The night went by languidly. The morning bringing a new light upon the humble manor. The light was just starting to filter in when a piercing scream disrupted the tranquil visage.
Hermione was running, as fast as her feet could possibly take her. She dared a look behind her as she wove in and out of the tall bookcases. How she had found herself back inside her prison she hadn't known. She only knew one thing. Escape.
She could feel the creature swelling behind her; its jowls open, large and wide as it took great pleasure in the chase. She pushed hard on one of the book cases sending it and all its empty tomes crashing forward before she darted down the row. Shelf after shelf falling like dominoes, crashed loudly sending the darkness swirling away like a smokey plague. It nipped at her heels slowing her movements and masking her path as she pushed through to another row, so like the others. She had found herself lost inside its maze, searching desperately for the door that held her freedom.
Abruptly, the creature appeared directly in front of her, causing her to skid to a stop; her eyes wide as she took in its appearance for the first time. It was large, tightly white skinned, it's skull large devoid of any eyes, ears or nose. It had only a large open mouth filled with sharp curved teeth, a long tongue hung down twisting like a snake as it slowly crawled forward. It stood on four legs but it had a human like shape.
The skin was pulled extremely tight, outlining its overly defined muscles of its chest and back. Its arms were the size of an average human male's, its biceps rippling as it moved its weight. Its back was wide and hunched over. Its back legs spread wide to keep its stance low, its thighs heavily shadowed from the skin pulling against the muscle, no doubt it was built with a great skill for jumping. The end of its legs held large feet with equally large claws that scratched at the stone floor. Its large oversized hands moved even closer to her. It had five fingers, but each one held a long narrow deep black claw that looked like it could tear anything asunder with the smallest of efforts.
Hermione could feel the dread inside her swelling to the surface stilling her suddenly heavy feet. Her breaths came out in irregular puffs as her entire being trembled.
"Please..." She begged her hands coming up to clutch at her heart, "Please, just kill me already..." She was so tired, so tired of running from one nightmare to another as she stared down the base of her fears.
The creature seemed to smile wider as it closed the distance between them. It reared up on its back legs standing head and shoulders above her. Its long claws reaching forward, taking hold of her head with the utmost care.
Hermione took one last trembling breath closing her eyes for the insurmountable pain to come. She could feel it's saliva dripping down her chin as she pressed her eyes tighter, tears streaming down her face. Its grip tightened marginally.
YOU ARE READING
The Power of Pain
FanfictionFive years, it had been five years since the battle for Hogwarts. Five years for the students who suffered that day to move on with their lives. To love, to laugh, to marry. Five years since that fateful day that left the brightest witch of their ag...