Hiya! So, you guys, this is an extremely early warning, but I'm going to be gone all Thanksgiving week. I'll be in Florida and as much as I wish I could tote this computer around and finish writing for you guys, I can't. So, before I start to ramble, here's your chapter. Love you all!
Harry finally moves from my makeshift bed as night falls. I know we've got a tough day of traveling ahead of us tomorrow and I need to get my rest. I shut my eyes and begin to sing softly to myself, my voice too quiet to reach the ears of the rest of the Fellowship. Finally, I slip into sleep.
"The stars are dancing!" I whisper to my mother. "Look mommy, the stars are dancing!"
My mother smiles down at me, patting down the bush of brown hair that rests upon my four-year old head.
"Do you see that one? It's the brightest star in the sky 'Mione. Do you know what it's called?" I nod my head, the way young children do, rapidly, trying to prove my knowledge.
"Its called Eärendil right?" My mother laughs, the sound like tinkling bells. She hugs me close, and when she pulls away, tears are shining on her face.
"If only that were so little one. If only that were so." She brings me close again, stroking my mane of brown curls. She starts to sing to me, lulling me into sleep, into the security of her arms.
When I wake, my mother isn't there anymore. In fact, there's no one there. It's just me, thirteen now, all alone in our little house. Of course, I know that my parents are probably someplace helping support our family of three, but it does hurt to be alone.
I know now that the brightest star is not Eärendil, but Sirius, much like Harry's godfather who seems to light up a room. After all, his name does literally mean glowing. I sigh, laying back down, trying to let the dark peace of sleep come back to cover me.
After trying for thirty minutes, I get up and turn on the lights. Looking through my many, many books, most of which I've already read more than once, I see a strangely familiar title.
Although I'm sure I've never seen the book before and I've never read the language, I can understand what it says perfectly and it gives me a sense of familiarity that I've never had with any other book. Not even Hogwarts: A History. Pulling the beautifully bound book from the shelf, I sit down at my desk.
I trace the lock on the book's cover. There's no key hole, only the lock. It intrigues me greatly as all things that I can't figure out do. I was never one of those afraid of the unknown.
Hearing the door open, I jump up and shut of my lights. My feet seem to grow wings and I fly to my bed, shutting my eyes just as my bedroom door opens.
"I know you're awake Hermione," my mother says softly. But there's no displeasure in her voice, only amusement. "Come on, stop pretending."
When I don't open my eyes, my mother comes over to my bed.
"I'll tell you one more time Hermione. Wake up!"
I still refuse to open my eyes, although I'm sure that my quickening breath has already given me away. She laughs, moving her hands to my sides. Her fingers wiggle, tickling me.
"NO! STOP, STOP!" I shriek in laughing agony. "I GIVE UP! PLEASE STOP!"
Moving away and putting her hands in the air, she laughs right along with me.
"So, Hermione Jean Granger, what are you doing up?" she asks with mock patronization.
"Oh, Mother! I found this book, but its locked. There's no key hole or anything, its just a lock. Will you help me open it?"
"Show it to me," she says. "Maybe, just maybe, I know how to open it." The sly smirk on my mother's face leads me to a conclusion.
I turn my light back on and grab the book from my desk.
"Here," I say handing her the book. She grins.
"I was wondering when you'd find it. It didn't take as long as I thought it would."
Putting her hand over the book, she begins to chant, "Parf, panna an nin." Surprisingly, I know she means book, open for me. She says this several times before the book actually opens.
Finally, the lock recedes into itself, forming a small and intricate knot before dissapearing completly.
"Thank you!" I say, wrapping my arms around my mother. Her bell-like laughter comes forth.
"You're welcome Hermione," my mother says. "I hope you enjoy that book. I've never read it. It isn't my right."
"What do you mean?" I ask softly.
"Oh, nothing. Not that it matters, I can't read most of it anyways." She smiles at me before standing and leaving my room.
"Good night dear,"
"Good night mom."
I smile, opening the book to the first page. Flipping through pages of intricate script and beautiful drawings. I scan through the pages, reading through some of the more interesting parts. Its like a history of elves I contemplate asking Dobby about it, but realize the moment that I think of the idea, that these elves are different than Dobby. Setting aside the book for now, I turn my light off and lay down. Finally, I fade into a sleep filled with dreams of fair haired men with pointed ears and beauiful faces.
So, yeah. I swear, all of this flashback mess is important. It'll all come in later. Love you all. R&R!