Ch. 7: Make It An Extra Large

                                    

                                          
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Ch. 7: Make It An Extra Large 
     "Elle?" A voice called me out of my blank staring into the flames of the Common Room. I find I have been doing that a lot. Staring.
     It seems that the whole crazy work load has been cramming my brain too much to function - and it has only been a week. I don't think I can take this torture for much longer. My head is going to implode. Is imploding a side-effect of time travel? I think so.
     "Elle!" The voice called again, making me realize that I never answered it. Rubbing my tired eyes, I tore my attention away from the blazing fire and onto the blazing red head. Ginny was watching me curiously, holding a small purse under her arm. "Are you alright?"
     "Me?" I croaked, stretching myself out and yawning. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I gave her a small smile. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now - it's been a long day, you know?"
     Ginny's pretty face scrunched up with concern as she stepped closer to me. "Bed? Have you been out here all night?"
     "All night?" I questioned, feeling my stomach drop to my intestines. "W-wait. What time is it?!" I paused and panicked, jumping off of the couch and latching onto Ginny's arms. "What day is it?!"
     She chuckled a little, pushing my hands away from her and sending me a concerned look. "Uh, Elle - you okay? It's Saturday - and it is eight in the morning? We are going to Hogsmeade today. Remember?" She looked down into my eyes, wondering if I was truly okay. "Have you... Have you been sitting there all night?"
     Blinking a few times to clear the film that had gathered over my relentless hours of staring, I furrowed my brow. "Well, I guess I did. I'm just cramming so much into my days I must have zoned out..." I trailed off, giving her a small smirk. "All night."
     There was the sound of footsteps pounding down the stairs, followed by Ron and Harry coming out of the boys' dormitory. Harry was clutching his scalp, groaning and rubbing a hand roughly over his lightning bolt scar. 
     "You okay, Harry?" I cocked a brow at him while trying to tame my second-day hair. "You look even worse than I do." Pausing, I spared him an apologetic smile. "No offence."
      Harry frowned a little, while giving me a small smile. "I don't know - it's gotten worse every day since Voldemort came back. I just know it's a bad sign." He dropped his hand turned to Ron who was nervously running his hands down his thick sweater. 
     Rolling out my shoulders, I tossed my limp hair up into a messy ponytail and trudged to the bathroom to clean myself up before everyone headed out for Hogsmeade without me. Glaring at myself in the mirror, I fixed my smudged make-up and tidied up my disheveled clothes. I can't believe I'd been up all night just watching the flames. That's something crazy people do.
     Hermione poked her frizzy head into the background and gave me a nervous smile, juggling a roll of parchment and a ink quill. "Hey - so there will be a meeting at the Hog's Head for all those interested in..." She paused and looked around mysteriously. "You-know-what. It will be around three o'clock."
     I gave her a shrug and contemplated it for a moment, walking out of the bathroom and towards the portrait hole with her following closely. "Oh, I don't know, 'Mione. I didn't get any sleep last night - I think I am going to sit this one out. You know?"
     There was the sound of a throaty objection and suddenly Fred and George were standing in front of us with curious looks on their faces. Faintly reminding me of Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. "Nuh-uh, Elle." Fred shook his head. "We've got a date - remember?"