Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Seven

  October arrived with no shortage of stress. Albeit the classes were significantly easier than the courses in the nineties, but the professors weren't lenient on homework.

  Delilah gracelessly sat down at the Slytherin table during lunch, a yawn passing her lips as she reached for a sandwich.

  "Did you even sleep last night? You weren't at breakfast." Elio asked as he observed the circles growing more prominent under her eyes. "She wasn't in the dormitory last night either." Lolita shot her a suggestive smile.

  Delilah was too exhausted to blush and she simply glared at the girl. "If you must know, I spent quite the romantic night with my alchemy textbook."

  Cain took a bite of his food, not caring to close his mouth as he spoke. "I don't see why you push yourself so much, you're second in class next to Riddle. If you're trying to beat him you'll die of sleep deprivation." Lolita scowled in disgust as she could clearly see the food Cain was chewing. "Merlin, eat with your mouth shut." Cain turned his eyes on Lolita and simply smiled at her, still not bothering to close his mouth. Delilah hid a knowing smile at the pair behind another yawn.

  "I'm not trying to beat Riddle, I've realized that would be near impossible and I quite like my sanity. I'd be at my wits end if I tried to surpass him." She muttered.

  "Is that so, Pontmercy? You appear to be perspicacious, I would not like to see you cut yourself short." Tom said as he sat down, looking as eloquent as ever.

  Delilah growled silently to herself. He was in the library nearly as late as she was, yet he got a better mark on his essay and he didn't appear to be the least bit tired. It was annoying how perfect he was. She was also irritated at his seeming refusal to call her by her first name. No matter how many times Delilah asked. So in turn, she resolved to calling him Riddle. Not that he appeared to care.

  "Halloween is next week." Pyrrhus piped up, a fond smile on his face. He'd been talking incessantly about the special treats Honeydukes would have for the holiday.

  Delilah nearly forgot it was even a thing celebrated. These past few years it was completely ignored, plus with the added weight of it being the anniversary of Harry's parents' deaths. Delilah shivered as a wave of melancholy hit her.

   Her patience was wearing thin, which was never a good thing. She'd been meeting with Dumbledore three times a week to figure out not only how to get back to her time, but how she even arrived in 1943 in the first place. But to no avail has a solution arose.

  Delilah's heart ached to see her friends and family again. There's been countless times where she'd slump weakly against the wall in a hidden corridor. It was like the universe was teasing her with a mourning, like she'd already lost. It was like she really was dead, her life left behind.

  It got bad one evening, just last week. It was her older brother's birthday, and the fear of never seeing his stupid face again nearly made her blackout. She locked herself in an abandoned classroom and screamed till her lungs gave out. Delilah couldn't cry. A trait she was usually contempt with but now it felt like a burden. Crying would've been a release, but her body and mind refused.

  "Speaking of Halloween," Elio trailed and looked nervous as he glanced between Delilah and Pyrrhus. The latter of which giving him an encouraging nod.

  A twinge of pink started to grow in the boy's cheeks and Delilah raised an eyebrow, wondering what was getting him so flustered. "Delilah, would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade next weekend?" Elio asked. Delilah was about to say yes, but Elio began speaking quickly in a mess of words.