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Chapter VII - "Precipice"
"What?" she gaped at him in disbelief. "What was that?"
What were those? Why was she…with Draco? Why were his hands all over her in her head, rubbing her with such familiarity? The only time that she could recall ever being touched like that was with Ron, right after… Right after…what? She remembered being upset, but for the life of her, Hermione could not remember why. All she could remember were the tear-drenched kisses with Ron and their almost-intimate night together. But she could not remember why she had been so upset that night.
Hermione's mind was racing at a speed greater than Draco's ability to give answers. It caused her such great pain, like needles being prodded in every lobe of her brain.
"Tell me!" She shouted and Draco opened his mouth to speak. "No, you're messing with me, this can't be real. I'm a v-" She stopped herself before a personal admission slipped. "You must be messing with my mind, I—I shouldn't have eaten a thing you gave me. I shouldn't have believed you. Oh god, oh god, I'm such a fool. I thought…I thought I could trick you and get out of here…but then…but then I thought maybe you might be telling the truth for a minute…it all seemed so…convincing!" She spat.
Draco moved forward, reaching out to her, but she snapped. Her arm flew in front of her and smacked the wizard in the face, just like she did in third year. "Don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me, Death Eater!"
Using Draco's shock to her advantage, she quickly ran into the master bedroom and locked the door behind her. For reinforcement, she pushed a dresser in front of it. Hermione could feel her blood pumping through her veins in such a heightened awareness. This had happened previous times when she had to get out of a situation or save Harry and Ron's lives. This time, she had to save her own, and she did not have her boys to back her up.
Hermione turned away from the door, ignoring Draco pounding on it. She looked in front of her, at the window. She had tried opening it before, in vain, but she did not consider flinging something at it. She ran to the bed and grabbed the nightstand. With a grunt, she picked it up and moved closer to the window.
"Hermione! Stop this! Let me explain! You're overreacting. Please do not make me blow this door down!"
With only a second's pause, she flung the nightstand at the window with all of her might. A burst of light surrounded the window and the nightstand. Magically, the nightstand moved itself back in its correct position.
Hermione screamed as she grabbed the nightstand and flung it at the window again, but the same thing happened.
Hermione stumbled backwards, out of breath and in defeat. She was stuck here and there was nothing she could do about it. She let out a strangled sob.
*.*.*
Hearing Hermione's scream, Draco burst into the room. He hadn't wanted to break the door, but it seemed like the only option.
"Granger! You have to calm yourself!" Draco flicked his wand, disabling her from moving. He approached the sniffling witch carefully and slowly. "I'm not trying to trick you. I did not drug you. Besides, what potion would give you such severe flashes? I know you're confused, Granger, but please believe that I had have been completely honest about wanting to join the Order. Merlin, I swear to you, please believe me. I know it's hard, but it's the only chance you've got. It's the only chance we've got. So please, Granger. Just let me explain."
He moved in front of her so that he could look her in the eyes. "Are you going to be calm now? Can I unbind you?" Hermione blinked in confirmation and he released her.
Once she was free, she let out a breath. "What was all of that then, Malfoy? Because I sure as hell would never…" She paused, allowing herself time to calm down. "I certainly don't remember snogging you. So is this some trick to get me to trust you? To put thoughts in my head? You're putting your thoughts in my head?"
"No, those aren't thoughts." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. This was not how he planned this. Not at all. Everything was spiraling out of his grasp and he feared that he might lose control of the situation. And if he did, that meant that they were both dead.
"Then. What. Are. They. Malfoy?"
"They're memories, Granger. Of sixth year. Of us."
*.*.*
After this admission, Hermione couldn't bear to speak. She calmly walked into the kitchenette to make herself some tea. Draco watched her with an intensity, as if he expected another tantrum any second.
Feeling silly and insecure, Hermione hesitated before she spoke."What do you mean they're memories? If they're memories, why don't I remember what built up to…to that? I've never…" She shook her head. "Why can't I recall the context? Why am I just remembering those bits?"
"The memory charm I cast on you wasn't strong enough," he answered, disappointment clearly sketched into his features.
"A memory charm? You have to be bloody kidding me. So you're saying this actually happened?" She scoffed. "What would make ME do…that… with YOU?"
Hermione could see his jaw clench and his nostrils flair. "I loved you. You loved me."
Hermione's could have sworn her heart stopped in that moment. She couldn't help it, but her cheeks felt warm and her stomach clenched. "No…" she whispered. "I don't believe you. Show me."
Now Draco's face was unreadable. He stood there, staring at her for at least a minute before he said, "I can't. That would require a Pensieve, Legilimency, or returning your memories."
"So?"
"So, Granger, I can't just go down and borrow my father's Pensieve! And I'm not bloody giving you my WAND so you can hex me and leave! And it could take weeks to properly restore your memory. That's time we do not have to waste."
"You said you loved me, right? If you loved me you'd do this for me. I need to know that what you say is true. If not, you won't get any of my help," Hermione protested.
Draco glared at her, shaking his head. "Fine, but I'm setting the wards so no matter what you're not running out of here and getting us both killed."
He swiftly moved out of the way of the toppled dresser and out of the room. This gave Hermione a moment alone. She softly gasped and grabbed her chest. She couldn't believe what was happening. It defied all logic. She was officially in an alternate universe.
Everything was about to change. Hermione could feel it in her bones. She felt like she was on the precipice, staring down at the fall. No matter what, despite all of her Gryffindor courage, Hermione Granger was scared.
She was scared of the trust she was about to put into Malfoy and the trust he was putting into her. She was scared of finding out the truth about them, about his motives. She was scared that she wasn't the person she thought she was.
But this wasn't the time for an identity crisis. They in the middle of a war and no matter what, she had to stay alive and fight. If not for herself, then for Harry and Ron. She needed to be brave and she needed to be able to survive whatever would come next.
