Inside Your Mind

crazy

Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

September 1st 1998

To the surprise of the Minister of Magic and the Headmistress of Hogwarts the news did not cause uproar from any of the four students. They were simply met with pale faces and wide eyes.

'You four should make your way down to the Welcome Feast.' McGonagall said by way of breaking the silence that had filled the room and dismissing its occupants.

'Could you tell us where our dormitory is, Headmistress? I've suddenly lost my appetite.' Hermione asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

'That makes two of us.' Three people mumbled under their breath.

'I will show you after the Feast, Miss Granger. You should eat something.' McGonagall replied, her tone final. Hermione nodded as if she had just been scolded.

'Let's go.' Ginny hissed to Hermione as she took her by the wrist and led her out of the Headmistress' office before another word could be said.

Hermione could barely keep up with Ginny as they hurried down the stairs towards the Great Hall, trying not to trip over her own feet, and ran the last five minutes through her head. Why did McGonagall think it was a good idea to throw two Slytherins and two Gryffindors in the same dormitory? How were they supposed to survive the school year without hexing each other every five minutes?

When did everything they had planned to do go so badly wrong?

'Ginny, slow down.' Hermione finally said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

'I can't believe this!' Ginny cried as she came to a stop, rounding on Hermione. 'How did we get into this mess?'

'I was just asking myself the same question.' Hermione muttered.

'We need to run away again.' Ginny replied simply, as though it would be easy for the two of them to walk out the door.

'We can't just walk out of Hogwarts and Apparate away.' Hermione countered.

Ginny huffed and grit her teeth as she tried to think of a solution to their problems, new and old.

'Let's just have dinner. We can plan our great escape in the morning.' Hermione offered with a sigh.

She could tell that the red head was about to argue some more, come up with another plan, or simply shout for a bit longer when her mouth opened. But no words came out. Ginny simply stared over Hermione's shoulder at the two figures making their way down the staircase.

Hermione could see the shift in Ginny's attention and turned towards the stairs to see what she was looking at.

'Granger.' Draco nodded at Hermione.

'Weasley.' Blaise nodded at Ginny.

'Malfoy.' Hermione replied with as much politeness as she could muster.

'Zabini.' Ginny hissed through gritted teeth.

The four stood at an impasse: no one wanted to break the silence, no one wanted to be the first to extend the olive branch or cast the first hex, no one wanted to mention the predicament that they now found themselves in.

Hermione considered speaking up first, taking some of her Gryffindor bravery and using it to clear the air, but the lingering grudges that she held towards the two Slytherins stopped her.

It was Ginny in the end who broke the trance like silence, taking Hermione by the hand and pulling her away, leaving everything unsaid and hanging in the air like a gathering storm.