28- nightmares

After spending an hour with Myrtle, I figured I should go an talk to Dumbledore, I think Bill is still here, I must go and see him later I need to talk about my nightmares with him. Everyone was either in the courtyard or the common rooms by now getting ready for the third task. I went up the stairs to Dumbledores office. I had forgot to ask Dumbledore for the new password, I thought of his favourite food, Lemon drops?

"Lemon drops." I said quietly as the eagle swung open, I smiled as I walked up the stairs to his office. I looked around to see if anyone was there, it was only Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore in his office. I cleared my throat to get the attention to me. McGonnagall gasped as I don't think she had seen my scars yet.

"Why miss Black what brings you here?"

"I need to talk to you." He nodded and showed me a chair infront of the desk. McGonagall started speaking first,

"Miss Black, I'm sorry." This got me quite angry rather than upset

"You're sorry, you're sorry, you should be, it's not my fault that I got put into the challenge it's yours and if it wasn't for you then I wouldn't have three new scars to add to the ones on my face already." I was shouting now as tears ran down my cheek. Then Dumbledore started, not even acknowledging that I had had a go at him,

"Miss Black, is there something else worrying you, you mentioned not wanting to fall asleep." My eyes widened, did he know about my nightmares, there's no way he could.

"No" was all I could say, McGonagall sighed,

"Miss Black, we just want to keep you safe,

"Keep me safe, keep me safe! You were the ones who practically forced me to go into this challenge and now look happened, there's a reason why I don't like falling asleep, I don't have control and stuff like this happens!" I practically screamed pointing at my scars. I stood up and ran from his office, I know I shouldn't have shouted at Dumbledore and McGonagall but they are supposed to keep me safe. As I was running through the halls, I ran into someone. Bill. I broke down in his arms, tears were now falling freely. He was with Mrs Weasley who looked scared and worried. She got a nod from Bill and left, occasionally looking back at the broken girl in her sons arms. Yes, I would classify myself as yet again broken, I thought I was fixed but I guess that trauma never truly goes away. He was now whispering to me.

"Hey Hols, you're ok I'm here calm down." I needed to talk to him.

I brought him to the edge of the forbidden forest so that no one could hear our conversation. I was sat down on a tree stump next to him,

"So what did you wanna talk about Hols?"

"Well I guess I should just go straight in." I took a quick breath before I started, he nodded so I could carry on,

"Well you know about my nightmares, they're getting worse, I'm still seeing my father making deals with Voldemort to take me away, what if he's actually working with him and doesn't even love me." I had tears in my eyes now, I hadn't realised how much I needed to tell someone about it,

"And I haven't told you this yet, but Christmas Day I received a box of letters, all written by you know who, I don't know how he found me but they were sort of invitations to join him and honestly Bill I'm terrified. My mother also contacted me, she's angry with me for leaving." Bill was now angry but he wasn't showing it, he gestured for me to carry on

"And when I went to McGonagall for the task I was given a potion to fall asleep. When I first fell asleep nothing really happened it was just black but then I saw visions, my father and you and Molly and Remus, you were all talking to the dark lord giving plans about me, telling all of my secrets, that I'm weak and that you just want to give me up to the dark lord. And I thought I was safe at hogwarts but turns out that I'm not, they put me in a challenge I didn't even sign up for. But there are some good things, I was given a Christmas present by Harry with four charms and I love it so much." I felt my fingers reach to my neck. The necklace wasn't there. I started panicking but then realised that McGonagall had it safe. I didn't want to talk anymore. Bill noticed that and decided to speak to me,

"You are safe, I'm not ever going to let anything happen to you, I'm sure the Professors didn't mean to put you in danger Hols, and with your father, I'm sure these aren't real and their only nightmares even if they feel real. And you need to know Holly that I would never ever put you in danger and neither would your family." He wrapped his arms around me i jumped back. Away from his touch. He sighed and stood up.

"Come back to the castle Holly everyone's worrying about you, Remus needs to see you."

"Ok"

"Oh and Holly do your scars hurt." I shook my head.

We made it up to the castle. Remus was in the great hall. He ran up to me and scooped me up in his arms. I tried to wriggle out of his arms but it was no use he wasn't letting me go. He ran his fingers over my scar as he hugged me.

"Thank God you're ok, you've been gone for hours! Harry said you ran out of the hospital wing. Why on earth would you do something like that!"

"I'm sorry, it's just so hard."

"It's just a scar, you know I've got tons, they get better after a while." It then hit me, Remus knows nothing about what's going on. It seemed Bill had also realised this, he took Remus off to speak to him, probably with Dumbledore. I didn't care who knew anymore I just needed someone who understood. I decided that I might go and just lay down in the common room. When I was nearly up to the top of the stairs a hand grasped mine. I shot back, it was Neville.

"Oh hey sorry Holly I didn't mean to startle you."

"Um it's fine Neville."

"Oh and just to warn you Holly all the Gryffindors are in the common room, everyone's worried about you." I had realised that I hadn't seen any of my friends since yesterday.

"Thanks for the heads up, Nev"

"Nev?" He looked confused

"Oh it's just a nickname."

"Ohhh thanks Holzy."

"That's so much better than Nev" we both just burst out laughing as we walked through the portrait. Everything went silent. All of Gryffindor were looking at my face. Some went to whispering. I didn't care. I grabbed Nevilles arm as he looked down. He looked down at me,

"Hey Holzy, we can go somewhere else if you want."

"Thanks Nev but we can stay here but you better not leave my side"

"Alright then." He squeezed my arm. We walked up to the boys dorm. He was holding a herbology textbook that he must of got from the library. He threw it down onto his bed. I liked Neville, he was really sweet and kind. He flopped onto his bed as I literally threw myself onto his pillow.

"Hey Nev, could you teach me some stuff about Herbology I'm pretty bad at it, and we have that test coming up?"

"Of course Holzy, listen and learn." He brought his textbook up so we both could see it. We ended up talking for hours, laughing. It was the most fun I've had in a while.

-Harry's pov-

The whole of Gryffindor was sat in the common room, we were all worried about Holly. She hadn't been seen for a while after she ran from the hospital wing. I was fiddling with her necklace in my hand. McGonagall had given it to me to give back to her but I never got the chance. Hermione started whispering to me,

"Do you think she's ok?" I shrugged my shoulders, I wanted her to be ok, I really did. I was about to reply when the portrait swung open. There was Holly laughing, she was with Neville. We were all facing her now, her scars on her face were much less visible but they were still there. Sirius is going to be furious. She grabbed Nevilles arm and he spoke to her, quiet but loud enough so that I could hear. Not on purpose obviously,

"Hey Holzy, we don't have to stay her if you don't want." Holzy, since when did he call her Holzy, and why was she holding his arm, she didn't let anyone else touch her. Anyway I'm probably reading to much into it. I couldn't stand up even though Hermione and Ron were pushing me to.

"Thanks Nev, but we can stay here." It turns out they're really good friends. He brought her up to the boys dorm. I turned back to Hermione and Ron,

"Hey when was she so close to Neville?" Hermione sort of laughed sort of scoffed

"Is that all you can think about, our best friend just came back from being missing and that's all you can think about, why didn't you go up to her?" Ron just stayed silent as Hermione went up to her dorm. I needed to leave the common room, I put Hollys necklace in my pocket as I got up to leave, Ron came with of course.

We were walking down a hallway when we hear Bill and Remus talking with Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. We hid behind a pillar as we listened in, suspecting it was about Holly.

"Remus we have a lot to talk to you about, concerning Miss Black, would you like to talk in my office?" Remus looked quite angry,

"No Dumbledore, if it concerns my god daughter I wish to speak right here right now." Dumbledore nodded, then began to speak,

"Now Bill has told me everything that he knows about Miss Black, and there are things that even I didn't know, she had been having nightmares, quite similar to Mr Potters, about  Voldermort, most include her father. Her first nightmare was seeing the dark lord and her father talking, Sirius said that he never loved Holly and that the dark lord could do whatever he wanted with her." Now Remus was very angry,

"Sirius would never do anything to hurt Holly!" I was quite sad now, Holly had been going through all of this and she didn't tell anyone apart from Bill.

"I know Remus, that's why it is so damaging for the young girl, and now don't panic when I tell you this Remus, her mother contacted her. A letter. Delivered by owl. We don't know how she found her or her owl but this is being searched and sorted. Also she received a lot of letters at Christmas from the dark lord." My heart dropped that's what was in the box that Holly had received for Christmas, the one which was just 'stupid letters' she's in danger. Remus was now shouting,

"Why the hell has this happened, you are supposed to keep her safe, Albus and you Minerva. She isn't safe. She has a bright red target on her back!" Remus now stormed off. Ron and I went out from out hiding spot. We both were shaken up, Holly was truly in danger. But we had thought that the teachers had left but we were wrong, we were met by two worried faces.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, how much of that did you hear?"

"Everything sir." I managed to speak, Ron wasn't saying anything. He was to worried about Holly.

"I trust you keep this to yourself and don't tell Holly, she worries enough as it is." Dumbledore said before leaving with McGonagall. Probably to find Remus and Bill. This made sense now, why Holly would always spend the night in the common room, she never slept. She had nightmares just like mine. I needed to talk to Holly.

Ron and I rushed up to the common room to find Neville and Holly sat next to eachother on the sofa near the fireplace. They were reading a Herbology textbook together. I sent glares at Neville but I don't really know why, was I jealous? Anyway there's another time for that. I called Hollys name. She looked up and smiled,

"Hey Harry what's up?"

"Um Ron, Neville could you give us a minute." Neville looked over to Holly and she nodded. They both went upstairs to the boys dorm, leaving me and Holly alone downstairs. I didn't know what to say, the next words that came from my mouth, probably weren't the smartest,

"I know everything." Her eyes went wide as tears filled them. She flung her arms around me. I was a bit confused at first but then wrapped my arms round her waist. She began crying. I didn't know what to do. I held her head as she cried into my shoulder. After a while she looked up to me,

"I'm scared Harry." This broke my heart I just pulled her back into a hug as she continued to cry. I reached into my pocket to see if I had tissues but then remembered the necklace, I pulled it out of my pocket as I pulled away from the hug. I handed her the necklace,

"Look on the back." I showed her the back of the necklace hoping that she would see the engravings. I blushed as she read it.

"Harry"

"Yeah."

"Thank you" she said as she wrapped her arms round me once again. Then I said something even more stupid and now I realise that I should have never said it ever.

"Holly, I love you." Harry why did you say that, you stupid idiot. But then I realised that she was asleep, THANK GOD. But I didn't realise that three of my friends heard that, Hermione, Ron and Neville were stood mouths gaping. I blushed so hard. They just walked up to me.

"Bloody hell mate, what did you just say to her?" Ron started, Hermione soon followed,

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it" she was practically just jumping with joy. It was weird how fast she fell asleep, but she must of been tired with the day she's had. She had her head on my chest. I lifted her up slightly as I needed to put her in her own bed so she could sleep. She needed as much rest as possible, even if she might kill me tomorrow. If the task doesn't kill me first. I put the necklace on the desk next to her be. Hermione was now her bed watching me. Smirking. I just rolled my eyes as I tucked her into bed. Now to get some rest of my own.

"Night Mione"

"Night Harry"

I walked back in the common room to find Ron and Neville making their beds.

"Oh Harry I think this is Hollys she left it in here when we were working,"

Neville held up Hollys quidditch jumper and I took it and put it on my bed post. I would give it back to her tomorrow.

"Thanks Neville I'll make sure she gets it back." He nodded as I went in my bed next to Ron's. Ron was muttering something,

"Would you like to share that thought Ronald?"

"Why Harry, I was just saying that you love Holly" I picked up my pillow and hit Ron round the face whilst Neville just laughed behind us. I put my wand back down onto my dresser and went to bed. Now all I have to do is not act awkward around Holly and not get any of the three to tell Holly what happened. And not get killed by a giant maze.