A/N Thank you so much for the reviews and the follows and the favorites! Y'all are so sweet. :)
Draco's eyes snapped open. The flash of green blinded him. It took him a moment to remember where he was. In his bed, at Hogwarts. For a minute he let this realization sink through him, calming him. Then he glanced outside.
It was still dark out. Of course. But there was no chance of him getting any more sleep now, so he wandered down to the common room.
It was always the same dream. Sometimes it started out differently, but it always ended that same way, in the Great Hall, his father dueling, confident, and then-
No, there was no point in dwelling on it now. Sleep might be out of his grasp now but there was no reason to keep thinking about this. That had become his policy over the past few months. Don't think about bad things, and maybe they'll go away.
And how's that working out for you?, put in a sarcastic little voice at the back of his mind. So maybe it wasn't working very well. He still had nightmares, he still wasn't getting much sleep at all and his grades were suffering, he had next to no friends, but… he couldn't really bring himself to care. Maybe if he just continued floating through life something would change. He was just so tired and didn't have the energy to do anything different.
Well aren't you a poor little baby, he thought. Wouldn't Father be proud if he saw you now?
Sometimes Draco wished he could just turn his thoughts off. He was tired of thinking about the same things over and over again. It wasn't as if he could change the past by thinking about it hard enough. He decided to distract himself and log onto the chatroom, even though it was unlikely anyone else would be online at this early hour.
DMHG DMHG DMHG DMHG
If performed properly, the Memory Charm will erase a very specific part of the subject's memory. However, it is currently unknown whether it is possible to undo a Memory Charm, as no one has never done so.
Hermione stared at those words until the tears made it impossible to read them. It wasn't like this was new information. This book had told her exactly what every other book she'd found so far had said.
She was never going to get her parents' memory back.
She wanted to cry, she wanted to rage, she wanted to scream and scream because it just wasn't fair. But then there was that little part of her that whispered this is all your fault, you erased their memory, you took away their free will and now you'll pay the price.
She'd done it to protect them. And the alternative, if they'd died… but it's kind of like they're dead, isn't it Hermione? They're not the same people. They have different lives, different pasts. You took their real lives away from them.
Hermione shook her head. No. Even with their memories gone, they were still alive, Wendell and Monica Wilkins were still alive and they would be happy and live their lives and maybe… maybe even have other children and they would never remember their daughter Hermione Granger who loved them very much. But maybe that was okay. She could pay this price if it meant she wasn't right now laying flowers at their graves… right?
She needed to not think about this for a while. It was 4 AM and sleep wasn't going to happen for her… but maybe a fellow insomniac was on the chatroom?
DMHG DMHG DMHG DMHG
-September 25, 3:54 AM-
DragonBeast7 has logged on
-4:05 AM-
Bookworm79 has logged on
Bookworm79: Is anyone there?
DragonBeast7: Granger.
Bookworm79: …Malfoy. Of course, of all the people, it had to be you.
DragonBeast7: the same could be said for you. it's not like I want to be here talking to you of all people.
Bookworm79: Well, why are you then? It's 4 AM. Shouldn't you be asleep?
DragonBeast7: in case you didn't notice, I was here before you. and you should be asleep too. what makes you the exception?
Bookworm79: I… I couldn't sleep.
DragonBeast7: well at least you're not one of those crazy people who chats while they sleep.
Bookworm79: I should hope not. Wait… one of those? Do you know someone who does that?
DragonBeast7: no.. but sleepwalkers exist, maybe there are sleepchatters out there too.
Bookworm79: I almost feel like I'm sleepchatting. Or dreaming. Since when are you so pleasant?
DragonBeast7: pleasant? maybe you are dreaming Granger.
Bookworm79: Maybe I am. Lately my dreams have been much better than reality.
DragonBeast7: lucky, i wish that were the same for me.
Bookworm79: You do?
DragonBeast7: well nightmares tend not to be fun for most people, me included.
Bookworm79. I'm… sorry to hear that. Have you tried going to Madame Pomfrey? Maybe she has a potion that could help.
DragonBeast7: i don't think that's necessary.
Bookworm79: What do you mean, not necessary? If you're having trouble sleeping that's not good. Don't you want to do something about it?
DragonBeast7: the same could go for you. i doubt that you're online because you're nocturnal.
Bookworm79: Like I said, I couldn't sleep. It's not a big deal or anything.
DragonBeast7: whatever you say, love.
-4:30 AM-
Bookworm79: I've been meaning to ask. How did you know it was my birthday?
DragonBeast7: doesn't everyone know your birthday?
Bookworm79: Of course they do. In fact, every year Snape brings me a cake he bakes all by himself!
DragonBeast7: did he also wear that giant green party hat he always does?
Bookworm79: Why, yes he did. Does he bake cakes for you too, Malfoy?
DragonBeast7: of course he does. can't disappoint his godson now, can he?
Bookworm79: You're hilarious, Malfoy. But stop trying to change the topic. Not everyone knows my birthday, so why do you?
DragonBeast7: not everyone? or just not everyone important to you?
Bookworm79: Shut up, Malfoy. What do you know?
DragonBeast7: that it seems someone forgot dear old Granger's birthday.
Bookworm79: You know what? Yes, Harry and Ron forgot my birthday. But that doesn't mean they're not my best friends.
DragonBeast7: riight. at least i don't have friends that forget my birthday.
Bookworm79: At least I have friends. Unlike you. And the fact that you know my birthday-for whatever reason-doesn't make you my friend. I mean, let's face it, Malfoy. We hate each other. We could never be friends.
DragonBeast7: never say never, love.
Bookworm79: You're right. Malfoy, we'll be friends on the day that Snape sings happy birthday with a giant green party hat on.
DragonBeast7: i look forward to it.
Bookworm79 has logged off
DragonBeast7: like that would ever happen. i could never be friends with someone as annoying as you, granger. like i even need friends. what use are they? all they do is forget your birthday. just more trouble than they're worth. i'm fine on my own. i'm doing great! i don't need friends! ha!
DragonBeast7 has logged off