Hermione was in her pyjamas, making herself a drink in the communal kitchen. It was very early, everyone else was still asleep but Hermione had woken and her mind had immediately started racing. After an hour of this she had given up and decided to get up.

She poured the juice into her glass, hoping the fresh citrus would clear her fuzzy head. As she reached to put the juice back in the fridge she knocked the glass with the bottle and a large crack broke down the side of it. The juice began to trickle out and Hermione sighed, grabbing her wand and aiming it at the glass.

"Reparo!"

Hermione put the bottle back and reached out to pick up the glass but as her hand touched it she gasped because it was still broken and juice was now all over the worktop and her hand. She frowned and picked up her wand again. She must have aimed wrongly.

"Reparo!" Hermione repeated the spell but this time she looked at the glass which remained broken. She took a step backwards not believing that it hadn't repaired. What was she doing wrong? She'd done this spell a hundred times. She poured the juice away down the sink and put the broken glass in the bin, still frowning.

She examined her wand, bending it and waving it but it seemed to be exactly the same as usual. She walked into the sitting room and aimed her wand at a cushion.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The cushion remained, unmoving on the sofa and Hermione felt the panic she had been pushing away take hold of her. What was the matter with her? She ran into her room and fetched a quill which she placed on the table and tried the same spell. Nothing.

She went back into the main room and put a newspaper on the sofa. She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts, aiming her wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

She heard a noise behind her and turned sharply to find Draco standing in his pyjama's watching her.

"Well, I might think twice about buying another Lightning Broomstick if you're having to practise a Year One spell!" he said.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy," Hermione snapped, not in the mood for him.

"What happened to calling me Draco?" Draco asked with a smirk but Hermione glared at him.

"It's too early for this, now let me past so I can go to my room." She meant it because she needed to be alone to try and work out what was the matter with her. She felt slightly sick at what had just happened.

"Why were you practising Wingardium Leviosa?" Draco persisted.

"I wasn't practising," Hermione pushed him. "Now move out of the way!"

Draco looked down at where she'd touched him before swiftly grabbing her and turning her around so that her back was up against him. He lifted her arm, which still held her wand.

"Come on, Granger - let me help you with 1st year stuff..." He moved her arm in a swishing motion, exactly the right movement for the spell but Hermione wasn't in the mood to appreciate his wand skills and she tried to elbow him away. "After three - let's say it together...Wingardium Leviosa..." Draco said the spell and the cushion lifted easily into the air. "See it's that easy..."

Hermione felt her anger take hold and she used it to wriggle out of his grasp and turn to face him. "I told you I wasn't practising! You're not funny - not in the slightest. Now leave me alone!" Her voice rose and she realised she was probably about to wake everyone else up as well but she didn't care. She felt upset and scared and she really couldn't handle Draco and his sarcasm right now.

Draco looked at her for a second and then stepped to one side, waving her past him.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was mid morning and Hermione was out in the grounds. She felt exhausted because all morning she had been trying to perform magic to no avail. She couldn't perform a single spell - not one. She felt sick to the bottom of her stomach and she knew that the sensible thing to do would be to tell Professor McGonagall but somehow she couldn't bring herself to say it to anyone else.

How had this happened? Wizards didn't lose their magic - once a wizard, always a wizard. She hadn't been subjected to any spells, in fact she'd done nothing magical yesterday at all. She ran through the day again and nodded to herself. She'd done nothing at all that could have affected her like this. She felt tears forming behind her eyes as she faced the fact that she was going to have to tell someone.

She heard voices as the students left the Castle behind her and she got up quickly and headed towards the lake. She walked past the boathouse and east along the edge, away from the Castle.

After just a few minutes she turned back again, her decision made. She needed to know if anyone else was affected as well.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione went back to the communal rooms to find a crowd in there. Luna had arrived just before lunch and she was being greeted by all her old friends. Hermione joined the throng and was pulled into a hug by Luna who then stepped back and looked her up and down in her usual forthright manner.

"You're not you," Luna said, in her cheerful and blunt way.

Hermione's eyes widened and she willed herself not to react. "Of course I'm me."

"No you're not - you'll notice it yourself soon."

Thankfully, Luna was then distracted by Ron who had approached her but tripped and almost knocked her flying. Hermione moved away from the crowd and watched discreetly to see if any of them used magic. Blaise was hovering around, just a little away from the crowd. He glanced over at Hermione but she just glared at him.

After ten minutes, Hermione decided that she was wasting her time in here because it really wasn't the place that anyone was going to use magic. She went to the door to leave but the handle turned too easily and she almost fell through it as someone opened it from the other side.

"Hermione!" Neville exclaimed. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Hermione nodded. She smiled but she knew it was half hearted.

"What's the matter?" Neville asked, noticing straight away. "Have you seen Luna yet?"

"Yes, I've just spoken to her."

"What is it?" Neville repeated and Hermione cursed him for suddenly being so perceptive.

"Oh, nothing. I just didn't sleep very well."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"Yes - I'm fine. I'll see you later." Hermione went to walk past Neville and he let her through, still watching her closely. As he was about to enter the room, Hermione stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Is everyone okay today?" she asked and Neville frowned. She realized this sounded ridiculous. "What I mean - has anyone mentioned feeling under the weather, not their usual selves...or anything?"

Neville's eyes narrowed. "You're not telling me something, are you?"

"Has anyone reported anything to you?"

Neville shook his head. "No."

"What lesson's have you taken this morning?"

Neville frowned again at her change of direction. "What? Why?"

"I'm just wondering."

"I teach Herbology, Hermione. I've been teaching in the greenhouses."

"And did you have to demonstrate anything to the pupils?"

"What is this about?" Neville asked. He grabbed her arm. "Are you in some kind of trouble? Is it Malfoy?"

Hermione shook her head. "No - it's nothing important really but would you just mind answering me? Did you use magic during you're lessons this morning?"

Neville watched her closely, obviously deciding whether to push her for an answer. After a moment, he answered her quietly. "Yes - of course I've used magic this morning."

"Okay - thanks, Neville." Hermione started to walk away, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Hermione?" Neville called after her.

She answered him without turning around. "Don't worry - I'll tell you all about it later."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione wasn't sure where she was heading and she was sort of surprised when she found herself at the Quidditch training field. Her mind was in such turmoil, she couldn't think straight. Lee and Ginny were at the far end. They didn't see her so she ducked out of view and watched them for a moment.

After about five minutes where they just stood and chatted, Lee pulled out his wand and held it to his throat.

"Sonorus!"

Hermione waited with baited breath to see if his spell would work.

"Today we have world famous, England Quidditch Seeker and generally desirable young lady - Ginny Weasley!" Lee announced, his amplified voice booming around the field. Ginny hit him and giggled but Hermione didn't think she would ever giggle again. Lee still had his magic and then next moment Ginny proved she still had hers too because she mounted her broomstick and began to do a few tricks that Lee proceeded to commentate on.

Hermione snuck away and once out of view she stopped and leant against a tree. This wasn't good - not good at all.

That was when she saw him, a familiar blonde head in the near distance. He was over by a large tree at the far end of the path. Hermione was about to turn away so that he didn't see her because the very last person she wanted to see right now was him but her eyes stayed on him because he was acting strangely. He was holding a book and waving his wand at something on the floor. Hermione squinted to try and see but she couldn't. What was he doing? Why was he standing in this remote spot practising a spell?

Forgetting about herself for a few seconds she stepped away from the path so she was out of his line of vision and she took the back route through the trees until she was close enough to see him. He was referring to a book he was holding and every now and then waving his wand at a small pile of stones on the floor.

"Accio stone!" Draco said. Hermione held her breath and watched the pebbles but nothing happened. "Accio pebble!" Again nothing. She heard Draco mumble under his breath and he raised his wand again. "Aguamenti!" Again nothing. Hermione felt her heart beating out of her chest as she realised she wasn't the only one who was having a problem. Draco couldn't perform magic either! "Wingardium Leviosa..." The pebbles didn't move and Draco threw his wand down on the floor before snapping the book shut and running his hand through his hair. "Bloody hell! Bloody, bloody hell!"

Hermione stepped backwards to move away, her head spinning but she trod on a stick that snapped. Draco was picking his wand up of the floor and his head shot up at the noise. His eyes narrowed and darkened and his mouth set in a straight line.

"Who's there?" his voice was low and menacing. Hermione considered turning and running but she realised he'd catch up with her easily, so with a sigh she stepped into view. "How long have you been there?" Draco's voice was a hiss. He was obviously very unhappy that she may have seen him.

"Long enough," Hermione answered.

Draco glared at her and then walked over. "Listen to me, Granger. If you mention this to anyone..."

"How dare you threaten me!"

"I'm not threatening you," Draco stepped backwards again, his voice dropping. He looked at her intently. "Really, I'm not but you can't tell anyone what you just saw. I need to work this out and..."

"What's happened to you?" she asked. He didn't need to know just yet that she was in the same position.

"None of your business." Draco turned away, saying the next words with his back still to her. "Bugger off and keep your mouth shut!"

"Why would I do that?" Hermione asked, her implication clear. "Why can't you do magic?"

Draco turned back to her, his face thunderous. "I was practising, just like you were earlier!"

Hermione put her head to one side, torn between confessing to him and just walking away. Would it be better if he knew she had lost her magic as well? Could they work it out together? She was tempted because she really wanted to tell someone but this was Draco Malfoy. Enough said.

"You were practising 'Accio' ?" she waved her arm at the stones. She wasn't being cruel but she knew if she pushed him he would be more likely to tell her what he knew. Draco stared at her, his eyes like deep, dark pools of molten metal. When he didn't answer her and just started walking away she knew that he was deeply worried about what had happened to him. There was no way that Draco Malfoy would answer her back if he was his normal self.

Hermione sighed. So far the only other person seeming to be affected by this was Draco Malfoy. Great! Absolutely, bloody great!

Mmmmmmm...?