Eternal Love

Chapter 4

All students had returned to their dorms for the evening, retiring to their beds. Something Hermione currently didn't own.

The young witch roamed the empty halls, trying not to disturb the portaits knowing they'd report suspicious behavior to Dumbledor and she couldn't be summoned to him right now, she wasn't ready.

She stopped in her tracks once she heard the cries and shrieks from a voice she hoped she'd never have to hear again. Moaning myrtle.

Although she had quite a history with the ghost it only reminded her of the time she had transformed into a cat, which was not a pleasant experience.

Her curious mind had defeated her sense of judgment and in she strode to the girls bathrooms.

"Hmmm and who are youuu?" She swooshed over to Hermione, clearly unaware of what personal space was. Myrtle's high pitched voice made Hermione cringe, regretting her choices of seeking company in one of Tom riddles first victims.

She never had liked the young ghost and she still didn't. Just that question made hermione want to do a 180 degrees turn back out the door she had once entered, but instead she remembered her manners and sat against the door of a locked cubicle.

"Hello Myrtle"

"And how do you know my name hmmm. Oh is it from all those horrible students mocking me, are you here to throw things at me and tease me. Hmmmm, go on then. Oh I hate it here"

Hermione thought to herself about how lonely it would be to spend most of her existence dead in one of hogwarts bathrooms and she felt guilty knowing Myrtle would spend another 20 years in that toilet.

She would hate it too, no wonder she was so grumpy. She had every right to be yet the ghost didn't make it easy to accompany.

"I'm not here to tease you, just to talk"

"About what" she was now giggling, clapping her hands and flying about into every cubicle in excitement.

"Hypothetically speaking, say you had accidentally time traveled 20 years into the past. What would you do?"

"Don't be silly, that's an obvious question. Make the most of it."

"That's utterly ridiculous"

"Well if I could time travel, I'd make sure I stayed alive and wasn't stuck in this smelly old place"

Was it possible to change the future? Hermione had never thought of it before. Maybe her whole being here was more than just a coincidence or an accident.

She felt something in her body ignite, a purpose to her life. Something she could actually do that would save people other than just Harry or Ron.

This could be her chance to prove the title that everybody gives her. Whether it's one third of the golden trio or the smartest witch of her age.

And although myrtles excessive giggling was ringing through her ears the insomnia and reality that she had time travelled weighed down on her eyes and she fell asleep, sprawled against the cold tiles of the girls bathroom.

꧁꧂

drip. drip. drip.

Fluttering eyes latched on to the culprit of the noise and she groaned into her cloak that was currently wrapped around her small figure.

The leaking tap gave her the realisation that she had spent the night in the toilets again, could her life get any lower?

It was currently daytime but she hadn't bumped into any real witches or wizards and she thanked Myrtle for that.

The dead girl became easy to read after the days they spent together where Hermione would read and Myrtle would moan. She could even guess when she would cry out, and she called herself a saint for being able to spend so much time in a bathroom with the worst ghost she had ever met.

Her plans to talk to Sirius had been in motion for about 3 days and she knew she couldn't just hide in the bathrooms for much longer. Whilst she was stuck in 1978 who knew what torments and obstacles Harry was left to deal with.

She felt so terribly selfish.

Plus having no bed and only a conjured mattress that was far too springy to sleep on was ruining her posture and any chance for a good nights sleep.

She had decided that today was the day she would speak to her professor and role model. At this point it was worth speaking to headmaster Dumbledor if it meant not having to hide in the retired prefect's bathroom.

Hermione had changed into a fresh shirt and skirt, sliding on her school shoes,that she had worn before she ran off to go horcrux hunting, and headed down to talk to Dumbledor.

She had spent the past few days memorising what she would say to the old wizard and how absolutely crazy she would sound and as soon as she stepped onto the stairs that was guarded by the golden eagle her legs had paralysed from fear and she had forgotten everything she had recited.

The hairs on her olive toned arms had abruptly stood up and bile rose to her throat. She was choking on nothing but air and picking at her own finger nails. Her brain was screaming at her to just turn around, she could withstand another night of sleeping in the bathroom but the other side of her conscious told her to do this for Harry.

Her panic attack had been disrupted by the wooden arched door flinging open to reveal none other than the leader of the school.

The door had decided her fate.