Title: Helping Her

Genre: Humor/Romance

Category: Full Story

Summary: No one ever thought Draco Malfoy would show compassion. But him being the cause of a major turn up at Hogwarts, he must show at least a spark of it for what he has to deal with.

Krysta's Notes: I got a lot of positive reviews for the SnapeHermione chapter, glad you liked it, you need some humor from the two of them. Because, when Hermione wakes up, into seventeen year old Hermione, it's going to be hell. That'll be coming in, about eight to ten chapters, and then, about seven or eight more after that to end it. So, it's not really soon.

Also, Draco gets 'in character' in this chapter and so does Hermione. Now, you all know what this means, that they are going to be apart for some time now. I apologize though, only for about days before the Halloween Ball.

Another also, the story now switches to the month October, as they started school in September. So, that's why Halloween is becoming a priority now.

And I'd like to again, thank my wonderful beta Sabrina((DarkReader)) for not taking forever like I expected. No offesne, Sabrina!


Chapter 8: Maybe Ron Could Even Help Me Hate Him

Draco walked into his room, a towel around his waist. The tissues in the garbage that had been in his hair had radiated a nasty smell, so Draco had to shower it away. He was about to get dressed, but he saw Hermione on his bed, Snuffles curled up at the bottom.

Slipping on a shirt and pants, he picked up Hermione and brought her into her room. After tucking her into her bed, he returned for the kitten, who bounded away as soon as Draco touched it.

Climbing under his covers with a sigh, then he thought about Hermione.

'How would Hermione act when she returns to normal? If she returns to normal?'

'Would she still hate me?'


October wind bashed against the windows, but the sun shone through nonetheless. It was now the middle of the month, a week away from Halloween.

The sun hit Hermione's face, and she rubbed her eyes. Yawning, Hermione sat up and saw Snuffles on the pillow next to her.

"Good morning, Snuffles." Hermione said, rubbing the kitten's fur as it gave out a mixed yawn/hiss.

Walking into the bathroom, Hermione brushed her teeth, and got herself dressed in a black t-shirt that says 'Damn Hot.' in white letters and black jeans. Leaving the Common Room, she went to the Great Hall, and saw Harry and Ron, actually up early.


"Hi Harry, Hi Ron!" Hermione said, walking over to the Gryffindor table, picking up a jelly filled biscuit.

"'Mione." They both said, playing the 'Let's eat as fast as possible until we burst' game. Hermione laughed when Harry started choking on a strip of bacon.

She followed them to Herbology, she knew they had that class with Slytherin. Walking in, she didn't see Draco, but Blaise and Pansy seated next to each other. Hermione ran to the other side of the greenhouse and sat herself next to the two.


"I see you've decided not to wake Draco." Pansy said, addressing the young girl.

"Nope. I left him there, he never wakes me up anyway. He'll be in for it, though." Hermione said, twisting around in her seat.


The class started, and Pansy and Blaise worked together on uprooting a carniverous plant called 'Bishkink.' It was hard to uproot, since it snapped it's large teeth at everything that moved, but they were smart enough to place a spell to keep it from moving, and Blaise was toying with it now that it was uprooted.

"Ha! Bite me now, you little son of a bitch!" Blaise said, laughing. Hermione took Pansy's wand and whipsered to her. She whispered back and Hermione recited a spell.

"Relaso Bind' She said, watching as the spell keeping the Bishkink still wore off, and it latched onto Blaise's hand. With a startled cry, he flung the creature onto the desk and recited the freezing spell.


"Damnit Hermione! Don't do that ever again!" Blaise said to her, nursing his hand on the way to the Hospital Wing.

"You shouldn't have been messing with the nice little Bishkink, Blaise. It was you're fault, I bet you wouldn't have done it if the spell was off."

"Damn right! And get bitten like that! Puh-lease!" He said. Entering the Hospital Wing, he started up a whole other argument with the little girl.

"Why! You seemed to have no problem doing it to me!" He complained, walking over to a bed and sitting on it.

"Because, Pansy wasn't teasing it like you were. Sticking you hand in its mouth, I bet it was really hungry staring at your hand, Blaise! That's being a tease." She said. She turned to face Pansy and said something, but instead she gasped. Standing up, she ran over to one of the other beds. Platinum blonde hair stuck out from underneath the covers, and she recognized it as Draco's hair.


"Draco!" She said, jumping onto the bed and sitting next to him. He groaned, and opened a liquid silver eye.

"Draco, what happened?" She asked. Pansy and Blaise were by the bedside after they realized Hermione had moved.

.-.-.-.-.-. Flashback .-.-.-.-.-.

Draco was walking through the halls, about to walk down the staircase, when he heard a yell. A girl, in fourth year ran around the corner, smashing into Draco and hid behind him.

"Hey! What's your problem?" He asked irritably.

"He's after me, Professor Snape! I was just walking with my friends, and they said some stuff about him and I laughed, so he followed me. Ah!" She gave a short scream, as the Potions Master turned the corner and headed towards them.

"You, get back here!" The girl dragged Draco to the end of the steps.

When Snape tried to maneuver around Draco, the girl ran down the stairs, causing Draco to lose his balance. He was falling down the stairs and no one was around to help him. Professor Snape had turned tail and decided to head off the other way.

Suddenly, the staircase began to shift, and Draco noticed to his horror, as he was being banged up, he'd end up falling off the staircase to the first floor. He had been on the fourth floor.

The last thing he saw was a flash of red and black, before he blacked out.

.-.-.-.-.-. End Flashback .-.-.-.-.-.

"Draco are you feeling okay?" She asked. The Slytherin turned to her.

"Granger? What the hell happened to you?" He asked, confused.

"Draco, don't you remember anything? You've been taking care of me, for about a month!" She said, frustrated at his loss.

"Why would I take care of you, a Mudblood!?You're not worth my time, you're just a waste of breath, Granger." He asked her and followed up with a jeer, his grey eyes boring holes into Hermione's sweet chocolate ones.

"It's your fault! No one asked for you to keep me! Why are you doing this, Draco?" She asked, sounding much like the seventeen year old she should have been. But she wasn't.

"Draco? Since when was I Draco to you? What happened to Malfoy, git, slimy Slytherin--- anything!" He calmed himself down a little.

"Just--not--Dray-co." He said, glaring at her. She turned and ran from the Hospital Wing.


"Draco! What the--" Pansy began, but Blaise put a hand on her shoulder. Blaise looked at her and motioned Pansy away from Draco.

"Pansy, I think he has amnesia, I mean, falling three floors has to have an impact somehow!" He said, looking at Draco, who was scowling at everything.

They walked back and he looked up with a weird look.

"You done? Now, what the hell is going on around here, and what the hell happened to the Mudblood?" Draco demanded, crossing his eyes and raising his blondeeyebrows.


Hermione was running. She didn't care where, she just had to run. Turning a corner, she crashed.

"Hermione!" A girl said. She looked up, to see a fairly tall girl with red hair and brown eyes, looking at her.

"Umm... I don't think I know you..." Hermione said, inching away.

"Hermione, it's me! Ginny! My brother's name is Ron..."

"Oh!" Hermione said.

"Nice to meet you Ginny."

"What's going on? Where'd Draco go? What about Blaise?"

"Blaise is in the Hospital Wing with Draco, he fell three floors off the moving staircases, and he hates me. But who cares, he's a slimy git anyway." She said, looking down. She felt an ache in her chest from calling Draco names, but she ignored it.

"Hey Hermione, you missed the announcement before breakfast, you didn't here about it? There's going to be a Halloween Ball next week." Ginny said. She looked up, seeing Blaise and Pansy panting as they caught up with the little girl.


"Hermione! Don't run off like that!" Blaise reprimanded.

"Wouldn't you run if someone called you a name?" Hermione said.

"Thank you for watching her, Weasley." Pansy said.

"Hmm-hhhm." Hermione said softly.

"What?" Pansy asked.

"Ginny! Her name's Ginny!"

"Sorry. Well, Ginny what were you talking to Hermione about?" Pansy asked, stressing the youngest Weasley's first name.

"The Halloween Ball." And they started chatting about everything, from decor, to partners, to costumes.

"What about Hermione! We should go get her a costume; after all, they did reschedule another trip for today, since classes aren't going on." Ginny suggested. Blaise let out a groan.

"I'll go get some stuff." Ginny said, walking off.

"Likewise, Blaise, go to the Great Hall with Hermione." Pansy said and left.


He started off, but Hermione caught his hand.

"Blaise, what's a Mudblood? Draco called me it this morning, what does it mean?"

'Now how the hell am I supposed to tell her this?' Blaise thought.


Marching up to the Hospital Wing, he threw the doors open, Hermione behind him. Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore were in front of Draco's bed, fussing.

"Excuse me, Professor. I have to have a word with Draco here." Blaise said maliciously. The Professors nodded, stepping out and closing the curtains, listening intently.

"Why'd you call her it, Draco? You tell her what it means, she wants to know? Go on, Draco. Tell her what she is to you. Tell her what a mudblood is." Blaise ordered.

Both Pansy and Ginny walked in, and heard Blaise's accusations. When they hadn't found him in the Great Hall, they immediately ran here, thinking something or other possessed Blaise to come here.

"--" Draco was at a loss for words. Professor McGonagall was surprised, Professor Dumbledore had a stern look on his face, Pansy was listening to the conversation, and Ginny had frozen.

"Hermione." Blaise whipped the little girl around to face him. He was looking deeply and penetratingly through her eyes and saw tears, but refused to leave her in the dark.

"A mudblood is someone born of non magical parents. Since you are a witch and your parents are humans, not wizards, you are a Muggleborn witch, or much more kindly, a Mudblood."

"And Draco here, feels that since both his parents are wizards, that he can look down on people. Especially since you're smarter than him, Hermione." The girl was embracing him and now he was just talking to her.

"I could care less, Hermione. But since Draco has ever so nicely pointed out your heritage, I will tell you the truth. Wizards with magical parents are supposed to be better, but in no way is this better. Come on, Hermione." The girl complied, speechless. Blaise carried Hermione past Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, past Ginny and Pansy, and past Draco.


Ginny caught up with Blaise and Hermione near the Great Hall, while Pansy stayed with a confused Draco.

Blaise set Hermione down, and told her to go to the Great Hall. Ginny turned to him and threw her arms around him. He was shocked, but returned the hug.

"Thank you for that. Hermione deserved to know and thank you for defending her. You've got my respect, Blaise." She said and sauntered off to the Great Hall, to get some lunch. He followed, still a little shocked that she had hugged him, and nonetheless touched him.

'If only Weasley knew...' Blaise thought, thinking of a reaction if he told the older Weasley what his sister had done. He decided against it and sat down at the Slytherin table, leaving Hermione with Ginny and Harry, who had been sitting at the table.


After lunch, Ginny met up with Pansy to go to Hogsmeade. Everyone was buzzing around about the ball.

The village was a little more crowded it tended to be during October, since everyone was buying creepy things to set outside their homes. Ginny held Hermione while Pansy looked around at shops, smelling sweet smells and not so sweet ones.

They had found their way to a nice looking costume shop called 'Charlie's Costumes and Cosmetics.'

Whatever thoughts Hermione currently had on her mind had vanished at the sight of the store.

It looked small, but it was huge. Racks of costumes covered each wall sparkling from the sunlight through the door and the skylight.

Containers of makeup for dress-up outifts, wigs to match costumes, and little toys like fake shotguns or sling shots lined up on shelves. The middle of the store was the check out counter, along with a registry, showing all the pre-ordered costumes and the ones that were still in stock.

Ginny had picked out the perfect costume. It was a red party dress that had no straps and had a semi-circle shape to the lower half. She had found a set of devil horns to put on her head and a pitchfork like thing she could carry around. The tail was a little much for Ginny, though. She had found matching heels, that laced all the way up her legs to her knees where the dress ended.

Pansy's costume was a little more happy. It was a emerald green, glitter sparkling over the dress. It was a V-neck, with thin straps that crossed over her back and the glitter faded as high up the dress you got. She found a beautiful green hat that complimented her dark hair, in the style of a summer hat.

Hermione had picked out her own costume, and had refused to show anyone what it was.

"It's a surprise!" She said, closing the bag shut.

They spent the rest of the day drinking butterbeer and eating candies from Honeydukes' sweet shop.


Returning to the Heads Common Room, Hermione spoke the password and allowed Pansy and Ginny to come into her room while she stashed her costume away.

They all ventured to the DADA room, for class with Slytherin...again. This class, Hermione sat with Ron and Harry, watching them take notes on the Three Unforgivable Curses.

"--- three unforgivable curses known to the world. There is supposedly a fourth, but no one has gone on far enough to find out what it is, or how it affects someone. People have indeed been killed with it, but an autopsy proves differently, it seems to have a weird reaction. Unlike the Killing Curse itself--" Hermione lost interest.

Suddenly, she wanted to know what the fourth curse was. Scratch that. She needed to know what the fourth curse was. It was part of her to hear things and wonder about them.

'I'll get Blaise and Pansy to take me to the Library.' She thought, focusing back onto the lecture.

"--the Cruciatus Curse is performed by saying the words 'Crucio'. It can only be performed to its full content if the user wants the person hurt. If they don't, nothing will happen except a tingling sensation. There are no known side effects to this curse and --" The lecture was interrupted as Professor Snape entered the room. All eyes were on him.


"Fetrelli. Dumbledore thought is wise if I give them a little hands-on show." The DADA teacher nodding, sat behind his desk looking over the homework.

"First Curse. The Cruciatus Curse. The incantation is 'Crucio'. Puts the victim in an unwanted amount of pain, only because it is wanted by the user. As Fetrelli stated, it will not work if you have no hateful feelings toward the victim. Example. Potter, get up here." Snape ordered, the class watching as Harry stood.

"Come on, Potter. We don't have all day. Bring your wand." Harry tentatively stood up and walked up front, clutching his wand so hard his knuckles were white and blue.

He knew Snape'd either make Ron or Hermione stand up, and he really didn't want to hurt either of them. Even if the spell wouldn't work if he didn't want it to, considering his luck, even a chance using the curse on a chair would be life-threatening.

"Miss Granger, you as well." Hermione sprung up to the front and smiled at Professor Snape. Harry became nervous. Since she was five, he was even more cautious around her. Hopefully, everything would be alright.

"Potter, I assure you, nothing will happen. Perform the Cruciatus Curse on her." Harry shakily faced Hermione. Ron's face was tight with nervousness and Hermione looked up at Harry fearfully, afraid that the curse would backfire. With her luck, she expected it.

"Crucio." He said strongly, although his insides were writhing. The gold jet of light hit Hermione and she began to laugh.

"Stop it, that tickles! I thought this was supposed to be painful!" Hermione said, clutching her sides. Harry broke off the curse and Hermione regained her posture.

"You see? Potter harbors no hard feelings against her, therefore, the curse didn't work. Potter, you can sit down. Miss Granger, you stay." Harry sat down, releasing a breath.

'I don't know what I'd do if I had hurt Hermione.' He thought.

"Next curse. The Imperious Curse. The incantation is 'Imperio'. This curse works on everything, except strong willed people. I do believe Miss Granger does indeed have that quality, I gather from previous experience." He said, casting a look at Hermione, who had just straightened up from tying her sneakers.

"Imperio!" Professor Snape said, the silver light streaming towards her. Hermione shrieked as the spell hit her, her body glowing for a split second.

"Sit down." He said, watching her go back to her chair.

"Come back here, now." She did.

"You're obviously not as strong willed as we think. One more." Ron let out a growl. He seemed to be enjoying this way too much. Even for Snape.

"Fetch me a glass of water." He said. Hermione stood still, almost contemplating something.

"Why?" She asked weakly.

"Because I told you to! Go fetch me a glass of water, Miss Granger." Hermione's feet were stiff and she winced.

"No." She said, her body glowing silver again as the glow separated into particles of silvery liquid and disappeared.

"Good. She did listen to the simple things I told her, but she didn't go against them because they were respectful things. She didn't think that fetching water would be respectable, in fact, I think she thought it was more of a servant like thing, and broke off contact with the curse." Snape said. He waved his wand over the board and a word appeared.

"Resistance." He said. "If you can resist the curse, you can beat it. Whatever is told to you, just think about how much you don't want to do it. The Imperious Curse doesn't take away your thoughts; it just takes what is ordered to you and makes it sound good."

"Miss Granger, care to tell me what you thought when I asked you for water?" Snape said, turning to the little girl who was still standing in the front.

"I heard a voice tell me 'I'd get in trouble if I didn't do it' and I heard my voice asking 'Why?' so I decided that I really didn't want to go get you any water. And I thought, 'Why I should allow myself to get things for other people when they are just as capable?'. And that's when I said no, and the curse came off."

"Thank you, you can sit down if you like." She sat back down next to Harry and Ron.

"Last of all, the Killing Curse. Almost like the Cruciatus Curse, you must harbor hate for someone to perform it. The incantation is 'Avada Keravada.'" Snape recited a spell, watching a small, pink bird appear on the desk.

He blinked a few times, before saying loudly,"Avada Keravada!" And the bird fell down twitching, then...dead. The class had stood up and looked at the dead bird. They had kicked it, 'Ennerverate'd it, and had even thrown it out the window. It was truly dead.

The class was over. Many people congratulated Hermione on being able to succeed the Imperious and not feel the Cruciatus. She had run up to Blaise and Pansy and asked them to take her to the Library, but they said no and decided to go see Draco before dinner.


In the Hopsital Wing, Hermione stayed with Blaise as he applied more creme to his bandaged hand while Hermione helped wrap it back up. Pansy was conversing with Draco.

"So, some freak accident made her a five year old? And I thought my life wouldn't get any better." Pansy laughed, but her insides felt bad, like Hermione had felt when she called Draco a 'slimy git.'

"Well, Blaise and I'll be back to see you after dinner." Pansy said, leaving the Hospital Wing with Blaise and Hermione. As soon as they got out the doors, Hermione stopped.


"He hates me." Hermione said, looking up as tears shone in her eyes.

"Oh Hermione, he doesn't even know what happened to you! He's got amnesia that means he can't remember anything. Last he said, he only remembers the summer before school." Pansy said, embracing the small girl. She wiped her tears and Pansy stood up.

"It'll be alright, he'll be back to normal soon." Pansy said, as she and Blaise continued walking. But Hermione stayed still.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Blaise asked, noticing that Hermione hadn't moved. Pansy turned around also.

"I c-can't." She said.

"What, you can't what, Hermione? You're not making sense!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Friends--Draco--hate--amnesia--you--Blaise--" Tears spilled from Hermione's eyes.

"Hermione, say this in a sentence!" Blaise said, shaking her by her shoulders.

This one sentence hurt Hermione the most.

"I can't be friends with you two anymore." And she broke from his grip, turned around, and ran towards the Great Hall, where she was sure Harry, Ron, and Ginny were. They weren't great friends with Draco.

'The perfect place. Maybe Ron could even help me...hate him.' Hermione thought bitterly.


Krysta's Notes: I'm sorry! She needs some time with her own house, now! And Draco's amnesia will cure, I promise.

Helping Her's Crystal Ball:

She was in the dungeons. The dank smell bothered her nose as she could imagine the smell, even from her dream. She saw a head poke out of the dungeons and Draco walk out. She saw herself, older than her current self, around Draco's age.

She and him embraced, but Draco's eyes widened when a hand protruded from his back, blood covered. He gasped for air, as she retracted her hand.

'I should've---never trusted you again---' He said, on his knees. She stood above him, licking her bloody fingers.

'The taste of your blood is so---sweet, Malfoy. And so are you. I never thought you'd trust me--a Mudblood and Gryffindor no less.' In her sleep, Hermione winced and gave an involuntary shudder as she heard herself say that horrid word.

'I'll make you beg for mercy, Malfoy. I'll make you scream and writhe and yell like you never knew anyone could. I'll make you sorry.' She said, turning and walking down the hall, licking her fingertips.

'Stop this--Hermione.' He said. She turned around and laughed. Her laughter was resounding off the bare, stone walls.