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Hermione's mind was a swirl of thought as she made her way through the castle back to her room. She had just spent the better part of the day trying to find information that fit with the unusual physical complications she had been experiencing. Her research had led her down a path that she was unsure she wanted to travel. What she had found had not produced hopeful results. In fact, the information was somewhat terrifying, and still too unverified for her liking. While she had found information that fit her suspicions, nothing had explained exactly her situation. Some had come close but there had not been one answer that specified exactly what she was dealing with. Still, the information had been enough to almost conclude exactly what she had feared. Hermione wasn't sure what to do about the information and wasn't at all comforted by the fact that her research had not given her a conclusive solution to the problem. Her plan was to just wait and see what happened in a couple of days when she was scheduled to see Harry again. If something happened, and she was struck ill again she would be forced to talk to him about it. One of the down sides was that Ron was also supposed to be there, and that could make things incredibly awkward. She scowled as she tried to figure out when and how this had happened. Hermione saw a few past students and staff as she made her way down corridors. Many had come to help piece the castle back together. Most of the volunteers left at the end of the day's work. Hermione had been granted special permission to stay in the castle with some of the staff members since she had no real home to go to as of yet.

Half way down the corridor Hermione suddenly felt weak and dizzy. She slowed her steps and breathed deeply. Reaching her hand out to the wall to steady herself she felt pain begin to radiate through her limbs. Taking a few more steps she groaned as her body protested her movements. This pain was like the similar to last weeks. Her mind told her it was too soon. She shouldn't be feeling ill yet. She still had two days. Without warning she fell to the ground. Her limbs refused to support her. The pain seemed to sizzle inside of her muscles and she gasped for air. She couldn't think as the pain enveloped her. She was aware she needed help but couldn't seem to get her lungs to fill enough to shout. In the back of her mind she could hear footsteps and then she heard a panicked voice call her name. She was unable to respond. Her body arched as tremors wracked her body. She heard yelling and saw a figure bend over her just before her vision turned dark.

Hermione's world came back to life slowly. She moved her head slightly and groaned at the soreness in her neck. Her eyelids were heavy and it took a lot of effort to pry them open. Swallowing she noticed her mouth was dry. Her vision came into focus and she knew she was in the hospital wing. It suddenly came back to her. She had collapsed in the corridor. Her brain was flooded with questions, she slightly startled when she heard Professor McGonagalls voice, "Poppy, she's waking up." Hermione turned her head the other way and saw the Headmistress looking at her with clear concern. She then heard Madam Pomfrey approach her bed. Pomfrey said, "Hermione, how are you feeling dear?"

Hermione crocked, "tired and soar." Professor McGonagall offered her a glass of water. Hermione took it but her hand was shaking. She managed to get it to her mouth after spilling some of it on her blankets.

"Do you remember what happened?" Pomfrey asked.

"I felt dizzy and then I was suddenly in a lot of pain and collapsed. How did I get here?" Hermione asked. Her head was hurting and her joints felt swollen.

McGonagall said gently, "One of the staff was headed down the corridor and saw you fall. He called for help. You were trembling and shortly after we got you here it stopped. You've been unconscious for an hour." Hermione nodded slowly. The information was troubling. She wanted to try to put her brain into action over the problem but she really just wanted to go back to sleep.

Pompfrey asked, "Have you been feeling ill recently?"

Hermione wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to explain her suspicions but she didn't want to lie either. "I've had some pain on and off for a couple of weeks. It's usually short lived and nothing as intense as what I just experienced."

Madam Pompfrey fixed her with a concerned look. She waved her wand over Hermione and shook her head in frustration. "I can't detect anything amiss. You seem healthy. Tired but healthy. Clearly you are still weak and very shaky though. How's your pain?"

Hermione sighed as she took stock in how her body was currently feeling. "It's not so bad. More of a deep ache. May I have a pain potion?"

Madam Pompfrey shook her head with a scowl. "We already gave you one after your…episode. It doesn't seem to be working though."

Professor McGonagall asked, "Poppy, do you have any idea what is causing this?"

Hermione was trying to focus on the conversation but she was feeling increasingly tense. She vaguely heard Pompfrey express her desire to run a few more tests. She heard McGonagall begin to respond but didn't hear the words as her body was once again thrown into fire. Hermione took in a painful gasp and curled her trembling body into a ball in an attempt to escape the stabbing pain. Her only thought was that she needed Harry. She heard McGonagall trying to say something to her. With all her strength she rasped out her plea, "Harry. Get Harry… Please." She turned her head into the pillow and squeezed her eyes closed while the convulsions ripped through her.

McGonagall was horrified watching her beloved student writhe in pain. What was going on? She tried to comfort the girl and was surprised to hear Hermione's cry for Harry. Not understanding why the girl was asking for her friend but feeling the importance of it she wasted no time in flooing the Auror office. She paced her office waiting for Harry to come through. Less than 2 min passed before Harry stepped out of the fireplace. He shook the soot from his clothes and said, "Where's Hermione? What's wrong?"

Ushering Harry out of her office and toward the infirmary she said, "She's in the hospital wing. We don't know what's going on. She just collapsed and was convulsing. It stopped for a while but then started again. She asked for you."

Harry could tell the Headmistress was worried. Her lips were taut and her face a bit pale. Her eyebrows were drawn together. As they walked, Harry was vaguely aware of how familiar the hallways were, as if nothing had changed. He hurriedly followed her to the infirmary. When they walked through the doors Harry was met with a sight that made his breath catch. Hermione was trembling so badly he was afraid she would fall off the bed at any moment. Her face was drawn as if attempting to hold back her cries. He rushed to her bed and quickly asked Pompfrey, "What is happening to her? You have to help her!"

"I don't know how to. Nothing is working." Pompfrey seemed quite flustered.

Hermione opened her eyes and gasped, "Harry…"

Immediately Harry reached for her tight and shaking hand. "I'm here Hermione. It's going to be alright." As soon as Harry touched her hand he saw Hermione's body completely relax. She stopped shaking and breathed deeply. Her body seemed to melt into the mattress. In a whisper, she breathed, "Thank you." She closed her eyes and felt Harry brush a curl from her forehead before she slipped into a deep sleep.

Harry was astonished by the whole situation. What on earth had just happened. One minute Hermione was in the throes of what looked to be terrible pain and the next she was limp and unconscious. "What is going on?" He didn't want to sound demanding but this was all too strange. The fact that Hermione was too pale and not awake only caused his levels of stress to rise.

Pompfrey answered first, "We don't really know. All we know at this point is that she collapsed when she had an episode and was brought here. Pain potions didn't work and eventually the episode stopped. She woke up an hour later feeling tired and said she had been having aches off and on for a couple of weeks but nothing as severe as what she experienced today. We were discussing it when she suddenly had another attack. All she said was she needed you to come."

Harry shook his head. This didn't make any sense. "It looked like she was suffering from the Curiatus Curse."

"It did seem similar but I can assure you that the second episode was not brought on by anyone raising a wand to curse her." Pompfrey explained.

"Harry, she seemed to know you could help her. When you touched her just now the attack ended. That is very odd. I've seen situations that bare some similarities to this... I wonder…. Perhaps Ms. Granger knows a bit more than she was able to tell us earlier. When she wakes up we will need to discuss what has happened."

"Why would my touching her have any effect on her?" Harry asked bewildered.

McGonagall very seriously said, "I have suspicions but I am not ready to discuss them just now. But one cannot ignore the fact that Hermione seems to have responded to your touch when even potions could not calm her. We will know more when she wakes."

Harry wanted to ask more but the Headmistress continued, "I need to talk to a few people. Poppy, please keep me posted on Ms. Grangers condition. Harry, you are welcome to stay as long as you like of course. I'll be in my office." With that pronouncement she turned and walked through the doors.

"Right. You are welcome to sit with her. There is no telling how long she will sleep. She seemed quite exhausted. The house elves can bring you some food if you get hungry. I'll be in my office. I'll check back later." Pompfrey then headed to her office.

Harry was left in the stark silence of the hospital wing. He pulled up a hair and sat heavily. He stared at Hermione. She seemed to have a bit more color and she was breathing easily and deeply. She looked relaxed. He tried to tell himself not to worry but there was a growing concern in his chest that wouldn't let up. Was Hermione sick? If so, why did the potions not work? She had confessed to feeling a bit ill on and off for two weeks. He remembered her feeling ill at the picnic they had last week. She had said it was the flu. That was no longer true. The flu usually didn't involve collapsing in fits of pain. Something had made Hermione ask for him. Was it really his touch that had caused her to attack to end? How could that be? He'd never heard of anything like that. He didn't have any answers. There were only two people who seemed to have any clue at all. One, was busy finding more out, the other was contentedly sleeping. Harry itched with the effort it took to sit and wait. A slight spasm ran through Hermione's body. She didn't wake. He tentatively reached out and put his hand lightly on top of hers. If his touch had somehow helped her, perhaps he could offer her a bit more peace while she slept. She had such slender fingers. A sudden memory of her playing the old piano at Grimmauld place filled his brain. Ron had been sitting next to her. They were flirting and Harry had averted his gaze. Perhaps if he had paid attention he would have seen how gracefully her fingers played the keys. It hadn't matter back then. They had been running for their lives and Ron had sway over her heart. Now though, now he wanted to hear her play again. Maybe even be the one on the bench with her. Harry shook his head at the thought. It made him nervous to know his thoughts were headed in a direction he was not sure was wise to take. Not at all. He wondered if he should send an owl to Ron, knowing that his friend would be curious about what was going on. Harry realized he wasn't even sure what to say. He didn't have any answers yet. Putting off the idea he settled into his chair and tried to get comfortable. It was probably going to be a long night.