( 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

[unionjackoff]

[oh. ....... oh.

let him ponder this for a few seconds. England blinks owlishly at her and then rights himself. he supposed it made sense, since Draco was here. but, still, it takes his breath away]

...I... I'm sorry. [he rubs the side of his head, embarrassed, but also trying exceedingly hard to keep his cool. Hermione!! she was here!] It's been a long day.

[brainiest]

Oh! No, that's alright - I completely understand. It's been a long day on my end, too.

[ He looks almost upset for a moment and it tugs at Hermione, especially since her nerves are so frayed from the spirit that caused this whole nightmare in the first place. ]

Please, don't worry about it at all.

[unionjackoff]

[England is a little upset because of the spirits from earlier. but that is quite possibly slipping from his mind thanks to the girl standing before him. he drops his arm because he realizes how silly and unsure he must look with it up there. he was a gentleman, dammit, and there was a lady present... a REALLY COOL lady]

A-alright... [ahem! get your voice back, man! he speaks with a bit more conviction the next time he opens his mouth] If you're not feeling well, you're welcome to pop into my flat. I'm about to put a kettle on for tea.

[brainiest]

[ She almost rejects his offer, considering she had planned on going to see Draco... But spending time with a gentleman that seems rather nice and is offering her tea -- and is obviously English? It almost seems too good to be true and it's not an opportunity she's willing to miss. Draco didn't even know she was coming, he can wait until much, much later.

Standing up properly and trying to look less like she's in a sickbed, Hermione nods once, her smile soft. ] That sounds wonderful, actually.

[unionjackoff]

[after the invite, England vaguely wonders if it was foolish to ask a girl who didn't even know him back to his apartment. obviously, he meant nothing sordid by it, but it could have been misconstrued by Hermione, or anyone else in the area. he did, however, dismiss this idea once she accepted, and a smile comes to his face]

Great! I'm actually just a few doors down this way. Room 11.

[brainiest]

Oh! Then we're neighbours.

[ Of course they were - it was safe to assume anyone walking up to the apartments was, more than likely, going home - but it was always possible that her newfound aquaintence was simply visiting a friend. That had been her intention before she got stuck with a wave of nausea and exhaustion, after all. ]

I'm room 13.

[ She motions with a soft, tired smile, lifting herself to stand up a little straighter to disguise the fatigue. ]

[unionjackoff]

[neighbours! how exciting! England's eyes sparkled. thankfully, he was in front of Hermione and his back was to her]

O-oh! Imagine that! [once he got a grip on his emotions, he stopped in front of his door to open it, but turned his face towards her] My name is Arthur Kirkland. I'm from a place called London in my world.

[brainiest]

[ She steps up towards him, offering him an even brighter smile when she realises she was right - an Englishman. The mention of London almost has her eyes sparkling. ]

That's wonderful! I'm from England as well - London too, in fact. My mother and father live there as dentists, though I went to Scotland for schooling.

[ She smiles, hovering a little - she doesn't want to step into his home without him going first. It's only polite. ]

[unionjackoff]

[feigns surprise] Is that so? Imagine that! I suppose this day isn't all that bad, after all.

[England gestures, because ladies first, and all that. he notices how tired she looks. he's almost certain he looks the same way. it's exhausting to have to live on hugs, and then this whole spirits debacle. England usually likes Halloweentime...]

[brainiest]

I suppose not, you're right. [ A smile as she steps inside, breathing out. The room looks similar enough to hers that she doesn't intrude by looking around nosily. Instead, she turns back to smile at England. ]

What time is it in your home? The people I've talked to are from either years in the future or decades in the past - it's a little startling to say the least.

[unionjackoff]

[so maybe England's apartment isn't super tidy... it's neatly cluttered, for a lack of a better description. he knows where things are. at least the floor's clean. it's the table in the living room that has a lot of things on it... open books, notes, things of that sort. once Hermione is inside, England enters and shuts the door behind him. he hangs up his coat and offers to take hers, if she has one]

I've met a few people like that here, as well. The year I'm from is 2013.

[brainiest]

[ She passes her coat over to him with a small smile, completely entranced by the books he has open on the table. She doesn't want to intrude, but if he's as much of a reader as she is... Well, she is even more glad that she's been able to meet him. She wants to poke her nose in and see what he's been researching, but she holds herself back. When he speaks up, she turns back to Arthur. ]

So you're from the future as well. [ She sighs, rubbing her eyes. She doesn't want to ask if she's real or fiction in her world; it'd probably just upset her. ] That's interesting.

[unionjackoff]

The future? [England muses as he hangs up her coat beside his] When are you from, then? [of course, he already knows. oh, yes, England knows a lot about Hermione, which would sound absolutely creepy if he said so. but she's a character from a book.

and she's right here in front of him.

no, England is going to treat her as a real person. a famous person, but a person, nonetheless. and off he goes to the kitchen to make tea] Oh, and please sit anywhere you like.

[brainiest]

It's only 2000 where I'm from. It is rather disconcerting to see so many people from my future, but... [ She shrugs a shoulder, breathing out a little and sighing. ] There doesn't seem to be much difference between my world and theirs, other than a few... Issues.

[ Like her not being real, for example, and all her life being an adventure written about for children to enjoy.

She glances around the room before she smiles and settles down in a chair, brushing off the dirt that had gathered on her knees from her fainting fit on the stairs. ] Thank you very much.

[unionjackoff]

[the images of the spirits England had seen earlier are pushed far back in his mind. he might think about them later, but right now, he is very happy to be entertaining. truthfully, it's been a little dull here, lately. and he's been so exhausted because of his lack of touching]

Issues? [filling the kettle with water and setting it up to boil]

[brainiest]

[ Hermione perks up a little, looking somewhat embarrassed. She doesn't really like talking about it, but he had asked and he had been so wonderfully polite to her... ]

A few people I've met know me. [ It's a quiet admittance, her gaze on the ground. ] Apparently I'm famous - and I'm also fictional. My life - and the lives of my best friends - are all part of a set of books written for children.

[unionjackoff]

[oh... she knows.

England sadly pulls a box of tea down from the cupboard. he doesn't have good expensive tea because he doesn't have a job here. it angers him, that he needs to actually pay for small luxuries like that when he's the one being forced to stay here. but never mind that.

he hesitantly walks out to the livingroom, still holding the box of tea]

I know.

[brainiest]

[ Hermione glances up, her eyes flickering as she watches him. He has the box of tea in hand and she feels a cold chill go down her spine. Breathing out, she shakes her head and perks up, shifting to look over at him with a small, sad little smile. ]

That's alright. Quite a lot of people know who I am -- it's strange but I'm getting used to it.

[unionjackoff]

[argh! know England feels bad because he lied to her. he moves into the sitting room fully and takes a seat across from her. she looks cold! he'd find a blanket for her in a moment, but things needed to be said first...]

I apologise for not being completely honest with you. I, myself have read all the books, seen the movies... B-but, please don't misunderstand. I've met several storybook characters here already, and they all appear to me as real people who are going through the same struggles I am. I wanted to treat you the same way, miss Granger.

[brainiest]

[ Hermione lifts her hand and waves it quickly, eyes widening. She doesn't want him to feel bad - she completely understands why he chose to keep it from her. Had he been the first to tell her - well, she remembers just how shocked and out of sorts she had been when she was first informed. ]

I appreciate that and you really don't have to apologise. [ She smiles softly. ] I'm really touched that you wanted to make sure I was comfortable. It was very nice of you.

[unionjackoff]

[he still feels bad. England's eyes dart down to the box of tea in his hands. stupid cheap tea]

If it makes you feel any better... and it probably won't... There are people who don't believe in me, either.

[brainiest]

[ her eyes flicker and she lifts herself up to watch him carefully before she licks her lips. ]

Why wouldn't people believe in you? Are you - like me?

[unionjackoff]

Not quite. [at least England doesn't think so?] But I'm not human.

[brainiest]

[ She pauses before she stands, taking a step closer. ]

Oh! Are you - I don't want to pry, but... Werewolf? Vampire? Or - well, your hair... You could be a Veela, perhaps...

[unionjackoff]

[that makes the corners of his mouth prick up a bit. ha, how flattering! England tries to imagine himself as a vampire. that'd be pretty cool]

Ahaha. No, nothing like that. It's even more unbelievable, at least it probably will be, to you.