Out of Body, Out of Mind

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

It only seemed natural that an hour later Myrtle found herself in the library again.

When she had been a student she had spent most of her time in three places doing three things. She listened to gossip in her Common Room, cried her eyes out in the bathroom and lost herself in books in the library.

Reading had always been her way of escape. When she read she was drawn into a world where nothing could touch her. She forgot about the heartbreak, the teasing comments, the cruel pranks, and the spiteful words. Even Olive Hornby couldn´t penetrate the world her imagination had built, page by page, inside her mind.

The hours spent in the library had probably been the only time Myrtle had truly been happy at Hogwarts. It had been her haven among the dark corridors. She had come back once in her ghost state but it had been too painful to look upon the rows and rows of books, knowing that she wouldn´t ever be able to pick one up, let alone turn a page.

She could now, though. It had taken her awhile to find the last book she had been reading. It had been stuffed haphazardly in the very last row of the very last bookshelf, but she pulled it out and blew the dust off of it. She flipped it over and read the back of it.

Her Last Chance by DeAnna Talcott

A unicorn brings together the heroine and the one man who makes her yearn to lose her virgin status!

Myrtle smiled to herself. This was definitely the one. If she remembered correctly she had been in chapter ten, right when things had begun to get steamy. She walked over to a table while eagerly flipping through the pages. She sneezed at the dust that seemed to fly up at her. She wouldn´t be surprised if she had been the last person to read it.

"Hermione!" called a voice from across the library, immediately getting a noisy shush from Madam Pince. Myrtle looked up frustrated. Honestly, how was she supposed to enjoy herself when people were always calling her name?

A pudgy boy with light brown hair and large eyes was running towards her. By the time he finally reached her table he was panting heavily. He held up a hand as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh, just spit it out," snapped Myrtle, eager to get back to her reading.

The boy´s eyes opened wider, "I....I´m....sorry...about....today!"

Myrtle frowned. She had no idea what he was talking about.

"I´m so...sorry," he gasped.

"Well you should be," she said reproachfully, deciding to go along with whatever he was talking about.

"I feel terrible! When Lavender told me I´d almost..." he tapered off as he looked up at her his eyes full of tears. He hurried on as if he was afraid she was going to blow up at him at any minute. "I´m sorry. I don´t know how you´ll ever forgive me. I understand if you never want to talk to me again...or help me with potions. Though I don`t know who`s going to help me now. I`m not sure if any Gryffindor is that brave."

Myrtle blinked. What was he going on about?

"Gran´s going to kill me when she finds out," he said sorrowfully. "Well, if Ron doesn´t first."

"Ron?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Finally something she knew about. "What about Ron?"

"He´s going to kill me. Most likely in my sleep tonight, or perhaps after dinner."

"Why?" Myrtle asked, her interest piqued.

"Because I almost...because of you. You know how he is about you."

"How?" asked Myrtle scooting towards him. This was getting good.

The boy sighed, "Honestly, Hermione. It´s obvious he likes you. Why else would he be so overprotective? And he´s always looking at you...I don´t know how you can miss it."

"Does he really?" she asked, a smile playing on the edge of her lips.

"Yes," he said, "and that´s why he´s going to kill me."

"But why would he want to kill you?"

"Because I almost killed you!" Neville said, semi-loudly.

Myrtle´s eyes widened, "That was you?" She gave him a large smile, "Don´t worry, I won´t let him kill you."

He gave her a confused look, "Really?"

"Really," she said smiling up at him, "over my dead body."

* * * * *

"Ron!" Hermione screamed into her best friend´s ear for the seventh time. He gave no response except for shouting "Come on, Harry. It´s almost dinner time."

He was sitting the bleachers watching Harry practice his flying skills. Harry came to a stop in front of them. "Just a few more minutes."

"Alright," Ron grumbled, "but hurry, I´m hungry."

Harry grinned and set off to flying again.

Hermione sighed and sat beside Ron. To have him so close and still so out of reach made her want to start crying all over again. She had done a lot of crying since this morning. Probably more than she had ever done before. Now she knew why Myrtle had spent most of her time moaning in the toilet. But at least Myrtle had been able to talk to people, or flood the bathroom, or be seen. This was much worse. Much, much, much worse.

"Oh, Ron," she whispered, "won´t you just listen to me for once in your life? I´m here. Hear me."

Ron´s eyes strayed from the flying Harry. He turned to look over his shoulder on the side she was sitting on.

It wasn´t much, but he had looked her way. That had to mean something, didn´t it?

"Ron?´ she said startled. "You heard me didn´t you?"

He said nothing as he took a deep breath and shook his head slightly. He inserted his pinky in his ear and dug out a small amount of wax.

"Oh, that´s disgusting," Hermione said making a face. "Ron if you can hear me, give me some sort of sign."

He stared blankly over the field at Harry.

"Any sign," she pleaded. He didn´t even blink.

Hermione sighed and slumped in her seat. It was useless. Ron never listened to her, even when she had her body. So why did she think he would listen now? He only took notice of her when she said something surprising or shocking. Unless...

She sat up and looked over at Ron who was rubbing his growling stomach. She took a deep breath and began to sing in a wavery voice. She felt like a fool, but it was worth a try.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something, please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all.....rot."

This last part was finished with a sigh as her rendition had failed to capture his attention. He was watching Harry finish his final lap, oblivious. Hermione felt the sudden urge to hit him upside the head.

Suddenly he began to hum. It was low and she didn´t recognize the tune at first, but then she realized that it was indeed the School Song.

Hermione jumped to her feet, "Ron, you did hear me!"

Ron simply stood and began walking down the stairs to meet Harry, humming all the way.

* * * * *

"So Harry has never mentioned an interest in me?" Myrtle asked the boy who she had heard a passing girl call Neville.

Neville frowned, "Not a romantic interest, no."

"Oh," said Myrtle pouting.

"Why?" Neville asked his eyes growing wide. "You don´t like Harry...like that do you?"

Myrtle shrugged, "Maybe."

"Really?" Neville asked. "I never knew that."

They had been talking for the last thirty minutes or so. After she had promised him that she didn´t hate him she had managed to get quite a bit out of him about Hermione´s relationships with her best friends. It didn´t look very promising, though.

"Are you coming to dinner?" Neville asked getting up.

"Dinner?" Myrtle asked.

Neville nodded, "I´d rather not enter Ron´s sight without you nearby."

"Oh, right," she said grabbing her book. She would have to catch up on her reading later.

"So how long have you liked Harry?" Neville asked as they walked to the Great Hall.

"Since I first saw him," Myrtle said automatically.

"And you´ve never told him?"

"Why would I? I´m fat and ugly and no one likes me," she said bitterly.

Neville stopped abruptly, "You don´t really believe that do you, Hermione?"

The use of her new name caused Myrtle to realize what she had just said . She gave him a small smile. "No, I guess not. I just feel that way sometimes."

"Well you aren´t either," Neville said as they continued walking. "You´re not fat, or ugly. You´re the brightest witch of our generation and not at all haughty or mean about it."

Myrtle frowned. She wasn´t any of those things.

"You should tell him," Neville whispered, as they finally entered the Great Hall.

Myrtle scanned the rows of students not finding the mop of black hair that she was looking for. "Maybe I will."

* * * * *

"Hurry up, Harry. I´m starving," Ron said, walking quickly across the lawn to the school. Even Hermione was finding it hard to keep up with Ron´s pace.

"I´m coming," Harry mumbled. Hermione followed them as they made their way towards the Great Hall. When they entered the Entrance Hall they spotted Ginny standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming to dinner, Ginny?" Harry shouted over at her.

"I´ll be there in a moment," she said smiling. "I´m waiting for Colin."

Harry nodded at the mention of his biggest fan´s name and speeded up his walk. Just last week Colin had fallen out of the bleachers while trying to get a difficult shot of Harry catching the snitch. He had broken his arm in the process. Now every time he saw Harry he´d go to raise his slinged arm in salute and wince, "It was worth it, it was." Harry had tried to save Colin pain and himself guilt by avoiding him since the accident.

Hermione knew trying to communicate with the boys would be useless if they were distracted by food. Not to mention that she couldn´t just try it in front of Myrtle. She was sure the not-so-friendly ghost would find some way to stop her. But perhaps she would be able to reach Ginny.

She made her way over to Ginny who was looking expectantly up the stairs.

"Ginny, can you hear me?"

Ginny turned away from her and traveled across the hall to the other end. Hermione followed her and watched as she glanced over her shoulder and bit her lip. Then she disappeared into an unused classroom. Hermione frowned. What on earth was she doing?

She looked up to see a crowd of Slytherins descending the stairs. Malfoy at the front of them. She was startled to see him staring directly at her. Could he see her?

She watched as he whispered something to his housemates. They disappeared into the Great Hall as he made his way straight for Hermione.

"Malfoy..." But he walked past her into the classroom GInny had disappeared into.

Hermione felt her mouth drop in astonishment. She quickly stepped through the door. She was greeted by the sight of Ginny Weasley, one of her closest friends, throwing herself at Malfoy.

"What took you so long!" she said, smiling as she pulled away from his kiss.

"Bloody Goyle..." but he was cut off as she kissed him again.

They drew apart and grinned at each other.

"I can´t stay long," Ginny said. "Colin´s sure to show up eventually and they´ll wonder where I´m at."

"Meet me tonight."

"The usual place?"

"Yes."

She pulled away from him and made for the door but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back for one more kiss. She broke away from him, her eyes shining, "I have to go."

"Tonight!" he called after her.

"Tonight!" she said sliding out the door.

Hermione stood there stunned. Malfoy was rubbing his lips with his fingers a far away look on his normally cold face. Suddenly he smiled, his cheeks turning slightly pink, and walked out the door.

Ginny with Draco? Now Hermione knew she must be dreaming.

* * * * *