Disclaimer: See Ch 12
===============================================================
Harry left Ron in the library, reading, and wandered around Hogwarts. He was both looking for Hermione and not looking for her. He wanted to apologize, but he dreaded the lecture she would give him. He was still debating what to do, when he turned the corner and bumped into Hermione.

Neither said anything. She just looked at Harry, eyes flashing, then turned and walked back the way she'd come. Harry sighed. It looked like he was in big trouble.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Things were still bad at dinner. Hermione made a point of talking only to Ron.

"After all, I'm not upset with you," she told him, while glaring at Harry. "You didn't tell something personal without asking first."

Once more, Harry ate in silence. He knew Hermione was right, but he hadn't thought. As he'd explained to her, Ron was their friend too. He had a right to know.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
By the next afternoon, Ron was tired of the whole thing. He and Hermione fought often; he was used to it. But a fight between Harry and Hermione was rare. So, he asked them both to meet him in the empty DADA classroom at two. Harry was already there.

Ron checked his watch, as Hermione ran in. "You're ten minutes late."

"I know. I stopped to talk to Professor Vector after class, and..." She spotted Harry. "Oh, great," she muttered, and began walking toward the door. Ron pulled out his wand.

"Imprisio!" The door locked. "And don't even think about opening it, Hermione. You and Harry need to talk."

"What's to talk about? We already know that Harry told you about my nightmares before I wanted you to know, and that I'm upset with him because of it."

"Hermione, you haven't given Harry a chance to apologize. That's why we're here."

"Uh, Hermione? I know I should've asked you. But Ron was worried, and so am I. I thought if he knew, then we could both help. I'm sorry."

"Harry, I just...I wanted to tell Ron on my own. I wasn't ready for him to know yesterday, although now it's a relief. But I trusted you not to tell."

"Can you see his point, though?"

"Yes."

"Harry, do you see hers?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then on the count of three, say you're sorry, then hug and make up." Harry and Hermione grinned.

"One...two...three!"

"I'm sorry!" chorused all three of them. They moved in for a hug.

"Wait...what're you sorry for, Ron?"

"Yeah, what'd you do?"

"Oh, er, nothing. I just felt left out of the moment." All three of them laughed, hugged, and made up.

"Glad that's over with," Ron stated when they broke apart. "Dealing with you two during a fight can make any guy go mad."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Hermione padded into the common room. It was after two in the morning, but she couldn't sleep. The dreams were too bad.

Nightmare Interpretations lay on the table in front of her. Ron must've left it there. She picked it up. Ron'd been so engrossed in it earlier, he wouldn't let her or Harry look at it. But she might as well now.
Chapter 1: A nightmare's beginning

As many have discovered, the nightmare world is often very similar to their own. The senses are more attuned to the environment, but other than that, the nightmare has a normal beginning. Often, the first setting of the dream is in a familiar, safe environment. But then, something goes wrong. Perhaps a monster approaches. Or those nearby are suddenly dead without cause. Or maybe the dreamer is the victim. But why did it go wrong? What fears have been revealed?

"This is getting me nowhere," Hermione muttered. She flipped to a later chapter.

Chapter 14: Was it sent?

How does the dreamer tell the difference between a nightmare created by their own mind and one that is sent? A list of clues that reveal a normal dream is below.

1. The storyline is disjointed. The dreamer moves suddenly between images.

2. The images are private. This is not definite, as some wizards have been known to steal another's memories, but it is reasonably accurate.

The idea below can prove either a natural dream, or a sent dream, so it has been listed separately:

The images and events have already happened, are happening as the dream occurs, or predict the future. Again, this is uncertain, as there has only been one documented case of a nightmare forewarning an event or witnessing one that has already happened. That was the enchantress Gisela of the fourth century. Others may have claimed to have such dreams, but their accounts cannot be validated.

'The author needs to meet Harry' Hermione thought wryly. She was about to return to the book, when she heard footsteps. She glanced toward the stairs. No one. And she couldn't see anyone in the other corners of the common room.

'It's not a ghost; they float'


"Who's there?" she called softly, nervously.

"'Tis only me, miss." Dobby emerged from the shadows.

"Dobby! What are you doing here?"

"I was sent here, miss."

"By who?"

"Dobby's old master. He had a message for Dobby to give to you, miss."

"Why didn't he owl it?" 'And what does Lucius Malfoy want to say to me?' Hermione had a bad feeling about this whole thing.

"Dobby doesn't know miss. But here 'tis." He handed her a fancy roll of parchment. "Dobby's going now."

Hermione paid no attention to the house elf's retreat, focusing only on the parchment in her hand.

My Dear Miss Granger, the letter began, I offer my apologies. This was definitely not right. I trust that you have recovered fully from my son's rash actions. As such, and the fact that he will no longer be present at Hogwarts, I ask you to consider refraining from the process of a Ministry trial. So that was what he wanted. He was worried about the family name. I feel obligated to remind you, Miss Granger, that I do have access to the best defense wizards available. If you insist on settling this in the Ministry's court, I will use all power at my disposal to defend my son. I may not agree with his actions, but I am his father. Sincerely, Lucius S. Malfoy

Great. As if she'd needed the further pressure. But it wasn't Dobby's fault that his old master had decided to tell her to back off. She sighed. She would need to tell Dumbledore in the morning, and her friends, but she was beginning to wonder if staying at Hogwarts was the right choice after all. At least she wouldn't have to deal with a court case against Lucius Malfoy's son if she'd gone home.

'Of course, then I probably would've been attacked again.'


She sighed, and picked up Nightmare Interpretations again. She would read until she was tired, and then go to bed.
--------------- ----------------------------------- ------------------------ -- ----------------------------
Harry woke early the next morning. He grinned as he glanced over at Ron's bed. His friend had managed to become entangled in the scarlet hangings, and they held him a few inches from the floor.

'Should I wake him?' Harry glanced at the sight again. 'Nah.' Of course, Ron would be furious when he woke, so Harry made a mental note to avoid him until after Ron had eaten breakfast and forgotten the incident.

He dressed quickly, and left for breakfast. He didn't notice that Hermione was once again curled in an armchair, fast asleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ----------------------------
"Aaaaaah! Oomph!"

Hermione jolted awake, and didn't know where she was for a moment. Then she blushed, realizing she'd fallen asleep in the common room again. But there was no one there, and she couldn't figure out what had awakened her, until she heard a colorful string of curses emitting from the direction of the boys' dormitories.

"Can't you keep it down, Weasley? You'll wake the whole bloody house!" Seamus' shout seemed to work. Hermione noted with a grin that the expletives Ron was apparently directing to his bed eased a little. She rushed to her dormitory to be dressed before Seamus' prediction came true.
------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- -------------------- ----------
Ron stormed into the Great Hall just as Harry finished eating. Harry grinned at the redness of his friend's ears, and made room for Ron to sit next to him.

'What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Harry's grin grew wider. He was about to say something when Hermione entered and made her way to the table, also grinning widely. "Morning, Hermione. Do you know what's the matter with our red-haired friend here? He claims it's nothing, but I've never seen ears as red as tomatoes before."

"He had an encounter with his bed this morning. Woke the whole house."

Hedwig fluttered in and landed in front of Harry. He removed a fancy scroll from her leg, unrolling it as she flew off.

"Who's it from, mate?"

"Dunno."

"Let me see it, Harry." Hermione had recognized the familiar paper the minute Hedwig landed. She took the parchment, unrolling it a little more. "I thought so," she said, pointing to a familiar signature. "Lucius Malfoy."
============= =========================== =================== ===
A/N: Well, I finally got a Ch finished. Yay! Sorry this took so long, everyone!