Chapter-26: Remember

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's note: So so sorry for being so late. My PC was very sick and recently had an organ transplantation. HARD DISK. I know. Pretty sad. But don't worry everything's okay now.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Hermione was seeping in and out of conscience when she was brought down to the dungeon and left lying on the cell floor. After sometimes when she again regain consciousness for the third time, she saw Harry and Ron rushing to her from the other side of that cell opposite to the door. But before they could voice out their concerns, she hard a loud bang on the metal door.

Hermione again lost consciousness. But before losing conscience, she felt two strong arms held her tightly and protectively. Hermione saw that she was currently standing on a field full of lilac. It was a sunny day and the field was looking beautiful with sun rays falling over the lavender flowers. Suddenly she heard someone's familiar voice calling her name.

"Hermione...Hermione, wake up. Please, wake up. Hermione." She ran towards to the source of voice. But it seemed unreachable. The fast she ran, the more the voice seemed to be far. She stumbled and fell. Hermione closed her eyes as pain shot from her twisted ankle.

When Hermione again opened her eyes, she was again back in the cold and dark dungeon of Malfoy Manor. She again felt two strong arms wrapped around her and her head was cradled on the person's chest.

Her vision was hazy and she blinked to adjust her sight. When her sight focused the first thing she saw a head of silk blond hair. Malfoy. Hermione thought. She heard him speak or yell, to be honest. "Whoever has done this to my angel will suffer terribly? Who did this?"

Hermione was confused. Malfoy, her archenemy, was holding her and talking about hurting her psycho aunt for hurting her. She must've hit her head hard for imagining such fantasy. She tried to talk and move but felt too weak to do anything.

Before unconsciousness again washed over her, she briefly felt her body moved from that strong hold to another pair of arms that were a little thin and firm.

Hermione wake up with a start. She thought she was having a bad dream. But from looks of how her entire body was aching and felt like a lump, everything was real. She realized with horror that she, in reality, was actually being tortured in the Malfoy Manor by Malfoy's psychopath aunt Bellatrix.

Hermione sat up as the memory of her torture and its aftermath replayed in her mind. She let out a gasp of surprise as she remembered Draco. He was there holding her tightly like he'd never let her go. Hermione was utterly stunned at his odd behavior toward her. And then she remembered with much more confusion that he'd called her his angel. That sound utterly familiar although she couldn't remember why.

The word roamed around her head as she desperately tried to remember where and who called her that. She groaned softly as she concentrated more to remember and her head started to hurt.

Hermione yelped and pressed her palms on the sides of her head as the pain intensified ten fold. A rush of memory flooded her mind. But she could barely concentrate on the memories as the pain only intensified and she doubled over and rolling off fell on the floor.

She screamed as her head felt like it'd burst from all the pain. She didn't hear when Harry and Ron came running into the room followed by Bill and Fleur. She didn't acknowledged as two arms carried her from the floor and on to the bed. Not even when someone poured something in her mouth while she was screaming her lungs out.

Harry and Ron rushed from the kitchen where he, Ron, Bill and Fleur was having breakfast. He entered the room that Hermione was currently occupying. Hermione was screaming like a Banshee. Harry hurriedly went to her side and picked her up and settled her on bed. He quickly turned to Ron who was frozen at the door and told him to bring the sleeping potion from Hermione's beaded bag.

After a moment of hesitation, Ron raced out of the room and brought what was wanted. Harry poured the potion in Hermione's mouth. Instantly, she stopped screaming and sleep took over her.

Harry was sitting on the bed beside Hermione's head and Ron was sat at the foot of the bed. Hermione wake up and shouted for Draco."Draco...Draco..." "Hermione, calm down." Harry said. Ron neared her and put a calming hand on her shoulder, confusion swirling in his eyes. Hermione looked at Ron for a moment and then turned to Harry and spoke in barely more than a whisper.

"Draco..." "Ok...ok. Malfoy what?" Harry asked cautiously, frowning. "We've to save him, Harry. He-he's along in the manor with those Death Eaters...We've to hurry up."With that Hermione tried to sit up but her head swirled and she let her head down with a moan. "Hermione calm down..." Harry started "Draco's ok and safe. He came with the Order. He's safe." Hermione let out a breathe of relief and lay in the bed in a bit more comfortable position.

Ron opened his mouth to voice out his confusion but closed at Harry's stern look. Harry turned to Hermione. "Hermione, do you remember Mal-Draco?" he asked tentatively. Hermione furrowed her brows but answered anyway. "Yes. Why won't I remember Draco? But something isn't right."

Harry let out a troubled sighed and said sarcastically, "Obviously, something isn't right. You remember everything." "What do you mean?" "When was the last time you been with Draco?"

"Well...The day before the Hogsmeade trip in the month of April...W-we planned to meet in the morning to do some study before we go for the trip. Bu-but he never came." Hermione finished in a whisper.

"Well, he actually did." "What do you mean, Harry? If he came, then why didn't he meet me?" "What do you remember after that?" "Um...He didn't talk to me and acted quite wired around me. He'd give me those sorrowful longing looks. And I remember I glared at him. I don't know happened between us. I can't remember, Harry."

"Its ok. Your weren't suppose to." "What do you mean "I'm not suppose to" ?" "You're the brightest witch of our age. You tell me." "So...I don't remember...So...Did you...did he- Draco..." Hermione stared at Harry with wide eyes. Harry nodded sadly. "Yes. He did." "Why?" She didn't need to elaborate because Harry knew what was she asking for.

But before Harry could answer, Ron, who had been quite the whole time listening to his two best friends talk, asked frustrated. "Will anyone tell what the bloody hell you guys are talking about?"

Harry and Hermione both realized then that they weren't alone. "Um...Ron, you need to know something." "Alright." Not liking the tone of her voice. Hermione told everything that happened since her hunt in the Restriction section.

By the end of it, Ron was glowing like red sun due to anger or embarrassment, Hermione didn't know. Hermione stared at Ron expectantly. Ron almost growled, "You're in love with Malfoy." "Of course, that's the only thing that inside your head." Hermione muttered under her breathe and turned to Harry.

"Now, as this is cleared. You tell me..." She poked her index finger on Harry's chest. "WHY DID DRACO OBLIVIATE ME?" Harry moved a little away from her in case she'd start hitting him. "Well, Malfoy showed me a letter from his father where he threatened to kill you or much worse. He got all scared and told that his father might find out about your relationship and might harm you. So, he thought this could be the only best option."

"So just like that took my memory without even consulting anyone." Hermione was furious. "He told me." "Oh, just shut up, Harry. He could've told me or Dumbledore at least." "He said he thought but he didn't trust Dumbledore much." "He could've trusted me." "He do trust you, Hermione. And he really loves you. But he said you wouldn't listen to him if he told you to get to safety."

"Why would I?" "See, that's why he didn't tell and did this. I'd to agree because it was the only way." "So you're telling me that Draco did nothing wrong. And you knew all this, supported him and you even helped him." Hermione was shouting by now and got off the bed and was pacing in front of the bed. "How could you, Harry. You were suppose to be my friend, not his."

"I think Harry did the right thing." Ron said speaking for the first time after his outburst. Hermione glared at Ron and he looked away and said in a small voice, "I mean, its about your life, not some joke." Hermione would've smiled at Ron's concern if she hadn't been too angry to think straight.

"Oh. Now you too support Draco, Ron." Before Ron could say anything, Harry beat him to it. "Listen, Hermione. Just think the situation from he's perspective. What would you done if you were in his position?" "But...but still..." Harry cut her. "No but, Hermione. Just give him a chance. He looked pretty terrified at the thought of you being hurt."

"Ok. I'll think about it later. I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?" "I was hoping when you were gonna say it." Hermione rolled her at Ron and Harry just laughed.

Only one more chapter to go, guys.

Enjoy and review.