The Unexpected Task [H.P.]

Chapter 20 - A Gift and An Apology

Dark, cold, wet. I laid on the ground gasping for air, fighting for air through tightened lungs. Frightened, aching, why do I feel so nauseous? I tried to sit up, but a force held me down, pushing me back. Dark, cold, wet. The ground was covered in an inch of water, lapping around my splayed ankles and rippling around me in the cold air. I looked at my hands. Red, wet, clammy. Blood. Everywhere. I held my hands to my head, where the ringing felt the loudest. More blood, sparkling, warm. I heard it around me. The voices. The whispering I'd heard my whole life. It was louder. The voice was cold. I felt goosebumps all around my body. I heard another voice, stronger, warmer. And then another, a little deeper, like still water. The same whispers. They were fighting. Above me. I opened my eyes, I knew the voices. I knew them like the backs of my hands. They were there, but they weren't talking to me. Or even each other. The great snake hovered over the three of us, Barnes, Barnes and Barnes. One half-alive, one missing, one trapped. We were there, together. And we were speaking. And I understood them.

I woke with a scream that tore from my lungs, ripping like parchment. Above me, Hermione furiously tried to get me to calm down, wrapping her arms around my writhing body, pulling, shrieking, crying.

"No! No! No!" I screamed, over and over, tearing my throat out. Hermione was crying.

"Emorie, please, it was a dream, please!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she pulled me closer, my fists fighting her, pushing, scraping, and finally, lying limp with defeat. I cried into her arms, finally attempting to calm down as I processed what had just happened. I had a dream, a nightmare. My brother and my father, standing over my dying body, speaking to a snake. And I understood them, like it was clear, perfect english, only it wasn't.

Hermione rocked me back and forth, shushing and patting my hair flat. I cried, limp, defeated, exhausted. My bed curtains were open, but the room was empty. It was just Hermione and I. Daylight streamed through the large windows. It was well past morning on Christmas Day. Eventually, my sobs slowed down, and I exhaled a deep, meaningful breath.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked softly, still holding my shaking shoulders. I just shook my head. She would think I'm crazy.

We sat together, silently for a few minutes. I was still trying to catch my breath. For a moment, I forgot what happened the night before, but when that all came flooding back, I wanted to tear my throat out with sobs again. I'd ruined everything with Cedric. I don't even know how. For the whole night, I thought I wanted him to kiss me. I was ready. But when he did... and then... Harry. Everything had clicked into place. Every sidelong glance, shoulder touch, his protectiveness, every strange look, narrowed eye, furrowed eyebrow. It all made sense, washing over me like a king tide.

I cleared my throat, stifling back my tears. "It was horrible."

Hermione continued to brush back my hair from my face soothingly and hummed in reply. She changed the subject, sensing the finality in my words. "It's Christmas."

I sit up, breaking out of her arms. At the end of my bed, a small pile of presents sat, varied in size and how well they were wrapped. I glanced at Hermione's bed, which was made, seeing that her pile of presents was still intact. She'd waited to open hers for me. A book lay on the ground between our beds. She must have been up reading when I woke up screaming, and rushed over. A pang of guilt washed over me, but I sucked it down.

"It is." I reply, looking at Hermione, whose face is washed with deep concern. "I'll be okay. I'm just... shaken up." Hermione nods silently, and gets up, giving me some space.

She settles back onto her bed, and pulls a present towards her, wrapped very poorly in newspaper. She laughed to herself for a moment, muttering "Ron still can't wrap gifts, and he has 6 siblings."