Chapter 15 (She did it again)

(A/N: The following paragraphs are written as excerpts from Raine's diary. When she was alive, she kept one but no one has ever found it yet. These excerpts may appear every now and then in the story so don't be confused. These were written in the year 1996, Raine was 17. The present year for this story would be 2005.)

October 24

I was walking alone, minding my own business when I saw him. He was with his friends, laughing about something or… someone. Probably me, I thought. But then he saw me and he said something else to the two who were with him. I continued to stare at him as he slowly approached me and said something which at first, I could not comprehend. I was lost in his eyes, his fairly pale blue eyes. Pools of water, radiating the sparkle and beauty as they glowed. They were exquisite.

"Raine? Are you okay?" His voice echoed as he slowly but gracefully put one hand on my shoulder.

"Huh? Yeah…" I said. I didn't know why he was talking to me, why he would even waste his time doing so. I mean why would he? He was after all the captain of a Quidditch team and had so many girls after him and yet here he was trying to make a conversation with me. It must be a joke, I thought. What else could explain this sudden change? Usually, no one would take this long to bother with me. The only time my schoolmates spoke to me was when they asked me a question or want to copy my Divination homework. You'd understand why I'd be acting cold around him this time.

"Why are you talking to me and what do you want?" I said icily as he looked at me intently, trying to figure me out. I was mad and cynical. I preferred to think of this encounter as the beginning of another prank. Keeping that in mind was much easier to deal with. But if he thought that I wasn't going to be armed then he thought wrong.


"Hey, take it easy, will you? I'm just wanted to say hi and ask how you're doing… I'm sorry for what my friends did to you the other day. Frankly, you may think it's weird but it was the first time I saw you that day. I mean I know my friends couldn't stop talking about you before… but…"

I interrupted him this time, "Talking about me? Really" I popped an eyebrow. "Don't you mean making fun of me? Listen, if you're just going to do the same thing then hear this, I don't like you or your friends and I don't think I'll ever will. I despise the people around here who are just like you and if you were in my place, you'd understand why. And frankly, the only reason why I'd kept quiet and had the audacity to still stay in this school is because I want to ensure a future for myself. And if you're just going to be one of those people who'd want to bring me down, humiliate me, and step on my whole being, then I don't ever want to speak to you again.!" I said, frustrated as I gave him a slight push. Okay so maybe lashing out on him was a bit overboard but who could blame me? I was sick and tired of everything that was going on with my life. I didn't use to be like this, bitter about life. I just don't want to trust anybody anymore.

He laughed.

That wasn't the reaction I was counting on. The amused look on his face just aggravated me more. I wanted to hit him. "What's so funny?" I asked furiously, my eyebrows together in tight knots.

"I'm sorry…" More laughter. "It's just that when I first met you I never expected you to utter more than two words. You seemed silent at that time. I didn't know you'd be this… spunky." He trailed off, trying to find the right words to say. "But you know I'm not as bad as you think…" This time he said a little hurt.

"You're right…" I said, showing a little compassion as I looked at him straight in the eyes.

He smiled at me but it didn't take long for it to change into a scowl.

"You could be worse…"

His condition was deteriorating and yet as much as he wanted to blame her for all his sufferings, he couldn't. He had loved her. It was all a big mistake. No one had to die that fateful day.

It was still dark outside. He got out of his bed and started to pace around his room, thinking. 'I have to stop this… I have to forget. I don't want to remember anymore…'

"Maybe I should start seeing someone else…" Mort said as he looked at his face with a handheld mirror that he got from his bedside table. He pushed back a lock of his long brown hair away from his face. Gray orbs stared back at him. His eyes were a testament of time, a constant reminder of the past, of what he had done. They would never give him peace. She would never give him peace.


Draco… Draco…

Someone was calling his name but he was too weak. He could not move. His whole body was in pain. He wanted nothing more but to scream out in agony.

Draco…

It was that voice again.

Why won't it just leave him alone? Whoever it was, can't it see that he was too tired to even move?

Draco…

Help me…

Please…

I need you…

"Shut up!" Draco screamed. "I can't. Stop. No. Leave. Me. Alone."

It's me…

Hermione…

"Aaahhhh!"

"Mr. Malfoy, calm down. If you move, we won't be able to bandage your wound," said Madame Pomfrey, her eyes full of concern. Alongside her were Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Ron, and Harry.

But Draco kept on moving hysterically. His hands went up to his head, clutching as if it would separate from his neck. He was in deep excruciating pain. It felt like his head was about to burst and that his body was lying on a bed of nails.

"Voices in my head… Can't. Think. Straight." He said, over and over. "Help me!" He said as he tried to get a hold of someone.

"You two," Dumbledore said as he directed his attention to Harry and Ron, "hold his arms on both sides to restrain him from moving. Pomfrey, don't you have some calming draught with you? A small vial would be enough for Mr. Malfoy here."

Harry and Ron went and did what Dumbledore asked them to do. They took hold of Draco's arms and placed them on both sides of his body. Madame Pomfrey then took out her wand, muttered a few incantations, after which a small vial that contained a silver-grayish liquid appeared on her hand.

"Now hold still," Pomfrey said despite Draco's continuing efforts to break loose. She opened Draco's mouth with one hand and poured the contents of the vial with the other.

Draco finally calmed down, his body falling limp on his bed. His breathing was normal again and with his eyes closed, he at least looked at peace with himself.

Harry and Ron let go of Draco's arms. They stood back and observed as the contents of the vial took its toll on Draco.

"Now about Ms. Granger… Pomfrey, how is she?" The headmaster asked as his eyes fell on the contour of the girl who was just two beds away from Draco.

"She's fine, headmaster. She was unconscious the whole time that it happened. I doubt she'll remember anything when she wakes up." The school nurse said in reply.

"I just don't get it headmaster. Why would anyone want to kill Ms. Granger? She is no threat to anybody." Professor Snape said for the first time. He couldn't think of a reason why someone would be interested in getting rid of the girl. She was after all, just a mudblood. Surely no one would kill over that small matter.

"Yes2x I know Severus but something tells me that there is more to this unfortunate… er… incident. I will get to the bottom of this. What we know at the moment is that Ms. Granger's life is in danger with this killer on the loose. She needs protection," Dumbledore said, his forehead creased with more wrinkles. This wasn't the start of the school year that he had in mind.

"With all due respect sir, we'll do it. We'll protect Hermione." Harry said determinedly, interrupting Dumbledore and Snape. "We'll keep watch on her sir, at all times."

"Er… Ummm… Not all the time Harry. She does have some things to do on her own." Ron said nervously, as he stood to catch a glimpse of Hermione.

Snape looked incredulously at the two, and then looked to Dumbledore awaiting his reaction. "I don't think that's such a good idea headmaster…"

"They are her friends and no matter what I say, they'll still be doing what they want to do. However, you two are also under my protection and so I only ask that the both of you do not go running around trying to look for the killer, am I understood?" Dumbledore said sternly, his face deeply serious.

"Sir, you have our word…"


Hermione was awakened in the middle of the night. She did not know where she was. She tried to move one arm but couldn't. That's when she saw Harry and Ron who was lying with their heads down on Hermione's arm. They were asleep, with the rest of their bodies hidden by Harry's invisibility cloak. 'Am I in the hospital wing? Why am I here and what happened?'

Suddenly, a movement a few feet away or so from her bed caught her attention. Somebody else was in there with her, she thought. Who could it be? That's when she saw his face. It was Draco. He too was asleep, lying in a bed just like hers. Pinpricks of light from a nearby window illuminated his face. Hermione thought that he looked like an angel when he was asleep. His hair just a tad ruffled, but other than that it was fine.

That's when it hit her.

Oh. My. God.

What did I just do?

Raine…

She did it again…

(A/N: Here's how it goes. Hermione shifts from Raine to being herself. Suddenly she's Raine, the next, she's back to being Hermione again. Review please!)