RAGE

It didn’t take her long to find Ron. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she saw the group of red heads sitting in the corner. She took a deep breath and headed for them.

“I’m off to bed.” Hermione said, her voice calm. “Good night everyone.”

“Oh, Hermione, won’t you sit and eat something?” Mrs Weasley asked.

“I’ve already eaten.” She said as Ron stood and pulled her into a strong hug. “I just need to sleep.”

She gave Ron a kiss on the cheek and forced a smile.

“Goodnight.” She said and walked away before anyone could say anything else.

She was grateful for everyone making an effort but she just wanted to go to bed. When she got to Draco’s room, she was glad to find it unoccupied still. She transfigured her clothes into some pyjama’s and climbed into bed. She turned the lamps down a little and rolled onto her stomach. She looked across to Draco’s bed, suddenly sad that she hadn’t taken him up on his offer.

She heard the door open and she quickly closed her eyes. She heard someone say ‘shh’, then heard footsteps walk around her towards the beds behind hers. Then she heard what sounded like a kiss. It was hard not to open her eyes.

“Stay with me?” She heard Pansy whisper.

“Of course…” She heard Blaise whisper back.

Then she heard another kiss. She felt guilty. It was wrong to hear their intimate moments. She felt as though she was invading their privacy by not being asleep. She heard the blankets ruffle and shake and then there was silence.

Knowing that their was at least peace and love in the room, Hermione found sleep hit her quickly.

***

She was running through the darkness, wind bellowing all around her. She was being chased, from which direction she couldn’t be sure any more. She looked around her, voices whispering to her. She could hear her parents, calling to her to keep going. She could hear a rasping, chilling voice telling her that she should stop and wait to be enraptured. She reached out into the darkness, desperate to feel something. Then she heard it.

“Hermione?” The voice called.

It sounded familiar. It was someone good, she could feel it. She wanted to call out but found she had no voice of her own. She wanted to scream out that she was here. To come closer.

“Hermione?”

She could feel hands on her arms now, she reached for them trying to pull them closer.

“Don’t go!” She called.

She was breathing hard. The hands became more firm, more real.

“Please don’t leave me!” She cried.

“Hermione? Wake up.” The voice called.

She was at a loss for words. Then she saw it. A blinding light was pouring from some where. She held a hand over her eyes and then was jerked back into reality.

“Hermione…” Said the voice. “You’re alright…”

She sat straight up, breathing hard. She bumped into something solid. She cried out, scared but relieved. She looked up and into a pair of the most amazing silver eyes. She frowned, trying to hold back her tears.

She sobbed, her head hanging. She wrapped her arms around his bare waist and held on tight, allowing herself to cry.

“I won’t go, I won’t leave.” He said rocking her gently.

He started to stroke her hair gently and rested his chin on the top of her head. When all of her tears were spent, he pushed the hair from her face and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

She looked up at him, needing to understand what it meant. His face only held innocent concern. He had only meant it to make her feel better. And in an odd way, she did. She felt loved in a way that she hadn’t in a long while and it put her mind at ease a little.

He pushed her back gently so that she was lying down again. She looked up at him, not wanting him to leave, but unsure of how to ask him to stay. But she didn’t have to. He kissed her cheek and laid down beside her, pulling her close and enveloping her in his strong arms. He stroked her hair and traced her jaw lightly. She found her eyes closing and her body snuggling into his. She heaved a sigh.

Then they drifted off to sleep together.