I stared at the celling above my four-poster bed, thinking about my dream.
What was it about it that had disturbed me so? I had weird dreams all the time, and nothing life-threatening or anything had happened to me in this one. It was just that...
It had seemed so real.
"Hermione?"
I looked up to see Harry hovering in the doorway. He looked concerned.
"Are you sure you're all right Hermione? Ron said you didn't eat any breakfast. Weekends are perfect study time and you're lying around doing nothing! What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Harry! I'm fine."
I sat up and padded passed him, out to the common room. It was mostly empty, I realised, because it was a Hogsmeade weekend. I took a seat opposite Ron and asked why he and Harry weren't at Hogsmeade with the others.
"Because we have a Potions essay due tomorrow. Two and a half lengths of parchment! There is no way I'm going to finish."
"You mean, that essay on the components and purposes of the Alfonzo Sleeping potion?"
"Yeah. You're going to say you did it three weeks ago aren't you?"
"Four, actually."
"I could've guessed as much."
Harry came over and sat down next to Ron. He looked at me a moment and then shook his head.
"Hermione, you look really, really, tired."
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm allowed to be tired, Harry. Doesn't mean there's something desperately wrong with me. Besides, tired or not, I can still help you with your potions."
Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and then left it at that.
---
That evening, at dinner, I could barely keep my eyes open. After staring pointlessly at my untouched plate of lamb chops, I excused myself and went back up to Gryffindor tower.
I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow
---
As soon as I opened my eyes, I knew where I was.
I recognized the blackness, and I recognized the sliver of light coming from the doorway in front of me.
I was back.
I suppressed a shiver, and peered through the crack in the door.
"Father...you want me to spy on Dumbledore?"
My eyes widened, this time I was watching a conference between Draco and his father.
"Draco, the fate of our rising lies in your hands. You must see to it that Dumbledore does not find out about any of our whereabouts, you must make sure that he is too...busy. With other things."
Draco smiled like a snake.
"In other words, you want me to keep him occupied until the attack is ready?"
"Precisely. Can you do this?"
"I can."
I watched silently as Draco Malfoy left through a door at the back of the room. My attention was soon drawn back to Lucius as he sat heavily on an armchair and buried his face in his hands.
A woman I assumed to be Draco's mother appeared and knelt down next to him.
"He can do this, Lucius. Believe in him. He has a strong will."
Lucius took his wife's hand and held it.
"I would not like the idea of this plan being set upon any sixteen year old boy, my own son or not. It is much too risky. For all of us! But I can't make them see that."
The pair embraced, and I noticed with a shock that Draco was standing quietly in the dark doorway from which he had left, tears streaming silently down his face.
---
"Hermione? Wake up! Wake up!"
"Huh?"
I opened my eyes slowly and glanced around. Lavender Brown was standing over me, a concerned look on her face.
"I woke up and I could hear you thrashing around in your sleep, you started talking. Really really fast and frantic ... are you okay?"
I was sick of people asking me if I was okay, but I appreciated her concern.
"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. What time is it?"
"It's about five thirty in the morning."
"Okay. Thanks, Lavender."
I waited until Lavender had crept silently back to her own bed, before I picked up Crookshanks and made my way down to the common room.
The fire was dying, and it was still cold and dark outside. I was extremely tired, but afraid to go back to sleep. I didn't want to have another one of those dreams.
I decided to write a letter to my parents, to fill the time. Then I would go up to the owlery to send it off. Hopefully, by the time I got back somebody else would be awake.
---
I figured that the owlery would be empty, and was surprised to find that it was occupied.
The occupant was muttering to himself over a letter, although I couldn't tell what he was saying. When he turned suddenly to face me, I was shocked to find that it was Malfoy.
"What the hell do you want, mudblood?"
"I'm just sending a letter Malfoy, calm down."
A sliver of moonlight from the window shone on his face, revealing what appeared to be tear-tracks. I spoke without thinking.
"Are you alright?"
Malfoy scowled at me.
"What do you care, Granger? Why can't you mind your own business?"
I was surprised to hear his voice was shaking slightly. He was trying very hard not to start crying again. I didn't know what to say.
"You ... you look like you've been crying, is all."
"I have not been crying!"
"Muggle I may be but I'm not blind, Malfoy!"
Malfoy took a step towards me, so we were standing face-to-face, almost touching.
"Keep your nose out of my business, mudblood."
And with that, he was gone.
What was it about it that had disturbed me so? I had weird dreams all the time, and nothing life-threatening or anything had happened to me in this one. It was just that...
It had seemed so real.
"Hermione?"
I looked up to see Harry hovering in the doorway. He looked concerned.
"Are you sure you're all right Hermione? Ron said you didn't eat any breakfast. Weekends are perfect study time and you're lying around doing nothing! What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Harry! I'm fine."
I sat up and padded passed him, out to the common room. It was mostly empty, I realised, because it was a Hogsmeade weekend. I took a seat opposite Ron and asked why he and Harry weren't at Hogsmeade with the others.
"Because we have a Potions essay due tomorrow. Two and a half lengths of parchment! There is no way I'm going to finish."
"You mean, that essay on the components and purposes of the Alfonzo Sleeping potion?"
"Yeah. You're going to say you did it three weeks ago aren't you?"
"Four, actually."
"I could've guessed as much."
Harry came over and sat down next to Ron. He looked at me a moment and then shook his head.
"Hermione, you look really, really, tired."
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm allowed to be tired, Harry. Doesn't mean there's something desperately wrong with me. Besides, tired or not, I can still help you with your potions."
Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and then left it at that.
---
That evening, at dinner, I could barely keep my eyes open. After staring pointlessly at my untouched plate of lamb chops, I excused myself and went back up to Gryffindor tower.
I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow
---
As soon as I opened my eyes, I knew where I was.
I recognized the blackness, and I recognized the sliver of light coming from the doorway in front of me.
I was back.
I suppressed a shiver, and peered through the crack in the door.
"Father...you want me to spy on Dumbledore?"
My eyes widened, this time I was watching a conference between Draco and his father.
"Draco, the fate of our rising lies in your hands. You must see to it that Dumbledore does not find out about any of our whereabouts, you must make sure that he is too...busy. With other things."
Draco smiled like a snake.
"In other words, you want me to keep him occupied until the attack is ready?"
"Precisely. Can you do this?"
"I can."
I watched silently as Draco Malfoy left through a door at the back of the room. My attention was soon drawn back to Lucius as he sat heavily on an armchair and buried his face in his hands.
A woman I assumed to be Draco's mother appeared and knelt down next to him.
"He can do this, Lucius. Believe in him. He has a strong will."
Lucius took his wife's hand and held it.
"I would not like the idea of this plan being set upon any sixteen year old boy, my own son or not. It is much too risky. For all of us! But I can't make them see that."
The pair embraced, and I noticed with a shock that Draco was standing quietly in the dark doorway from which he had left, tears streaming silently down his face.
---
"Hermione? Wake up! Wake up!"
"Huh?"
I opened my eyes slowly and glanced around. Lavender Brown was standing over me, a concerned look on her face.
"I woke up and I could hear you thrashing around in your sleep, you started talking. Really really fast and frantic ... are you okay?"
I was sick of people asking me if I was okay, but I appreciated her concern.
"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. What time is it?"
"It's about five thirty in the morning."
"Okay. Thanks, Lavender."
I waited until Lavender had crept silently back to her own bed, before I picked up Crookshanks and made my way down to the common room.
The fire was dying, and it was still cold and dark outside. I was extremely tired, but afraid to go back to sleep. I didn't want to have another one of those dreams.
I decided to write a letter to my parents, to fill the time. Then I would go up to the owlery to send it off. Hopefully, by the time I got back somebody else would be awake.
---
I figured that the owlery would be empty, and was surprised to find that it was occupied.
The occupant was muttering to himself over a letter, although I couldn't tell what he was saying. When he turned suddenly to face me, I was shocked to find that it was Malfoy.
"What the hell do you want, mudblood?"
"I'm just sending a letter Malfoy, calm down."
A sliver of moonlight from the window shone on his face, revealing what appeared to be tear-tracks. I spoke without thinking.
"Are you alright?"
Malfoy scowled at me.
"What do you care, Granger? Why can't you mind your own business?"
I was surprised to hear his voice was shaking slightly. He was trying very hard not to start crying again. I didn't know what to say.
"You ... you look like you've been crying, is all."
"I have not been crying!"
"Muggle I may be but I'm not blind, Malfoy!"
Malfoy took a step towards me, so we were standing face-to-face, almost touching.
"Keep your nose out of my business, mudblood."
And with that, he was gone.