{ 5 }
As it turns out, bossy did not quite come close when Granger went into full on research mode. In fact, I did not hear a single word from her for at least the next hour. She would hum occasionally, or make some sort of snorting noise if she did not agree with whatever she was reading. Otherwise...nothing.
Silence.
It was, well, it was nice to be honest. I was actually able to focus on my own search for information without having to listen to inane chatter, gossip or the droning sound of Theo reading out loud as he went along. Seriously, did he never learn how to read silently in his head like normal people?
I was caught up in my own research when the sound of the gate creaking open pulled me away mid-sentence. It was the first true sound I had heard aside from the movement of books in an hour or so.
I wondered momentarily if she had left me there, until I heard a decidedly male voice drift through the stacks.
"Miss Granger. I see you are taking this task more seriously than the previous two. That's good." Professor Giles said as he perused the stack of books we had set aside on the table.
From where I was standing, I could see him through the gap between the row of books and the top of the next bookshelf. If he looked hard enough, he would be able to see me, but he was not looking in my direction. He was looking at Granger, who stepped out of the aisle on the other side and stood across the table from him.
I whispered a disillusionment charm. I'm not sure why. There was nothing saying that I could not be there at that point in time. For some reason, though, I felt like it would be better for both of us if he did not know that I was there.
"Professor." She crossed her arms over her chest and popped her hip out to one side. I could hear the chill in her voice with just that one word.
"It seems the topic I picked was of some interest to you after all." He adjusted the sleeves on his brown tweed jacket in a bored manner. The smug look on his face told a different story, though.
I found his tone to be curious. I would expect him to be taunting her after assigning such an insulting topic, but he did not seem to be. It begged the question, what exactly was his game here?
She cocked her head to the side, observing him for a long moment.
"Out of curiosity, Professor, why did you choose this particular topic?" Acid dripped from her words.
He appraised her. I don't know what he was looking for exactly, but when he shook his head and dropped his chin in a sigh I knew that he had not found whatever it was.
"Finish the assignment, Miss Granger. Then we'll talk." He held her gaze for a moment, then turned towards the gate. As it swung open, he turned back. "It's getting late. You can work on this again tomorrow."
He held the gate open. She stared at him for several heartbeats. I held my breath, wondering if she remembered that I was still here. The last thing I wanted was to be locked in the restricted section of the library all night.
"Go on," she told him finally. "I'll clean up my mess and go to my common room before curfew."
I couldn't see him anymore from my hiding spot in the stacks, but I released a deep breath when he answered, "very well," and the gate swung shut and locked behind him.
I waited several long moments before I dropped the disillusionment charm.
"Fucking prick." She was still glaring at the gate when I stepped out from behind the bookshelf.
"That used to be my moniker." I set the book I had on the table with the others.
"Who says it isn't still?" She raised her eyebrow and the corner of her lip twitched.
"You wound me." I covered my heart dramatically.
"Whatever, Malfoy." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm done for the night. Let's get out of here."
We set the books together on an empty cart with a note to the librarian not to re-shelve them, and we left the library together.
"What did you make of Giles back there?" She asked as we made our way down the corridor.
I had not imagined it then. She noticed his strange behavior as well.
"It was odd. He was surprised by your animosity, I think." I don't know how he could have been surprised. What did he expect? That she would thank him profusely for the assignment?
"Right. That's the feeling I got as well. He looked at me like he was disappointed or something. Like I did something wrong."
She worried her lip and twirled her hair around her fingers anxiously.
"Maybe he was disappointed that you were not upset about having to write a research paper for detention?" It was a stretch, but she didn't need to worry about disappointing that arse, so I tried to lighten the mood.
She rolled her eyes and nudged my shoulder.
"I highly doubt that." She shook her head.
My hand grazed hers. Without even thinking, I slipped my hand into hers. Holding her hand was quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do. It was warm and comforting, and it reminded me that I'm not alone. When she squeezed my hand gently, I figured it made her feel the same way.
A few moments later, the corridor opened to the main stairwell. Before we stepped out of the relative privacy of the corridor, I stopped. She took another step, but I did not release her hand.
I wasn't ready to let her go just yet.
She stopped and looked back at me. Her eyes dropped to our joined hands, then back up to my eyes.
"Can I have my hand back now?" She asked. Her eyebrow lifted and a small smirk tilted her lips.
Let go of her, you idiot!
"If I must." I released a long suffering sigh, squeezed her hand one more time, then I let her fingers slip through mine.
Her face lit up in a smile that warmed my heart. That smile was because of me. I did that.
She chewed on her bottom lip and her eyes dropped to the ground. She took a deep breath and looked up at me through those long lashes of hers.
She took a small step closer to me. Her hand grazed against mine once again.
I didn't dare to even take a breath. What the fuck is she doing to me?
"You can hold my hand again tomorrow." She told me quietly. Her voice wavered and it was barely over a whisper. She cleared her throat. "If you want to."
I could hear my heart beating in my chest as she wrapped her hand around mine once again.
"You wouldn't mind?" I had to ask just to be sure. My voice was no louder than hers, and wavered just as much. I had to remind myself to breathe.
"No. Not at all." She squeezed a little and I squeezed back. "I...uh...it...it feels good."
She averted her gaze, her nerves getting the best of her.
"I think so, too."
Her eyes met mine again. The tension released from her shoulders in a relieved exhale and she smiled up at me.
"Good night, Malfoy." She squeezed my hand once again, then stepped away.
"Good night, Granger." I released her hand and watched as she went up the stairs to her common room. I waited until she was out of sight before I turned towards the dungeon.
The Slytherin common room was quiet. There were a few scattered groups sitting around on couches talking, or at tables working on last minute homework assignments that had to be turned in the next day.
Theo and Greg were playing chess. Theo looked up from the board when I walked in and met my eye. He gestured for me to join them. I poured a cup of hot chocolate first, then pulled up a chair.
"Trust me, mate. You want to stay out here for a little while." Theo said in greeting.
"Unless you want to watch Blaise and Tracey going at it," Greg laughed.
Great. My lip curled up in a sneer.
"You know she actually told me she wanted me to watch them?"
"I asked her out once. Back before the world went to hell." Theo wrinkled his nose in disgust. "She turned me down. Thank Merlin."
"So how do I get her to stop hitting on me?" She wasn't even discreet about it.
"You could just tell her you are dating Granger." Theo shrugged his shoulder before overtaking Greg's queen.
"I'm not dating Granger." I surveyed the board. Theo had made a critical error. If Greg saw it, the game would be over in three moves.
"Really? And where have you been since dinner?" Theo was looking at me instead of the board.
"In the library." I raised my brow and smirked as soon as I saw the dawning glee sweep over Greg's face. He had just seen where Theo messed up. His poker face left something to be desired, but he had this game in the bag.
"Hmm. In the library with…?" Theo misunderstood the look on my face. He made his move quickly, still not paying any attention to what he was doing.
"Granger, obviously." I grinned as Greg made his final move.
Theo's king fell. Greg yelled out in triumph as he defeated Theo for the first time ever.
"What the?" The look on his face was priceless. His eyes darted across the board until he realized what he had done.
"I can't believe I finally beat you." Greg grinned ear to ear as he sat back in his chair.
"Well played," Theo admitted with a deep sigh. He held his hand out and Greg shook it vigorously.
"Distracting me with news on Granger. Not cool, Draco."
I shrugged my shoulders. He distracted himself, not the other way around.
Greg left after that, satisfied that he had won, finally, he did not want to try again.
"So at least tell me what you and Granger have been doing in the library all this time." Theo wiggled his eyebrows and sat back in his chair.
"Nothing untoward." I rolled my eyes at his antics. "I was helping her with some research."
"Who would have thought it? Draco Malfoy helping Hermione Granger with research in the library." He shook his head and smirked at me.
I sipped my hot chocolate rather than respond. He was right though. Who would have thought it? I'm done analyzing it. I'm just going with it and seeing where it leads.
"I think it's brilliant." He leaned forward in his chair. "What better way to woo a bookworm, right?"
"I am not trying to woo anyone, Theo. I'm just trying to be her friend. That's all."
He eyed me skeptically.
"That's your story?" He asked finally.
I nodded. It was. It had to be. We had already agreed that nothing romantic could happen between the two of us. We have both been damaged by the war, violated by the same madman. Physical intimacy was not in the cards for us. Not now, maybe not ever.
I could be her friend, though. I could help her find her new normal and stand beside her while she figures out where to go from here.
I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't believe me. Let him think whatever he wants. I know where I stand with Granger. And she knows where she stands with me. That's all that matters.
The distant sounds of screaming continued to echo in my mind. My eyes flew open. I rolled off the bed and ran to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before I emptied my stomach.
The nightmares had lessened, but they had not gone away. Each one was different. Some were exact memories of actual events. Some were scenarios that my mind came up with, each more terrifying and horrific than the last.
The latest was a combination of the two. An actual event that I did not personally witness. I could only imagine how it had happened. Not that I tried to imagine it. Not on purpose. Yet, the images were there in my dreams. Even now, while awake, the images persisted.
Hermione. And him.
I cleaned my mouth out and returned to my bed. It was still dark outside, the dead of night. There was no way I could get back to sleep after that.
Quietly, I put on my slippers and a robe and left the dormitory. The common room was empty. Not that I expected anyone else to be awake at this hour.
I made myself a cup of tea and settled into the leather couch in front of the fire. I sat there, watching the flames dance in the fireplace. I let my mind drift.
I've seen awful things in my lifetime. Things that I will never be able to un-see. Things that altered lives. Things that altered me.
You have to be able to forgive yourself if you are ever to move on.
Healer Edinfield told me that in almost every session that we had together.
How exactly am I supposed to do that?
I don't have any idea.
A noise over my shoulder pulled me from my reverie. I looked up to see a small figure emerging from the dormitory hallway.
Tristan rubbed at his red-rimmed eyes with one hand and gripped a stuffed dragon with the other. He saw me sitting there and his steps faltered.
"Cousin. You couldn't sleep either?" I nodded my head at him when he inched closer.
"I had bad dreams." He gripped the dragon tighter.
"Me too." I admitted quietly. He slid onto the couch next to me. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
What kind of bad dreams could an eleven year old have?
He chewed on his fingernail and stared into the fire.
"I was dreaming about my sister." He pulled his knees up to his chest.
His sister? That would mean, I have another cousin? But then, why would he be having bad dreams about his sister?
Ice settled in my veins. I knew. Before I even asked, I knew.
"She was an auror." He cleared his throat. "She died during the Final Battle."
I closed my eyes. My heart clenched. I suddenly found myself mourning a cousin I did not even know existed.
"Sometimes, I feel like she's still here. But then I hope she's in Heaven with Dad and Remus."
I guess I underestimated the kid. It seems he's had plenty of loss in his lifetime to fuel many of his own nightmares.
"I'm sure wherever she is, she's looking down on you. She's thinking that you are a good kid, and that you should stay away from a tosser like me, even if I am your cousin." I ruffled his hair playfully, trying to lighten the mood a little.
"I don't think you're a tosser." He looked up at me and chewed on his fingernail. "I wrote to Mum and told her you didn't care that I'm half blood."
I felt my heart rate accelerate. What would my aunt think of me? Would she encourage Tristan to stay as far away from me as possible? Especially knowing that her daughter was killed in the war, most likely by Death Eaters?
The brand on my arm itched uncomfortably.
I know it wasn't me. I didn't kill anyone. Not in the final battle. Not ever. I didn't even fight during the battle. Not really. I mostly hid and defended myself.
Still. Was I partially to blame for her demise?
Some people thought so. I received death threats from family members of fallen witches and wizards all the time.
"What did she say?" I had to ask. If she was smart, she would tell him to stay the hell away from me.
"She hasn't written back yet." He relaxed back against the couch and joined me in watching the fire.
"I'm sorry about your sister." It seemed like the right thing to say. "I wish I had the chance to know her."
The crackling fire was the only noise in the room for several long moments.
"Do you have any other siblings?" I hoped he would say yes. I was disappointed when he shook his head 'no'.
"Teddy lives with us now. He's my nephew, but I guess he could be like a little brother. He's just a baby."
I didn't know what to say.
"It's just me and Mum and Teddy now." He sighed. "And you, Draco. You're my family, too. Right?"
He looked up at me with wide, soulful eyes that were swimming with hope. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded at him.
"That's right, kid." I ruffled his hair and he grinned at me. "You might not want to tell anyone, though. I'm not exactly Mr. Popular around here."
Not to mention he might learn far too much about my past. What would he say if he knew I was a Death Eater? What are the chances that he won't find out?
He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
"You should go back to bed," I told him. There were still several hours before breakfast would be served.
"Are you going back to bed?" He asked sleepily.
"I will in a few minutes. Go on."
He eyed me for a minute. Then his eyes started to droop. He sighed and slid off the couch.
"Good night, Draco," he mumbled as he walked away.
"Tristan." I waited for him to turn, then I tossed his stuffed dragon at him. He caught it and wrapped his arms around it.
"Good night." I don't know if he heard me as he walked out of the common room.
I stared into the fire and finished off my tea. The flames reminded me of Hermione's hair.
The silence and loneliness of the night settled over me like a cold blanket. A shiver ran down my spine.
My eyes darted around the room. I half expected to find someone watching me, but there was no one there.
Friday morning I found my eyes pulled towards the Gryffindor table over and over again. No matter how many times I looked, the view never changed. She wasn't there.
Nor was she in any of our classes.
By the time lunch ended, I was starting to get worried.
Theo and I walked to our last class of the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Malfoy!" Potter's voice stopped me short right before I got to the classroom.
What the hell would he want from me? I turned to face him and raised my brow in question.
"Potter."
He waited until the other people in the corridor had gone inside. Then he lowered his voice.
"Hermione's in the hospital wing." He said quietly. "I thought you'd want to know."
I think my heart stopped.
"Has she been there all day?" Dammit. I knew something was wrong.
"Yes." He shuffled on his feet and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Before you ask, I don't know what happened or why she's there. Padma said she wasn't feeling well this morning, so she helped her to the hospital wing."
"You haven't been in to see her?" I found that very hard to believe.
"Of course I've seen her." He rolled his eyes at me and pushed his hand through his hair. "She won't talk to me."
I nodded once in understanding. She hadn't been talking to him for weeks, after all. Why would she start now?
We were the last ones to enter the classroom. I honestly could not tell you what the lecture was about or what homework was assigned. All I could think of was Hermione.
As soon as the bell rang, I was the first one out the door. My feet took me to the hospital wing straight away.
The large room on the fourth floor was one of my least favorite places to be at Hogwarts. I've had my fair share of injuries and illnesses over the course of the previous seven years, which had landed me in one of those beds. The mediwitch did not like me much, even before the war.
I cringed as I remembered the time the hippogriff had attacked me. I made such a fool of myself. First by going against everything Hagrid had told us about how to approach the beast, then by acting the spoiled prat when I got hurt. I whined and complained and moaned in over-exaggerated pain for hours. It's no wonder Pomprey hated me, honestly.
I pushed those thoughts aside as I opened the door and walked inside. It was just as I remembered it to be. Beds lined both sides of the walls to the right of the door. To the left were Pomphey's office and potion stores.
When she saw me, her shoulders sagged even as she assessed me from head to toe for injuries.
Obviously her view of me has not changed.
"Mr. Malfoy. Are you ill?" She asked shortly.
"Madam Pomphrey. No, I'm not. I just came by to check on Hermione. I heard she was in here today."
Her eyebrows rose so high that they disappeared under her hat. She blinked at me. Twice. Then she cleared her throat.
"Hermione...Granger?" She asked in disbelief. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Of course Granger.
"Is there another Hermione here that I don't know?" I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my voice, but when her eyes narrowed I knew I had failed.
"She's just down there, on the left." She motioned towards the beds. It wasn't necessary. There was only one bed occupied and I could see her black and red hair from where I was standing.
I nodded my head once in acknowledgement. Before I turned away, something struck me. This woman had healed me and cared for me just as she would any other student, despite the fact that I had always been nasty to her.
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.
"Was there something else?" She watched me with a wary look on her face.
"I...uh...I…" I stuttered as the words began forming in my head. My hands were shaking with nerves. I took a deep breath and started over. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I've acted towards you over the years. I was demanding and pretentious and whiney."
I laughed a short chuckle at the gobsmacked look on her face. Then I forged on.
"And I wanted to say thank you. Despite my attitude, you always treated me as well as any other student. That could not have been easy for you."
She covered her heart with one hand and her mouth with the other. Her eyes glistened and a tear or two ran down her cheek. Fuck. I wasn't trying to make her cry!
"Mr. Malfoy, you have no idea how much that means to me. While that is my job, you certainly never made it easy for me." She wiped at her eyes and smiled up at me.
"Yes, well, I think those days are in the past." I fought the urge to shuffle uncomfortably.
"I believe they are." She grinned at me. "Miss Granger is sleeping, but you are welcome to wait for awhile."
I nodded to her once again and turned quickly. That was awkward and unplanned, but a sense of warmth had settled in my heart.
I was not the same boy I used to be. It was becoming increasingly important to me that others knew that as well.
I settled into the chair next to Hermione's bed. Her eyes were closed. Her chest rising and falling steadily with each breath. The way her hair spread out across the pillow beneath her, it looked to be red with black streaks.
She was on her side. The arm with the tattoo covering it was curled up and under her head. The other arm was wrapped around the thin blanket, holding it against her chest. I could tell that she was not wearing her uniform, but a black t-shirt instead.
I watched her sleep for a moment before my mind started to drift. This whole week had been one surprise after another. At this rate, the whole year will be one big cluster fuck.
I'm not sure how long I sat there before she started to stir. Long enough that my neck felt stiff.
"Malfoy?" Her groggy voice tore me from my internal musings. "What are you doing here?"
"Granger. I think the better question is, what are you doing here?" I leaned forward in my chair. My elbows on my knees and my hands clasped together as I appraised her.
She chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating whether or not to tell me, I suspect.
"It's nothing dire. I just have a migraine." Her eyes fluttered closed. Her brow was crinkled. Her voice was strained. I could tell she was in pain.
"Migraine? Is that a headache?" I had heard of them before, but did not know much about it.
"No." She sighed into her pillow. "It's more like my brain is trying to claw it's way out of my skull."
The longer I watched her, the more I noticed how much pain she must be in.
"The pain potion is helping. It isn't as bad as it was earlier."
I found that very hard to believe.
"Can I do anything to help?" Stupid question. Pomphrey is already taking care of her. There cannot possibly be anything that I could do that she was not.
"No," she breathed. "Go enjoy your Friday night."
She finished with a slight whimper. A tear leaked out of her eye and dripped to her pillow.
"I can stay," I told her. She should not be alone when she is this miserable, right?
She looked up at me. Her lip twisted in what was either a grimace or an attempt at a polite smile. Her hand pressed against her eye while she took several measured breaths.
"That's very sweet, but don't." Her voice was barely more than a whisper. I had to lean closer just to hear her. "I would not be good company. It hurts to even talk. Just go. I'll be fine. I just have to wait for it to let up."
I could tell that she was not exaggerating. I slipped my hand over hers and squeezed it gently.
"Alright. I'll go." I stayed for a few more minutes. Her eyes closed and her breathing evened out as she fell asleep once more.
I squeezed her hand again, then stood to leave. I was surprised to see Madam Pomphrey standing at the end of the bed, watching me. She was giving me the same bewildered, puzzled look that she gave me when I apologized to her.
I waited. Clearly she had something she wanted to say.
Her eyes darted from me to Hermione, to our joined hands. She cleared her throat.
"Migraine disease is not common amongst the magical community, but it is not unheard of either." She spoke quietly and kept her gaze locked on mine.
"I don't know very much about it." I could admit that much.
"It can be quite painful when an attack hits. It can take hours or days for it to break." She turned her gaze towards Hermione then. "She will be okay. It will just take time."
I had many questions, but I would save them for when Granger was feeling better. I glanced back down at the witch in question.
"I'll leave her to rest." I released her hand, nodded once more at the mediwitch and walked away. I could feel her eyes on me until the door closed behind me.
As soon as I heard it click, I stopped and took a deep breath.
I don't know what was going through Pomphrey's mind as she watched me. It was an uncomfortable feeling of being judged and not quite knowing what the verdict was at the end.
Saturday brought with it beautiful weather and quidditch try-outs. The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement and nerves as students of all ages prepared to spend the day on the pitch.
I decided to sit this year out. Let a younger student play seeker this time around. Blaise and Theo did the same.
I spread honey on a biscuit as I listened to them talk about the incoming prospects. Suddenly I felt the back of my head tingling. You know that eerie feeling when someone is watching you? Or I could just be paranoid.
I turned in my seat to see if my senses were spot on or not. It did not take long for me to figure out who was watching me. Granger was sitting at the Gryffindor table.
She was wearing sunglasses, but I could tell she was looking at me. She smiled then looked down at the blueberry muffin on her plate.
She was wearing a dark blue t-shirt with a deep v neckline that was held together with a light blue ribbon laced between the two sides. Her hair hung in dark waves to her shoulders.
"Looks like she's feeling better." Theo said when he noticed I wasn't listening to them any longer.
"Looks like it." I agreed.
"I love that shirt she's wearing!" Daphne gasped. I looked over at the blonde witch. She was wearing a designer sweater, black pants and heels. I raised my brow at her.
"What?" She asked defensively. "I'm serious."
I cannot imagine her being caught dead in muggle attire, but whatever. I shook my head and returned to my breakfast.
A few minutes later, half of Slytherin table stood and noisily headed towards the quidditch pitch.
"Are you coming?" Theo asked.
I had planned on going to watch. I had a vested interest in the team, after all. My eyes flickered to the Gryffindor table. Most of their house was clearing out as well.
Hermione remained sitting by herself, eating her breakfast and ignoring the chaos around her.
"Go on ahead," I finally answered. "I'll catch up."
"Right. I'm sure you'll be right behind me." He laughed and clapped his hand on my shoulder as he left with the crowd.
The buzzing noise that had filled the room died down to near silence as the door shut behind the exiting hoard. Only a handful of students remained.
I finished the last dregs of my tea and stood. For the first time in my life, I approached the Gryffindor table.
She looked up as I got closer. Her lips tilted up in a small smile.
"Malfoy." She tilted her head to the side. "Aren't you going to be late for try-outs?"
I sat down on the bench across from her.
"I'll go watch in a bit. How are you feeling?" I looked closer. Her brow was still furrowed, though not as deep as yesterday. She rubbed her temple absently.
"Better than yesterday. It isn't gone, but I'll manage." She shrugged her shoulder. "Thanks for asking."
She took a drink of pumpkin juice from her goblet. Then she looked at me and tilted her head to the side.
"Wait. What do you mean, you'll go and watch? Aren't you trying out for the team this year?"
I imagined her sitting in the stands, rooting for me. It might be worth it to try out just to see that happen. I smirked when I pictured the look on Potter's face.
"No." I cleared my throat. "I'm not even supposed to be here this year. It's time to give someone else a chance to beat Gryffindor."
She smiled. A small laugh escaped.
A spark of warmth spread through my heart at the sight and the sound.
"Would you like to join me?" I don't know what possessed me to ask her that. I held my breath until she shook her head slowly.
"Bright sunlight, screaming crowds of students, and quidditch to boot. I think I'll pass." She smiled a small, soft smile. "I will stick to the nice, dark, quiet library. I have a paper to write yet, and I lost all day yesterday on it."
Stupid. Of course she wouldn't want to go with me. She's still fighting a migraine and she hates quidditch.
"Right. I forgot you don't know a good sport when you see it." I tilted my lips up so she would know I was teasing her.
"Yes, I'm sure that's it," she retorted wryly.
We stood together and left the Great Hall. Outside the doors, she made to walk up the stairs. I hesitated.
"I am glad you're feeling better."
She paused with her hand on the railing and her back to me. Slowly, she turned to face me. She bit into her bottom lip.
"I have questions." I took a couple of steps closer to her. I don't think I even meant to, but I found myself standing right in front of her. She was on the first step of the stairs, which put her eyes level with mine.
My hand brushed against hers. She flipped her hand over and intertwined her fingers with mine.
"I'm fine, Draco." She took her other hand and pushed her hair back behind her ear. "I'll answer your questions later. Go. Have fun."
She waited a few seconds before turning away and ascending the staircase. I watched her until she reached the top of the flight. She turned around. Her eyes widened as she realized I was still standing there, watching her.
She nodded at me quickly, then kept walking up the second flight of stairs until she disappeared from my sight.
AN: Okay. I know, it's been a minute since I last updated. I wanted to get Lost Souls wrapped up so I could focus on writing this story. Fair warning, this is very much still a WIP at this point in time. I will aim to post every 2 weeks, but no promises as life sometimes gets in the way of writing.
PSA - I am a strong advocate for migraine awareness. I have severe chronic intractable migraines with aura. It is more than a headache. Any depictions of migraine in this story are based on real life - including the dismissive tone that she has when describing it to others. For people with chronic pain illnesses it is said that they are not faking being sick, they are faking being well.
So, a lot to unpack in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave me a note with your thoughts.
Until next time.
-mezy