You might think this chapter is pointless, but you never know if it has relevance...
I’m double posting as a result
Enjoy!
Chapter 3
Ron’s Dream
The sound of creaking echoing down the corridors brought me back to reality. My attention snapped up and I saw Ron; he looked half-dead!
“Good morning...?” I asked. Over the past few days he and the rest of the trio have become at least acquaintances. They’re better than Malfoy, who has been trying to force himself onto me. I honestly preferred to be alone, but acquainted friends are better than nothing.
“Mor’in...” Ron muttered in response, dragging his feet across the floorboards, which squeaked and creaked in complaint at him not bothering to pick his feet up. “Wha’ time’s’t?”
“It’s 5am. What’re you doing up?”
“Cou’ ask you de same,” Ron responded as he dropped onto the couch across from me.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I responded with a shrug.
“You dun soun’ tired...”
“I suppose that explains why I’m not sleeping,” I responded flatly. “What’re you doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep eider...”
“You sure look like it,” I drawled sarcastically. Big, black bags stood out on Ron’s blanched skin, his eyelids open barely halfway. It was a shock he could see me!
“Yeah, yeah... I jus’ kept ‘avin nightmares...”
“Isn’t it a little soon to be seeing spiders?” I responded, smiling. I couldn’t tell if Ron had rolled his eyes or if it was just a twitch.
“No... kept seein’... death. ‘Orrible death...”
I frowned in thought. “Like, dead bodies or...”
“Someone lookin’ over ‘em, like dey did it. No marks, nuthin’, dey just dead.”
“Who was looking over them?” I asked curiously, putting my book down absentmindedly. The book clattered to the floor, pages flipping as it flew opened. Ron winced at the sudden, loud noise.
“Dunno, face too dark. One part d’oh... person wazn’t dead... bravery yet fear in ‘is eyes. Dark eyes... suddenly went red...” he shivered, nearly falling from the couch in the process.
“Girl or guy?”
“Beau’ful girl... so unfortunate.”
“Have you tried to get more sleep? Push the thoughts away and close your eyes?” I suggested, hoping Ron would at least get some shut-eye before having to wake up in 2 and a half hours.
“When I try ta close m’eyes, I see ‘em... red eyes, fear, pale, dark figure looming...”
“Was this figure a man or woman?” I asked curiously, pulling my legs up into the chair and curling up on the lone recliner. Ron just shrugged. Before I could speak another word, he fell onto his side, his head making a loud bang as it connected with the armrest, and was snoring before he could even groan.
I thought about what I was just told. Shrugging it off, I reached over the couch, grabbed my book, and started reading again.
A groan broke through the common room. Looking up from my book, I saw Ron sitting up, rubbing the side of his head with a grimace. The bags under his eyes had barely lightened over the past hour and a bit.
“Wha... why’re ya in the boys’ dorms? Merlin, who brough’ all dis furniture in ‘ere...?”
“Ron, you’re in the common room,” I responded flatly. He looked around, a blank look in his eyes, and he finally seemed to understand what I had said.
“Wha’ ‘appened?”
“You came down here an hour ago and told me you had nightmares and fell asleep on the couch before I could speak anymore. You hit your head on the armrest, but you were too asleep to notice.”
“Holy... how could I not notice? Ow...” Ron groaned, still rubbing the area he had hit before.
“Do you want me to...?”
“No, Pomfrey’d ‘ave a fit. ‘Already, Ronald Weasley? You broke your leg last time; what’s next? Cracking your skull?’” he mimicked. I could only assume ‘Pomfrey’ was a healer here.
“Why’d you wake up? More nightmares?”
“Naw... sharp pain,” he responded. He then seemed to fit two and two together. “What’re you doin’ up? It’s barely 6am.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” I repeated, my response sounding robotic.
“Ah...” without another word, Ron got up and stumbled to the staircase. As he disappeared around the bend, I heard a series of loud crashes and breaking noises, and then a weak voice calling, “I’m ok!”