The Secret of the Dragon

Sleep took her quickly into its grasp, but the nightmares started soon after.

***She was screaming…she couldn’t understand her own words…it seemed as though someone else was yelling from far away…but she knew it was her…she saw the life drain from his face—his eyes go glassy…she was kneeling…holding his head in her lap…this couldn’t be happening… 

“AVAD—” ***

Hermione woke suddenly with a feeling of desperation. She had broken out in a cold sweat.

It’s over. She told herself. There is nothing that I can do to change it.

A tear slid down her cheek. Ignoring it, she laid back down and tried to sleep. With her mind racing, she found sleep impossible. She looked at the time. 4:30. Dragging herself out of bed, Hermione went to the bathroom to wash her face. As she looked into the mirror, she decided that the face staring back was not hers—not really. The face looked withered and sickly pale. No, that wasn’t her.

After washing, she stumbled into the common room, deciding that she would look for something to read. She browsed the bookshelf against the wall and settled on Hogwarts: A History. She’d read it plenty of times, but decided that something familiar might be soothing. She turned to walk to the couch and noticed the half-full cup of fire-whiskey still sitting on the small coffee table. For a moment, Hermione considered drinking it...

Maybe it will make me feel better

...but she decided against it. Settling into the couch, Hermione began reading…

*** ‘Mione… ‘Mione…***

The sound of Malfoy exiting his room drew Hermione out of her dream and into consciousness.  

“Sleeping is what your room is for, mudblood”, he spat.

Hermione stared up at him and he smirked.

“I can’t believe that I am being forced to live with someone who is lesser than me”.

Not feeling mentally capable of fighting with Malfoy, Hermione began to shuffle to her own room.

“Better hurry and get ready mudblood! We have work to do!”

Oh no! Hermione thought, I forgot that reparations were to begin today!

With that, she hurried into her room and quickly dressed in clean robes of Gryffindor colors. Hermione just made her way into the Great Hall as McGonagall sat at the head table.

“Eat, Miss Granger. Then we will get started.”

Malfoy glanced up from his eggs and sneered as Hermione seated herself next to McGonagall and added toast to her plate.

After breakfast McGonagall told the two that their first task would be to take inventory of all things broken and then prepare a list ordered by ease of repair. As the ease of repair ordering could be tricky, they were to ask McGonagall any question they could not discover the answer to on their own. Hermione was thankful that they were to start at opposite sides of the castle, knowing that she was not far from a mental break.

Hermione worked tirelessly, only taking a brief break to eat half a sandwich at lunch. Still, she had made little progress considering that the spells woven into the castle’s structures were quite complex. By the time dinner rolled around, Hermione was frustrated enough that she was glad to leave her job to welcome the new students. When Hermione walked into the Great Hall, the house tables were already filled with students. Some, she noticed, whispered as she walked past.

She could tell that they pitied her, but that’s not what she wanted. She wanted Ron back, but since that would never happen, she just wanted the memories to fade—to feel whole again. She seated herself in between two second years, who didn’t know much about the war and didn’t recognize her face. At least this way, she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone.

Soon after Hermione sat, McGonagall strode into the Great Hall with several rows of first years in tow. They looked even more anxious than they normally did. Probably because their parents had mentioned the war to them. Each student was sorted into the appropriate house and then McGonagall delivered a “Welcome” speech to them as well as reciting a list of the rules for all students.

“Now,” said McGonagall, “I would like to introduce the new professor of Transfigurations, Professor Amiris Leefick. I expect that you all will treat him with the utmost respect”.

Professor Leefick stood and bowed softly to the crowd of students, then took his seat once again.

“I would also like to introduce who you might refer to as head boy and head girl, Mr. Draco Malfoy and Miss Hermione Granger”, McGonagall continued. “As many of you know, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger are no longer students; however, under the circumstances, it has been decided that they are most capable of conducting head duties this year.”

Hermione locked eyes with Malfoy from across the room and he gave her his trademark sneer. They stood up, as Hermione plastered the best smile she could muster across her face. The crowd politely applauded and the two took their seats again.