Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, they are the brilliant works of the marvelous J.K.Rowling. I also do not own Coldplay or To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

CHAPTER 20

Harry and Ron were still pacing outside Hermione's quarters when the common room door swung open. The first thing they saw was Hermione's limp body hanging in mid air, followed by Ginny, levitating her with her wand. Hermione was wearing some loose-fitting tracksuit pants and a large plain grey jumper. (They were all the Ginny could find in the hurry to get Hermione to the hospital wing. She wasn't going to let the whole school see Hermione in just her bikinis.) The boys' first reaction was to run to Hermione and Harry quickly held her in his arms. Without a word the three of them went to the hospital wing, Harry carrying Hermione with Ron and Ginny following closely behind.

Given that it was late at night most of the students were in their dorms and so they didn't see many people on the way to the Wing. But this also meant that when they got there Madam Pomfrey wasn't there either. Harry laid Hermione down on the nearest bed and Ginny and Ron raced off to wake the mediwitch. Harry sat with Hermione but she did not wake up. When Madam Pomfrey finally arrived she was dressed in a floral dressing-gown and had rollers in her hair. She bustled over to the young unconscious girl and taking one look at her, went to the medicine cabinet to retrieve the vial she needed. She opened the bottle and wet a cotton bud with the clear liquid. She then parted Hermione's lips and wiped the bud onto the inside of her mouth. She closed the bottle and by the time it was back in the cabinet Hermione was starting to wake up. When she awoke she sat bolt upright and looked nervously around the room. All her friends moved closer to her to try and calm her down but she would not lie down as they insisted. Madam Pomfrey walked over to the young girl and placed a thick blanket around her shoulders.

Sitting in the foetal position with her thick hair in a mess around her face and engrossed in the large blanket she looked truly pitiful. Her friends looked at her and at each other with grave concern. She did not want to be touched by anyone. She was still shaking terribly but no one could get a word out of her. Hermione sat there for awhile with her friends crowded around her. She rocked back and forth and her friends were all very worried about her. They sat in silence. After a while, Madam Pomfrey asked to have a moment alone with Hermione. The three shuffled out and promised to come back. The nurse sat in one of the empty chairs surrounding the bed and sat down.

"I have been a mediwitch for many, many years, and I know the difference between when a child is sick, and when they are scared out of their wits. Please, let me examine you. It won't take long but I can't help you unless you let me take a proper look at you. Please?"

"No." Was all Hermione said. She continued to stare into space.

"He did this to you, didn't he?" His name hadn't even been mentioned and still Hermione flinched. Madam Pomfrey nodded disapprovingly and without a word, walked over to her medicine cabinet. She came back with a bright blue liquid. She handed the small vial to Hermione and sat down on the bed.

"This is called 'Thinkosa Dissapero'. It is a very strong mixture and I want you to drink it. It lasts for about three or four weeks." Hermione had read about it in books but let the mediwitch explain it to her anyway.

"Once you've taken it, you only have to think to yourself that you want to disappear, and you will." She looked pityingly at Hermione and put a hand on her face. Hermione did not flinch or push her away.

"Please be safe." She said before she kissed her lightly on the forehead. She left the Hospital wing and immediately after her friends returned. They sat once again in the chairs around her bed but didn't say anything. Unexpectedly, Hermione casually asked,

"So, what'd I miss?" She three were rather shocked at her question but answered calmly.

"You mean today?" She nodded.

"Well, Snape gave us a killer of an assignment and we've nearly finished dreading To Kill a Mockingbird in Muggle Studies. Other than that, it was pretty boring." Ron said.

"Lots of people asked about you" Said Harry, trying to be comforting. Hermione smiled vaguely and looked at her feet.

"Sorry guys." She whispered. She didn't know why she was apologising. Maybe for all the fuss she had caused and not wanting to tell them about it. They had no idea she wanted to scream it at the top of her lungs, but she couldn't. Not only because of Draco's threat, but also because she would feel humiliated and didn't want to admit that she had been so wrong. They all understood and reassured her that everything was fine.

The Hospital doors swung open and Draco rushed in with a look of worry on his face. He raced over to Hermione and cupped her face in his hands. She looked terrified to see him but her friends didn't notice – She had looked like that ever since they found her. Given the fact that they didn't actually know what had really happened, they didn't know for sure whether he had had anything to do with Hermione's condition. The three stood and moved away from the bed to give the two some space.

"Are you ok? I haven't seen you all day and when I heard you were in the hospital wing I got here as soon as I could. Are you alright?" what surprised Hermione was that he genuinely looked concerned.

Harry could see this display was upsetting Ron and so he decided it would be best if they all left. While he didn't trust Draco, Harry felt there was nothing he could do. He didn't want to butt into Hermione's personal life, and especially not after he had given them his blessing. Harry motioned to the other two to leave, and they left after saying whispered goodbye's to Hermione.

Hermione was desperate to call out to her friends for help but there was nothing she could so. She was helpless. She just had to carry on as usual and pretend like nothing was wrong so not to upset Draco. Still clutching the small vial, she placed her hand under the blanket so he wouldn't see it.

"I'm fine." He looked worried and a weak smile was all she could manage.

"We should get you back to the dorm. You look terrible." He put his arm around her and helped her off the bed. They left the Hospital Wing and he led her down the hall. She was shaking more now and was frightened of what he was going to do to her when they got back to their room. Her legs felt like lead and each step they took towards their room they got heavier. She felt sick with worry and hoped her friends would come and save her. But they didn't. She figured with the speech she made about 'trusting her judgement' they probably didn't want to get involved. It dawned on her what Draco might do if they did try to intervene and she cursed herself for wanting them to come to her rescue. She didn't want them getting hurt because of a mistake she'd made.

They made it to their room all too quickly for Hermione's liking and the little man opened the door. It was strange, everything seemed to be going too fast and yet be in slow motion at the same time. He tried to lead her into their common room but she seemed unwilling. He didn't notice and pushed on anyway. Once in their room he asked her if she wanted to sit by the fire for a while but she shook her head. She remained wide-eyes and looked terrified, but still he didn't notice.

"Ok, we'll get you up to bed then." He lead her forcefully up the stairs and into her bedroom. He looked her up and down but all he said was,

"I guess you can sleep like that." He pulled back thee covers to her bed and helped her get in. Once she looked settled, he sat on the bed next to her. He kissed her softly on the forehead as Madam Pomfrey had done and left the room. And that was it. As soon as the door closed she quickly fumbled for the vial in her hand and tipped the potent liquid down her throat, like an alcoholic getting his first drink in months. He had not attacked her, or yelled at her for anything. He had simply been caring. Though he had done it rather absently, which was strange. Though he didn't seem aggravated, and it didn't look like he was going to attack her, she knew how suddenly his mood could change, and decided to take precaution anyway. She reached over to her wand on her nightstand and whispered a powerful locking spell on her door.

She replaced her wand and snuggled down into her covers, pulling them tightly around her as if for protection. She didn't think there was any way that she would be able to sleep that night, but as the potion she had just swallowed made the adjustments to her body that it needed to work, she soon nodded off into fitful slumber.