Once again wonderful reviews! Fabulous! I'd like to suggest a book which I've just finished reading if you're looking for a challenge: Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger (AKA The Catcher in The Rye). The crazy vocabulary is amazing, and I'm afraid I have to read it again, so anyways that's all I have to say, read on! xoxo

Chapter 7

I knew who Harry was when I first met him. I knew he was the savior and of course I had heard of him. But who in the wizarding community hadn't? But I couldn't remember seeing newspapers and tabloids about Harry's existence through my childhood—or I just couldn't remember at all. I don't think that I was concerned about what was going on outside because I wasn't aware there was an outside.

Ron spoke to me for two hours at least. He told me of his adventures with Harry and Hermione, and Harry's pains. He explained to me who Sirius was, and how life came to be for Harry. I came to know how his childhood evolved into man hood, and how he suffered life's tragedies.

Hermione had walked in half way through our talk, telling Ron that his parents were on their way home, and Harry was sleeping so he should be quiet. She also sat down for a little while, and added in bits and pieces here and there before going to bed.

A little while later, Ron too decided to go to bed.

"Thank you, for explaining all this. I—when I grew up, well I don't remember much, but I don't think that stuff was important to me." I focused my eyes on the ceiling, which was now twinkling stars and planets. A shooting star flew across the room and I made a wish.

"No problem. It's no problem at all. Just—Harry is still recovering you know? And we try our best, but I'm about as sensitive as a garden tool, and Hermione is my girlfriend, so it's awkward for her to talk to him sometimes, and Harry has saved Ginny so many times that they don't have feelings for each other you know? I think that Ginny was afraid of feeling obligated to look up to Harry for that reason. They talk now, but after everything that's happened, not as much." He looked away for a moment. "Don't get to frustrated with Ginny. She's being ruse for reasons… well, you'll know if she tells you.

I nodded my head. "We should probably get to sleep." He turned out of the room.

"Night Beth."

"G'night."

§

I found myself talking less to everyone after that night. It seemed they had all done great things, and I had done so little in the war against evil. It wasn't that I felt sorry for myself, or even that I was jealous of their bravery. It was more that we had even less in common than I had predicted.

These people that I had come to know, were brave and loyal and extremely heroic, whereas I, I couldn't even remember my last name. It seemed to me that I was just another damsel in distress, instead of a hero in disguise.

Remus has tried to talk to me several times alone since we've been here. It has been a week now, and we're starting into June. The dry season had started and we—the survivors—had been ordered to get out more.

§

A muffled screaming to through my wall woke me. I knew Harry was in the next room, thrashing his heart out. It was hard to hear because the walls in this house were so thick, so I turned over and tried to go back to sleep.

The screaming continued. I shut my eyes tight a prayed for his sanity. Then, it stopped. For a brief second I thought it was over, but then just as fast as it ended it began. I sat up and rolled out of bed.

I wanted to sleep well that night because I was going out the next day with Remus for a new wand, and possibly some things of my own. However, the screaming kept me awake, and although no one else heard it, I did.

I walked to my door and opened it. The tiny squeak was the only sound I received and thanked Merlin for it. I walked down the two flights of stairs slowly until I found myself in the kitchen. I wasn't the only one up.

Ron sat with a mug of something in his hands. His face was unshaven and his eyes had heavy bags underneath. He looked up as I had started to breath heavily.

"You heard it too then?" he asked. I shook my head in a small lie.

"Just thirsty." I wandered through the dining room to the kitchen, which had obviously been remodeled. A small candle chandelier hung from the middle of the beige ceiling. I walked to one of the glass cupboards and grabbed a glass, and then filled it with water at the sink.

When I walked back into the dining room, Ron was still there, his face in his mug.

"I can't stand it." I didn't interrupt, not sure if his glass was speaking, or he was. "I just can't. That screaming, it's like that day all over again. I mean he's my best mate, but to watch him like that. You don't know…"

I looked him over carefully. His face showed all the signs for lack of sleep, and his body sagged.

"Do you want to sleep in my bed?" I asked. "I can sleep in yours—all my potions allow me to sleep through anything truly noisy." This was a lie. I did a lot of that lately, and then gave him a weak smile. It was least I could do for him. I mean, it was his family that was letting me in, and there wasn't any real way I could pay him back.

"Really?"

"Sure. I think you might be able to hear it a bit through my wall, but it's not nearly as bad. I don't mind, I just want my pillow if that's alright?"

"Erm, yes sure. I can do that." He smiled sincerely. Then something crossed his mind. "What if he wakes up and find you there? He might be angry. I mean I'm his best friend, and to not be able to put up with that…"

"Wake me up around seven. He doesn't get up until after ten usually right? So wake me up, and we'll switch back."

Ron smiled. "I don't know how to thank you. I have put up with it for the last three n-n—" he burst into a yawn.

"No problem." I stood up from the table, and limped over to the doorway. I hadn't brought my cane down because I though I wouldn't need it, however in the dark of night I was quite clumsy, and tripped over the coat stand in the hall. Ron caught me with his left arm, pulling into my abdomen. I let out a brief gasp.

"Oh, I'm sorry Beth, are you alright?" He righted me and I grimaced.

"Just peachy."

"Can I—do you need help?" He looked truly sorry.

"Just walk up the stairs with me. I'll be fine. I just hope the meds kick in soon," I let out a little laugh.

"Oh, right. Of course." Ron, who was clearly about as sensitive as a rock, showed a discrete compassion and allowed me to walk up the stairs at my own pace. When we reached the landing I waited in front of Harry's door while Ron snuck into my room and grabbed my pillow.

As he walked out he handed me my pillow and signaled quiet by placing his fingers in front of his lips. He opened the door and managed to keep it from squeaking. Harry was lying in a bed on the right, and Ron's bed was clearly on the left. I could barely see in the dark, so I allowed Ron to lead me by the hand to his bed. I sat down and grimaced as the springs whined. Ron grabbed his pillows and gave me thumbs up before leaving the room.

The door closed with a soft click, and I laid back on the mattress. I fluffed my pillow underneath my head and rolled so I was facing the wall.

I dreamed I was in a desert. It was isolated and dry and I couldn't find anything to drink or eat. A man appeared out of nowhere and started to yell at me for being unable to do anything right. I was supposed to have found camels so we could travel and I hadn't. Then there were men with white masks on, their faces anonymous. They began to taunt me and laugh. Some tried to touch me, and grab me, but I screamed at them to get away. I yelled and I yelled but they wouldn't stop chanting. My father was laughing at me. "This is what you get," he kept repeating. "I didn't want you, so this is what you get!"

I woke in a cold sweat, screaming ringing in my ears, but when I woke it stopped. I turned to face Harry, who I assumed had been yelling. He was also sitting up, his knees tucked into his chest, his back against the wall. It took me a moment to figure out how he reached the sitting position so fast. It hadn't been his screaming that woke me. It had been mine.