A/N:I don't really like this chapter... I hope you feel differently. It just feels weak. Next one will be better I hope. I kind of was struggling with what to do in this one although this one sets up some stuff for later chapters
Chapter 16- Nightmares, Smirks and Owls
That night, Harry had a nightmare... one of the first he'd had since the few that followed Voldemort's return since June.
A Dementor closed in on Harry, Ron and Hermione as they backed into a stone wall. He vaguely realized that they were in the dungeons under the school, though they were further back in them than they usually traveled. He raised his wand to perform the Patronus charm, Hermione and Ron following suit. As clouds of fog penetrated his mind and distant screams began to fill his ear, he attempted to find a happy thought. Before he managed to though, his mind had been wiped blank, recognizably the Imperius Curse. More Dementors began to close in around them. And then Lord Voldemort appeared. Harry's scar seared with pain.
"Ah, young Potter," he drawled in a cold, cruel voice, "We meet again."
'Put down your wand' said a voice inside his head. Harry struggled to fight back and realized he couldn't. His wand clattered to the floor.
"My original plan was to kill you, but my faithful companions here had a better idea..."
Harry watched in horror as three Dementors glided closer to him, Ron and Hermione. They lowered their hoods to reveal hideously scabbed, glistening gray skin. Harry's stomach turned and the pain in his scar intensified. Obviously Ron had felt sick when he saw the Dementors, and a few moments later, Harry's convictions were confirmed as the contents of Ron's stomach were displayed on the floor. Hermione had turned a sick pale grey, eyes wide with fear as she turned to look at Harry. She grabbed his hand and held tightly, locking her chocolate eyes with his emerald ones as the Dementors reached them and bent down as if they might kiss them....
Harry woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. His pyjamas were soaked with a cold sweat. He reached a clammy trembling hand up to his forehead to brush aside his sweaty bangs and he felt a painful twinge in his scar. Grunting, he pushed himself out of bed and across the floor to the water pitcher next to Dean's bed. After pouring himself a drink, he gulped it down quickly. After sitting down on the edge of his bed, he realized that he would never be able to go back to sleep. He quietly went to his trunk and and pulled out a T-shirt and jeans. He tugged these on and went down to the Common Room, after grabbing his copy of The Standard Book of Spells Level 5 by Miranda Goshawk.
'Oh well,' he thought, ' might as well start studying for the O.W.Ls now. Then Hermione can't say I didn't try."
As he sat in the chair and began to read, his scar was still prickling relentlessly.
***
A few hours later on a bright Sunday morning, Gryffindors began to filter downstairs to meet their friends to go to breakfast. Harry trudged wearily back upstairs to put away his book and wake up Ron.
"Ron hurry up! I'm hungry and breakfast is ready downstairs."
Ron just rolled over and groaned.
"Harry go away it's still the weekend!"
"Oh well. I'll just have to tell Lavender that you didn't want to eat breakfast with her this morning." With that, Ron jumped out of bed and began throwing clothes on. Harry chuckled.
"Thought that would get you up. You really fancy her don't you?" Harry said, "You might as well know, that she isn't actually waiting for you, I just told you that to get you out of bed...."
Ron looked at him and his ears turned red. "Really?"
"Yeah. Sorry. So you really fancy her do you?"
"I dunno. I've never dated a girl before," Ron replied, sheepishly. The flush in his ears spread down to his cheeks and turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Well then maybe you should ask her out..."
"I dunno. What if she laughs at me?"
"Well, you'll never know unless you try. Maybe you should ask Hermione what she thinks."
"Maybe."
Harry got up when Ron had finished dressing and they headed downstairs. Hermione was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs.
"What took you so long?" she said impatiently to them both.
"Good morning to you too, Hermione," Ron replied.
"I had to wake up Ron. And he's having girl troubles," Harry said.
"Oh well, what's the problem?"
After Ron explained reluctantly, Hermione smiled knowingly.
"I think you should go for it," she said. "You never know what could happen." She smirked.
"Hermione do you know something that you haven't told Ron?" Harry inquired.
"No," she replied, although her mouth was twitching slightly at the corners.
"Hurry up you guys! I'm starving!" Ron moaned.
"Oh NOW you want to go downstairs..." Harry said. Ron grinned and ran ahead of them, massaging his stomach. Harry looked at Hermione and they both laughed.
***
After breakfast, Hermione insisted that they go study for their O.W.L's. Harry grudgingly agreed, but Ron turned red.
"Er, I need to-- well, I have to- er-- I have to go talk to McGonagall about last class," he said finally. And he ran off down the corridor.
"Well shall we?" Hermione said, and they walked back up to their dormitories.
After about three hours of studying, Harry was practically falling asleep over his Potions text. The only reason he had managed to keep awake this long was Hermione's constant prod when his eyelids began to droop. A sharp tapping at the window perked him up. It was a school owl. He trudged across the room and opened the window. Suprisingly the letter was addressed to Hermione. He untied the piece of parchment from the owl and it set off again into the night. He walked across the room to her and handed it over. She hastily ripped it open. She skimmed it and looked up.
"Dumbledore wants us to go to the practice room for our first lesson," she said. Her eyes glowed with excitement.
"Now?" She nodded. "Well then let's go!"
"I wonder where Ron is," Hermione mused, "He's been gone a long time."
"Dunno," Harry said dully.
When they finally reached the portrait of Dreg and had whispered the password, they slipped in quickly. Only this time there were people waiting for them.