Darkest of Wishes

The Darkest of Wishes

Chapter 2

Awakening Nightmare

Hermione rolled over and felt the muscles down her back ache as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She opened her eyes and nothing registered; instead of worrying about it she just decided that a few more minutes of sleep would be sufficient.

"Hermione!"

Hermione wrinkled her nose and put a pillow over her head. She felt a finger poke her back and rolled over; then the finger poked her side. Hermione jumped.

"Stop," she mumbled as she rolled over again. Her eyes were slowly adjusting, but Hermione wondered why no sunlight was coming into the room. She sat up and looked down at the green sheets. Hermione stared at the sheets like they were the most horrid things ever made. She looked up and saw none other than Pansy Parkinson standing right at her bed with a malicious grin on her face. "What... you... GET OUT!"

"Ooh. Touchy. Come, now, Hermione, no need to-"

Hermione threw the green covers off of her and jumped down to the cold floor. "Get out! You horrid-"

"That's a laugh." Pansy hopped up onto Hermione's bed and smoothed out the covers.

"What?" Hermione backed against the wall and jumped slightly at the coolness of it. She looked around and noticed the Slytherin logo hanging over the doorway and silver and green was everywhere in the room.

"Horrid? Me?" Pansy laughed and fluffed one of the pillows on the bed. "Pot calling the kettle black, are we, Granger?"

"How... how'd you get in here?" Hermione continued to look around the room. Five four-poster beds, Slytherin colors everywhere... surely Hermione hadn't walked down to the dungeons. No, she didn't know the password into the Slytherin common room.

Pansy looked at Hermione like she had five heads. "I walked." She then hopped off the bed and placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Stop being so mental; did you have another one of those nightmares?"

Hermione watched as Pansy's hand touched her shoulder. There was no way that Hermione was... no... what in the name of Merlin was going on?

"Nightmare?"

"Y'know - about the Grim." Pansy's hand left Hermione's shoulder, which Hermione was thankful for. It felt odd, like there actually was some sort of compassion behind the motion. Something was definitely not right. This was obviously a joke.

"No," Hermione walked over to her bed and looked underneath the bed where her case usually was. She pulled it out and opened the case. Inside; there was some Muggle clothing, a mirror, a hair brush, a book (The Greenwich Witches by Abermae Bandithlique - a book that Hermione had never heard of before), and robes. Hermione shut the case and turned around to face Pansy.

"You're not going up for breakfast?"

"Up for breakfast?" Hermione gaped at Pansy. "Up?"

"Yes - up. Do I need to take you to Madame Pomfrey?" Pansy put her hand on her hip and her blonde hair flailed. "You're sure acting . . . odd . . . today."

"No," Hermione turned back around and opened her case. She took out a Slytherin cloak and threw it onto her bed. "I don't need to go to Madame Pomfrey."

"Well, get dressed then, and we'll go eat. Maybe some food will do you some good."

"Yes, I do believe it will." Hermione stared at her Slytherin robes and wondered what exactly was going on.

x x x x x

I've obviously gone into a different reality where I am a Slytherin. That is not entirely improbable. Or some wizard did some sort of spell to get me into Slytherin. Or someone has meddled with time... oh, that can't be good.

Hermione's head kept spinning with all of her thoughts. I really must talk to Harry and Ron.

As Hermione followed Pansy through the Slytherin common room; Hermione was very aware of her surroundings as she marched through, but nobody gave her any trouble. In fact, people moved out of her way. A few achingly tall Slytherin boys strode up beside her and asked her how she was doing this morning. Hermione shrugged and said she had a headache. It seemed like that was the right thing to say, especially since the two didn't say anything the rest of the way to the Great Hall.

Hermione walked into the Great Hall where the chatter filled up the room. Hermione stood on her tiptoes to try and find Ron and Harry at the Gryffindor table, but Pansy yanked her in the other direction.

"What are you doing?" She whispered as she pulled Hermione to a seat.

"I was looking for someone."

"A Gryffindor?" Pansy's eyebrows raised, creating a very weird look for the girl.

"What does it matter?" Hermione reached forward for a piece of toast, and her hand met up with a rather pale one.

"Morning, Granger."

Hermione stopped immediately and locked eyes with none other than Draco Malfoy. She slowly pulled her hand back, leaving the toast to fend for itself.

"What's wrong with you?" He grabbed the toast and smeared some jelly onto it.

"She's been acting completely odd all morning," Pansy shot up.

Hermione looked over and could see how enamored with Draco she really was. Pansy looked completely desperate with one eyebrow cocked up and her hand trailing through her rather short blonde hair. If Draco hadn't sensed by now how many signals she was throwing him; then Draco was obviously more stupid than Hermione had thought.

Hermione was completely disgusted by the scene.

"Odd?" He stuffed the toast into his mouth.

"Yes-"

"Yes," Hermione butted in. "I found the state I was in this morning to not be a pleasant one."

Draco gave her a half smile, completely ignoring Pansy's adoring stares. "Why so?"

Go with it

, Hermione told herself. You won't be here long, just say something completely horrid. Maybe I'll get sent back!

"I realized I'd have to eat breakfast alongside you." Hermione reached forward and grabbed a piece of toast and bit off a piece. "You know, Pansy, this toast is actually quite delicious."

Pansy looked at Hermione, again, like she had lost her mind. Hermione, then, stole a look over to Draco, who actually looked dumbfounded.

Draco stood up quickly and gathered his books. He left the Hall in such a rush, that Hermione almost didn't have any time to laugh.

"Ow!" Hermione grabbed her arm where Pansy had smacked her. "What was that for?"

"How dare you treat him like that!" Pansy's eyes were completely full of... something... it looked like a mix of jealousy and disappointment. "You know he's sorry."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh, "Sorry?" More laughter. "Draco Malfoy? Sorry?"

"You know he is." Pansy shook her head and ate some of her eggs. "Look, I know when you went through... well... you know... he apologized and I thought you said that you were both... over it. And, that, well... you would stop ignoring him and treating him-"

"After the way he treated..." Hermione stopped. They were definitely not on the same page. "Wait, are you talking about a relationship?" Hermione didn't want to hear the answer, since everything that Pansy had been saying was pretty much built towards the answer she was about to hear.

"Hermione?" Pansy asked incredulously. "You aren't being serious are you? You know that I'm talking about you and Draco. You were together for about two years."

Hermione felt the bile creep up her throat and all she could do was run out of the Great Hall and to the nearest bathroom. She kept herself from throwing up, but she felt sick the rest of the day. Hermione walked up to the Hospital Wing and got to stay out of classes for the day.

Hermione felt bad about missing classes, but she felt that she needed to sort things out. After lunch, Hermione told Madam Pomfrey that she was feeling better and that she needed a little bit of air.

As soon as she shut the door to the Hospital Wing; Hermione found herself in front of the Fat Lady. She stared at the painting, but the Fat Lady wasn't supposed to talk to students from other houses. Hermione sighed and turned around to go back down the staircases and see if she could at least research something about alternate realities in the library. Of course, she'd need to be in the Restricted Section, but she figured that she'd have no problem of obtaining a slip from a teacher.

Hermione walked to Professor McGonagall's room, and peeked inside to make sure she didn't have a class. She knocked on the door and heard McGonagall's voice welcome her inside.

"Miss Granger, why do I have the privilege of such a visit?" Hermione could have swore that she saw a bit of sarcasticness in McGonagall's eyes, but she looked past that.

"Professor, there's a book in the Restricted Section. I was wondering-"

"You're reading now?"

Hermione was completely taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"

"You never read any assignments I give to you in class, why would you begin to read now?" "Professor, I-"

"No, Miss Granger, I will not give you permission to obtain access into the Restricted Section of the library."

"But, Professor-"

"That will be enough. I will see you tomorrow in class. Good day, Miss Granger." McGonagall bent her head over a piece of parchment that had a lot of red markings. The conversation was over.

"Good day, Professor." Hermione shut the door and leaned up against it.

Not only am I in Slytherin, but I don't do my assignments! How embarrassing

.

x x x x x

Hermione had been to see Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra; both didn't see fit to give Hermione a pass. Hermione figured it was time to go to Professor Snape. She figured that since she was in Slytherin, she would probably be a favourite; and might actually obtain some sort of permission slip.

"Professor Snape?" Hermione opened the door to the Potions classroom, and then made her way towards the back of the classroom where Snape's office was. "Professor?"

"Ah, Hermione." Hermione whirled around to see Professor Snape standing at the classroom door. Hermione quickly shut the office door and smiled at Professor Snape. This felt rather odd, but Hermione had to try. "How are things?"

"Fine," Hermione nodded her head and moved towards Snape. "I came to ask you a question."

"From one of my top students? That's something..." Snape walked to the front of the classroom, his cape billowing behind him.

"I was wondering if you would give me permission to get a potions book from the Restricted Section of the Library." Hermione heaved a sigh. That wasn't too bad. Now all she had to do was wait for him to say, "No, Miss Know-It-All Granger, don't you know enough?"

"Which book did you want to check out?" Snape smiled in a way that Hermione thought he knew that she wanted to look for something other than potion assignments.

"I don't remember exactly, but it does have the Polyjuice Potion in it."

"We start studying that potion next semester, Hermione, but if you would like, I will give you pass for that book and any other two of your liking." Snape scribbled something down on a roll of parchment and handed it to Hermione.

"Next time, you don't have to ask. Just come to me with your list already written and I'll sign it."

Hermione didn't like the smile that Snape had on his face, but she thanked him and headed off to the library.

x x x x x

"Not one thing." Hermione slammed the book shut as a Ravenclaw next to her got up quickly and moved in the other direction. Hermione watched as a Hufflepuff, who had been walking towards Hermione, looked up and spotted her, and then turned towards another pile of books.

Hermione figured that she obviously wasn't a very nice person in this world.

"Hermione!" Pansy ran up to her, then looked around. "What are you doing in the library?"

Hermione rolled her eyes; thankful she still had her brain, even though Slytherin Hermione didn't. "Studying."

"Why?" Pansy looked shocked.

"Because I need to raise a few grades in some of my other classes." Hermione looked down at her own robes, and realized that her Head Girl badge was not there. Not even a Prefect badge rested there. She obviously was not supposed to be smart in this world.

"Oh, right, new goal." Pansy nodded her head. "Well, good luck with that." Pansy said sarcastically as she patted Hermione on the back. Pansy obviously didn't know whom exactly she was patting on the back.

x x x chapter end x x x