A. Lynn the Poet: Okay… Breathe… No, you have every right to scold me. I was being a bad girl… Ew, Ginny/Snape…. #shudder#… thanks so much for reviewing! You are so sweet! Seriously, you made my day. Hanukkah or Christmas or Winter Solstice Greetings to you. :)
Marie Fay:D Yay! I'm glad you liked it! Thanks so much for reviewing! Happy Holidays!
Okay, if I weren't straight, I would be madly in love with these people. Anyway, y'all rock, so this chappie is for you!
Chapter 7: ÉcoutezThe hall was empty, save for a dusty chintz armchair, and the 16–year–old girl who sat regally upon it. Long, dark hair fell about her face and her pale blue eyes twinkled as she lifted a cigarette to her lips. She was waiting for something. Her sharp talon–like nails picked distractedly at the chair. The hall had an icy chill to it, although its temperature was normal. The faint sound of wind could be heard, although the air was still. Time passed, nothing came, nothing changed. But the pale girl's waiting was not in vain. A dark figure came, hooded and with movement like a snake. It stood, waiting for her to speak.
"My master, everything is perfect, everything is in place. Soon, he will come, and power will once more rest in your palms." She informed the figure, a glint of excitement in her eye.
"Good, good…" the figure purred, its voice seemed to be male, "How much longer?"
"Give me a…" the girl hesitated, "a month, master."
With a nod, the figure vanished. Slouching back in her chair, the girl sighed from relief and took a long drag from her cigarette. Soon, she hissed, soon.
ooo
Ron had fallen asleep in a couch in the common room with his arm wrapped around Hermione. His arm slipped down to her waist and she promptly dropped her book. She attempted to wriggle out of his grasp, but to no avail. The sleeping Ron smiled innocently, and Hermione pushed all thoughts of "Awwww…" out of her mind. Well, I might as well settle down, she thought, making herself comfortable. She wasn't reluctant at all to rest her head on his shoulder. She knew she couldn't let this happen, but the somnolent effect of the dancing flames in the fireplace soon lulled her sleep.
She woke up a while later to darkness and silence. The fire had long been burnt out, and the still sleeping figure of Ron was colder than before. She lay back and gazed at the ceiling, as if searching for an answer. A few bars of light illuminated the room and Hermione sat and relaxed, watching the moonlight dance on the ceiling and glint occasionally on strands of copper hair. Her mind was soon cleared of all thoughts and whenever one wriggled its way in there, her mind was wiped clean, a blank slate. Voices echoed and crescendoed to a normal volume. She then heard something she knew she wasn't supposed to hear:
"Master, everything is in place… power will…rest in your palms…" the voice of a girl faded in and out, almost familiar.
"Good, good," this new voice was that of a man's. Its tone burned her ears and prickled her skin, like an icy wind. It shocked her out of her trance, her umber eyes shining with the glaze of shock. Ron rustled but remained asleep. Hermione distractedly stroked his hair, breathing heavily. What the hell had that been? Whatever it was, it wasn't good. That much she knew. Ron muttered in his sleep something that sounded like Hermione's name, but the girl was too preoccupied to notice. Hermione did what any smart girl would do in her situation (A/N: No, not snuggle up with Ron and relish the closeness… that's what I would have done…)–she went to the library.
ooo
Ron awoke to an empty common room. Hazy memories of Hermione drifted through his mind, but he shrugged them off and went to look for her in the library. He had had an odd dream last night and thought she should know. It had been very similar to the one she had had before, except there were two people in the hallway, people he couldn't see or hear.
He found her hidden behind a large tome whose title had faded away.
"Hermione," he whispered softly. She jumped, lowered the book, and shot him an inquisitive look. "Good morning, listen, last night…" This was harder than he thought.
"Last night…? What? There's something I should tell you first," Hermione smiled grimly and didn't continue.
"What do you need to tell me? You go first," Ron prompted, relieved he could avoid talking about his dream for a minute or two.
"No, you should, really."
"Ladies first."
"Exactly, ladies first." Hermione grinned in a very un–Hermione like way.
Ron scowled, "Fine. Well I had this dream last night, kinda like the ones you had. It was weird…" Ron told how he was motionless in a hall, and could see dark figures in the corner of his eye, whispering unintelligibly. Hermione wore a puzzled look on her face.
"That's odd, something strange like that happened to me too."
"Really?"
Hermione recounted her strange trance and the conversation she had overheard.
"You don't think that's a coincidence, do you?" She said afterward. "What I heard, and your dream?"
"No, I suppose not," Ron furrowed his brow. He noticed how close he had gotten to Hermione while she had told him her story. He noticed he liked being this close to her, feeling like this. Much to his surprise, he didn't move away, "But what can we do?"
"I don't know," Hermione said solemnly. (A/N: No! I was forced to use the dreaded "said." Sorry, I just ruined that moment there.) The girl's voice had been a little too familiar for her taste, but not familiar enough for her to be concerned. As Harry and Celia walked by, in their own world, the raven–haired girl's croon tickled something in the back of her mind.
In the Next Installment of Shade: He stared at Harry; when had this happened? When had they grown so far apart? He felt so helpless, so cold, so alone. Had all this happened in those few weeks that he had felt his friend slipping away? This was because of her. It was her fault. He knew she was up to something. Whatever it was, she would pay.
A/N: Just a tidbit there for you, to lessen the wound of the cliffie type ending of this chapter. Thanks again to my dear reviewers, you made me smile and weep (almost… from happiness). I will try to incorporate that tidbit in the next chapter, as I totally wrote that on the spur of the moment. See, I'm updating! Instead of playing with my Christmas gifts, I finished this chapter. :D I don't mind, I love writing. I will do my best to write a Chapter 8 by the 28th, but I'm sorry if I can't. From the 28th to around the 4th, I am going to San Francisco, thus I won't be able to update. Sorry! I will try to write ahead! I will start on Ch. 8 ASAP. Hopefully I can finish it soon. But don't let that stop you from reviewing. After all, my dad has a laptop, so I'll still check my email. I'll need some inspiration to write on my trip! I will try VERY hard to update SOON. As always, review.
Love,
Laurel Kingsley
P.S. I've always (for about 2 days) wanted to start off a story with the line: "Fate was cruel. Fate was effing cruel, there was no doubt about it." Ya, random tidbit. Wow, I've used the word "tidbit" just now more that I ever have in my entire life. Well, hugs and chocolate to everyone.
P.P.S. Tell me about typos, mistakes, editing things, suggestions. Please.