Sorry it took so long to update, but i've been at a tournament (we did badly -.-) and ants have been attacking my desk and room so blah. If I don't update for a while, just know that i'll be vacuuming up ants, or working on a fic in the making (dunno if i'll post it though...) Well anyways, here's the next chap! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter 13

[Previously]

"Goodbye, Father..." he whispered before walking down the stairs to where Hermione was waiting. She looked up at him and smiled a sad, sympathetic smile while the wind blew through her brown curly hair. Draco looked down at her fondly, and stepped down the stairs to join her. Together they walked out of the prison, side by side, with no words said between them. It would have ruined the moment if they did.

[End]

Draco and Hermione returned late that night. Hermione was nearly falling asleep on her feet, so she said her goodnights and see you tomorrows, and then headed off to her own room. Draco stayed up and lay on the couch, thinking about what he had seen and what it meant. No father meant no more unreachable ideals, no more pressuring him into being a Death Eater, no more restrictions.

Draco bolted upright, when he felt sleep start to claim him. He looked over at the Grandfather clock that ticked gently next to a bookcase. 11:53. Draco sprang to his feet and took off silently down the stairs.

"Licorice wands!" Draco nearly yelled at the gargoyle. The gargoyle gave him a quick look, then slowly made his way to the side. Draco could be heard muttering all the way up the stairs, something about certain stone creatures being turned into powder.

Draco burst through the doorway, slightly startling the bearded man at the desk.

"Oh! You startled me. Ahem, what can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy, at such late an hour?" Dumbledore asked, hinting at the time.

"Give them back; the memories. Give them back!" Draco demanded, panting slightly as he has sprinted nearly the whole way there.

"Might I ask, why you demand to have your memories back, in the middle of the night?"

"No you may not, but I'll tell you because I'm feeling generous," Draco said bitterly. "First of all, they are my memories, and I have every right to have them. Second of all, why can't I have them back?"

"I admire your strength, Draco. But you must understand. To take a memory; is easy. To give a memory back; is quite difficult. Bringing your memories back to you could kill you. For your senses to be flooded like that, you could retain severe brain damage, that magic and treatments could no cure,"

The words scared Draco, but at the same time, filled him with strength.

"I want my memories back," Draco said finally. Dumbledore looked at the platinum haired youth.

"All of them?"

"All of them," Draco repeated.

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed. He brought out his wand, and from his drawer, a small golden orb.

"Your memories," Dumbledore said wisely, handing the small orb to Draco. Draco held the orb in his hand, and looked at it. Through the glass, Draco could see fleeting glimpses. There was one of himself and Hermione, another of Hermione, one of Harry, the inside of Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore, Fawkes, another of Hermione...

"Are you ready?" Dumbledore asked, interrupting Draco's staring. Draco nodded solemnly as Dumbledore raised his wand.

"Memoriam restituo!" Dumbledore commanded, point at the orb in the boy's hands. Draco turned his attention to the glass in his hand, which started vibrating and shaking wildly, like an animal was trying desperately to break free of its' confines.

The orb shook and rumbled, and finally exploded in a mist of golden glitter. The freefalling glitter turned into misty vines which snaked around Draco before constricting him. Draco cried out as the first few memories were recovered. His knees buckled and he clutched his head with his hands as the second wave of memories washed over him.

The memories flashed before his eyes: The masquerade. The tuxedo. The dress. The dancing. The fainting. Taking care of the enemy. Admissions of love. Kissing Hermione for the first time. Forgetting it all...Draco screamed. It felt like his head was being stabbed repeatedly with tiny needles, pushing into his skin, then pulling painfully out.

The third wave came next: The masquerade. The magical storm. The green house. The watermelon. The spade. The tickling. Draco yelled louder. He was now on the ground, in a near fetal position. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and prayed to any God willing to listen, that the pain ended soon.

What Draco could only assume was one of the last few flashbacks, came slowly, increasing the pain ten-fold. Harry Potter. The cold voice. The Dark Lord. Hermione. Fawkes. The Cruciatus Curse.

Draco was on the ground, his body wracked with pain. Sweat formed on his forehead and he bit his hand to try not to scream.

The last flashback was the most detailed, and time seemed to slow so that it was like a play-by-play. Hermione and Draco were standing outside Dumbledore's office in a line. They were the last two. Hermione's lips were moving, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. Then she turned, but his past self caught her, pulled her around, and kissed her. Hermione smiled and ran off.

Then, just like that, it was over.

Draco started to get up. He felt winded, and sore, and he had a headache that could have brought down a herd of unicorn. His hands bled from where he gripped his palms so hard. His lip trembled, and it too bled freely, from where he tried to stifle his own screams.

"Are you alright?" Dumbledore asked in a concerned voice. Draco trembled for a second, but managed to smirk.

"I'm fine," Draco said. Moving his jaw made his head pulse angrily. He took in a deep breath and forced himself from the ground. He smoothed back his hair with quaking hands, smirked again at Dumbledore, and then left.

Dumbledore stared after Draco. He knew better than to ask the Slytherin how he felt, or what he was thinking. The old wizard shook his head, and sat down, stroking his beard in thought.

"I suppose Miss Granger will want her memories back now too..." Dumbledore mused. Fawkes, who had been silent the whole time Draco got his memories back, squawked loudly.

Draco stepped through the door, and staggered drunkenly to his room. He collapsed on his bed and sleep quickly overtook him.

The next morning, Draco woke up to the sounds of water running. His headache had subsided and he was feeling much better overall. He walked briskly into the bathroom to see Hermione brushing her teeth. She had some small bags under her eyes, but she still looked cute.

Hermione was aware that Draco had entered the bathroom, but she became fully aware, when said boy came up behind her, put his arms around her waist, and planted a kiss on her neck. Draco smiled at himself in the mirror while Hermione nearly stopped brushing.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked. Draco let go of Hermione and looked at her.

"Oh...sorry," Draco said, before pulling out his own tooth brush.

'She doesn't have her memories back...' Draco thought sadly. He looked over at her. He didn't want her to go through as much pain as he had gone through...

Hermione glanced at Draco from the corner of her eye. The kiss and hug were highly unlike him. Sure they have been getting a lot closer, and sharing some spontaneous kisses that were simply in the moment, but that...That was different. There was emotion in the kiss. Hermione narrowed her eyes and spat out the toothpaste.

'I want my memories back,' Hermione thought angrily. She wiped the minty froth from the corners of her mouth with a wet rag, and then continued to brush her hair. Once Hermione felt fresh enough for the day, she pulled on her robes, and walked into the common room. Draco was tying his shoes, which as usual, looked black and glossy.

"Hey, I have to go talk to Dumbledore. I'll catch up with you later, OK?" Hermione said as she made her way to the portrait hole.

"Wait, I'll go with you. I was on my way down to breakfast anyways," Draco said as he stood up and smoothed out the front of his robes.

"Alright then," Hermione agreed.

Draco accompanied Hermione down the various hallways, and stair cases, nodding respectively to various portraits as they passed.

"So, what do you need to see Dumbledore about?" Draco asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Oh. Uh. I left him borrow something a while ago, and I'm just coming to get it back. Draco...do you really think memories can be erased?"

"No, but they can be taken," Draco said wisely. The two neared the door, and Hermione smiled weakly and waved before she mumbled the password. Draco gave the gargoyle a dirty look as it sprang to the side. He sighed and walked the other way to breakfast.

Hermione stepped gingerly up the stairs she knew all too well. She knocked on the wooden door and pushed her way in.

"Ah! Good morning Miss Granger? You are well, I trust?"

"Good morning to you too, Headmaster. And yes, I'm well. How are you?" Hermione asked out of courtesy.

"I'm very good. So, what are you doing here this time of morning? You should be at breakfast," Dumbledore commented, looking at Hermione over his half-moon spectacles.

"Oh well. Umm. I don't know how to say this,"

"Take a deep breath, and concentrate on what you want to say. Or you could just ask me later. I'm sure whatever it is, it can wait," Dumbledore said mysteriously.

"No! Headmaster...I want my memories back," Hermione said, looking at her feet. She wrung her hands as she felt his eyes on him.

The bearded man quirked an eyebrow.

"You do?"

"Well...yes! I want to know what I've been missing!"

"Very well," Dumbledore said. He opened the top drawer on his right, and pulled out something which he concealed in his hand. The portraits on the wall all moved around to get a better look, but being sure to stay silent.

"Your memories..." Dumbledore said. He opened his hand, and a very small silver orb was revealed. Dumbledore handed the misty orb to Hermione, who took it silently, her mouth open in anticipation. She was so caught up in the ball of memories in her hand,

The second the orb was dropped in her hand, it started to vibrate. Hermione looked at it in awe as it shook and rumbled and rolled in her hand. Then, the glass burst apart, the shards stopping in mid air and then falling to the ground, where they sunk into the rug and disappeared. The silver mist wound its way around Hermione's form like a snake, resting around her neck and going down her arms.

Hermione started to feel fear grip her throat as paranoia ran through her body. The mist sharpened, and "plunged" into Hermione's palms and closed in on her neck. The mist traveled through her body, making Hermione gasp loudly. She could feel it traveling up her arms, tickling her veins.

But soon the tickling turned into a somewhat sharp pain. Her brain started to feel cold, like she had a brain-freeze, which soon turned into a massive headache. Hermione moaned and gripped her head. She could feel her temples pulsing and she dug her nails into her forehead.

"Make it stop!" Hermione yelled through gritted teeth. Dumbledore just looked on.

Hermione's eyes shot open, her pupils dilated, as visions flashed before her eyes: Draco, Draco, and more Draco. Draco reading a book, Draco smirking at Harry...

"Draco..." Hermione groaned as more flashbacks played before her eyes.

Three more minutes of torturous visions ensued, but ended just as suddenly as it started. Of course, in a last surge, Hermione fell backwards into one of the plush leather chairs.

"Hermione?" Dumbledore asked in concern.

"I...remember..." Hermione said, her eyes fluttering open. She bolted upright in her chair, her eyes now nearly bugging out of her head.

"I remember!" Hermione yelled in triumph as she skipped out of the room happily. Dumbledore shook his head and chortled merrily. The portraits of headmasters and mistresses past all beamed approvingly at the empty doorway.

Blah, tell me what you guys think...I don't really like it, but it's how I want to explain it. So yeah, tell me your thoughts in a review. I'll try to post more later, but we'll see...::sigh:: Catch ya'll on the flipside. lotsa love,
English-Foxlette