Okay this chapter will be full of thoughts from many different character maybe a little dialogue in the very beginning and the end, but not much and I promise to try to break the thoughts up so your eyes don't get dizzy in the long paragraphs of words. On second thought I might make the thoughts in the dialogue just to make my life easier

Thanks for sticking with this story through this and after this there only ten chapters left I can't believe it!

Disclaimer~ I do not Harry Potter (as of yet) well yea, on with the tale/

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Chapter Twenty ~ Reflecting, Realizations, and Reactions



"Walls, Walls, Tumble and Falls

Time, change, Clouds and Rain Through it all, I will stand Come what may Through anytime, no not to day Cause where there's a will there's a way I'm gonna, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, Until the finish I'll be strong" ~R. Kelly

Without being asked or told Hermione followed Snape up around the bends and stairs of the castle up to the infirmary. She was quiet and praying for the best. He had looked so helpless when he fell. On a positive note, at least they were close to the ground during the incident.

~Oh my God, he could have died and just for a stupid little gold ball and a stupid game. Stupid git - I hope he is all right~

"-Miss Granger? Miss Granger can I help you?" Hermione was pulled out of the swirling concerns with Snape's drawling voice.

"Oh no Professor I just came to see if Draco is going to be alright - he is going to be alright isn't he?" There was a hint of panic in her voice, the greasy professor didn't notice though.

"Well, we have to see what Pomfrey says." She wasn't going away like he had hoped she would. There were streaks of worry hidden behind her eyes. "Are you going to go back to your common room?"

"Once I find out if Draco is okay, sir."

"Very well Miss Granger do try to stay out of the way." They resorted back to their silent walking with the seemingly lifeless form of Draco Malfoy floating ahead.

"Oh dear, those boys always do get hurt in that silly game!" came the shrill voice of Madam Pomfrey. "What has he done this time?" She turned to Snape to have her questions answered.

"He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, going after the snitch, and a bludger hit the left side of his head. He fell off the broom; they were only five feet off the ground or so. I'm not sure if he lost conciseness' when he got hit or when he hit the ground-"

"It was when the bludger hit him, sir."

"Yes well then, he's been out since then, I would say ten to fifteen minutes."

"Oh, okay let's see how this boy got it." She bustled around checking the dilation of hit eyes, the bruises around his head, she healed the opened wound and fixed a broken wrist from the fall. "Well that's all I can do for him. I guess we can hope for the best he should wake up within the next few days. I don't think there will be any lasting damage. That one is so hard headed. Oh Miss Granger? Are you hurt as well?"

"No Madame, I'm just staying to make sure Draco recoveries." Having said that, Hermione pulled up a chair to the right side of his bed and sat down. "You do think he'll be fine right?" Her eyes looked to the nurse imploring her to answer her question with a definite 'yes' or an 'absolutly'.

"I do hope so dear. Just remember to remain quiet if you're going to stay in here. He really does need his rest."

"Yes, mam."

Hermione sat there through the rest of the afternoon her hand holding Draco, wishing, hoping, and willing him to wake up. Around five o'clock a worried Harry came in.

"Oh I finally found you," he stopped seeing Draco in a comatose state, "Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know. Madame Pomfrey said he should be, something about his think skull being a benefit. But I'm still not sure - should he have woken up by now? He's been out for over four hours now." Her voice expressed a range of emotions from concern, panic, melancholy, hope, and desperation.

Harry walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know Malfoy. He probably just wants the attention. He'll wake up in his own time."

"Hey Harry can you stay here for a couple of minutes - I have to send an owl and I don't want to risk having him wake up with no one here."

"I don't know about that Hermione. Don't you think Malfoy would rather wake up to nobody than wake up to me?"

"Please Harry just a few minutes."

"Please be quick." She gave him a hug and dashed out the door.

Harry just looked at Malfoy, he didn't have the evil smirk across his face, and his eyes weren't piercing, and he didn't have the cocky I'm-so-much- better-than-everyone-else attitude. He almost looked normal. Harry felt like he could relate so he just started speaking his thoughts out loud, hoping that maybe they would penetrate the stiff shell around his foe.

"I don't know what's going on between the two of you, and I'd like to say that I don't care but I do. Ever since the Masquerade Ball you both have been severely difference.

"You haven't been the cocky bastard like you have been for the last five years. Sure you still insult every one, but you and I both know you aren't at the top of you game with them anymore. It might just be because your busy but I seriously doubt that. You're almost tolerable, and I want to know why.

"Hermione, well she's distracted most of the time now, and whenever she is around you she is radiant. Her aura glows and she's happy. I can tell even though she tries to hide it.

"Well she was happy up until you did that stupid practical joke on her. It was complete extremes. She got all quiet and was withdrawn she hardly talks in class anymore. It's kind of scary really Hermione not caring about answering questions.

"I think your relationship is more than friendship, but since you guys have left me in the dark to help myself find a match, I can only make assumptions. Whatever you do please take care of her. I know Ron and I have made her feel like a third wheel, but we really do care and we want her to be happy."

Harry heard hurried footsteps in the distance, so he finished quickly, "Just remember that."

"Oh good Harry your still here."

"I said I would be. Are you going to come down for dinner?"

"Thanks and no I don't think I will I'm not very hungry. And if I do get hungry I know where the kitchens are." She nodded her thanks and defiance in one motion, dismissing and telling him she would be all right.

He walked out knowing there was no way to change her mind. Hermione turned to Draco taking his hand once more. "I hope you aren't mad I just had to get something so I wouldn't miss the lecters and still be able to stay here. You can use it to once I'm done of course. Oh listen to me, I'm talking to a comatose patient."

"That's alright dear. I do think he can hear you. It might encourage him to wake up, so go right on ahead." The medi-witch came over checking all Malfoy's stats and then she looked to the girl by his bedside. "I know you're worried about him, dear, but we can't have you getting sick yourself. You need some sleep and some food, he'll still be here tomorrow, you know."

"Yes, I know that but I don't want him to wake up by himself. Besides, I'm just fighting some internal battles, I'm confused about something and they need to worked out, that's all."

The nurse looked disbelieving but decided to let the girl stay. ~Certainly nobody else would even think about visiting Malfoy~ She gave a small "mmhmm" and went back into the depths of her office.

"Okay Draco, I have to talk to you and I think this is my only chance to do that without being interrupted. I'm really mad at you about the whole mouse thing but I do not hate you like I said. I was just angry and I was venting forgive for that. And since I'm already asking for forgiveness please excuse my behavior from Potions and the whole silencing charm, thing.

I don't what's different about you this year, but you have to know that I absolutely in love with the changes and I think I am falling head over heals for you. I am all in knots right now cause I don't know what to think and I don't really know how you feel, everything is just complicated, I guess.

Oh I'm rambling now. Okay let's finish this up. I just hope that you are okay cause I don't know what I would do without you here." By now Hermione had positioned herself of the bed so she could look straight into his face, elbows and torso resting on the bed, with her feet under her on the chair. "Please wake up, please." She started crying.

She put her head into his blankets and cried herself to sleep, resting on top of him. ~*~

"Albus do you think they'll be alright?" It was the voice of Minerva McGonagall.

"Well I do believe Draco Malfoy will recover and in turn Miss Granger will recuperate."

"Should we move Hermione to her own bed?"

"No I think Mr. Malfoy will use her energy to help himself and she is all too willing to give it."

~*~

Hermione woke with the streak of sunlight reaching into her eyes flickering them open. She looked around trying to figure out where she was. A lot of cots, pristinely white, clean and organized, and some pulled curtains met her sight. Oh yeah, I'm in the hospital wing. Draco, where's Draco? She realized he had been her pillow.

"Oh good your awake," she heard from behind her.

"Um, yeah, how long have I been sleeping?"

"All night dear."

"Hasn't there been any change?"

"Not really. Theirs is some extra blood flow from where you had fallen asleep, but that's it." Hermione nodded trying not to show her utter disappointment. "Miss Granger, I know your rested, but you need to go down and have some breakfast."

"No I'm fine, really. I couldn't eat anyway. It's a complex, if I'm worried I can't swallow." To disprove herself her stomach let out a loud gurgle of complaint. "Honestly I'm really not hungry." She protested when she saw the look on the nurse's face.

"Nice try, now off to the hall with you."

"No please I don't want to go. Please don't make me."

"You have to go, not get out of here." Madam Pomfrey pulled her up and pushed her into the hall and warned her not to come back until she had eaten.

Hermione didn't want to risk leaving the hall, what if something happened.. So she paced. It was the only thing she could think of doing, so for an hour she walked back and forth across the same paths watching Draco from a window.

She heard foot steps and looked up to see the faces of Hannah and Terry, carrying..toast. "Oh please can I have just want to have one bite of that toast?"

"Yeah we brought it for you when you didn't you show up to breakfast or dinner, you have to be starving."

Hermione took a small bite and went back into the infirmary. Hannah and Terry followed, slightly confused. "Thanks. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me come back until I ate."

"Oh." The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff looked at each other. "Have you been up here all night?"

"Yes, but I have slept. It's just that nobody should have to wake up alone from a coma or anything like that. I didn't and neither should he, no matter how much of a jerk he is."

"What about classes tomorrow?" Of course this question came from the Ravenclaw.

"I already got that worked out. I had my parents owl me a tap recorder so Harry and Ron could record the lectures for me and Draco."

"You think of everything don't you?"

"Most the time." They were all quiet for a minute and Hermione resumed the familiar seat next to the bed.

"What are you going to do until he wakes up? I mean you can't just sit here and stare at him. Well I guess you could, but that would get old." Hermione swept her glance over to a pile of books. The others eyes followed in the general direction. "Never mind, of course the brain-i-ac had her books to get her through anything."

"I haven't started on them yet, I've been talking to him, a lot."

"But he's in a coma-"

"-doesn't mean he can't hear me." Hermione took another bite of her toast.

"Sorry. Do you want us to bring you up some lunch."

"That won't me necessary," said a new gentle voice entering the conversation.

"Professor Dumbledore!" The three said in almost perfect unison.

"I will have Miss Granger's meals sent up to her here since she is so intent on not leaving. I assume your friends are going to be bringing your assignments."

"Yes, sir. Thank you so much I mean. It wouldn't be right to leave him here all by himself. I was hardly every alone went I was up here in September and, I don't know."

His eyes twinkled with unclaimed knowledge, and he just made a small jester of understanding. "While you all are here, I have another suggestion for you all - are you up to it?"

"Yes sir. We've been rather bored lately without the excitement of planning a dance," said Hannah, glancing around to make sure she was right in her assumptions.

"Yes, well this is slightly different from planning a dance. Your class as well as the majority of the seventh years will be taking a trip. You are responsible for planning the trip: picking the destination, preferably not in Europe, organizing the groups, keep them small, under ten and try to mix up the houses, and formulate a list of supplies students will need to pack."

The three students eyes glittered in the thrill of a new project, even bigger than the last to they had already conquered. "Wow, Professor. When is the trip?"

"Middle Febuary, if possible. We want to give you all plenty of time to study for exams plus the seventh years have NEWTS."

Hermione mentally did the calculations, "But sir, that's only five weeks away!"

"Very good Miss Granger. I have faith in my pupils and if you need more time it can always be delayed."

"Oh dear, well we're supposed to meet some of our friends for a snow ball fight so we have to go. I hope Draco wakes up soon Hermione."

"Have fun you guys, and so do I."

They two left and Hermione took Draco's hand in her own, forgetting the headmaster was there. "Hermione? Is there something you would like to share with me?"

"Um, such as what, sir?" Does he know about my dreams?

"I don't know something about you and another certain Prefect, perhaps?"

Oh good it's just about me and Draco. "We're just friends sir, at times. I've been mad at him lately, and I think he was trying to prove something yesterday at the game to me, and that's why he didn't see the bludger. So I guess I feel guilty that he's up here."

"I see so you and Mr. Stackhouse have harbored the same emotions dealings when it comes to Quidditch injuries."

"I suppose so sir."

"Well, if you need anything else you know where my office is, and the door is always open, if you know the password." Hermione chuckled at this, it felt good to laugh; she had been holding a grudge way to long.

"Thank you sir."

~*~

Hannah was right; Hermione soon got bored studying the face of her fallen comrade. So she began reading, but the schoolbooks weren't interesting her as much as she would have liked them to. She had this nagging feeling she was leaving Draco out. She magicked up a book her mother used to read to her when she was sick, Matilda (Sorry the book is sitting on the book self by my computer and it was the first book I saw that a mother might just read to her child.)

Hermione began reading the book softly out loud, telling Draco the chronicle of tales that led to a young girl learning about her magical powers and how to control it. A meal had appeared on a table next to Draco's bed, but Hermione ignored it and continued to turn the pages of the book. The words were inviting Draco to join Matilda on her adventure of her con of a father, the evil head mistress and her 'chokey', and the sweet Miss Honey. The sun was starting to set as the book was finally coming to a happy ending.

"I really do hope you feel better, Draco," she said a few minutes after closing the book. She kissed his forehead and snuggled into her chair, resting her head in the bend of her friend's arm. She fell asleep soon afterwards, but it was anything but peaceful.

~*~ She was in the tower again, the lone window and the one door, her only choice of exits. It was getting cold, the fire had long since died out and she didn't have her wand to start a new one. She heard voices and foot steps echoing on the stone stairwell that led up to her cell (that's really what it was wasn't it?)

"Oh the mudblood is still here, good."

"Where am I? What am I doing here? Why am I here? How long have I been here? Who the hell are you? And I am not a MUDBLOOD, you git!"

"Testy, aren't we? For your answers that's disclosed information, you are doing nothing, you are a hostage, and you have been here a week. I will not answer that last question it will all come out in time." He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the room.

Hermione wasn't sure if she should struggle against him, or go somewhat willingly to see if she could talk her wait out of what ever they wanted her for. Her thoughts were soon interrupted. They were standing outside another room. The light under the door glowed an evil green of jealousy and power.

"You will not speak unless address to and even then your answers will be short and concise. You will control your temper if you want to live to talk again. Am I understood."

"Yes, sir. I'll hold my tongue."

They walked into the room and Hermione screamed.

~*~

"Severus hold her down, Minerva get the dreamless sleep potion, Poppy please conjure up some restraints." The three professor and the nurse were all surrounding the convulsing girl. Snape held her down as the and the softened leather bands were placed over her arms stomach and legs as her head of house poured a purple potion down her throat. She stopped moving almost instantly.

"Albus what happened?"

"She had a dream - a nightmare. It scared her out of her wits and her body started reacting violently."

In the bed next to hers, grey eyes flickered open. He saw the adults all standing around a bed and strained to see through them to see who the student in question was. He was rather weak from not moving for so long and it hurt. He managed to glimpse stands of chestnut curls and immediately knew who it was. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and tried to get up. He lurched forward pushing through the Professors to get to Hermione. He had to grip the bed to stabilize himself.

"Hermione? What happened to her?" Before he could get an answer he started undoing her confines, he sat on the bed and pulled her into his lap. "What happened Professor, he said turing towards the headmaster.

"She got caught up in a nightmare, Mr. Malfoy. We gave her some dreamless sleep potion and she's fine now. I think you should get back to bed, and Madam Pomfrey will want to check you out. That was quite a hit you took to your head."

~Hit to the head? What the hell was this crazy man talking about? The last thing I remember is Hermione telling me she didn't hate me. Wait I think there was something Harry said to me to, about Hermione being depressed and withdrawn. And who is Matilda?~ "No, not until I know she's going to be alright?"

"You two are more alike then you could even imagine. That's exactly what she said when you were brought here. She has been here every since. But I assure you she will be just fine. Now please go get the okay sign from Poppy.'

Reluctantly the boy slid out from under the girl's head and went behind a curtain to get all his vitals checked.

He too was given the dreamless sleep potion.

There would be much to discuss in the morning.

~*~

Hermione woke up in a bed, wondering how she got there. She glanced around searching for Draco and she instantly found him in the bed next to hers. She got up and went over to her chair and started staring at him.

Twenty minutes latter his eyes flickered open. It caught Hermione off guard, "Oh my god, your awake! Thank goodness, I was so worried, " she said hugging him tightly around his neck. "Why couldn't you watch what you were doing? is the snitch that important?"

"You aren't mad at me anymore?" He asked confused by her overwhelming welcome to him.

"No of course not, I was just being foolish. It was stupid, I was stupid, please forgive me."

"You aren't stupid, don't say that. I was the stupid one, why kind of guy sends a seemingly dead rat onto one of his closest friends? I am really sorry." They shared another hug. "So what happened anyway?"

"You were hit by a bludger while you were going after the snitch at the match. It hit your head and then you fell off your broom."

"That's good to know, but that's not what I'm talking about. What happened last night?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know? I guess you wouldn't you were sleeping. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were all in here last night. Apparently you had a really bad dream that sent your body into shock."

"It was nothing, I guess I over reacted to that to." She paused thinking for a second. "Wait a minute - you woke up last night? Oh my gosh, and I wasn't there to make sure you were all right. I'm so stupid, why did I have to fall asleep?"

"Sleep, it's kind of a necessary thing to function. And I heard you were here the entire weekend it's more than I could ask for really. Besides, you were still here, you just weren't awake. Just as long as you're okay that's all that matters."

"I suppose and I'm okay, I told you that."

There was a knock on the door, they both looked over to meet the eyes of Professor Dumbledore. "Mind if I join you two, we have a lot to discuss."

"Not at all sir." He pulled up a chair beside Hermione's while Draco swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Hermione if you don't mind too much, I would like you to tell me about your dream."

"I think I should go, this is kind of personal-"

"No Draco you can stay, you woke me up from one remember?" She took a long pause before starting into her story. " This is the third or forth dream I've had. They're linked like a story. " Once she started the whole story just kind of spilled out. She did cry until the end. Draco moved to comfort her.

"Shh, Mina, it's alright. You don't have to go on. Shh, it was just a dream."

"I know but I think I should finish. They man pushed open a door and behind was Volemort sitting in a chair, Lucious, and, and " her voice broke to make room for a sob. She buried herself in her friend's embrace before going on. "There was a boy, my age strapped to the wall. There was a pool of blood under him. It was so sad, I thought he was dead, but he groaned when we entered the room."

"Do you know who it was?"

"Yes, sir. His head was bent down but he was pretty unmistakable." She turned to Draco, with fear in her eyes. "It was you." That was it she couldn't control it any more and tears stained Draco's clothes.

~ME?~

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To be perfectly honest with you ~ when I started writing this chapter it was just going to be about Hermione confessing her love for Malfoy and him waking up and saying the same thing but I think I like this better.

What to look forward to: 1) Draco's denial 2) Somebody's a tattle tale 3) the owl's come 4) How Does the Dragon reply

If you don't review you will never find out I want at least five for this chapter

By the way this is my longest chapter so far it's over 4,000 words I know for some people that's an introduction, but it's good for me**

Before I forget the Translations of the last chapter if I can remember correctly:

"Draco, hic dedisabo. Tuus cogitatio infatuas erat bene et abomino tu. Nunc, adrides mea, cessa mea nudam!"

Draco, you have succeeded on making a fool out of me and I hate you for it. Now please leave me alone.

(How very dramatic)

"Errare humanum est! Lapsus Linguae!

To err is too human. It was the slip of the tongue.