AN: I want to apologise for being gone for so long, reality is a distracting sod, but I want to thank you for keeping reading. Thank you to Wordwryhta for reviewing!

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Song suggestion: Bo$$, Fifth Harmony.

Chapter Twenty Six: Fighting Frustration

Hermione smoothed the edge of the bed sheet against her ribs and sighed. She'd woken two days ago and she still hadn't regained her sleeping schedule back to its normal hours. The clock ticked nearby towards three in the morning and the infirmary was silent. Since Malfoy had gone to bed two hours ago, no one was in the infirmary with her, presuming she'd be asleep and wouldn't need company. Which she did not mind, she was not selfish enough to expect someone to sleep in a chair beside her when they had beds not far away.

But she was getting frustrated. Though her situation seemed horrendous, she was taking it well, reasoning to herself that she had to handle the circumstances with grace and patience, as she could well be dead instead. But it frustrated her that she was so dependent on others. For the last couple of days since she'd awoken from her overdose, Malfoy and various members of the Order fed her, medicated her, helped her sip drinks, and kept her comfortable. But she wanted more. She wanted to begin to recover, not rest, and she wanted to continue the fight.

It was time she climbed out of this bed for the weak and became herself again. Became Hermione Granger, fighting for her rights as a Witch. She couldn't stand to remain this still for much longer. Now she must pick herself up and fight on, she wanted to so badly her heart yearned painfully for it. But no one was listening to her. Everyone was mollycoddling her. But she refused to be seen as someone to pity any longer. She was a Gryffindor, a lioness, a fighter. And she vowed she'd be herself once more.

As the frustration of being in bed for another long minute ate at her, she groaned and rubbed her temples irritably. If only she could get out of bed. Even if only to get a glass of milk and a book to settle her back to sleep. But she could not move, nor read. The reminder that she could no longer educate herself fed into her frustration further, and she scowled at the darkness her eyes created of the world.

"Granger?" Malfoy's voice startled her as the infirmary door quietly opened, and she snatched her wand up, guarded, "Are you in pain?"

"No." She muttered and laid her wand down once more. Malfoy was saving her, he was no longer a threat. That thought alone was suspicious, but she shoved it aside and sighed, "I just can't sleep."

"Why can't you sleep?" He inquired as she heard him wandering into the store cupboard. The only advantage of her blindness was her other increased senses.

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, there's a war raging at the moment, and I'm stuck in bed like a pathetic child." Hermione replied simply.

"You're not a pathetic child Granger, I assure you." Draco reassured her without thinking, "I've got a scar from my broken nose to prove that."

"You're not listening." At this, he scowled. Pausing in his potion preparations, he crossed his arms and waited for whatever rant would follow. He knew from Pansy those three words meant so much, "I want to recover Malfoy, quickly, and you are going to help me."

"Am I?" Shocked at her blunt assumption, he tried not to chuckle. It seemed so strange for Granger's self-assured voice to be coming out of the mouth of the broken body before him. He couldn't imagine Granger as threatening and bold in her orders when she appeared so helpless.

"Yes, you are." She nodded once, "I have come to the conclusion that you are my main carer with your unique knowledge of my curses. As a result, you are in charge of my recuperation. Something I have noticed you are in no hurry to do, as you are afraid that if you outlive your usefulness that's the end of your stay."

"Gran-"

"I'm not finished Malfoy." She interrupted him, "If you think I'm going to be helpless for however long this war takes to end, you need to think again. I want to recover quickly, I deserve to fight for my own cause Malfoy, and I can't do it like this."

"And how do you propose you do that Granger? You're blind. Even if I can cure your legs, I can't cure your eyes. The curse-"

"Exists until the caster is dead. My memory is fine, thank you very much, but I can still fight." He scoffed at this. Hermione's frustration exploded like a wild fire igniting at this and her wand was trained on his chest in a quick second, "Don't underestimate me."

"I'm not, you are over estimating yourself." Malfoy chuckled and moved to fetch more potion ingredients.

"Am I?" She whispered to herself, plans whirling in her brain.

When he returned from the store room, he noticed Granger had not moved. Her wand was trained on him, her head cocked to listen to his movements. Curiously, he left the vials he'd been holding on the desk, and began to move around the room. Carefully, quietly moving and watching Granger. She twitched her brow and her head moved in response as she concentrated. But her wand remained unwavering, rarely pointing beyond him.

A smile began to itch her lips as she focused on the almost silent pad of his shoes on the tiles. He was testing her, as she tested herself. Always ready for a challenge, she flicked her wand and murmured an incantation. She heard a fizzle of magic defending Malfoy and could almost feel his eyebrows frowning over narrowed eyes.

"What are you playing at Granger?" He finally snapped. He couldn't believe she'd actually tried to challenge him in a duel, to prove her point. He was incredulous at her gall. But he was also strangely pleased. He liked Granger's feisty resistance to be a passive patient, he could work with that. Even if her thoughts to be a warrior again were ludicrous to him.