So, in 2 days it's gonna be a year since I first published this story. I have to say, I definitely thought I would have finished it by now, but there's so much I want and so many ideas I have, and so little time in my life to update as frequently as I'd like to. Thank you to those who've read every chapter, and reviewed and given me advice. I hope you guys stick by me till the end, I really do care for this story (it's my first) and I want it to be good and end well!
Hermione
So, over a week of her life had been lost. Cool. Great. Fan-FUCKING-tastic.
Hermione didn't know what to think anymore. Was the sky still blue? Was she no longer the brightest witch of her age? Had she lost her bloody mind? She had so many questions…
After being somewhat 'filled in' by the divination professor, Hermione had been excused from all classes that day, which she had reluctantly agreed upon seeing as she actually could not bring herself to do anything besides lay in her bed and contemplate the joke that was her life.
Who in Merlin's name would send a stinging hex to her, and why would she "need" to forget it? She had endured far worse last year, and Hermione had thought all her enemies dead or at the very least too scared to attack again after the war. None of it made sense, and she knew Trelawney's "answers" would do nothing to quell her ever-growing curiosity about the entire situation—including who the other student in the infirmary was.
The latter part of her question however, would not remained unanswered for long.
A knock on the door had snapped Hermione out of her incessant over-thinking, and she hadn't lost too much of her memories to know who the only person it could be. The only other person who had access to her dormitory—one Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy? Is that you?," she asked.
"Yes… may I come in?," Draco had replied, his voice muffled by the thick wooden door.
Unsure why he'd want to be in her room, but fed-up of the curiosity brewing inside of her about everything else, Hermione simply replied "yes," and the door immediately opened.
The tall blonde walked through the door, his eyes immediately finding hers and he looked… lost.
Never had Hermione seen Malfoy look so vulnerable, so she got up and uncharacteristically motioned for him to sit.
Now sitting, she turned to him and looked him up and down. Upon closer inspection, she noticed red-rimmed eyes… which scared her because… Draco Malfoy, king of iciness and mystery.. being emotional? Unheard of.
"What brings you here Malfoy?," was all she could say to hide her confusion and surprise.
A moment passed, as he carefully looked at her, unable to mask his emotions for once and then he sighed.
"I don't know," he said with a shaky breath, "I had to see you."
"You… had to see me?," was all Hermione could let out, paralyzed with shock at the thought of Draco Malfoy wanting anything to do with her besides perform head duties.
Hermione couldn't deny the chemistry between them, especially in the days leading up to the Halloween dance, but… had something happened? Of course not, she immediately chided herself—he would never. Besides, he'd gone with Pansy, and that she remembered.
"I'm—I'm so sorry about everything, I don't even know where to begin," Draco started, but Hermione quickly stopped him, needing clarification first. She needed ANSWERS damn it!
"Look Malfoy, I don't mean to be harsh with you, as we have been rather friendly with one another recently… or from what I can remember, but—"
"From what you can remember?," he'd interrupted.
"Yes, now, if you'd let me finish things would be more clear," Hermione snapped.
Draco gulped, as if scared and then simply nodded for her to continue.
Where was she even going with this? Did she trust him enough to reveal information regarding her attack? He was a death eater after all… maybe he knew her attacker? Nonsense, she immediately thought. Draco Malfoy was a changed man, she could feel it in her gut, and she certainly trusted her gut.
"Yesterday, I was struck with a stinging hex," Hermione began, noticing Draco instantly scowl and wondering why it upset him but continued, "and apparently the hex not only wounded me, but it rebounded and hit a fellow student," she breathed, "I was brought to the infirmary, and because the pain was so excruciating, I lost consciousness and when I awoke, my memories were gone."
Draco looked at her in horror, but said nothing so she continued.
"To be more specific, when I woke up, I overheard Professor Trelawney and Headmistress McGonagall talking about a memory charm they'd failed to perform on the other injured student but had performed on me… and things went wrong. I had lost more memories than intended, and the last thing I remember is getting ready for the Halloween dance with Ginny," Hermione concluded.
She had expected a smirk, or a snort, or something that indicated his lack of sympathy, but instead she got an even paler version of the palest person she knew. And it scared her.
Draco swallowed and looked deep in thought when he finally replied, "So, let me get this straight… the last thing you can remember is the Halloween dance? And nothing else after?"
"Yes."
"The entire night?"
"Well, to be honest the last thing I remember precisely, was that I saw you dancing with Pansy, and then leaving," Hermione said, nearly adding 'and wanting to throw up.'
"Oh," was all Draco managed to let out after looking like he was about to throw up himself.
"Oh?"
He didn't reply this time. In fact, he got up and mumbled something along the lines of "I'm tired" as he left her quarters and left Hermione even more confused than she was before he visited her.
A few seconds later she could hear the door to his room open and close, and all she could think to herself is that she was so beyond unlucky. Clearly the dance hadn't gone her way, seeing as Malfoy still didn't care too much about her.
Sad, confused and tired, Hermione decided to go to sleep. She would try to figure things out tomorrow, and hopefully be more successful.
Draco
Ceilings were cool. They held everything up, despite gravity forcing everything down upon them. He wished he was a ceiling. To be strong, holding everything together and never falling down would be a dream.
Draco's dreams never came true though, he thought as he lay in his bed, staring at the stark white ceiling above him.
He was unsure of how much time he'd spent laying there, thinking about how he'd lost the girl he liked due to his own stupidity and memory charms. He could tell all the progress he'd made with her had gone straight to hell and even worse, she didn't remember it.
How could he explain to her that they were basically magical soul mates without having her laugh in his face? He knew it would be impossible, but what was worse was that she'd been with someone else and that was why he even knew about this predicament at all.
Fucking Corner. At least Granger wouldn't remember him either.
She'd never be able to be with him now anyway… or anyone else for that matter, and neither would he. Why did they have to be cursed? Who would do this and why?
Three knocks on his door had him sitting up on his bed. Who could be knocking on his door at—he checked the time—2 a.m.? Alarmed, Draco grabbed his wand and slowly made his way for the door.
A moment later, there was another knock and Draco quickly opened the door. He pointed his wand, ready to disarm whoever it was on the other side only to find a tired-looking, silk pyjama wearing—
"Granger?" he breathed, "is everything okay?"
"I've had a nightmare," Hermione replied, "one I think I've had before but I can't—" her voice cracked, and tears were forming, "I c-can't remember."
He looked at her then as she shook, feeling so badly about not having told her anything and uncharacteristically brought her into his arms, and hugged her.
She stiffened for a split second, and then accepted his embrace. Draco could feel Hermione's tears on his shirt, but he didn't care. She had come to him, and trusted him enough to cry while he hugged her.
"Tomorrow," he said, "I will tell you everything, but for now, we should probably get some sleep. It is 2 a.m. afterall."
Hermione backed away, but only slightly and replied, "You will?"
"Yes."
"Thank you," she began looking around his room, adding "would it be okay if I stayed with you tonight… in here?"
"You want to stay in here… with me?" Draco barely managed to let out.
"I'll stay on the floor I promise, I just don't want to be alone and Gryffindor tower is far and—"
"Nonsense, Granger you'll stay on the bed and I'll take the floor."
"No, it's your room, I'll take the floor," said Hermione.
"I insist Granger, please," Draco replied.
"Ok how about we both stay on the bed, but we make a pillow wall so it's not too uncomfortable or inappropriate for either of us," Hermione suggested.
Draco thought to himself that he could never be uncomfortable in a bed with her, but kept that to himself, simply nodding at Granger and hoping she wouldn't catch onto his eagerness for this sleepover. What a turn of events!
As they lay in bed, he could practically hear Hermione's thoughts, as he looked at her in the darkness, Draco could see that she really wanted to say something but clearly was afraid to.
He sighed, "what is it Granger?"
"Nothing," she whispered.
"I can tell you want to say something," Draco replied.
"I don't."
"Granger it's written all over your face."
"You can't even see my—"
"Just," he whispered, "say it."
"Fine," she breathed, "why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I like you," he answered, without hesitation.
Granger didn't reply for several moments. Maybe she didn't believe him? She must still be able to remember that they were at least amicable before that dance…
"I like you too," Granger finally replied, "thank you for being so kind tonight despite everything."
Draco felt himself smile, and turned to look at her. She was beautiful even in the darkness, and she smelt like how he remembered. That sweet amber, mixed with a fresh laundry-like smell.
Hermione turned to look at him as well and met his eyes. She smiled back at him, and for a moment Draco truly felt like he was in heaven once more.
"Goodnight Granger," he said.
Slowly, she leaned in, and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. He froze.
"Goodnight, Draco," and she turned back around.
Maybe he had a second chance to make things right, maybe they were supposed to be together. All Draco knew was that he would try.
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