Hermione stood, watching the sea dance up and down the beach. As she watched, tears trickled and dropped, one by one, down to the ground. Then some movement caught the corner of her eye. She turned her head slowly towards it. A boy was standing on the cliff near her, but he was staring at the ground, not the sea. Although she didn’t want to move, something inside her needed to talk to him, to anyone.
Hermione moved slowly, step by step, towards the boy. The distance between them seemed to stretch out into miles and miles. She couldn’t see, and felt dizzy. Then everything went black.
She was always white. Whenever they played, she was white. All because of that first game.
”Will you play then, Hermione? Come on, I promise I won't be too hard on you.” He was grinning, challenging her. And she never backed down from a challenge, even then.
“All right,” she sighed. “What colour?”
“Well, white always goes first-”
“I'll be white then,” she said, trying not to giggle.
He moved one pawn, one square forward.
But now he was gone. He: the one who had taught her to love. He was always saying that she was cleverer, and maybe she was. But cleverness and books didn't matter; there were more important things -- things like friendship, and bravery. Things that he had.
So maybe she should change. A smile lit her face, the first one for weeks. She had reached a decision, and she wouldn't break it.
“I promise, Ron. I promise.” Next time, she would choose black.
When Hermione awoke, she was lying on her back. Slowly, she got up and looked around her. Shaking her head from the odd dream she had, she looked about her.
***
Hermione was walking back to her cottage, her head up high. Then she stopped, and a confused look crossed her face. Where the set of tiny rooms should be, nestled between a cliff and a wood, was nothing, just a blank, empty space. Cautiously, Hermione began to creep forward.
But the lot was not quite empty. A girl, about seven years old, stood right in the middle. The girl turned as Hermione approached, though her shoes weren’t making any noise on the tall grass.
The girl smiled and extended a hand. Hermione took it and shook, then dropped her own hand, surveying the girl suspiciously.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Jessenia.” The girl smiled wider, showing teeth that glinted white against her tanned skin. “Follow me.”
Dumbly, Hermione followed. They walked into the forest and past trees. They walked for what seemed like years, yet Hermione couldn’t seem to think. Gradually the trees went from English oaks, holly bush’s and yew trees to exotic fruit trees, and spindly bamboo canes.
This isn’t normal. The thought barely registered in Hermione’s mind before it was gone. Eventually, they stopped beside an oddly thick tree, different from the others Hermione had seen in this seemingly magical forest.
“Let me tell you a little of my life. I grew up far away from here, with many other children and families. But that didn’t last very long. There were four different groups of people in that village. One group of people began to attack another, and they wiped them out - all except one.
Some friends and I escaped, and ran away. For many years we lived alone.
But then strange things began to happen, and we realised this was magic.
“So I came here,” Jessenia said as she waved a brown hand at their surroundings. “To join others like me, and to control my magic. But then I learned there were other organization’s like this, called, uh, I think you say ‘schools’ where children learn all together! It sounded very exciting, so a group of my friends and I decide to each research a special student, from a different country. I chose you.”
“But, why? And, my cottage-”
Jessenia smiled again, and waved her hands. They were sitting on the sofa Hermione’s cramped living room, on the sofa. Now the tall girl’s long black hair, bare feet, and bright dress looked out of place.
“How… Never mind.” Hermione remembered her manners. “Would you like a drink?”
Jessenia nodded happily and took the biscuit that Hermione gave her. Then the two girls settled down to chat some more.
They talked late into the night, and Jessenia told her that the boy on the cliff had been one of her friends. But when Hermione fainted, he panicked and ran. Soon, however, the time came for Jessenia to go back.
“I will come again, soon, Hermione,” Jessenia said solemnly at the door, and then she turned and vanished into the night. Hermione hummed as she walked down the hall, when she heard a strange plinking noise.
She whipped out her wand and peered into the lounge.
Nothing.
“Hello?”
No answer. But the noise carried on.
Annoyed, Hermione went back into the hall. Then she came to an abrupt halt, staring at something which was dangling from the ceiling.
It's All in Your Head by Celtic_Jewel
Story Notes:
This was for my Ancient Runes class last term.
Chapter Notes: Thanks go to Ashley, my beta.