Title: Twisted Memories

Author: Tiri Lotus

Rating: MA/NC-17. However this version is rated 'T' so that it suits the guidelines for this site. You can read the uncensored version by clicking on my profile and going to the link provided.

Disclaimer: In its use of intellectual property and characters belonging to JK Rowling, Warner Bros, Bloomsbury Publishing, et cetera, this work is intended to be transformative commentary on the original. I do not own anything, other than that which you do not recognize, and do not make any profit from this work.

Summary: "You really shouldn't have done that, Mudblood," he said in a voice that promised sinister retribution. He slowly stalked around her, taking her in at every angle. He made a point of deliberately taking his time raking her form over with his gaze. Despite the tepid air on her water-drenched skin Hermione felt a hot and humiliated flush creep upon her flesh. "But, really, I shouldn't be surprised, now, should I?" Malfoy continued. "You and your golden boys have always been big on nosing about in other people's business." Suddenly his stormy grey eyes connected with her wide chocolate gaze. The movement was whip-fast and foreboding. "Well this time I think you ought to pay for your meddling." He paused for a long beat, letting his words slither along and coat her with their poison. "You're going to finish what you started. You're going to keep watching my memories." Hermione felt the air freeze in her chest. He had stepped close enough now that he was whispering in her ear. His breath stirred tendrils of her hair. "I want you to see what I've done to them. I want the tainted filth burned into you... Burned into you the way it's burned into me," he snarled raggedly.

And with that he pushed her back into the silvery, bewitched lagoon, and forced her into his twisted memories.

Author's Note: Ohmygoodness! My first ever Dramione fic! I've only been a lurker of Dramione fanfiction for, like, nine years! Haha. Hopefully I can do justice to the pairing. Please let me know your thoughts!

Twisted Memories

By Tiri Lotus

Part 1

Contrary to popular opinion Hermione Granger did get sick of studying. On occasion. Rare occasion – but it did happen none-the-less. When it happened, Hermione tended to have a habit of needing some time alone to clear her head. Now, in a castle full of students, professors, ghosts and the, not to be left unmentioned, ever-present portraits – having a moment alone was near impossible... Unless one were to venture into the Forbidden Forest.

Hermione Granger didn't have a particular death wish. She knew venturing into the Forbidden Forest was beyond dangerous. It had never been her intention to find a cozy nook in the forest to forget all her troubles... It had just sort of...panned out that way one day when she had gone down to take a walk by the lake one night to clear her head.

It had been meer minutes before dusk turned into darkness, when the sky had been streaked with salmon pink, crimson red, and a violently dark shade of purple, that she had come across the thin, spidery streams of silvery water that siphoned off the lake at the opposite end of the castle. At the time, she had felt the funny whooshing sensation she always got in the pit of her stomach when she could sense powerful magic was present nearby. It had given her pause in her walk.

Nibbling nervously at her bottom lip, she had blinked owlishly at the currents of ethereal water rushing from the lake, like undulating strands of spider's web floating by on a strong breeze, towards the dark silhouette of the forest. Far and away from the castle it was rushing; into parts unknown. The slender witch had squinted her eyes, looking away from her find to contemplate the castle. It looked so tiny from where she stood. A meer speck that she could blot out with her thumb if she wanted.

Hermione had listened to the babbling water rushing over smooth river rocks while she thought of the occupants of the distant wizarding castle. More pointedly she had thought of two particular occupants of the castle. Harry and Ron.

A no-nonsense voice in her head had said that she should turn back right then and there and tell her two best friends about the strange water and wait to find out if they wanted to investigate it further. But as soon as the thought had crossed her mind she was rebelling against it. They were the major source of her needing this alone time anyway. Hermione was sick and tired of fretting over Harry while he feverishly devoured the pages of that tampered-with potions book (really, Merlin only knew what dark and sinister wizard had written in the margins of those pages) and Ron –

She swallowed convulsively, trying to forcefully clear the tickle from her throat and the hot stinging at her eyes that preluded tears. Ron was probably off in some unused wing of the castle at that very moment snogging Lavender Brown. Hermione had glared at the tiny, picturesque castle as if she could see through to its interior and catch the tiny intertwined couple in the act.

Letting out a degected sigh, Hermione had decisively turned her back to the castle and faced the glinting stream again. And again she felt that whoosh of magic. The edges of her light brown eyes shone brightly with the silver glimmer and suddenly it was as if Devil's Snare was drawing her in towards the flowing water's edge. She followed the watery tendrils, only pausing at the entrance of the forest for but a moment before her innate curiousity and Gryffindor courage got the better of her. She stepped into the Forbidden Forest, her Mary Jane clad feet softly crunching through dead leaves as she was led along by the flowing water as if it were an enchanted guide.

Night fell around her as she walked, and it was only as she muttered a soft "Lumos" that anxiety started to creep in to her thoughts and make her start to regret her decision. Hermione Granger was a critical thinker; and over-analyzing things is what she did. The distant hum of large insects, cooing creatures, and the occasional flutter of wings through the dark and ancient trees kept her perpetually on edge. If one could have seen how she brandished her lit wand at that moment, it would have been all too clear that it was held very distinctly like a weapon.

Images of her previous encounters in the Forbidden Forest flashed through her mind as she continued her trek. She very nearly turned to head back when she thought of how her and Harry had almost been dealt the same unlucky fate as Professor Umbridge just the year previously. The only reason that they had survived that encounter unscathed was because Grawp, Hagrid's half-giant brother, had stumbled onto the scene and had distracted the angry centaurs attention away from the two teenagers long enough for them to make their escape. Being the logical girl that she was - she knew that she couldn't rely on that type of luck happening to her again.

With her stomach twisting in knots, Hermione was just about to turn on her heel and head back to the castle when a clearing suddenly opened up. She gasped, taking in the extraordinary sight of the silvery body of water as all thoughts to head back fled her mind.

It was a lagoon. A lagoon nestled inside the Forbidden Forest.

A misty glow emanated over the surface of the water. It suffused the surrounding area with enough light that it was as if a thousand wizards had cast 'Lumos' on their wands all at the same time. Hermione drank in the sight. This time she had not hesitated from stepping forward until she was at the water's edge. She knew what this place was. She'd read about it in Hogwarts, A History – there had been a little anecdote about it under the voluminous section about the Forbidden Forest.

It was Stagnum Desiderii, which translated to the 'Pool of Desire'...but it was better known by its nickname, 'Wish Granted Lagoon.'

Hermione felt her excitement mounting as the full impact of her find settled in. Only a handful of wizards had ever been known to come across Wish Granted Lagoon! And she was now one of those lucky few!

Her wide brown eyes had almost instantly fallen to a small object that was bobbing in the glowing water. It was coming towards her. When it came close enough, she was able to see that it was a slender, corked glass bottle. As it bobbed at the bank near her feet it magically rose from the water, dripping silvery drops of water back down into the lagoon. It stopped and hovered in front of her face. A piece of parchment lay inside. Hermione checked her surroundings, as if to see if this all really was happening, before, with bated breath, she closed her hand over the bottle and uncorked it.

The wisp of parchment fluttered into her open palm. Fine, silvery script started to bloom across it long enough for her to read each verse before it dissolved.

A wish fulfilled

If you desire

Write it down

And watch it transpire.

Hermione had let out a shaky breath as she had read the last words before they vanished. The lagoon was allowing her to grant a wish.

Hermione's hands trembled slightly as she gripped the now blank parchment while she thought of what she desired. All 'Outstanding' grades on her N.E.W.T. Exams, equal rights for all magical creatures, Ron's love-

This last one had brought her up short. She had closed her eyes, and this time she couldn't stop a hot, traitorous tear from escaping and sliding down her cheek.

She wouldn't wish for that. No matter how much she wanted it. It would be forcing her will on another.

But she thought of how much her heart ached, and how many sleepless nights she'd endured - thinking about Ron with Lavender. Night after night she would cry until there were no tears left; until there were only ugly, broken, dry sobs while the image of them touching each other lovingly burned itself behind her retinas and refused to leave.

She was done with feeling that way.

So she decided to amend the wish and forget about Ron's love. It was time to look forward to someone who reciprocated her feelings.

She closed her eyes and tapped her wand on the parchment. This time the words flowed onto the parchment permanently.

I wish for the one who desires me most to come forth and let me know of his feelings.

When the last word etched itself into the parchment, the parchment suddenly disappeared from her grasp and then reappeared in the glass bottle once again. The bottle had recorked itself.

Hermione Granger had let go of her wishing bottle and watched it gently float back down into the Wish Granted Lagoon. It bobbed away until it was a speck in her sight, and then, like magic, it vanished with a flash of light.

Still a little dazed at the fact that this all had really happened, the bushy haired witch had backed away from the body of water and made her way back to her dormitory in the castle. That night she fell asleep quickly, anticipating her granted wish with an innocence that would leave her reeling.

She had no idea of what she had just unleashed.

Ancient and powerful magic rushed invisibly towards the castle. It creeped through the stone walls and wove itself into the sleeping quarters of its intended target. With a blast it infused itself to the wizard. The teen wizard woke up with a startled gasp. Blinking surprised, light colored eyes, he let out a shaky breath as he tried to figure out what had started him awake. For minutes he stared at the shadowy hangings on his four poster bed, but nothing came to him. Finally, letting out an uneasy breath, he sunk back down into his comforter and drifted back into sleep.

Sharp, clever brown eyes invaded his dreams.

To Be Continued...