PROLOGUE
She felt like someone was sucking the life out of her. Dementors! Where was her wand? She needed to produce a patronus! Harry! Where was Harry? They were going to kill her, she was sure! Expecto patronum! EXPECTO PATRONUM! Nothing. She still felt as if she was suffocating.As if tongues of hot flames were licking at her. She didn't understand. Didn't Dementors bring unbearable coldness, sucking away heat? What was going on?
Ron! Ronald! Where are you going? Please don't leave!
Pain. Such unbearable pain. Was she under Cruciatus curse? Why is no one coming to help her? Harry!
Ron! Oh Ron! Don't you understand? I love you! You're like the brother I never had! And so is Harry! He needs us! Ron! Why aren't you saying anything? Don't leave me… Don't leave us!
Ron? What's happening to you… Ro…Malfoy!
Hermione Granger awoke with a start. She was drenched in sweat and was shivering uncontrollably. Harry was lightly shaking her by the shoulder. The night's events hit Hermione with a sudden force and she jumped into Harry's arms with a cry. He hugged her back, comforting her while his eyes hardened at the shared memory. They golden trio, was no more.
They sat there hanging onto one another in silence for a while. But Hermione felt like she needed to breathe. She needed air. She needed to think, be alone... Saying so to Harry, Hermione left the tent. After checking whether the wards were intact, Hermione sat down with the book Dumbledore had given her, The Tales of Beedle the Bard. She wrapped her blanket tightly around her and tried as hard as she could to forget the awful nightmare she had, but in vain. She finally had to surrender to the horrible dream. She shuddered again. Ron leaving them was terrible. How could they do this without him? What if something happened to him?
She gasped as the last part of her dream came to haunt her. She was taken years back. To her first year. To her first day in this magical world. To the first day she met Draco Malfoy.