Kept In The Shadows

4

The Great Hall was booming with laughter and excitement since it's the end of term. Last night felt like ages ago. I doubt most people even remember the majority of the party because the boys keep trying to spell their hangovers away.

The Great Hall looks beautiful in spring. There are cherry blossoms floating around the ceiling and everything smells like fresh rain and flowers. I can't help but smile to myself, thinking of all the wonderful things in my life.

Thinking of happy thoughts; I risk a look over at the Slytherin table to find Pansy. Crabbe and Pike are sitting where she normally sat so I scan the whole Great Hall. I frown, she's nowhere in sight.

"You alright, Hermione?" Harry asks, stuffing his face with scones, "You seem a bit distracted this morning." I turn my focus back to my friends. "Yeah," I say, "it's just...well, have any of you lot seen Parkinson today?"

Ron and Harry both make eye contact then roll their eyes. "God, Mione. You have got to get over this," Ron says, "It's not like she's plotting with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named everytime you don't know her exact location."

Here we go again.

"Ronald, please, for the love of Merlin, leave me alone this morning." I really can't deal with his hungover self this early in the morning.

"Hermione, he didn't do anything wrong!" says Harry out of nowhere. "I never said he did!" I've raised my voice now, "But the two of you never stop! You never stop picking apart every part of my life!" They both sit back, stunned.

"Y'know what, Hermione?" starts Ron, "I'm sick of you! Maybe the reason we're 'picking apart your life' is 'cause you never tell us anything anymore!"

Harry sits up straighter than before, adding, "Yeah, and you know what? Lavender told us that you never came back to your dorm last night! What the bloody hell is going on with you? We're supposed to be friends, and friends don't keep secrets," Harry spits.

They both sit back and wait for my response. Harry's expression is so cold I think it could freeze the sun.

I don't even know what to say. There's a million things I want to tell them. I don't do well with secrets so keeping them from the two people I trust most is eating me from the inside out.

Before I can even begin to explain myself, Millicent bursts through the Hall doors, frantically running towards the Slytherin table. All eyes are watching as Millicent whispers something to a few other girls and they all run out of the Great Hall together.

Without skipping a beat, the houses start gossiping and placing bets on what's going on. Something in my stomach feels wrong. My thoughts trace back to Pansy and how she's not here. I can't help but think that wherever the other Slytherin girls went, that's where Pansy is, which doesn't help calm me down.

I feel my heartbeat quickening and anxiety rising in my lungs. The air feels hot and sticky and I try to breath. Outside, I think to myself, Get. Air. Outside.

"Hermione?" Ron and Neville say at the same time as I trip over my robe trying to get out of my seat.

"Where are you going?" Dean yells after me but he sounds a million miles away. All I can think about is if Pansy's in danger or if she's hurt or- No. Stop it, Hermione.

I push through the dark oak doors of The Great Hall and start running. Check the hospital wing first. I think, making my way through the empty halls.

I get to the infirmary and knock on the window but Madame Pomfrey isn't there. "If you're looking for Parkinson, you're in the wrong place." I practically jump out of my skin. "What the bloody hell, Draco? You scared me!"

He turns around, his robe flying dramatically behind him (Draco has always been one for drama) and starts walking away. Should I follow him? Normally, I'm not one to trust Draco Malfoy but he made it seem like he knows something about Pansy. With a frustrated groan, I follow him.