Well, I just realized today, while I was in the middle of writing chapter
11 (though it may become chapter 12 or something, it got away from me) that
I have been spelling Madam Pomfrey wrong this whole time! I've been
spelling it Pomfery, not Pomfrey. Stupid! *Starts banging head on desk*
Enjoy the chapter. *BANG**BANG*
Chapter 9
Comforting Sleep
Vera tried to hide her yawn as she focused on Professor Flitwick at the center of the room. Standing atop a pile of books, she couldn't help but focus on the snow outside the window, wishing she could just leave the classroom.
Wood elbowed her and motioned for her to try and pay more attention to what was going on. She rolled her eyes and focused on the tiny teacher once again, trying to keep her mind on the charms they were supposed to be learning.
At least until the voice of Peeves the Poltergeist shocked them all. "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"
Professor Flitwick rushed out of the room, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs that were in his class right behind him. There was nothing but confusion as everyone tried to figure out what was going on. Professor McGonagall soon came running followed by her own class. She set off a loud bang using her wand, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes.
Vera sat down heavily in her chair as they reentered the charms classroom, though Professor Flitwick was still outside. "Did you see them?" she asked quietly.
Wood nodded. "It was a Hufflepuff and Nearly Headless Nick."
The students that were Hufflepuffs were talking in hushed voices, concerned that one of their own had been subject to one of these attacks. "I can't believe it," was the general phrase going throughout the class.
It wasn't until the bell rang that they left the class, most in a daze. Professor McGonagall was seen hurrying down the hall and Vera turned to Wood. "I have to go talk to Professor McGonagall about some Transfiguration . . . stuff. I'll talk to you later."
She hurried off in the other direction and Wood looked after her in concern. Another attack had happened, and he was wondering just who it was that was going to be next.
~*~*~*~
Vera sat up in bed with a gasp, her hand to her chest to feel her heart beating rapidly. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep any time soon, so she climbed out of bed and donned a robe. Patting Athena's head, she padded out of the room, careful not to wake the others.
Vera walked down into the common room and sat in the middle of the couch. She stared at the flames of the well-lit fire for a few moments before the tears started to slid noiselessly down her cheeks. Images flashed through her head quicker than she could comprehend but they all brought one thought to her mind: she wasn't safe here.
Vera choked back a sob. She was frightened, plain and simple. She didn't know what to do anymore. With the attacks becoming more brutal and the Heir of Slytherin becoming more apparent throughout the school, she knew her parents would be seconds from hurting her if they had the chance.
"Vera?" Vera spun around to see a disoriented Wood standing at the foot of the stairs. "What are you doing up?"
Vera turned back around and swiped at her cheeks, trying to get rid of the tears. "I just couldn't sleep. What about you?"
"Athena was scratching at my door. Cat's pretty smart. What's really wrong, why were you crying?"
He sat down next to her ungracefully. Sighing, he reached over and turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were red from crying and tear tracks were still visible down her cheeks. She turned away from him and choked back another sob.
"Vera, please, tell me what's wrong."
She looked at him again, her watery blue eyes speaking volumes. "I don't know what to do anymore. I . . . I'm just . . ."
"Just what?" Wood asked gently. "You can tell me."
"I'm terrified Oliver." He pulled her against him and for the first time, Vera truly cried. She cried into his shoulder as she reveled in the fact that there was actually someone there for her to turn to.
Wood sunk down into the couch and wrapped his arms around Vera. He didn't really know what to do either, but he could at least comfort her. Looking down, he noticed she had cried herself to sleep, and he couldn't move without running the risk of waking her. Sighing to himself, Wood drifted off to sleep, Vera comfortably slumbering in his arms.
~*~*~*~
Fred and George pushed each other around as they came down the stairs, ready for their Saturday Quidditch practice. They stopped when a scalding look from Katie was directed their way. Glancing at each other, they stepped closer and saw something that made grins appear on both of their faces: Wood and Vera asleep together.
"What do you think we should do?" asked Harry in a whisper.
"I think we should take pictures!" replied Fred with a broad smile.
Angelina rolled her eyes. "I think we should just leave them alone. No pictures, no practice, no nothing."
"No one else is going to be up for an hour or two," observed Alicia, looking at her watch. "We should just leave them. Besides, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of Oliver's anger after what he did to Flint the other day."
The other Gryffindors snickered before turning around and heading back up the stairs, thankful for the reprieve from practice. As the door to the girls' dormitory closed, the Weasley twins snuck back downstairs, camera in hand.
Standing at the head of the couch, George took the picture. The twins grinned at each other again before retreating back to their room, leaving the two in relative peace.
~*~*~*~
Vera smiled as she woke up, having had a decent night's rest for the first time in a great while. She tried to stretch her arms over her head, but found that she had a hard time moving. Opening her eyes, she saw the reason why: Wood was still fast asleep, his arms around her.
Vera couldn't help but smile at his peaceful face. She yawned and stirred slightly, waking up Wood in the process. "Mornin' Vera," he slurred tiredly as he awoke. Seconds later his eyes flew open and he sat straight up, knocking Vera onto the ground. "Vera? What time is it?"
"Time for me to hurt you. Ow! Seriously, Oliver, be careful." Vera rubbed her wrist that had hit the floor fairly hard. "And I think that everyone is down at breakfast. Which means that all of the Gryffindors saw us."
"Forget that! I missed practice! I can't believe that I missed practice!"
Vera glared at him from where she was sitting on the floor. "One practice Oliver. I think that the others will forgive you. Now help me up before I become more mad at you then I already am." Wood seemed to come to himself a few moments later and helped her up.
"I'm sorry Vera. Look, let's get dressed and then we can go to breakfast. We're going to have to face the rest of the house soon enough." He kissed her softly before smiling again. "Of course, if you want to stay on the couch, I won't object."
Vera laughed. "I know you wouldn't. But I'm hungry. I'll be back down in a few minutes." She turned and hurried up towards her room, smiling inwardly to herself the whole time.
~*~*~*~
*Sits up and rubs big red mark on forehead* Ow. Yeah, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had to put in some nice stuff at some point. Thanks for all of the feedback thus far, feedback is like oxygen to me. So go ahead and click on that little button down there and tell me what you think! Next chapter: Christmas. Now if you excuse me, I have to go plan a surprise birthday party in two days. Yeah. *BANG**BANG* ~ Alexandra
Chapter 9
Comforting Sleep
Vera tried to hide her yawn as she focused on Professor Flitwick at the center of the room. Standing atop a pile of books, she couldn't help but focus on the snow outside the window, wishing she could just leave the classroom.
Wood elbowed her and motioned for her to try and pay more attention to what was going on. She rolled her eyes and focused on the tiny teacher once again, trying to keep her mind on the charms they were supposed to be learning.
At least until the voice of Peeves the Poltergeist shocked them all. "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"
Professor Flitwick rushed out of the room, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs that were in his class right behind him. There was nothing but confusion as everyone tried to figure out what was going on. Professor McGonagall soon came running followed by her own class. She set off a loud bang using her wand, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes.
Vera sat down heavily in her chair as they reentered the charms classroom, though Professor Flitwick was still outside. "Did you see them?" she asked quietly.
Wood nodded. "It was a Hufflepuff and Nearly Headless Nick."
The students that were Hufflepuffs were talking in hushed voices, concerned that one of their own had been subject to one of these attacks. "I can't believe it," was the general phrase going throughout the class.
It wasn't until the bell rang that they left the class, most in a daze. Professor McGonagall was seen hurrying down the hall and Vera turned to Wood. "I have to go talk to Professor McGonagall about some Transfiguration . . . stuff. I'll talk to you later."
She hurried off in the other direction and Wood looked after her in concern. Another attack had happened, and he was wondering just who it was that was going to be next.
~*~*~*~
Vera sat up in bed with a gasp, her hand to her chest to feel her heart beating rapidly. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep any time soon, so she climbed out of bed and donned a robe. Patting Athena's head, she padded out of the room, careful not to wake the others.
Vera walked down into the common room and sat in the middle of the couch. She stared at the flames of the well-lit fire for a few moments before the tears started to slid noiselessly down her cheeks. Images flashed through her head quicker than she could comprehend but they all brought one thought to her mind: she wasn't safe here.
Vera choked back a sob. She was frightened, plain and simple. She didn't know what to do anymore. With the attacks becoming more brutal and the Heir of Slytherin becoming more apparent throughout the school, she knew her parents would be seconds from hurting her if they had the chance.
"Vera?" Vera spun around to see a disoriented Wood standing at the foot of the stairs. "What are you doing up?"
Vera turned back around and swiped at her cheeks, trying to get rid of the tears. "I just couldn't sleep. What about you?"
"Athena was scratching at my door. Cat's pretty smart. What's really wrong, why were you crying?"
He sat down next to her ungracefully. Sighing, he reached over and turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were red from crying and tear tracks were still visible down her cheeks. She turned away from him and choked back another sob.
"Vera, please, tell me what's wrong."
She looked at him again, her watery blue eyes speaking volumes. "I don't know what to do anymore. I . . . I'm just . . ."
"Just what?" Wood asked gently. "You can tell me."
"I'm terrified Oliver." He pulled her against him and for the first time, Vera truly cried. She cried into his shoulder as she reveled in the fact that there was actually someone there for her to turn to.
Wood sunk down into the couch and wrapped his arms around Vera. He didn't really know what to do either, but he could at least comfort her. Looking down, he noticed she had cried herself to sleep, and he couldn't move without running the risk of waking her. Sighing to himself, Wood drifted off to sleep, Vera comfortably slumbering in his arms.
~*~*~*~
Fred and George pushed each other around as they came down the stairs, ready for their Saturday Quidditch practice. They stopped when a scalding look from Katie was directed their way. Glancing at each other, they stepped closer and saw something that made grins appear on both of their faces: Wood and Vera asleep together.
"What do you think we should do?" asked Harry in a whisper.
"I think we should take pictures!" replied Fred with a broad smile.
Angelina rolled her eyes. "I think we should just leave them alone. No pictures, no practice, no nothing."
"No one else is going to be up for an hour or two," observed Alicia, looking at her watch. "We should just leave them. Besides, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of Oliver's anger after what he did to Flint the other day."
The other Gryffindors snickered before turning around and heading back up the stairs, thankful for the reprieve from practice. As the door to the girls' dormitory closed, the Weasley twins snuck back downstairs, camera in hand.
Standing at the head of the couch, George took the picture. The twins grinned at each other again before retreating back to their room, leaving the two in relative peace.
~*~*~*~
Vera smiled as she woke up, having had a decent night's rest for the first time in a great while. She tried to stretch her arms over her head, but found that she had a hard time moving. Opening her eyes, she saw the reason why: Wood was still fast asleep, his arms around her.
Vera couldn't help but smile at his peaceful face. She yawned and stirred slightly, waking up Wood in the process. "Mornin' Vera," he slurred tiredly as he awoke. Seconds later his eyes flew open and he sat straight up, knocking Vera onto the ground. "Vera? What time is it?"
"Time for me to hurt you. Ow! Seriously, Oliver, be careful." Vera rubbed her wrist that had hit the floor fairly hard. "And I think that everyone is down at breakfast. Which means that all of the Gryffindors saw us."
"Forget that! I missed practice! I can't believe that I missed practice!"
Vera glared at him from where she was sitting on the floor. "One practice Oliver. I think that the others will forgive you. Now help me up before I become more mad at you then I already am." Wood seemed to come to himself a few moments later and helped her up.
"I'm sorry Vera. Look, let's get dressed and then we can go to breakfast. We're going to have to face the rest of the house soon enough." He kissed her softly before smiling again. "Of course, if you want to stay on the couch, I won't object."
Vera laughed. "I know you wouldn't. But I'm hungry. I'll be back down in a few minutes." She turned and hurried up towards her room, smiling inwardly to herself the whole time.
~*~*~*~
*Sits up and rubs big red mark on forehead* Ow. Yeah, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had to put in some nice stuff at some point. Thanks for all of the feedback thus far, feedback is like oxygen to me. So go ahead and click on that little button down there and tell me what you think! Next chapter: Christmas. Now if you excuse me, I have to go plan a surprise birthday party in two days. Yeah. *BANG**BANG* ~ Alexandra