans is the only girl in my heart," he said, holding her hands to his chest to show his sincerity and affection through the one movement.
Lily didn't know what to say. She blushed so red from the way he proclaimed his love. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest it almost hurt, and she couldn't think of anything. He was so handsome, sweet, and sincere with his feelings. She was so… Happy? Relieved? But why did she feel that way? Was it… love? 'wha! No! No! It most definitely is not! …..Is it?' she shook her head to relieve herself of such thoughts. Finally, she managed to get her composure back and yank her hands from his grip. She cleared her throat before asking, "Then why did you ask?"
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After a moment or two in silence, Lily pulled away from James. Sirius could tell that she was suffering from an inner conflict. He could tell since he was the same around a certain curly haired witch. "Then why did you ask?" Lily retorted sharply, jolting Sirius back to the conversation. Sirius smirked, 'This is definitely going to be fun…' All Sirius had to do was sit back, relax and enjoy the show. 'Now how're you going to get yourself out of this one without revealing your true intention, Prongs?' he thought darkly, laughing at his own inside humour.
"Well… I… Um….. I-I was asking for Sirius," he jutted his finger towards the raven haired Casanova.
"What?!" Sirius was shocked at his 'apparent' involvement.
"Ah, I see," Lily smiled mischievously.
"N-No! That's not it at all!" Sirius started.
"Sure it isn't," she smirked.
"Sorry Padfoot," James whispered, sounding partially apologetic and partially amused.
Sirius growled like the animal he was in his Animagus form. 'How dare he use me as a scapegoat… I'll get you back, Prongs!' he inwardly cried out. For the rest of DADA, Sirius said nothing. He looked grumpy the entire time. James and Lily couldn't help laughing at him. "Shut it, Prongs, Evans!" he snapped, which only made them laugh harder.
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Hermione wandered the halls to the Gryffindor dorms. When she reached the fat lady she sighed contently. While the painting sighed dramatically, "Password?"
"Butterbeer Broomsticks"
"You may enter," stated the fat lady as her frame swung carefully open, revealing the entry to the Gryffindor Common room.
Hermione swiftly entered and climbed the stairs to her room. It felt so good to relax on her bed. It was about 3:00 pm, she hadn't bothered changing clothes… She was just so exhausted. Her arm still ached as she remembered how Bellatrix marked the words on her forever. She removed the bandage from her arm and lifted it above her head to gaze at the reddish-pink scar of the word 'Mudblood'. It was a reminder of what she hated (death eaters), yet the scar itself made her feel stronger inside. She felt more of a solid reason to fight inside. Thought it was a painful existence to her – and even brought her to tears sometimes – It was her own symbol of her personal conviction, 'Wow, this must be how Harry felt about his scar,' she snickered. She allowed a sorrowful smile to grace her lips as she looked one last time at the mark before she laid it to rest beside her numb, tired body. She could not keep her heavy eyelids open any longer. 'I must be tired from everything, I guess…' she thought feeling slightly hazy as sleep slowly consumed her mind.
Hermione awoke in a room; a room that did not belong to Hogwarts. She could tell by the dark tapestries, the dark magic books, and the scent of death that hung heavily in the air. She took a calculated look around and an educated guess, and concluded that this room belonged to a death eater's hideout or home even. She felt her clothes quickly in search of her wand. But she couldn't find it. 'This is probably a dream…' she thought. But even so, something felt… off… felt… different… wrong, especially when a door hidden in the shadows slowly opened.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She had no wand and knew it was a dream, yet, she still felt the need to defend herself. So, she resorted to hiding behind something in the room. She checked the room quickly and made a swift decision to hide behind a very creepy wardrobe. Silently, she watched what transpired. A figure moved into the room and when the figure stepped into the moonlight by the window, she gasped. What was Josanne doing in her dream? Another figure moved into the room. She did not recognize this one. He looked scary from his scarred face to his braided scruffy beard, and his evil, beady little eyes. Then he addressed Josanne in a deep, hoarse voice, "Wait here girl. I'll bring the master to you."
Josanne nodded quickly. Hermione could tell something wasn't right with Josanne. She fiddled with her hands and was sweating. What was this crazy dream about? Why is Josanne so nervous? Finally, the door to the room quickly swung open. Hermione watched in dismay as a gigantic python slithered into the room. Its eyes flickered towards Josanne and its tongue flicked out as if tasting the air near her. It stared her down with such ugly, cunning eyes; and when it was satisfied it turned its head towards the door and hissed.
Hermione didn't need the light to tell her who was coming. 'Voldemort…' she shook in fear and anger. She wanted to pounce on him and kill him with her bare hands if she could, but she knew, 'this is just a dream… a nightmare…' Suddenly her attention was caught on the dark wizard who entered the room. He moved like a shadow, so quick and silently. He moved around the room to the young Josanne. She was visibly trembling now, but held his gaze. He grinned a feral grin at the young witch and chuckled, "You wish to join me?" he asked knowing fully the answer.
"Y-yes, m-master," she said in a shaky voice.
The fear in her voice only made Voldemort's grin wider. "I heard you are a talented young pure-blood witch… welcome, my dear." He enveloped her in an awkward hug, and when he pulled away, he asked for her left arm. Hesitantly, she gave held it out to the dark lord. He then brought his wand to her arm and started a strange ritual.
He seemed to draw something on her arm whilst chanting. All the while, Josanne was shift in visible pain, holding back the screams as he pushed his wand harder on her arm. After a minute, he stopped, withdrew his wand and smiled at her. "You're now one of us."
Josanne looked down at her arm and brought it to the light of the window. Hermione gasped at what she saw. Josanne had a death eater mark on her arm. 'She's become one of them…'
Josanne turned back to the dark lord, thanked him and then said, "My lord, what am I to do now?"
"Go back to school and wait for my orders," with that he quickly left Josanne in the room staring at her arm. Hermione watched Voldemort and his snake leave. But before they disappeared from the room, the python's head flicked towards Hermione's hiding place. It blinked her way, as if knowing of her existence before it left and the scene before her disappeared.
Hermione woke with a start. She felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. 'Such a vivid dream!' she was so alerted by the realness of it she had no idea what to think. 'But luckily it was just a dream… right?' she was still tired and when she checked the time it was only 3:11 pm. 'I still got time,' she sighed, as she surrendered herself to another nap.
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Regulus was so bored with Divination. It was probably the most hated subject of the whole Slytherin house, but it was the only subject he could really think in. He ignored the lecture and the crystal ball as he let his mind wonder. His mind thought of many things, like when will he join the dark lord like his parents want him to? When is Severus joining? Should he ask Lucius about joining? Would Hermione Grace hate him if he joined? 'Wait what?!' he thought shocked. 'Where did that come from?' He shouldn't care about that muggle-born witch. 'If I think about her, I'm only degrading myself…. Aren't I?' He thought of all the things wrong with thinking about her but he couldn't help it. She was just… just… 'Just what? Attractive, feisty, talented, smart, and- WHAT?! Stop this Regulus Arcturus Black! She's beneath you,' when he thought that he blushed at the double meaning. Quickly, he shook his head, ridding his mind of such thoughts or any thoughts of the girl. He decided to actually do something in the class for once, so he listened to the lecture for the first time ever.
"Crystal balls aren't just for seeing the future, students. They're for making decisions, seeing outcomes of our choices, our desires…" the teacher rambled.
'Our desires? Futures? Outcomes of choices? This is definitely a class for nut jobs,' he inwardly laughed. It all seemed incredibly ridiculous to Regulus.
"…That is why it is so important! It is the essence of fortune telling the very core of…" Regulus made an audible 'argh' irritated noise as Professor Trelawney went on and on. "…Now, everyone, look into your crystal balls," Regulus snickered but followed her instructions, "look at the fog inside the crystal," Regulus watched with disinterest at the smoke-like fog shifted into different shapes. Then the grey contents of the crystal started to change. Regulus' smirk faded. He shifted to get a better look into the crystal, "Open your heart and mind, and focus solely on the fog." Regulus felt his heart and mind lighten as if opening to the world within the crystal ball. The fog suddenly changed into a vivid rose-pink colour that reminded him of the tint on Hermione's cheeks when she blushes and the bewitching colour of her pretty lips. He focussed harder on the ball. "Now… What is it that you seek, students? It will appear to you in the ball." The colour changed; it moved to a blue with a twinge of white and moved as if it were the winds to the freedom he's always wanted. 'Freedom?' he thought, when it, again, changed to show an image of a girl's face; a beautiful face that smiled sweetly at him, like an angel. It looked a lot like… "Hermione," he whispered lowly to himself. He gently caressed the crystal ball. She was his angel. 'What am I doing?!' he panicked. He quickly removed his caress from the crystal ball and shook his head, regaining his composure. What was happening to him? He was so angry at himself, he grabbed his belongings and abruptly left the room without a word. He made his way to the Slytherin dorms. He just had to get a grip on reality. 'I'm a Slytherin, a pure-blood. I am better than any muggle-born witch or wizard… I don't want anything to do with her…'
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Josanne hated this ridiculous waste of time called Divination. She hated the subject, the teacher, and the outrageous idea of making high class pure-bloods do this disgraceful time-consuming subject. She sighed, bored out of her mind. She glanced over to where her love was. 'Oh Regulus… won't you look at me,' she sighed longingly. The pain of last night's argument still stung her. The look of anger and rejection shone in his eyes.
"Please understand my feelings…" she begged him. "Please…" she pleaded. "I… I'm sorry Josanne," he turned away.
That moment replayed in her head all night and even now. Why? Why didn't he want her? Why did he defend Hermione? 'Why Regulus?!' Josanne screamed inside. She hated Hermione Grace. That filthy mudblood got in her way. SHE made Regulus turn against her. Josanne was fuming now, 'I'll make that mudblood pay!' she seethed inside.
She turned her attention back to the handsome Slytherin. Regulus look completely bored, but he was still extremely handsome. To all of the Slytherin girls, Regulus and Lucius were the most HANDSOME boys in the entire school, of course that Sirius Black – Regulus' brother – was a hunk too, but he was a blood traitor and, 'He's nothe compared to my Regulus,' she smirked. She watched Regulus stare into the crystal ball, the shining grey reflected in his deep black yet somewhat indigo eyes. She watched as his expressions changed from boredom, to fascination, to shock, to… a soft unknown expression? What? Josanne had never seen that expression on his face before. It was so strange. Then something even stranger occurred; Regulus softly touched the crystal ball and whispered something. She didn't hear it, but she's good at reading lips. 'Hermione…' she inwardly raged, 'I'll kill her!' She and the rest of the class watched as he left without a word.
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Hermione slowly drifted away for the second time. As she sank into the darkness of sleep she prayed for a peaceful sleep; but she was soon to find that the universe loved to be cruel to her.
Hermione opened her eyes. She was standing in white, literally. She was dressed in a beautiful white silken dress that stopped above the knees; she stood barefoot on a white floor with white all around to no end. She decided to explore. So, she took a test step forward carefully, and found it was solid. And so, she walked on, on into the whiteness. Suddenly she heard a voice. "Hermione! Hermione!" it called.
It sounded so familiar. "Ginny? Ginny where are you?!" she screamed desperately.
"HERMIONE! HELP ME!" Ginny screeched.
"GINNY! I'M COMING! GINNY!" Hermione ran desperately after the voice. Suddenly she tripped, she was falling, falling down a dark hole.
"HERMIONE! HERMIONE! HELP! HERMIONE!" the voice was getting louder.
'Ginny?' Hermione questioned as she fell. The voice was close now. Hermione suddenly was engulfed by something. It was hot and wet, and reeked. 'What is this?' she thought as she stood waist deep in the liquid. Hermione felt around in the dark, looking for something, anything. She finally managed to find something solid. 'A rock? No, a stick? No! It's a wand!' Hermione sighed in thanks. "Lummos," she commanded. Suddenly a whitish-blue light came from the tip of the wand. She looked down to find the liquid looked rather purple in the light. 'What is this?' she questioned. She looked around for steps, land or even a ladder. Luckily, she found that there was an island by the looks of it, in the middle of this liquid. She trudged through the wetness and made it to the island.
"Hermione?" many voices whispered.
"W-who's there?" she visibly and audibly shook. Hermione may have been a brave young soul, but she hated scary movies and moments like these. 'Who wouldn't?' she reasoned, 'Does anyone like many voices calling out to them in a dark place?' she asked herself.
"Hermione?" the voices rang again.
She shivered. This was getting too creepy. She shone the light of her wand around and found a torch in the middle. 'It looks big enough to light the place.' She dimmed the tip of her wand, then said, "Incendio!" the spell lit the torch on fire revealing a disgusting truth. The liquid she was previously in was in fact… blood. It was a sea of blood around the island. Hermione screamed. Tears spilled from her eyes as she looked over the blood. She looked down and saw that her once white dress was now sticking to her body, drenched in warm, fresh blood.
'NO! This is not happening!' she inwardly screamed. Blood dripped from her arms and hair. Blood was everywhere on her!
"Hermione," voices whispered again. Hermione looked up alerted to the presence of many others. The ocean of blood drained away revealing piles of bodies. "Hermione," they all chanted creepily.
"Muggle-borns," a voice whispered in her ear. She whipped around to find Voldemort behind her. She pointed her wand to him, but suddenly it faded away. 'What! W-where is it?!' she panicked. He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at the piles of dead muggle-born witches and wizards, blood still pooling from their bodies. Tears spilled down her bloodstained face. The dark lord let her go, "Petrificus Totalus!" he had paralysed her.
She couldn't move. She tried so desperately to see what he was up to, but she couldn't do anything. Finally, the piles fade. Everything went black. She thought it was over; but sadly, she was wrong.
"Imperio!" Voldemort commanded.
She closed her eyes hoping not to feel anything when he made her do something. She cried. 'Wake up, please wake up…' she chanted in her head over and over again.
"Help… Hermione…" a weak, suffocated voice rasped out.
Hermione's eyes flew open to find in front of her, hanging in the air was Ginny. Voldemort held her up by his wand. 'NO!' she tried to scream out, but all she could do was watch. She was paralysed. She could do nothing but watch as Voldemort twisted Ginny's limbs in impossible, inflexible ways. She screamed out. "Hermione! Help me! Hermione!" she cried out in pain. 'Ginny!' she tried to call out, 'Stop it! Let her go, you bastard!' she tried to scream out, but she couldn't even move her lips. 'Please wake up, wake up Hermione! PLEASE! WAKE UP!'
"And round her head goes," Voldemort laughed darkly.
She screamed inside as she watched in horror as Ginny's head made a 180 degree turn. Ginny's voice rang out in Hermione's mind, "Why'd you leave me? Why weren't you there? Why did you let this happen to me? Hermione…"
"…Mi! WAKE UP! HERMIONE!"
Hermione woke with a fright. She was shaking… No… she was BEING shaken BY someone. That someone was Lily. "L-Lily?" Hermione stuttered. She realized that she was heavily perspiring as tears spilled from her eyes. Lily stopped shaking her and calmed down.
Lily's eyes were filled with tears as she looked down at Hermione. "Yes, Mi! Calm down everything's ok. I'm here…" Lily gently said as she comforted Hermione.
"What's going on?! What happened?!" The marauders barged in.
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Lily sighed. 'Finally, DADA is over…' she wanted to find Hermione as soon as possible. 'Why did she skip DADA?' They searched the school and met up with Remus and Peter along the way. They told them of Hermione's absence.
"Why don't we check if she's in the dorm?" Peter suggested right away. Sirius, James, and Lily looked away in shame. 'Why hadn't we thought of that!' the three face-palmed.
"Right! Let's go," Lily cheered out, but she did not wait for their reply… or for them to catch up. She simply marched right on to their dorm, determined to find reached the fat lady in no time.
"Oh, head girl," the painted started with her noble but loud voice, "It seems Gryffindor's newest addition is cutting classes," she informed them with a snort, "You should definitely keep that one in line, she might go making MORE trouble for Gryffindor…"
"Thanks for the tip," Lily winked at her.
"Sure… password?"
"Butterbeer Broomsticks."
"Go on in," the painting swung open.
They stepped into the common room. There was hardly anyone there. The boys immediately occupied the couch and waited for the head girl's instructions. "Okay, you boys stay here and I'll go check on her. Just stay here, do NOT follow me or else, go it?"
Lily was giving off her listen-to-me-or-else-you'll-die-a-painful-death aura. The boys swallowed hard and nodded in agreement.
"Good," she huffed. She quietly walked up the stairs to Hermione's room and knocked on the door. "Hermione? It's Lily… Are you ok?" No reply. "Hermione?" Nothing. "Hermione? Okay, I'm coming in."
When she opened the door she found Hermione laying on her side resting. Her eyebrows were furrowed and sweat leaked from her skin. Lily moved closer. She saw something. 'What is that?' she asked herself as she moved to take a better looked at her left arm. There was a mark on it. It was resting against Hermione's stomach slightly turned up. She could see a pinkish-red mark on it. 'what is it? A bruise? Tattoo? Scar? What's it doing there?' Lily was sitting on the bed beside Hermione, she was about to reach over and find out what it was when Hermione stirred.
Tears fell from her closed eyes and she whimpered. "Hermione?" Lily whispered. Suddenly, Hermione started screaming, "Ginny! Ginny! Stop it! No! Ginny!" Lily got the fright of her life. Hermione was crying out hysterically and crocodile tears fell from her closed eyes.
"Hermione! Hermione! Mi! WAKE UP! HERMIONE!" Lily was trying to shake her awake.
Finally she responded, "L-Lily?" Hermione stuttered and sobbed out.
"Yes, Mi! Calm down everything's ok. I'm here…" Lily said as she gently cradled Hermione to her chest, holding her like a mother soothing her child. 'Bloody hell, what was going on in her nightmare?'
Both girls jumped when the door slammed open. "What's going on?! What happened?!" The marauders barged in.
Lily gave them an 'I'll explain later' look and told them, "Everything's fine… Just get out for now," along with a silent, 'before I kick your sorry butts out!' They hesitantly backward stepped out of the door all four boys concerned eyes resting on the sobbing girl in Lily's arms.
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When the boys were gone, Hermione looked up at Lily to thank her. Lily just smiled whilst patting her head. "So what was that?" Lily asked concerned like the future mother she would be.
"Um… just a nightmare…"
"Oh Mi, I'm sorry," Lily said. Hermione was very observant and already noticed the tears that threatened to fall from the head girl's eyes. "After what you've been through, it's normal to have such nightmares."
Hermione nodded and sunk back down into Lily's arms. 'Lil, you're such a kind person.' Just then, she realized that her scar was vulnerable. "Ah, Lil? I'm okay now, it's just a nightmare," She forced a smile and seemed to get Lily to accept her false excuse. But all the while she was subtly covering her arm from view. Hermione carefully gathered her toiletries and her change of clothes before she turned to face Lily, who kept a close eye on her, "We should probably get a move on," Hermione began, "we're supposed to meet Sev in the Library at 4:00 and it's already 3:40… So, you and Remus can go ahead and I'll quickly wash this sweat off me and meet you guys there!" Hermione cheered.
"Mi…" Lily seemed very unsure.
"Oh come on, Lil! You promised!"
Lily sighed and gave Hermione a heart-warming genuine smile, "Fine! Be quick though!"
Hermione smiled in response and followed Lily out of the door. She slowly climbed down the stairs and met the eyes of the marauders. She gave them a weak smile. She didn't want to speak to them right now and was sure that Lily will probably explain, so she left for the female showers without speaking to them.
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Lily watched Hermione go. 'Poor Hermione…' Lily had no idea what to do with her. It was obvious that Hermione was hurting inside and she couldn't do anything to really help her it seemed. Lily sighed. Sometimes she felt so useless. 'Wait!' she cried out inside, 'I forgot to check her arm!' Lily face-palmed, painfully slapping her forehead. How could she forget? She'll just have to ask her about it later. Lily sighed again. She couldn't help but feel that sometimes Hermione could be a little suspicious. 'Well it's too early to even think like that yet,' Lily reasoned. When she was gone she met with the boys.
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Sirius paced as he waited patiently for Lily to bring Hermione out. They knew she was there.
"Padfoot, she missed one class, it's not the end of the world," Remus sighed at his pacing friend.
"I know, I just…"
"Just?" James mocked him.
"I just wanted to… um… I wanted to exercise a little," he winked at the boys.
"Ahem, right…" James smirked.
"Padfoot, it's ok, she's probably not feeling well. Did you notice that she looked a bit tired?" Peter suggested.
"Wormtails right," Remus agreed, "She looked a bit drained during lunch."
"Yeah, I guess so…" Sirius mumbled.
The boys jumped when they heard a loud "Ginny! Ginny!" scream out from Hermione's room.
The boys bolted up the stairs to Hermione's room. "Lily!" James cried out obviously worried about her welfare.
'Hermione…' Sirius was scared that something bad had happened to her.
When they reached the door they could hear Hermione crying. They burst through the door. "What's going on?" James yelled.
"What happened?" The other three boys piped in.
Sirius watched as Hermione heaved with sobs in Lily's arms. She shook as she cried, trembling with each breath. Sirius felt his heart tighten painfully. He wanted to so badly pry her from Lily's grasp and hold her, soothe her as she cried her pains out. But he couldn't; he looked over at Lily who was trying to shoo them away, "She's fine… Just get out for now," with her hidden message of 'or I'll make you. He knew without being told that Lily would explain to them later, and so he hesitantly left with Remus, James, and Peter.
They sat by the fireplace wondering what had transpired upstairs. What could have possibly brought Hermione to that state? Remus and Peter looked pale with worry as they too thought over Hermione's state. Finally after a few LONG minutes, Hermione and Lily came down. Hermione was holding a change of clothes and her soaps. Sirius made a move for her but James held him back. "She probably doesn't want to talk about it," he warned lowly so Hermione wouldn't hear.
Sirius nodded without looking at him. Hermione looked at him and the boys and gave them a smile. But he could tell it was a forced one. 'You can't fool me, Mione…' he thought pained with the thought of her emotional pains.
Lily came to meet them and said, "Guys, don't worry, she's fine."
The boys all looked visibly relieved with the news. "What happened?" he asked.
"She had a nightmare. She called out the name 'Ginny' so I think maybe it was a nightmare about her friend or sister or a relative or something…. Look, I don't know, just don't go pestering her about this whole thing. She had a nightmare so let's leave it at that."
James took her hand and softly stroked it, "You're such a caring witch."
She blushed and pulled away from him. But his smile never faded.
"Well after what she's been through with her parents, it's only natural for her to have a few nightmares," Peter mumbled.
"Anyway, let's stop talking about it okay," Lily cheered up, "Remus and I have to get ready anyway."
"Huh?! Why?!" James was utterly gobsmacked.
'Hahaha, he really thinks Evans is suggesting that she's into Mooney!' Sirius inwardly burst out laughing. Sometimes he found his best friend to be really gullible.
"We're going to have a potions study group with Hermione and Snape," Remus explained absentmindedly.
"Snivellus…" James growled in disgust.
"He's not that bad," Lily grumbled. "Anyway, let's get ready," she told Remus.
When they left, Sirius and Peter just laughed at James' grumpy jealous face.
"Hmph! You do know that it also means that Hermione Grace will also be studying with Snivelly," James pointed out to Sirius.
Immediately Sirius' smile faded, "Oh Bloody hell…" he sighed and shrunk down beside James. That made two depressed looking Marauder boys. Peter just laughed even harder.
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A/N: So I made this SUPER long! :D YAY! Ok, well, the next chapter will be about the study and who knows what else ;) hehehe! Again, I'm really sorry about the long wait… Can't Jinx Love, my Hermione x Fred fanfic is coming soon, hopefully I'll be able to upload the first two or three chapters (depending if I can do it) within the week... wish me luck~~~ till next time~ xoxoxo
WAIT! Just a quick things: 1, I based these all my info of the characters and etc. on the movies and researched info I found on the Harry Potter wiki…. 2, I based the characters' appearances on the anime drawing of Harry Potter characters I found on Google images coz I find it cooler, you can find the images as my profile avatar/pic-thing, hopefully you can see it, if not, please look at these links:
blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/HP_
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funny_pictures/3993234/If+Harry+Potter+was+an+Anime/1#1