Disclaimer: Ok, I'll make this sweet and simple and to the point.I do not own any of these familiar characters that we all love (if you don't love 'em or at least love to hate 'em, what are you doing reading this??) although I'd love to own at least one of these characters.**suggestive grin** Once again; I do not own any of these characters, they belong to JKR. Please don't sue me.

Note:

I am sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I just wanted to post one, so you didn't think I was giving up. I'm not, not at all.

Once again I'm so sorry (and still a tad pissed) about the lost chapters. I'm making progress, though its slow progress. Thank you all for your patience with me and this dreadful contraption called a computer. I'd also like thank Cinnamon and Kagirinaku for your understanding. Trust me I am defiantly keeping floppy disks around. Grrr. . .

I hope, Gamegirl, that I updated fast enough for you?*grin*

And special thanks to Perenelle, Kaqirinaku, sristi, Cinnamon, Gamegirl, Highwaymans Lass, and Kgiilrlleyr for all your helpful reviews!! They're the reason I moved passed my anger and decided to re-write all these chapters. Thanks so much!

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Hermione's head was ringing, blocking out all of her other senses. When the harsh ringing had dimmed, she looked around. Or at least she tried to. But she seemed paralyzed, laying on her back, staring up into the strange misty swirls. Again. Hermione ground inwardly.

Searching her memory, Hermione remembered daydreaming in Muggle Studies. And then pain, such a complete pain filling ever cell of her body. Hermione had one brief thought of the Unforgivable Curses before she could think of nothing save the pain. A headache was building behind her eyes. Ugh. This isn't fun, Hermione though grumpily, not fun at all. She pouted at the fog above.

So absorbed in her thoughts, Hermione didn't noticed the growing shadow until it rose over her. Her heart thudded in her chest. The shadow seemed to shift and then solidify. Then it began crawl up her leg, leaving behind a slimy, dirty feeling everywhere it touched. A scream caught in her throat, making her choke. The shadow continued its clime up her body. Soon the swirls of colors were blocked from her sight, lost within the shadow.

The oily shadow was now up to her chest. Hermione was feeling drained, weak, and scared shitless. She couldn't breath, she was going to die-

Suddenly a single twisting color of air broke through the darkness. Coiling sharply, it hurled itself over to her, then settled on her face gently. Hermione's breath came back. But only for a moment, for in the next instant the shadow made its way up to her chin. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't-

But before the darkness could claim her, countless streams of twisting fog that burst though, destroying the darkness and shattering the shadow. When the shifting colored shapes melted softly into her skin, Hermione let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

When she next opened them, she looked into the faces of the entire Muggle Studies class. The Professor glared sternly into her eyes as he asked impatiently, "Are you quite alright, Ms. Granger?"

Glancing around from face to face, Hermione asked the one thing she could think of.

"Did I die?"