(AN:) Okay I think this is the best chapter I've ever written so I better see some results from my hard work...review. I know I'm pathetic but come on fuel my ego a bit. please! (author does puppy dog eyes). Big thanks to all those who did review and spell checked.

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Hermione awoke to an eerie silence, uncommon this deep in the Forbidden Forest. She rolled onto her back trying to grasp the memories of exactly why she was here. Groaning, the realization hit her like a brick wall; Ron pixie, duel, forest, Malfoy, centaur.... Holy Howlers -Harry! Hermione bolted up only to lie back down after being hit with a bout of dizziness. "I can't do this now! I have to do something. Harry... I have to find him! What if he's hurt or worse..." She sat up more slowly and the world ceased to spin. She was still on the dark field, only this time there wasn't a centaur in sight. Was she alone? She scanned the ground and almost missed the dark lump lying about twenty feet away. " Oh my God(s)! Draco!" If Hermione hadn't been so distraught with panic she would have reprimanded herself for calling her long time enemy by the first name, but the day had been so chaotic that such a thing seemed trivial now.

Hermione slowly crawled to his side wincing as the hidden pebbles sliced into her knees. Draco's usually pale skin was a deathly white that greatly contrasted with his blood stained black robe. She shook him by the shoulders. " Malfoy wake up,"- no response " Malfoy wake up!" She hissed louder. Nothing " Malfoy WAKE UP!" Not even a budge. Hermione bit her lower lip. "This isn't good," she thought, and glanced at the fresh gash above his right eye, "Not good at all. He looks so helpless. Should I help him? But what about Harry?" She glanced at Draco again. "You can't just leave him here besides... he's the only one who knows how to get out of the forest. Stupid Gryfindor do-gooder instincts!"

Hermione brought her eyes to the motionless body. " Is he even breathing?" She scrunched her eyes searching for any inclination of a breath. She couldn't tell; it was too dark. "Isn't there a spell or something to use for this sorta thing?" She searched her mind picking at everything she had learned the last five years of her life. Breathing, vitals,...argh, blank! "Why haven't I read anything on this?" She eyed the boy warily. I guess it's down to the last resort...touch him.(a/n: get your mind out of the gutter people!)

The mere thought made her feel nauseous. She figured that hlaf the female population would envy her right now but she couldn't help but want to be anywhere but here. She put both her hands on his chest and slowly brought her ear down suspended only a few inches in the air, parallel to his body. Nothing happened, no sign of life "Could it be that...no." she quickly pushed away the thought. There's only one thing left, she bent down even closer till her head was resting on his firm chest. (a/n: lol that's to godschaser) Seconds that felt like hours passed before she detected a faint thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. Good, he had a heart beat, and now that she was closer she could feel a slight rise in his chest if only by a centimeter or two. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding and noticed something she hadn't before. He smelled good, really good something she couldn't quite place, kind of a roguish manly...she mentally slapped herself "Whoa Hermione were you just thinking that? About him? Malfoy? Must be stress or something." She let her head linger on his chest just a moment longer before propping herself up to move to the next problem.

Hermione brought her gaze to the bloody gash above his right eye. It looked really bad; whether it was still bleeding or not she couldn't tell since it seemed like everything around him was covered in the dark blood. She twisted around to get a better look. She would have to be very careful because the slightest flinch with the spell could send him into a coma (she considered purposely doing that but decided that was to low even if it was to Malfoy).

She sat up onto her knees and gently lifted his head onto her lap. Her hair touched the forest floor, as she bent down closer and made out that he needed the wound treated immediately. Conjuring up some alcohol and water she doused the wound and thoroughly cleaned the blood from his face. She then brought her thumb and forefinger to the gash and mumbled a few words under her breath. A small silvery stitch appeared on the pale flesh. Hermione smiled at herself. There was more than one reason she was considered the smartest witch ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Okay, maybe that was a little much but she needed a little ego boost at a time like this. Beginning on the next stitch, she turned all her concentration to healing. Half an hour passed and she was focusing so intently that she didn't notice a pair of steely-grey eyes flutter open. In fact she didn't notice anything until she felt a soft pulling on her hair. She jerked back in shock of having Draco Malfoy running his fingers through her soft brown curls still damp from the rain.

"Hey, beautiful." He whispered hoarsely.

Okay it's official Draco Malfoy has finally gone senile, call St. Mungo's he fallen off the tunip truck. Normally thoughts like these were shared with her two best friends in front of a warm Gryfindor fire. But some how she didn't find them amusing, as she was at the moment preoccupied trying figure out what the unsettling image was before her. Draco had a huge grin plastered across his face and the usually cold eyes were glazed over. Maybe he is delusional. It's worth a shot.

"Draco do you know where you are?" Hermione said in a slow voice as if speaking to a small child. He furrowed his eyebrows.

" It appears I'm on the forest floor bleeding to death. Do you know where you are?"

"Smart arse,"

"What was that Granger I..."

"Just shut up and hold still so I can finish up these stitches so your brain won't fall out." What a pity that would be! Hermione did smirk at this thought.

She scooted back over to Draco and put the last few stitches in probably a little more forcefully than needed, but oh, well. After a probing spell to make sure no bones were broken Hermione finished, thoroughly pleased with her Medi-witch abilities. A few minutes had passed since Draco had last spoken so she decided to make conversation and ask the one question she was dying to know.

" So, Malfoy do you know how to get out..." but her voice trailed off as she realized Draco had passed out.

She shook him gently by the shoulders but the only response was a few rough grunts, it seemed he was out for the night. Hermione was pretty tired herself; her muscles ached, her power was drained, and her eyes were beginning to droop. Perhaps he had the right idea. She knew better that to go wondering in the dark forest at night but then again an open field would be the most vulnerable place to sleep. She scanned her surroundings and picked a spot with about a dozen or so weeping (not whomping) willows. Yes, that's perfect! Stifling a yawn, Hermione levitated Draco to the soft mossy carpet beneath the willows. Hermione transfigured some leaves into a few blankets and pillows. She draped a blanket over Draco and placed a pillow near his head. She made her own pallet a few feet away and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~Morning~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione again woke up on the ground of the Forbidden Forest only this time birds could be heard from the canopy above announcing the arrival of morning. Was that that sizzling, umm it smelled good...Hermione rolled over and took a nice long stretch. Hermione had to rub her eyes to believe what she was seeing. Draco had taken off his robe (dramatic pause) to reveal... to reveal black cargo pants and a black wife-beater and he looked good even from this angle. He was stooping over a small fire and what appeared to be cooking. Hermione got up and tiptoed up behind him in an attempt to catch him off guard. Right before she was about to...well she hadn't planned that far ahead maybe she would screamed or clawed him or something but before she was even close enough he spoke.

" Want some breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" She was dumbfounded here she was in the middle of the woods, with an enemy who had narrowly escaped death and he was offering her breakfast.

"Yes, breakfast. It's a meal usually consumed in the morning by..."

" I know what breakfast is thank you it's just...you cook?"

He turned around so they were now face to face he was holding a small skillet and what appeared to be eggs.

" Yes, I cook. It's not that big of a deal. It's your basic survival training. I'm hungry, therefore I must eat. Now do you like your eggs scrambled or..."

"Scrambled is fine." Hermione couldn't help but notice his hair wasn't usually slicked back the blonde wisps covering his eyes, and she had the sudden urge to go and brush them away.

"What?"

" Nothing uh...just imagining you in one of those big chef hats with a curly mustache and...."

"Whoa! Stop there Granger, I know you fantasize about me but please don't pass the mental picture on."

Hermione scowled, "Tell me Malfoy, do you have to work on it or are you just naturally this conceited?"

" It's just one of my many gifts."

Hermione rolled her eyes and was about to retort but Malfoy shoved the skillet into her face.

"Here stop blabbering and eat up we have to get going."

Hermione obediently took the skillet and conjured a fork. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, or maybe he was a really good cook, but a practically inhaled the breakfast.

" Hey Dra- Malfoy these are really good what are they?'

" Tigersnake eggs fresh." He smirked.

Hermione took a pained gulp "Snake. Figures." Hermione dropped the skillet and it transformed back into something that resembled a pecan."Alright lead the way."

He paused for a moment and turned his back to her heading to the opposite side of the field. Without hesitation she followed ready to get back to civilization and find Harry. She hoped he was all right.

Thirty minutes turned into an hour and Hermione was getting fed up with all this walking. She had fallen a few times and had scrapes all up her arms from prickling vines. It was ebbing into the hottest part of the day and Hermione was beginning to sweat. She had taken off her robe to reveal a blue tank top that read "Save the Algae" and black jogging pants. It was taking a lot longer to get out of the forest, that was for sure.

" Malfoy are you sure you know were you're going that tree looks familiar." Malfoy turned around.

"Are you questioning a Malfoy's sense of direction? he abruptly stopped. He eyed her up and down and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. He snorted." Save the alga?"

"Yeah save the algae! It's not the trees we should be concerned with. Did you know that algae gives us fifty percent of our oxygen and that with water pollution..."

" Shhh shut up Granger."

" You can't tell me to shut up you stupid...."

" I mean be quiet I hear something."

Hermione closed her mouth and listened. She heard it to voices a little ways to the left. Draco led the way fighting through the overgrown shrubs till he finally made out the top of the castle.

" There," he pointed "I see it."

" You're right." Hermione replied, " The voices are probably Hagrid having a class."

The brush was getting less dense until they were completely out of the forest. Sure enough a class was out a little far ahead looking at some animal she couldn't see. Hermione and Draco broke out into a sprint toward the students. It was probably due to this that they didn't notice that there were no familiar faces or for the fact they didn't have the "right" uniform on. "Crud, I don't see Hagrid. Of all days to be out it just had to be today!" But it didn't matter; they needed to find someone fast to start the search party to for Harry. Hermione shoved through the students to get to the substitute. He was a tall balding man with large glasses that made him resemble a tired old owl.

"Please sir," Hermione came to a stop before the teacher, "you must alert the Headmaster. Harry has been captured...

" My lady slow down," the substitute raised a hand, "Harry who? Harry Tudder?"

Hermione nearly exploded " No no, Harry Potter!" She had expected some kind of swift action but the teacher just stared at her blackly. "Harry Potter The-Boy-Who- Lived...scar...glasses...saves the world...ring a bell?" Now the students were gawking at her. "Draco help me here". Hermione pleaded to the boy who was still on the outer circle of the student arms folded in a solemn expression.

"What an idiot" he thought " What kind of teachers are they supplying at Hogwarts these days? Even some muggles know of Harry-I'm-practically-worshipped-by-half-the-world-freakin'-Potter." Draco made his way to the teacher the students parted in his path.

" Do you mean to tell me that you have no idea who Harry Potter is?"

"No lad I do not."

Draco was about to burst out into hysterical laughter until he realized the same blank expression was etched onto the face of every student. " Do any of you know who Harry Potter is?" They all stood there but none said a word.

"Perhaps you two do need to see the Headmaster." The teacher spoke up. "Albus would you please escort these two to Headmaster Black?"

"Yes, of course Professor Gill." A red headed boy stepped to the front. "Follow me."

Hermione's mind was racing. "Headmaster Black, Professor Gill, Hagrid? What is wrong?"

She glanced and Draco but all he offered was a shrug. The strangely-dressed students parted and Albus led the way to the familiar castle...or wait it to somehow seemed different. Albus fell into step with Draco and Hermione and smiled at them both.

" I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My name is Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore. Are you new here?" Draco suddenly stopped.

" What did you say your name was?"

Albus had a quizzical look on his face. "Albus Dumbledore but you can call me Albus."

Draco and Hermione's mouths dropped open. Draco looked at Hermione.

"You don't think he is...it could be...." Hermione's mind was finding it hard to process this.

" Albus can you tell me what year it is."

" Why of course. It's 1869."

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(A/N:) Oh that's a clincher. Go on and REVIEW or the next chapter shall take even longer to post. Mufahahahaha! luv-u ~ Dawn