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Chapter 3 Memories of the deceased and the insane

Present Day

Hermoine woke up the next morning feeling quite confused at what had happened the previous night. She remembered her encounter with Draco and smiled at the memory of kissing him, but then she frowned when she remembered herself saying Blaise's name.

She shook her head slightly to rid herself of these memories and focused on something else. She knew there was something she was supposed to do today, but she was unsure of what it was.

That's when everything clicked in her head. Today was the day Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had agreed to let Hermoine visit Ron. They let her leave one Saturday a month to visit one of her oldest and dearest friends that she had ever had.

At times she wished things would go back to how they used to be with Harry and Ron, but she knew that it was the past and that it would never happen again. A tear fell down her cheek at the thought of Harry and she clambered into the shower.

She started to wash herself and pictured the old days together. She'd do anything to have them all back. Even bickering with the two of them was better than having one of them laying 6 feet under and the other slowly going insane in the ward at St. Mungo's.

Hermoine stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself and one around her hair. She felt an arm clamp tightly around her waist. Unsure of whom it was (Draco or Blaise); she turned around to find a head of long dark hair facing her.

He grinned at her sheepishly and leaned down to kiss her, but Hermoine ducked. He looked at her in confusion as she pulled herself away from his grasp.

"What's wrong?" he asked while running his hands through his hair.

"Nothing" Hermoine said turning towards her bedroom door. "I'm just having a lot of memories from, you know, before the war. They're kind of sweeping me over" she finished softly.

She rummaged through her wardrobe and finally settled on a pair of faded jeans and a long black shirt.

Blaise came up to her and hugged her closely, kissing her forehead. Hermoine snuggled into his arms. That was the one thing Hermoine loved about Blaise. He cared about her, and would always try to understand what she was going through, even if he had no idea whatsoever.

Hermoine smiled up at him after a couple minutes had passed and she kissed him softly.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" he asked.

Hermoine nodded. "I'm going to St. Mungo's today so I'll see you sometime today" Hermoine said and gave Blaise one last kiss good-bye.

After Blaise left her room, Hermoine changed into the outfit that she had lay out on her bed and made her way to the bathroom to dry her hair.

She entered the common room at about 11. She quietly sat down on the couch to avoid Draco's eyes. He was sitting on an armchair going over some notes he had taken the previous day.

His ears pricked at the sound of the springs on the couch. He looked up to see Hermoine reaching for her book that was on the coffee table. She smiled weakly at him and he nodded. This felt awkward to him, as he knew it would, seeing as she was with his best friend.

Hermoine could feel his eyes on her and said a quick good-bye moments later. She headed towards Professor Dumbledore's office. She'd be taking his fireplace to St. Mungo's. She hurried up the revolving stairs after giving the password to the gargoyles and knocked on the door.

"Come in" he heard the familiar kind voice call to her.

She opened the door to the circular room and stepped in to see Professor Dumbledore stroking Fawkes, his phoenix.

He gave her a warm smile and then said "I've been expecting you. I suppose you're ready to go now?" he asked her.

Hermoine nodded. "Yes, and I'd like to thank you once more for giving me the privilege to visit him" she said.

"Well, you are one of the top students in your year, and he was one of your closer friends, and after discussing it with your head, we had both come to conclusion that it is for the best" he said, his eyes twinkling underneath the half-moon spectacles that rested on his crooked nose.

Hermoine smiled and nodded her appreciation.

"You know the routine Ms. Granger. Floo powder there and back. We expect you to be back at the castle by 4 p.m." Professor Dumbledore said while handing her a jar filled with floo powder.

Hermoine nodded once more, took a handful of the powder, stepped into the fireplace and clearly said "St. Mungo's" and dropped the powder, vanishing from Dumbledore's office.