Disclaimer: I do not own bla-bla-bla and so on.
Chapter 2:
First person … POV
It's Friday morning; still dull and dreary. I'm in Defence Against the Dark Arts stuck in a hell hole…really I should be paying more attention to the lesson, but I haven't been myself for a while. What am I talking about I'm always myself but watching the rainfall is much more exciting than listening to the professor drone on and on about poltergeists; sheesh we have one already.
"Ms. Granger…can you please explain what it is you find so interesting about the window; as clearly, I seem to be very baffled, don't you think class."
I jumped out of my chair, 'literally' that is and turned to face him with a pathetic bored look plastered to my face. That certainly seemed to annoy him further, as he said "Andif I am mistaken. Why don't you demonstrate how one renders a harmful poltergeist shall we say…harmless." I didn't really think I could object and by the concerned glances I got from Harry and Ron they didn't think so either. From the corner of the room I could hear a few Ravenclaws sniggering at my misfortune, I shot a deathly cold glare at them as I made my way up to the front of the class, Where Professor Yaji seemed to have conjured a makeshift poltergeist.
Pulling my wand from the inner pocket of my robes, I pointed it at the misty 'half-here-half-not' illusion; that was gliding aimlessly over to the right hand; far corner of thedungeon.
This was definitely an easy target for sure. "Anoctorium"
Immediately the poltergeist whirled at me, it's deformed and misty features turning ugly and angry, it charged, ripping through the air in my direction. "…Oops…" I breathed. I squeezed out the clump of oxygen that had decided to settle somewhere down my throat. It must have been a wrong spell-but I never got my spells mixed up…no…he couldn't, but he did! I didn't have much time to wonder about what had gone wrong as then the enraged poltergeist was speeding towards me- why should I be scared when it was only an illusion.
Boy was I wrong.
The misty distortions had only partly reached Hermione, stretching out its smoky tendrils towards her; she felt its 'fingertips' brush past her face- more like scratch her lightly before Professor Yaji fired at crimson coloured beam from the tip of his wand, shouting "Anoctorium!" at the top of his voice. The beam dissipated the poltergeist leaving only little wisps of milky smoke floating around the dungeon. The dungeon seemed unusually silent. Slowly, cautiously she turned her head to the professor. Yaji stared at her with his arms crossed over his chest, letting his facial muscles relax; he raised his eyebrows at her then swiftly turned around to the black board. Perplexed Hermione Granger dragged herself back to her seat.
"As you have witnessed there…" He growled, rubbing viciously at the black board. "…One must be prepared for any kind of aggression." He stopped rubbing his scratchings off the board and turned to face his blank faced students. Grinning nastily he announced that week's homework. "…Half a meter long essay on the dwellings of poltergeists…when I say half a meter, that is only the minimum and let me say; this is only when I'm feeling generous…" then he turned his back to his class again. Miraculously the bell rang a few seconds later.
"Class dismissed." He growled once more.
"I think a certain someone has the same obsession with showing Hermione up as Snape does with you."
Ron sniggered, that is after risking a glance at the fuming Hermione.
"Earth to Hermione…anyone in there?" Harry said whilst waving a hand in front of her face.
She shot him a dark look for interrupting her thoughts, then sighed, "That Professor is just as bad as Snape…" she muttered.
"Well if you had been paying attention then maybe you would have noticed that we just said the same thing a while ago."
She glowered at Ron then stormed off clutching her Arithmancy books to her chest, leaving behind a rather bewildered Ron and Harry. Harry shot him an accusing look.
"What?" he shot back "All I said was that He had it in For Herm'…'K…and don't give me that look you plonker."
"What!?...She was angry with you remember."
Ron sighed nonchalantly then grabbed Harry by the arm and began pulling him along to their next lesson, which sadly happened to be Divination. "Come on…" He tugged again this time more fiercely "…or we'll be late…" Harry let himself be dragged along by Ron as he was too busy wondering about other things to care…
At lunch in the Great Hall Hermione still seemed to be in a foul mood. Ron and Harry who from time to time tried their luck at cheering her up, but alas to no avail, all the attempts were in vain. Ginny noticed the disdainful look on Hermione's face. It had been the forth time that week since the arrival of Professor Yaji on Tuesday evening that she had been like this and Ginny could no longer stand it- she wanted answers and she'd get them. She smiled encouragingly at Hermione from her seat opposite her but Hermione seemed to be occupied with her latest book, she sighed and returned to her own unfinished meal, planning ways to get the answers to her own questions. Still Hermione stared at her book of Alchemy not really seeing it or hearing the ear-splitting noise of the Great Hall around her.
It was in the last two lessons till the end of the school day that things really seemed to become worse for Hermione. Double potions in a dark dungeon room again, but with professor Snape. It was a good thing he didn't have an obsession with Hermione as he did with Harry otherwise she would have not have been able to put up with as Harry does. Even though she had once entertained the idea of cursing him in his sleep or maybe slipping some hair growth potion into his food…though these were only to get back at him for Harry's sake not for her own pleasure…
They filed up outside the dungeon behind the Slytherins who apparently happened to be listening to some nonsense that Darco Malfoy was spouting. Hermione readjusted her backpack for the third time since they had arrived, to be greeted non-to pleasantly by the Slytherins. She twisted a strand of hair between her thumb and forefinger, then sighed and yanked on it.
" …Dumbledore's little cronies…still haven't chosen the Head Boy and Girl but of course it will be me…"
She yanked again this time a little harder, Harry and Ron were behind her whispering about something and she couldn't care less all she wanted was to go to the library and submerge her trouble in books.
"…Snape says that he's got no chance but Dumbledore still says they are deciding…"
She yanked again and no sooner did Snape open the dungeon door than all the chatter died at once. Dumbledore stepped out from behind him and greeted his students then walked of briskly for an old man in the opposite direction. Snape smirked evilly at his fellow students then announced. "We are to move in silence throughout the school to the room we have been allocated…and silence means silence." He strode past the neat line of students and up the stairs without looking back; the others followed behind in silence. Well all apart from Hermione who muttered oaths under her breath.
They sat down in their allocated seats, a mix of Slytherin and Griffindor at the front and back. Snape stared down hard on the remaining Griffindors and glared especially hard at Harry.
"For the duration of the Term you will be working on a project that will go towards your NEWTs ; saying this I expect you all to obtain astoundingly high marks…ten points off Griffindor for impertinence Mr. Weasly; I will have none of it."
Ron's blushed furiously and ran a hand through his hair to hide his red ears.
"…As I was saying this project which I expect you all…" he glared pointedly at Harry and Ron.
"…. To excel in will be set on a bonding potion; that if brewed correctly will join two minds as one…temporarily…as this is a very complex potion you will be working in select groups of the Headmasters choosing, which is very unfortunate for some." He sent a calculating look at Malfoy.
Malfoy, apparently happened to be paying attention at that moment and raised a frosty eyebrow accordingly.
"You will work with the members of your group to obtain relevant information that will enable each of you to contribute to the making of your potion. Every group must complete and test their potion and if this is not the case…."
Hermione groaned inwardly, already planning out the time it would take to brew a legarsi potion, including the time it would take up to collect the right information and ingredients…It would take almost an entire month. She shuddered inwardly and then turned her attention back onto Snape.
"…Listen to your names and get into your allocated groups: Andrea Dorkins , Jordan Smiths, Seamus Finnigan…"
Seamus shot a pleading look at Harry then went over to join the two Slytherins mentioned above.
"…Harry Potter, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Grabbe…"
Hermione smiled sympathetically at him while Ron busied himself with looking red in the face with anger; Snape carried on chanting out his victims names till there were only three not in an allocated group. (a/n can you guess?...no..)
"…. Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson." He set down his long list of names onto his wooden desk and turned back to his class with a malicious looking smirk plastered to his face. Hermione sent a horrified look at him, which he ignored and instead in a slightly irritated tone said "Ms Granger is there a problem?"
She sighed and pulled herself out of her current seat. "No sir." Walking down to the back corner of the room where the ecstatic Parkinson was pestering Malfoy. Hermione narrowed her eyes at her. Malfoy having finally noticed her; shot her an icy glare, which she returned full force, however Parkinson didn't seem to notice anything other than the Ice King sitting in front of her hungry eyes.
"Granger; Have a seat." He drawled
"Don't tell me what to do Malfoy, you have no authority over me."
"I'm sure you're right Mudblood."
"Oh…get over yourself you conceited prick."
Parkinson, at that started and opened her mouth to throw an insult at her; unfortunately she was interrupted.
"Granger…shut and sit."
She stayed quiet dropping her bag onto the floor beside Parkinson, making Parkinson jump and scowl at her. She dragged a stool noisily over to their table and sat down on it heavily all the while glaring at Malfoy.
Dinnertime in the great hall and Hermione still seemed to be in a bad mood. Harry and Ron sent her some sympathetic looks, which she refused to acknowledge. Ginny however was busy plotting a way to get Hermione alone with her so she could confess. Hermione stared at her plate; after losing her appetite a full twenty minutes ago, all she could do was stare. I have to get out of here…
"Hey! Hermione what's up?" Ron enquired
"Yeah! Like Ron said…" Neville joined in from a seat or two away
"Buzz out Nev' my friend"
"I'm her friend too y'know." Countered Neville
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!!" Suddenly the entire table went quiet as all eyes turned to an angry Hermione. She glared at them all, jumped out of her seat, knocking over the cup of pumpkin juice causing it to spill down her skirt then ran; out of the Great Hall to a place where she was bound to find solace.
"…Sorry…" whispered Neville with wide eyes as he watched the door to the halls swing shut.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and shook their heads, silently agreeing to leave Hermione to herself. That is at least until she had cooled down.
She ran panting slightly until she was by the great oak swinging doors of the library. Walking in, she rubbed fiercely at her shiny eyes, forcing the cool tears back. She stopped and looked around the library awkwardly. Pulling herself up to her full height she stomped across into one of the dimly lit aisles. Sliding down to the floor leaving her back to be supported by the bookshelf; she let the calm engulf her body and when the erratic thudding of her heart slowed down, she sighed. In here she could forget everyone, everything; these books were her solace; the only thing that seemed to be keeping her from going insane right now. The musky smell of leather binds swirled around her head making her senses throb…so much silence. Everything that had happened that morning seemed to have vanished suddenly leaving her with a sense of peace, maybe even tranquillity. All the screaming and shouting; all the eyes and emotions where still there though.
Somewhere in her mind,; though not significant enough for her to bother with at that moment. But nothing really lasted and that was the same for Hermione; something shattered her zombie like state violently, leaving her in shock and when she looked around the aisle from her seat on the carpeted floor she saw nothing, only herself.
Frustration began to pile itself back on, but she ignored it and leaned once more back against the bookshelf, closing her eyes, she let out a deep breath. It was still there the thing that had caused her to remember that she was still in reality. A deep sense of loss filled her them-but what had she lost…a mother? No she had parents that loved her. Then what was it? Your life…the one that was meant to be yours; yourself…she had a life; she was Hermione Granger daughter to Janette and Matthew Granger, she had a life, she was her. Even though an evil little voice in her head told her it wasn't so. She shook herself then glared at a dirty looking book covered in tattered brown leather.
Her glare disappeared suddenly as she spotted something wedged between two giant books on Occulemcy; she peered harder, only making out a dull white glow that began to pulse brighter as she continued to stare; then it faded, just as suddenly as it had appeared.
Frowning at herself, Hermione pulled herself up from her comfortable seat on the floor and moved slowly towards where the light had been. Cautiously she stepped closer, pulling her wand out of her robe just in case it was some Slytherin trying to jinx her. (A/n: well it's possible, ain't it?) She poked suspiciously with her wand then carefully pushed back the fat leather bound volumes until there was a big enough space for her to see the source of the weird light.
A beautiful translucent sphere; the size of a small child's fist, hovered an inch or two off the oaken bookshelf. She blinked and then rubbed her eyes as if to rub away the image; but it stayed rotating while it hovered in mid air. Hermione reached out a hand gingerly to touch it and to her surprise it was solid. She cocked her head to one side and studied it more carefully.
Coloured a dull pale blue; with delicate looking runes etched in burgundy it looked ethereal in the dim light of the aisle. She touched it again, cupping it in her hands; it felt cool against her flustered skin. Once more being ever so careful she ran her index finger across one of the runes and as she did so a little electric spark shot through her spine making her jump in surprise. It began to glow again, ever so pale was the light, and once again her curious side showed itself. Somehow it was pulsing…beating almost; like it was being supplied with energy … a light bulb; flick the switch and voila…light.
Footsteps…some one was coming towards her…she could feel them coming, closer; but it wasn't friendly either. She shook herself mentally, there was no way she could know that…she couldn't sense things. Just to be on the safe side, she carefully laid the still rotating sphere back where she had found and vowing to come back for it when she didn't have any so called bad company. She rearranged the drab looking volumes so they would completely obscure the sphere.
Then it came. The thing she thought she had felt; he was standing right behind her, radiating menacing energy.
"My, my, what do we have here?"
Hey this chapter is dedicated to my inspiration and bestest of friends: Frosti, thanks so much for the review, I really appreciated it!!!!
Be By friends till the next chapter
P.S Review, review, review!!! Even if its criticism, I don't mind…though keep in mind this is my first ever attempt at writing a fan fic!!