~*Harry Potter and Practical Magic*~
Chapter 13 – And So it Begins
A few weeks went by and April turned into May. The O.W.L.S were coming up in about 3 weeks, and the Quidditch match between Gryiffindor and Slytherin would take place 2 weeks before they would head home.
After classes on Friday, May 9th, Hermione trudged up to the Girls Dormitory. The efftects on the Slumberserium were beginning to take place, and she was growing tired by the minute.
As much as she hated to admit it, she was very thank-ful that Draco gave the vile to her. It was helping her a lot, being able to stay up late and cram for the O.W.L.S, and not be tired during the day…but when the 4 days were up, she felt like she could fall over and sleep peacefully.
When she reached the room, she closed the door behind her, and walked to her bed. She didn't bother with taking of her robes. She drew the curtin's, and fell upon her bed, and went to sleep immediately.
Harry, Ron, Isabella, and Samantha sat at the Gryiffindor table. The food already appeared, and everyone began to eat, except for Harry.
"Where's Heremione?" He asked.
"Maybe she's studying in the Library and lost track of time." Isabella replied. Samantha shook her head.
"No, she's not there. Draco and me were up there giving each other quizes, and I didn't see her." She said. Harry stood up, and Ron raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm going to go to the Common room. If Hermione did loose track of time, and isn't in the library, then she's probably studying in the common room." He said. Ron shrugged.
"Okay, but your food's going to get cold." He said, grabbing another chicken leg. Harry chuckled.
"I'm sure I can use a heating charm when I return." He said, walking off.
When Harry reached the common room, he didn't find Hermione there. 'I guess she's in the girls dorm.' He thought to himself, and walked over to the set of stairs, and began to run up them.
He reached the hall of the girl's dormitory, he walked down it and found the 6th year's room and knocked on the door.
"Hermione?" he said outloud. He heard something from the otherside. 'that must be her.' He said, and opened the door, and that's when he found Hermione sleeping peacefully across her bed. Harry thought that it was odd for Hermione to be sleeping at six o'clock at night, and miss dinner. He queitly walked over to her bed, and rubbed her back.
"Hermione?" He whispered. All she did was mumble something, and re-adjusted her arms for better comfort under her head. Harry frowned, and gently began to shake her.
"Hermione, wake up." He said. She began to stir, and her eyes fluttered open. They were red, and bloodshot. She sat up on the bed, and began to look around, then finally looked into Harry's eyes.
"Harry? What are you doing here? What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"It's about 6:20pm, and I'm here because you were late for dinner." He replied in a odd voice. This was not like Hermione at all.
"Oh," Hermione said before slidding off her bed. She then began to advance towards the bathroom door.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked her. Hermione stood in the doorway, and turned to him.
"This is a bathroom, Harry." She said, before closing the door. Red began to creep onto Harry's cheeks, then he heard the sound of a cabnent opening, and a faucet running.
Harry walked up to the bathroom door, and turned the handle. It wasn't locked. He then pushed open the door, and froze at what he saw. Hermione holding a gel cap full of a dark purple liquid. (A/N: Hermione put the potion into gel-caps because it tasted awful)
"Hermione? What's that your taking?" he asked advancing on her. Hermione turned to Harry, and turned white.
"Harry…I,um-" she said, hiding the gel cap behind her.
"What is it? Let me see it." He said, holding out his hand. Hermione shook her head.
"No." she whispered, then quickly put the pill into her mouth, and swallowed hard. Harry furrowed his brow, then noticed the vile filled with more gel caps. He then lunged for them, and Hermione noticed this and jumped for them too,
"Hermione!"
"Harry, NO!"
But the impact on both of their hands made the vile tip over into the sink. Hermione cried out as she saw the gel caps wash down the drain. Soon, the tears began to fall down her face, as she dug her fingers down the drain trying to retrive some of them. Harry pulled on her shoulders, and made her face him, she began to pound on his chest with her hands balled up into fists.
"Let me go! Let me go!" she cried. He began to shake her.
"Hermione! Clam down! Whats the matter with you?" he asked, but Hermione just continued to cry, and pound.
"Leave me alone! Just…leave me-Oh Harry!" she cried, falling into his arms as he protectively wrapped them around her.
"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…I'm just so scared." She wimpered. Harry brought up and hand, and began to smooth her hair down.
"Shh. It's okay, Mione. There's no reason to be scared." He said in a soothing voice. "Come on, let's get you into bed." He said, cradling her and sweeping her off her feet.
A few moments later, after Hermione changed into her pajama's (Harry not looking of course) she was settled into her bed, with Harry sitting beside her.
"Now, do you want to tell me what that was?" he asked. Hermione bit her lip, but nodded.
"It was slumberserium." She said quietly. Harry's eye grew wide with shock.
"How-Where did you get that?" he asked. Hermione shook her head.
"I can't tell you that. All I can tell you is that it is from Snape's secert stash." She said. Harry frowned.
"Hermione, what's going on? Why are you acting this way? You do know that Slumberserium is very dangerous for people our age." he said. Hermione sighed.
"I'm just stressing, Harry. I know that Harry, but I'm careful. I take it as soon as the other one wears off, like your supposed too. " she said. Harry laughed.
"Oh really? Is that why you acted like a bloody maniac when they went down the drain?" He asked. Hermione kept quiet. She didn't know how to reaspond to that.
"Hermione, please don't do that kinda stuff again. I don't want you to OD, and die." Harry said, grabbing Hermione's hand and clutching it tightly. "You won't just be hurting yourself, you'll be hurting the people who love you, also." Hermione nodded her head.
"I promise, Harry. I won't do it again. I'm sorry." She said. Harry smiled.
"Okay. Now that THAT"s settled, how about I bring our dinner up here?" he asked. Hermione shook her head.
"I'm not really hungrey, Harry. I think I just want to take a nap." She said, laying her head down on the pillow.
Harry was disapointed, but nodded and smiled.
"Okay, you just get your rest, and I see you later." He said, leaning down and kissing her. But it didn't feel like her was kissing her, it felt like he was kissing a corpse. He pulled away.
"I love you." He said.
"I love you, too." She replied, saddly. Harry then left the room, and Hermione began to sob.
The next evening, Harry sat down on the couch next to Isabella. He ran a hand through his messy raven colored hair. He had only seen Hermione a few times that day. It was like she didn't want to be near any of them. He just coulden't figure out what was going on with her. Why was she acting so stranger? Who gave her the Slumberserium? Was she falling out of love with him? So many questions that needed an answer.
"She's just going through a tough time, that's all." Samantha said, who was sitting in an armchair reading 'The Taming of the Shrew', and not looking up.
"I wish she would just tell me something." He said, leaning over and putting his elbow on his thigh, and resting his chin in his hand.
"She'll tell you when she's ready, Harry." Isabella added. Harry turned to face her.
"Has she told either of you anything?" he asked. Samantha and Isabella shook their heads. He then looked down at Ginny who was playing Wizards Chest with Ron.
"What about you, Gin?" Harry asked. Ginny didn't look up.
"Nope, she hasn't. Sorry Harry. HA! CHECK!" Ginny yelled, Ron groaned.
"I just don't understand why-"
"HELLO HERMione!" Ron yelled, he had a clear view of the entrance way into the common room. Everyone then turned around to see Hermione standing in the entrance way, she smiled at them.
"Hello everyone." She said, with a small wave. Harry then got up, and walked over to her. When he reached her, she began to look around nervously. He put his hands on her arms.
"Come sit down, Mione." He said. Hermione looked up at him.
"Um…maybe later, Harry. I-I think I want to take a shower." She said, then got on her toes and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you guys later." She said, looking at the group. Then looked back up at Harry, then walked away and up to the Girl dormitroy. Harry stood there, watching her every step of the way.
"Hermione…" he said to himself.
Hermione walked up to her bedroom, pulling her robe over her head.
She took a hot shower and shampooed her hair, but it didn't help make her feel any better. When she got out, she put on her undergarments, a pair of matching tanktop and pj pant set that was lite purple with white clouds, sliver stars, and yellow moons on them.
She lay in bed, thinking about why all this was happening to her. Now that she wasn't taking the Slumberserium, the dreams were back again. Was it a sign that her and Harry shouldn't be together? Was It a prediction of the future?. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and fought back the urge to cry. Then, her thoughts were inturupted by sounds coming from all around the room. The sound of footsteps.
Hermione got out of bed and pulled on her robe and rubber thongs. The footsteps were still there, and coming from the door. She slowly walked to it, and opened the door. No one was there. Then, she heard them coming from down the stairs. She shook her head, and continued to follow them.
When she reached the common room, she saw that Harry and the gang was still over there. She then heard the footsteps coming from outside of the common room. She walked over to the doorway, when Harry's voice came from behind her.
"Hermione? Are you okay?" he asked. Hermione smiled at him.
"I'm fine, Harry. I'm just going to go for alittle walk." She said, then turned around.
"I'll come with you." Harry said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hermione closed her eyes, and faced him again.
"Actually, Harry, I want to go alone. Okay? Maybe next time." She said. Harry rolled his eyes, he had enough of this.
"Hermione, what's the matter? Why are you pushing me away?" He asked, Hermione frowned.
"What are you talking about? I'm doing no such thing!" she shouted.
"Yes you are! You never want to hang out with us anymore…you never want to spend time with me anymore either!" Harry shouted back, the two of them just stood there after he said that.
"Maybe," Harry said. "We should take a break from each other." He said those words as if he tasted something foul. Hermione just looked at him, not believing what she just heared.
"If that's what you want Harry…I," she paused. "I can't stop you."
"I just think it'd be good for both of us." He said. Hermione nodded, then left the common room. Leaving Harry standing there, dumbfounded, and heartbroken. He then felt Ron's hand on his shoulder.
"That was a dumb move, mate." He said, Harry turned to him.
"I know. I don't even know why I said that." He replied. "I'm going to go after her." But Ron stopped him.
"No, let her cool down, you can talk to her when she gets back." Ron said. Harry nodded, and then the two of them walked back over to the couch.
Hermione couldn't believe what just happened. Her and Harry just broke up. But her thoughts were soon interupted by when she heard the footsteps again, coming from down the corridor. She then continued to follow them down the hall, and up the stairs.
She followed them for what seemed like ages, then she reached the darkend corridor. She continued to follow the footsteps, till came to the latter that lead to the attic. She then climbed up the latter, and opened the trap door. She climbed to her feet, and wrapped the robe around her, retying the cloth belt more securely. She then noticed a door at the end of the attic.
She soon stood a few feet from the door, studying it, her eyes moving slowly from the top to the floor. Why did that door look so familiar?
She took a tentative step closer, the floorboard squeaked in protest beneath her. She leaned forward to examine the door.
There were boards crisscrossing the door, and were covered with a thick layer of dust, she saw. They were lined with deep ruts and cracks, and were warped from age and from the dryness of the attic.
The nail heads protruding from the two-by-fours were rusted. One of the boards was nearly cracked in a half and sagged in the middle, held up by only a few nails.
It was obvious to Hermione, who didn't have much knowledge or skill in carpentry, that the nails had been hastily pounded in. Many of them were crooked, the nails heads sticking out at odd angles Some of the nails had been pounded in only halfway.
Whoever put up these boards, Hermione thought, wasn't much of a carpenter or was in a terribly big hurry.
The wood was smooth and unblemished. It didn't appear the least bit warped or cracked. Nor did the brass doorknob show any age. It was bright, shiny almost, as if it were regularly polished.
Studying the door carefully, scientifically, made Hermione feel more confident. She stepped right up to the door and, pressing her ear against the smooth wood, and listened.
She pulled away quickly. It sounded as if someone was crying on the other side.
Leaning both arms against the door, pressing her face forward, she listened again. Yes. It sounded like a young person in there. And that person was sobbing.
"Hello!" Hermione called excitedly. "Is someone in there? Can you hear me?"
She listened. The crying stopped. There was only silence.
Then a girls voice, which sounded like Padma Patil, muffled by the thick door, but clear enough to hear, called out to Hermione. "Open the door! Please-open the door!" Hermione leapt back in surprise.
"Oh!"
There really was someone on the other side, someone locked in, boarded up. And that someone was Padma Patil. But how could that be? Taking a deep breath, Hermione moved back to the door.
"Padma?" she shouted loudly. Silence.
"Padma? How did you get in there?" Hermione asked. Silence.
Then Padma's voice pleaded again, sounding very frightented, very unhappy. "Open the door. Please-open the door." Hermione stared openmouthed.
"Please open the door!" Padma, on the other side of the door repeated her desperarte plea.
"Please!"
Hermione was frozen by indecision. A frightening picture flashed into her mind. She saw a hideous monster with red eyes bulging out of it's sockets and green slime drooling from it's fang-filled mouth. The monster was hulking on the other side of the locked door, disquising its voice, using the voice of a frightened Padma in order to fool Hermione. Once the door was opened, it would growl in it's natural, disgusting, horrifying voice-and pounce.
Hermione closed her eyes tightly and forced the gruesome picture from her mind.
"Please open the door!" Padma's muffled voice, now even more frightened and desperarte, called out to Hermione.
"Hold on a moment." Hermione called out. She then began to look for her wand, which she remembered she left in her robe. She then realized that she could do something else.
"Accio claw hammer!" and a claw hammer appeared, in hand.
"Are you still there, Padma?" she called loudly.
"Yes." She sounded so tiny now, so far way. "Will you be so kind as to open the door?"
"I-I'll try," Hermione said uncertainly.
"Please open the door!"
"I'm going to try!" Hermione repeated as loudly as she could. Padma sounded so distant, Hermione wasn't sure she could hear her.
Hermione reached up and pulled on the highest two-by-four. It gave slightly and pulled away from the doorframe.
Not bad, Hermione thought, encouraged. This may not be as hard as she thought.
She changed the posistion of her hands on the board, gripped it tightly, and tugged. The board was dry and had weakened over the years. It cracked and squeaked as one end pulled completely off the frame, leaving the nails in place. Hermione used the claw hammer on the other end and pried it off quickly, almost effortlessly. She let the board fall to the floor at her feet, then bent over and tugged it out of the way.
One down, two more to go, she thought, pleased with herself.
The old boards were practically rotten, she realized. She pulled the remaining two off as easlily as the first-she didn't even need the hammer-and dragged them to the center of the floor.
"Are you okay in there?" Hermione called in. Silence.
"Can you hear me, Padma? Are you okay?"
""Please open the door," Padma called.
"I'm trying!" Hermione shouted. "I've pulled off the boards. Now I just have to figure out how to unlock the door."
"Pleas hurry," Padma called again.
Hermione bent down to examine the doorknob and the lock beneath it. To her shock, she saw a brass key in the lock.
"There's a key," Hermione announced excitedly to Padma on the other side. "I can unlock the door now!"
"Please-unlock it!" Padma shouted.
Hermione paused for a brief moment, her hadn gripping the metal key. Once again she pictured a hulking monster, covered in hair and slime and blood, waiting eagerly on the other side, cleverly calling to her in its best imitation of Padma's voice.
"Padma? How did you get in there?" Hermione asked nervously.
"I'll tell you once you open the door! Please, Hermione!" Padma called back, sounding like she was about to cry.
Hermione hesitated for only a second. Then she turned the key. The lock clicked softly. Hermione turned the knob and pulled open the heavy door.
Hermione found herself starring into a dark room with stone walls, and one small window. There were 5ft tall candleabra's holders holding 3 candles each.
"Padma? Where are you?" Hermione called out. Silence. Hermione then stepped into the room. Then what she heard made her blood run cold. She turned around, and was face to face with the ghost of Wormtail.
"Welcome, Hermione." He said with a wicked smile. Hermione screamed, and door shut behind Wormtail.
Harry jerked awake, startling everyone who sat around him. He wipped his sweaty forehead with his hand, he felt so cold all of a sudden.
"Harry is something wrong?" Seamus asked. Harry looked around the room.
That dream. That NIGHTMARE felt so real, it was as if he was watching an old fadded movie. He then jumped off the couch, and headed for the doorway.
"Harry! Where are you going!?" Ron shouted.
"I'll be back!" Harry said, then left the room. Ron looked at Isabella.
"He's probably going to find Hermione." She said. Ron nodded.
Harry began to walk down the corridor, when suddenly he heard the voice of a young girl. Hermione.
"Harry," the voice said. "…I need you."
Those voices then confirmed that the nightmre he just had was real, and that Hermione had open the door that bleed a few months back. He began racing towards the direction he watched Hermione walk down only minutes ago.
Withen minutes, he reached the latter, and quickly climbed up it. He looked over to the door, and saw the boards and the claw hammer Hermione used. Harry ran to the door, he tried to unlock it but it wouldn't budge. He pressed against it.
"Hermione! Hermione! Can you hear me!" He shouted. He heard nothing, but a few seconds later he heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from inside the room.
Harry looked around for something he could use to open the door. Nothing. Then, he remembered that he had his wand on him. He quickly wipped it out, and shouted.
"Alohomora!" The door then swung wide open, and Harry gasped at what he saw.
Hermione was on the floor in the middle of the room, twitching about, and shaking very violently. 'Just like in the dream' he thought to himself. Then, her body began to rise, then dropped suddenly, with her growling. Then, she rose once more, and Wormtail, like a snake slittered out of her body, and stood up, while Hermione fell back onto the ground.
"Wormtail…" Harry whispered. Wormtail smirked, then began to walk slowly to Harry.
"Look at me. Look at what I've become…A lost soul." He said. Harry glared at him.
"You have-had-no soul!" Harry shouted. Wormtail kept approuching him.
"It's a pitty, Potter. You could have ruled with the Dark Lord. And we could have been friends." He said. Harry shook his head.
"Why would I want to be friends with a rat like you, and a snake like Voldemort!" Harry shouted. Wormtail stopped, and shook his head.
"Pitty…" he said, then he yelled and lunged at Harry. But for some reason, when Wormtail touched him, he howled in pain, and backed away. He looked at his hands, and saw that a lighting bolt imprint was made into his hand. He then growled, and disappeared back into Hermione's body, who screamed when he did, then just laid there.
Harry quickly ran over to her, and knelt down beside her. He brushed some sweat soaked hair away from her forehead. He then kissed her forehead.
"Hold on, Mione. I'll be right back." Harry said, putting a body-binding curse on her so she could relax, and so that Wormtail couldn't escape again. He then dashed out of the tower, headed towards the Gryiffindor common room.
Okay, now the REAL ride begins, hehe. This chapter was fun to write, as well as hard. I hated having Hermione be a "drug addict" but, that's the real world for some kids who think they have to do whatever it takes to be on top. Well anyways, please review if ya read!
Thanks to my Reviewers…
Emili Potter – I wish I got to go somewhere on my spring break. ::sigh:: The farthest I got was to the theater to see "Murder By Numbers" and the "Scorpion King" (too VERY great movies I might add) But that's okay. I getta go to Portland in July so I'm cool. Yeah, I like it when Draco's a sweetheart too. Especially when someone helps him bring the good out in him.
Hermione1909 – Thank ya very much! I know he know's how to 'woo' girls, he just didn't know how to do it from his heart, and to Samantha :0)
LOTR&Hplver – Will do! Hope you like this chapter!
Lizzie Lucid – Fluff rulz babay! Well, she kinda got addicted I s'pose. Draco just grabbed her hand because he was to worried about being late for class to not know what he was doing. Lol, I agree with you on the Oliver thing…and Tom Riddle (the guy who is playing him, Christian Coulson, is so flippin F-I-N-E! hehe)
Advertisements "You must go and read"…
*Anything that's by Ryoko Blue*
*Anything that's by Elia Sheldon*
*Anything that's by KristiesPeacockQuill*
*Anything that's by Libbie aka Quidditch Mom, and Rhetts Lady over at
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HHFictionLibrary/)*
Like a Pheonix he shall rise by Nighttime Sunshine
Endings and Beginnings by Eternal Flame
The Tournament of Demontarity by Lady Darkshine
Fire and Rain by Goldensnitch
After Hogwarts by Sassy
Love Like This by Emili Potter
Is This Love? By Hazelmist
Dreams Come True by Esmerlda Tears
**To All D/Hr fans** The Most Unlikely Sensation by scabberssucks
Also, I saw Murder By Numbers, The Scorpion King, Behind Enemy Lines, and 13 Ghosts this previous week, and all except for 13 Ghosts (It wasn't scary at all! It was just more gory and gruesome) was good.
Until Next Time, Later Babes!