Let Me Hear You

[ Round One ]

I woke up to a face full of Taslyn's long, thick chocolate hair. I flicked it off and rubbed my hands across my now tickled face with a moan. Neither of us were morning people, so without checking the time, I knew we had missed breakfast. With another groan, I climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I leant over the sink and splashed some cold water on my face, trying to wake myself up.

Wandering around my room, tidying up the mess Tas and I made the night before, my blissful morning ignorance was ripped clean. "Oh shit!" I gasped loud enough that Tas jumped out of bed with a yelp. "What?! What happened?!" She grabbed her wand, frantically searching the room for danger.

I laughed at her frazzled appearance, but it didn't lighten my mood. "Sorry, sweet. You can put your wand down." She huffed, tossing it on the bed, and sank back down next to it. "What the bloody hell was that all about then?" She yawned. "I just remembered I have my first rounds with Snape tonight." I rolled my eyes. Falling into the nearest armchair, I hung my head over the armrest, letting my long hair fall, almost touching the ground. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say to him, Tas."

Last night, during our excessive snack session, I confessed that Snape was mad at me for "embarrassing" him in front of other students. He had gone to the headmaster about my "attitude" and is going to discuss it with me tonight. "I don't understand. I know that he hates the general population, but he never seemed to have an issue with you." She mused. "You seemed to annoy him less than everyone else." She added. "I thought so too. Maybe that's why he got so bent out of shape; he wasn't expecting me to stand up to him."

We lounged in silence for a while, both still groggy from our night of gossiping and bingeing. By the time we were both showered and dressed, lunch was about to be served. We decided we would gather some food and head out to the Black Lake. It was a clear, sunny day – not too hot, perfect picnic weather. We chatted about menial things like schoolwork and who Pansy Parkinson is dating this week before turning to our books and reading in comfortable peace.

There's an orderly silence before chaos ensues – a calm before the storm. I knew Snape and I would discuss more than just my "attitude" this evening. I haven't told anyone about my gift. The only people who know are my family; I haven't ever told a friend, much less one of the most feared teachers in Hogwarts. It's not that my family forbids me from sharing this part of myself; it's that I didn't want the burden of having people know. It's tiring to hear people's minds loud and clear, but it is exhausting to hear them try to cover up their thoughts. My father, a muggle, was always a mess of "Oh shit, I can't think that." Or, "Damn, think about something else, quick." It's even louder, if that's at all possible.

I had long since given up on reading my book. Though it still sat open in my hands, my eyes were fixed on the rippling Black Lake, unfocused. I love being out this far away from the castle; students don't often wander this way. There is nothing for me to hear aside from the small waves lapping at the bank, the breeze whispering through the swaying trees of the Forbidden Forest, and the birds twittering in them. Out here, I am able to focus my breathing and calm my mind into Zen, so that I can't even hear Taslyn's mind relaying the words from her book beside me.

I was so zoned out, in fact, that I didn't notice Taslyn gather her things and stand up. "Hazel?" I heard her call, though her voice still sounded muffled. "Hmm?" She leant down and plucked my still open book from my hands. "I said it's almost 5pm, we should head back before it gets dark." I looked out over the Black Lake and noticed the sky was now soft shades of amber and pink. "We've been out here for almost five hours?" She hummed in confirmation. "It feels like we just sat down." I sighed, standing up and taking my book back from her.

We lazily walked back to the castle. Dinner wasn't for another hour, so we had plenty of time. However, I couldn't think of anything worse than dining with a thousand screaming minds right now. I needed peace and quiet to prepare myself for my impending doom. Entering the common room, I paused. "I'm going to skip dinner tonight, Tas." I sensed she had expected this announcement. "I know. Go get some rest." She hugged me as we parted ways. "Good luck." She called out, ascending the stairs. Luck is certainly what I need right now – and a nap.