Changes

Hermione awoke in the middle of the night to the annoying sound of something tapping on her window. Grumbling she opened one eye and rolled over, looking at her window she saw an eagle owl, in its talons was her wand. Jumping out of bed she ran to the window to let the owl in. Instead of the owl flying into her room through the open window like most owls would, it merely dropped her wand just inside the window and flew off into the night.


Leaning down, Hermione picked up her wand and walked back to her queen sized bed. Her room was not overly elegant, but it was more than what she was used to in the girls dormitory in Gryffindor tower. It was decorated in her red and gold with a four poster bed, and a fireplace with only a small chair in front of it. The best part about the whole room was that it was hers and hers alone, that pleased Hermione to no end.


Hermione sat on the edge of her bed looking at her wand for several minutes, she couldn't quite figure out why he had given it back to her without a fight. She knew the owl was Malfoy's, she had seen it many times before. Maybe he had cursed her wand somehow, she thought to herself, turning it over in her small hands. Making a decision she walked to the door on the other side of her room that led to the bathroom.


Looking at herself in the mirror she lightly touch the bruise that was still darkening on her cheek, however, even that smallest touch caused her to wince. Taking her wand she recited the healing incantation that she had claimed to have forgotten earlier that night at dinner. Instantly the bruise vanished. She touched the spot where it had just been but still winced as a sharp pain shot through her cheek, well at least the physical evidence is gone she sighed to herself as she turned back to the door to return to the warmth of her bed.


Tossing and turning Hermione fell into a fitful sleep. Not long and her mind began recreating images behind her moving eyes.


Walking to potions Hermione struggles to keep her books balanced in her arms. She had decided to skip lunch and go to the library to study, but she left track of time and didn't have the time to before class started to bring her books back up to her dormitory. Just as she turned a corner, a second year Slytherin barreled into her, knocking her and all her books to the ground. He however remained on his feet and continued on his way down the corridor. Grumbling Hermione began to collect her books from the floor. Noticing a classroom a little ways down the corridor and idea occurred to her, she decides to leave her books there until the end of her potions class. The class room she knew would be empty, just as it was every other afternoon during potions. But when she opened the large wooden door the room was not empty. Hearing voices she paused in the doorway, but she loses her footing after the sudden stop and hits the door which bangs into the wall.


Before it disappeared Hermione saw the face of Bellatrix Lestrange in the fireplace across the room. Draco spun on his heal and the look in his eye told Hermione that she should get out of that room and fast. Turning to leave she drops her books, but she is not fast enough. Draco was already in front of her and slammed the door shut. With him standing between her and her escape she began to slowly backup.


“What are you doing here Mudblood?”


“I was looking for a temporary place to keep my books, Malfoy. Now, will you please move so that I can get to class, a class that you are also going to be late for.”


Advancing forward Draco could see the fear beginning to appear in her honey colored eyes. He was not his usual self, she could see the real anger in the way he moved and even in the way he spoke, he was genuinely angry, and that scared her. Moving quickly around one of the desks she tries to go around him to the door but fails, his strong arm clasps around her


Hermione sat bolt upright in her bed, sweating from head to toe and gasping for air; she was shaking as she wrapped her quilt tightly around herself. Why would she dream about something that had happened a year ago? Did it have something to do with what happened with Blaise last night? Looking out her window she could see the sun rising, instead of going back to sleep she decided to get up and shower. Walking across her room to her trunk she pulled out her robes and uniform and grabbed her bag with her shower things and walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day.


At breakfast Hermione remained uncharacteristically quiet; if Ron and Harry noticed, they never said a work about it. Moving food around her plate she could feel someone looking at her, she looked over to the Slytherin table, but no one was looking even close to her direction. Still feeling the stare she looked over to the Hufflepuff table and met the gaze of Ernie. He had a funny look in his eye, like he knew something but felt bad the he knew. Ignoring this Hermione turned back to her breakfast and the Daily Prophet.


The night before when Hermione had entered the Common Room, Ernie had been sitting by the fire reading. She looked completely shaken, despite her best efforts to appear as though nothing was wrong. He had noticed how her robes were slightly askew and that her hair was messier than it had been during dinner. Stories started spinning off in his head as to what must have happened, but he did not even think that she had noticed him sitting there, so he never bothered to ask her if she was alright.


Near dawn he had heard her cry out as she woke up from a nightmare, with her door to the bathroom opened, he could hear almost every ragged breath and movement as she calmed herself. He knew that she normally woke up early, but not very early, so when he heard the shower at five o'clock in the morning Ernie knew something had to be wrong. Being too much of a chicken he didn't pry, but couldn't keep his eyes from trailing towards her all through breakfast; trying to read the troubled look on her face.

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I am really sorry that it has taken me so long to update.... again.... lol It was not really betaed, juts a little bit as I was writing it. Let me know what you think and like always I want the good and the bad.