Chapter 18: Breakdown
A/N Thanks for the idea PolishPrincess
"Hermione Granger and Nina! Get your bloody arse down here!" Ron was
calling from downstairs.
Nina stopped playing her drums and Hermione turned off her magical amp and
went downstairs.
"What is it Ron?" Hermione asked.
"First off, please place a soundproof charm on your door and walls before
you guys play your instruments. Second of all we all got a memo from
Dumbledore." He handed her a piece of parchment
'Dear Students, You all now know more about the people in your group than
you did when this project began. Please come to the Great Hall with one
thing that expresses you the most. If you bring another item on purpose
then it shall disappear and the true item will appear. You are expected to
be there in at 2:30 today.'
"There was also a letter for you Nina" Ron said. He handed her the letter.
Nina read it and her face became somber. She began to hyperventilate and
looked as though she was about to cry.
"No, no, no, no, no" she kept saying as she slowly lowered until she was on
the floor.
"Ron, can you please send everyone away and not let anyone in here?"
Hermione said. Ron nodded and everyone left. Hermione sat down next to Nina
and grabbed her in a hug and began to rock her back and forth.
"Shhhhhh. Hush little baby don't say a word. Hermy's gonna rescue a mocking
bird. What's the matter baby?"
"The ministry has decided a final action for me." She cried "I have one
last trial in two months. It was sent and written by Umbridge."
Hermione was nervous. This obviously meant that the ministry was going to
snap her wand in half and banish her from whe whole wizarding world. Either
that or send her t Azkaban, or maybe something worse!
"Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen as long as I'm here. No matter
what we'll always be together. Just think about our flat in London we're
getting"
Hermione comforted Nina for another half hour (until 1:45) when she said
that she was going to be all right and went into our room and asked for
privacy. I was worried, but I wasn't going to invade her life so instead I
sat on one of the couches and thought for a bit.
'What should I bring as my item?' I asked myself 'Now clothing, and a book
would just cover part of me. My c.d. collection? Nah. How about my guitar?
I've covered it with photos and stamps and stuff? Nope. My journal?' I
finally decided to bring my scrapbook. It was filled with pictures, journal
entries, drawings and more. It was perfect! I looked at the clock and
realized that it was already ten after two! I went to mine, Nina's and
Pansy's room to check on Nina. I knocked on the door and put my ear to it.
I couldn't hear anything!
"Nina! Open the door! Please! Now!" I was pushing and tugging on the door
but it wouldn't budge! I ran downstairs and grabbed the first person I saw,
but when I looked at whoever it was when we got to the door I realized that
I should have checked who it was before I brought them.
"Draco?"
"Were you expecting to just have my arm in your hand?" he asked, but then
he realized that I was worried. "what's that matter?"
"It's Nina. She went in there about a half hour ago and when I tried to
open the door and call her it wouldn't budge and she wont answer!" I was
never so afraid in my entire life.
Draco quickly ran off. I followed him to his room but when I got there his
window was open and no one was in there. By then everyone was nervous and
talking about what was going on. I refused to cry but awful thoughts kept
going through my mind.
'Nina is a strong girl and she isn't going to do anything to harm herself
in any way' I thought 'again'
I then ran back to the door and cried, screaming for Nina to come out.
*Draco's POV*
"It's Nina. She went in there about a half hour ago and when I tried to
open the door and call her it wouldn't budge and she wont answer!" Hermione
said. She looked terrified and worried. She looked as though she was ready
to cry at any moment. I ran to my room and grabbed my broom. I didn't even
bother hopping on it. Instead I ran out the window with it in my hand and
climbed on it as I flew to the Gryffindor and Slytherin girl's dormitory.
When I got to the window I looked inside. There was no one there, the room
was just dark. Panic filled me and I crashed into the room through the
window. I hopped off my broom and looked around the room. I then heard a
gasping sob from the corner of the room and noticed Nina. I ran over to her
and realized that I had no idea what to do. Should I comfort her or let
Hermione in? I had to think quickly though, before she noticed me.
"What do you want?" too late. She noticed me.
"I came to see if you were all right" I said as I knelt beside her.
"Why would you care?"
"Because I do" what the hell was I saying?
"Listen, it's none of your conce-"
"It is. Just tell me. I promise to never repeat it to anyone"
"Whatever. Everyone is going to know sooner or later." She sighed and faced
me. Her face was red and wet from her crying. "It's not just one thing,
it's just a lot. I just found out that I'm going to have to go to have a
final trial after several years for a final punishment for the stupidest
things. I think they might banish me from the wizarding world or worse. My
ex-boyfriend is being sent somewhere to another school and he doesn't even
know where it is or if we'll ever see each other again because he was sent
to a school in another country. My parents want me to, to, get the dark
mark. You see, they couldn't and I don't think that they can, but I can so
they want me to. And you know things about my past and I don't know that
they are, but you can hold anything above my head. I may seem like a strong
person, but I haven't caved in about six years and even I have to let it
out. Yes, I used to cut myself, but that was a long time ago. I was
suicidal then and did everything imaginable to take the pain away. It's
just a lot of stuff that people would think are stupid along with what I
told you. Please, don't tell anyone. Not even Hermione" Nina pleaded
"I stick to my promises." I smiled at her and wrapped my arm around her
shoulder.
"Hermione is lucky" she said as she placed her head on my shoulder.
"What?"
"You obviously like her. She's lucky to have a guy who she obviously likes
like her back, especially someone like you. I know what she meant when she
said that she could confide in you when you spent the night at her house.
That's one of the things I saw" she looked up. "What did you see?"
"A trial, a few months ago I think. Um, you talking to your parents. When
Hermione turned down that Jared guy, you looking at where you cut yourself
after you wrote a letter to someone. And I think that's it" I said.
"Y'know what Draco?"
"What?"
"This feels right. Like, I now know how Hermione feels with Harry and Ron.
This is like having a big brother, but without the fighting and shit,
y'know what I mean?"
"Yeah"
"So when we leave, I want you to grab 'Mione and do something a sister
would be grossed out by" she smiled and stood up. "And Draco,"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks" she smiled and walked to the door. She stepped outside the room
and was ambushed by Hermione. The two hugged each other and I discreetly
made my way out of the window on my broom.
"Nina, do you have any idea how scared I was!" Hermione cried.
"I'm so sorry 'Mione! I promise I'll never do anything like that again!"
The two cried for what felt like forever but was really a few minutes. They
were stopped when they heard someone calling to them to hurry up and get to
the Great Hall.
Hermione grabbed her sketchbook and Nina grabbed a small green box that she
painted with a large white flower with a yellow center on the top and her
wand. The two walked together to the Great Hall.
A/N Thanks for the idea PolishPrincess
"Hermione Granger and Nina! Get your bloody arse down here!" Ron was
calling from downstairs.
Nina stopped playing her drums and Hermione turned off her magical amp and
went downstairs.
"What is it Ron?" Hermione asked.
"First off, please place a soundproof charm on your door and walls before
you guys play your instruments. Second of all we all got a memo from
Dumbledore." He handed her a piece of parchment
'Dear Students, You all now know more about the people in your group than
you did when this project began. Please come to the Great Hall with one
thing that expresses you the most. If you bring another item on purpose
then it shall disappear and the true item will appear. You are expected to
be there in at 2:30 today.'
"There was also a letter for you Nina" Ron said. He handed her the letter.
Nina read it and her face became somber. She began to hyperventilate and
looked as though she was about to cry.
"No, no, no, no, no" she kept saying as she slowly lowered until she was on
the floor.
"Ron, can you please send everyone away and not let anyone in here?"
Hermione said. Ron nodded and everyone left. Hermione sat down next to Nina
and grabbed her in a hug and began to rock her back and forth.
"Shhhhhh. Hush little baby don't say a word. Hermy's gonna rescue a mocking
bird. What's the matter baby?"
"The ministry has decided a final action for me." She cried "I have one
last trial in two months. It was sent and written by Umbridge."
Hermione was nervous. This obviously meant that the ministry was going to
snap her wand in half and banish her from whe whole wizarding world. Either
that or send her t Azkaban, or maybe something worse!
"Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen as long as I'm here. No matter
what we'll always be together. Just think about our flat in London we're
getting"
Hermione comforted Nina for another half hour (until 1:45) when she said
that she was going to be all right and went into our room and asked for
privacy. I was worried, but I wasn't going to invade her life so instead I
sat on one of the couches and thought for a bit.
'What should I bring as my item?' I asked myself 'Now clothing, and a book
would just cover part of me. My c.d. collection? Nah. How about my guitar?
I've covered it with photos and stamps and stuff? Nope. My journal?' I
finally decided to bring my scrapbook. It was filled with pictures, journal
entries, drawings and more. It was perfect! I looked at the clock and
realized that it was already ten after two! I went to mine, Nina's and
Pansy's room to check on Nina. I knocked on the door and put my ear to it.
I couldn't hear anything!
"Nina! Open the door! Please! Now!" I was pushing and tugging on the door
but it wouldn't budge! I ran downstairs and grabbed the first person I saw,
but when I looked at whoever it was when we got to the door I realized that
I should have checked who it was before I brought them.
"Draco?"
"Were you expecting to just have my arm in your hand?" he asked, but then
he realized that I was worried. "what's that matter?"
"It's Nina. She went in there about a half hour ago and when I tried to
open the door and call her it wouldn't budge and she wont answer!" I was
never so afraid in my entire life.
Draco quickly ran off. I followed him to his room but when I got there his
window was open and no one was in there. By then everyone was nervous and
talking about what was going on. I refused to cry but awful thoughts kept
going through my mind.
'Nina is a strong girl and she isn't going to do anything to harm herself
in any way' I thought 'again'
I then ran back to the door and cried, screaming for Nina to come out.
*Draco's POV*
"It's Nina. She went in there about a half hour ago and when I tried to
open the door and call her it wouldn't budge and she wont answer!" Hermione
said. She looked terrified and worried. She looked as though she was ready
to cry at any moment. I ran to my room and grabbed my broom. I didn't even
bother hopping on it. Instead I ran out the window with it in my hand and
climbed on it as I flew to the Gryffindor and Slytherin girl's dormitory.
When I got to the window I looked inside. There was no one there, the room
was just dark. Panic filled me and I crashed into the room through the
window. I hopped off my broom and looked around the room. I then heard a
gasping sob from the corner of the room and noticed Nina. I ran over to her
and realized that I had no idea what to do. Should I comfort her or let
Hermione in? I had to think quickly though, before she noticed me.
"What do you want?" too late. She noticed me.
"I came to see if you were all right" I said as I knelt beside her.
"Why would you care?"
"Because I do" what the hell was I saying?
"Listen, it's none of your conce-"
"It is. Just tell me. I promise to never repeat it to anyone"
"Whatever. Everyone is going to know sooner or later." She sighed and faced
me. Her face was red and wet from her crying. "It's not just one thing,
it's just a lot. I just found out that I'm going to have to go to have a
final trial after several years for a final punishment for the stupidest
things. I think they might banish me from the wizarding world or worse. My
ex-boyfriend is being sent somewhere to another school and he doesn't even
know where it is or if we'll ever see each other again because he was sent
to a school in another country. My parents want me to, to, get the dark
mark. You see, they couldn't and I don't think that they can, but I can so
they want me to. And you know things about my past and I don't know that
they are, but you can hold anything above my head. I may seem like a strong
person, but I haven't caved in about six years and even I have to let it
out. Yes, I used to cut myself, but that was a long time ago. I was
suicidal then and did everything imaginable to take the pain away. It's
just a lot of stuff that people would think are stupid along with what I
told you. Please, don't tell anyone. Not even Hermione" Nina pleaded
"I stick to my promises." I smiled at her and wrapped my arm around her
shoulder.
"Hermione is lucky" she said as she placed her head on my shoulder.
"What?"
"You obviously like her. She's lucky to have a guy who she obviously likes
like her back, especially someone like you. I know what she meant when she
said that she could confide in you when you spent the night at her house.
That's one of the things I saw" she looked up. "What did you see?"
"A trial, a few months ago I think. Um, you talking to your parents. When
Hermione turned down that Jared guy, you looking at where you cut yourself
after you wrote a letter to someone. And I think that's it" I said.
"Y'know what Draco?"
"What?"
"This feels right. Like, I now know how Hermione feels with Harry and Ron.
This is like having a big brother, but without the fighting and shit,
y'know what I mean?"
"Yeah"
"So when we leave, I want you to grab 'Mione and do something a sister
would be grossed out by" she smiled and stood up. "And Draco,"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks" she smiled and walked to the door. She stepped outside the room
and was ambushed by Hermione. The two hugged each other and I discreetly
made my way out of the window on my broom.
"Nina, do you have any idea how scared I was!" Hermione cried.
"I'm so sorry 'Mione! I promise I'll never do anything like that again!"
The two cried for what felt like forever but was really a few minutes. They
were stopped when they heard someone calling to them to hurry up and get to
the Great Hall.
Hermione grabbed her sketchbook and Nina grabbed a small green box that she
painted with a large white flower with a yellow center on the top and her
wand. The two walked together to the Great Hall.