The Songfic Series: Rocky Road

Rocky Road

Chapter 5- Bring Me to Life

What a mess I'm in, Hermione thought to herself.

***

That afternoon, as she and Harry were exiting Potions, Simon approached them from the direction that looked like the Slytherin Common Room. He was panting, as if he was hurrying to catch them, and a lock of his perfect dark hair was dangling messily in front of his right eye. "Hermione," he said, as he exhaled deeply. "I was wondering," he paused to regain his breath, which gave time for Harry's expression to stiffen but for Hermione's heart to leap out of her chest and do a tap dance on the stone floor. "Would you like to come to Hogsmede with me and my friends for lunch? On us, I assure you." Some seventh years (prefects, Head Boy and Girl, and a few of the "teachers pets") were given permission to spend lunch hour in Hogsmede. Hermione was thrilled by his proposal.

"I'd - " she started, but then Harry interrupted.

"Hermione, we're late for Transfiguration!" He turned towards Simon. "You know how McGonagall gets when you're late for her class," Harry said in a brotherly manner.

"Yeah," replied Simon coldly. He turned to Hermione. "See you later?" he questioned hopefully.

"Defiantly," replied Hermione while flashing a 100-watt smile as Harry dragged her upstairs.

"Harry, what were you thinking! We have Herbology next, and not for 15 minutes!" shouted Hermione once they had left the dungeons.

"Well what do you think you were doing!" remarked Harry as Ginny joined them. "Talking to him all buddy-buddy. I can't believe he even had the nerve - " He was fuming.

"Calm down Harry. Breathe. Oxygen is your friend." Said Ginny placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked at Hermione and rolled her eyes. "Men. So, who were you talking to?"

"Simon. He asked me to come to Hogsmede with him for lunch, and I was going to accept when Harry dragged me out of there." Hermione glared at Harry.

"He asked you on a lunch date? Oh, I'm so happy for you! Come on, we have about ten minutes to pick out you best robes - " She started to drag Hermione up to the dormitory, but Hermione stopped her.

"Trust me Gin, I have plenty of time. Lunch isn't until after my next class." Suddenly, Hermione was overwhelmed with the need to show Harry that she was indeed going to go with Simon. "OK Ginny," said Hermione slyly and slowly. "We got time to pick out some robes. Besides, I need to pick up my books." She wheeled the gleeful Ginny toward Gryffindor tower, leaving Harry with his jaw on the floor and steam practically pouring out of his ears.

***

"So I said to him, 'just give me that firecrab, or I'll hex you.' And he goes 'Not if this crab hexes you first!'"

The small round table burst out into laughter as Simon finished another story. Hermione, who was sitting next to him, grinned with pleasure. She was out at the Three Broomsticks, at the elbow of an amazing cute guy who seemed to like her, and having a blast with a bunch of Slytherins whom she would have normally avoided. As the boys (Hermione was the only girl) turned to their butterbeer and started talking about Quidditch, Simon turned to Hermione. "Come outside with me," he said. "Let's talk alone." Gleefully, Hermione obliged. They went out into the light snowstorm, and found a bench right outside the door to sit on.

"Jacques doesn't know what he's talking about," said Simon, gesturing toward the pub they had just left and pointing toward a tall boy like Simon, except with brilliant blonde hair, who was now the center of attention. "He thinks he can just leave Hogwarts on one of their broomsticks. It says quite clearly in Hogwarts, A History that all school broomsticks-"

"-Are bound to the school, and, if tried to fly off the grounds, will reverse and take the driver back to the castle." Hermione finished with shinning eyes. This was someone who had read Hogwarts, A History. She was sure she was the only one. Sure, there was that epidemic in second year, and Hermione grew hopeful then. But all anyone read was the chapter on the Chamber of Secrets then returned the books right away. Simon seemed to be registering the same fact as Hermione.

"You've read Hogwarts, A History?" he asked, sounding as if he couldn't believe it.

"And I thought I was the only one," replied Hermione. They were staring at each other with such wide eyes and such concentration that Hermione forgot to be embarrassed.

"Amazing," Simon whispered under his breath, voicing Hermione's thoughts.

How can you see into my eyes

Like open doors?

Leading you down into my core

Where I've become so numb

Hermione's hands where shaking in the cold, and her teeth chattering. Without a word, Simon pulled her towards him and pulled his cloak around them, his arm over her shoulder. Something in Hermione clicked. Like this was meant to be. Like a missing part of Hermione had found it's way into her and settled itself into place.

Without a soul

She felt...different than before. More...alive. She felt like she was beginning to breathe again. She was starting to feel like she had when...when she was dating Ron.

My spirit sleeping somewhere cold

Until you find it there and lead it back

Home

Her mind registered this immediately. This must be what I was missing, she thought. Someone...someone like Simon. I need... she paused, still too shaken up from her life to use the "L" word again. I need this feeling to keep me alive.

Wake me up inside

Wake me up inside

Call my name and save me from the dark

Bid my blood to run

Before I come undone

Save me from the nothing I've become

***

Harry and Ginny noticed a huge change in Hermione after that outing, which gave Ginny plenty of opportunity to gloat toward Harry. ("I told you so!") She was eating much more now, and Ginny reported she was singing in the shower. But, the biggest improvement of all was she started spending hours in the library again. Harry was astonished.

"But, he's a Slytherin!" he exclaimed one morning at breakfast.

"Yes, it's good that you noticed that." Replied Hermione, slowly eating toast while reading a book.

"Hello! Slytherin. Bad. Enemy. Do those words have any meaning anymore!" shouted Harry, causing a few stares.

"Harry, relax, you're ranting," said Ginny, trying to calm him down again as Hermione stood up.

"I'm off to the library," she said cheerfully, and started to leave the Great Hall. To her amazement, Harry and Ginny did not follow. Finally, she thought, and quickened her pace to the library.

***

Now that I know what I'm without

You can't just leave me

As soon as Hermione entered the library, she saw him at his window seat, reading he looked up when she came in, and his eyes brightened when he saw she was alone.

"They finally let you go alone?" Simon asked as Hermione approached him. She nodded happily as Simon led her to a back table. Ever since their outing together, they met in the library every day to try and talk, but, since Ginny and Harry were always with Hermione, they had never been able to. Now, they finally had a chance to be alone.

Hermione was addicted on the feeling of love. Since that day in Hogsmede, she had been aching for the feeling she only got when near him. Now, the feeling fed her starved soul, and Hermione gulped it down madly.

Breathe into me and make me real

Bring me to life

"I've missed you so much," Simon said as he gently ran his finger down her cheek. Hermione shivered in reply.

"Me too," Hermione whispered, meaning every word.

"Hermione, we should be together forever, don't know think?" He whispered. Something about the way he talked made Hermione want to drop down and beg for anything he needed.

Wake me up inside

Wake me up inside

Call my name and save me from the dark

Bid my blood to run

Before I come undone

Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life

"Yes, absolutely," she murmured. It was the truth too. She was long gone, she was his.

"I've missed you so much," Simon repeated.

"Yes, yes, I have too," said Hermione desperately, like the heroine of a cheap romance novel. That was true as well. Only the thought that Simon would always be in the library, waiting for her, kept her from sinking into the darkness she had once been in.

Frozen inside without your touch, without your love

Darling only you are the life among the dead

And with that, he kissed her.

Something exploded inside Hermione, and she was sure he felt the same. They could flirt, and hug, and hold hands, but there had always been that barrier between them. That barrier had broken down, and Hermione felt a wave of emotion over her. She pulled back from the kiss, startled. She didn't feel like Hermione. She felt like...someone else. But she liked that feeling. Whoever this new girl was, she liked her. She liked her because Simon liked her, and, she concluded as Simon pulled her towards him again, she could stay as her.

All this time I can't believe I couldn't see

Kept in the dark, when you were there in front of me

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems

Got to open my eyes to everything

Without a thought without a voice without a soul

Don't let me die here

There must be something more

Bring me to life

Wake me up inside

Wake me up inside

Call my name and save me from the dark

Bid my blood to run

Before I come undone

Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life

Bring Me to Life