Things Change

Chapter 44

| "I'm not sure anyone knows what they're looking for until they find it."

-Keira Cass, The Hier |

Hermione's POV

When I woke the next morning, after the match, I reach up to rub my eyes - as I, including most people do when they wake - and I noted that the rim around the edges was sore. I hadn't remembered crying. There hadn't even been a reason to cry. Had there?

I thought back to what Draco told me. I still couldn't make sense of the whole "worrying about you" thing, I mean like seriously? He can't go around saying things willy-nilly like that.

I went to bed early, hoping to find comfort and escape from all the troubles day had brought, but that didn't happen. I hadn't had nightmares in so long, so it was weird that his words echoed in my head as the images came flooding back.

I was running, from what, I didn't know. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was going. Suddenly I paused, everything seemed to freeze. All I could hear was my heart thudding in my chest. It was like déjavu. People I could not make out in hooded cloaks were closing in. People seemed to be frozen in mid-panic. Trying to escape or fight or who knows. I looked around, scanning the frantic mass of people. As someone called my name, everything seemed to resume in full-motion. I looked around for the boy I knew had called my name. As I spotted his unmistakable blonde hair coming towards me - running towards me - I registered the fear on his face. He was trying to yell something to me, but I couldn't make out what he was saying over the screams of everyone else. He was obviously aware of something I clearly was not. As he registered that he wouldn't be able to get his message acrossed and that he was still too far away, he urgently gestured to my right. I whipped my head around to see a bright light coming towards me. I had amazing reaction time, just not good enough. It was too late. As I tried to move, I felt it hit my shoulder. The last thing I saw was his face. The pain was evident, even through the blood and grime.

I had many others, but this was the one that bothered me the most. It just seemed so real, like it actually had happened, and that's what scared me the most. It's creepy how realistic things can feel.

So maybe I had cried? I hope no one heard me, for Merlin's sake. I dragged myself out of bed and moped into the bathroom. Usually, I'm the one who's excited for classes, but lately, I'm just not feeling it and wished they would all go away. Not to mention, he happened to be in most of them.

Luckily, he was either gone or still asleep because once I was out of the shower, I didn't hear a peep from anywhere else in the common room. I shouldn't have came to such a quick conclusion.

Draco's POV

I had woken up early this morning, like before the sun was completely up. I moaned and buried my head back into the pillow, praying for sleep to come. But, as I suspected, it never did. I yawned as I streched, and rolled out of bed. Literally rolled. Right onto the floor.

I groaned and layed face flat on the floor for a moment, and reluctantly pushed myself off the floor. I was really regretting telling Hermione that last night. Now she was probably suspecting more. I groaned once again as I dragged my feet into the common room. The ambers from the fire were crackling. I pulled out my wand and mumbled a spell that made the fire erupt into giant blue flames.

Good enough, I thought to myself. I thought about catching up on some homework but realised that I didn't have any left. I had had so much free time lately that I had actually been doing good in school. I pictured there was a disgusted look on my face as I thought about that.

I could read a book...? Nope, already read them all at least twice. Go back to sleep? Already tried that. What was there to do for the next couple hours? I decided to get dressed for classes, but then what? Work on charms? We've got that test coming up and you've never been particularly good at them. I silently agreed, and pulled out my wand and slowly went to retrieve my Charms book and notes.