A/N: What if Hermione went blind? When she wakes up in St Mungo's, how will she cope? And it just so happens, Draco Malfoy is spending the next six months there doing community service. Will this horrible occurrence be the start of a friendship between the two, or even something more?

As always, read and review. Check out my other fics. And I do not own anything you realize, just the plot.


Darkness. That's what she saw. That's what she felt, smelled, heard and tasted. It assaulted all her senses all at once. But there was something else she felt: pain, everywhere. Her muscles ached just by thinking about them and her throat felt dry. What had happened to her?

She tried to do something else. She inhaled deeply and recognized the stinging smell of cleaning supplies. She was somewhere clean, somewhere very clean actually. She noticed now that the smell was almost overpowering.

She tried another sense. She heard muffled shuffling some distance away and quiet voices. Okay then, there were people somewhere close, just a few steps away.

But now she panicked. She could feel the pain, hear the sounds, smell the cleaning supplies and taste just how dry her tongue was but she couldn't see. She tried to pry her eyes open, ready to find out exactly where she was but she couldn't. She made the motion over and over but was still left in the dark. That didn't make sense.

More feelings came to her and she felt the presence of a tight bandage around her head. How had she not noticed before? Ignoring the pain in her arms, she reached up and moved the bandage slightly to uncover her eyes. She really hated not knowing. She made to open her eyes again but still nothing. Just the same darkness. She moved her hands to her face and then.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


Two men walked briskly through the crowded lobby of the Spell Damage floor of St. Mungo's trying to avoid stumbling over the feet of harried healers. The round man in front bristled at having almost fallen to floor by a wayward shove for the third time. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, his blonde moustache shifting under his bulbous nose.

Draco just looked around disinterestedly. Under his sentence, as deemed a child unfit to have voluntarily followed the Dark Lord of his own will, he chose six months of community service over a year in Azkaban. He didn't want to be here but he guessed it was better than spending twice the time in Azkaban. Pop a few boils, feed some old ladies and I'll be done in no time.

The man was talking to him again, his shoulders moving as he spoke.

"...You will report to Healer Headley while you are here. She will give you your assignments every morning, which patients to see and tasks to complete. At the end of the six months, she'll send me an evaluation of your performance and then there will be another deliberation hearing then." Draco rolled his eyes behind the man's back.

They stopped in the corridor in front of a tall elder witch with pallid grey hair stuck into a tight bun. There was no hint of a smile on her face, only extreme weariness.

"Ah, Healer Headley. This will be your young ward for the next six months," Mr Boyd introduced to the witch, putting a hand on Draco's shoulders. Draco almost shrugged off the hand. He didn't really like people touching him.

"I see, Mr Boyd. I understand the circumstances regarding taking him in but I do think he'll learn a lot from the experience." Draco scowled, unable to hold back his irritation at her attitude towards him.

She extended a hand to him, "Emma Headley."

He looked down at it scornfully, but under Mr Boyd's stare, he grudgingly returned her handshake and with a forced smile said, "Draco Malfoy."

She nodded and then turned to the two of them, "Now, if you gentlemen will follow me to my office, then we can-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone in the corridor turned wildly towards the sound of the noise. Must be a mental patient. Healer Headley mouth turned down before she said, "Actually, if you would like to wait for me in my office please? I need to handle this situation personally."

Mr Boyd gave Healer Headley a curt nod before walking further down the corridor. Other healers on the floor followed Healer Headley towards the door of the screaming patient while Mr Boyd tugged Draco along. He turned just in time to see Healer Headley burst through the patient's room and say, "Ms Granger, calm down please."