Ticking was the only sound in the entire room. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

Merlin's beard, it was so annoying!

She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to block out the sound. More than anything, she wanted to move, to get up, to do something!

Hermione Granger -no...no, that wasn't right anymore. They kept telling her but she wouldn't listen- well, whomever she was now, she did not want to be here.

She felt fine, really. Felt just like her old self...only a few years older?

In truth, it was a lot to wrap her head around.

The healers kept explaining it over and over to her, as if the constant reminding would help it stick. But it didn't.

Obviously, she knew something was wrong. Obviously, she was missing time - a very unsettling feeling.

But the story they told her, the things her friends kept insisting on - the man who now stood outside of her room, speaking to the healer on call- none of it felt right. She mentally recoiled at their every word.

He stepped back in, rubbing a hand over his face.

He looked very different from their school days. Older, yes, but also...more humble? Kinder, perhaps? It was hard to tell with the smirk gone.

Honestly, that may have been the most surprising thing of all. Out of all the hours he spent in this room, all of the days he kept reappearing at her door, the smirk was nowhere to be found. Not even a hint of his lip curling.

He glanced over.

The urge to look away was strong. She just wasn't comfortable with the emotions that showed on his face.

"Well, visiting hours are ending. They still won't let me stay, despite our ties."

His voice still drawled. He still sounded like an arrogant prick. But, this time, it was not directed to her.

"Are you going to be alright tonight? Would you rather I call Harry or Ginny to stay with you?"

She flinched at his casual use of her best friends' given names.

"Do I look like I need a babysitter?"

Her voice cut through the air rather harshly. He looked down at his satchel sitting beside the chair.

"No." He gave a soft chuckle. "No, you definitely do not."

He picked up his bag and sighed.

"Alright, then..." His eyes lingered on her face, making her cheeks heat up. "I will see you tomorrow."

She gave a stiff nod.

When he had gone, she let out a breath of relief. It wasn't that his company was unpleasant. He did try to make her comfortable.

It was all just too weird.

In her mind, it was only last night that she had been talking to Ginny about settling down off the dating world, focusing more on her writing, her research. Now, everyone and their gran was insisting she was a Malfoy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. Those rights belong to JK Rowling. I am only borrowing her beautiful creations.

Hello, everyone! This is what happens when I should be focusing on my WIP but decide to fanfic instead. I had no intentions on making a new Dramione just yet, but oh well. I'm pretty sure this type of story has been done before, but I thought it would be cute to try. I hope ya'll enjoy!