Harry tossed and turned in his bed, completely restless and unable to sleep. The thought of sleeping at a time like this was sickening. He rolled over and noticed Ron doing the same in the four-poster bed beside him. The past hour had been one of the most disturbing ones he had had in months. As common as these moments were to him, the thought of loosing some else he had been so close to seemed insufferable.

After they had solemnly walked out of the chamber, both Dumbledore and Snape told them to head for bed.

"Perhaps we will all be able to think clearly with a fresh mind," as Dumbledore had so elegantly put it.

Harry had had enough. How could they possibly be of any help to Hermione if they did nothing but sleep the night away.

"Ron?" Said Harry, curious to see if he was as restless as he was.

"Yeah, Harry?"

"Can you sleep?"

"Course not."

Harry sighed a long and helpless sigh. Enough was enough. He threw off his sheets and thrust his trunk open, not caring if he woke the whole house while he was at it. Luckily, everyone remained fast asleep. A few stirred, but none showed any signs of interest in what was going on. Rummaging for his invisibility cloak, Ron sat straight up ready for whatever Harry had in mind.

"Please tell me you have a plan!" said Ron, trying his best to keep his voice down to the best of his abilities.

"Nope."

"…Something?"

"Not a thing, how about you?" Ron looked at Harry in disbelief.

"Your kidding, right?" he said sarcastically.

"I can't just stay here pondering all of the worst possibilities. I'll drive myself mad!" Harry wasn't even looking at Ron. He was too busy with untangling his cloak, getting out of his nightclothes and into something more suitable for where ever he was going.

"I'm going with you," said Ron as reached for his shoes.

"I need to go alone this time. I'll tell you everything that happens."

"Why? I thought we were in this together?" Ron was finding it harder and harder to keep his voice down as well as his tone.

"Look, I know Riddle! I know how threatening he can make himself sound, how he can manipulate you, and force you into doing anything he wants you to!" Harry was looked at Ron directly in the eyes now. "And I know Dumbledore can find some way to reach her. He has to before it's too late. I may be able to convince him."

Ron could feel himself starting to get angry.

"Sorry, but I missed the part where you explained why I can't go." There was a long silence before Harry answered.

"If Riddle can get to Hermione so easily…" he felt himself loose his words for moment. "I just don't want the same for you. For all we know this could still all be just another way of trying to get to me, or even Dumbledore for that matter! Riddle knows you both are my weakness. He told my so the first time we went into the chamber. That's the whole reason why he petrified Hermione in the first place; and the reason why he possessed Ginny. I won't risk it if he's still here." Harry stood there waiting for a rebuttal from Ron, but none came. Ron quickly sought for a way to reason with him.

"If Riddle had wanted to get to me, wouldn't he have already?" he said.

"Please just let me do this alone. If I can get a few answers, if anything from Dumbledore, maybe we'll able to rest easier." Harry took a deep breath waiting again for Ron to argue.

"She's my friend too, Harry. And I'm just as worried as you are." Another long silence created a pause. "This is the last time I'm letting you leave me out. But only because I know Dumbledore will listen to you better." Harry was relieved when he finally gave into his reasoned. He just wanted to go and get it done as fast as possible.

"I'll be back soon," he said heading for the door. Slipping on his cloak, Harry walked as quickly as he could while still trying to be quiet. The darkness was starting to make him jumpy. Every time he would hear the slightest disturbance he would stop in his tracks, holding his breath. After everything appeared to be clear, he continued to Professor Dumbledore's office.

Harry softly muttered the password to as he was halfway down the hall and climbed the steep steps, not even waited for them to carry him up most of the way. With his cloak clinched tightly to his body, he peered around the corner for a sign that Dumbledore may still be awake. Hearing nothing but silence, he began to trudge up and down the ghostly room. Not even the portraits were making a sound. From the corner of his eyes his saw a movement from the top of the stairs to his right.

"I have been expecting you, Harry. Would you care to join me?" said the professor. He had not even been facing him, but he still knew he was there. Harry slipped off his cloak and walked up the stairs towards Dumbledore.

"I can't say I didn't try, Harry. But Miss Granger's fate will not be in our hands for much longer." His voice was like the sound of a whisper. Harry felt his heart sink to bottom of his stomach. But he still didn't feel that he quite understood what he had meant.

"There has to be something else we can do. None of this adds up! Why would he get Hermione involved in this?" He felt his body begin to tremble. Never had he seen Dumbledore so doubtful. If Dumbledore didn't know what to do, who would?

"I sent her a remorical, Harry. One of the most powerful of its kind in existence… but it did more harm than good. It was the last option we had."

"A remorical?" said Harry. Professor Dumbledore sighed preparing himself for the long explanation awaiting.

"I had Professor Snape find one years ago in case this should happen. A remorical serves as a deep reminder. A reminder of what can be real and what can be an illusion. I had hoped it would remind Miss Granger of her home here with the people she cares for and how her current surroundings can be deceitful. But it gave Voldemort the chance he needed to turn her," at this Harry felt his knees nearly give way. "It gave him the chance to remind her of who she truly is, and what she is to him. As well as what they could be together."

Harry's blood was running wild through his veins, his heart shaking his whole body. A panic surged through him like he had never felt before.

"What could she possibly be to him? He couldn't turn Hermione. He couldn't! Where did the remorical go wrong?" If Harry had raised his voice any louder, he may have started shouting in disbelief. Dumbledore let a silence thicken that air while he searched for the right words.

"He must have left her alone for too long. It would not have worked otherwise. She needed to have a clear mind for it to work. Forgive me, Harry for not seeing this possibility…but the remorical did more harm than good. It showed her everything she once knew; all the evil that surrounded her, and everything we had tried to keep from her. Riddle stopped the remorical as it became too powerful and used it to push through her mind. You and I both now how vulnerable she has been." Harry took a seat across from the Professor on a stool overlooking the starry sky, trying to soak it all in.

"Professor," Harry started, "you're not making sense…none of this fits."

Dumbledore simply shook his head in shame as he thought back on what he had done.

"Harry, Miss Granger is not who you think she is. She neither muggle born, nor impure. She is in fact descendant of an ancient wizard blood line; one so strong that it runs along the same lines of Salazzar Slytherin's."

"How is that possible?" asked Harry. "I've met her parents."

"No you haven't." Said Dumbledore in a very solemn tone. "You met the muggles who took her in as a child and cared for her since. As I had earlier suspicioned, Riddle sent Death Eaters to destroy them and ordered them to take her in by secret. Things must have gone gravely wrong somehow, because I don't believe she was meant to end up back in our hands. Therefore, Riddle took matters into his own hands. He has undoubtedly used the remorical to his own advantage and told her who she really is."

Harry sat starring at Dumbledore with a stunned look in his eyes. Any doubts he may have had before vanished as he saw the guilt in the professor's eyes. He knew his words were true.

"Why would he go through so much trouble to get to her?" asked Harry.

"Hermione is powerful, Harry. She perhaps holds nearly the amount of power that Riddle now holds."

"So he wants her dead? Is she a threat to him? Dumbledore looked at him straight in the eyes.

"No, Harry. He wants her by his side. It is my belief that he might attempt to train her in the ways of the dark arts."

"No," Harry argued. "She wouldn't allow him to do such a thing. She wouldn't…" but he was cut off.

"Do you see now, Harry, how the remorical failed? Riddle told her who she is and how strong she could be with him."

"But Hermione isn't power hungry!" Harry was on the brink of shouting again.

"But she does see herself as having been betrayed. She has always been told she was muggle born for her own protection. We knew Voldemort would be after her if he were aware of her existence, so we made it a secret from everyone. Even herself." Dumbledore explained.

Harry didn't know what to think at this point. All these years he had known that Hermione's brilliance and power would her strength, but this?

"Professor, how could he possibly have gained her trust?" Harry said softly. Dumbledore was silent for a moment again as he considered this himself. He slowly turned to face the night sky.

"If we keep our minds clear…perhaps the answer to that question will come to us. We must keep ourselves open to all possibilities," said Dumbledore.

"Professor, could there possibly be more to this? I just don't see why she would let him take control of herself in that way."

"Then, perhaps there is someone who does." Dumbledore's words lingered in the air for barely a second before Harry sat straight up with eyes wide open as the realization suddenly struck him.

"Malfoy! He acted as if he knew something." Harry thought to himself. Dumbledore broke his train of thought as he spoke up and faced him again.

"I trust that you and Mr. Weasley can carry out your own investigation without further help." With all said and done, Dumbledore left with nothing more to say. Although Harry was not sure of Dumbledore's future intentions, he knew he had just received permission to use whatever means possible to interrogate Malfoy.

Dumbledore turned to Harry as he reached the door.

"One more thing, Harry. Please try to come straight to me once you have learned anything. And if I am not here, I request that you go Professor Snape. Harry made a face as Dumbledore gave his final word.

"Promise me, Harry." Said Dumbledore in a very strong tone.

"I promise," said Harry roughly as he stared down at the floor. By the time he lifted his head to watch Dumbledore walk out, he had disappeared.

A/N: Sorry this one took so long again. The last couple of months have been so hectic...homework, examens, practices, vacation...and I was having trouble getting the motivation. Just letting everyone know I'm not dead and that I have no intention of stopping this fic. Lol. Thanks again to everyone who has been reviewing. You're the reason why I continue writing. It really pushes me.

So let me know what you think! READ AND REVIEW!