(A/N: Sorry this one was so late. Having the flu was not conducive towards
a good work ethic. And wow! For Christmas, I got a brand new computer, so
now I have to work extra hard at this story, just so I can type and play on
my wonderful piece of electronics. I hope you all had a bunch of happy
holidays too!)
The rest of the day passed normally, and dully. Classes like transfiguration, usually exciting and stimulating, were rote to Draco. All that happened was rudimentary, and exceedingly dreary. The weather outside, bleak and wet like the Arctic tundra, didn't do much to kindle enthusiasm in the student body.
Lunchtime was a welcome relief to all, including the teachers. The dining hall filled quickly with expectant children, all wanting to get food as soon as possible. Aromas of food wafted through the air, giving the very famished Draco an especial reason to head for the cafeteria. Monotony had lulled his stomach into hungriness, and he wolfed down almost a whole course before slowing down enough to actually taste the food.
Afternoon classes and the free time rolled by, and soon it was time to go back to the dormitories for the students' forty winks. They arrived, and found Thomas sitting on his bed waiting for the group to appear. Hello, all. I guess I'm officially back. What did I miss when I was out?
Hi! They chorused back, and crowded around him looking for any sign of wear and tear. Finding none, all surrounded him in a giant bear hug. You didn't miss anything. We're so glad you're back. Were you all right in the first aid centre?
Thomas answered in the affirmative. It was all right, except there was nothing to do! All I could do was sit there, and talk to Hermione all day. Not that there is anything wrong with that, though.
Is Hermione coming home soon? We want her back. It's not any fun to just sit around all day. Will she be back tonight? An inquisitive little third year solicited. I like Hermione. I mean. What?
Madame Santé says that she should be back in class tomorrow, so you can see her then, silly. Thomas told the boy, who was blushing furiously. Now, I think we should all get ready for bed. Come on, shoo now! All the boys slowly moseyed their ways over to beds made warm by heaters, and put on pyjamas of varying colours.
"So, how was it really?" Draco queried as he himself readied for bed. "It can't have been all that much fun, stuck up in a bed, without any interesting people."
"Oh come on. Hermione isn't that bad. In fact, I liked talking to her a lot; she has a lot of interesting views you just don't hear about in America. Hell, we aren't even really big Quidditch fans over the Puddle. Most of my friends and I just watch football all the time in our La-Z- Boys."
"What's a La-Z-Boy?" Draco pondered aloud, looking perplexed.
At this point Thomas broke out laughing, drawing stares from across the dormitory room. "So I'm not the only person in this room that's ignorant of other countries. A La-Z-Boy is a recliner. They get really comfortable after you've practically lived in it for about five years straight."
Draco just accepted this; crazy Americans. "So what did you and Hermione do all day?"
"Well, the stuff Madame gave us made us both really tired, so we slept about half the day. Then, we just talked about little stuff, like how our classes were. Hermione actually likes Transfiguration. I just can't believe that; it's one of my least favourite classes. I can't get a hang of the rhythm of the spells. She said she would help me with them though. That's really nice of her. I think she would be a good friend to have, no matter what you say," Thomas told Draco.
"Okay, okay! That's fine by me. You can like her all you want, because it's no skin off my back! Anyhow, is that all you did? That doesn't sound very interesting. I guess you're all right now, though, seeing as Madame Santé let you come back."
"Yeah, I'm fine now. I don't think I'll ever get on another Thestral again, all the same. Falling off of one certainly didn't help my fear of heights," Thomas added with a slight chuckle.
"I'm sure it didn't-" Draco started, but was interrupted by Monsieur Thibaut.
In bed, boys. Busy day tomorrow and we want you to all be well rested! He called into the room as the illuminating candles flickered themselves out.
"What's happening tomorrow?" Thomas whispered to Draco.
"I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out tomorrow, won't we?" Draco murmured back quietly, and lay back in the soft sheets. Sleep followed soon after his head hit the pillow, and so did the dream.
The girl was watching him, appearing troubled. She turned to the side, looking downwards and refusing to meet Draco's gaze. When she did, weariness glazed her eyes, lifting briefly as she looked beyond Draco to someone else. Then the melancholy returned. The dream faded out, replaced by foggy mist covering everything in sight.
Draco slowly woke up, blinking away sleep, and waited for his eyes to adjust to the early morning sun. He sat up and stretched, pushing his tousled hair from his eyes. Reaching for his loose sweat pants, Draco got out of bed and went out to the common room. He flopped down on one of the low couches and glanced around the room. A small lump on one of the divans caught his eye, and he got up and walked towards it. The mass took on definition as he neared, and Draco realized that it was Hermione, lightly dozing. He crouched down by her side, and slightly nervously tapped her on the shoulder. "Hermione, wake up. Why aren't you in your bed?"
"Thomas? No, it's you," she said in a confused tone. "The girls lock their door at night, and I got here too late to get in the room."
"Well, come here. The guys don't lock the door, and you can sleep in my bed. Come on, Hermione. You can't just sleep here all night." She followed him tiredly, with no resistance. Draco led her to his bed, and tucked her in. After watching her fall immediately asleep, he went back out into the common room and watched the shadows travel across the murals.
The rest of the day passed normally, and dully. Classes like transfiguration, usually exciting and stimulating, were rote to Draco. All that happened was rudimentary, and exceedingly dreary. The weather outside, bleak and wet like the Arctic tundra, didn't do much to kindle enthusiasm in the student body.
Lunchtime was a welcome relief to all, including the teachers. The dining hall filled quickly with expectant children, all wanting to get food as soon as possible. Aromas of food wafted through the air, giving the very famished Draco an especial reason to head for the cafeteria. Monotony had lulled his stomach into hungriness, and he wolfed down almost a whole course before slowing down enough to actually taste the food.
Afternoon classes and the free time rolled by, and soon it was time to go back to the dormitories for the students' forty winks. They arrived, and found Thomas sitting on his bed waiting for the group to appear. Hello, all. I guess I'm officially back. What did I miss when I was out?
Hi! They chorused back, and crowded around him looking for any sign of wear and tear. Finding none, all surrounded him in a giant bear hug. You didn't miss anything. We're so glad you're back. Were you all right in the first aid centre?
Thomas answered in the affirmative. It was all right, except there was nothing to do! All I could do was sit there, and talk to Hermione all day. Not that there is anything wrong with that, though.
Is Hermione coming home soon? We want her back. It's not any fun to just sit around all day. Will she be back tonight? An inquisitive little third year solicited. I like Hermione. I mean. What?
Madame Santé says that she should be back in class tomorrow, so you can see her then, silly. Thomas told the boy, who was blushing furiously. Now, I think we should all get ready for bed. Come on, shoo now! All the boys slowly moseyed their ways over to beds made warm by heaters, and put on pyjamas of varying colours.
"So, how was it really?" Draco queried as he himself readied for bed. "It can't have been all that much fun, stuck up in a bed, without any interesting people."
"Oh come on. Hermione isn't that bad. In fact, I liked talking to her a lot; she has a lot of interesting views you just don't hear about in America. Hell, we aren't even really big Quidditch fans over the Puddle. Most of my friends and I just watch football all the time in our La-Z- Boys."
"What's a La-Z-Boy?" Draco pondered aloud, looking perplexed.
At this point Thomas broke out laughing, drawing stares from across the dormitory room. "So I'm not the only person in this room that's ignorant of other countries. A La-Z-Boy is a recliner. They get really comfortable after you've practically lived in it for about five years straight."
Draco just accepted this; crazy Americans. "So what did you and Hermione do all day?"
"Well, the stuff Madame gave us made us both really tired, so we slept about half the day. Then, we just talked about little stuff, like how our classes were. Hermione actually likes Transfiguration. I just can't believe that; it's one of my least favourite classes. I can't get a hang of the rhythm of the spells. She said she would help me with them though. That's really nice of her. I think she would be a good friend to have, no matter what you say," Thomas told Draco.
"Okay, okay! That's fine by me. You can like her all you want, because it's no skin off my back! Anyhow, is that all you did? That doesn't sound very interesting. I guess you're all right now, though, seeing as Madame Santé let you come back."
"Yeah, I'm fine now. I don't think I'll ever get on another Thestral again, all the same. Falling off of one certainly didn't help my fear of heights," Thomas added with a slight chuckle.
"I'm sure it didn't-" Draco started, but was interrupted by Monsieur Thibaut.
In bed, boys. Busy day tomorrow and we want you to all be well rested! He called into the room as the illuminating candles flickered themselves out.
"What's happening tomorrow?" Thomas whispered to Draco.
"I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out tomorrow, won't we?" Draco murmured back quietly, and lay back in the soft sheets. Sleep followed soon after his head hit the pillow, and so did the dream.
The girl was watching him, appearing troubled. She turned to the side, looking downwards and refusing to meet Draco's gaze. When she did, weariness glazed her eyes, lifting briefly as she looked beyond Draco to someone else. Then the melancholy returned. The dream faded out, replaced by foggy mist covering everything in sight.
Draco slowly woke up, blinking away sleep, and waited for his eyes to adjust to the early morning sun. He sat up and stretched, pushing his tousled hair from his eyes. Reaching for his loose sweat pants, Draco got out of bed and went out to the common room. He flopped down on one of the low couches and glanced around the room. A small lump on one of the divans caught his eye, and he got up and walked towards it. The mass took on definition as he neared, and Draco realized that it was Hermione, lightly dozing. He crouched down by her side, and slightly nervously tapped her on the shoulder. "Hermione, wake up. Why aren't you in your bed?"
"Thomas? No, it's you," she said in a confused tone. "The girls lock their door at night, and I got here too late to get in the room."
"Well, come here. The guys don't lock the door, and you can sleep in my bed. Come on, Hermione. You can't just sleep here all night." She followed him tiredly, with no resistance. Draco led her to his bed, and tucked her in. After watching her fall immediately asleep, he went back out into the common room and watched the shadows travel across the murals.
