A/N: Okay, I am extremely disappointed to have to say this again ,but whoever it is that is posting rude comments as reviews hasn't put a spanner in their works yet. To whatever rude person it is, I am deleting every single one of them ,so no one is able to see them anyway. You're simply wasting your time here. If you have nothing productive or nice to say, then keep your fingers from the keyboard. It is actually that simple!

On a much lighter note, I've realised that I might have not made it very clear to my readers about Hermione's past. She was still attacked by Bellatrix ,but other than that almost nothing else is the same. She lived in France, had different friends, participated in different dangerous but exciting escapades and is famous for her intellectual writing. She doesn't know Harry or Ron as the original Hermione in the books and without her friendship, the two of them have turned into egotistical snobs -like a Gryffindor Draco Malfoy.

I hope this makes much more sense. Well, let's get back to the story.

The next day, Hermione was very distant from her friends. It wasn't unlike her to ignore the constant chatter of their group after 'the incident' ,as they now called it, but that day was worse. Not only was she not paying attention to her friends but also her class work.

'Mr Orion,' Professor McGonnagol snapped for the third time that lesson. Hermione's head shot up like a deer caught in the head lights and blinked quickly. Harry Potter sniggered surreptitiously in the back row 'I am disappointed in you! You haven't written a single word on your paper. Are you quite all right?'

Hermione nodded quickly picking up her quill and dipping it gently into her ink pot before glancing at the instructions on the board for the first time that lesson. 'Yes ,Professor'

'Then get on with it' she snapped once more ,about to go back to her desk ,when she remembered something 'And if you are having any trouble, please take it up with Mister Malfoy. I thought you two were friends?' The whole class' eats snapped up at that. It wasn't a secret that Hermes Orión wasn't talking to her so-called friends. Rumours had been flying about the school ever since the duel and were only fuelled along by the girl's silence. Each rumour more far-fetched than the last, some believed that Draco Malfoy ,notorious ex-Death Eater, was behind it all.

Hurriedly, in fear of having to talk to Draco, Hermione began writing ,her handwriting messy and disproportionate.

'You've spelt it wrong' Draco pointed out calmly ,as Hermione misspelt the spell incantation. Scowling, Hermione crossed it out and wrote the word out again ,pressing too hard and stubbing her quill ,causing the ink to spill unceremoniously across the page. Cursing under her breath, Hermione pulled out her wand to vanish the excess ink ,only to make it spread further in her irritation. Waving her wand harshly at the paper, Hermione made to try the spell again ,when Draco caught her hand gently.

A current shot through her body at the impact and she sat stock still ,trying not to show any emotion ,as Draco vanished the spillage for her. He let go of her hand reluctantly ,leaving it slumped on the table as if to attempt to memorise the feel of her skin ,as he looked searchingly at her face. Clenching her hand and releasing it again, Hermione gave Draco a terse nod before continuing with her piece as if nothing had happened. Draco took care to notice with a small smile that Hermione seemed calmer ,less tense, and could only hope that he was the cause for it.

'So, how was it?' Pansy asked ,the moment Draco entered the Common Room that lunch break. He had had Arithmancy last while the others had had History of Magic and had been kept behind by Professor Vector for scoring more than 90% on the last test and felt like his face was going to be stuck in a scowl forever. You can't punish a student for getting good marks ,that should be illegal.

'Rubbish' Draco muttered ,still dwelling on Professor Vector's annoyingly calm smile.

'It didn't look that bad' Theo frowned ,rather confused. 'You two actually talked'

'Did she tell you anything? I'm starting to really worry' Pansy fretted.

Blaise rolled his eyes. 'You always worry'

'Do not!' Pansy shot back ,commencing another argument between the two. Draco scrunched his forehead ,ignoring his friends. She?, he thought What were they talking about?. And then it suddenly dawned on him.

'She wasn't concentrating on her work' Draco said ,causing Pansy and Blaise to abandon their argument and listen.

'You're not serious?' Theo's eyes widened in disbelief. In the month and a bit they had known Hermione Granger, never had she ever slacked on her studies.

'I knew something was wrong' Pansy bit her lip anxiously and Blaise placed a warm hand on her shoulder for support ,their argument forgotten.

'She couldn't even do a simple vanishing spell on the ink she spilt. I had to help. She wasn't happy with it' Draco continued sullenly ,but he had a small smile on his face ,as he remembered Hermione.

'At least you're now sitting next to her in one of our lessons. She might actually say something' Theo said with false hopefullness.

'We need a better plan than hope' Blaise said matter-of-factly.

'Maybe we can just ask her' Theo tried.

'Yeah, 'cause that'd be a nice conversation' Pansy mocked ,Draco could bet that he saw unshed tears in her eyes. Girls were really emotional. 'Hey ,Hermione, we know that you've been sad lately. What's going on?' She let her head droop into her hands 'She'll never tell us. Remember, we're Slytherins.'

'We?' Theo muttered ,looking at Pansy's teary eyes pointedly 'No one would think that'

Pansy aimed for his elbow half-heartedly.

'We'll think of something' Draco said ,looking pensive.

It was another one of their evenings in the library and none of them were talking. In fact, none of them had said a word for hours. Hermione had vanished an hour ago to get a book and hadn't come back. They could hear her muttering to herself and shuffling around from time to time ,though from the other side of the bookshelf.

'Okay, I'm off to talk-' Pansy declared ,getting up suddenly ,but she had chosen the wrong time to speak ,because at that exact moment Theo spoke up too. He had a scared, horrified look on his face but a hint of excitement and satisfaction was visible too.

'I think I found it' he said hollowly. Everyone looked up and Pansy stopped in her tracks.

'Found what?' Ginny asked ,as if not daring to believe that after just under a week they'd found it.

'What is wrong with Hermione' Theo said with a proud smile.

'So something is actually wrong with her?' Pansy asked in a teary voice,looking over Theo's shoulder at the book her was reading.

'Not exactly ,but she certainly isn't herself' Theo said.

'It doesn't take a genius to sort that one out' Draco snorted.

'Do you want to hear me out or not?'

Draco nodded and Theo explained.

'So she can plant memories inside Hermione's head?' Ginny asked ,horrified ,once Theo was done. She was clutching his arm rather tightly.

'Not plant them ,but she can make Hermione remember a distorted version of them. One that suits her wishes'

'And when she's collapsed, it's Bellatrix assaulting her mind' Blaise said ,with a sickening revelation.

'What I don't get though is why Hermione was all right after the first attack ,but not after the second?' Theo asked them 'There wasn't anything written in the book about that'

'Bellatrix probably didn't tell her much the first time. She likes the dramatics and the suspense' Draco grimaced bitterly 'I still can't believe-'

'She would have needed others for this as well ,so those escaped Death Eaters-'

'She must have helped them escape'

'Really planned this one out didn't she?' Pansy frowned 'What I don't get is why?"

'Hermione's a muggleborn ,Pansy' Blaise said ,as if talking to a younger child. 'Bellatrix probably doesn't need a reason.'

'She isn't hurting Hermione physically though ,is she?' Pansy asked 'It's only mentally and ,remember, we don't know what she's been telling her. It could be anything.'

'It might not even be a painful thing' Draco agreed ,nodding slowly 'Maybe something to think about'

'So why?' Theo asked ,looking at all the others in question and understanding at the same time.

They knew why...

A/N: I'm sorry that I'm late! I never got a chance to get onto my laptop this weekend. The irony is that I had this story all typed up and ready to go the week before ,because I knew I'd be busy this weekend ,but I still didn't post it. Real sorry!

Well, can you guess? Why is Bellatrix trying to get to Hermione? Please tell me in the reviews below. I can't wait to hear what you think.