The Darkest Heir
The Nightmare that led to the Dream
The following month had been a blur of pain and nightmares. Literal nightmares. Ruby seemed always tired, but whenever she tried to sleep, she awoke within the hour.
She had terrible dreams. Nightmares about when she was older, when she would eventually be the Dark Lady. She was always doing terrible things in these dreams. She was always faced with immense decisions. Once, she heard her father calling to her from the shadows, telling her what to do. Before her sat Harry, to his right Draco. They were all was screaming for her to cast her wand, to strike Harry Potter down. Except for Draco and Harry, who were oddly silent. "Do it now!" Someone cried. In the dream she raised her wand arm, and muttered the words she didn't know.
She woke up sweaty and afraid. She clutched her blanket and mopped her beaded forehead. She felt wetness on her cheeks as well, but this wasn't sweat, it was her tears. Ruby hardly ever cried. What was happening? These were just dreams…
Suddenly, she let out an uncontrollable sob. Hermione awoke with a start in the bed next to her.
"Ruby? Are you…crying? What's wrong?" The face of her once close friend made Ruby cry harder.
Hermione rubbed her eyes and got out of her bed to come sit next to Ruby. "Ruby, something's wrong. I know it is. Please…tell me. Tell us! Me, Ron and Harry. We've noticed something is wrong, tell us so we can help you."
Hermione's soft face seemed so convincing that Ruby really did begin to believe that she could help…but no, what could she do?
Another part of her argued that it didn't matter. Hermione was a better friend than Draco and any of the Slytherins. She should tell her. Well, not exactly but she could certainly give her a hint.
"Alright, Hermione." Ruby sighed. "I'll tell you."
And just as Ruby was about to open her mouth, Hermione stopped her. "Wait, we need the boys."
Hermione swiftly led her out of their dorm and into the boys.
"We can't be in here!" Ruby whispered shrilly.
"Nonsense." Hermione was looking around trying to detect which of the sleeping masses was Ron and Harry. But Ruby spotted them. Harry was sound asleep in the corner bed. She slowly walked over to his form.
He didn't have his glasses on, and he was breathing softly, his chest rising and falling reguraly. She hardly dared to breathe.
Just then, his eyes opened suddenly, and the piercing emerald color of their iris' met. He gasped, "Ruby? What-what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you. Get Ron. Hermione and I will be in the common room." She whispered.
He nodded vaguely as Ruby turned quickly, grabbed Hermione's arm and led her downstairs.
Ruby sat downstairs by the fire and rubbed her arms. Hermione was sitting on the couch, calmly watching her.
Finally, Ron and Harry made it downstairs. They were each clad in dorm robes and looking very sleepy.
"What do you want Ruby…do you have any idea what time it is?" Ron asked annoyed. But Harry on the other hand seemed simply curious. Ron sat himself grumpily in the soft armchairs and folded her arms across his chest. Harry took a seat softly next to Hermione.
"Um ok…well it's a long story." Ruby gulped and she realized she was pacing before them.
"I'd like to start with why-"
"Why you've been ignoring us for the past month?" Ron asked angrily.
Ruby looked at the floor and nodded sadly. "Yeah."
"Why don't you sit down?" Hermione had never said kinder words to her. She sighed, thankfully as Hermione moved over and created room for her between herself and Harry.
"So, I went home this summer, and apparently, Draco Malfoy had been…delivering some interesting information to my father of the summer." She began.
"You mean he was spying on you?" Harry asked.
Ruby was relieved she wasn't going to have to tell this story alone.
"Yes. He was spying on me. It turned out, not surprisingly, that my parents aren't too thrilled that I became friends with you guys." They nodded solemnly.
"But I thought you overcame this, Ruby? You said last year you didn't care what your family thought of you anymore. Because they were wrong."
"Yes, but…" Here it comes, she thought.
"I couldn't let them hurt you."
"What?" Hermione gasped.
"Yeah. My parents said, if I were to become any closer to you, then I would change my opinion about….everything. And to prevent this…people could get hurt. I took this to mean you guys. So I didn't take any chances."
"Oh Ruby!" Tears were now streaming freely down Hermione's face.
She quickly threw her arms around Ruby and enveloped her in a tight hug. Harry quickly joined her, and Ron reluctantly left his seat to join in the hug as well. Ruby felt herself cry a little more and time seemed to stop, though she knew this hug must have lasted for several minutes. Eventually, they just ended up curling up on the couch and going to sleep. She had never felt so peaceful.
When she awoke, Ruby found her head comfortably curled on Harry's chest. She immediately sat up and inhaled quickly. She glanced around;
Ron had seemed to end up on the floor, and his arms were clutching himself around the waist and was snoring soundly. But where was Hermione?
Just then, she saw her bushy-haired friend sitting behind her, smiling. There was a quickly identifiable twinkle in her eyes.
"Didja sleep well? You sure looked comfy…" she giggled, but Ruby's face turned scarlet. She looked down and found Harry's arms wrapped around her tightly. She blushed again and quickly untangled herself and stood up, panting. The boys stirred and began to wake up. Harry's eye opened and he stretched while he yawned. "Wow..what time is it?" Ron asked, finding himself alone on the floor.
"It's nine." Hermione answered. "And it's Saturday, so…what do ya wanna do?"
Ruby grinned happily. A day with her three best friends was exactly what she needed….only;
"Wait, guys." Ruby said. "I just…I can't let Draco know that we're friends again. We're gunna have to hide it, okay?"
Ron looked annoyed but Harry and Hermione nodded, understanding.
"But first things first…maybe we should get dressed?" Ruby suggested, eyeing Ron's clearly hand-me-down broomstick pajamas.
"What?" he muttered as they wandered up their separate staircases. "They were Bill's…"
"Dude, they're disgusting." Harry said as they all began to laugh.
Days passed away endlessly, and Ruby was happier than she had ever been in her life. Draco of course, assumed this was all due to his company, and tried to stay as close to Ruby as legally allowed. This made it hard for her to be with Ron, Hermione and Harry as much as she wished, but it was all worth it. She had found a way to live hr life the way she wanted…and no one had to know but her.
Conflict was seemingly nonexistent, that is, until that one day at breakfast.
Draco had wandered over to the Gryffindor table, ready to walk Ruby to Potions.
"Ready to go?" he asked her kindly.
"Hey Draco, ever think maybe Ruby doesn't wanna walk to class with you every day?" Ron finally burst out. Ruby felt a wave of affection for her ginger-haired friend, but still wished he would keep his overly large mouth shut.
"No, I didn't Weasley. Do you know why? Because it's obvious that Ruby is in need of some real company after having to eat with you pigs."
Ron and Harry instantly stood up with Ruby and Draco. Draco eyes widened. "Is this some kind of challenge?" and as if he was issuing the first blow, he put his arm around Ruby's waist. She felt the uncomfortable weigh of her hand there, but dared not move.
She breathed in deeply, and prayed that Harry and Ron wouldn't say anything.
Ron just glared at Draco with pure hatred, but Harry's look was something more.
It was hate, sure, but it also looked a bit like…jealously? There was no way to be sure. Ruby silently begged them with her eyes to not say anything. She understood that this was the way it had to be. Her friends would understand soon enough. Ron angrily sat down and Harry followed. Ron angrily began chewing his cinnamon bun noisily, but Harry's eyes just followed Ruby silently until Draco had led her out of the Great Hall and out of sight.
Ruby pondered again what that look was in Harry's eyes. Was it really jealously? She didn't want it to be…but in a way she kind of did. She felt a strange prickling at the back of her neck.
But Ruby felt happy. No, it was more than happiness, she decided. Ruby Dawson felt…powerful. And she liked it.
Sorry guys, I know that was kinda short. But I hope it's enough to satisfy you through midterms! Anyway, as always, please review. I'm 1/5 the way to my goal of 100 reviews. Which is pretty good, considering I'm not 1/5 done with the story...oh yes, there is much more to come. Keep watching for an update. One will come soon, I promise!