Breaking Hermione

Perfect Places

I walked up the stairs to my dorm, closing the door behind me. Walking over to my bed I sat down feeling more alone than ever before. I reached into my bag and felt around for my study papers. It was nice being the only one in the dorm but my heart was heavy. Shalini wasn't coming back because she was dead. The School believed she was killed in a freak accident. Of course, that wasn't what happened at all. Tom murdered her in vengeance. Jade wasn't coming back either. I didn't know how to feel about any of it, and thinking about it wasn't helping me concentrate. I put my papers aside for a second, conjuring a small candle. I walked over to Shalini's bedside table and lit it, a brilliant flame sparking.

"I'm so sorry, Shalini." I said tearfully. "I didn't mean for this to happen to you at all."

I took a minute to control my breathing. But I couldn't stop the tears. If I didn't come back to the past this wouldn't have happened at all.
As I placed the lit candle carefully down on the table I noticed a note. I looked closer. It had a name on it. My name.

I reached for the parchment slowly.

Dear Hermione, it read.

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. By the time you read this, I would have already left Hogwarts. From what it appears to me, Tom is playing you. He doesn't love you. He is messing with you. And I never wanted to hurt you, and to trouble you as much as I have. Tom told me I had to pretend I was dead and leave Hogwarts for good. I'm sorry once again. I had no choice- Jade would've been killed if I didn't agree with Tom to do these things and to give you that cursed dress. I hope for your sake you can stop him. Jade and I are safe, for now.

I hope that one day beneath different circumstances we will all meet again.

PS: destroy this note as soon as you read it.

Shalini

I pulled my wand out of my sleeve and touched it to the parchment instantly causing the entire thing to spark with flames and burn into nothing. Shalini wasn't dead. She was hiding. And as for Tom...

Tom had no feelings for me. He was using me this entire time. Or was he? He didn't seem like he was lying. But then again he was a psychopath. He wasn't supposed to make it look like he was lying, was he? I closed my eyes for a second. Thinking about it all was making my head hurt.

I extinguished the candle, going to my bed and falling against the soft blankets pulling my notes towards me. From my research there were ways to reverse love spells, and even solidify their negative effects. If Tom knew what I knew....

There was even a spell I could use to weaken the effects of the magic, but it had to be done when the person was asleep.

I tore the parchment toward me. I needed to say this spell as soon as possible. Even if it meant somehow casting Tom into a temporary sleep.

I got off my bed and walked slowly to my bedroom door, opening it ever so slowly. The coast was clear. I heard laughter from down in the Common Room, and then from at the top of the stairs I could see everything clearer.
Tom and Xavier were smoking something. I had no idea what, but it didn't look good, or legal.

A spark of anger flared up inside me. Tom was a Prefect for God's sake. I stormed down the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded.