I started this fic a long time ago, but finally came back to revamp it and start some new chapters! Please let me know what you think.

I am trying to stay close to Canon events, however it is a fanfic, so some things will change. Rated M for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Happy reading! -a-

Flashback (June 18, 1996) 10p.m.

The sound of wings beat quietly around the group of teens, their ragged breaths almost drowned out the invisible creatures' presence. The fear that surrounded them was palpable, but that didn't stop them from their task. The boys began hoisting the girls onto the thestrals, an almost impossible task due to their fear of being caught before they were able to help Sirius and their fear of actually riding on the invisible creatures. Luna, being the only person actually able to see them, was directing the others on how to best hold on to the creatures. Hermione stood stoically, facing away from the group, keeping an eye on their surroundings. She knew they could be caught at any minute.

Fingers brushed the back of her hand lightly and she yanked her eyes to the person next to her. Her eyes softened at the look on Harry's face as her fingers stayed pressed against his, not quite intertwined, but almost more intimate. " 'Mione.." Harry began in a rush, his worry for Sirius evident, but there was something more. The way his forehead creased and the way the tip of his mouth turned downward showed there was more he wanted to say, but there just wasn't enough time.

"Harry, we do not have time for this argument, again. I'm coming with you. You aren't trying to stop Ron, or anyone else, from coming with you, so why can't you just accept that you need me, too?" Hermione growled the words, too low for the others to pick up from the thestrals they were finally mounted on.

Harry gulped, and lowered his eyes to the ground, and then looked up at her through his eye lashes. He pulled her hand into his and laid a kiss on the smooth skin of her wrist. "I do need you.. that's exactly why I can't lose y..."

Harry was cut off abruptly as Ron shouted, thrusting his finger in the direction of the quickly approaching Inquisitorial Squad, "Guys! Hurry!"

Hermione yanked Harry behind her as they sprinted the last steps to their thestral, mounting quickly and leading the escape from Hogwarts' grounds.

End Flashback

Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly and ran a hand roughly through his hair. He walked down the corridor that led to the courtyard, in search of Ron. Harry assumed this was the way he had run off, seeing as it was the only shortcut to the Great Hall. He knew all too well that Ron was upset about being late for lunch.

For the second time in a week Flitwick made the class stay an extra twenty minutes to try to explain how the Cheering Charm was correctly performed, which instead of improving Harry's mood only further agitated him.

Harry's emotions and nerves had been set on edge for nearly three months. He couldn't sleep, and unlike Ron, he couldn't eat. Any moment where he was free of classes, though his mind often drifted during those, he was focused on the image of Hermione lying motionless, barely breathing, in the hospital wing.

Flashback (June 25, 1996) 11p.m.

It had been a long week, but Hermione was finally cleared to be released from the hospital wing. She had been hit by a very dark curse during their fight at the Department of Mysteries and it had taken Madame Pomfrey and two St. Mungos' healers to remove the residual effects from the curse. Her entire time unconscious was spent reliving the entire night over and over again. The only thing bringing her peace was knowing that she had hit Lucius Malfoy in the leg with a Reducto. From what she could tell, before being taken down by Dolohov, there was not much of his leg left.

Not one to skive off from her duties, Hermione began her prefect patrols the night she was released. If she hoped to gain the Head Girl title her seventh year, then she needed to show just how dedicated she was. This is what saw her walking through the third floor corridor, alone, late that evening.

On the last floor of her patrol, Hermione came across Nearly Headless Nick. As she stopped to say hello to him, she heard an uneven gait of footsteps coming from the adjacent corridor. Thinking it was a student out of bed, Hermione waited patiently, prepared to dock points for wondering the halls after hours. Instead of seeing a student, she saw the long white-blonde hair of none other than Lucius Malfoy, his snake like cane gripped tightly in his fist.

His movements ceased as their eyes locked, and his eyes shown with a terrifying sparkle of malice, and a look of disgust crossed his face. Hermione saw him mouth the word "Mudblood," while a smirk, not unlike his son's, spread across his aristocratic face.

Hermione reached for her wand, sucking in a shocked gasp as she remembered leaving it on her bed in her rush to get to patrols on time. Hermione schooled her features into a look of superiority as she demanded his reasoning for being there; Nearly Headless Nick slowly turning to see who had been rude enough to interrupt his conversation. Before either could finish their movements, they heard two heart stopping words slip from his lips: "Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione tried to leap out of the way, but it was too late. Her scream was stifled as a green light hit her square in the face; falling to the floor instantaneously. Lucius sneered down at the unmoving filth, spun on his heel, which was impressive due to his bum leg, and with a sweep of his robes ducked into the secret passageway to Honeydukes.

End Flashback

Harry could never thank Sir Nicholas enough for being there at the moment of this encounter. Just like with the basilisk, four years earlier, the deadly effects of the curse did not do what it was supposed to. Because the spell had been sent directly at Hermione, who had been separated from Lucius by the ghostly body of Nearly Headless Nick, the effects were not as dire. On contact Hermione did crumple to the floor, in a lifeless state, but her breathing continued, even if only Nicholas wasn't any better off. He seemed to be in a state similar to when he was petrified in second year.

Harry hadn't left her bedside once during the remainder of fifth year, often joined by Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. When it came time for them to leave on the Hogwarts express, Harry was forcibly removed by Snape, directed by Professor Dumbledore, who told him that he and the others would be informed as soon as she showed signs of improvement.

The summer came and went. Hermione was kept at Hogwarts to continue to be monitored, as her injury was an anomaly, much like Harry was after surviving Voldemort's attack when he was a baby. With the Ministry trying to keep all negative press underwraps, due to the battle in the Department of Mysteries, the Headmaster was forbidden to tell Hermione's parents of the true nature of her summer stay at Hogwarts, and were instead informed that she was to be taking part in a Transfiguration apprenticeship. Hermione's parents were thrilled for her receiving such a wonderful opportunity' and were very understanding of her inability to write often throughout the holiday.

Harry tried to be patient and wait for word on Hermione. He spent his summer mourning the loss of Sirius and praying that Hermione would wake up soon; his perceived guilt making him unmotivated to do most anything. He refused to read or respond to any letters from his friends, only looking at the address to see if it was word on Hermione's condition. Eventually he started bombarding Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey with letters. They responded the first few times, but eventually they just sent Hedwig back with Harry's unopened letters.

Even when Dumbledore picked up Harry for their trip to meet Slughorn, in order to convince him to come teach, Dumbledore wouldn't give him much detail on her condition. He told Harry he needed him 'focused on the task at hand', or some rot like that, Harry thought snidely.

The Weasley's hadn't been given much detail on her condition either, Harry learned once Dumbledore had dropped him off with them for the remainder of the summer. They spent their days trying to distract themselves from the obvious absence of their best friend, but it never truly worked.

Shaking his head, to clear the thoughts from his mind, Harry clenched his fists in frustration and continued his search for Ron. Harry looked up from the ground as he reached an archway that led outside. His eyes met hers as he walked out into the sunny courtyard; Harry blinked back obvious tears as he stepped closer in her direction.

Her eyebrows creased under his gaze, and a confused frown spread across her soft lips. She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled, a habit she had when she was puzzled about something.

Her chocolate-brown eyes left his and refocused on those of a blonde-haired Slytherin, standing too closely (in Harry's opinion) before her, his hips wresting snugly between her dangling legs.

A lump caught in his throat as Harry stared at his best friend perched on top of tall concrete planter. Draco Malfoy stood in front of her, his back turned to the raven-haired boy, completely oblivious to anyone's presence but the woman in front of him and his friends surrounding them.

" 'Mione.." Harry's voice caught in his throat as he tried to call out to regain her attention.

She had been in the hospital wing for months now, and he had been promised that someone would notify him if there were any changes to her state. He snuck in the first night back, after the feast, and he watched her still form as he brushed her loose curls out of her face. He watched the rise and fall of her chest and prayed silently that she would wake up soon. He hadn't been able to go the hospital wing again, for the entire first week back to school, because Dumbledore had required his help on 'research'.

For the first time since seeing her awake, he finally realized what he was actually looking at. What is she doing surrounding herself with a group of Slytherins? Why didn't she come to find me when I wasn't there when she woke up? Harry's questions screamed inside his head, but he could barely manage saying her name out loud, let alone asking her the fifty different questions flowing through his mind.

Hermione looked up, again, in confusion at the emerald-eyed boy, and then looked at Malfoy quizzically. Malfoy turned and stood smirking at the boy, the reason unknown to Hermione. "Drake… Who is that?"

Harry's pupils dilated to only leave the slightest dot in a sea of emerald, as he glared at Draco with more hatred than if he were Voldemort himself, and then sent an incredibly confused look in Hermione's direction. Harry took a few steps forward, still a couple of steps away from her, reaching towards Hermione as if she weren't quite real; stretching his fingers towards her as if he imagined they would just slide through her like a ghost.

The smirk never left Malfoy's face while looking at Harry, but he put on a scowl as he turned to Hermione. "That's Potter. Remember what you had written in your diary, love? The one I gave back to you when you woke up in the hospital wing?" Hermione nodded and a look of disgust and distrust washed over her.

A growl erupted from Harry's throat, almost that of an animal. Malfoy took a few steps from Hermione and the smirk returned to his face as he spoke to Harry in a mocking tone, soft enough to go unheard by Hermione. "You were dumb to leave her alone, Boy Wonder. She lost all of her memories when she was attacked."

A breath caught in Harry's throat for at least the tenth time in those few minutes, and he sent Hermione a pained look. Harry looked back at Malfoy, his anger returning full force. "What did you do to her? Why is she calling you 'Drake'? Why does she not remember who I am but knows you? Why is she looking at me like that?"

Malfoy's smirk widened. "Well, you see, Potter, unlike you, I was actually there when Granger woke up. I filled in a few of the blank spots by giving her back her diary."

Harry stared at Malfoy, and then spoke through clenched teeth. "Her diary…?" Harry's forehead scrunched in confusion and his eyes narrowed in anger. "Hermione detests diaries, Malfoy. Has ever since second year. What are you playing at?"

"You'll know soon enough," Malfoy said, smirking once more.