DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. Not yet, that is. Will let you know the day I do :)

I apologise for the humongous delay in updating this chapter. I have been awfully busy. But, honestly, that's not an excuse so I am really really sorry.

As you may have noticed, I have changed the name of the story. The previous name didn't seem suitable and I would like to give a special shout out to my lovely reader Lubnah10. I really appreciate it..:)

Now, on with story…

Chapter 3

Hermione was frantic – her diary was nowhere to be seen. After storming out of the library, she went up to the Gryffindor common room muttering all the way how horrid a creature Draco Malfoy was and how respecting a person's privacy was a concept completely unknown to the foul git. It was not before she was standing before the painting of the fat lady that she realized she did not have her diary with her. Retracing her steps, she went all the way to the library, which was now empty. She went up to where she was sitting and gave a sharp cry when it was not there either. What she was not aware of was that she had just missed Draco who was out at the moment searching for her.

She gave an exasperated cry and sat down on the armchair in front of the fireplace, sobbing uncontrollably. She could not bear for anyone, least of all Draco Malfoy, know her weakness. She had not told anyone about it yet – not even Ron, Harry or Ginny. She felt a little guilty about it, but even thinking about those dreams made her nerves stand up on their edges. There was something frightening about how they unnerved her. What if Malfoy has the diary with him? It made the most sense for him to have it since, apart from me, he was the only one in the library. If he reads the entries, I will be doomed! He will tell everyone about it and the Harry and Ron and Ginny will know that I hid something like this from them and I will become the school joke! Oh God no!

With this devastating thought circling her mind, she stumbled out of the library towards the Slytherin Common Room. After five minutes of wandering the castle absent-minded, Hermione realized that she didn't know where the Slytherin Common Room was. Resigned, she headed towards the Black Lake. She couldn't go into her dormitory now and face the inquisitive Ginny who was most certainly still awake, waiting for her. Other than the library, the black lake was her refuge from her own thoughts when they were troubling her. On many occasions before as well, she had come here to clear her mind from whatever kind of turbulence it was in and found comfort in the comfortably cold breeze and the sound of the waves crashing onto the land.

She went up to one of the trees near the lake and lay down beside it and started thinking about the dream that had been haunting her for so many months. They were no clearer than they were before, but since coming to Hogwarts, a new emotion had replaced the feeling of dread that she had always associated with these dreams – curiosity. Surrounded by the familiarity of Hogwarts, she found that she was no more afraid of the dreams. She was actually curious as to what it meant. She had almost made up her mind at breakfast to tell the boys and Ginny about the dream, just to see if they could help her decipher it. But by now, Malfoy must have read the entire diary and showing it off to the other Slytherins. Oh, how they must be laughing at me right now.. With this embarrassing thought, she covered her face with her hand and started sobbing into them softly.


From the library window, Draco saw someone going towards the Black Lake. Who is that? Looks like they are going towards the Black Lake. He started thinking who could be awake at such an ungodly hour like this, when it suddenly struck him, Hermione! He immediately jumped up from the cozy spot he was sitting in, quickly wrapped his scarf around his neck, snatched the journal and started running towards the lake. In the hurry, he noisily bumped into one of the chairs which earned him several grunts and an insult from the various portraits hanging about in the library. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his thigh, he ran down the stairs at a speed he didn't know he possessed and didn't stop until he was on the school grounds.

Draco took a moment to breathe and now conscious of the injury which would surely turn blue by tomorrow's breakfast, he rubbed it. Then as he looked up, even from such a distance, he could make out Hermione's frizzy hair and felt elated at having found her at last. Being unable to run, he limped the rest of the way towards her and started thinking about how he would justify himself once he actually reached her. But before he knew or could think of something coherent, he found himself standing next to the tree against which she was sitting. He would have walked further hadn't an angry 'Hey' broken his train of thought. Alarmed, Draco spun around and found himself looking into the very angry eyes of a certain Gryffindor he had always hated, which were now red from crying.

"Hey", Hermione repeated with even more venom in her voice this time. "What are you doing here?" Draco had never seen her this angry and he had to admit to himself, that he was a bit scared. "I asked you, what are you doin..." Hermione suddenly stopped, because by now, she had spotted her journal in Draco's hands. "I knew it! I knew you were the one who had stolen my journal! Who else could it be!" With this, she snatched it out of his hands, half expecting the rest of the Slytherin house to come out from hiding now and start laughing at her. But moments passed and no one came. It was only she and Draco who seemed to be there. Correction: Only she and Draco seemed to be awake right now in the whole school. What's happening, Hermione thought and having calmed down a little, looked at Draco with less hatred than before. She noticed that he was not looking at her the way he had looked the seven years they shared; he almost looked, kind. Now that's not a word I would have associated with him, she thought.

When Draco was sure she had calmed down and would be willing to be reasonable, he explained to her how she had left her journal in the library and how he had been running around the castle looking for her, conveniently leaving out that he had read it. It was when Hermione asked him in an unnaturally calm way whether he had read it or not that he sheepishly admitted that he, in fact, had read a couple or maybe three entries. This brought back the rage and the angry tears in her eyes. "So, I was right! You haven't changed even a bit, have you? I thought, even hoped, that the war would have changed you a bit, but you are still the foul git that you always have been! How could you?! Don't you know how personal a journal is?" Saying this, Hermione broke off and started crying. Draco was about to say something when Hermione said "So, where are they? Huh? Where are those friends of yours? I am sure you had a great laugh amongst yourselves while you read this, didn't you!"

By now, Draco was completely at sea as to what she was talking about. "What on earth are you saying! Have you gone mental? Why would I do that?" But ignoring him completely, Hermione continued with her rant, "The 'Mighty Granger' having nightmares! How fun it is! I am glad to have been a source of such amusement to you and those filthy f-friends of yours! I am glad you find my nightmares so amusing!" Saying this, Hermione broke down completely and started crying loudly.

Draco somehow felt a little guilty and once again had the urge to comfort her, but he was sure she would have misunderstood it. So, he patiently waited for her to stop crying and when she finally did, he said in a small, inaudible voice "I know what you feel like; I have them too." Hermione was too angry to tolerate any mumblings at this point. So she asked angrily, "What are you saying? Speak up!" "I know how you feel.. I have them too, every night.." "What are you talking about, huh?" By now, Draco had had a lot! So he just shouted at her "I HAVE THEM TOO, OKAY? I HAVE MY NIGHTMARES TOO! EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF HOW MANY DAYS IT HAS BEEN SINCE I LAST SLEPT! SO DON'T YOU THINK YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS AFFECTED BY THE WAR! DON'T YOU DARE THINK YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THESE NIGHTMARES!"

Draco's rant was followed by complete silence and a look of utter shock on Hermione's face. She had never imagined that Draco could be affected by the war, she had never even considered that possibility. And now that she thought of it, it made sense.. The absent, sleep-deprived look in his eyes when he came in for breakfast, or the fact that he was more often than not distracted in his classes.. It all made perfect sense now.. Hermione felt sorry for him because she understood the power nightmares held over a person. And the look on his face now made her want to say something; something reassuring. But as soon as she opened her mouth to say something, Draco said, "The war took away a lot from me, okay? You may not realize it, maybe no one in the school does.. But it did, a lot!" With this, he turned and was walking towards the castle when a quiet and calm voice stopped him. "Draco" He turned around reluctantly and looked towards Hermione who was looking towards the lake. "Tell me.." "Tell you what?" "Your dreams" Then she turned around and looked fully into Draco's eyes, "Tell me your dreams.."


A/N: Thank you peeps for reading this story. It means loads to me. Again, I apologise for the delay in updating this chapter. I hope you will forgive me. *bows down*

Also, kindly post reviews about whether you like the story or nor and if you don't, then what is it that you don't like. As always, criticism is as welcome as appreciation.

Thank you :* :*