On Monday morning Hermione woke up with a jump. She wasn't quite sure what had awoken her so suddenly but something wasn't right.
"Mum?" she said as she got slowly out of bed and dragged her dressing gown on "Dad?"
No answer. She crept quietly over to her desk in the corner of her small room and pulled her wand out from the top drawer. Crashing noises came from downstairs and her heart started to beat faster. Crookshanks snaked around her legs as she made her way to the door to her bedroom. A high pitched scream filled the air and Hermione ran to the stairs as fast as she could.
"MUM" she screamed as she hurtled into the kitchen. The sight that met her eyes silenced her. Her mother sprawled on the floor, swimming in a pool of her own deep red blood.
"NO!" she screamed crying great tears and shaking, her whole body frozen with terror. And then she felt a cold pair of hands on her shoulders, coldness swept over her as she cried and screamed, they grew tighter and tighter she turned around and saw his face. His hands swept over her face.
"HERMIONE!" Hermione woke up screaming and crying. "Hermione what's wrong?"
Hermione looked up into Ron's worried face.
"Hermione you were screaming, are you alright? We thought you were being attacked or..." But he trailed off as he saw the terrified look on her face, the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Hermione don't cry it's all over now" said a voice from the doorway. Harry had entered the room his face deadly pale, his fingers rubbing his scar.
"Oh Harry" Hermione wailed, launching herself off the bed and flinging her arms around Harry.
"It was that dream again. Every night for the last week now"
"I know" Harry's face darkened "I didn't want to tell you this but every time you have one of these dreams my scar hurts. I think it could be something to do with Voldemort" Hermione looked up into his face her eyes full of concern. Harry looked away to Ron who stood speechless in the middle of the room.
"BREAKFAST!" Mrs Weasley shouted up the stairs "RON, HARRY, HERMIONE IT'S GETTING COLD"
"Don't say anything about this" said Hermione looking nervously at Ron and Harry
"I agree" said Harry quickly, and Ron nodded.
"Yeah we go off to school tomorrow Mum has enough to worry about"
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Ten minutes later Harry, Ron and Hermione were all sitting down in the kitchen eating porridge and trying their best to look happy about going to school the following day.
"You know before I went to school when I was younger" said Mrs Weasley as she busied herself getting Harry another cup of tea "I was all over the place with excitement. What's wrong with you three? Aren't you happy about going back and seeing all your friends?"
"We are Mrs Weasley" said Hermione in a would-be-cheerful voice that seemed to convince Mrs Weasley but was clearly to Harry and Ron a downright lie. Although Hermione liked school very much, Harry knew that she was worried about leaving her parents behind after her recent dreams.
"Yeah Mrs Weasley" said Harry in an equally false voice "We can't wait, it's just we have exams this year and we're all a bit nervous, right Ron?"
"Er....yeah that's right" said Ron looking bewildered "Anyway Mum we better go upstairs and pack, I haven't even started packing all my new things"
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The next day on the Hogwarts Express, Harry and Ron sat listening to Hermione retell her dream for the third time that morning.
"What I don't understand" said Ron, his forehead crinkled up in concentration and concern "Is why Voldemort is using Hermione?" Harry looked at him thoughtfully for a moment.
"Well it could be something to do with you being friends with me" he looked at Hermione
"He knows who my friends are, he knows who I'm close to, that why he used S…"
But Harry's throat stick as he tried to say the name of his late godfather.
"Yeah but he could use me" said Ron quickly changing the subject.
Hermione looked nervously at both of them. In truth she hadn't told them everything that had happened in her dream. She had conveniently not told them about the face that she had turned around to see, the hand that had crossed her face, stroked her cheek, not in a violent way but in a loving way. Because it was a face they were all familiar with and one that could spell something dangerous for her.
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In the Great Hall Hermione, Ron and Harry sat next to the other Gryffindors watching the first years being sorted.
"Will this never end!" said Ron rubbing his stomach and looking dispirited and bitter as each student put the talking hat on their heads and gazed nervously out at the others.
Hermione sat twisting a tissue between her hands nervously, trying not to let her gaze fall upon the staff table.
When the sorting had finally finished the plates filled up with the usual array of magnificent looking food. Even Hermione, who had no appetite, managed to fill her plate. Harry glanced at her and saw that, for the tenth time that evening Hermione was gazing up at the staff table.
"Hermione what's wrong?" he said making her jump "Did you want to talk to Dumbledore about your dreams because I don't think it's a very good…."
"No" she said sharply "I was just…" but she trailed off, finding no plausible explanation for her behaviour.
"Hermione" said a calm voice from behind her. Relieved that she didn't have to answer Harry's question she turned around to see Professor Dumbledore looking down on her. "I'd like a word my office please."
"Er... o.k." she said bewildered
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When Hermione got to Dumbledore's office he wasn't there. Thinking she might as well stay she sat herself down opposite Dumbledore's chair and waited. She closed her eyes and felt for the first time in a while complete peace. The silence in the room was almost deafening and the warmth from the fire washed over her and slowly she feel asleep.
Those eyes, those dark eyes. His hand stroked her face as she looked up into the abyss that was his eyes. His lips slowly moved towards hers, and she found herself wanting to touch them, to taste them….
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione woke up with a jump.
"Professor Dumbledore?" she said confused "How long have I been asleep"
"Not long" he said smiling "Miss Granger I think we need to talk about these dreams, they are rather concerning"
"How did you know?" she said looking startled
"That's not important" he said brushing the matter aside "I have reason to believe that Voldemort is trying to use you to get to someone else"
"Who?" said Hermione
"Probably your good friend Mr Potter. Unless you can think of anyone else?"
"No" she said quickly. She had no intention of telling Dumbledore about the other person she had seen in her dream.
"Right well then I think you need to start Occulmency"
"What?" she said startled
"Surely Harry told you about his lessons last year"
"Yes but I don't understand. Do you think that Voldemort is putting these dreams into my head?"
"None of what you are seeing in your dreams is real Miss Granger. I believe that Voldemort is trying to influence your thoughts in order to affect those around you"
"Everything in my dreams is untrue then?" Hermione said. She couldn't understand why but it disturbed her to think that what had happened in the latter part of her dream hadn't been real.
"Well" Dumbledore said looking sceptical "He could be using another person's thoughts or feelings to influence your behaviour. Therefore I think you must take these lessons. Professor Snape I'm sure will have no problem in…"
All the air flew out of Hermione's lungs, her head reeled and she swayed on the spot.
"Professor Snape?"
"Yes Miss Granger he is the only teacher with the ability to teach you this. I would myself but it's not possible"
Hermione fell silent.
"So Professor Snape will be contacting you as to when he wants to hold your first class. But now Miss Granger it is late and I think it's time for you to go to bed"
With a nod Hermione got up from the chair and walked to the door
"And Miss Granger" Dumbledore called after her "Good luck"