"There there dear...effects are rather unusual...shouldn't be but a moment there…"

A large shape swam in and out of focus around Hermione, seeming to take her hearing with it. The voice, when she could catch the words, sounded awfully like Madame Pomfrey. Madame Pomfrey!

Hermione jolted upwards, then groaned. Everything hurt, as if she'd gone on a terribly long hike and used every muscle on the way.

"Mmm Pomfrey," she croaked. " 's important. Must, must tell you..."

The matron bustled over, shaking her wand at Hermione.

"Hush now dear!" she reprimanded gently. "You've been a lovely little stone statue for a good while now, don't go using everything at once. Now, what seems to be the issue?"

What was the issue again? Something, something dangerous, important enough that she had to inform Mr. Malfoy…

"Oh!" she cried in alarm. "Monster! 's a basil-basilisk…"

Hermione slumped against her pillows again, tired from the effort. She'd done her duty, now they could do the rest. In moments she was asleep again.

Severus stood watching his ward. She looked like death warmed over. Nothing like Lily, who had been beautiful from the start, inside and out. A true Gryffindor. He turned to Madame Pomfrey.

"You said she knew the monster when she awoke?"

"Oh yes, the bright little thing. Figured it all out she did." Pomfrey murmured fondly. "Those boys of hers were in here near everyday. I suppose they found something of her's in a pocket. Evidence for Dumbledore perhaps." Pomfrey spoke as she moved about replenishing potions and occasionally caring for her sleeping patients. Snape stood immobile against the wall.

"Miss Granger is a Slytherin through and through. I highly doubt she'd have done anything but sold the information at the highest price to the only two dunderheads likely enough to think they were the ones who had to defeat the beast themselves."

Pomfrey laughed.

"Who, Potter and Weasley? Even you must admit they did quite the fine job. Killing that thing, rescuing the girl…"

Severus only looked at the muggleborn once more before sweeping away, long black robes trailing behind him.

The Great Hall was bursting with people, food, and laughter. The monster was defeated, they were saved, and any day now the petrified people would be saved. Everyone seemed joyful, ready to celebrate.

All, save a small miserable group of Slytherins.

"You know she'll be fine, right?" Daphne asked, gently holding Draco's shoulder. He didn't respond.

"Yeah mate, relax. Our deal pulled off without a hitch, those two boys are more in debt to us than they'll ever know, and Hermione (who could have died), will be back to her bossy self soon enough." said Blaise, stuffing chicken into his mouth.

Theo didn't say anything for a moment, just sat watching his best friend.

"Did you...receive word from home?" he asked carefully. Draco looked up.

"Father was sacked as school governor." he said listlessly. Silence spread like a dreadful plague across the table, and Draco continued. "Even worse, that oaf hagrid has been brought back. And has Hermione been unpetrified? No, no she hasn't despite the fact that she's the one who went and bloody-"

"Draco Malfoy you watch your language."

Five pairs of eyes swung to behind Draco. There stood Hermione, looking safe and perfectly ordinary if a little wan.

"Hermione!" shrieked Pansy, throwing herself forward. "You're not petrified anymore! Are you alright? We found your paper in your hand, and-and, oh we were so worried! Draco visited you-oomph!" Pansy stopped abruptly when Draco elbowed her sharply in the ribs. Hermione gave him a curious glance, but didn't mention it.

"Well don't just stand there, sit down already!" Theo finally said to the growing silence.

"So, what's it like to be petrified?" Blaise asked, grinning.

Daphne whacked him with a book, hissing "You can't just ask people that! Sorry Hermione," she added, "Some of us here simply do not understand manners." Daphne finished primly, giving Blaise a withering look. He puckered at her, then leaned across the table to give Hermione a hug.

"I missed you, you big-haired crazy person."

And to their surprise, Hermione laughed and hugged him back.

"I'd say I missed you too, but I'm afraid I was quite asleep for the whole adventure."

At the Head Table, Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands for silence.

"Welcome!" He cried. "Welcome, to another end of term feast! Madame Pomfrey has asked me to announce that the mandrakes have been administered and her patients will be discharged, or already have been discharged," he glanced at Hermione, eyes twinkling, "as she sees fit. And, as a treat, exams will be cancelled."

The rest of his words were lost in a roar of cheers. Even Hermione smiled slightly, looking rather relieved. Theo raised an eyebrow and nudged her softly.

"What're you happy about? Surely not the cancelled exams? You'd still have beaten all of us you know."

Hermione snickered, shushing him but without any fire behind her admonishment.

Hermione lounged against Daphne, leaning her head on the pureblood's shoulders. The others were playing exploding snap to pass the time, but Hermione felt content to sit and watch them. They were so happy, so carefree in these hidden moments away from the watching world. One would think them like any other child of their age, she thought idly. You'd never think these children were already walking society's tightrope, playing dress up for the adults and hiding their every thought behind crafted masks.

There was a rap on the door.

"Anything from the trolley dears?"

Draco looked at his friends and began to recline against the seat again, but paused. It'd been near three weeks since Hermione had returned from hospital and she still had yet to lose that drained, dead sort of look. He jumped up and swaggered over to the trolley lady.

"Six of everything." he said as if without a care in the world, tossing a sack of coins at her.

"This is over the top," declared Theo. Blaise shrugged and reached for the Bertie Bott Beans.

"Draco what happened to you? It's as if you've become nice all of a sudden." Pansy said with a wicked, knowing sort of smirk. He snorted and turned to Hermione.

"Don't go for the Beans. They're not worth it. These," he placed a small cardboard packet in her hand, "Is far better. Chocolate frogs. Be careful when you open them because they're enchanted-"

"-To actually jump like a frog yes I'm aware. We had some at Christmas hols last year, remember? It's how we found Flamel."

He rolled his eyes, oblivious to the others in the compartment watching the pair like hawks.

"It's rather difficult to forget. Merlin, do you realise that we spent our first two years at Hogwarts doing all the servant work for the Dummy Duo?"

Pansy mock gagged, causing the two to turn in confusion.

"Yes I'm fairly certain we all know that by now." she said awkwardly by way of explanation.

"Oh excuse me for thinking back on our last two years," Draco retorted sarcastically.

"So," Daphne said to Hermione quietly, "You going to visit the Malfoys during summer hols?"

Hermione shrugged. "It'd be nice. I will if they invite me anyways."

Daphne looked at her friend for a long moment.

"Oh I think they will."

A/N: I keep forgetting to say it but this story needs a better name. Any ideas?