She didn't like hospitals.

He remembered Remus telling them something to that effect. So there he was, lugging a sixty-something kilo girl around, trying to find where her bloody room was. The purple fairy – Remus had said. 'Well not everyone looks at who's in the paintings, Moony!' he grumbled internally.

He continued down the hallway, yet again grateful that classes were in session and that no one was around to ask questions or bump into him. Then again, he would have easily been able to just hand the girl over to the first prat he saw. Looking down at her though, he couldn't help but feel her fainting was partially his fault. He had yelled at her after all, and he knew he was terrifying when angry.

Remus had told them that she was delicate. But glancing down at the unconscious girl who looked to be slumbering quite peacefully in his arms, he doubted it. 'Delicate my arse!' he thought, rolling his grey eyes. It was at that moment though, that he noticed something funny about her eyes. They were moving around, twitching, like they were rolling around in their sockets. He knew what it was, Rapid Eye Movement or something like that. He paused, not remembering if it was bad thing, and didn't know if he should take her to see Madam Pomfrey or to her quarters.

Growling in annoyance, he readjusted her in his arm.

"Stupid, annoying, useless girl!"

1997

He held her hand tightly as they walked quietly through the cave. It wasn't anything spectacular, just dark, dreary and dull, but it had something important inside – something they needed. Deep into the belly of the cave they crept, flinching at every noise and grasping their wands tightly. The further in they went, the tighter his hold became. Hermione glanced at him curiously a few times, but he never met her gaze.

They reached a standstill when a fork appeared in the cave, and Harry paused to consider, looking at his best friends and his ex-nemesis.

"Okay, Malfoy, now what?"

Draco's grip was suddenly almost unbearably tight.

"I don't know. All I know is it's in this cave. I never exactly got a map, Potter," he replied sarcastically.

Hermione had a bad feeling in the pit of her gut suddenly, but couldn't explain it.

"We'll have to split up," Ron said, looking none too thrilled about the idea.

"Hermione and I will take this way, you take the left and Potter can go straight," Draco suggested.

"Like hell we're going to listen to you, Ferret! Hermione is not going anywhere alone with you!"

"Ronald! I am perfectly capable -"Hermione started, bristling.

"When we're home that's fine. But out on a mission, especially one as important this, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. She comes with one of us," Ron said with a voice of finality.

There was silence as everyone looked at Draco to see his response. His face was cool and composed, but his grip on her hand was bruising. He sighed and nodded his acquiescence.

"Alright," Harry stated, obviously relieved. "Hermione, you go with Ron down the left path, I'll take the straight path, and Malfoy the right."

Everyone nodded and moved toward their assigned tunnels, when Hermione was pulled into someone's arms. Looking up, she saw Draco's slightly devastated face. He gazed into her eyes and kissed her forehead tenderly, while softly caressing her face.

"Draco, what is it?"

He grabbed her hand and placed something in it. "Take it now, Hermione."

Hermione lifted it to her eyes and found that it was a tablet, but was unable to identify what it was.

"Is this…Muggle?"

"Just take it, please," he urged, almost desperately.

Perplexed by his actions, but trusting him fully, she dry swallowed the tablet.

He smiled serenely and placed his hands on both of her cheeks.

"Just be careful. Know that I love you and I couldn't do anything," he whispered to her softly, making sure Harry and Ron couldn't hear.

"What do you mean?" she tried to ask, but he had already left.

The bad feeling in her gut only grew stronger.

"C'mon, Hermione," Ron beckoned.

They walked quietly through their chosen tunnel, looking out for any possible traps or Death Eaters along the way. As it was slightly steep, they came to the quick conclusion that they were going uphill. Her legs were quickly becoming heavy like lead and her eyes fought to stay awake. She was panting slightly and even had to pause to catch her breath.

Ron chuckled, "How unfit have you gotten?" he joked.

Hermione whacked him playfully, secretly knowing something was wrong. She wasn't that unfit.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled in a whisper. "Get over here!"

Forcing her muscles forward, Hermione got to where Ron was standing. There was a hole in the cave wall big enough for two people to look through, but it would be a bit of a squeeze if someone wanted to wriggle their way through.

Ron pointed down through the hole. "It's Harry!"

As he said, Harry was standing in a large space of the cave, obviously the belly. He was looking around, trying to find anything that might help him find what he was looking for. Just as Ron was about to attempt to get through the hole, loud laughter ricocheted throughout the room, and they all froze like stone.

The shrill laughter continued, and from the darkness, six figures appeared. Leading them was Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Ah, yes. Harry Potter's finally here. We've been waiting for you."

"Aunt Bella," a voice greeted. And from behind Harry, Draco appeared.

Bellatrix's smile grew even wider. "Draco, come over here, watch this historical moment from this side. I'm sure the view would be much more enjoyable then from over there."

Like clockwork, Draco obediently made his way to his aunt. Hermione's stomach plummeted to the floor and shattered on impact. So he betrayed them after all, she thought numbly. Oh Draco, what have you done?

"That ferret!" Ron spat, struggling to fit his built body through the hole.

Harry remained quiet and simply looked at each and every Death Eater with a blank face. "There's no Horcrux in here is there?"

Bellatrix's wide smile split her face before falling into a mocking pout.

"No, there's not," she told him like he was a little boy, before laughing gleefully. "Kill him!"

Within seconds wands were drawn and Harry was ducking for cover. Ron pulled back from the hole and cast bombarda, causing it to explode into large chunks of stone. He jumped down into the fray, casting blinding spells at the Death Eaters.

Hermione couldn't move. Bit by bit she slowly fell to her knees, struggling to watch the scene unfold.

What was happening to her? What had Draco given her?

Spells were cast in a flurry of colors as the boys were quickly overwhelmed by the Death Eaters. Harry and Ron were forced onto their knees in front of Bellatrix and Draco.

Bellatrix laughed gleefully. "Harry Potter on his knees before me, what a sight to behold!" she exclaimed, twisting her hair around her finger with a thoughtful expression. "What to do? How to kill you two? But first, playtime…Crucio!"

Hermione could see both boys' eyes scanning the room looking for her as she struggled against whatever Draco had given her, wanting more than anything to help her best friends in the world. Whether they were expecting her to come blazing in to save them or to find her mangled corpse she couldn't determine. Hermione felt tears form in her eyes as she watched them, helpless to save them.

Harry screamed louder than a banshee as the curse struck him. He clutched his head, his heart, and any part of his body he could reach as he curled into a fetal position. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, knowing full well of the pain the Cruciatus curse inflicted – especially one cast by Bellatrix.

Eventually, Bellatrix lifted the curse and laughed insanely as Harry panted heavily, before lifting her wand again. "I suppose the most effective is best in this case. Avada Kedavra!" she shouted.

Everything seemed to slow down as the green curse left her wand, slowly traveling through the air towards Harry, before finally striking him in the chest. His eyes widened briefly before going dark and glazing over, as his body fell to the floor.

"HARRY!" Ron yelled in anguish.

"Ha-ha-rr-y," Hermione barely managed, feeling the entirety of Ron's pain.

Tears leaked from her eyes and cascaded down her face in her despair. Her best friend was dead.

Bellatrix lifted her wand again and pointed it towards the distraught Ron. "Your turn, Blood Traitor, Avada-"

"Wait." A voice cut her off.

She paused and looked at the owner of the voice. "What Draco?"

He was silent for a moment, as if weighing his words before he said them.

"What fun is there in just killing him?"

Bellatrix's eyebrow shot up. "Oh? And what do you suppose we do?"

"Curse him. It's a slow and painful death. No one knows he's here so there's no chance of him surviving. It will be a glorious revenge to the traitor."

Bellatrix smiled at Draco, an awkward and foreign expression for her face. "Then you can choose what to do."

Wordlessly, Draco cast a spell at Ron, knocking him on his back as he quickly started to writhe in agony. The Death Eaters laughed at the sight as Hermione tried to look away but found she couldn't.

"I'm so proud, Draco!" Bellatrix said in her husky voice. Pausing in her praise, she suddenly had a contemplative look on her face. "Where's the Mudblood?"

Hermione's body froze. This was it; she'd join Harry and Ron.

Draco's eyes strayed upwards and looked straight into her own, his face blank and unreadable.

"She elected to stay behind and find more Horcrux locations."

With those words said, the Death Eaters apparated away.

Hermione laid there in shock for a moment. He had saved her? For what reason?

Ron's agonized screaming prevented her from continuing with those thoughts. For now, she had to save him.

Oh Merlin, what had she done?

Different methods of destroying paintings ran through Sirius' head as he glared at the fairy in front of him. Who knew portraits were so stubborn? Here he was, an unconscious girl in his arms, and the bloody fairy still wanted the bleeding password!

"Just open the door or I'll have to take her to the hospital wing!"

The fairy shook her head. "Rules are rules. No password, no entry!" she giggled.

Bloody fairy!

"I swear to Merlin, open this door or so help me I will rip you from your frame!"

The small fairy gasped. "You wouldn't!"

He looked her straight in the eyes. "Try me."

The fairy grumbled, but the door slowly opened.

Finally!

Opening it wider as to not bump Malfoy's head, he walked into the room and paused in mild shock. He had expected a grand room of silver and green on every surface, not the modest room of beige and brown he saw before him. Glancing down at the girl in his arms then back up the room, he shrugged.

'Strange girl,' he concluded.

Dumping her unceremoniously on the bed, he then turned to leave. As he approached the door however, he paused, a nagging voice sounding in his head.

'You're not really going to leave her in this state, are you?'

Sirius growled, 'and this is why I don't listen to you, conscience.'

Turning back around, he looked at the Gryffindor girl with distaste. Sighing, he whipped his wand out and levitated her long enough to pull the covers back before dropping her back in bed. He winced slightly; he really needed to work on that. Taking off her shoes and robes, leaving her only in her top and shorts, he pulled the blankets over her, noticing that her eyes were still roaming around in their sockets.

Unexpectedly, she started shifting in her bed, tossing slightly. Surprised by the abruptness, Sirius crouched down next to her. He'd seen people in the throes of a nightmare before, tossing and turning as if they were really there, but this was strange. It was like she was fighting against something, something not really there even in her mind…bizarre.

"Ha-ha-rry," she murmured.

With a raised brow, Sirius wondered briefly who Harry was and what he'd done to be a part of her nightmares.

Her hand reached out as she struggled against the sheets, as though reaching for someone, her face contorted with pain as tears leaked from her eyes. Gently, Sirius reached out to wipe the tears from her cheek, trying not to disturb her; he knew that waking someone in a nightmare wasn't supposed to be smart. When she leaned into the palm of his hand slightly though, he retracted it quickly, as if it burned.

Why was he even bothering to look after her?

Seeing her now, she looked like she had on the Hogwarts express when they first met; haunted. He remembered her laughing happily along with them, even though he could tell it was under false pretenses.

And while he still believed her to be nothing more than a spoiled, filthy Slytherin, he couldn't help but wonder what could have happened to her to cause such vivid nightmares. It also bothered him that for a split second, he found himself concerned for her and thinking that maybe there was something different about her after all.

He fled before his thoughts went any further, but it was too late; it had already begun to plague him.

Hermione was walking through the deserted corridors when someone grabbed her arm, pulling her into an empty classroom. Stifling a scream,she readied her wand at her attacker's throat, opening her mouth to curse him when she realized who it was.

"Severus!" she hissed. "Don't do that!"

Severus raised an eyebrow and shrugged innocently. "It was the only way to get your attention."

Breathing heavily to calm herself down from the surprise attack, she finally wondered why he'd tracked her down in private.

"Did you find it?" she whispered anxiously.

He gave her a condescending look. "Would I really be cornering you in a hallway if I had?"

Ignoring the tone that reminded her strongly of her previously most hated professor, she pressed on. "We've been at it for weeks now Severus. In case you haven't noticed, I don't exactly have all the time in the world."

He rolled his eyes at the Gryffindor. "Really Hermione, if you're that desperate why don't you look for it? After all, you're the only one who knows its exact location."

"You know why I can't, Severus; I'm being followed," she replied irritably.

She had woken up alone in her bed two months ago after fainting in front of Sirius. She could only assume it was him that had gotten her there. Since then, he'd been sticking to her like a flea. He'd linger in the distance, always laughing and pulling pranks, but he was always watching her with a suspicious and curious eye. More than once she'd tried to sneak out of her room after curfew to help Severus, but he'd always appeared within minutes.

It was driving her mad.

"He's a mutt, kick him and he'll crawl back to his kennel."

"Severus!"

"Look Hermione, I'll go again tonight but I can't promise anything. At the rate I'm going I won't have it until graduation."

Hermione gave her consent and quickly left the classroom.

She began making her way to the library, only to once again, be dragged into a classroom. And this time, it was not a friendly face that greeted her.

"Rabastan," she greeted coldly.

"Ahh, my beautiful Silea. How are you?"

"I'd be better if you left me alone. And I'm not yours," Hermione spat at him.

He chuckled darkly and played with a stand of her dark hair.

"Not yet you aren't. But when graduation day comes, you'll be mine by law and matrimony."

Hermione sneered at him before leaving the classroom; he thankfully, did not follow.

Continuing on towards the library, she felt yet another hand grab her wrist.

"If you drag me into a classroom, so help me Merlin I will hex you."

"Wow, didn't realize you were that violent."

Hermione smiled and turned around to look at a bashful Remus.

"I'm sorry Remus. I just don't like to be manhandled."

He smiled. "I'm going to the library to study with a friend before dinner. Want to come?"

Hermione grinned. "Sure, I was just on my way there myself."

His friend turned out to be Barty Jr. causing Hermione to smile. Over the past few weeks she'd become much less cautious of him; something Barty was more than happy with. In fact, it barely bothered Hermione that he was telling jokes more than he was studying.

"So, Gryffindor princess, what was that I saw today in potions, eh?" Barty asked slyly, nudging her shoulder.

She shuddered at the memory. "I've been partnered with Georgiana Fredrickson."

Barty burst out laughing, abruptly stopping when a young Ms. Pince glared their way. "Sorry," he mouthed as silently as possible before turning his attention back to Hermione. "That explains her little tantrum then."

Georgiana Fredrickson was a Gryffindor Muggleborn student hell bent on making Hermione Granger's, or really Penthesilea Malfoy's, life miserable. She was friends with the equally uncharacteristically hostile Lily Evans. A very feisty girl with both looks and intelligence, she had long blonde hair and a beach sun tan that made her blue eyes gleam. Hermione was just curious as to why the girl had it in for her.

"Well, she just doesn't like me for some reason, and I've never done anything to her."

"You haven't done anything to Evans either but she can't stand you."

"They're best friends, Barty. What'd you expect? Of course they allied against me if one couldn't stand me."

"Umm, guys-" Remus tried to cut in timidly and quite unsuccessfully.

"Do you want my personal opinion? One I'm sure you'd agree with," Barty declared loudly. "I think she's an outright tart."

"Good thing I didn't ask your opinion then, twitchy tongue," a dry voice sounded from behind them.

"-she's right behind you," Remus finished helplessly.

Hermione felt embarrassed at being caught slandering the girl, however unintentionally. "Fredrickson, I didn't mean-"

"I really don't care, Malfoy," she snapped, effectively cutting Hermione off. "I'm only here because we have a potion due next week. I've come to discuss when we're doing that."

"Maybe," Barty jumped in, "when you get your head out of your arse and let it join us all up here in the real word."

"I don't have time to deal with you, twitchy tongue. I'm talking to Malfoy."

Hermione cut in before Barty could respond, "I'm free whenever you are."

"Tonight then, your quarters, just after dinner," she said, leaving as abruptly as she had come.

Barty shuddered. "I hate that woman!"

"You don't have to spend over an hour with her tonight," Hermione informed him dryly, not at all looking forward to their meeting.

Dinner came and went quickly without any hiccups; almost. It wasn't until just before she left when Severus walked passed her and dropped a note in her pocket. Scanning it discreetly, it read: Can't do it tonight – DE meeting. You will have to.

Great, so much for meeting Fredrickson.

Rushing to her quarters, she found the girl in question leaning against the portrait, ignoring the excited fairy. As Hermione drew closer, Fredrickson spotted her and met her halfway.

"You ready?" she asked dryly.

"I actually have something I need to do. But I can meet you tomorrow?" Hermione trailed off uncertainly.

Fredrickson snorted. "Right, go off and torture some first year, I'll be working on our project," she huffed and started walking away. "But if I end up doing the whole thing by myself, I'm not giving you any credit."

The second she was out of sight, Hermione was off. She snuck her way past any students and made her way to the seventh floor corridor. Glancing left and right after pacing back and forth the same spot three times, she entered a secret room that only few knew about.

Little did she know that her shadow had decided it was a good time to follow her.

Sirius Black had officially decided that Penthesilea Malfoy was a walking talking contradiction.

She walked with her head held high like all Slytherin princesses were taught, but would duck her head down when she was uncomfortable with the situation. She would talk to anyone and everyone no matter their blood, but remained proud of her own family; although her relationship with her family really made Sirius wonder.

When it came to who she was friends with, Sirius had more than once gone to Madam Pomfrey for something to fix his headache.

Rabastan, whom Sirius was astounded to find that she was betrothed to, was a typical pureblood bigot. So, Silea would, without question, be all over him. But no, instead she looked as though she could barely stand him.

Lucius was her brother and apparently her only companion growing up; they'd definitely be close, they were twins after all. Again, if Silea spied him in the corridor she'd take off quicker than James' broom. More than once Sirius had seen Lucius try and corner his sister, but neither Silea nor Sirius ever stayed long enough to find out what he wanted. One thing was very obvious though, it was a very one sided platonic love.

Her relationship with Barty and Snape were strange too; Snape's more so. Whereas Barty and Silea would talk in class and sometimes study together, Silea never allowed herself to call him her friend, keeping a strong barrier up between them. Snape however, seemed to know her deepest, darkest secrets; something which Silea seemed both petrified and relieved about. Her meetings with him didn't make Sirius any more comfortable around her.

She was getting very close to Remus though. Sirius couldn't figure out what had happened for them to have such blind trust in each other, and Moony obviously wasn't going to share anytime soon. Thankfully though, Remus had enough sense not to bring her to eat with them.

Which brought up another point; the girl really didn't have any friends, and looked as though she didn't even need them. She was a downright loner; always looking into the dustiest and most bizarre titled books, seeming more than content.

Sirius found himself unconsciously keeping an eye on her since her fainting incident. Whenever they were in the same room, his eyes would be drawn to her, and when left to his own devices, he could barely help following her.

So when Georgie came back into the common room seething about useless purebloods, Sirius just couldn't resist finding out what would keep the girl from something as important, at least to her, as her studies.

When he followed her onto the seventh floor, he was beyond intrigued as to what she could have planned in the deserted corridor. When she started up a concentrated pace in front of a bare wall, Sirius became more than a little bit concerned for her sanity.

So, imagine his surprise when the wall suddenly formed into a door. Jaw dropped and eyes wide, he watched as the dark haired girl walked inside and disappeared along with the door.

Oh if only they hadn't lost the Marauders map he'd totally mark this!

Curious, Sirius Black dropped James' cloak to the floor and stared at the wall where just previously there had been a door.

"What the bloody hell are you up to?" he mumbled to himself.

A/N: This was physically painful to write. I had no idea where I was going with this. Very sorry for the delay!