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Hermione sat solemnly in the great hall pushing her breakfast around. She had spent hours the night before researching but was unable to find anything of use on the charm.

The only information she could find on the charm and its use was what they already learned in class. According to one passage the spell was unpopular and widely unpractised due to the invasion of privacy it created.

Hermione was so frustrated she could not manage to get herself to fall asleep so she begrudgingly spent the majority of the night starting the paper she and Malfoy had to hand in to McGonagall.

"Earth to Hermione!" Ron said effectively gaining Hermione's attention.

"What's wrong Hermione no luck with the charm research?" Ginny asked.

"No I found absolutely nothing," Hermione said leaning in closer to her friends to whisper, "It's looking like I'll be stuck feeling and hearing Malfoy's thoughts and emotions for longer than I would care too."

"Bloody hell I ought to kill the ferret!" Ron shouted.

"Shh!" Hermione hushed looking over her shoulders for eavesdroppers, "Keep it down Ron the last thing I need is another Daily Prophet leak!"

Never been too bright that Weasel ya? She heard Malfoy's teasing voice in her head.

Before she could scold him for eavesdropping she caught his eye at the Slytherin table. She tried to keep a scowl on her face but he was grinning over at her like a Cheshire cat. She couldn't hold back the very un-Hermione-ish girlish giggle that escaped her lips.

Her confused friends caught Hermione's sudden change of mood and followed her eyes to spot a grinning Malfoy.

"Malfoy smiling like a little school boy? Now that is a strange sight if I say so myself, and I've seen some strange things," Harry jokingly said to Ginny and Ron.

"No, what's strange is a giggling Hermione." Ginny said effectively getting Harry and Ron to look over at their now blushing best friend.

The two boys exchanged a knowing look, finally catching onto what Ginny had already noticed.

"You know what Hermione I would love to help you study tonight!" Ron suddenly volunteered.

"Really, Ron?" Hermione asked, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Yes, and I will come by your dorm and help you research this charm too! In fact we can stay all night, all week... you never have to be alone with the fer—Malfoy." Harry quickly volunteered.

Hermione beamed oblivious to her two best friend's real motives.

"That would be amazing thanks boys! I'm actually going to head to the library now before class. I'll meet you at my dorm tonight after dinner. Ginny you should come by too if you'd like!" Hermione said excitedly.

Her three best friends nodded their agreement as a bunch of owls flew in to drop off the mail. Hermione grabbed her daily prophet and skipped out of the great hall.

Draco watched Hermione bounce off ridiculously happy to get to the library. He could feel the smile growing on his face as he watched her. What was going on with him? Maybe Grangers feelings were starting to rub off on him as a side effect of the charm? The scary thing was he found he really didn't mind it.

The smile was immediately wiped from his face as he glanced down at the front cover of the magazine.

Splashed across the cover of the Daily Prophet was a candid photo of Draco and Hermione. He watched their private moment from last night play out for everyone to see on the front page. The miniature Draco grabbed Hermione's arm effectively whirling her around. Hermione's face twisted in anger and she stomped closer to him yelling. He didn't recognize his own face as he watched his mask drop. He had let down his guard and shown Hermione his guilt. He watched as she stepped closer to him and lifted his chin. You couldn't hear what was being said from the photo but Draco recalled exactly what Hermione had said in that moment. He watched himself step closer to her, Hermione lent in and they embraced.

He stared down at the moving photo in shock. They had been spied on, at Hogwarts. Who could have possibly been watching them?

He scanned the page to read, "Lovers' quarrel – controversial couple, ex-death eater Draco Malfoy and War Hero Hermione Granger get into their first lovers spat! By yours truly, Rita Skeeter"

Draco banged his fist on the table in anger. He looked up to find the entire Great Hall watching him with interest and anger. No one wanted to see the death-eater with their Golden Girl.

Blaise thumped his back in a friendly gesture. "Don't worry mate no one believes a word that Rita Skeeter says. Plus it's no different than any other stories they've written on us in the past!" Blaise said comfortingly. Blaise too got his fair share of media attention and the two knew how to handle it decently but Hermione—Hermione! Had she seen the paper? Draco quickly tried to focus on her presence in his mind.

He could feel her panic strongly she was having an attack. He could almost feel her struggle to breath she was chocking on her own air.

He quickly shot up and glanced over at the Gryffindor table. While Harry and Ron were busy shouting about the paper and shutting down the rumour that was beginning to form Ginny caught his eye. She was clearly distraught. Draco knew she was more aware of how severe Hermione's attacks are.

He nodded to her silently letting her know what was going on, and he dashed out of the great hall to get to Hermione.

He scanned through Hermione's head to get her location but her thoughts and memories where in a frenzy. He saw images of the war flashing through her mind, Bellatrix and her bloody, scarred arm.

Hermione where are you?

All Draco could hear and sense was her haggard breathing. He would never find her if she did not calm down. He stopped running and suddenly had an idea. He closed his eyes and focused directly on Hermione's presence and emotion. The more he focused the stronger the connection got and the more he could feel her. He followed it all the way to an empty class room.

He ran to Hermione who was hyperventilating by the window.

He gently grabbed her shoulders in an effort to calm her down.

Hermione who hadn't noticed his entry panicked.

"I don't know where Harry is!" She yelled.

"What? Hermione—"Draco said.

She thrashed against him and tried to run as her breathing became more haggard.

She took one step back and Draco quickly caught her as she fainted.

Draco sighed as he gently picked Hermione up. It was frightening for him to see the always strong Hermione faint under the pressure of cruciatus side effects.

Draco casted a disillusionment charm on them to secretly get them back to their dorm without being seen. He knew the last thing Hermione wanted was for people to find out and he knew exactly what she needed from suffering years of the cruciatus curse at the hand of his own father.

He brought Hermione back to their dorm and up to his room. He gently placed her on his bed and began to rummage through his drawer for his potions. He pulled out one vial of calming draught and one vial of pepper up potion and mixed them together. He gently poured the homemade recipe down Hermione's throat.

He sat back and watched as the potion took effect. Colour rose back to Hermione's cheeks as her eyes softly fluttered open.

Draco walked over and silently sat down beside her.

I'm sorry. Hermione's small voice wrung in Draco's mind. I should have known Skeeter would find her way back into Hogwarts. When I saw the article, I just..I just...

Hermione please stop. "It's not your fault." Draco said firmly repeating the words she had told him last night.

Hermioine's face flushed and she looked away. How did we get back here?

You fainted so I cast a disillusionment charm on us and brought us back here. I gave you a mixed vial of pepper up potion and calming draught to help you relax and come too.

Thank you Draco. Hermione thought turning to look him directly in the eye.

Smart mix, how did you know that would work?

Hermione watched as Draco's shoulders stiffened and his eyes hardened.

Let me in. She asked, unwavering her gaze.

He stared down into her warm chocolate eyes. His shoulders dropped and he gave her a small nod.

Hermione gently peered as he brought a memory slowly the forefront of his mind.

Hermione watched in awe and fear as she witnessed a small, blonde haired Malfoy no bigger than 8 riving on the floor in pain. A younger Lucius stood over him casting the illegal curse Hermione was all too familiar with. Suddenly the scene switched to a tattered young Malfoy being served pepper up potion and calming draught by an older house elf.

As the memory ended Hermione stared speechless at Malfoy as a tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face.

Malfoy quickly got up and headed towards the door. He paused at the entrance with his back to her.

I'll save a seat for you in class. Was all he said before he walked off.