A/N: Hermione's next lesson and she gets to meet Malfoy today. More fluff I guess. I'll make it more juicy in the next chapter. And then George's next brilliant idea.

Read and Review. I do not own Harry Potter.

Hermione was walking through the bustling hospital lobby with Ginny at her side. She had gotten used to places that didn't smell so sterile that the once familiar antiseptic smell of the place stung Hermione's nose.

Ginny was a horrible guide though. Hermione was constantly stumbling into people and her toes had been thoroughly trampled. She was very vocal about Ginny's lack of assistance but Ginny just shrugged sheepishly. She kept forgetting that Hermione couldn't actually see the large stretcher parting the crowd of rushing healers.

They finally ended up outside Healer Williams office and Hermione was more than happy to be left on her own. Ginny said she'd come find her in two hours. Hermione just nodded and pushed open the door, waving in what she thought was Ginny's general direction over her shoulder.

"Ah, Ms Granger. I see you're getting better with that cane. Please have a seat."

Healer Williams made no move to help her and Hermione smiled shyly. She could do this. She waved the cane before while she cautiously crosses the room. She hit on something solid but slight squishy, then stepped forward and clasped it. The chair! Hermione quickly moved around and sat, quite proud of herself. This morning at the Burrow had been much worse.

"So, Ms Granger. Today, we are going to do more walking exercises as well as hand exercises. We sense where our feet go, but also we need to sense where out hands go. So, we'll practice sensing and feeling out objects on a desk or counter."

And again, the session began. Hermione was now walking like a pro but still had problems with moving obstacles such as people, but she knew that would come with time. Then they moved to the hand movements. Healer Williams placed a bunch of objects on his desk without telling Hermione what they were. She swiped her hands quickly in front of her and promptly spilt Healer Williams water glass and soaking his files. One drying spell and a blushing Hermione later, Hermione was moving her hand cautiously around each object, analyzing its height, weight, texture and shape. She correctly named 3 out of the 7 objects right.

"Try with some objects at home to learn different types of objects, shapes and textures. With our sight, these things are usually taken for granted until we realize just how important they are."

The session was over and Healer Williams paged the front desk to ask if Ginny had returned. When they heard she wasn't, Hermione asked if she could be wheeled to the lobby to wait. Hermione was kind of exhausted from the session and feared she couldn't make it there on her own yet. Healer Samuel was paged and Hermione was whisked away.

Hermione sat in the lobby and opened her ears. There were so many different sounds here: gurgling, burping, bubbling, footsteps, clapping, whistles, shouting. She was having a hard time deciphering them all but also having fun guessing what was the source of each sound.

Then one sound cut above the others, "Granger!"

Hermione turned her head towards her name and sharp footsteps drew closer. A smile graced her features, "Malfoy."

She felt someone drop into the chair beside her. "How was your session today?"

"Wonderful but tiring." And she explained all she had done today, him listening intently to her words. It was nice to have someone to share this with that didn't seem bored to listen.

"Now all I want to do is rest," she said while throwing her head back in her chair. The chair rocked slightly from the movement and Malfoy steadied it for her. "What have you been up to today?"

There was a low grunt and then, "Cleaning chamber pots."

Hermione burst out laughing, "What? Don't they have someone else to do that?"

"Today, that someone is me. At least I can use magic but there's just so many. Some of them seem to have never been cleaned in years. It's horrible and smells like shit."

Hermione giggled, "Literally."

Malfoy said, "Literally. Smirking."

Then she laughed again. "So happy I don't have your job."

They were silent for awhile, Hermione just happy and content, when Malfoy said, "I see you're wearing my glasses. They look nice."

Hermione smirked and said, "I have been getting a few compliments and it goes with my outfit today." She had decided on wearing a green blouse today, specifically to match the glasses.

Malfoy said softly, "I should get you more glasses then."

Hermione patted his hand and said, "Oh, you don't have to. I-"

"Hermione!" A girl's voice cut through the sound of the hospital that Hermione had previously tuned out.

Footsteps stopped before her and Malfoy's hand seemed to tense in her own. "Weasley" he said while shrugging out of Hermione's grasp.

Ginny's tone was sharp, "Malfoy. Hermione, let's go."

Ginny wasted no time in pulling Hermione out of her chair. Hermione almost stumbled but Ginny's hold was firm. Then Ginny was pulling her into the crowd and away from Malfoy. She heard a soft "Bye, Granger." before she was swallowed by the sounds.

"Malfoy!" Ginny shouted for the fourth time since they had gotten back to her bedroom. Hermione had one hand over her eyes as she lay back on her bed. She just wanted to sleep but Ginny was demanding an answer before she left Hermione alone.

"Yes, Malfoy," Hermione said deadpanned and obviously annoyed with the red-haired girl.

"Malfoy! The Death-Eater! The-"

"Past death-eater doing community service," Hermione corrected.

"Oh, because community service can bring back the dead, Hermione." Ginny said with dark humour.

"Never said it could, Ginny." Hermione said, moving her arm slightly out of her face. She could hear Ginny moving about the room. Her footsteps sounded agitated and heavy.

"Why would you talk to someone like him if you could avoid it?" Ginny said exasperatedly.

"He's actually not that bad, Gin." Hermione said. "He likes reading and poetry."

"Death Eater Book Club?" Ginny interjected.

"Ha no. And he's actually funny, quick witted. You'd probably like that about him."

Ginny gave a humourless laugh, "As much as a cold shower in January."

Hermione chuckled, "Just like that. All I'm saying is that I've looked past it and he's ok."

Ginny sighed and then sat near Hermione's legs. She held onto Hermione's calf and said, "I don't like it but I trust you know what you're doing."

Hermione said, "You took that better than I thought. Now to find out a way to break it the boys without setting the house on fire."

Ginny chuckled, "I'll keep a bucket of water handy. For now, I'll leave you to nap. Later, Hermione."

Hermione answered with a yawn before heading to dreamland.

There was a knock on the door, rousing Hermione from her sleep. She muttered groggily, wondering why it was so dark, before she mentally slapped herself. Duh! Still not fully used to that. "Come in!"

The door opened and two heavy bodies sat at the end of her bed. The people smelt like sweat and faint cologne. "Harry? Ron?"

"What about me?" a deep voice said to her right. There was squeaking from Ginny's bed.

"George?"

"The one and only," the voice said again.

Hermione would have smiled at them all but she was still so tired. She yawned and stretched before asking, "What are all three of you doing here?"

"Well..." Ron started.

"We were talking to George and he had a brilliant idea," Harry said.

Hermione turned her head towards George on Ginny's bed. "What was George's newest brilliant idea?"

"Oh Hermione, you flatter me," George said. He moved closer to her bed and sat on the floor by her hand. He grabbed it, squeezing it firmly in his hand before saying, "You may not remember how were attacked, but that doesn't mean the memory could not be in there." He touched her temple.

"It's possible but I was blinded. I wouldn't have seen anything," Hermione said, pondering the idea.

"True, but it would be an audio memory not a visual one. It might help identify a voice or something, something that we can place with the events that happened that night."

Hermione had to say that she was impressed. She never thought about it but something like this could be very possible.

She lunged outwards and threw her arms around George's neck. "That is a brilliant idea!" Then she looked towards Harry and Ron. "When can we start it?"

Harry shifted and then said, "Hold still and I can extract the memory. I'll take it into the office tomorrow. Hopefully sneak George in as well. We'll need all the brains we can get."

"Count me in for some sneaking." She could feel George's mouth move against her cheek as he grinned. His grin was infectious and her mouth soon moved too.

She released George and then shifted down the bed closer to Harry. She felt the cool tip of his wand against her temple and then a strange feeling like droplets of water moving not on her forehead but under her forehead. It was gone as soon as she noticed it and then she heard the stoppering of a vial. "Done."

Hermione smiled again. More progress. She was just about to say something when Ron's stomach grumbled.

George laughed and said, "By Ron's stomach, it's diner time."

Ron laughed and said, "More accurate than any clock."

George stood up and then held out his arm to Hermione while the other boys rose and waited by the door. She picked up her cane off the bedside table, extended it in front her and said, "Onwards to vittles."

All boys hooted and then they left the room, Harry and Ron in front, Hermione and George behind. Hermione tipped on her toes and whispered into George's ear, "You're a much better guide than Ginny."