I have no idea where I'm running to.

The only thought coursing through my head is away, away, away. Far away from Draco and Cedric and my own mind, my own insanity.

I have to get away. Running from my problems - physically running - is the only plan I have, so I stick to it, dashing through the halls to no intended destination.

Though, running in a crowded castle without paying an ounce of attention to those around me is not a bright idea, and I clearly didn't think it through, as I find myself running head on into a person.

Both of us collapse onto the ground, my head falling into the mystery person's chest, my face buried in their robes, and their cushy body breaking my fall.

"I'm so sorry!" I sputter an apology as I frantically push myself off the person, face heating red with embarrassment. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright." Murmurs the boy I've collapsed on - Harry, I realize as I pull away from him. His glasses have gone wonky, and he swiftly adjusts them, before pushing himself onto his feet at the same time as I do. "Happens to the best of us. Where are you running off to so fast, anyways?"

"Er, just avoiding Draco. You know." I lift my shoulders in a casual shrug, hoping he doesn't see how hard I'm trembling, as though I'm about to collapse into a full on seizure.

"He's getting on your nerves? I'm surprised it took this long."

"Well…" I'm unsure what to say, so I simply hover as I stand there, staring at him awkwardly. "Thanks for, you know, breaking my fall."

His lips curl upwards. "Of course. How's your hand doing?"

"It's okay. Getting better now, I reckon I can take the bandage off tomorrow." I say, looking down at my wrapped up hand. "And yours?"

"Alright for now, but I have more detentions to serve, so I doubt it will last."

"What did you do this time?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Long story." Harry waves a hand, though as he continues to stare at me, his gaze darkens ever so slightly, his smile fading. "Are you okay, Meiqi? You look a bit…ill."

"I'm fine. Just ate too much at dinner, I reckon." The lie comes easily, slipping off my tongue like a master of deceit. Maybe I am a good liar - while it never occurred to me until now, I realize that I've been lying to everyone since I got to Hogwarts. About my past, why I wasn't here before, and about the people I see, the dead walking.

I suppose I'm an excellent liar indeed.

I'm unsure how to feel about that.

Harry eyes me up and down through his silver colored glasses, like he doesn't quite believe me.

Maybe I'm not so much of a good liar after all. Maybe Harry can see right through me, see the ghosts that I see, both physically and metaphorically.

I shudder under his gaze before I can stop myself, a chill running up my spine like one I've never felt before.

But before he can say anything, someone cuts him off, interrupting our considerably awkward conversation.

"Oh, hey Harry." Both of us turn to see Cho walking towards us, Marietta at her side, her curly red hair bouncing behind her. For the first time in a while, Cho is wearing a genuine, happy smile, like her mind isn't lingering on Cedric, on her loss.

It's my turn to ruminate on the dead Diggory boy now.

"Hey." He smiles at her. Cho's eyes flicker towards me, but she doesn't greet me like I expect her to. "How are you?"

"Good, good." She gives him a pleasant grin, not looking in my direction as she speaks. "Marietta and I just wanted to say, we heard what you said to Umbridge, about Cedric and Quirrell and all that. We appreciate it. I appreciate it."

"Oh. Er, yeah. Of course." Harry rubs the back of his neck. "She's bloody mad, thinking she can get away with what she's doing. I mean, we all know what really happened, I can't understand why she thinks she can just come in here and act like she owns the place, and act like Voldemort didn't really kill Cedric."

Marietta hiccups, and both Cho and I stiffen at the usage of You-Know-Who's real name.

"Well, we best be off. Bye Harry. See you later." Cho waves goodbye at him, sparing me one final glance, as though I'm an afterthought, before her and Marietta strut down the hallway, leaving the two of us alone once more.

Just as Cho and Marietta turn the corner, my heart begins to pound in my chest, a horrible, aching sensation, though I can't tell where it's coming from, as it grows worse and worse with every passing second. Is it the dead? Have they finally taken over my body? Or worse - is my health deteriorating again? Was the release from St. Mungo's, the check that I was good to go, a fluke?

But as soon as the painful feeling comes, it goes, leaving me blinking and confused, as Harry stares at me with wide eyes.

"Meiqi, seriously, are you okay?"

I nod, suddenly very desperate to be alone. "I'm fine. I…I need to go. I'll see you in class."

When I return to my dorms, I immediately go to bed and attempt to fall asleep, ignoring the way Daphne pokes at me when she finally returns to the library. Eventually, she gets bored, and goes to her own bed, muttering something under her breath.

When I do eventually manage to drift off to sleep, my dreams are plagued of images of graveyards, and the voice of a woman, telling me to run. I try, but no matter how far I go, darkness catches up to me, swallowing me whole.

Dearest Mei,

How are you? How is Hogwarts doing? We heard from Cho that you were sorted into Slytherin - that is amazing. We're so happy for you, and we hope you're making some wonderful friends.

How is your health? We know the healers said you're better, but we need to be safe, do you hear me? If you so much as sense an episode, you need to write us immediately, and go directly to Madam Pomfrey. She's excellent, as I'm sure you know.

Is Cho doing well? You need to look after her, as you know. Her emotional stability is worrisome, and the letters she's written us imply that she isn't doing well. Please check up on her, when you have the time.

Love,

-Mum

P.S. Dad sends his love as well. Miss you loads, sweetheart!

I can't help but smile at the kind note from my mother, a lopsided grin slipping onto my lips as my eyes scan the letter over and over. It's like I can feel my parents love radiating off of it, love I very rarely find myself on the receiving end of.

"You're smiling." Daphne notes as she chews on her toast. "Who's the letter from, your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." I insist, a little too fast. "It's from my parents."

"Awe, cute!" She sighs. "I wish my parents wrote me letters. They only ever write to Astoria - my sister. They like her way more than me."

"I know the feeling." I say, more to myself than to Daphne. This is the first letter I've received from my parents so far, but I know for a fact that Cho has received at least four in the month or so that we've been at Hogwarts, given that I've seen our owl delivering her letters on a near weekly basis.

"You do?" She looks up at me with raised eyebrows, and only then do I realize what my statement implied. People aren't supposed to know my past, know that I was sick. It would just gain pity, and that's the last thing I want.

"Nothing. Never mind." I flash a quick smile in her direction, before rising from my seat. "I'm going to head to class early, and finish off my homework. See you there."

Before Daphne can say anything, I slip away, leaving the Slytherins alone. However, I don't get far, when I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks just as I'm about to turn a corner in the hallway.

"What do you want, Draco?" I sigh as I meet his icy grey eyes.

"Why'd you run away, the other day? In the library?"

"None of your business, that's why. Why do you care, anyways?"

He blinks, like it hasn't occurred to him to ask himself the very same question. "I…I don't know." He admits. "But I do care, even if I don't know why. I want to know. I want to know what the hell is going on with you, and why you're so bloody weird."

"Maybe I just am weird, without a reason. Does there have to be a reason behind why I am the way I am?" I try to feign relaxation, ambivalence, but this doesn't last very long, as none other than Quirrell steps behind Draco, making his way towards a classroom he likely expects he'll be teaching.

He looks over at us, giving me a kind, nervous smile, before continuing his journey.

Draco turns around, following my gaze to the nothing he sees, before looking back at me with raised eyebrows. "See, like that! You just went all pale and nervous. Why?" He demands.

"Maybe you make me nervous." I suggest, though I can tell by the waver in my voice that he won't buy it.

"What reason would you have to be nervous around me?"

I pause for a second, wrecking my brain for an answer. "You're…mean."

"Mean?" His eyebrows jump up, a smirk sliding onto his lips. "Come on, that's the best you can come up with?"

"I need to go." With the pivot of my foot, I begin to walk away, but before I can go further, I feel Draco grasp onto my upper arm, keeping me held firmly in place. "What are you doing?" I hiss, attempting to tug myself free. "Let me go."

"Not until you tell me what the fuck is wrong with you."

I want to demand to know why he cares so bloody much, but I can't find it in me, knowing that he likely is unaware of the answer himself. So instead, I hiss, "You're what's wrong with me. Now let me go, or I'll scream."

"You'll scream? Really?"

"Yes." I lie.

He presses his lips together, contemplating this, before eventually releasing his grip on me with a sigh. "I'll figure you out, Meiqi Chang." He promises as he struts away like a bloody model. "Just you wait."