12/18/99

Hermione,

Here my love are the memories from the rest of our fifth year. Once again there are several. I hope it is not too much for you to view at once. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by it all please take a break and watch the rest on another day. Remember when you are finished if you have any questions about what you have seen you can write to me and I'll answer whatever I can. I really hope something here will spark something for you. Some of these memories have stronger emotions I hope that one of them will help you recover something.

Always yours,

Draco

"How was the rest of your break?"

"It was good. How about you?" she asked as she curled up on the cough and leaned into him.

"It was actually pretty quiet. Most of the time if was just Mother and me. Lucius was out of the house frequently, which was probably for the best. Christmas itself was nice. The ball was better than I expected. There was no talk about anything other than Christmas plans, at least not that I heard. So back to work now."

"I really need to spend more time studying if I'm going to pass the OWLS," she commented.

"I have no idea why you're worried about them, you're bound to easily get an O in everything," he reassured her.

"Sure with Umbridge as a teacher it will be amazing if anyone is able to get an O in Defense. Really she and Fudge think we'll be able to pass the practical test with only theoretical knowledge. That may work for some but not for everyone, not for a lot of people," she complained.

"At least you have Potter teaching you right? That's what you all are doing, learning spells for Defense?"

"Yes," she nodded, "so some of us will do well but anyone not working with him may be just out of luck."

"Like me," he said.

"No you… you should be fine. You have the skills. You could practice on your own."

"But I don't know what to practice," he said. "Unless you'd be my teacher. Teach me what Potter is teaching you. We can find a place for it, you don't have to take me to the same place you're using."

She sat up and looked at him, "No, that's actually the perfect place to go. I can meet with you after we meet each time, maybe the next night."

"When do you meet? How do you manage to schedule it and let everyone know?" he was genuinely curious.

She chewed her lip as she thought.

"You don't have to tell me if you think it will be a problem. Or I can make whatever promise everyone else made that I won't tell anyone if it would make you feel better."

She shook her head, "No, I trust you. I was just thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea for us to have our own copies of what we use for times we might want to meet other than when we usually do, if one of us really needs to talk to the other for some reason, but it will take a little more work."

"Ooookaaaay," he said slowly.

She pulled a galleon from her pocket and showed it to him, "I use this. I change the number on the edge and everyone else's gets warm and shows them the date and time of our next meeting."

"A galleon," he said in amazement. "Um, I don't mean any offense, but doesn't look a little odd for the Weasleys to have galleons?"

She shrugged, "Right now it's not so odd for Fred and George what with their selling all of their joke stuff. For Ron and Ginny yes, but they're better at hiding it or at least Ginny is. Everyone knows not to check their coin unless only other members of the group are around or they are alone."

"So you're thinking of creating another coin just for the two of us?"

"Yes," she replied. "This one only goes one way, it's the master. Everyone else just has a coin that receives the information I think it would be good if we had one that both of us could change. It can't be a galleon though it would make more sense for you to have one but I don't want to get them confused."

"Why did you choose the Galleon in the first place?"

"Because it's the largest coin so the print is larger and easier to see," she replied as if the answer should have been obvious.

"Good point," he conceded. "So a sickle for us?"

"That should work," she nodded.

"I'll work on them as soon as I can. I should be able to get it to you in just a few days."

"Is there any reason you couldn't take me to the room show me now? Or would any of the spells you've learned be destructive to our space here?"

"I don't know about here, but I don't suppose there will be anyone in the room right now."

"So you'll take me?"

"Let's spend one more hour studying," she replied. 'I really need to get this essay for McGonagall done. Then I'll tell you where to go and you can meet me there."

"You're right," he put in, "We shouldn't be seen walking the halls together."

"I'll go first," she said. "And I'll let you in when you get there."

"But how will you know I'm there?" he was bewildered.

"I'll explain when you get there; trust me it'll be easier then."

She cast a Tempus charm to track the time and they got to work. When the hour was up, she packed up everything as did he. Then she gave him directions to the seventh floor corridor across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls As she stood to leave she told him to give her 10 minutes

When he arrived in the corridor, there was no door just a blank wall. He was shocked and awed when mere seconds later a door began to form in the wall. He tried to turn the handle and enter the room but it would not budge, so he knocked. When the door open he could see that it was Hermione holding the knob. She invited him in.

As he entered he noticed that the room was lit by flickering torches much like the dungeons. The walls were lined with wooden bookcase, and there were no chairs in the room rather there were large silk cushions on the floor. In the back of the room were more shelves covered in a variety of Dark detectors. He moved over to the bookshelves and read several of the titles to himself then turned to her.

"I'm surprised with this selection of books that you don't study in here."

"If I did I wouldn't get any work done, I'd be too busy reading those. Now let's see you know the disarming spell right."

"Yes."

"And you know the stunning spell?"

"Yes."

"Maybe it would be easier if you told me what you already know and we'll go from there. You might end up teaching me some spells too."

"I highly doubt that," he replied before beginning to list all of the attack and defense spells he had tried.

"It sounds like you already know most of what we've tried, how about the Shield Charm? The simplest version won't block everything but it's still worth knowing."

"How many versions are there?"

"When I counted there were five: Protego, Protego Duo, Protego Horribilis, Protego Maxima, Protego Totalum. Obviously it makes most sense to start in order from the weakest and build from there."

"Okay," he said, "what do I need to do?"

She showed him the first spell, demonstrating for him the wand movements and the spoken enchantment, asking him to cast a quick expelliarmus to see what happened. Then she did the same with him. It took him only a few tries to get the spell right. They tried the next level of the shield spell and worked until each had it mastered.

"We should get going," she said. "It's getting late. We can come here again and do more Protego charms. If Harry teaches us anything new in the meantime I can show you that as well."

"Thank you," he replied.

"Don't mention it," she said as she sent the cushions flying back where they had been and led the way to the door.

"You didn't tell me how you were able to get in here but I wasn't."

"So do you know what this room is?"

"No I've never seen it or heard of it before."

"This is the Room of Requirement, or I guess the elves call it the come-and-go room. It can be anything you want it to be or need it to be. If you walk past the room and need something you just think about it three times and it will appear, or I think in an emergency it could happen with less than three times."

"So you asked it to be a place to practice defensive spells?"

"Well Harry did," she replied.

He began to roll his eyes and but stopped suddenly, "That's essentially the same thing. So if you need it to be something else it will do that? It can be anything? How does that even work? What happens if more than one person wants to use it? What if someone is inside and someone else wants to use it?"

"I don't really know," she replied. "I know that Dobby told Harry that he brings winky here when she's had too much butterbeer guess it becomes a place for her to sleep it off. What else it could be I have no idea I think maybe Fred and George usee it to hide in once when they were being chased by Filch after a prank and it was just a closet."

"How many people know about this room?"

"I have no idea," she said. "Everyone in the DA though I don't think they all necessarily know how it works.. I know Harry told some of us but I don't think the whole school knows or I would think we would have heard of it by now. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you want to know how many people know about the room?"

"I was just thinking some time we could study here instead of the library. Maybe we could ask the room two be a study room. It's not that I don't like our little corner of the library, I do. I'll take any excuse to snuggle up next to you, but I know there are times where we need more table space than we have. Do you think anyone would know?

"Like Umbridge?"

"Well yes."

"I don't know. If someone doesn't know it exists they wouldn't know to look here. She hasn't found us here yet so I'm guessing she doesn't know it's here."

"You're probably right. If she knew this place was here I bet it would be the first place she'd check, she'd probably be staking the place out."

"Just one more reason that no one can tell her. One more reason I took precautions to keep that from happening."

"You ever going to tell me what they are?"

"Maybe someday. I want to keep it a secret for a while."

"Secret huh? I suppose I can understand that. You don't plan on using it on me though are you?"

"I hadn't really thought about it, but maybe," she said with a wink and a giggle.

"Okay guess I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you."

"You do that," she smirked. "I'll see you tomorrow in class?"

"I'll be there," he leaned over and kissed her gently before leaving the room.

As the most settled out again they found themselves looking down on a squashed pink bow on top of the short short woman in front of them. Draco and the other Slytherin prefects stood lined up in her office.

"Now that we know where they are," the toad croaked, "we'll get them. You will each approach from a different direction. Bring them all back, I'll be right behind you."

They followed Draco as he went down the hall, taking out his wand, the silver sickle, and muttering to it as he walked.

"He must have been trying to warm me," Hermione said. "Do you remember that at all? Did I say anything to you? Did I have a sickle with me?"

"I don't remember," Harry said, "It all happened so fast. Dobby came to warn me. How he knew I have no idea, but he did. He was squeaking at me and we all scattered."

They had arrived in 7th Floor corridor, not at the exact entrance to the room but around to the other side. Where Draco suspected they might be able to escape. He looked both ways to see if any of his fellow prefects were around and waited. Soon Harry came flying down the hallway Draco stepped out say something to him. When Harry saw the blonde he tripped over his feet and fell to the floor. Draco reach down to help him up but Harry scrambled back and before either of them could say a word Umbridge called out from the hallway.

"Very good Mr. Malfoy, I see you've captured Mr. Potter. Go help round up the rest. I'll take care of him," she used her wanna to send a rope around Harry's wrists then grabbed him by the collar, pulled him to stand up, and led him down the hallway with her wand at his back.

Draco stood staring at the sickle in his hand as if waiting for an answer.

Seconds passed and they were now in an unfamiliar room. It was a small room with a fireplace, two large wing chairs on either side. There was also a good sized round table with chairs pissed in at odd angles all around it. standing in front of the fire got into it the Draco they waited with him they all heard a knock at the swept across the room yank open the door and pulled in the young Hermione slammed the door shut behind her.

"Are you all right?" he asked. " Did you not get my warning. I tried to get it to you as fast as I could. Did it not make sense? Why weren't you able to get away?"

"Yes I got your warning. We just couldn't get out fast enough. We scattered but it seemed there were people everywhere to catch us. What were you doing with Umbridge anyway? Harry said you tripped him so she could catch him."

"I wasn't helping her or at least I was trying not to, but she didn't know that. She called all of the Slytherin prefects to come to her office. I couldn't very well say no; she would have suspected something was up. I had to use it as a chance to try and warn you. I didn't capture Potter. He tripped over his own two feet when he saw me. I couldn't let him just go by I was going to try and direct him to a hall where she wouldn't see him but I wasn't fast enough, not that he would have listened to me anyway."

"No you're right; he wouldn't have. I'm sure he would have thought you were sending him straight into a trap. I should have told him about us long before now."

"Does that mean you're going to tell him now?" he asked, shocked.

"No. He's never going to understand. And even if I were going to tell him, now is not the time, not with everything going on with Umbridge. That woman has the largest store of veritaserum I've ever seen.

"Not that she needed it to get Marietta to start squealing," he commented. "Nice job on the curse by the way. I'm not so sure you shouldn't have been a Slytherin."

"I'll take that as compliment," she said.

"I hope so, it's how I meant it. You know we're not all bad. There are good sides to us just like there are good and bad in every house."

"I know I know," she said.

"I understand she was one of us she and that alone would turn anyone sour on the house. Most of us don't even want to claim Umbridge. With the way we've treated you, you have every right to hate Slytherin."

"I don't hate the whole house I may hate that fool Salazar himself and what he stood for as well as the results of his beliefs being passed down but it's ridiculous to hate everyone for things they can't control."

"So you have detention."

She laughed ruefully, "For eternity."

"Or at least until Umbridge is gone," he said. "I suppose this means we won't be able to meet up as often."

"Yes I won't have as much free time. I'm sorry," she said.

"It's not your fault," he replied, putting a hand on her upper arm, "don't apologize. I wish I could have done something else, anything else to have warned you all."

"Don't take that on yourself," she lightly scolded. "There really wasn't anything else you could have done. You wouldn't have been able to get into the room."

"I know I still wish I could have done something. Anyway, do you have time now?"

"Yes," she said.

"Has Potter taught you anything else you could show me?"

She tilted her head back thinking before she replied, "Have you heard of the Patronus charm?"

"Heard of it, never even thought about trying it. Rumor has it Death Eaters can't do it."

"You're not a Death Eater," she insisted.

"But my father was, is."

"And you think that somehow is going to stop you from being able to do it?" she asked.

"You never know," he shrugged.

"No, not until you try," she said. "You will try won't you?"

"For you I will but don't be surprised if it doesn't work," he said glumly.

"Now you know better thant that; you have to believe that you can do it. You have to have faith and confidence in your skills as a spellcaster."

She demonstrated the spell for him, showing him the wand movement and teaching him the incantation. He watched in amusement as the silver streak shot from the end of her wand and became an otter dancing across the room.

"OK now you try," she instructed. "Think of your happiest memory, be sure you have it clearly in your head."

He closed his eyes and soon thereafter opened them, waved his wand as she had shown, repeated, "Expecto patronum," and watched the wisp of silver emerge from the end of his wand.

"That's it?" he asked disappointment ringing in his voice.

"That's great for a first try," she replied quickly. "Try thinking of a different stronger memory, something happier and try it again once more."

He closed his eyes and cast the spell the result this time was much larger but did not come to any distinct form. He sighed.

"Don't get discouraged," she said, "there are plenty of adult wizards and witches that don't even get that much. This is great for a first try. We should probably get going now. I'll help you next time we meet again."

"One more time," he said.

"I don't know," she answered, "It takes a lot out of you to cast this spell. We've had a lot of stress, we really should relax."

"I have little bit more to give. Just let me."

"You really should try to get it some other time and relax right now as much as you can."

"Just once more," he insisted.

"Okay fine," she relented then muttered under her breath. "you and Harry are more alike than either of you realizes."

She watched him carefully as he stood looking intently before raising his wand once more. This time the silver coalesced into a distinct form.

"A cat?" he raised an eyebrow, "Why a cat?"

"Each patronus is different. Well not every one but most people have different patronuses. Obviously some people have the same ones. There are only so many animals in the world, but I don't know how it happens for why but I know it does. I guess I need to do more research."

"I already knew patronuses are different I just didn't expect a cat. I expected something, I don't know, bigger...more...somthing," he complained.

"It's a Ragdoll cat you know, not just any old ordinary cat," she said.

"What makes a Ragdoll cat different from any other cat?"

"I don't know," she answered, "I'll have to look it up. I'm sure there's a book in the library I'll just need to find it. I could go tomorrow and ask Madame Pince she should be able to direct me to the right section."

Suddenly a slim book appeared on the table. Hermione crossed over, picked up the book, and began flipping through the pages.

"I found it, Ragdoll cat: If this is your patronus you are playful and smart. You're affectionate to those you care for and playful in nature. Fiercely intelligent, you know your own mind. Although you're never impolite and always well mannered. If the Ragdoll cat is your patronus you are carefree and fun loving. This patronus is most common in Ravenclaw but is found in the other houses. Well that explains it then," she said.

"How does that explain anything?" he asked.

"You're smart enough to be in Ravenclaw, you're certainly playful-"

"But I'm not impolite."

"Well ok, not to everyone," she replied, "but I don't think you have to fit every single part of the definiton. Besides I don't know anyone who is or has never been impolite in their life. That's nearly impossible. We can still do more research."

"You will whether I say I will or not so go ahead, you were right before though it is getting late and we should go, but first." he took the book from her hands, placed it on the table, and pulled her into his arms holding her close with his head on hers, "I'm just so glad you're ok," he whispered before pulling back and brushing his lips over hers.

As the scene before them changed they realized that they were standing still in the little study room version of the room of requirement and Draco was again standing there waiting quite obviously for Hermione this time though he was pacing the floor.

The door opened she entered and stood right at the door hugging the wall looking very nervous.

He stopped pacing, turned and stared at her for several seconds before rushing across the room and pulling her into his arms, squeezing her tight to him then pulling back and looking her up and down.

"You're okay. You're all right?" he asked as he once again looked her up and down for any signs of injury. "You are okay."

She rested her head against his chest and breathed in deeply just appreaciating being held for a moment before stepping back, "Draco," she said as she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed against him enough to take a half step back, "Your father, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Don't apologize! Don't you dare! It's not your fault! He made his own choices, years ago even. Just be more careful yourself," here his speaking became ranting, "What were you thinking anyway? Were you even thinking? I get that Potter and Weasley don't think; they act. They're gryffindor's to the core but you, you think, usually. What happened? Do you know what could have happened to you? Let's go back to my father. He'd have killed you as soon as look at you just because you're in the way and he's trying to save his own arse. And then there's my aunt. She is crazy in a way I've never even heard of. She'd kill you as soon as look at you too but she'd do it because she enjoys it. She enjoys torturing and killing. Even Mother is scared of her, she's scared of her own sister. What does that tell you? And my Mother is formidable when she wants to be she can be downright scary! I've seen the marks on Weasley's arms, that could have been you. Do you know how terrified I was and I wasn't able to do anything about it, there was no one I could say anything too. No one would understand, and even if anyone knew the people who would have known were with you."

He stepped further back to see the look on her face, there was chagrin but also determination.

She obviously wanted to speak, to rebut some of the things he was saying but was instead waiting for him to finish, knowing that he wouldn't listen now anyway, he was simply too worked up.

"You could have been captured. You could have been tortured. You could have been killed. You could have... I don't even know. You came back but I couldn't see you. I knew you were here but I couldn't talk to you. I couldn't talk to anyone. It feels like you've been avoiding me for days and I know you probably actually haven't you just haven't been able to get away, but I couldn't talk to you and now there's a rumor,something about the centaurs and Umbridge and you being the reason she's disappeared and that they took her. I don't know I don't care what you did or didn't do I'm not even asking. I'm just so glad you're okay," he pulled her into a hug once again holding her tight his head rest on hers his face buried in her hair. She stood for several moments in his embrace before gently stepping back. When she did she and the adults could see that he had been crying. She wiped the tears from his cheeks and took a deep breath before speaking, "First off, you're right, we didn't think or at least not as much as we should have. There was no talking Harry out of going and I wasn't going to let him go alone or even with only Ron as backup and then everyone else decided to go along to. I don't know if you know but Sirius Black, your mother's cousin, is Harry's Godfather and was never a follower of Voldemort. He was framed by Peter Pettigrew, a man who was supposed to be one of his best friends."

"That I know," he replied darkly, "that rat bragged about how he is free to serve the Dark Lord while Sirius was being hunted by the Dementors."

"Then you should know you should understand. Harry was sure Siriues was in trouble and he insisted on going to save him."

"You have got to rein him in. He's supposed to be the one to defeat Voldemort. We want that Gryffindor bravery but not the recklessness."

"I know! Trust me I've already gave him a piece of my mind but there was no stopping him. Sirius was the only family he had left. That was all that mattered to him. Period!" she said.

"This is crazy. He's going to get himself killed."

"I know," she said, "let's sit down so I can tell you the since story you obviously want to hear it."

They moved over to sit in the wing chairs that were in front of the fireplace, moving them next to each other, and holding hands she told him the entire story finishing with Dumbledore finding them in the Ministry.

"What's going to happen now with your father gone?" she asked.

"I don't know. It won't be good I'm sure but it's not like there's anything I can do about it, whatever it is."

"You have the sickle call me at anytime time over the summer. Message me if you need to find a way to meet and talk."

"But won't that show up as underage use of magic in your house?"

"I don't think the ministry is going to be paying quite as much attention to underage magic this summer as they have in the past," she said sadly.

"I hate to say it but you're probably right about that. I don't know if I'll be able to see you this summer like we did it Christmas but I'd like to try."

"Anytime," she said, "just let me know."

He pulled her up and over into his lap as they sat and kissed and cuddled Harry turned to the woman at his side just in time for her to collapse into his arms. He pulled them both out of the memory. When he came back to the present sitting in the chair by the table he took her by the shoulders and shook her. There was no response. He knew he couldn't do anything about it as he didn't know any spells yet to revive an unconscious person and had no potions on hand to do it either. He carefully picked her up and carried her our of the room, down the hall, and into number 13. Arriving at the floo he took a handful of powder, threw it in the fireplace, and said loudly and clearly McGonagall's office. Seconds later he was stepping out of the fireplace with Hermione in his arms and the headmistress looked up at him eyes wide, stood and followed him and strode out of the office.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," he replied as he headed to the stairs, "we were watching the memories I looked over and she collapsed."

Minerva trailed behind him sending a patronus so that Poppy would be waiting. She stood holding the doors open as they arrived.

"Behind the screen," was all she said.

As Harry lay her on the cot Madam Pomfrey took out her wand waving it several times in various complicated patterns, "She's healthy," she said, "there's nothing physically wrong."

"How long were you in the pensieve?" McGonagall asked Harry.

"I don't know," he said, "we started at about noon."

'My word you've been at this for four hours."

"Four hours in the Pensieve!" Pomfrey exclaimed.

"So you were viewing memories that you or Draco remember that she doesn't recall due to the Obliviation but that involve her. Since she shows no physical signs it must be some sort of mind exhaustion. I'll see what I can do," she rushed off to the little store room on the side returning with several potions.

She instructed Harry to lift Hermione up to sitting position. She opened the woman's mout and poured a small potion and then a second down the woman's throat. Harry held her as she began finally opening her eyes.

"Where am I?"

Harry laid her back down on the cot but held her hands, "You passed out. I couldn't take care of you so I brought you to Madam Pomfrey."

The older woman again sent her wand dancing over the woman in the bed, Reassured, she shooed Harry away so she could sit down next to her on the bed. She mumbled to the younger woman for a whilee then had a short discussion with Minerva before finally picking up yet another potionand handing it to Hermione.

"I think you need some actual sleep dear to recover fully, so take this and we'll be here when you awaken. Then we can make a plan to keep this from happening again."

Hermione took the potion with only the briefest of complaingts, drank it, and before long drifted to sleep.

Pomfrey gestured for Harry and Minerva to follow her to her office off the Infirmary. The sat in three fat chairs around the small table in the corner near Poppy's own small fireplace.

Harry shared with the two women all they had seen that day in the Pensieve.

"So it was a variety of memories," McGonigal said, "all that suggests that this was most definitely emotional and mental exhaustion. I'm tired just hearing the list. And it took several hours to view them all?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Exhaustion," Pomfrey said again, "her brain is simply exhausted and overwhelmed I've never seen anything quite like it before. Don't know of anyone who's every suffered a case quite like it. I could consult with someone at Mungo's if you'd like."

Harry and Minerva exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"Not now," Harry replied, "I don't think so. Even if there is someone we trust somehow it will quickly get back to members of the Wizengamot. They'll insist we stop and find some way to change their ruling."

"I agree," Minerva said, "but we can't continue this way. You have to contact Draco. I assume you haven't done so yet."

"No," Harry said, "There wasn't time. I'll email him as soon as I got home. I'd contact him from here if there were a way, but email will be faster. There's just no way an owl can get there, or any other bird I know. I don't even know if the floo can be connected to the States and even if it could he doesn't haven one in his flat so we'd have to try and catch him at work. I can call him but the time difference is bad, I don't know if he'd answer. I suppose I could leave him a message as well just to be sure he gets it.

"Be sure to tell him that she is fine; she will recover quickly," Poppy saidd, "but I would highly suggest taking a rest break of several weeks before viewing any moemories again. Then I would certainly say you should do the viewing for shorter periods of time. I can come in the future so long as you let me know beforehand, and give her a potion to strengthen her mental faculties."

The headmistress nodded and leaned her head to one side, "I agree and 0we can certainly spare Poppy on a Saturday or two. She is one of the most skilled healers I know. We can speak with Hermione in the morning and see if we can determine what it was that caused the most emotional damage. If it was just the sheer amount of time involved or if it was the emotions involved. Poppy can be on hand at your home and if there is another issuewe can care for her there and only bring her here if necessary. Thank Merline you had the presence of mind to bring Miss Granger here."

"It was he only place I can think of. I knew she'd be cared for here and it was safe. I'm just happy that you had approved us using your floo to access the castle this time. It would have been much harder if I'd had to bring her through from Hogsmeade."

"Well, I will leave that connection active. Poppy can use it to come to Grimmauld Place when you need her."

"When can I take her home?"

"Not tonight Harry dear. Tomorrow. You can stay here with her or you can go home and come back tomorrow."

"I would like to stay with her I'll go home first send an email to Draco let him know that I'll be here if he replies and why don't get some things for her like a change of clothes. Thank you both."