So, this chapter. Erm. Thanks to everyone who likes me.
Chapter 15
"Wait for me!" she shot forward and placed her hand on the door knob as well. They smiled at eachother, and pushed the door open. The smiles on their faces only widened.
They entered to find a very comfortable room filled with filing cabinets and books about Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beaxbatons, and some school called Harvard that Hermione figured was an American wizarding school. Hermione was of course simply thrilled at the prospect of having unlimited information on the ways other schools are run, but Vinola had taken a liking to the cozy decore, saying that it was the perfect work environment for her. Hermione became enthralled in a very large book titled 'Harvard: What The Muggles Do Not Know' when Vinola realised that they had foolishly forgotten the green box up in their room.
"I suppose we should go get it," Hermione sighed. "Considering that we can't really do anything without our information." She carefully marked her place in her book and put it back on the shelf, sticking out slightly so as not to lose it. Vinola grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room, in a hurry to get started.
They ran off down the corridor and retrieved the box, receiving a few strange looks along the way due to the noise Vinola was making as she shuffled along in her clumpy shoes. They came back and -- the corridor empty -- entered the room once more and slammed the door behind them. Panting, they began chatting and removing various papers and folders -- including one filled with their plans for the castle -- from the box. Hermione scanned her notes and looked up at Vinola who had suddenly gone quiet. "What's wrong, Vinola?" Vinola blinked at her as if coming out of an epiphanic state.
"Hermione, where on Earth are we supposed to start?" Hermione stared at her incredulously, wondering that same thing herself. Suddenly, Vinola's eyes began to water.
"Vinola, it's okay."
"No, it's not! What have we gotten ourselves into? How are we, TWO 16-YEAR-OLD GIRLS, supposed to create and run a school?" Her eyes were really tearing now and Hermione wasn't sure of what to do. She had never seen Vinola get upset before, and the tears seemed to be endless. "HERMIONE. WE HAVE TO RUN A SCHOOL! WE HAVE TO ORGANIZE AND - AND PLAN AND...OH, HERMIONE! THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD! I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THIS HARD!" She fell over into one of the soft chairs that she loved so much and sobbed all over it. Hermione was suddenly disgusted and infurriated with her best friend. After all, wasn't it she that started all of this with her stupid speech about one-hundred percent devotion? How dare she have a break down when she was supposed to be there to help? Why did she wait until she was so far in to decide she wanted to back out? Hermione couldn't stand it much longer and began to lash out.
"You agreed to this, Vinola! If you think you're going to just cry your way out of this then too fuckin bad! It's too bloody late!" Vinola looked up shocked with Hermione's language and began to sob even harder.
"DON'T YELL AT ME! I'm not ready for thi--AH!" Hermione slapped her across the face and stared at her with a look of pure rage.
"You need to get a grip on yourself, Vinola! We're in this thing together and you need to CALM DOWN! Did you honestly think this was gonna be easy?!" she stared at her as she awaited her answer. "WELL?"
Vinola had stopped the majority of the tears from pouring but observed Hermione with a look a disbelief. She had never seen this side of Hermione before. This angry, violent, beast of emotion that she had balled up inside of her. Almost as soon as it had been released it retreated back inside her and Hermione passed out onto the plush floor.
"Oh geeze!" Vinola rushed to Hermione's side and began fanning her but she didn't come to. Forgetting that she was in the Room of Requirement, she put her hands under Hermione's arms and dragged her out of the room in search of a bathroom where there would surely be a sink she could use to get water for splashing Hermione's face. She dragged her along the corridor, forgetting to close the door behind her, leaving it partially ajar. She heard a small chuckle that seemed to come from behind but decided it was just Hermione attempting to regain consciousness. She eventually found a bathroom nearby and splashed Hermione's unconscious face until her shirt was soaked from the dripping.
"Hermione, wake UP!" She slapped her face, a little harder than she meant to due to her want of revenge for her own throbbing cheek. Hermione's eyelids fluttered and she regained consiousness and seemed quite befuddled as to why her shirt was wet. Vinola stared at Hermione while she gripped the sink, to keep herself up. Hermione looked up and a wave of emotion swept over her. Quite suddenly, both girls began sobbing relentlessly and threw themselves into the others arms. Passer-bys outside the bathroom could only catch bits of the jumbled mess of words and crying erupting from the girls' lavatory.
"I'M SO SORRY!"
"NO, I'M SORRY!"
"I SHOULDN'T HAVE HIT YOU!"
"I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AFRAID!"
"IT'S OKAY! I'M SCARED TOO!"
"I'LL NEVER BREAK DOWN AGAIN!"
"AND I PROMISE NOT TO LASH OUT ANY MORE!"
"AHHHHH!"
"Ladies, ladies, PLEASE! What is the problem here?" Professor Mcgonagall burst into the room to find the two girls wrapped tightly in a hug and sobbing all over eachother while the sink that was never turned off began dripping into a large puddle on the floor and a cowering first-year boy crouched in the corner with his arms over his head, afraid of the scene unfolding before him.
The girls took her entry as a wake-up call and their crying was reduced to occasional sniffles from them. Hermione took a deep breath and waited for Vinola to come up with an excuse as always but a few moments a awkward silence was ended hesitantly by Hermione when she realised that Vinola was in too much of a state to talk without yelling and crying again.
"We, erm, we, uh, ev-everything's f-fine, P-p-professors," Hermione sniffed.
"Why are Miss Mooncross and yourself in such a state, dear?" The gentleness in her voice came as a shock to Hermione and started to find her voice.
"Really, Professor. We've...we've just had a row is all and...and I guess we let our emotions get the better of us," she chuckled nervously.
"Well, I suggest you take her up to the hospital wing. Ask Madam Pomfrey to give her a calming draught." Hermione nodded and stood up, Vinola under her arm, and Mcgonagall started to leave but added a slight after thought before leaving. "Oh, and Miss Granger?"
"Yes?"
"Also, you may want to have Poppy take a look at Miss Mooncross's cheek, it's quite red, and your's as well."
"Oh, um, okay, Professor," Hermione blushed and walked Vinola out and began towards the hospital wing.
"Her-hermione?" she stammered.
"Yes?"
"I really am...sorry."
Hermione sighed and stopped to look her in the eye. "Me too. Let's promise never to let that happen again, I don't think our cheeks can take much more of this"
Vinola nodded with a small smile and allowed herself to be led to the hospital wing, still whimpering.
Author's Note:
I really like this chapter. I don't know if you do but I most certainly enoyed it. I also don't know if you caught it, but there was some major foreshadowing in this chapter. I think I'll be updating soon. Have a nice day!