The Serpent Pit

Chapter 7

Hermione POV:

Dream:

I am running through to forest and I can hear heavy footsteps behind me. I turn and look and I see snatchers running after me. I can tell they are gaining on me. I trip over a root and fall. One of the snatchers grabs me around the waist.

"What do we have here?" he says with grin and his dirty hand stroking my face.

I start trying to get a away. I do everything I was told to do in the muggle world. I shove the butt of hand into his nose but he dodges it. I try to press my thumbs into his eyes, but he just clucks his tongue and laughs. I try going limp to see if he drops my, but on the run I lost a lot of weight and he lifts me with ease.

He drags my through to woods to a little shack. He shoves me inside, shuts the door, and locks it. Inside Bellatrix and Voldemort emerge from the shadows. Bellatrix gives me an evil grin.

"This will be fun," she says with a cackle. She starts cursing me until I am writhing on the ground in pain.

"Where is it?" she screams, "why were you in my vault."

I can't do anything but scream in pain. Then I realize, this is just a dream. This isn't really happening. It hurts all the same though. She continues torturing me and then the worst part of this torture happens. She starts carving and it hurts just as it did the first time. I lay their and stare at the wood ceiling, hoping someone will wake me up soon. 

Draco POV: 

I wake up some time around 4 o'clock in the morning. I look around to see why when I see Hermione. She is contorted as if something is squeezing her. Then she relaxes so I think she is fine. All of a sudden she is twisting and turning on the bed. But then the screaming starts. I cast  quick silencing charm on the room and try to wake her. She won't stop. Then she whimpers and gives the occasional twitch. I'm wondering why the sudden change when a blood stain starts spreading across the blankets. I pull up her arm to see her scar bleeding as if it is happening all over again. Then I realize it is, in her dream, my aunt is torturing her. I start to shake her and I try talking to her. Anything to get her to wake up. Then suddenly her eyes open and she looks around.

Her eyes are moving around at an almost dizzying rate taking in the room. Then she turns to me. 

"Thank you for waking me up," she says with a small smile, "I guess I forgot to take my Dreamless Sleep potion."

I look at her in alarm at how nonchalantly she talks about. Almost as if it happens regularly. 

"If you want I'll explain while I clean up my arm," she says as she turns to the bathroom. I just follow her. She hops up to sit on the counter while I take a seat on the toilet. I look at her arm and see that it is still bleeding profusely.

"I have PTSD from the war," she explains, "but I also have MPTSD. That is Magical Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from Bellatrix. In addition to the flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety; that magic that was inflicted upon me stays inside. When I have a flashback or a nightmare I feel the torture all over again. Since the blade used on my arm was magical, when that happens it opens back up. In the magical world they can make potions and charms that keep me from having symptoms. For instance, I take a dreamless sleep potions, an anxiety reducing potion, and I have a charm that can ground me when I feel a panic attack coming on. There, unfortunately, is no way to stop the flashbacks, but I know my triggers, so I avoid them. I had a pretty mild nightmare."

"Wait that was mild?!" I asked in shock.

"Yeah," she says with a shrug, "I realized it was a dream after too long and was able to keep myself from slipping to far in."

I watched her as she talked. She kept an even tone and tried to play it off as if the nightmare hadn't affected her, but I spent a lot of time watching her face. I picked up on the slight grimaces she tried to hide and I could see the fear in her eyes. She wasn't okay, but she is really good at hiding. Unless you knew what she looked like when she really didn't care, you wouldn't even notice. I watched her as she fixed up her arm. When she went to hop off the counter, I helped her down and hugged her.

Hermione POV:

When I told Draco it was a mild nightmare I wasn't lying, but it was still bad. I just needed to be strong. I am Hermione Granger for goodness. The smartest witch of our age, the war heroine, the quickest rising member of the ministry. I need to be strong. As I fixed my arm I kept trying to shake the fear and anxiety that always follows a nightmare. I could feel Draco's eyes on me as I finished with my arm. As I went to hop off the counter he caught me in a hug. It took me a minute, but I relaxed into it. I needed someone to be strong for me.

"Hermione," he said in a soft voice while rubbing circles into my back, "I know you're not okay. I can tell. You need to let your emotions out. It is unhealthy to keep them inside you. I am here for you, whatever you need."

I stood there for a minute letting the words sink in. He was offering to help me. It only took a few seconds for me to realize I could trust him. Then the tears started. I cried into his bare chest and he just stood there and held me. After awhile the tears slowed and I felt much better.

"I'll order room service to breakfast and we can just stay in and watch a movie, if you want," Draco offered.

"You don't have to stay, Draco," I said, feeling like a burden, "I am sorry for breaking down."

"Don't be Hermione," Draco said with a soft smile, "I am here for you and you need someone right now."

Draco ordered us chocolate chip pancakes, hot chocolate, and some fruit salad. When I chose our movie, Beauty and the Beast, I settled down next to him. Ever since I was little, watching this movie calmed me down. Draco put his arm around me and pulled me into him. I hadn't realized how much I needed physical contact until this movie. I sent him a grateful smile, and we settled in to the movie. 

We were right about everyone sleeping in, so we decided to let everyone relax until 2 when we would go skiing.

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I know I need to get on with their vacation, but I feel like Hermione and Draco needed some advancements in their relationship.

Please comment any suggestions you have for this fanfiction. If you like it please vote. I really appreciate it. Thanks!

I am currently writing this while hiding from a socially distanced block party going on outside my house. Anyone else get stressed at parties?

Love always, 

Silver Slytherin Queen