( open ) ϟ put on your war paint

[brainiest]

Who: Hermione Granger
Where: Building #2, Floor #2 OR Building #1, Floor #3
When: Backdated to a couple of days ago!
Summary: Hermione is being haunted and she doesn't like it.
Warnings: None, apart from nasty spirit stuff!

[ Hermione is staggering through the building, her hands shaking and her eyes wide as she tries to make her way to the one place she actually knows she might be alright - that is, strangely enough, the apartment of one Draco Malfoy. The flashes of her vision are still rocketing through her mind, her busy brain trying to decipher it as best she can while feeling so weak and tired, the shadow still seeming to follow her, looking over her shoulder and taking what little stores of energy she feels like she still might have.

She tried to sleep after she had attempted to help the woman that had appeared before her, reaching out and wanting to talk, to discuss - because Hermione was all too used to ghosts - but the touch seemed to send a chill through her body, twisting her stomach and causing her to falter. Even the woman's words still haunt her, the vision of fire and bright, brilliant light; "O mournful voice of Creation, grant thy humble servant Thy Light that I may use Thy power to quench the unruly flames of those who've strayed."

Even magic isn't making her feel better and, for a long, deperate moment, Hermione wishes she can stick herself in a dungeon and brew a potion to make herself feel better. Unsure what's going on, all Hermione can think is that her sickness, the way she knows that she needs to touch someone even though she had settled with her back against Draco's not so long ago. She doesn't understand, and that frustrates her more than anything else.

Finally making her way to the second floor, she settles down at the top of the stairs and rubs her eyes, feeling her stomach turn. She feels like she's having flashbacks to Malfoy Manor, where the torture had almost broken her spirit entirely - but she can't dwell on that. No matter how much she might want to just wait it out, the negative thoughts rubbing at her mind, she fights back. ]

Merlin, Granger, pull yourself together!

Comments

[brainiest]

Hermione, taking the moment to gather herself and try to wrap her mind around the vision, the shadows and what they all mean (magical? Were they true ghosts? Or were they just some kind of hallucination because she wasn't touching enough people -- even though she was sure she was safe?) was rather shocked to hear a voice behind her, jumping a little as she turns her head to offer Pepper wide, lost eyes.

Shaking herself from the daze, Hermione stands up and offers a soft smile, brushing her hair from her face and trying to act as though she wasn't seeing spirits and imagining - well, rivers and lakes and fire and chanting. She doesn't want people to worry about her, even if those people are, generally, strangers. They're all trapped her, so it's near enough certain that they're going to see each other again.

"I'm fine, really," She says, eventually, taking a deep breath. "I was just on my way to meet a friend - I think I must have missed my touching quota somehow..." She shakes her head. She had been told hallucinations were a possible side effect, but this fast? "Please, don't worry."

[spicyworkaholic]

The strawberry blonde studied the young woman carefully, eyes taking in more than what the girl was saying on the surface, but she didn't push too hard on the subject. Young people and children weren't exactly a common presence in her day-to-day work, even though she met them from time to time due to the many charities Stark Industries supported. Despite her ignorance though, she was pretty sure she recalled not wanting to be fussed over too much back when she was a teenager - especially if something was actually wrong.

It was off of that assumption, tempered with her own need to still try and help, that Pepper proceeded. Hefting the grocery bag more solidly into the crook of her arm, the former PA held out a hand in greeting.

"That." Pepper said with a small smile, referring to the 'touching quota'. "I'm still pretty new here - but I've heard it can get...uncomfortable when you go too long. Maybe a moment here could help?" A hand shake to start at least. "I'm Pepper Potts, by the way." She left off her title since no one really seemed to know her or the company she ran here, and there was no need to be intimidating. That was sort of the opposite of her point in stopping.

[brainiest]

"Perhaps. I was certain I had held hands with Draco for long enough, but... Maybe I was wrong." She had to do a little more research on the matter, then, if the lengthy times she and Draco had been enduring each other's company wasn't enough. She might ask Zack or Thor to help her if there's some clause that lessens the effect of the touching the more you're with a single person -- though, no one had mentioned that at all...

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Hermione offers a soft smile and reaches to take Pepper's hand, shaking it gently. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Potts. I'm Hermione Granger." She lets her hand drop after a moment of hesitation, lifting her hands to tie her hair back absently. "You said you were new? How long have you been here? I must have missed you at the introduction day that they have when newcomers arrive."

She had been, at the time, rather pre-occupied with helping a newcomer settle down - she had missed a few people. It was almost a relief, not having to explain to everyone that they were trapped here until they were allowed to go free, especially with the knowledge that they were forced into contact with complete strangers.

[spicyworkaholic]

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss Granger. Or do you like Hermione better? You can just call me Pepper." It's not as if she was anything more here, without her contacts, her cellphone, without...Tony. Here, she was just a woman with a strange overheating problem.

Insistently, she pushed her own problems aside, focusing on the conversation at hand.

"I've been here a few days now. I still don't know what to think of how polite the people are who brought us here. Is it all an act?" Her eyebrows raised slightly, and there was a hint of amusement in her voice, but not enough to be mistaken as actual humor at their situation.

[brainiest]

"Hermione is fine, thank you." Hermione smiles softly, nodding her head. "And Pepper it is, if that's what you prefer." She doesn't want to do anything to make anyone uncomfortable - and while formality is important, so is making people feel welcome here. Hermione knows that things here are a little strange and unsettling, so having someone be nice is - well, it's a good thing.

She stands as straight as she can, breathing out a little and glancing around, almost nervous - she's worried that the spirit might turn up again.

"I don't think so. They all seem to be incredibly helpful and really do want to help us, even if they are kidnappers. They want to make us comfortable and at home here, even if most of us just want us to go home..." She sighs. "It's a little strange, but at least they're not trying to kill us or threaten us into doing what they want."