Child of Night: The Whispers

Chapter Eight

Despite the fact that she was no longer able to use magic, Astera was quite happy to be home. She'd missed her parents a fair amount at Hogwarts, and she was delighted to be able to spend time with them again.

However, the happy holidays were marred by the fact that the nightmares had not stopped coming. She distracted herself with schoolwork, playing with her little sister Anza, and spending time with her friends. Now that they were home and it had become easier for Astera to tell her parents, Tris had returned to her old pastime of badgering Astera to tell her parents. Astera knew she should listen to Tris and tell her parents about them, but her pride prevented her from doing so.

Christmas morning, Astera woke up bright and early, blissfully free of the nightmares the previous night. With a wide grin, she jumped out of bed and bounded downstairs. "Merry Christmas!" she sang loudly, waking up any still sleeping members of the household.

She could barely wait for Hermione, Draco, and Anza to get downstairs so that they could all open presents together. She didn't have to wait long, though — Anza was just as excited as she was, and the little girl practically tumbled down the stairs in her excitement, woken by Astera's shout. Hermione and Draco came down a few moments later, the latter grumbling at the loss of sleep. With a grin, Astera dove into the pile of presents to retrieve the ones that were hers (the presents, she discovered, included the new broom she'd been begging for from Draco, a gilded book of poems from Hermione, a delicate golden necklace from Tris, and a heavy bag filled with candy from Izzy).

Later that day, the family of four Flooed to the Burrow, where Mrs. Weasley was hosting a family dinner (Draco and Hermione were, she insisted, also family). Armed with her new broom, Astera immediately headed for the mini Quidditch field, where Tris, Izzy, and most of the Weasley cousins were playing a match.

"Yay, you're finally here!" Izzy cheered as she saw Astera coming up. "Now we'll finally have a real Seeker, instead of just Miranda." Miranda rolled her eyes at this; though her dad, George, may have been quite the Beater, his daughter did not share the same interests.

Astera grinned. "I've got a new broom, too," she announced. "Prepare to go down!"

The children played several more matches before Harry came to usher them all back to the house, where Mrs. Weasley had prepared quite the feast.

The next few days passed quickly, with Astera spending most of her time with her family instead of Tris and Izzy, seeing as she's missed them a fair amount over the past few months. At least, that's what she told herself.

In reality, she was avoiding Tris and her knowing looks saying that Astera should tell her parents about the whole dream fiasco. Astera did feel guilty still, and the portion of her brain thinking straight was pointing out that her parents were adults and would definitely be able to help with this. However, the larger portion of the brain, the one overcome with pride, was decisively against telling Draco and Hermione.

New Year's Eve came, with Astera's parents hosting a countdown to midnight. After all, they were in London, with close access to Diagon Alley and the fireworks show. The Potter and Weasley families came over early, with Lavender (who'd gotten over her intense dislike Hermione after they'd both married) and Ginny helping Hermione make dinner. Izzy, Tris, and Astera spent the day holed up in Astera's room (Tris, surprisingly, did not tell Astera off for the whole lying-to-parents-about-life-events subject once during the whole afternoon).

After dinner, the group headed to Diagon Alley for the countdown and fireworks show.

"2011, huh?" Astera sighed as she pushed the door to her room open.

"I'm knackered," was Izzy's only response.

"I'm not," Astera replied cheerfully. "How are you feeling, Tris? This sleepover is going to be no fun if Izzy's the one who falls asleep first instead of you."

The girl in question looked decidedly queasy.

"Uh, Tris, you okay? Should I go get my Mum?"

Izzy laughed.

Tris shot her a glare. "I'm fine, Ast. You're not, though."

Astera blinked. "What do you m— oh. Well. Um, is that what this is all about? Are you cross with me?" she asked bluntly.

"I'm not cross with you, just concerned with your stupidity," Tris fired back.

Draco and Hermione chose that exact moment to enter the room, having sent off the rest of the Potters and Weasleys.

"Please don't tell me we have to…" Draco stopped short at the angry expressions on Astera and Tris' faces.

Hermione followed him in. "Um, girls, what's wrong?"

"Astera's been having nightmares!" Tris blurted. Her hand immediately shot up to cover her mouth. Though she'd been planning to tell Astera's parents over break, she hadn't planned for it to go this way.

Astera glared. "Tris, shut up. Now."

Izzy suddenly looked defiant. "Enough, you two. Tris, you need to stop badgering Astera, but Astera, you're being a right bloody moron about this, got it? Tell your parents everything right now. Or I will."

Astera fumed. "I can't believe you two!"

"Tell us, baby," Hermione said, moving over to Astera. "What's going on?"

Astera gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Ast," Izzy warned.

"Fine!" Astera groaned. "I'll tell them everything."

And so she did, retelling the story of the first nightmare, and the ones following it, including the Halloween incident. By the time she had finished, Hermione was white as a sheet.

"Hermione?" Draco had looked very confused throughout all of this, though his tired look had vanished completely during Astera's retelling.

"I— nothing! Just… sweetie, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Astera shrugged.

"Her bloody pride." Astera shot a glare at Izzy for this.

"Well, do you know anything?" Astera asked.

Hermione was still white as a sheet, and after a few tense moments, she swiftly up and left the room.

Astera stared after in shock. "Are you kidding me?"

Draco followed her. He found his wife in their rooms, curled up into a ball, staring out the window.

"Hermione?"' he questioned, voice gentle. "What's wrong? What do you know?"

"She's only eleven," Hermione muttered, not seeming to hear him. "She's not even twelve yet, this isn't supposed to happen until then…"

"What?" Draco demanded. "Hermione!"

Hermione startled. "Draco? Oh dear Merlin, I…"

"What do you know?"

Hermione blinked. "It's late," she said abruptly, standing up. "I'm going to take a shower."

Draco stared after her.

A/N: it feels like these chapters are getting shorter and shorter. The stuff I put in my outline did not end up as long as expected, so I moved some stuff around. The next few chapters will be considerably longer than the last few ones have been, I promise :)

Next chapter: Back at Hogwarts: Quidditch matches and Valentine's day commence!

thank you to the few who have read, reviewed, favorited, and followed. every view means so much to me. this fic is my baby, it means a lot to me (and it seriously sucks that my baby has only four views on the last chapter).