Disclaimer: Ick, again, I do not own anything Harry Potter related. I own just the plot. I also do not own any of the songs that I use in this story. I wish I owned sometime of value, other than my BunBun, and he's only sentimental value. Poo.
I came here by
day, but I left here in darkness and found you on the way.
Now,
it is silver and silent.
It is silver and cold.
You, in
somber resplendence, I hold.
And so the days passed like hours, fast and yet by far too short. Before I knew it, my classes had ended on Friday and Saturday began without a second thought.
I was half heartedly doing my patrolling duties. I was really distracted with trying to remember every fact I could about the Troll Goblin War of 1387 for my History of Magic quiz tomorrow, and wasn't really paying attention to my duties. Shame on me!
However, I remembered that I was on duty when I heard voices ahead of me. It struck me curios that anyone would be out at two o'clock in the morning just leisurely talking, so I sped up my steps to catch them in the act of rule breaking.
Using an ability I had picked up over the summer called; 'try to be very quite' I snuck up on the rule breaking voices. I admit that I was very shocked to see three people that I personally knew very well standing there dumbfounded. Ginny Weasley, Colin Creevy, and Luna Lovegood stared blankly back at me.
"What are you guys doing?" I hissed in a whisper.
They just looked at me blankly. Apparently they had not thought that there would be people patrolling tonight and were mildly surprised someone had caught them. Luna and Collin looked anywhere but my face, but Ginny, knowing me like a sister, smiled falsely up at me.
"'Evening 'Mione," she said trying to please me with her plastered smile. She laughed nervously and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. I frowned at her and she stopped smiling.
"I asked you a question," I said talking in a normal voice now. I was trying to be responsible but I found it hard. I had never had to give anyone a detention before and I didn't want to start with my friends.
"Oh, right," she said trailing off a little. "Well, you see," she started again, only to be interrupted by Luna.
"We were just out looking for you."
"We were?" Collin asked looking utterly confused. He saw the look on Luna's face and quickly caught on. "Oh! Right, yes, um, ya we were," he said trying to cover it up, but failing miserably.
"You guys know you're not allowed to be out this late," I said setting them up for a surprise. "And you know how I am with the rules." I continued. The looks on their faces were priceless. They knew me well enough to know that I'm a stickler for the rules. What they didn't know is that I have considerably loosened up lately.
Now you're probably thinking; Hermione Granger, A plus student, Head Girl, would never pull a prank.' All I have to say to that is, you have forgotten who I hang around with.
You see, being friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley automatically classifies you as one of the pranksters of Hogwarts. I'll admit that all or most of the pranks that have been pulled at Hogwarts were in someway related to me. If I did the planning in them, or the really advanced spells in them, I was someway involved.
Being friends with Fred and George Weasley has also had an affect on me. I was rough on them before, but I really approve of their shop. They have grown up in their own way. Managing a business is hard work and they do it splendidly…even if their shop is a joke shop.
"So since two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw are out at two o'clock in the morning..." Their faces fell a little and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. "I will let you off with a warning." I finished smiling. Luna and Colin let out a breath of relief. Ginny sighed and leaned a little into Colin.
"I thought you were really going to let us have it," she said.
"I know. That's why I led you on like that. But you should get back to your common room and get some sleep before I really have to give you detentions."
"Oh thank you Hermione!" Luna screeched, loudly. She jumped a little and hugged my lightly looking downright giddy.
After she had screamed her thanks into the night, I immediately heard footsteps coming our way. Luna clapped a hand over her mouth and looked shamefully at the floor.
Draco Malfoy rounded the corner at that moment. He had a skip in his step and a smirk on his face. He looked at us for a moment and whistled long and slow.
"Is the Potter fan club having a slumber-party?" He asked teasingly. I balled my hands into fists and spun on my heel to face him square in the face.
"It's nothing you need to worry about, Malfoy. I just took care of it," I said ushering the trio toward the end of the hallway.
"Really? I don't think you did," he said smiling. "You see if you had, then these three munchkins would have detention tomorrow. By the looks of it, they got off the hook. Had it been any other student, they surely would have gotten detention by the perfect rule abiding Granger, wouldn't they?" he said smirking. I really wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. The only way I knew how. I wanted to give him a good kick you-know-where. But somehow I restrained myself.
"Malfoy, really! I took care of it! Unlike you, I can show authority with out flailing it around like a lunatic," I said advancing on him.
"Temper, temper," he said, waving a finger back in forth, trying to make me feel bad about my actions. "Well, since they had their warning, but are still standing there, I here by give the three Potter Praisers detention tomorrow evening at the Forbidden Forest." With that, he flipped out a little book that the Head Boy and Girl used to keep records of everyone serving detention.
"You can't be serious," I said.
"Oh but I am," he said scribbling down the names.
It was too late; there was nothing I could do. Once the names of people were written down, they never came off the list. Damn magic! "I hope you know how unbelievably cruel you are," I said trying not to lose my cool. The three had retreated to the common room trying not doubt to escape even more punishment, leaving Malfoy and I to argue.
"Just live with it, Granger. We both have to help with detention tomorrow. It's Sunday tomorrow." He hurriedly walked down the hall. Wait. If it was Saturday Malfoy shouldn't have been out of bed either. It was my night to do duties. What was he doing?
Shaking my head I checked my watch. It was time for the teachers to resume their patrolling duties. I was more than ready to fall into my bed. I was worn out.
I changed by magic into my pajama's, I was way too tired to do it the 'muggle' way and undress myself. I crawled into my silk sheets and gazed up at the ceiling feeling my eyelids grow heavier with each blink I took. Slowly I feel into a deep sleep dreaming about what tomorrow would bring.
Your sins into me, oh, my beautiful one now.
Your sins into me. As a rapturous voice escapes, I
will tremble a prayer
and I'll beg for forgiveness.
Your sins
into me, oh, my beautiful one.
Birds were chirping slowly and sweetly when I awoke in the morning. The sun had decided, like I had, that it was not a good day to be vibrant and bouncy, and decided to stay hidden behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest. There were deep, dark shadows cast over the grounds of Hogwarts.
I crawled out of the comfort of my bed with a groan. Today was a day that I felt like sitting in the window sill and reading a good book. I certainly didn't want to be in charge of giving a detention in the Forbidden Forest with my friends and Malfoy.
I quickly got ready for the day. I dressed in simple robes and did my hair so that it was out of my face. Normally I would have left it down to do whatever it pleased, but today I felt like having at least one thing under control. I knew my anger toward Malfoy would be raging and uncontrollable. I wanted to feel somewhat in charge of something.
Reluctantly I went down stairs to the common room. I spotted Ron and Harry playing wizard's chess in the corner. Harry cursed aloud as Ron won again. I shot him a glance and he blushed slightly, knowing how I felt about him cursing. I saw Ginny and Colin sitting subdued in the corner, trying to be unnoticed.
"Hey," I said sitting down across from them in a loveseat.
Neither of them made a move to make conversation. "Hi," Ginny said a moment later.
"Listen, about last night," I began hoping to explain to them that I tried as hard as I could about it.
"It's not your fault," Collin cut me off.
"It was the stupid git Malfoy," Ginny finished for him.
I was surprised, to say the least. If I was in there position and someone like me had landed me a detention with the biggest git in the world, I would have been upset and mean toward that person. But Ginny and Collin simply took it in stride, being the great friends that they are. In that moment I was truly happy for the friends that I was blessed with. I had never thought about how great they were before.
We sat in comfortable silence for a while. I was thinking about my blessings. Friends were one of them, but did I have more? Family, yes, but what else? Looks? No, definitely not. Brains? Yes, but only because I trained myself to be that way. Anyone could be were I was. Athletic ability? Oh no, I was athletically challenged. Love?
That was one that puzzled me. Sure, my friends loved me. Harry and Ron loved me, but they were not the kind of love I was referring to. Harry and Ron loved me as a sister. I was speaking of the love that my parents shared; the love that a girlfriend and boyfriend share. I did not have that kind of love and it was my biggest hole in my soul.
"Hermione," Ron said placing a hand on my shoulder and shaking me a bit. "Hermione, let's go down to breakfast." I nodded. I had been so focused on my thoughts that I had not noticed that all of the common room had left for breakfast already.
Walking down to breakfast I glanced at Ron and Harry out of the side of my vision. They didn't know how much they meant to me. I don't recall ever telling them that they were my world.
"Guys," I said stopping for a moment. They turned and looked at me questionably.
"What's wrong, 'Mione?" Harry asked stepping closer. Ron raised an eyebrow asking the same silent question.
"Nothing, it's just I wanted to say something important."
Harry nodded and Ron raised an eyebrow even farther up his head. Maybe eyebrows could float off a persons head? It looked like that's what Ron's was about to do anyway. "I wanted to say that I really appreciate you guys being my friends. That I really love you guys. I've never said it aloud before because then it seems like its labeled and I didn't want that I suppose."
If eyebrows could float, Ron's would be by Pluto now. Harry opened his mouth a few times seeming like he was about to say something but couldn't form any words too. Ron made noised like a fish. "You don't have to act so surprised. It's just that I felt like I should tell you."
"Well…wow…erm…I mean…" Harry was not often speechless. He blinked hard a few times and cleared his throat. "What I mean to say is that, we love you too, it's just that, um…why do you feel the need to tell us this now? Is there something big happening soon?"
Harry was right in a way. Voldemort had been making a lot of attacks lately. Although mainly on failed death eaters, it was still attacks. Each attack made the headline of the Daily Prophet. Each headline made everyone nervous. When Voldemort was finished with punishing Death Eaters, who would he move to? Muggles? Mudbloods? Harry?
Maybe I felt nervous about this, and that's why I wanted to confess to them my feelings. I was nervous about what would happen next. Although I was nervous, I'm sure it was nothing as to what Harry felt at the moment.
"Well, not that I know of but there could be. That's beside the point though. I just wanted to tell you guys this. I don't know why I've put it off for so long."
Ron snapped back into our conversation at that moment. "Well, there will be plenty of time for all of this sentimental stuff later. Nothings gonna happen to anybody if we have a say in it," he gestured loosely to Harry and I before pointing to himself. "We can handle anything right? Trolls, potions, evil chess pieces. We're going to make it through a lot more too."
Harry nodded and I felt my face grow hot. I was embarrassed at seeming to come out like I thought we were all going to die in our sleep tonight. Ron however sensed this about me and slung an arm around my shoulders. "It's ok though. I love you too, Hermione. I just don't say it often enough."
Harry slung his arm around my shoulders too. Around my shoulders he patted Ron on the back. "We're unstoppable together."
Smiling up at them I placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. Ron wiped at his jokingly. "OK, now we're going to need to stop! This sentimental stuff is making me hungry."
I laughed as we sat down at our usual spot. We sat the remainder in comfortable silence, having a mutual agreement about everything that was worthy of discussing.
Later that evening I sat in the common room trying without avail to focus on my book. This was my first detention I had given since the beginning of the year. I was nervous that somehow or another I would screw it up. On top of that it was my first detention in the Forbidden Forest. At least, a detention I wasn't personally serving myself. But worst of all was that I was giving a detention with Malfoy.
Sighing very deeply, trying to get some much needed oxygen to my brain I put my book on the coffee table. I waved goodbye to Ron and Harry and made my way out of the comfort of the Gryffindor Common Room.
I met Ginny, Luna, and Collin about halfway to the Entrance Hall. They were solemnly leaning against the wall near the Ravenclaw common rooms. Without a word they fell in tow with me the rest of the way. When we reached the Entrance hall we saw Malfoy standing there glancing at his watch impatiently.
"You're late," he said not looking up from his watch.
"Don't make any of your snide remarks, Malfoy. I'm sure we could say a few things about you. But we, unlike you, have some decency." Luna snapped coldly at him. Malfoy rolled his eyes impatiently. He waved her off and walked out the door. Shaking my head I followed him out onto the grounds.
It was a wonderful night at. If I hadn't been giving a detention I would no doubt be out at the Quidittch stands reading a book while Harry and Ron played. It was fairly warm out and there was a slight breeze. The warm breeze didn't move your clothes or make you uncomfortable, but it did make the trees move in a hypnotizing dance. There were a few clouds out left over from the cloudy day that we had. The clouds left mysterious shadows on the ground that crept their way over the ground. The lovely sounds of the forest were in the distance. You could hear the crickets singing their evening song. I closed my eyes listening to the sound of the wind brushing through the tall trees. A bird sang a lovely song as it took flight, the flutter of it's wings ringing high above the rest.
Light, like the flutter of wings,
feel your
hollow voice rushing into me
as you're longing to sing.
We walked silently to the edge of the forest. When we reached it I turned to face the 'trouble makers'. Luna had her hair in her face and I was unable to read what she was thinking. Collin was wringing his hands nervously. Ginny simply looked at her shoes, kicking the ground every once in a while. "All right," I said. "This is it. We're going to pair up and search for injured animals." Luna's head snapped up. She was a well known supporter of animal rights. I knew she would not like to see any animal injured, but I also knew that she would do anything to help an animal. "Hopefully we won't find any," I added as an afterthought. Luna seemed relieved.
"Hopefully, but most unlikely," Malfoy snarled. Luna gulped loudly. Malfoy continued as if he didn't hear her. "There are many dangerous animals out there. If any of you are in danger all you do is send up red sparks and…" he trailed off for a moment, quickly glancing in my direction. It sounded for a moment like he might say, "Hermione or I will be there to help you" but instead he said, "And someone will be there to help."
The trio nodded in understanding, not trusting their own voices. Malfoy paired Luna with me right away. Ginny moved slightly closer to Collin and Malfoy seemed to get the idea. Looking around Malfoy's eyes suddenly lit up. "Well, it looks like there is no room for me. I'll just head back to the castle then."
"I don't think so Malfoy!" I said crossing my arms over my chest. "It's Sunday. We both do detentions on Sunday, so get over here and get in a group!"
"You have to manage your temper, Granger. It's going to get you into trouble one of these days," Malfoy replied just as icily as I had. "I'll go by myself. I can take care of myself." He spun on his heal and promptly headed dead on into the heart of the forest.
"Let's just get this over with," Collin said grumpily heading out into the blackness with Ginny.
Luna started walking and I followed her. We didn't say anything for a long time. We were both rather nervous about what would happen if we did find an injured animal. I'm sure that Luna would either faint or start throwing every healing charm she knew at it. I would probably just send up red sparks to let the others know we found one. Some leader I turned out to be.
So I will paint you in silver.
I will wrap you in
cold.
I will lift up your voice as I sink
As we walked silently, out of no where a scream rang out. I felt a cold hand grab my heart. Someone was in trouble. Luna shot out a hand to stop me, her head looking to the right, where the scream had come from. I followed her gaze and saw that indeed red sparks had shot up in the distance.
"Luna, stay here. I'm going to see what happened," I whispered to her running off in the direction of the scream.
Somehow I knew that it was Ginny's scream. I knew her like a sister and had heard her scream many different times, in many different ways. I crossed out the ideas of it being Collin or Malfoy. I knew that they would not scream like that because it was 'like a girl' and they both had their 'macho' look to be withholding.
I was both right and wrong.
I came upon a small clearing and I found Ginny lying on the ground sobbing into Collin. Collin stood rather awkwardly supporting Ginny as well as he could. A small smile was on his face as he rubbed small gentle circles on her back.
"What happened?" I gasped, trying to get a good breath in. I really needed to get in shape! Collin smiled a little wider.
"Did Ginny ever tell you that she was afraid of crows?" Collin asked somewhat innocently.
"No." What did the fact that Ginny was scared of crows have to do with anything?
"Well, we were talking and she kind of laughed really loud and apparently crows live in this part of the forest. They were scared from the trees and flew around her head." Ginny gave a heaving sob and cried harder into Collin as he retold the story. He looked up to me and shrugged a little. I sighed. I was glad to know that no one was seriously injured.
"Can you two make it back to the castle?" I bent over to look at Ginny. She was scratched and bruised, but she didn't look too bad. The worst thing she had done to herself is just cry into her scrapes.
"Ya," Collin said picking Ginny up like she was his bride. Ginny put her arms around his neck and snuggled into his shirt still crying. 'What a cute couple' I thought smiling on the inside. "Do you want me to come back after she's back by the fire?" Collin asked after taking a few steps.
I waved him off. "No, it's alright. You guys have done your duty. I'll go find Luna again and tell her to do the same."
Leaving the small clearing I walked for about ten minutes not really thinking about anything. Then with a sudden realization it struck me that I had no clue where I was. I had last seen Ginny and Collin in a small clearing and where I was now was the thickest part of the forest I had ever been in.
I had also left Luna in somewhat of a clearing. It was no where near as thick as it was now, and I was starting to get panicked. I had no idea where I was, or where anyone else was. I looked up looking for the North Star to guide me, but I couldn't see through the forest canopy to the night sky.
I heard leaves rustle behind me and turned to see nothing. A group of bushes were growing about ten feet away from me and rustling softly. I knew I shouldn't approach the bushes. I had learned that from reading different books and by the various horror movies my parents watched. Instead I took a few cautious steps back. The bushes shook more violently at this.
I slowly reached into my robes and pulled out my wand, holding it steady at the ready. As I stood there poised for attack I thought I heard a laugh…
Was it a laugh? It could be a growl of a ferocious animal about to attack. This scared me even more. The only animal I could think of that laughed was a laughing hyena, and I certainly didn't want to be around one right now. "Granger, you're so predictable," A cold voice said from the bushes.
"Malfoy!" I hadn't been expecting it to be him. Of all things I expected it to be Voldemort! All the fear rushed out of me, but it was quickly replaced with red hot anger. Malfoy just laughed and stepped out of the bushes, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
Oh, my beautiful one
"The look on your face was priceless! You looked like there would really be an animal in the bushes!" He stood shaking with laughter and I wanted to do nothing more than to slap the little ferret.
But he was wrong. The bushes rustled again. Malfoy stopped laughing and jumped into line with me, his wand also rising to the ready position.
"What's in there?" I whispered, hoping it was just one of his tricks.
Malfoy only looked at the bush with wide silver eyes, fear washing over them for the second he had his masks down. "I don't..." before he could finish his sentence an animal jumped out of the bushes. I should have listened to all my years of training, but in that instant I forgot every logical thing to do. I screamed and latched on to Malfoy's arm. Malfoy jumped. I'm not sure from the animal coming out of the bushes, me screaming, or by me practically hanging on him.
The beast was beautiful really. The head of a lion, the body of a horse, and the tail of a lizard; a chimera sauntered from the darkness glaring at us ready to attack. Its sleek body shone in the little moonlight that seeped through the canopy of the forest. Malfoy and I stood rooted to the spot, hoping he would mistake us for a tree and move along.
But chimeras are very smart, and can smell meat. Unfortunately, chimeras can also smell fear. Even more unfortunately for us, we were both very afraid and both fresh meat.
"Don't move," Malfoy whispered to me, not moving his mouth but speaking out of the corner of his mouth. I would have responded, "Duh!" but decided now wasn't the time for sarcastic remarks.
The chimera stalked up to us and started sniffing around us. Its eyes shot up as it came within two feet of Malfoy. It stood studying him through narrowed eyes. Malfoy wasn't a dumb person, as much as I hate to admit it, so he knew that it was his only time to defend himself.
But he wasn't as smart as I thought he was. He had forgotten the only rule when it came to chimeras: never, never, turn your back on it. Chimeras take great offense at this and will attack with full force.
So needless to say, Malfoy thought the best way to be rid of the beast was to turn his back and run.
I thought it was all over for us. More importantly him, but with my reflexes I pulled out my wand and jumped in front of Malfoy at the same time. The chimera instead of pouncing on Malfoy jumped on top of me, sending me to the ground.
I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what was happening to me. A sharp pain ran up my spine and stayed in my head. I couldn't move. It was pain like I had only felt once in my life, and hoped that I never would have to feel again. The chimera was tearing away at my body roughly, causing my head to crash into a tree trunk. Every time I hit the tree I would sense, rather than see red dots in my vision. I pleaded to anyone to just let me die so it would be over with.
As you probably know, I don't have that kind of luck.
Instead of dieing, I suddenly felt the pressure of the chimera be lifted off me. It had stopped attacking me somehow. I was know having the full effects of my injuries settle in. I could feel the sting of an open wound being mixed with dirt and gravel from the ground. And even stranger I could feel the whoosh of wind blowing over my wounds. I knew that I was probably being carried. I didn't know how though. All logical thoughts had been pushed out of my brain. All I know is that I wanted to be comfortable, and the most comfortable position I could find was leaning against whoever was carrying me. I breathed in their scent.
It was such a sweet smell. Like pine trees and a cinnamon apple pie your mother backed on a summer day rolled into one. I had smelled it before, but I could not for the life of me remember where I had smelt it. The smell washed over me and I became relaxed.
That's all I remember before I blacked out.
Cold in life's throws. I'll fall asleep for you. I
only ask you turn away.
I only ask your turn as they seep into
me, oh, my beautiful one.
