The Depths
by starzsong magick
Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, I'm actually writing again! It's been forever. I'm hoping to take this fanfic somewhere. It won't just be a (cheesy) romance, there's going to be some mystery, and danger, and Malfoy, and skulls, and Voldemort, and kidnappings, and... yeah. I'm not giving it all away because 1.) You'll have to read to find out, and 2.) I don't know what's going to happen myself. Read this and tell me if you think it has potential or not. If people like it, I'll continue, and if people don't, I'll rewrite and continue anyway. Because I think it's gonna be interesting.

Please tell me what you think; your input decides whether I continue or not.

========================================================

That night, Hermione lay in bed staring into the dark space around her. She sighed, and rolled over, shutting her eyes tight. Vaguely she wondered whether it would be possible to survive the next day without any sleep at all. She doubted it.

"Hermione?" someone said softly, the next bed over.

"Lavendar?"

"I didn't know if you were asleep or not," Lavendar said. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." Hermione opened her eyes. "It's usually just you who takes awhile to go to sleep."

"Yeah."

"How can you stand it?"

"Stand what?"

"Not dropping off to sleep right away. It's torture. I swear I'm going to panic or something."

Hermione heard Lavendar shift in the dark. "You'll get to sleep eventually."

There was a few moments of silence, and Hermione closed her eyes again. As soon as they were shut, the worries of the day poured upon her. Should she start studying for the OWLs? They were months away but you never knew. Something could happen, and she could lose important study time.

And then there was that other homework paper she got back during History of Magic that day. The grade on it was so low, she could hardly bear to think of it.

And... and... Harry?

What about Harry?

Why was she even thinking about him? What did he have to do with anything?

"See, it's nonsense like this that's making me lose concentration in class!" she muttered aloud, frowning.

Lavendar murmured sleepily a few feet away. "What, Hermione?"

Hermione jumped slightly, not realizing she had been talking aloud. "N-nothing. It's nothing." The thought of him was still scaring her; she shook her head in an attempt to clear it.

"Hermione?" Lavendar said again.

"What do you want?" she said somewhat harshly, and immediately regretted it. "Sorry."

"Do you think- have you- have you noticed Seamus lately?" Lavendar stuttered.

"Er, not more than I normally do," answered Hermione, confused. "Why?"

There was a brief moment of silence, then Lavendar exhaled loudly. "You have to promise not to tell anyone."

"...All right."

"Have you noticed him, uh, looking at me?" Lavendar said timidly.

Ah. Hermione understood now. "I've never really paid attention," she said truthfully, "But do you want me to throw a hint? Or something?"

"Well..." Lavendar paused. "Okay. If you'd like to."

Hermione swore she wouldn't tell anyone again, then rolled over and closed her eyes. So Lavendar liked Seamus. Not that it wasn't obvious before; everyone knew. Seamus must've been ignoring her lately or something. And Lavendar got upset and worried.

She sighed wistfully, and wondered what it would be like to go out with someone from Hogwarts. Hermione had been seeing Viktor Krum that summer, but they soon realized a long-distance relation wouldn't work. Two weeks before school had begun, they'd officially broken up.

There was only a slight problem. She's never liked anyone at Hogwarts before. At least, not in that way. Or that she knew of. But then... there's /him/. Hermione gritted her teeth. No. She would not think of him.

When morning came, she would sort it out. For now, all she needed was sleep.