Once they'd reached the safety of the treeline, Ron slowed to a walk. All three of them were breathing hard and the change of pace was welcome. "Mind filling me in?" Ron asked Hermione. He nudged his head towards Draco. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and sighed.

"It's all a bit strange." Hermione said.

"You're telling me."

"Mind not talking about me like I can't hear?" Draco said.

"Sorry." Hermione said squeezing his hand, "I'll tell you everything soon Ron."

Ron nodded and they walked on in complete silence. They reached a clearing and stopped. There were a few wizards and witches there already, "This is our regroup point. We're going back to Hogwarts as soon as everyone gets here." Ron said. Hermione looked around and saw McGonagall walking over to them.

"Hermione, thank goodness you're safe," she said. Hermione nodded, "I think you three should go back now," she said.

"What about Harry?" Hermione asked.

"We've got what we came for," McGonagall said. She raised her wand in the air and sent out a brilliant red flare. "That will bring them all back. We'll be right behind you." She motioned for them all to grab hold of a portkey and within seconds, they were standing in the entrance hall to Hogwarts. When Hermione saw who was waiting for them, her face paled.

"It's alright, he's one of us." Ron said. She looked into the hard black eyes of Snape and swallowed.

"My office, now," he snapped. With a flurry of black cloth, he spun on his heels. They had no choice to follow. The walk to the dungeons was a swift one. As soon as they were there, Snape gestured for them to sit. Hermione finally let go of Draco's hand when she collapsed into a chair. He sat beside her, his presence gave her strength. Snape made sure they were comfortable before leaving them for a moment. Hermione shivered. Draco pulled out his wand and lit a fire in the grate, to which Hermione smiled appreciatively. The warmth filled the room and she let her eyes drift closed. The door opened again and in stepped Snape, McGonagall and Harry. "You don't need to be here Draco." Snape said. Draco didn't move.

"Yes he does." Hermione replied. Snape raised an eyebrow but said nothing; instead he settled behind his desk and waited. Hermione took a deep breath, "They took my magic from me," she blurted.

"Eloquent as ever, Miss Granger." Snape said. She shot him a glare but refrained from responding.

"I don't know how they did it but I know why. The Death Eaters wanted two things, one was to use me as bait to get Harry and the other was as a part of an experiment. They aim to cure the world of Half-bloods and Muggleborns. It worked completely," she said. She swallowed hard, biting back the tears that now threatened to consume her. "I even threw myself from a window to try uncontrolled magic. I failed."

Draco brushed the tips of his fingers against hers; she remembered his kindness and smiled at him. "The only reason I healed was because of Draco. He also enabled me to send you the messages and succeeded in keeping me safe while I was confined in his home," she said. McGonagall had pulled out her wand while she had been talking and was hastily muttering spells. Hermione felt the touch of magic on her skin and shut her eyes. She'd never be able to do that again.

"Who cursed you?"

"Draco's father." Hermione replied. "I have to confess something about him too," she said. "I may have assaulted a senior wizard." She turned her gaze to the floor.

"What?" Snape asked.

"Not magically. I may have whacked him in the face with some wood and knocked him out. He was going after Ron and I had to do something," she said. Draco looked at her sideways and Ron was outright smiling. Harry clapped her shoulder. She looked around at McGonagall and swallowed, "Can I get my magic back?" she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about my dear. According to the diagnostic spells I have just cast, you're as potent as you ever were," she said. Hermione frowned. She didn't feel anything within, no spark, no fire, nothing. She dropped Draco's hand, pulled out her wand but there was no change in sensation. Tentatively, she lowered it to Snape's desk and swallowed.

Banishing all thoughts from her mind, she waved her wand over a piece of blank parchment and uttered, "Wingardium Leviosa." At first, nothing happened but then, slowly, ever so slowly, the parchment began to rise. Hermione's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "When… How did…?"

"I believe that you were tricked using a very subtle curse," Snape said, "The caster places a blanket over a section of the mind, which leads the victim to believe what they're told. Effectively, you were shielded from your magic because you believed it had been removed. It's a particularly dark branch of magic."

"How did I break it?" she asked. Snape's eyes flickered from her to Draco and back again.

"I'm not going to grace that with a response Miss Granger." Hermione turned to Draco and looked straight into those lovely grey eyes of his. They smiled at each other. Behind them, Ron made a gagging noise and Harry snorted, "Please refrain from mooning over each other in my office," Snape said. McGonagall coughed.

"It's been a trying day for all of us," she said, "You need to be examined in the infirmary Hermione, you too Draco," she said noticing the cut on his head for the first time, "When you're given a clean bill of health, we'll have to look at keeping you both safe." Hermione nodded. "Do you think you can make it on your own?" she asked. With another nod, Hermione stood, so did Draco.

"Thank you," she said. "All of you." Her friends and the two professors muttered and expressed how good it was to have her back. With that, she and Draco left the room and turned towards the infirmary.

"Slow down," Draco said from behind her, "There's no real rush is there?" he asked.

"I guess not." He picked up her hand once more and they walked in silence for a moment, "I'm really sorry about your dad." Hermione said eventually.

"Don't worry about that." Draco said. He stopped walking and tugged on her arm. She stopped too and turned to face him.

"Thank you for everything," she said. He didn't respond verbally, instead pulled her against him and pushed a hand through her curly hair. His hand cupped her cheek and his mouth captured hers in a soft, tender kiss. She returned it, gently increasing the pressure on his lips with hers. For the moment, it was enough for them both. They were safe and they had each other.

And that's that folks.

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my stoy. It has been a really fun tale to write and I'm flattered that so many of you have enjoyed reading it.

I have plenty more Harry Potter story ideas brewing as well so please feel free to check out some of those works too.

Thanks again

Lu

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