Hermione ran as fast as she could.
She burst into the dim, sleepy room and struggled to catch her breath.
"I know I'm late, Trelawney, but really, students ought to be allowed to sleep longer. How do you expect us to study with our eyes closed?"
Professor Trelawney ignored her comment and told her to take a seat quickly.
Hermione made a bee-line for Harry and Ron and lazily plopped down beside them. Everyone at school knew about her case of amnesia already. Even people outside of school heard about it, and it came out in the Daily Prophet as well. Hermione's parents wrote a letter to Dumbledore in rage, but he had explained to them calmly that the cure was in the process of being founded again, and it was only a matter of time that Hermione was to be her usual self once again.
"And it's Professor Trelawney to you," the professor added. Hermione rolled her eyes and started filing her nails. Hermione was looking absolutely amazing that day. She had somehow managed to straighten up her messy hair and left it soft and wavy. Her eyes looked bigger as well, and her lips were fuller. Ron gaped at her, practically drooling, and turned around to tell his classmates, "Remember, she's my girlfriend!"
Hermione heard this and her jaw dropped in disgust. "Not anymore! I don't even know you! Well, I did, but I don't now."
Ron looked hurt and opened his mouth to say something, but Professor Trelawney interrupted.
"So, let study about illusion curses today, alright? Read up the first few paragraphs, students," Professor Trelawney said dreamily. She took a seat on her favourite green couch which produced a horrible stench of rotten eggs. She relaxed and soon dozed off. The class noticed this and began chattering at once.
"Hermione, Hermione!" people called, rushing to her. "Remember me? How about me? Do you know who I am, Hermione?"
Hermione smiled at all the attention she was getting. "Don't call me Hermione, I don't like it. Call me… hmm... Zena."
Ron stared at her. "Zena? That name doesn't suit you, Hermione."
"It does if I want it to. Now stop calling Hermione!" she ordered. Suddenly she felt something hard hit her head, and blacked out.
I've been waiting for this… I've been wanting you.
All I want is to be with you… forever.
Her eyes shot open and she blinked at the people crowding around her.
"Are you okay, Zena? You just fell on the ground all of a sudden and stayed stiff for a minute or so. Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" a boy asked, concerned.
"No need for that, I'm perfectly fine," Hermione replied. She got up and sat back at her chair, embarrassed. What if I didn't faint right? What if I looked ugly…
Professor Trelawney woke up from her sleep and sucked in the air too quickly, causing her to snort. A few boys snickered, and Professor Trelawney blushed.
"Settle down, students! Now, Miss Granger, explain to me the meaning of illusion curses," Professor Trelawney said sternly.
"Don't know, and don't wanna know," Hermione replied casually.
"Don't be rude, Miss Granger. Give me a proper answer."
"Something to do with illusions and curses?" Hermione guessed.
Professor Trelawney sighed. "Close enough."
As Professor Trelawney walked to the other side of the room to bore the other student, Hermione thought of her vision. She saw a blonde haired boy who was whispering those words to her, but it was too foggy to see who. She wondered what it meant, anyway. Did the old Hermione have… a lover?
Whatever, Hermione thought. When this is over, I'm going to look for Draco. He's the only one worth using time on.
Ron looked at Hermione, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Maybe, he thought. Maybe the new Hermione doesn't love Draco… and then I can have her all to myself.
Good luck, Ron.
"Draco darling, there you are!" Hermione exclaimed, running over to him and kissing both sides of his cheeks. They were on their way to the great hall for lunch.
"Uh, Hermione-.." Draco said uncomfortably.
"Tut tut," Hermione interrupted. "Zena, you mean."
"Uh, right, Zena. What's going on?"
Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. "Wanna skip lunch and go for a walk?"
"Um, no, I don't think so."
Hermione looked hurt. "Why not? Do I have something in my teeth?"
"No, it's not that, it's just…" What was he to say? That she was a Pansy clone now? That she was loud and irritating? That her hair looked so utterly beautiful today…
"It's just what, Draco?"
"I'm hungry and I want to eat inside," he replied lamely. Hermione shrugged and muttered whatever, then leaned against the wall, pulling Draco's robes.
"Kiss me," she ordered, her eyes fluttering flirtatiously.
"Uh.. I don't know if-.."
"Oh come on, Draco. Kiss me!" Hermione said, getting impatient.
"Well, I -.."
"Just do it!" Hermione yelled. Draco leaned forward quickly and kissed her passionately. Her hands started running all over the place, and she made him kiss her ear, then her neck, then her collarbone, then…
Draco pulled back, panting.
"Whaddya think? I'm a good kisser?" Hermione grinned.
"Well, Herm- I mean, Zena," Draco corrected himself. "It was great, really, but…" The other times he had kissed the old Hermione were so much better, and so much more meaningful. Kissing this Zena girl was different. Bad different. Uncomfortable different. Disgusting different.
"But?" Hermione pressed.
"But I'm really REALLY hungry, so that just killed the mood," Draco said quickly. He pretended to walk to the great hall, and when she turned away, he switched directions and went up to the Slytherin common room so that he didn't have to kiss Hermione/Zena again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Madam Pomfrey?"
"Yes, who is it? Oh hello there Mr. Malfoy!" Madam Pomfrey greeted cheerfully. "How can I help you, dear?"
Draco looked around the hospital wing, remembering all those times he had been in here. "I uh, wanted to ask you about that potion thingy you're making to get Hermione's memory back. Is it going well?"
Madam Pomfrey's face fell. "Not so, dear. It will take quite a long time, unless there's another way."
Another way, Draco thought. He was stirring up a plan. Could he?
"Thanks a lot, Madam Pomfrey. You've helped!" Draco thanked, and turned around to leave the hospital wing.
"Were you being sarcastic?" Madam Pomfrey asked, but he was already out the door.
"Hermione! There you are!" Draco called after her. She was walking alone in the deserted hallway. She ignored him and continued walking.
"Hermione?" Draco said, unsure of why she was ignoring him. Then he remembered.
"Right, Zena! Yeah, hey Zena," Draco said. Hermione stopped in her tracks and turned to smile at him. "Hey, Draco! Sorry, I didn't hear you calling me just now."
Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes to the back of his head. "We need to talk."
"Shoot," Hermione nodded, looking at him with her big, brown eyes. He smiled, his temper fading, wondering how nice it would be to just drown himself in her eyes, like dipping a cherry into chocolate fudge to make a yummy dessert. If people kissed with their eyes, he wouldn't stop kissing her. He let out a chuckle at the thought of people kissing with their eyes.
"Earth to Mr. Malfoy. Do you copy?"
Draco snapped back and apologized. "Yeah, as I was saying… okay, Zena. You're fully aware that you do not exactly exist, and you're just temporary replacing the old Zena, which is Hermione, right?"
Hermione blinked slowly, acting cool. "'Scuse me handsome, what do you mean by temporary? I may be permanent."
Draco prayed silently that it wasn't. "It most probably won't be permanent. Street wizards are mostly school drop-outs. They wouldn't be able to produce that strong magic as to permanently change a person's personality."
"I'm disappointed, Draco. You sound as if you don't want me here," Hermione tried to make a sad puppy-dog face.
Well, I don't, Draco wanted to say, but he had more to tell her. He didn't want her to run off just yet. "Of course not, Zena. You're so beautiful and perfect."
Hermione blushed. "Yeah, I get that a lot," she grinned. Draco sighed and continued. "I used to date the old Hermione, see, and I really loved her."
Hermione frowned. "Look, I'm not her. If you're thinking of continuing a relationship, I don't see how it'll work. I can't be who you want me to be, Draco. I can't walk around without make up or have hideous bushy hair. I can't do it. Not for you, not for anyone."
"I understand," Draco said quickly. "That's why I have to change you back to who you once were."
"Wait, that's technically killing me," Hermione said.
Draco shrugged. "You're not real, Zena. Hermione is real, and everyone wants her back."
"I don't care who wants her back. I'm not dying for any of you," Hermione snapped.
"You're not gonna die okay! You're just going to exchange places with the real person," Draco explained.
"You're not gonna have Hermione back, Draco. I won't give her to you."
"Then who am I supposed to love?" Draco said. "The girl who changed me from being a total arse to a gentleman. The girl who was my Divination tutor. The girl-.."
"The girl who put you in so much pain and suffering?" Hermione finished his sentence. Draco stared at her blankly. "How did you know?"
"I've been getting these visions. They come on and off. Mostly all of them are about you. About how she left you for that weird guy Ronald. And how she was kissing him when you came back all drenched from the rain, looking so depressed yet – may I add, hot -," Hermione said. "You were pretty pathetic, though."
Draco stared at his feet, keeping silent.
"But," Hermione continued. "There were many times she stared at you. When you eat at the great hall, during classes, when you're talking to your friends, when you're alone, when you're rushing through homework in the library. So many scenes, so many visions. It's like the both of you can't get enough of each other." She shook her head.
Draco focused his eyes on Hermione. "I love her, Zena. Please, you have to understand…"
Hermione sighed. "I don't want to go, Draco," she touched his cheek the way Hermione used to do. "I want to stay here. It's the life I never had."
"But the person who has been living in that body you're now in for seventeen years wants her body back," Draco said. "I want her back."
Hermione stood there, staring at Draco, for what seemed like hours to him. Finally, she sighed and opened her mouth. "I can see how much you love her," she said softly. "I know I'm a big change to everyone here. Not a very good change, though…" she chuckled sadly.
Draco dropped down and leaned against the cold wall. Hermione did the same thing, and they both sat there, lost in their own thoughts.
"Kiss me," Hermione said all of a sudden.
"What?" Draco asked, confused.
"Kiss me," Hermione repeated patiently. "She'll come back."
"How do you-.."
"Just do it!" Hermione said.
Draco leaned over, staring into the depths of her eyes. "I could swim in those," Draco commented. Hermione smiled. "They're beautiful eyes, aren't they?" Draco nodded. Hermione leaned in as well and they both closed their eyes, slowly moving closer. As Draco's lips touched hers, memories flooded back into his brain. He could hear Hermione's voice calling him over and over again in a haunting, slow motion. Finally, he let go.
"I love you, Hermione," he whispered. He opened his eyes and saw Hermione staring back at him oddly.
"Uh… did it work?" Draco asked timidly. Hermione didn't reply. She continued to stare at him, a look of shock in her eyes.
"Hermione?"
The look of shock changed into a look of pure happiness, and she started laughing, hugging him. "I'm back! I'm back!"
Draco smiled. "I've missed you so much, Hermione."
"I've missed you too," Hermione said. When she pulled back, her eyes were red and filled with tears. "I was lost in a black hole, walking in circles for days. I could hear every word the new Hermione said to you, and I heard every word you said to her." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Draco reached out and wiped her tears away with his sleeve. "You know I love you."
"Yeah, I know," Hermione grinned, sniffing. Draco felt his dark mark hurt again, and he grabbed his left arm.
"You okay?" Hermione asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, but he was still wincing.
"You don't look fine, Draco," Hermione said. Draco wanted to deny it, but suddenly he felt his robes warm up, and pulled back his hand. Hermione gasped as she saw blood seeping through the long sleeve of his robes like spilled wine. "Oh my God," she exclaimed. She lifted the sleeve and examined the mark. "It's bleeding so unusually. The blood isn't coming out from the wound normally. It's like a fountain being switched on."
Draco was turning paler than he already was. "Help me stop it, Hermione. It hurts so much!"
Hermione got up and helped Draco stand. "We have to see Dumbledore about this."
They ran to Dumbledore's office, and were panting when they arrived. "Oh no," Hermione said. "I have no idea what the password is!"
"Dumbledore, Albus," Draco said simply. The ugly gargoyle standing in front of them jumped aside, and the gigantic door opened for them. "How did you know?" Hermione asked.
"I was in here before, after becoming a death eater," Draco explained. Blood was dripping on the steps leading to the office. Hermione was too afraid to see it – she kept her head up, trying not to spot the drops on the floor. When they reached the top, Hermione knocked on the door hard. Dumbledore opened it, his eyes half closed.
"Ahh," Dumbledore said. "What are you doing up at this time of the night?"
"Professor, Draco's mark is bleeding, and it won't stop!" Hermione exclaimed.
"My word! You're back, Miss Granger!" Dumbledore hugged Hermione. "We've missed you dearly. I'll write to your parents to tell them the good news soon enough."
"Thank you, professor. Now, about Draco?" Hermione said.
"Oh, yes, of course." Dumbledore led Draco to the same chair Draco had knocked down earlier before, and he stood there for a while, examining the mark.
Dumbledore's beautiful red phoenix flew near him. "Ahh yes," Dumbledore said. "The phoenix can cure this."
The beautiful phoenix with it's feathers of different shades of red flew above the wound and let its tears fall on it. Draco felt his wound sting for a moment, then watched in amazement as it healed neatly.
"Wow," he said moments later, still in shock.
"Now let's see here for a moment and talk about why it was bleeding," Dumbledore said. He pointed his in front of where Hermione was standing, and a comfy golden chair appeared. Hermione thanked the professor and sat down.
"Now, son, how long has it been bleeding?" Dumbledore asked.
"Since I got it, sir," Draco answered.
Dumbledore stroked his long beard. "I see, I see," was all he said.
"What's happening to me, sir?"
"Well, it's going to burst later and bleed again, that's for sure," Dumbledore said. "Eventually it will bleed so much till you will die, surrounded by a pool of all your own blood. Horrible death, absolutely horrible."
Draco stared at him. "Professor, I don't want to die!"
Dumbledore smiled. "I was only joking. But it will bleed again. Not as bad though, after it has been touched by the tears of the mother of birds."
Draco sighed in relief. "But why is it bleeding, sir? Crabbe and Goyle's ones are perfectly fine."
"Too much love, I supposed," Dumbledore said, stroking his beard again. "Too much love for young Miss Granger."
Hermione blushed. "So I'm the cause of it all?"
"No, don't think of it that way, dear," Dumbledore said. "To love you was Draco's choice, so technically it's his fault," Dumbledore chuckled.
"Oh, professor, it's not a very good time for humor!" Hermione said.
"You're right, my apologies," Dumbledore said quickly. "Lord Voldermort made a terrible mistake, Mr. Malfoy. You are not fit to be a death eater. Death eaters are known to loath, not love. You have been following a different path – a path which does not lead to murdering."
"So what do I do now?" Draco asked.
"This is a tough one, I must say," Dumbledore said.
"Well, maybe I can just go back to Lord Voldemort and tell him to undo my mark. I'm not a very useful death eater, anyway," Draco suggested.
"Oh, sure, you could do that," Dumbledore said. "But just one problem."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"He'll kill you."
Not a thriller, but it could've been worse, eh? Not to ask too much of ya'll, but can I have 10 reviews again? XD I know I know…