Hermione wasn't sure how she managed to pull away but she did eventually. Tripping and stumbling, she ran down the stairs gripping the rails with her hands to prevent falling. She didn't know how she managed to get all the way down without breaking her neck. She also felt so much shame, disgust and horror. Shame for not being able to defeat something she had vanquished as a third year, disgust at being touched by Piddypumpkins, and horror at the still very real and clear image of her boggart self.

Half way to her dormitory, she had to stop. Leaning against the wall, she vomited. The sandwich she had much earlier came out but she continued to heave until there was nothing left. She quickly cast a cleaning spell. The halls were deserted and she had no idea how much time had actually passed. She desperately wanted to be in her room. It was the closest thing she had to a home.

Her shaking legs were failing her and she felt so cold. Her heart was still beating so fast that she was still feeling nauseous. Huddling down onto the floor she pulled her robe closer around her. Everything was spinning. Clutching her head, she squeezed her eyes tight shut, desperate to will that despairing image of the boggart out of her head.

"Granger?" she heard faintly but did not look up.

A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, shaking her. "Granger!" Two hands grabbed hers and pulled them away from her head. Hermione pried her eyes open and was surprised to see Zabini in front of her.

"Are you all right?"

She didn't answer him. He pulled her to her feet and she fell forward, all her weight toppling onto him. He stumbled back a bit, determined not to fall over. Cursing, he pulled out his wand and with a flick, Hermione felt herself lifted into the air. It made her feel even more nauseous and she began heaving again.

"Draco's going to kill me but I'm not caring you to your room like a muggle," Zabini muttered. Hermione floated in mid air after him as he sped away to her dorm.

When they finally reached there, Zabini banged on the door and an annoyed Draco answered. When he saw Hermione, he quickily let them in. Zabini lowered Hermione onto the floor. Draco, his face ashen with worry, pulled her up gently.

"Hermione," he said, gently said. Hermione had a hard time trying to adjust to the stability. Her nausea had intensified after being tossed around in the air. "What happened?" Draco demanded from Zabini.

"I don't know. Found her like this in the halls," Zabini shrugged.

Draco summoned his potions kit from his room. Setting up by the fire, he worked swiftly, chopping, mixing, and grinding ingredients together. In a few minutes, he presented Hermione with a smoking vial. He brought it to her lips, and Hermione without asking, gulped it down in full trust.

It tasted like ginger, honey, and spices and she felt immediately warmed and better as it went down. It was a calming drought.

"What happened?" he asked again, staring into her eyes with his silver ones, his hands gripping her shoulders.

Hermione couldn't answer him. It wasn't that she didn't want to but she felt ashamed. How could she explain that she was reduced to this state from the fear of herself?

Draco's face was still set with concern as he looked at her. "Hermione," he said sternly.

The emotions the boggarts triggered were still gripping her heart. She felt a gentle probe in her mind. Her eyes widen as she stared back at Draco.

"Let me," he said and she nodded. "Legilimens."

It was like a ripple of coolness and surety as Draco swept into her mind. Hermione stared into his quartz eyes, allowing him to see what she had seen. She was following Piddypumpkins up the spiraling stairs…the dark little room with the shaking wardrobes…boggart-Hermione crawling forward… five boggart-Hermiones… the screaming. Hermione cringed in fear, trying to pull back out of the memory but his mind held hers in place soothingly, holding, allowing him to finish seeing what he came for. The coolness and surety slowly dissipated as he retracted from her mind and Hermione once again was in her dorm, Draco's hands on her shoulders, and Zabini hunched over watching them.

Draco's patrician face contorted with cold rage. "That bastard," he spat out. He tried to get up but Hermione caught his hand.

"Don't go," she begged. "You'll get in trouble."

Draco shook his head but said nothing. For a moment he stood there as if still considering whether to leave or not. Then to her relief, he lowered himself back down, his eyes still hard and fixed on the ground.

"I'm going to head back to my room," Zabini said awkwardly. He left quietly and swiftly.

Draco pulled Hermione into his arms and she collapsed against him. "Hermione, you aren't alone. I'm here with you right now."

Hermione held onto Draco tighter. She so desperately wanted to believe him. Right now, those were the magic words. She could enjoy Draco's presence for the time being but she could not hold him with her forever. Soon, he'd leave her, because everyone eventually does. Just as Hermione thought that, she beat herself up over it. How could she be clingy? Breathing in Draco's scent, she wished the moment would last.

When she was ready, Hermione eventually managed to pull herself away from Draco and into her own bathroom. She took a shower until water so hot that it almost hurt but it did a lot to warm her up. Dried and clean, she came back out into the common room in her nightgown and as promised, Draco was still there. She worried that he would have left to find Piddypumpkins. The thing was, Draco could not do anything that can compromise his situation. After the war had ended, he had been tried as well and for his part as a Death Eater, he had been let off easy but given a warning. Anything unforgivable and he might just as easily be thrown in Azkaban with his father. Hermione didn't think she would be able to live with the guilt if she knew she had caused it. She would find a way to deal with Piddypumpkins on her own.

Once again, bringing her wand to her head, she drew out the memory and placed it in a vial for Draco. He took it without question and stored it in his room.

Her stomach growled loudly and Hermione flushed with embarrassment.

"I didn't store any food tonight," Draco said, looking at her stomach.

"It's okay. Fancy a walk?" As much as she dislike to abuse it, she knew exactly where to go.

They grabbed their cloaks and left their dorm. Hermione was surprised when Draco grasped her hand in his. His hand was warm and she held on tightly. When they arrived, he looked bewildered.

The Hogwarts kitchen was quiet in the middle of the night. There was a roaring fireplace and a few house-elves dozed by it. Seeing these creatures without proper clothing and sleeping quarters made reminded Hermione of her SPEW campaign. She felt guilty that she had abandoned it and vowed to do something about it again soon. Perhaps forcing them to pick up clothes was not the best method.

Gingerly, she looked around for food, tip-toeing over house-elves while Draco sat at the edge of the table, looking around with wonder. When she couldn't find even a breadcrumb, she realized the food must be stored by magic only the house-elves could access. Gently, she tapped an house-elf. "Excuse me," she whispered loudly.

The house-elf groggily opened its large round eyes. Hermione was stuck by how much it resembled Dobby and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Yes, Miss?" it asked her in its squeaky voice.

"If it's not too much trouble, would you please heat up some leftovers? You see, I missed dinner earlier tonight," she requested gently.

The house-elf shot to alertness. "Of course!" It squeaked and it immediately went to work, quickly and quietly.

Hermione sat down across from Draco. Before she could even speak, two bowls of steaming hot stew appeared before them with cups of pumpkin juice. She turned to thank the house-elf but it was already fast asleep again.

"Hermione, how did you know about this place?" Draco asked incrediously.

"Heard it from a few rule breakers," she replied, grinning at him. She quickly gulped down the stew, ravenously. When her bowl was empty she looked up to see Draco still watching her with amazement. His own bowl was still at least half full and she eyed it enviously. Without question, he swapped their bowls. "I already had dinner," he said, gesturing her to go ahead and Hermione quickly downed his as well, feeling very much like a pig but too hungry to truly be embarrassed.

They sat closer by the fire afterwards, huddled together sipping pumpkin juice. Hermione looked at Draco. His face was warmed by the firelight but his eyelashes, were so blond they were almost tipped with ice, his sharp, strong, and elegant nose, his cheekbones were carved even harsher with shadows, and his full beautiful lips. Her heart raced again. He was handsome and he was kind, even beneath all that ice.