Braving the Past

Chapter 48: Another Way

Hermione rolled over in the bed.

You have to come find me.

Her legs kicked inside the sheets.

Mione...please.

She twisted back around, face digging into the pillow.

We have to end this war. I need your help.

Harry finally appeared in front of her. All around them was swirling grey mist.

"Hermione..." he said, his voice distant as if it were being carried away in the wind.

"I'm here!" she screamed at him. "I came back, what else do you want from me?!"

"Hermione, please."

She turned away only to find herself face-to-face with Ron.

"You have to stop him," he implored.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know how! Harry was the only one who could have stopped him."

She began to sink, grey water engulfing her legs.

"This can't go on any longer," Ron continued. "Find Harry and end this once and for all."

"I can't...I don't know...I can't!"

She lifted her hand to grab Ron's as the water moved up to her chest. But before she could reach it, he was pulled away by a strong wave, a silent scream marring his face. Hermione kicked her legs as hard as she could, but when she finally reached Ron, his eyes glowed scarlet.

Voldemort opened his mouth and rushed at her. His black cloak overtook her and plunged her in darkness.

Hermione awoke with a small start. She gulped and stayed still as the effects of the dream coursed through her. She shivered.

Then she realized the sheets were in a tangled mess all around her. No wonder she felt so restricted. She brushed hair out of her face, then caught sight of Malfoy still sitting across the room. He looked at her strangely.

Hermione cleared her throat and tried in vain to untangle herself from the green sheets.

"I must have moved a lot in my sleep," she said.

"Indeed," Malfoy replied, his eyes questioning.

She turned her back to him and hugged her hands to her chest. She'd thought that coming back to her time would have stopped the dreams, but they were as strong as ever. The details confused her. No matter how hard she crinkled her forehead, she couldn't make sense of it.

"What were you dreaming about?" Malfoy asked.

Hermoine tensed. "You were bald," she said, her voice thick from sleep. "It was horrific."

"Very funny," he said blandly.

Hermione stared at the wall across from her. If Dream Harry was still pestering her, there had to be something she was missing. Other than trying to find survivors of the war, she couldn't think of anything else she could do to turn the tide in their favor.

But the biggest thing stopping Hermione from finding out what she was meant to do was sitting ten paces away.

"When are you going to let me go?" she blurted, sitting up in the bed.

Malfoy cocked his head to the side. "When I know it's safe."

"You brought me to the headquarters of the most vile wizard in history," Hermione pointed out. "It'll never be safe."