[Disclaimer for this chapter, last chapter, and every chapter for every story that I've forgotten a disclamier for. I own none of this, except characters emotions and the plot lines, so step. =^^=!]
In her dream, she was cold. She sat up, shivering, trying to find where the coldness came from, but it was impossible. It was like it surrounded her. It sunk into her skin, ate through her bones...the only thought that crept through her mind was "I'm going to die here." Just as she managed to draw in one final, shuddering, breath, a sudden warmth came over her. It was like somebody wrapped their arms around her, and was giving all their warmth to her.
She sat up in her bed, shivering. The coldness from her dream was still there, running up and down her spine. She looked at the other girls in the room--Parvati, Lavender, Ginny. All three were asleep, obviously not noticing the chill in the room. She looked around, trying to find the source. "Aha, I'm not insane after all!" She thought to herself when she noticed the open window behind her. She put her feet on the cold hardwood floor, then drew them back because of the sudden shock. She drew in a large breath, then ran on tiptoes to the window and eased it shut. Snuggling back underneath the covers, she tried to recall the dream she had woken so suddenly from. It was blurry now, everything floating away, like dreams usually do. All she could remember was the overwhelming cold, then the comforting warmth. The quilts covering her small body equaled that warmth, and she slowly drifted back to sleep.
***************************************************
The next morning, after a quick shower, Hermione joined Harry and Ron outside the common room. As the trio made their way to breakfast, Ron discussed the list going around school, for students to sign if they were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas holidays. "I'm staying. My parents are going off to visit Fred and George in Germany."
"Why can't you go with them? I thought you missed Fred and George." Harry remarked.
"I miss THEM, but I cannot stand their bugger kids!" The shocked looks from Harry and Hermione caused him to hastily explain, "Well, you'd dislike them too, if they somehow managed to turn every pillow in the whole house into a big, hairy, spider. It was like the teddy bear incident all over again..." he trailed off, and shuddered. Ron hated spiders. "Anyhow, you're staying, right Harry?"
"Of course! D'you honestly think that I'd voluntarily choose to spend my holiday with those...those...well, you know what I mean!" He smiled at Ron and Hermione, both of them knowing good and well exactly what Harry meant. The Dursleys, whom Harry stayed with when he wasn't at Hogwarts, were the meanest muggles you could imagine. As soon as Harry arrived on their front stoop, they practically disowned him because of what he was--even before he knew it.
Ron looked past Harry to Hermione. "How about you, Minny? It won't be a party without you!" She playfully stuck her tounge out at her hated nickname, then gave her reply. "Yeah, I have no choice but to stay. My parents are going to a dental convention in America...they've been waiting for it for six years. I love my parents, but I'd hate to be a muggle." Harry and Ron laughed at her joke, and the three stepped in the double doors leading into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling showed the sky outside as being a milky white, the clouds hanging over the tables threatening to snow at any given moment.
Soon after sitting down to eat, the familiar hooting of owls announced that the post was arriving. Pig, Ron's teeny, spastic owl, (who looked more like a fluffy tennis ball) barreled into Ron's chest, knocking the wind of out him. Regaining his composure, he tried to snatch the letter tied around Pig's leg, which went rather unsucessfully, as Pig kept jumping around in circles, hooting frantically. Hermione finally held him down while Ron managed to finally untie the message from the insane bird. Pig, thinking it all a game, only hooted louder, causing almost every head in the Great Hall to turn and stare at the commotion.
Hermione felt her cheeks flush red when she noticed that Malfoy was one of the many students who had their attention on their dilemma with Pig. He caught her gaze, causing her cheeks to turn even redder, if possible, and then halfway smiled before turning back to his breakfast.
"So, what's the news from the mentally challenged Pig today, Ron?" Harry had turned his attention to the note Ron held in his hand, crumpled and ripped from the struggle with Pig.
"Oh...it's nothing. Don't worry about it." The redness in his face and on the back of his neck now rivaled Hermione's. He tried to stuff the note in his pocket, but Harry grabbed it from him, and read aloud:
'Dear Ron-
I'm glad I finally got your reply! The little ball of...well, energy, you could say, kept me busy for almost an hour, trying to tear your message away from him. I'm guessing that he's your owl--I think he's adorable! Anyway, school here is going okay...I just can't wait to go back home for the Christmas Holidays. My mother says we'll be able to visit your village again at Easter, to see my cousins, and maybe we'll meet up sometime. I'm looking forward to seeing you again!-
Beatrice'
"Hmmm...Beatrice...I'm not familiar with this name, Ron. Do tell." Harry leaned across the table, holding his head in his hands, staring at Ron with a huge grin on his face.
Ron mumbled something incoherent and lowered his head so that he stared into his lap. "What was that, Ron?"
"I said," Ron growled through gritted teeth, "that she's French, and her cousins live down the road from our house. I met her over summer break, and she's very...well..." he trailed off, his stare once again going back into his lap.
Harry tried to hide his laughter from his best friend, and finally regained his composure. After swigging down pumpkin juice, he decided to take pity on Ron and change the subject. As he talked, Hermione's thoughts turned into another direction. "Lets see...Ron has his little interested, Beatrice. It's obvious that Harry and Ginny have eyes only for each other...so where does this leave me?"
As if he had been reading her mind, Malfoy glanced up from across the room, and his ice blue eyes flashed.
In her dream, she was cold. She sat up, shivering, trying to find where the coldness came from, but it was impossible. It was like it surrounded her. It sunk into her skin, ate through her bones...the only thought that crept through her mind was "I'm going to die here." Just as she managed to draw in one final, shuddering, breath, a sudden warmth came over her. It was like somebody wrapped their arms around her, and was giving all their warmth to her.
She sat up in her bed, shivering. The coldness from her dream was still there, running up and down her spine. She looked at the other girls in the room--Parvati, Lavender, Ginny. All three were asleep, obviously not noticing the chill in the room. She looked around, trying to find the source. "Aha, I'm not insane after all!" She thought to herself when she noticed the open window behind her. She put her feet on the cold hardwood floor, then drew them back because of the sudden shock. She drew in a large breath, then ran on tiptoes to the window and eased it shut. Snuggling back underneath the covers, she tried to recall the dream she had woken so suddenly from. It was blurry now, everything floating away, like dreams usually do. All she could remember was the overwhelming cold, then the comforting warmth. The quilts covering her small body equaled that warmth, and she slowly drifted back to sleep.
***************************************************
The next morning, after a quick shower, Hermione joined Harry and Ron outside the common room. As the trio made their way to breakfast, Ron discussed the list going around school, for students to sign if they were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas holidays. "I'm staying. My parents are going off to visit Fred and George in Germany."
"Why can't you go with them? I thought you missed Fred and George." Harry remarked.
"I miss THEM, but I cannot stand their bugger kids!" The shocked looks from Harry and Hermione caused him to hastily explain, "Well, you'd dislike them too, if they somehow managed to turn every pillow in the whole house into a big, hairy, spider. It was like the teddy bear incident all over again..." he trailed off, and shuddered. Ron hated spiders. "Anyhow, you're staying, right Harry?"
"Of course! D'you honestly think that I'd voluntarily choose to spend my holiday with those...those...well, you know what I mean!" He smiled at Ron and Hermione, both of them knowing good and well exactly what Harry meant. The Dursleys, whom Harry stayed with when he wasn't at Hogwarts, were the meanest muggles you could imagine. As soon as Harry arrived on their front stoop, they practically disowned him because of what he was--even before he knew it.
Ron looked past Harry to Hermione. "How about you, Minny? It won't be a party without you!" She playfully stuck her tounge out at her hated nickname, then gave her reply. "Yeah, I have no choice but to stay. My parents are going to a dental convention in America...they've been waiting for it for six years. I love my parents, but I'd hate to be a muggle." Harry and Ron laughed at her joke, and the three stepped in the double doors leading into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling showed the sky outside as being a milky white, the clouds hanging over the tables threatening to snow at any given moment.
Soon after sitting down to eat, the familiar hooting of owls announced that the post was arriving. Pig, Ron's teeny, spastic owl, (who looked more like a fluffy tennis ball) barreled into Ron's chest, knocking the wind of out him. Regaining his composure, he tried to snatch the letter tied around Pig's leg, which went rather unsucessfully, as Pig kept jumping around in circles, hooting frantically. Hermione finally held him down while Ron managed to finally untie the message from the insane bird. Pig, thinking it all a game, only hooted louder, causing almost every head in the Great Hall to turn and stare at the commotion.
Hermione felt her cheeks flush red when she noticed that Malfoy was one of the many students who had their attention on their dilemma with Pig. He caught her gaze, causing her cheeks to turn even redder, if possible, and then halfway smiled before turning back to his breakfast.
"So, what's the news from the mentally challenged Pig today, Ron?" Harry had turned his attention to the note Ron held in his hand, crumpled and ripped from the struggle with Pig.
"Oh...it's nothing. Don't worry about it." The redness in his face and on the back of his neck now rivaled Hermione's. He tried to stuff the note in his pocket, but Harry grabbed it from him, and read aloud:
'Dear Ron-
I'm glad I finally got your reply! The little ball of...well, energy, you could say, kept me busy for almost an hour, trying to tear your message away from him. I'm guessing that he's your owl--I think he's adorable! Anyway, school here is going okay...I just can't wait to go back home for the Christmas Holidays. My mother says we'll be able to visit your village again at Easter, to see my cousins, and maybe we'll meet up sometime. I'm looking forward to seeing you again!-
Beatrice'
"Hmmm...Beatrice...I'm not familiar with this name, Ron. Do tell." Harry leaned across the table, holding his head in his hands, staring at Ron with a huge grin on his face.
Ron mumbled something incoherent and lowered his head so that he stared into his lap. "What was that, Ron?"
"I said," Ron growled through gritted teeth, "that she's French, and her cousins live down the road from our house. I met her over summer break, and she's very...well..." he trailed off, his stare once again going back into his lap.
Harry tried to hide his laughter from his best friend, and finally regained his composure. After swigging down pumpkin juice, he decided to take pity on Ron and change the subject. As he talked, Hermione's thoughts turned into another direction. "Lets see...Ron has his little interested, Beatrice. It's obvious that Harry and Ginny have eyes only for each other...so where does this leave me?"
As if he had been reading her mind, Malfoy glanced up from across the room, and his ice blue eyes flashed.
