The Eye of the Storm

Two Weeks?

A thud and scream woke me up. I sat up, only to be smothered by a hug, which shoved me back onto the bed.

"Kendra," Hermione exclaimed. "You're alive."

I pushed her off gently. "I hadn't noticed."

She grabbed the book she had dropped on my bed and smacked my shoulder a few times.

"We—" smack—"thought—" smack— "you" smack—"died."

I grabbed the book and threw it behind me. "What do you mean? I've only been gone a few days, like I said."

Hermione brow crinkled. "Kendra, you've been gone for two weeks."

There was a thick silence

"Hermione," I said slowly, " That is not possible."

Was it?

"Kendra, I'm not joking. You have been gone two weeks."

"How?"

I must have not had a sense of time while I was in the framework.

"I don't know Kendra." She looked at me, eyes filled with worry. "Why don't you?"

"It's complicated," I said, waving it off.

"No, Kendra," said Hermione. She looked on the verge of tears. "You're not doing this again."

"Doing what?" I asked, having no idea what was going on.

"Running off somewhere, making us all think you died, then not tell us what happened; while you hide all the emotional damage." Hermione took a deep breath, staring intently at me. I knew they worried about me sometimes, but I had no idea they cared this much. Besides I thought they knew I could handle myself.

"I'm really fine."

"Kendra!" exclaimed Hermione angrily.

"The stuff that happened honestly wasn't that emotionally scaring. I don't see anyone die, I wasn't almost killed. I just... It was like I went through a break up, or something..."

"That's a strange feeling to have during a war," said Hermione skeptically.

"Look, I just have a lot to think about."

"Fine," said Hermione. Her face went ridged, and there was a snap edge to her voice. "Tell us whenever your ready."

"Hermione—"

She got up, but I grabbed her hand. "I'll tell you okay."

She sat down. "Okay."

"Basically, I went down to the base to help, but I was kidnapped."

Hermione gasped.

"It wasn't that bad at all, I was unconscious the whole time."

Hermione frowned. "That does not explain why you feel like you went through a break up."

"Hermione," I begged. "Can you meet me half way? Please. You are one of my best friends, but sometimes I need to keep things to myself."

"Oh, alright," she sighed. "I shall meet you half way. Do you want to come with me to tell the boys you are back?"

"Could you do it?" I asked. "I need to think a minute."

"Promise you will be down for lunch?"

"I promise."