THC/The Houses Competition. Round 5. Drabble

House: Ravenclaw

Class: Potions - Stand-in

Prompts: [Date] September 2nd.

Word Count: 846

Beta(s): CutewithacapitalQ, Sabine, Bea, Aurora, Rose

Shadows increased as the sunlight descended outside of the window, creating darkness across the whole dorm room. She had done it. All by herself, the eleven-year-old had left her parents to attend a school about magic. Even after reading all of the books she could get her hands on, Hermione didn't feel ready to be here. But that didn't have anything to do with a potential lack of knowledge.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Time barely moved as she laid on the unfamiliar bed of scarlet and gold, as her arms rested against the cotton fabric of the sheets. It was different.

Finally, the young girl couldn't take it anymore and gathered up her dressing gown, before walking down to the common room. She found Percy reading a book.

The older boy glanced up at her knowingly. "Missing them?"

Hermione felt her head bob up and down in a nod before her legs stepped her over to the couch and she sat down - feeling tired from the lack of sleep, but knowing the dreams wouldn't come.

"Have you ever slept away from them?" he asked.

Another nod. When Percy didn't ask another question, Hermione couldn't hold back the words that were flowing through her mind. "Just at my Grandparents' house. It's different here."

When she looked up, she noticed he had put the textbook down and was looking into the fire. She too set her gaze on the dancing arrangement of oranges and reds. "Different how?"

That was a question that made Hermione think, and it made her feel a little silly as she thought of the answer. "Just different."

Silence filled the space between them. The young girl yearned for Percy - the prefect who had guided them here - to talk. She didn't even mind what he spoke about, she just wanted the silence to be filled, to bring her out of her thoughts and worries about being away from her parents.

Hogwarts was lonely, so far. Even though she shared a room with three other girls, it was lonely without her usual nighttime routine with her mum and dad. "What's the time?" she found herself asking.

"1:30 am."

With widened eyes, Hermione's attention snapped over to the older ginger individual. "So it's tomorrow?"

"It's today."

"But… it's…" she drifted off. "The 2nd of September?"

Percy looked up at her. Though she had perceived him to be a friendly companion, it felt more that he was here out of obligation, or perhaps it was to keep anybody from sneaking out. Hermione wouldn't admit it, but she had been tempted to find a way back to her parents - it was an illogical thought, then again, she couldn't pinpoint the reason she had elected to come down here.

She focused on him. "I've been here since yesterday."

He gave her a simple, yet solid, nod.

"It's the second day of the month." It was an unnecessary statement, she knew that, but she was surprised. For some reason, she hadn't expected any of this to actually happen; for Hogwarts to be real, for her to be at a boarding school, and to be away from her parents. "I should get some sleep."

"Good night, first year."

"It's Hermione," she replied before walking back up to her dorm. Through the dim light, she examined the room. It was spacious, with a big trunk for all of her stuff, space under her bed, a bedside cabinet, and a really nice bed with curtains draped over it.

She would be spending seven years here. Seven years of going to sleep on the 1st of September, and waking up on the 2nd. Though, if this year taught her anything, perhaps those two days would merge together.

The first year climbed into her new bed, lying down and looked up at the ceiling once more. Slowly, the shadows became lighter until she could clearly see the pattern. This would be the pattern she stared at when she couldn't sleep.

Hermione got up when she heard the other girls stirring, and wished that she had read some of her textbooks instead of doing nothing. She had not only lost valuable hours of sleep, but also the chance to gain a better understanding of this world and the classes she was going to be taught.

"Good morning," she greeted as others got out of their bed.

"Good morning!" was always their chipper and excited reply.

Hermione got dressed into her robes and walked down to the Great Hall with those in her dorm. Hopefully, they'd all become friends - but, they didn't really speak while eating breakfast. Maybe it was because she was absorbed in a book about Transfiguration - that was her first class, after all.

Her doubts started to set in over a few comments she heard from those on her table.

Why is she reading?

Maybe she should've been in Ravenclaw?

I heard she didn't sleep last night.

She ignored me earlier when I said 'hello'.

You should see how many books she has.

Maybe books are her only friends.

She is a bit weird.