Just A Dream

The Room of Requirement

The day before the second task had approached quickly, and in the week since the last one, only just now had everyone seemed to have gotten over it. Classes were already getting stressful, and the amount of work Hermione was getting through was quite astonishing, however, this didn't manage to completely distract her from what was still sitting in the back of her mind.
Since their little chat, Draco and Hermione had acted very neutrally towards each other, she'd even attempted a small smile in the corridor, but to that he just smirked whilst feigning a look of disgust as she walked by. That was getting more and more difficult though, acting disgusted by her, when there was really only one thing that bugged him about her; which was the sense that despite their truce now going rather smoothly, he still had a rather overwhelming sense she was still pitying him. Obviously, several things about her bugged him, but not seriously like that. Her know it all attitude, her annoyingly smug comments, and her wild hair to name but a few things. But even those irritating bits were starting to grow on him. But only a little.

When everyone was at dinner the night before, Hermione had caught eye contact with him and gave him a sarcastically friendly wave that was badly hidden, and he returned it in an equally goofy manner, neither really taking into account those staring at them. Both had come to find these little interactions quite amusing over the weekend, and had gotten a little carried away with it too.
Her gaze drifting back to her friends, her smile dropped when she realised they were all staring at her with horrified expressions.
"What, the hell, was that," Ron asked rhetorically, seeming on the verge of hysterics. Hermione gulped slightly.
"Oh nothing, we just kind of, have a bit of an inside joke I suppose," she said, very nonchalantly.
"An inside joke? You've got to bloody kidding me!" Ron sounded furious. "Since when did you two get so pally? This is like deja vu, you're fraternising with the enemy, again. Jeez I'd have thought you'd learnt your lesson after the first time."
"Viktor wasn't that bad Ron! Honestly, you're the one who was completely and utterly taken with him in the first place," she said lightly, trying her best to joke and not get taken too seriously. Luckily Harry and Ginny both laughed.
"Really, we ought to be careful you don't start to fall for Blaise the way you've been going on about him," said Ginny smirking. Ron went as red as his hair with anger and everyone giggled. It was true, he had managed to slip him into most conversations, despite having only spent the smallest amount of time with him. It was like he idolised him, which was strange, because at times he just wouldn't stop going on about how much of a git he was.
"Oh ha ha, real funny Ginny," he said quietly.

An almost paralleled scene had played out at the Slytherin table, the second Draco had lowered his hand from the wave, he immediately regretted doing it so openly. He did his best to hold in an embarrassed blush as his friends gave him a stare down.
"What?" he eventually piped up defensively.
Silence still, from Crabbe and Goyle, because they were busy eating and had no clue what was going on. From Pansy, because she'd suddenly been hit with a slap of jealousy, and Blaise, who simply sat there amused.
"Did you really just sink to that level?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"We're not blind."
"Well yes I can see that Blaise," he said irritated.
A bit of a pause hung in the air.
"Did you and Granger..." Blaise trailed off.
"Did me and Granger what? Spit it out Blaise; though I'm sure whatever you're about to ask will be utter nonsense."
"Are you guys like...friends now?"
"Don't be ridiculous, as if I'd be friends with someone like her."
He didn't really want to say it, but he did as menacingly as possible in the hope that Blaise would stop suspecting things that actually weren't happening. It seemed he did as he eventually dropped the subject and carried on eating. Pansy sat, quietly seething, definitely an over reaction, and Draco just ate as quickly as possible so he could go up and sulk a little.
His bad mood was not helped by the fact the second task was tomorrow, he'd been praying it wouldn't be as... complex, as the last one had, but knowing Dumbledore it'd probably only get worse.
Dinner finished and he raced up to his room, disregarding the homework he knew he probably should be doing. Tomorrow was not going to be fun.

The sun rose and shone brightly into Hermione's room. The rays lay across her bed, and she woke up calmly. However, that calm soon changed to nerves as she realised today was the day of the second task. She huffed, this was going to be bad.
Morning passed in a rush as all the other sixth years paced about.
"Good luck," Ginny said as she left for her own lessons.
"Thanks, I'll need it," replied Hermione smiling.
Before leaving the common room, Hermione felt very panicky, but Harry and Ron, (mainly Harry) tried their best to calm her down.
"It won't be any worse than what you went through last time," said Harry.
"That's not exactly helping Harry, besides it doesn't matter. It's not real, I'll get over it," she said shortly.
Shrugging the boys just walked with her until they got to the classroom, where, just like last time, everyone had gathered inside, and once again McGonagall and Dumbledore stood at the front.
"Hello once again, students," she started, "I hope you're all well prepared now you know what kind of extent these things can be dragged out to. So find you partners and follow me."

Hermione wondered if they'd do the dream thing again, but just in a different situation. Draco came to her this time, which was surprisingly nice. He smiled at her, which kind of put her into shock slightly. That was a real genuine smile, and it wasn't even at something she'd said. What did that mean?
Don't get distracted she told herself.
Draco noticed her quietness but didn't say anything, she was probably just nervous.
They walked in pairs again, this time getting no instruction from McGonagall or Dumbledore as they went, and were heading in a different direction to last time, until suddenly down a long corridor, they were all stopped to a halt. They were outside the room of requirement.
Dumbledore waved his wand created a very fancy looking queue line in which everyone piled in. Draco and Hermione were near the back, as per usual now it would seem. Only the people at the front could hear what was being said, and then right where they were standing, the door appeared to the room of requirement and the first pair stepped in. Then they waited 10 seconds before sending the next pair in.

Both intrigued, they leaned out to the side, though Hermione, being slightly overly eager, overbalanced a little over the rope that was containing them. As if instinct, Draco quickly caught her by her waist before she could fall to the floor. It was like it was in slow motion. A bit breathless Hermione stared up at him, taken a back by the warmth of his hand where it was. She had straightened back up but his hand was still there. Realising this, he whipped it away before anyone around could see.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"No problem," he said awkwardly.
They were fast approaching the front of the queue and eventually watched as some Slytherin/Hufflepuff pair went ahead and shut the doors behind them. Dumbledore ushered them both forwards to the door and made them clasp their hands on the two handles. He leaned between them and said in a whisper, "think of what you need."
After a second of confusion, thoughts streamed through their minds. They both needed a lot of things.
Draco was going through all sorts of interesting needs. Having no part in becoming a death eater was one, and so was making sure he didn't have to have a miserable life forever. But he considered these more of wants than needs. What he really, really needed was just some peace, so he settled on that.
Hermione on the other hand was struggling to think of anything at all, despite knowing there was several things she did need. But she had gone blank, until at the last moment, a suppressed thought which she'd tried desperately to stay away from escaped into her mind. She needed to know what was wrong with Draco. And with that, the double doors opened into pitch black.
"Find a way out," was the last thing they heard, as both fearfully stepped into the darkness.
They only took a couple of steps in before the doors behind them closed, silence engulfed them, and the floor disappeared. Screaming, they both fell down the seemingly never ending hole until hitting a nicely padded area of what felt like grass.

Very dazed, Draco eventually lifted himself up from the ground and blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the bright sun that was beating down heavily on them. Eyes adjusting, he looked round to see they were in a field of long soft grass that tickled his skin delicately. He looked to Hermione, lying beside him, who groaned and grabbed her elbow which she obviously hit. When she finally opened her eyes though, she too looked round in amazement. The sky was a glorious blue and the sun felt gorgeous on her, she would've smiled if she weren't so confused. A very long, neatly cut and tall bush surrounded them, as if they were caged in, although it was a very big field, about the size of a Quidditch pitch. It was so vast, so... peaceful. She didn't understand. This was obviously not what Draco's life was like.
Draco on the other hand rolled about in glee, ignoring Hermione, and took a deep breath. It even smelt good. This was his peace.
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A/N; this was a little shorter, but hey ho. This time my inspiration was drawn a little from TMR, so yeah you'll see what I mean next chapter, things are gonna get intense...