Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas in the Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling. I only own this small plot.

Summary: Sequel to "The Library." Hermione is back to kick some serious butt. Draco is also in the story, so for those of you depressed by the ending of "The Library," get ready for some well deserved revenge.

Chapter 2: Awakening

"So, where to?" Harry asked, still working the ash out of his sleeves as they stepped out of the fireplace. They had landed in Olivander's.

Ron looked over at Hermione, who was staring out the window somberly, "Flourish and Blotts?" he suggested.

"Sounds good," Ginny smiled and held open the door.

Hermione walked through in front of Ron and Harry. But before Ron and Harry were half way out the door, they ran into Hermione and stumbled back into the shop. Hermione had stopped dead in her tracks.

"Mione, what are y-" Ron began, but soon followed her gaze to Narcissia Malfoy shopping across the street.

Ron stared for a moment, then with a look from Harry, hooked his arm through Hermione's and guided her down the street. She didn't protest, just stared at the ground. As soon as they had reached a pub, Ron pushed through the door and sat Hermione down in a seat.

"Four butter-beers please" Harry told the bartender.

"Forget that ever happened" Ron told her, attempting to be comforting.

"She's out shopping Ron! For god sake! Her son is dead and her snake of a husband is who knows where, and she's out bloody shopping!" said Hermione."Maybe she is...buying..." Ron sighed, he couldn't think of anything. "She's buying..." he gave up. "Look, why don't we just go to Fred and George's?" He asked her hopefully.

"Ok." She sighed. These days she gave up more easily. She didn't like talking about the subject for too long anyway.

…………………………………...

They shuffled in to the small store which was packed full of the Weasley Brother's new merchandise. "Aww look George, the Fam has come to visit us!" Fred said sarcastically, poking his head up from boxes of merchandise. Across the room, George's head followed soon after.

"Fred, George, have you any Dancing Lollies left? I fancy a good prank." Ron shouted in greeting.

"Of course Ron!" Fred said putting an arm around him and guiding him to the back. George went to greet Ginny, Harry and Hermione. "He's getting more and more like us, that one. I'm telling ya." George smiled.

Ginny smiled "I'm afraid I'm right behind him. I've been in need of a few extendable ears - I lost the ones you gave me for Christmas."

"Mum took them didn't she?" George sighed ruefully. "She doesn't know how much she is harming our enterprise." And with that he pulled Ginny to the far corner where they kept the ears, leaving Harry and Hermione to peruse the wares.

"So, did you work on what I asked you for?" Ginny whispered. After Hermione began to complain of "bad dreams" a few months back, Ginny had commissioned Fred and George to mix up something to help with her nightmares. "Just the thing!" George whispered, taking her into a back room.

It was filled with shelves of new products. Ginny looked around curiously as George reached to the top of the shelf and took down a small bottle full of a green liquid.

"It's technically illegal, but I really think it works. And as long as we sell it underground..."

Ginny laughed, "George this is just for Hermione. I don't think..." "Right, Right," he cut her off. "So. If Hermione takes a swig of this every night before bed, technically it should have her dreaming of bunnies and butterflies etc, to that sort." He smiled and proudly handed her the bottle.

"Technically it should?" Ginny asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well…we have only tested it on one creature..." he whispered. "Don't tell Harry, but when he sent a message to us for Mum...well we gave a go of it with Hedwig, and she seemed to sleep fine."

"Owls are nocturnal."

"Yes, well...uh none the less." he said and pushed her out of the backroom. Ginny turned to speak again but George knew the drill. "And yes we will come to dinner at home tomorrow." he said monotonously.

Ginny smiled in approval and went to join everyone at the front of the store. "Well, best be off then, Mom will be getting worried. Did you get everything Gin?" Ron asked. Ginny nodded.

"Thanks Fred! Thanks George!" Harry said as he held open the door for Ron and Hermione. "See you tomorrow." Ginny said, and they were off.

When the group returned home that evening, everyone was beat. Harry and Ron went to un-wrap their new purchases by the fire, and Ginny noticed Hermione sneaking up stairs alone. 'She's just not herself anymore," Ginny thought. Hermione fell happily into bed. She was tired from their day out. It was hard to admit that, aside from seeing Narcissa, she had enjoyed herself a bit. And just as Hermione thought she would finally be left alone; there was a knock at the door. "Hermione?" Ginny called. "Can I come in?"

"Sure" Hermione sighed.

Ginny opened the door cautiously and came in. "Hey. I know you probably want to get to sleep. You did a lot more today that you have in weeks. But, I just wanted to give you something..." Hermione watched Ginny pull a small bottle of liquid from her purse. It was bright green. Hermione's experience with potions told her not to judge a liquid by its color, but still...

"What is it?" she asked wearily.

"A potion. For dreaming actually. I had Fred and George mix it up for you," Hermione quirked an eyebrow at the mention of their 'expertise.'

"Oh don't worry. It should give you happy dreams; maybe you won't be so tired anymore..." Ginny said.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but accepted the offered bottle. "OK, I'll give it a shot." she knew it would be hard to fix her dreams...she wasn't sure she wanted to. But, then again, Fred and George were not the most reliable potion brewers.

Hermione took the bottle and opened the cork slowly. A green mist floated up and filled the room with the smell of pickles. "You're kidding, Gin?" Hermione asked.

"Not at all" Ginny grinned. "I've been worried about you."

"I know you have." Hermione said. "It's just, I know the dreams bother me, but I can't help but feel like they're trying to tell me something you know? Like it really means something Ginny." Hermione said with more hope in her voice than she'd had in weeks. It hurt Ginny to have to be the realistic one for once.

"Hermione, just try it. Get rid of those bags under your eyes. Please?"

"Ok." She took a swig of the green swirling potion and closed the bottle.

"Good night" and with that Ginny left the room. Hermione went to the closet and changed into her nightgown. She looked out the window as the stars were beginning to show. Gravity was slowly tugging her eyelids down. She sluggishly dragged herself to the bed, and collapsed, falling into the cozy darkness of the Weasley's musty comforters.

…………………………………

There was a long line of weeping willow trees ahead, along the river. Hermione suddenly felt the grass between her toes and watched as the sun slowly set, and the color drain from the painting-like world around her. She loved the sound of the sweeping water moving through rocks, following a path. She was dreaming, she knew it. 'Ginny was right,' she thought, "This is happy."

She wandered aimlessly through the trees, weaving in and out of the row, until suddenly a hand stopped her.

His eyes shown even brighter in this twilight. He pulled her gently closer to him, under flowing branches of the tree in the wind.

"Damn it" she thought.

Her heart was sinking again, that feeling of loneliness and confusion taking over like in all the other dreams. That potion was supposed to make her happy...

"Smile Hermione" he whispered in that smooth, coy voice of his.

She did. How could she not? He was there again. They were there. He placed a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

…………………………………..

Meanwhile, Ginny sat alone in the kitchen, sipping on pumpkin juice and contemplating what midnight snack to make herself. She was mixing her hot chocolate when there was a knock at the door. She snapped her head towards the door, and saw a flash of red hair behind the tainted glass. 'What the…' she thought to herself and glanced at the clock. It was 12:17 am.

The knocking continued urgently. Ginny ran to the door and peered through the window. George?

"Pssst" he whispered fervently. "Yes, I see you George. Why don't you come inside?" She opened the door for him.

He came in, still dressed in his pajamas. "What is going on!" she whispered; everyone else was still asleep.

"Ginny, did you give Hermione the potion?" George said quickly. "Yeah, of course.""Don't wake anyone up. Ginny, this is urgent."

Ginny blinked...and then gasped, "My God George, it's poisonous, isn't it?"

"No Ginny. It's not poisonous." George said, rolling his eyes.

"But it is...defective."

Ginny inhaled slowly, "Tell me." George paused uncomfortably. "Well...we tried it on Fred tonight, and, you know how he is always having nightmares about giant slugs?" Ginny nodded.

"Well he took a nap, and when he woke up...let's just say we used a year's supply of anti-slug spray, and spent a lifetime cleaning up the slime..."

"So it...brought it out of his dream?" Ginny asked wide eyed, imagining all the terrible things Hermione could have floating around in her troubled mind…

…………………………………………..

"What are you doing out by a river? You never seemed like the nature type..." Hermione smiled, playfully trying to make him a bit mad, just to hear his always reliable cunning response.

"Well I thought..." he paused "it would be all the better..." he moved closer to the river "to splash you!" and with that he drenched her in cold river water.

Hermione threw her arms up in defense, although, why she didn't know. It was water, and hit her none the less. She was drenched. "And now my hair is going to frizz." she said crossing her arms. "You know what that means don't you?" she said sternly.

"No, enlighten me."

"It means..." she said inching closer to him, "That I'll just have to take you down with me!" and she pushed him into the river, falling along side.

……………………………………………..

"Oh God Hermione look at you! You're soaked! George, she must have been dreaming about a monsoon or tidal wave..."

Hermione blinked open her eyes wearily. She was on the ground in front of the bed surrounded in a puddle of cold water, and Ginny and George were standing in the doorway. "W-What happened?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

Before Ginny or George could speak, a small thud sound came from the other side of the bed.

Ginny's eyes widened in fear, and George let an almost inaudible squeal escape. "Let us brace ourselves" Ginny cautioned her brother, "for..."

"Hermione, where'd the river go? What is this place?" Draco Malfoy got up slowly, looking around the room.

AN: Muahahaha That's right. He's Back.  Please Read and Review! Next chapter comes the reunion…