Hermione Granger

Something was very, very wrong.

It happened during their journey to Hogwarts. Ron was passionately chatting about the various magical sweets to be found in Hogsmeade, doing his best to completely derail a serious conversation about the assassination attempt on Harry, when the train began to suddenly slow down, eventually coming to a complete stop in the middle of a bridge. Then, without any warning, all the lamps in the compartment began to flicker, slowly dimming and eventually going out, leaving the three of them in total darkness.

"W-what's going on?" Ron stammered, clearly spooked by the development. Hermione couldn't really blame him, as the situation was highly irregular. Well, at least Ron had stopped talking about food, so there were some silver linings.

"Do you think the train broke down?" Harry asked reasonably, trying to understand the situation. He even tried to see something through the window, but the late hour and lack of light made it impossible to actually see anything outside.

"I don't think so..." Hermione replied slowly, rather skeptical about something like this happening. While it was certainly possible with an ordinary train, the Hogwarts Express was most definitely a magical device, so something truly extraordinary would have to happen for it to stop or break down.

Unfortunately, Hermione was quickly proven right, because as soon as she finished speaking, a coldness swept over her body.

It was not an ordinary chill, because as strange as it sounded, it was not a fully physical feeling. There was something more to this coldness, some otherworldly feeling of emptiness and loss. It subtly pressed on Hermione's mind, numbing all feelings and slowing her thoughts.

Turning around, she noticed that the compartment window had become covered with frost before her eyes. Even more worryingly, the frost seemed to appear on the inside of the window, not the outside, as if the source of this mysterious phenomenon was on the train.

Hermione exchanged worried glances with the boys. Something was definitely not right.

She didn't know how much time had passed since that moment, but after what felt like an eternity, something happened. Without any warning, a mysterious shape appeared behind the compartment door. As the glass of the door was covered with frost, it was difficult to see details, but even the indistinct shape was enough to freeze Hermione's blood in her veins.

Slowly, the compartment door began to open, as if moved by an invisible force. Time seemed to slow down as the mysterious figure appeared in all its terrifying glory.

In the doorway stood a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. The cloak was in constant motion, as its strands were floating in the air, moved by some invisible wind. Its face was completely hidden under its hood, though perhaps that was for the better, as whatever was hiding under it was not human. Its outstretched hand, used to open the door and quickly hidden a, was glistening and grayish, more befitting a drowned body than a living being.

Whatever it was, upon seeing the three of them, terrified and frozen, it took a long, slow, rattling breath, as if it was trying to suck something out of the air.

An intense, unnatural chill enveloped all three of them and Hermione felt her own breath catch in her chest. The chill went deeper than her skin, it was in her chest, in her very heart. Hermione felt her happiness, her hopes and dreams evaporate, replaced by a vast, overwhelming emptiness. She distantly realized what kind of being was standing in front of them, but it was so hard to focus, so hard to think. Such was the power of despair radiated by the creature.

It took all of Hermione's strength to tear her gaze away from the dementor and see how the boys were faring.

Ron, who was sitting curled up in a corner, was understandably terrified of the newcomer. He stared at the dementor with a face as pale as chalk, watching its every move in mute horror. He was barely moving, seeming petrified by the dementor's presence.

Harry was... Harry was faring even worse.

The boy was on the verge of losing consciousness, unable to cope with the dementor's power. Harry was watching the creature with barely open eyes, exhausted by the monster's cursed presence, as his body was wobbling in place, threatening to fall. His face was growing more pale with each passing second, suggesting that he wouldn't be able to stand it much longer.

Hermione didn't know why, but she had the distinct impression that the creature was focusing solely on Harry, treating Hermione and Ron only as an afterthought. To make matters worse, it began to slowly approach Harry, extending its hands. It looked as if it was going to hug Harry, but the truth was much more terrifying.

Hermione's mind, previously numb and empty, flashed with alarm as she realized what was happening before her eyes. She knew she had to do something.

Using all her remaining strength, Hermione shakily stood up from her chair and opened her mouth, desperate to stop the monster from hurting her friend.

"...s...top." She muttered weakly, her voice feeble and quiet due to the dementor's influence. Hermione tried to say something more, but her voice refused to leave her throat as she watched helplessly as the creature approached its "meal." Just as it was about to reach Harry, its hands seconds away from the boy's face, something inside Hermione snapped. Shaking off the despair surrounding her, she gathered all her courage and shouted, her voice full of strength. "Stop, leave him alone!"

Fortunately, her shout seemed to have an effect on the dementor, as it turned away from Harry, letting the boy fall to the floor unconscious but alive. Seeing this, Hermione almost gave a sigh of relief, happy that her friend was safe.

She then realized, however, that she had now become the focus of the dementor's attention.

She didn't even have time to scream as the torrent of despair invaded her mind, knocking her over onto her seat and taking the air from her lungs. The Dementor, who had previously ignored her, was now moving toward her, its entire being seemingly focused on her person. She watched helplessly, her head devoid of any thoughts, as the creature approached her, its every move bringing her closer to nothingness.

She couldn't escape, she couldn't move, she couldn't feel, she couldn't...

After what felt like an hour, the dementor finally stood before her, towering and all-encompassing. At that moment Hermione realized that everything she had achieved in her life was meaningless. Her grades, her adventures, her fight with Brown? It was all just a streak of failures, worth less than nothing in the grand scheme of things. There was no point in continuing these hopeless struggles, it was just too much...

It was so much easier to just give up…

…much easier to just stop struggling…

…to just stop breathing…

…to stop…

…

Thump.

…no, that didn't feel right. What was she even saying…?

Thump.

...Grades unimportant? Grades were supposed to act as a gauge of skill and knowledge, confirming people's progress and forcing them to improve. They were the foundation of both the wizarding and mundane world, acting as a beacon of order in a chaotic world. They were not meaningless.

Thump.

Her adventures being meaningless? Hermione and her friends stopped Voldemort from resurrecting himself! They overcame numerous obstacles, fought bravely and prevailed, protecting the stone and chasing the dark lord out of Hogwarts! How was that meaningless?!

Thump.

Her task has been a failure? She may have been on the defensive so far, it's true, but her actions were important. No one else was aware of the danger Brown posed. If not her, who would have tried to expose his crimes? If not for her, who would have tried to bring justice? No one! It was difficult and often humiliating, but it was not insignificant. Every second that Brown had to deal with her, he wasn't planning any terrible crime! Every second he was watched by her, he hurt no one with his poisonous words or his monster! Her task was important and just!

Thump.

And now this aberration, this outsider, was trying to make her think it was all for naught?! That everything she had accomplished so far was meaningless?! She wouldn't let it!

Thump!

Hermione blinked. The previous fear and despair in her eyes gave way to burning determination and righteous anger as Hermione once again rose from her seat and looked at the dementor defiantly. The creature must have noticed the change in her behavior, because it was now 'watching' her with a certain confusion, its movements suggesting that it was surprised by the sudden change. The pressure on her mind increased as the dementor tried to subdue her, unsure of her resistance, but Hermione did not falter.

She slowly raised her eyes, soon reaching the dementor's 'eyes'. For a moment, the girl and the abomination simply watched each other, neither of them making a move. And then...

THUMP!

The dementor recoiled, its body spasming, as if in terrible pain.

For some reason, the creature began thrashing around the compartment, unable to cope with the agony it was apparently experiencing. It acted as if it was on fire, using its rotten hands to extinguish the invisible flames that apparently covered it without success, each of its actions more desperate than the last.

Hermione could only watch in horrified fascination as the dementor began to slowly stagger toward the door, desperation clearly evident in its movements. Whatever was happening must have been incredibly painful, because soon it was almost crawling toward the exit, its limbs shaking and its cloak dragging on the floor.

Finally, the dementor managed to reach the door. It seemed that its pain had subsided somewhat, because after doing so ,it turned around to look at her. She felt the weight of the dementor's 'eyes' on her, but did not falter. She held its gaze, waiting to see what would happen next and ready for anything.

Well, almost anything. She was not prepared for the dementor to be suddenly blasted to the side by a beam of intense, white light. The creature didn't even have time to react, as it was swept away by the white vortex, disappearing from Hermione's sight.

Well, that was…unexpected.

Surprisingly serious chapter, but after constant humiliations and defeats I wanted to reward Hermione somehow.

Poor Josh, though.