Draco was gone again by New Year's Eve. He was called away suddenly in the middle of the night to ADSS headquarters for what Hermione could only assume was a top-secret mission. She tried to ignore the knot of tension that immediately settled itself in the pit of her stomach and distracted herself with sending a letter to Harry and Ginny. She had included a duplicate of the photo her mother had taken. She had stared at it intensely, trying to work out if any of Draco's features would have been recognisable. In the end, she had decided that it was too hard to tell for sure if it was him, especially since Ginny didn't know he was alive and it had been ten years since Harry had saw him last, so felt safe enough being able to send it. She met 2009 with a glass of wine in one hand, dancing to the music of Amelie Wolfe in her living room, wearing her fluffy pyjama pants that she so loved, and surrounded by Draco's still hanging Christmas decorations.

She spent her days afterwards lazing around her apartment reading, drinking tea, watching sappy romance movies, slowly cleaning decorations away, and reminiscing over the past few happy days with Draco. Her recent brush of being tortured felt like a faded memory now, like she had watched it on a television set instead of actually experiencing it. Her late afternoons were occupied with training on the rooftop. She didn't want to lose any of the newfound strength and agility she had worked so hard for, but it was so hot during the day that she had to wait until it was cool enough to venture up to the roof to train. She practiced her kata, did weights training, skipped rope for cardio, and attempted yoga. She was relieved she was alone for the yoga attempts, as she was still struggling to maintain her balance with a lot of the positions and couldn't help but laugh the whole time thinking she looked ridiculous. After each training session, she would lie back on one of the plastic folded out banana chairs, have another glass of wine, and watch the sunset paint streaks of crimson and gold across the Melbourne sky. It reminded her of the Gryffindor common room, and it was then that she felt most at peace.

On the Fifth of January, a rather friendly Galah showed up at her window, tapping incessantly and squawking in protest at Hermione's slow response to let it in. It had a beautiful rose plumage on its chest, and wings of a similar colour to Draco's eyes. She hadn't had much contact with any Australian cockatoo's, feeling more confident with relying on native owls for local letters to her parents, and using the post service for the longer trips to England, as they handled the larger birds themselves. Galahs were a dime a dozen in Australia, often flocking together, chattering loudly, and making a mess of the wattle trees. This particular bird landed on Hermione's bed and offered its leg to her. There was a small cream coloured envelope attached and she hesitated only briefly before going to retrieve it.

"You're not going to bite me, are you?" she asked the pink and grey bird. It let out a loud call in response and began to bob its head as if it was dancing. Once she had untied the envelope, the galah twisted its head to look at her and then casually raised on foot to scratch at its neck, almost questioningly. Hermione laughed, "Oh, do you want a scratch then?"

She extended an index finger and scratched between the feathers at its neck. It puffed up in pleasure and rubbed its head against her hand.

"Oh, you're quite sweet, aren't you?"

It chirped twice and hopped up onto her hand, using its beak and claws to scale her t-shirt and finally settle on her shoulder. Hermione laughed as she felt the soft feathers tickle her cheek but shrugged happily.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you then."

She turned the envelope over and ripped it open with a quick movement of her thumb. Inside was a small card with only a few lines printed on it.

H.G.

Memorise this:

Look for the photobooth in the Arcade under the Crown. Choose Fairy Oasis. Friday, 8.30pm.

This letter with self-destruct in thirty seconds.

Kidding, but please destroy it once you have read it.

Dave

Hermione laughed again as she read the note but then her heart flipped when she realised what this meant. She would find out on Friday if she had been accepted, or if she was to have her memory modified. The thought scared her. Would she remember Draco at all by the end of the night? She wished he was there to confide in; he would be able to tell her what to expect.

She then re-read the letter and frowned. The Crown? What was the crown?

"If you're staying for a bit, can I get you anything? Do you eat owl treats?" She asked the galah, walking into the kitchen, it still clinging tightly to her shoulder. It nibbled at her ear and she took that as a yes. She dropped some treats into a bowl and waited for the bird to descend onto the kitchen bench. She then busied herself making yet another cup of tea and searched for her mobile.

"You know, being a witch has its advantages," she commented to the galah, who paused in its exploration of the treats, a half-eaten sunflower seed hanging out of its beak. "But Muggles have it easy with things like Google."

She typed in 'crown, melbourne' into her search bar and waited as the results began to load.

"Oh, fancy," she said, seeing the list displaying the casino located at Southbank in the city at its top. "That has to be it."

She quickly destroyed the letter now that she knew where she was going and finished making her tea. She rested her elbows on the kitchen bench, her cup now resting in her hands, as she gazed at the bird sorting its way through the different treats. It was making quite a mess.

"I'm going to the roof soon to train," she said to it. "Will you be heading off then?"

It looked up at her and twisted its head. It had a dark brown iris, which Hermione thought meant it was a boy, and she could see intelligence somewhere in there. He didn't answer her, and went back

to its food. Right, Hermione thought, frowning. Was this normal behaviour for a Galah?

- - -

Not only was the Galah still in her apartment after her training session had long finished, but it was still there four days later as she got ready for her meeting that night. It had followed her around as she did her routine, even sitting on her shoulder as she ducked down to the grocery store. She thought that she would get some strange looks, but everybody seemed quite cheerful and nonplussed that she had a bird on her shoulder. As if it was just the done thing. She wondered if it was, if others regularly came in with pets.

She drew the line when it tried to follow her into the bathroom, however.

As she put on the final touches to her outfit, a slim grey business skirt, a white blouse and some comfortable flats; the face of her mobile lit up as it received a phone call, the number unknown.

"Hello? Hermione speaking."

"Hey Beautiful," said a silky male voice on the other end. Hermione's jaw dropped when she heard Draco speak. The Galah froze in its movement, staring at her intently, which was very off putting.

"Oh, hi Dad," Hermione said purposefully, hoping Draco would get the hint. The Galah seemed to relax at her words. She frowned at it. What the hell was up with this bird?

"Have you got company then?"

Hermione half snorted. "Of a sort."

"Ohh, did you get your instructions then? I wasn't sure if they were doing that this week or not. Bugger, I was hoping to be back in time. The birds can be annoying, can't they?"

"How are you feeling, Dad?" Hermione asked, twisting around so the Galah couldn't see her face screw up in supressed amusement…just in case. "No more trips to the hospital needed yet?"

"Just a routine trip, no contact required…yet. I'm taking a risk ducking out to this payphone though, but hearing your voice is so worth it."

"Hmm, you better look after yourself. You know Mum is always saying that she tries to keep an eye on you, but you do have a tendency to get yourself into sticky situations."

"Message received loud and clear. God, you are such a natural at this," he said, laughing down the receiver. There was a small pause. "I miss you."

"Me too," she replied softly. "I've almost got all the decorations packed away. I would love to see you both for lunch as soon as I can."

"I wish I could tell you when I'm coming back, but it's a bit unclear at this stage." There was a scuffling noise on the phone, as if Draco had covered up the mouthpiece briefly. "Oh shoot, I better go. I don't think I'll be able to call again, but please know that you are in my every thought."

"Ditto that. Oh, Dad, look at the time, I better go," Hermione said, pretending to glance at a watch before realising that she didn't wear one. "Please take care. I will see you soon. Hmm? Oh, I have a work thing on tonight so I'm not staying in. Wish me luck."

"You don't need it," Draco said, warmly. "You've got this."

Hermione felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "I hope I remember that."

"Oh, you will. There's no way they wouldn't offer you a placement."

"Well, if you say so. See you then."

"Goodbye, Hermione."

She hung the phone up and gripped it in her hand, raising it to her face worryingly. She wondered where he was, what he was doing, and if he was telling the truth when he said he was not hurt. She would have to worry later though, for she had more pressing things on her mind for the night ahead. It was comforting that he had managed to contact her though, and it gave her a renewed rush of confidence.

Turning, she threw her mobile into her handbag and stood with her hands on her hips. "Alright, you free loader. I assume you're coming with me tonight."

The Galah trilled its confirmation and bobbed its head up and down.

"Well, alright then."

- - -

Not wanting to apparate with a bird, Hermione caught the tram to Southbank. Friday nights in the city were always busy, with excitement pulsing through the many locals and visitors who went out in search of a good time. As she walked the length of the paved path that ran parallel with the Yarra River, she passed numerous sidewalk shows and buskers. There was a very talented man who played a recorder in a way so magical that she thought he could be a wizard himself. A couple of black miniature poodles performed tricks through hoops. Someone was painted gold and stood so still, they were easily mistaken as a statue. All hoping for a few loose coins to leave the pockets of passers-by and reach their hats sitting on the floor in front of them.

Along the river front stood eight massive black square towers, that simultaneously threw up balls of fire into the air. It was quite the spectacle and Hermione vowed she would have to come back again, just so she could sit in one of the restaurants and watch the show. But for now, she had somewhere to be, and continued her steady walk forward. The Galah took off at some point and flew above her, making loops around the fireballs. As she reached the entrance of the Crown casino, the Galah descended once again onto her shoulder. She lifted her chin and walked through the doors.

A large hand immediately slapped down on her other shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She had jumped, but kept her face still, not wanting to look nervous at all.

"Sorry Miss, we have a strict no-pets policy."

His other large hand motioned to a cardboard square sign, displaying the rules of entrance. No thongs or sandals, no singlets, and no animals.

Hermione looked at the bird and it tightened its grip onto her shoulder some more. Oh, this must be another test, she thought blithely.

She dropped her voice an octave and stared up at the security guard through lowered eyelashes. "I'm not a customer here, I am a performer. This bird is apart of my show. You can call your manager if you need to confirm."

He paused and nodded, letting go of her shoulder to reach for his walkie talkie. Hermione used his moment of distraction to squat down, pretending to scratch her ankle. She fiddled with her wand through the material of her skirt, as it was strapped to her upper thigh, and aimed it at the guard.

"Confundus," she whispered, then inconspicuously stood once more, straightening her skirt into place.

"What's the matter, Henry?" a voice asked through the crackle of white noise.

"Uhhh…I…"

"I've told you before, don't block up the comm units for no reason!"

"Sorry, Sir."

"I'll be on my way now," Hermione said, walking past the confused guard. "Thanks for your help."

The casino was loud and dark, lit only by fluorescent and neon lighting. The flitter of cards being shuffled, the constant ca-chinging of pokie machines, and the loud conversation of people filled the space. Hermione imagined someone could spend an entire night in here and not realise just how much time had passed. She couldn't see any windows as she walked past a busy bar, noticing that there was plenty of security around. There was a sign pointing towards an escalator to the far right of the building, labelled simply as 'Arcade'. She followed it, hoping it would lead her to the right place.

Underneath the casino, on the basement level, was one giant room, filled with every arcade game imaginable. There were skill testers, dance machines, point and shoot games, basketball, and more. The lower she went on the escalator, the wider her eyes got. It was a hidden gem, for sure.

There was only one photobooth that she could see though, and casually walked over to it, lifted the flap of thick vinyl curtaining the entrance and dipped her head under as she walked inside. The Galah chirped in her ear encouragingly.

She pulled her wand from its holster on her thigh and tapped the screen once.

"Choose your location!" A zingy, robotic voice declared from the speakers.

There were three to choose from: pirates cove, fairy oasis, or outback adventure. She tapped her wand again on the middle choice. A voice spoke again, but this time it was a smooth, deep voice that reminded her of Barry White.

"Please state your name and purpose for entry."

"Hermione Granger, I am due to meet Dave Nadjamerrek at 8.30pm, as per his instructions."

There was a pause and she shifted nervously from one foot to the other, hoping that she had done everything correctly. A small ding and a sticker ejected itself from the receipt slot.

"Please attach this tag to the front of your shirt. You are permitted entrance."

The whole machine began to vibrate and with a feeling very similar to being side-along apparated, she felt herself portalled through to another location.

"Watch your step," the deep voice said, and Hermione raised her eyebrows at the Galah, who nodded again.

She pushed open the curtain and stepped out. She was in a very well-lit white room. There was a red circle in the centre, and she stepped into it. At once, the room flashed blindingly white and she had to cover her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to dissipate the spots from her vision. The wall in front of her split in the middle and opened, granting her access.

"Ahh, there she is!" A booming voice reached her ears, and after a few moments, she broke into a large grin when her vision cleared and she saw Chief standing on the other side.

"Chief!" she cried and launched herself at him, hugging him tightly around his middle. He was roughly half the size of Hagrid, but that didn't stop him from being so tall that her chin only reached halfway up his torso. She pulled back and looked up at him. "My goodness, it's so good to see you. Did you have a good Christmas?"

He shrugged. "Just spent it with the family. My boys got me some snitch patterned socks and a large tankard of ginger beer. They said it was to match my ginger beard, the cheeky tykes."

"I didn't know you have kids!" She folded her arms. "You kept that quiet."

He gave a resounding laugh. "I don't tell you guys anything about my family during training on purpose. Not even one of you thought to ask. It's one of my strategies to see who can leave personal questions at home. But now, it's different."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking around to examine the place. They were in a kind of office, with many desks in neat rows, all filled with people rapidly typing, or shifting papers. There were many more cockatoos' inside, and the one on Hermione's shoulder seemed to be saying hello to a few of them.

"You'll find out, soon enough," he said and motioned with his head that they should walk. "Come on, I'll take you through to Dave."

There were opaque glass doors on the other side of the office and Chief pulled one open, waving a hand to let her in through. The Galah on her shoulder immediately took flight and skidded to a stop on top of a long black table. Dave sat at one end, a small pile of parchment in front of him. He looked up and grinned at her, showing pearly white teeth.

"Good evening, Miss Granger."

"Hi Dave, this is a different look on you," she said, noticing his business attire. "I thought you were just the boxing guru?"

He shrugged and mumbled, a little bashfully, "I got a promotion."

"Really?" Hermione said, and came forward to sit at a chair next to him. Chief took a seat on the other side of the table. "Congratulations. But who are they going to get to teach the new recruits? There's no one as good as you."

"Aww shucks, you butter me up a little bit more and I might just offer you a job."

He winked at her playfully and fiddled with the paper in front of him.

"Wait…really?" Her heart thumped heavily in her chest and she looked over to Chief and then back to Dave. "What did they promote you to?"

"Head of Recruitment," Chief answered. "He's a good judge of character and knows when a person has the attributes to do this kind of work."

"You already have a job, you great lump," Dave said, narrowing his eyes at the man. "What are you buttering me up for?"

"Can't a man just make a simple observation?"

"Hmm." Dave looked back at Hermione. "We have one minor thing to go through first and then you and I have several things to discuss."

"Ok, what's first then?"

Dave nodded to the bird. "Darcy."

"Oh, is that your name?" Hermione asked the bird. It gave a low whistle and waddled across the table to stand in front of Dave.

"What's the deal, Darcy?"

"Nothing to report," came a high-pitched voice. Hermione's face twisted into one of shock.

"You can talk?"

"Any outside communication?"

"Two letters. Call from Dad. Nothing to report," the bird squawked again. Hermione felt an immediate rush of satisfaction at her earlier ruse, and another smaller twinge of annoyance at the bird's invasion of her privacy.

"Does she pass the final final test then?"

"Pass!"

Dave sat back and nodded. "Well, that's that then."

"Wait a minute, there's a bird that can talk that has been following me around all week. Isn't that just a little intrusive?" Hermione raised her eyebrows at the two men. "He tried to watch me shower, for Merlin's sake."

They both barked a sharp laugh.

"Bloody Darcy," Chief said, shaking his head. The bird trilled once more and took flight, leaving through an open-air vent near the ceiling.

"Sorry, it's just protocol," explained Dave. His dark brown eyes crinkled, and he ran a hand over his head. "Not a lot of people would expect a bird to be a spy, and would drop their guard down, thinking that no one would be around. It's normally once someone gets their instructions to come in that they will report to another agency or handler should they be a double agent. That's why we give a weeks' notice."

"Oh, I see." Hermione thought about the last week and went a little bit pink. "Well, I hope he doesn't talk too much, or else he'll tell everybody how I spent most of my time in my pyjamas singing bad karaoke to him."

"Oh, he would have loved that," chortled Chief. "No wonder he tried following you into the bathroom, you've got an admirer."

"Oh, is that how you pick up birds these days?" joked Dave. He cleared his throat. "Right, onto business. We have four positions currently available that need to be filled quite quickly. Your performance over the training period was nothing short of extraordinary and we, including the deputies, were all impressed with everything you have displayed. You show a lot of promise, and we are very excited to see what you do in the future."

Hermione waited. She raised her eyebrows up again, throwing him a questioning look.

"Oh, alright," he said, faking a sigh. "I was going to hold you in suspense a little bit longer, but here we go. We would like to offer you the position of one of our field agents. You will be going on reconnaissance and retrieval missions, sometimes blocking information from being transferred, or making sure that certain information comes to us, instead of the intended location."

"The position, of course, comes with certain dangerous elements," Chief interjected. "So you will need to sign several waivers on magical-binding parchment, dismissing the agency of all responsibility in the occurrence of your death, which should hopefully not be for a very long time, and take the oath of allegiance and be sworn magically to secrecy."

"The pay packet, honestly, isn't great in the beginning. But after your probation is up in three months, it increases to reflect the work you do, and you should be quite comfortable with the wage," Dave continued. "So, what do you say?"

Hermione gaped at them. "Guys, I've been training my butt off for eight weeks and went through hell with the exams, just for this job. Of course, I'm going to say yes!"

They gave her an identical grin of approval. Dave held his hand out to her. "Welcome to the team."

- - -

Once all of the appropriate parchment had been filled in and signed, they led her through to an adjacent room that had a similar set up to the first one. However, at this table there were four people already sitting. There was Charlie, his sandy blonde hair falling into his striking green eyes, a single dimple on his left cheek as he gave Hermione a one-sided smile. He was wearing a neat buttoned up tartan collared shirt and tapped his Akubra wide-brimmed hat against his knee. Next to him was the simply stunning Fen, wearing her hair loose, a silky curtain falling like water on dark rocks. She gave Hermione a confident smirk. And across from them on the other side of the table was -

"Jess!" Hermione exclaimed delightedly. Jess looked at her puzzled, no recognition in her eyes.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh," Hermione said, her thoughts finally catching up and remembering that Jess wouldn't know her that well. She tried to come up with a believable lie. "I…uh…No. I thought maybe…someone else…"

Jess didn't like this answer and frowned in response. "Well…cheers. Good to know I exceeded your expectations."

"Nice to see you, Hermione," Charlie said, trying to break the tension. He was always good at that. He had a carefree, down-to-earth Aussie attitude which he attributed to being raised in the country. "Although none of us doubted for a second you'd get a spot."

Hermione turned a little pink and waved to him. "Thanks, Charlie."

"Can I interrupt this little tête-à-tête and actually get you all doing what you're meant to. I need you all standing over by that wall please. Bring out your wands and we will begin the oath ceremony." Dave raised his eyebrows expectantly at them and pointed to the opposite wall.

There was an immediate scramble of movement as chairs were scraped backwards and Hermione joined the others as they walked to stand side by side, their backs lightly touching the glass barrier. The side door was pushed opened, and Deputy Director Amory entered, holding the door open to allow Director Medeia access behind him.

The Director smiled warmly at each of them. "Congratulations to you all. I am excited to see your transition from candidates to agents. You all have different talents we are ready to help you expand
and explore through our department. Please, Dave, continue."

Dave nodded and drew out his own wand.

"Please hold your wands aloft like this," Dave instructed, showing them the position with a nod.

Hermione swallowed, the butterflies in her stomach suddenly coming to life. This wasn't nerves, however, but excitement. Exhilaration of achieving something. She knew in this moment that everything she had done: the break up, the move to Australia; it was exactly the right thing to do.

"Please, repeat after me," Director Medeia said. "I, state your name…"

"I, Hermione Granger…"

"I, Charles Williams…"

"I, Jessica King…"

"I, Fenneke Osinga…"

Director Medeia smiled as they spoke over each other and then began again, waiting every few words for the four to catch up. "Do solemnly swear on the magic in myself and conducted through this wand, that I affirm my loyalty to the Australian Ministry of Magic and every witch and wizard within. Whose magical beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey. I sincerely swear that I will faithfully and honestly fulfil the duties required of me by the Australian Division of the Secret Service, and that I will not, without due authority, disclose or make known any matter of the work I do, or the knowledge I acquire through this employment. By the magical covenant that guides us, this I formally agree and commit to. Operatus!"

With their final word, the four wands shot golden sparks into the air and Chief gave a hoot of celebration, patting Dave on the back cheerfully.

"Let me officially welcome you all to the ADSS," Director Medeia said, holding her arms wide. Hermione looked on either side of her, seeing her own elation mirrored on the faces next to her. "Now that you have been accepted, you know the position you have been hired for. You will undertake an intensive further two weeks training to get you up to speed, and then you will begin your missions with us. I will leave you in the capable hands of Amory here, who will explain the rest of the details to you."

"Thank you!" Charlie called after her as she pulled the door open and left.

Deputy Director Amory still had a stern face, but he seemed to be in a good mood as he described the plan for the next few weeks. Fen and Hermione were both to become field agents, Jess was to become an Analyst, and Charlie was to become an on-site Communications agent. They would each be assigned to a senior agent to shadow once the intensive training unit had been completed. Once deemed competent in their skills, they would then be allocated to specific taskforce. The taskforce had different names and were focused on individual issues, rarely crossing over unless more men were needed for an operation.

The more he spoke, the wider the grins on the newly appointed agents faces grew. They were all so proud of their accomplishment and so ready to get started.

"Now, one last comment before I dismiss you," he said, with a final tone. "While we are happy for you to enjoy friendships with each other within and outside this department, we discourage any inter-agency romances. We cannot emphasise just how destructive it can be to a team should two people no longer be able to work with each other should their relationship fail. I trust that you will all use your common sense in this situation and let cooler heads prevail. In regard to your families, they will be covered under our extended protection service to ensure no harm finds them in the event you are exposed or discovered to be an agent by an enemy force."

Hermione raised her hand slightly and he turned his gaze upon her. "Are muggles included in that service, Sir?"

"Yes, Miss Granger, we can accommodate your parents as well. Although, they seem to be fairly well protected still with the enchantments you did during the British Wizarding War." He gave her an impressed nod. "We would have had trouble locating them if you did not provide that information during your initial sign up."

Her cheeks tinged pink and she felt pleased at this knowledge. Her sacrifice when she was seventeen had not been in vain.

"I think that's all," he concluded. "I'll leave you now. If you wish to see a tour of our facility, I'm sure Dave would be able to help with that."

After he had left, it was like everybody had breathed a sigh of relief. They had done it. They were in.

"Check us out, fellow Secret Agents!" Charlie laughed and Jess joined in with him.

"You have done well," Dave said. "Congratulations. Did you want me to give you a quick tour, or should we organise that for another day? We could do it right before your training starts."

"Excellent idea," said Chief. "Let's forget the tour for now and head to a pub for a pint to celebrate."

Charlie praised the suggestion and grabbed his Akubra off the table, pocketing his wand as he went. Hermione re-holstered her wand to her thigh, getting the attention of Fen who let a high-pitched 'ooh' at the sight of it.

"Where did you get a thigh holster?" she asked, tucking a strand of her sleek black hair behind her ear to help her look closer. "I need one of those!"

"Oh…uh, it was a gift from a friend in England," Hermione stammered. In truth, she got it from Draco for Christmas. It was made from dragon hide and was enchanted to cling perfectly to her thigh without ever slipping. "I could write to them for you, if you want? See if they can order a second one?"

"Is this your famous friend?" she asked, intrigued. "I grew up in Australia, but we have family still in Europe on Dad's side and I remember the stories they told of your War."

Hermione laughed nervously. "I assume you mean Harry. No, not him, although most of my friends have become famous due to the gossip mags."

"He's a bit of alright, that Harry Potter," Fen said. She crossed her arms across her slim figure and tilted her head thinking. "It's a pity he's taken."

"He's been taken since he was sixteen," Hermione informed her, while fixing her skirt into place. "His wife, Ginny, is a firecracker and is absolutely perfect for him. You could dance naked in front of him and he'd still be staring at her."

They walked through the exit, following the others leading the way to the exit.

"Oh, that's kind of sweet. I wish I could find a man like that."

Charlie spun around and threw up his chin to Fen. "Hey Fen, bossman said no to relationships but he did say we could be friends…maybe with a few benefits thrown in."

"Don't be disgusting, Charlie," Jess said, elbowing him in the side. "Fen is way too good for you, anyway."

The girls laughed at Charlie's pout, Jess throwing them an amused glance. Hermione's heart lightened at the sight, she was sure they would be fast friends again soon.

"Don't worry, Charlie," Fen smirked. "I might change my mind after a few beers."

"Maybe more than a few," laughed Hermione.

"I might just forget all of you ladies, and go straight for Damien," Charlie said indignantly. "Now there is an Adonis."

Chief heard this and doubled back. "Sorry mate, unlike you, Damien doesn't swing both ways."

"Are you sure? I definitely picked up on a few vibes when I saw him after Christmas." Charlie raised his eyebrows up and down, but it was his words that pricked up Hermione's ears.

"You saw Damien over the break?" she asked, feigning innocent curiosity. "Why?"

Charlie nodded. "I was having a bit of trouble after our last test and was told to go have a chat to Damo. No idea what it was he said to me that helped, but afterwards, all the pain with the memory of what happened lessened."

"Damien is wonderful to talk to," Fen agreed. "I felt the same way after I spoke to him after the last test. It's almost like I watched it happen to me instead of actually experiencing it. Much easier to cope with the reality. Whatever he did, worked excellently!"

Unable to stop it, Hermione's heart began to thump heavier in her chest. Didn't just that morning she compared her own memory of the torture to watching it on television instead of living it? Draco's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

"I discovered a way of modifying a memory to the point where the scene remains, but elements are forgotten."

Hermione stopped walking, her jaw slackening open as she cast her mind back to the torture, going through every memory she had with Draco over the holiday break. She definitely didn't feel the same agony or betrayal she remembered feeling before she forgave Draco. It was like that part of the memory was just missing.

"Hermione, you coming?" Fen called back, realising that she had stopped.

"Yeah, sorry."

There was only one thing to explain it. Draco had modified her memory. But when? She certainly didn't ask him to. So, he would have done it without her consent. Maybe while she was asleep.

Her pulse quickened, now steadily pumping anger through her.

Draco had some answering to do when he got back.