CHAPTER TWO.
Violent Dreams.
Hermione appeared to be standing in the great hall alone, "Hermione", a voice that she couldn't quite recognize called to her.
"Who's there? Harry is that you?" A tall figure stepped into view, but Hermione couldn't make out who it was.
"Granger, it's me".
She turned around frantically searching for the door. She knew that voice, she didn't want to be anywhere near it. She tried to take off in a sprint, but was held back by a tight grip on her wrist. Whipping her head around, Hermione found herself right in front of Draco Malfoy, who looked very relaxed.
"I don't understand" she whispered, pausing."Where is everyone?" Hermione stifled a sob.
Draco looked straight into her eyes, "Everyone is dead Granger, and you're coming with me." He grinned evilly at Hermione as he started dragging her towards the door. Hermione desperately tried to release her arm from his vice like grip but he was too strong for her.
The squeaks from the soles of her shoes as she was pulled along were starting to make her cringe, and her panic was rising by the second. "W-where are you taking me?" She stuttered, internally cursing herself for failing to keep her voice steady.
"To dance Granger. You wouldn't want to let me down, now would you? You are my date after all..." He leered at her.
She scoffed at his behaviour, "Let go of me Malfoy! Now!" his hold on her tightening was the only response she received.
A stab of pain raced up her left arm causing her to drop to the floor, but Malfoy was still clinging onto her tightly, "Damn it Granger, why are you such a baby!" He hissed with malice. However, upon noticing the pain Hermione was in, he quickly released her wrist and fell to his knees beside her "Hermione, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to-" He shuffled awkwardly, not sounding sincere at all.
"You didn't mean to what Malfoy? Break my wrist?" She realised that he called her Hermione and it confused her momentarily. Why did he seem to care about her, why was he touching her? Malfoy and his pureblood ego would never touch someone who's blood was such 'filth'.
His face suddenly contorted into a grimace, "Don't be ridiculous Granger! Of course you are filthy... I know what you're thinking and you are correct: I don't care about you." He laughed mockingly at her.
"Me? Ridiculous?" She found herself barely being able to control her temper, wanting to lunge at him and punch him straight in the face, "You've broken my wrist Malfoy! I should hex your sodding ferret face right off!" She wriggled in her space on the ground, wincing as she folded her arms across her chest defiantly.
"Watch your mouth mudblood," Malfoy warned as he got to his feet and stared down at the girl on the floor clutching her swelling wrist. He reached for his wand and pointed it at her. "This is what you get for disobeying my orders!" He stared into her brown eyes smirking evilly, before screaming, "CRUCIO!"
Ginny was suddenly awoken by the sound of Hermione's terrifying screeches. She looked towards Hermione's bed to find her violently thrashing around in her sleep, the covers becoming entangled in her legs. Ginny jumped out of bed to attempt to calm her- there was always the threat of Hermione hitting her head on her side table and knocking herself unconscious, so she tried desperately to wake her. "Hermione wake up, it's not real Hermione, it's okay- wake up!" She screamed, "Lavender, get Dumbledore. Go now!"
The girl rolled over in her bed, running a hand through her unkempt hair before seemingly realizing the panic in Ginny's voice, and looking quite frightened she nodded vigourously before leaving the room.
Not long after, Dumbledore entered their dormitory followed by a nervous Lavender and ridiculously chirpy Madam Pomfrey.
"I can't wake her professor!" Ginny felt helpless as the words escaped her lips.
Dumbledore gave Ginny a reassuring smile before turning to Madam Pomfrey, "Madam Pomfrey, if you could?" he nodded his head towards Hermione. The nurse paced over while Dumbledore performed a small spell so that Hermione would be still enough for Madam Pomfrey to medicate her.
"The potion will calm her dreams and she will wake within the hour. Inform Ms Granger that she is to meet me in my office after she wakes." Dumbledore turned and walked out of the room, Madam Pomfrey by his side.
A bright light shone through the window, quickly growing brighter across her face. She smiled as the warm feeling of the sun spread over her delicate features. However, the light had disturbed her sleep.
She turned her head in an attempt to block it out, and frowned as her head began to throb. Hermione was definitely not ready to get out of bed. Knowing that she certainly could do with some extra sleep, she tried positing herself a little more comfortably, realising her but realized sheets were restricting her from doing so.
Admitting defeat she opened her eyes feeling rather annoyed, and now noticed her bed was occupied by another. With her vision being blurry and her eyes heavy she didn't realise at first who it was, but then noticed the red hair and straight away knew it was Ginny curled up at the end of her bed in a fetal position.
Making the decision not to wake her friend, she shuffled on the hard mattress and contemplated whether to see Madam Pomfrey for a migraine potion or not.
Hermione sighed as she pulled herself up the bed, and rubbing her temples she looked down to find she was still in her clothes from the day before. What happened?Then she gasped, realizing she hadn't dreamt about Harry last night for the first time in nearly four months, she had actually not had any dreams!
Smiling to herself as she realised this she got to her feet too quickly, which her head apparently didn't agree with. A sharp pain shot through her forehead and the room started spinning around her, only becoming worse from her excitement at the possibility that the dreams were finally coming to an end. She decided that a visit to Madam Pomfrey would be a good idea and slipped out of the bed, walking quietly towards the door before opening it and closing it quietly behind her.
Hermione paced along with a gallop in her step, beginning to feel silly. She felt awful because every time her feet landed on each step the agony in her head grew worse. Jumping down the stairs like this, however, reminded her of the way she use to run down the staircase every morning when she was little. Nothing could wipe off the smile that was planted across her face today, not even her sodding migraine.