Time Spent In Eternal Endings

Closed Curtains and Open Hearts

Hermione slept through all of her classes the next day. She had never missed a single class before, yet she couldn't seem to find it within herself to care. She couldn't find anything within herself. She couldn't even get up to go to the restroom or eat. Hermione hadn't left the bed once since she'd laid in it. She had a headache from dehydration. Her face was dry from old tears that stained her pale cheeks. She felt nauseous and even though she slept more than she ever had, she still felt as if no amount of sleep was enough. Her curtains were drawn and no light filled her room, but she just stared straight ahead at the wall in front of her.

She heard faint knocking that grew louder as she came back to reality. If she could even call it that. She felt like she was in a dream where everything was in a haze.

Pansy's voice sounded through the door. "Hermione? Are you in there?"

Hermione wanted to get up and answer the door, she really did. Just like how she wanted to go to school, but she just couldn't. She felt as if she were a shell of a girl. There was nothing inside of her but somehow she still existed. She was stuck in a hurricane with isolation spinning around her in the wind.

"Hermione, I'm worried. Is everything okay? Just tell me everything's okay please." The familiar friend's voice cut in again.

The word 'okay' made her feel dizzy. She wasn't okay, but she didn't know how to fix it. 'Okay' was something she was dreaming of feeling. Tears filled her eyes and they fell effortlessly down her face, taking the same stream they had been over already upon her skin.

"Hermione please, just give me something. Tell me to go away. Tell me you don't want to talk. Something." Pansy softly pleaded against the door. Pansy stayed a few moments longer outside of her door and eventually slowly walked off.

The tears never stopped even after she left. Hermione wasn't sure how much time passed, but Pansy was knocking again.

"Hermione?"

Cormac's voice.

Hermione slowly turned towards the door on her side. Her chest felt like a huge weight had been dropped on it and fear filled her eyes.

"Is everything okay? You left yesterday and you also left your wand. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright?"

She had to give him an answer. She was scared of what might happen if she didn't.

Her mind replayed the haunting voice. "This isn't over."

She opened her mouth to form a response, but her vocal chords failed her. She tried again.

"Yeah. I just got really sick and I had to leave. I- sorry for leaving so abruptly. You can just slide my wand under the door. I don't want you to get sick." Her voice was scratchy, weak, and tired. She couldn't even recognize her own voice.

"Are you sure? I really don't mi-"

"Yes. I'm sure." She cut back quickly as she squinted her eyes in desperation just wanting the interaction to be over.

"Okay. Well, I'm sorry you're sick. Hope you feel better." Pity filled his voice and his footsteps distanced.

She took a deep breath as she covered her face with her hands. More time passed. How much though? She wasn't sure.

Another knock sounded from the door and she wanted to scream. She felt like she was going insane. She turned towards the drawn curtains to see if she could tell what time it was, but when she looked there wasn't any light peeking through the fabric.