Screams in the darkness… A lonesome heart longing for the truth… Unheard cries for help… Pain, unforgiving pain… Hermione jolted awake breathing heavily, her shoulders shaking. A white hot pain ran through her back.
"Hermione?" said Ginny concerned," Are you alright?"
She breathed in heavily," Yeah, just a bad dream I guess," she replied in on fast breath.
"Are you sure? You where tossing and turning," said Ginny handing her a hot cup of tea.
"Yeah, just a nightmare."
"Do you remember what it was about?" she sympathetically asked.
"No…"
Hermione's heart raced. What exactly had she dreamed? The last thing she could remember was. Images of walking down the hallway, the painting of the vampire bride's painting, the scream, and those fangs all uncontrollably raced through her mind.
The she felt the white hot pain in her back. She coughed up her tea tasting…Blood.
"Hermione, are you sure your alright."
Startled she looked up at Ginny who was still beside her on her bed," Oh, yeah I'm fine," she lied.
"Let's go down to breakfast then," advised Ginny.
"Sure," Hermione smiled waving her wand, and she was dressed in her robes and ready to go.
They walked down the hall in an awkward silence. They walked down the staircases and caught a glimpse of a bunch of forth years trying to get past the magic barrier where the painting was. Hermione said nothing and hung her head down still trying to sort out her dream from reality. Had she gone past the barrier and saw the painting? Or was it just some crazy dream?
"I can't believe their still trying to get past it," remarked Ginny amused.
"Who made up that rumor anyway?" asked Hermione.
"No idea, they just said their parents who went to here told them that story. It's odd I caught a glimpse of that painting before, and you just feel like you're being looked back at," said Ginny.
"Wow that's freaky," Hermione answered.
They reached the Gryffindor table and Hermione joined Ron and Harry.
"How come you're so late? You usually beat us here," remarked Ron.
Hermione gaze him a harsh glace as she sloped some bacon onto her plate," I was just feeling a bit under the weather today, Ronald."
"Why are you being so snotty?" spat Ron.
"Ron, stop it," Harry said.
"I don't know why are you being so interrogating?" she bit back.
Ron just glared at her. Hermione shifted the conversation to Harry.
"So Harry, what's going on with Cho?"
"I don't know Hermione she still won't talk to me. I just don't get it. Expecting me just to talk about Cedric, and she starts tearing up…" replied Harry.
"Harry, it's just. Cho hasn't gotten over Cedric. And girls feeling are so complicated. I'm sure she just wanted to talk to someone. I bet she doesn't really understand either…" Hermione sympathized.
"I just want to move on though. I mean I just want it to be in the past," said Harry.
"I'm sure it will be someday. Well I've got to go. Ancient Ruins," she said dashing to class.
Ginny ceased the opportunity to go talk to Harry, and slid next to him with her plate," Harry."
"Yeah, Ginny what's up?"
"Is Hermione acting strange to you?" she asked.
"Yeah a bit."
"Why do you guys care? It's Hermione she's always acting weird," Ron said with distain.
"Ron why are you being so vile," asked Ginny.
"Ron here still doesn't agree with Hermione swapping letters with Victor Krum," answered Harry.
"That's a stupid reason. Well, back to Hermione she had some soft of a nightmare. And she got to the common room really late last night. She just seems so spooked," told Ginny.
"Yeah, I don't know. I'll talk to her," Harry said looking towards the direction Hermione had just gone.
All day Hermione couldn't focus on her studies. She kept having flashes of the images from her dream, cries and screams, her head was pounding. Her lesson was over. She walked down the hallway in a blur. Every thing was swirling, those screams. A blurry figured Approached her. She couldn't take it anymore.
"Harry…"
All went black. To shadowy figures stood in a room whispering…
"You have done well," a snake like voice hissed.
"Thank you my Lord…," the other voice whispered with gratitude.
"Now we shall have the entire vampire race at our disposal, and victory will once be within our grasp," the shrill voice whispered excitedly," Now all you have to do is kill her."
"Kill her!" exclaimed the voice in dismay.
"Yes, we can't have your feelings for her getting in the way now can we?" said the hideous voice.
"But if I kill her wont the vampires…"
"Once you and her elope it's a binding contract so we cannot be touched, and we will have control of them," said the menacing voice," Now take this dagger and after the I do's stab her through the heart."
The second shadowy figure reluctantly took the dagger," But my Lord…"
"She will be touchable only after you say your vows. Now who are you loyal to your King or your Vampire Bride?" said the harsh voice…
"I do…"
"You may kiss the bride."
A harsh unforgiving scream cried out as the white hot pain returned again from the left side of her back to her heart.
Harry, Ron, and Ginny could do nothing, but watch as Hermione shook and screamed blood dripping out of the corner of her mouth.