WHEW! I did it! School is over. Sorry I haven't been able to update, I've just been terribly busy with the end of the school year. I'm about to move again but I hope to get a few chapters up before I do. I'll thank reviewers at the end. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Me? Own *snort* this? *starts laughing hysterically and falls off chair*

Chapter 24

Dream Demons and Misunderstandings

I watched Potter leave. When the portrait closed firmly behind him, I turned around and saw Hermione with her eyes closed swaying precariously. My seeker skills kicked in and I moved across the room quickly, and sank to the floor with her. I was worried. She hadn't had any of the potion yet this morning. I didn't know what would happen, but I didn't want to take her to Pomfrey. I moved one arm under her knees and the other around her back and stood up carefully. The shock of how light she was hit me again. I slipped out of the kitchen and moved swiftly but silently to our room. After muttering the password, and stepped inside. I kicked the door shut behind me and carried her over to her bed. I laid her down carefully then pulled a blanket over her. She unconsciously curled up into a ball, but her breathing evened out a little. I walked over to the couch and sat down, bewildered.

'Why am I doing this?' the thoughts raced through my head. 'Why am I helping her? Why? Could I pos-' Granger's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Harry, please don't! Just let me go! No!" I stood u and looked over at her bed. She was still lying down, but against the wall curled up tight. I don't-" she cut off and started thrashing. I suddenly found myself with a knee on the bed, leaning toward her.

"Granger! Wake up! Potter isn't here." She pulled away from my voice and curled up tighter with a soft whimper. I changed tactics. "Hermione, thee shall come to no harm here." My voice was soft and soothing. She uncurled slightly, but didn't move any closer. "Relax, my fair Hermione. Thy's dream demons shan't harm thee here. Harken to mine voice and thee shall be safe." She had moved away from the wall a little and was moving toward me a little. "Thee is safe with me. I shall protect thee. Relax thyself, thee is safe." Slowly, she uncurled a little and reached out one hand. Without thinking, I laced my fingers through hers. She sighed, then her breathing evened out a bit more, but her grip on my hand didn't loosen. She pulled my hand closer, making me fall over. Instantly, she curled up against me with her cheek on my chest and her breathing completely evened out and I knew she was asleep. The only problem was that she had my hand and I couldn't go very far without it. I tried to reclaim it, but she whimpered and scooted closer.

"Granger, I need my hand back." She shook her head sleepily.

"No, you can't have it." She mumbled into my chest.

"Umm, Granger" she had moved again and now my arm was around her waist. "You may want to let me go." She shook her head again. "Granger, wake up."

"Go to sleep." This was mumbled into the pillow.

"No. Now return my hand." She rolled over again and curled up even closer than before. My hand was under her head and her legs were entwined with mine.

"Go to sleep, Luv." I knew the shock was plain on my face. She didn't know who I was. And I knew when she woke up, she wouldn't be too happy. I waited until her breathing was soft and even. Her grip relaxed and I slowly disentangled myself. She whimpered once, when I pulled completely pulled away. I pulled the blanket over her and went to sit on the couch with my thoughts.

I woke up suddenly to a slight thump on the end of the couch. I knew who it was, so I didn't open my eyes, but she was hard to ignore. I opened my eyes slowly and turned to face her. She was studying me intently, as if trying to burn my face into her memory. I raised my eyes to hers and she didn't look away. Her eyes were searching mine, looking for something. We sat there; eyes locked neither of us moving.

"Thank you." She said it softly, then got off the couch and ran out of the room. I sat there, more confused than before.

Hermione's POV

After I left the room, I didn't know what to do. A thousand places ran through my mind, but I didn't think any of them would keep me safe. Then I looked up and realized where I was.

It was class time for most of the school, so the library was empty. I wandered through the shelves, looking for nothing in particular. Without thinking, I reached out and picked a random book off the shelves. When I saw the cover, I smiled. It was a book of poems by Emily Dickinson. I had the same volume in my trunk. My dad had gotten it for me when I started Hogwarts. He said Emily always knew what you were thinking and to keep it with me. Thinking of my dad made me think of his cooking, and I heard my stomach growl. 'Maybe Malfoy is up for some food, cause I'm starving.

When I reached the door to our room, I tried the handle, but it wouldn't budge. I realized it needed a password. I knocked on the door.

"Malfoy, let me in." I waited, but I didn't hear anything. "Malfoy, please." Silence. I was starting to get nervous for some reason. What if Harry showed up? I knocked on the door again, a bit more forcefully. "Malfoy!" but nothing happened. "Draco! Please! Let me in!"

Draco's POV (Again)

I had just stepped out of the bathroom after a cold shower when I heard a shout from the other side of the door.

"Draco! Please! Let me in!" it was Granger, and she sounded scared. I walked quickly over to the door and opened it, stepping back. She slipped in and shut the door firmly behind her. She leaned against it for a moment, breathing deeply with her eyes closed. I looked down at her, puzzlement clear on my face. Her eyes opened, and she looked up at me.

"Are you-" I started, but she cut me off.

"I'm fine. But I'm hungry." She continued looking up at me.

"What do you want me to do about it?" I said it coolly, but immediately wished I had never said it. Her face fell and she looked away from me.

"So sorry to have bothered you." She brushed past me, but her voice was hard, but I could hear the sorrow beneath her words. I turned around to watch her. She walked over to her trunk and started rifling through it. She pulled out a slim blue book and took it over to the couch. Sitting down, she flipped it open to a random page and immersed herself in it, successfully ignoring me. I scowled and sat at the table to work on my Arithmancy homework. A few minutes later, I got up to get some coffee. I poured two cups and set one on the table next to the couch. Granger didn't look up. I sat back at the table, and glanced over at her again. The coffee cup was in her hand, but she was still reading. I shook my head and immersed myself in the problems.

~*~*~*~*~

Well? Was it worth the wait? Hope so. Anyway, here's the Thank You's:

Firefly's Locket (x3 thankz!) Sailor Heart Girl (x3) Girl-named-Belle, dracohermioneshipper (please no pom poms!) shadowwolf2371(x2), Christina, Sporktee, Olorin (sorry I'm so confusing) Joanna, KrystalDiamond, fergiaj, tooty frootie (sorry, grammer isn't my strong point) SilentLucidity, Nilboriel (what does 'Auch' mean?) Brenda, Juanita (Thankz for the great review!) TFeltonsMine, Anna, Webweaver, PsYcHoJo, windswept phoenix, *guitar gurl*, radioactive1 (Violence Mary? Tsk Tsk) hildie, Sailor Moon Rose (Thankz! I feel loved!), AltDustie, and last but not least, my co-author Linwe Amandil.

Thank you so much everyone, it's a great feeling to get reviews. I feel so loved. *smiles* Leave me another review and tell me what you think!

~WF~