Chapter 8: Angst and Lies

The classes that day were pretty quiet but Naomi had a lot of homework. Both she and Hermione had 3 classes together that day minus Defense against the Dark Arts. They both decided to skip dinner that day and eat at the dining spot in the Head Hall, which Naomi decided to call "the palace" because to her that was what it really was. They helped the elves cook pasta that day; well the elves taught them how really.

All four of them ate in the dining room and when the table was cleared both Harry and Ron went off to Quidditch practice while Naomi and Hermione raided the library and started the Homework. Snape had assigned a massive 4 foot long essay on account of the fact that Naomi had read ahead over the summer just like Hermione had done. He felt that since they had the time to ignore his lesson they also had the time to write the essay. They both decided to start on that one first since it was the longest and because it was due first thing the next morning. Naomi and Hermione had to look for a good while until Naomi found a good number of books that were related to the subject. It was a very narrow line so the essay took a lot longer that expected. By 7 p.m., 2 hours after Naomi had started, she finally put in the title: The multiple theories on the control of wild banshees through potions.

Both Naomi and Hermione were exhausted but vowed to finish at least three of the assignments that day. Runes had a very easy assignment since all they had to do was identify the most common uses and decipher a single rune. Naomi decided to finish reading the packet since she knew that she wasn't going to be up to it the next day. Naomi was finally finished with the summaries and Hermione with her Care of Magical Creatures paper at 9. Soon after they had put their things back in the room and the books back in the library, Harry and Ron burst through the door in triumph. They were talking about how the Slytherins had shown up, like usual, with a pass from Snape, but this time McGonagall was there in the sidelines with a written paper signed by Dumbledore that said: All teams have to book the field in order to practice, no exceptions.

They were walking by and about to go into their room to go to bed but Hermione and Naomi grabbed them by the collar and pulled them into the library. The girls sat them down and handed them the potion books needed to write the essay. Of course they protested saying that it wasn't due till Wednesday for them but Naomi reminded that they had detention all night tomorrow because of what happened in divination that day.

"Hermione, Naomi." Ron whined, "You've already finished your essay and we are both tired, you see, from practicing for hours. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we just um, looked at your essays, right?"

"Wrong!" They both said in unison, slamming the books down on the table in front of them for added effect. Reluctantly the boys picked up their quills and started the essay. As Naomi left she heard Harry start to say something but the word caught in the back of his throat as she kept walking.

As Naomi shut the door behind her, she heard Ron tell Harry that he needed to ask her some time. Naomi was confused but she knew he would get it out some time or another. She continued walking behind Hermione until she reached the room and watched Hermione mess with the settings of the door, making sure that it didn't admit any male DNA. Naomi changed within the privacy of her bed curtains and got under the warm wool blanket and went to sleep listening to the quite playing of an unknown symphony.

Back in the library Harry was wondering when it might be the right time to ask Naomi about what had happened back there in the dark hallway. He had watched Madame Pomfrey examine her and he saw multiple bruises on her neck and legs. Who knew what other kinds of things lay hidden beneath the gown? He had heard Madame Pomfrey muttering something about 'to young to feel that way.' He wondered what she had been talking about but the more he asked the more hostile she became and finally got fed up and kicked them out. Harry could see in her eyes that there was something that she didn't want them to know about.

Back in the girl's dorm Naomi were tossing around in bed, sweating, and crying. Hermione was a deep sleeper and didn't wake up as Naomi tossed with the nightmare heavy in her mind. It was like Hell all over again. Draco was carving Naomi with a knife like she was some sort of clay block that would soon be a statue. Than when he had finished he took a bucket of the shining gray potion and doused her with it. She screamed so loudly that Hermione jumped from the bed grabbed her wand and ran over to her thinking she was being attacked. Naomi's head shot up and she felt horrible stinging in her side. She looked down and her nightshirt and was glad to find it white. There was a loud banging on the door and Hermione ran to let the boys into the room.

The minute the door was unlocked, it flung open to show a worried Harry. His eye darted around the dorm looking for Naomi's and when they locked he sprinted up to her crushing her in a hug. Why was he acting so weird?

"Jeez woman, you nearly gave Harry hear a heart attack. He was screaming about how the Death Eaters got to you. He doesn't even move that fast in Quidditch practice." Ron nagged.

Naomi laughed at his mini-speech and that seemed to relieve Harry. He got up and started to leave the room and she saw that all so familiar look in his eye. Quickly Naomi told Hermione loud enough, but not to loud that it was obvious, that she was going to sleep in the common room instead. Naomi grabbed a pillow and blanket and exited the room.

She situated herself in the room and every once in a while she would look at the door very subtly and would see the rims of glasses peering through. I knew this would work. Naomi finished and lay down on the couch counting down to when Harry would make himself known. Just as she had closed her eyes he quietly came through the door.

"Hey Naomi? I'm really sorry to bother you but Ron; you see, has decided to use my bed as his personal table and ended up knocking over his pumpkin juice. I guess what I'm saying is can I stay in here with you?" Even though Naomi knew he could just use a spell to clean up the "mess" she nodded her head. She sat up to let him sit on the couch with her.

He sat pretty far away from Naomi so she scooted closer saying that she didn't have cooties, he laughed. He seemed kind of tense but loosened up when Naomi laid her head on his shoulder. He cleared his throat sending vibrations through his body and chills down Naomi's spine. Finally he opened his mouth to speak.

"May I ask you a question?" Naomi nodded her head, a few strands of hair falling from her loose ponytail, "What happened back in that corridor? When you were in the hospital wing I saw bruises." He said with a very concerned voice.

Not exactly the type of question she was anticipating she knew that he had wanted to ask for a long time so Naomi had to give him an answer.

"Ok, Draco and I left the Great hall and he was going to help me get my stuff and take it down to the new hall. But halfway there, McGonagall stopped him saying that Snape needed him so that's when I continued by myself but got off track and when I turned around Peeves was behind me. He scared the crap out of me and I fell back hitting my neck on the table then when I tried to stand up I just passed out. I guess that's where you all came in."

Harry nodded but somewhere inside of her, Naomi knew that he hadn't bought it. He was getting up to leave saying he could just clean the mess up but she stopped him.

"Please stay, it's lonely out here." Naomi attempted to smile but it wouldn't work. He just nodded slightly and went over to the armchair.

"No lay on the couch you will be much more comfortable."

"Where will you sleep?"

"Just lay on the stupid couch." She said to him smirking. He rolled his eyes and walked over, lying on the couch. Naomi pushed him back a little and sat in front of him when he didn't protest she lied down in front and pulled her arms under her head.

Harry tensed up a bit, but after a while his muscles relaxed. He waited until the girl that lay in front of him was asleep to snake his arm around her, just to be more comfortable of course. Naomi smiled unconsciously as he covered them both up and returned to the position. They both started breathing in sync with each other as Harry finally fell asleep. The night passed by without mention, if only they could say the same about that morning.

Naomi woke up to someone or something breathing in her face. Her eyes shot open and the person stumbled back from shock and fell across the table. Naomi screamed and Harry literally jumped up from where he was. Ron lay sprawled out on the floor.

"RONALD WEASLEY! How could you? You quite nearly gave me a heart attack!" Naomi screamed.

"Hmm heart, funny you should mention that, it seems that you have found one." Ron laughed.

"What on Earth are you talking about-" oh. He had seen her with Harry.

"It isn't what it looks like. He just came in here saying that you messed up his bed so I offered him a spot to sleep but honestly, the arm chair isn't comfortable and this is the only couch." Naomi rambled in a desperate attempt for an excuse.

"Naomi shut up ok, that wasn't it at all and we all know it." Ron had a knack for being oddly bold. Both Naomi and Harry blushed hard. Hermione came through the door from the kitchen and looked at the situation.

"Ron I told you not to look at her like that hadn't I? Look what you have gone and done. You woke them up, and they looked so comfortable." Now why didn't that sound much like a nagging? Naomi looked at how Hermione was smiling and knew that she was in it just as much as Ron was.

Hermione grabbed Naomi by the arm and she didn't have to be told twice that classes would be starting in an hour. The girls were up and out of the room in one second flat. Naomi ran into the bathroom and ran all of the fountains at once to speed up the time it took to fill the tub. It took about a minute and she stepped into the steaming hot tub. Naomi pumped a bottle and her favorite shampoo came out. Very quickly she washed her hair and body so that they still had time to put together a sack for the day's classes. She was finally out of the bath and dressed in 20 minutes.

Naomi ran through the corridor to her room and flung all of her books onto her bed and put only her Herbology, History of Magic books, and a good supply of parchment, a single quill, and a bottle of ink into it. Naomi decided that she and Hermione were going to spend break in the library doing the left over Arithmacy homework and Naomi would do her Herbology while Hermione did Transfiguration. Naomi had 10 minutes to get down to Herbology with the Ravenclaws so she bid farewell to the rest of them and zoomed out of the door.

Naomi and Hermione had their faces buried in the books by the time break had started. Together they had finished Arithmacy and Naomi was on her last sentence for Herbology. She closed her book early and told Hermione that she would see her at lunch and again at Dinner in the Great Hall.

Her heart fluttered as the Angel's warmth radiated onto her skin.