Notes: Like the HP series, I have no claim to the plot which was created by Erica. From Darkness begins after the final war in a time of rebuilding and regret. Hermione, blind and lost, struggles to find her place while many seem already secure in the new world. A story of hopelessness and hope, depression and happiness, solitude and companionship…DHr. For Erica, in hopes that this lives up to what you imagined.

Special Thanks to Nicoli—Your Email was greatly appreciated.

Warning: This chapter is a little more explicit.

From Darkness

By Rei (Of Reminiscence)

Previously in From Darkness Chapter Four: Changes and Manipulations

Hermione could feel the shift of the air. Before and beside objects the air bent as if to accommodate the furnishings and if something raced toward her then she felt a slight inclination to the air towards her.

"The Minister just received bad news from the looks of it." Draco cursed and pushed Hermione underneath the table just as unbelievable coldness penetrated through her clothes and skin. "Get down!"

Healer Argon shuffled his papers, "Not according to this. According to our by laws any person wounded by dark magic may not be in their capabilities and so they must accept any care their standing doctor suggests."

Hermione took a better grasp of her wand as the house elf popped back in and whimpered at the sight he came upon. Moments later, Rufus's growl and protective stance in front of Hermione gave her incentive. She was tired of being helpless and ignored, "Now tell me what the hell is going on".

Chapter Five: The Convergence of the Twain

After the confusion between the Ministry, St. Mungo, and what really happened calmed down, Harry sat across from Draco but beside Ron and Ginny ready to start the long task of explanations. With his back hunched over so his forearms rested on his knees, Harry took his time in starting. Draco's uneasy shift spurred his voice to cautiously test his confidence.

"Voldemort's spell over you took me by surprise. At the start, his power and attention weren't diverted between us until he and I engaged the duel. We dueled and for how long I can't remember. At the end, he gave one last effort before… Well, that once last effort would have killed both of us if it hadn't been deflected and I think it was the last spell you did. A crack in your side of the spell gave you all the backlash—years of hate, greed, betrayed, lies… His bitter anger at the end feed his curse resulting most of the wounds that you had and ruining your eye sight. I don't suppose you know that Snape helped me carry you?"

At Hermione's slight shake he moved on, "Well he did and when the Healers started to help fix your body we didn't think it would take too long before things were finally normal. The twisted mind of the Death Eaters warped the minds of their prey but Voldemort's wasn't twisted, just full of nightmares and prejudices… Days went by and nothing, then weeks… We waited but then we…I couldn't wait anymore. The world is moving so fast Hermione you couldn't believe it. Some urged us to wait or move forward cautiously but we jumped in head first. Most adult Death Eaters are dead now but some remain at large while the 'minor' Death Eaters received probation and fines. I couldn't stand waiting for everyone to allow Ginny and I to marry so we did the best as we could. We exchanged vows in front of two witnesses and decided to save the ceremony after you woke up. Selfish? Yes, but I wanted something to myself and the Healers started their hints…

Time moved on and it seemed like you would never wake up. Then one day we were called into St. Mungo—your condition was stable but in need of therapy. Snape owled us weeks later saying he did as much as he could with a small note of a forwarding address. Dumbledore knew and instead of listening to his advice we thought we would wait until your eyesight cleared before telling you everything. We thought it would too hard on you. But, you didn't get better and the situation got worse."

Harry smiled ruefully and leaned against the back of the chair, "You were different for before, at least to us. We didn't know how to handle the situation and your fight with the Healers weren't helping. The Ministry gave me enough money to partially pay for your flat and we moved into it. Ginny and Arthur got special permission to tell your neighbor about Wizarding Society, and we held back the worse things from you. Two weeks before the ceremony…"

Ron threw up his hands in frustration, "No Harry if she…"

"Hermione finds out everything tonight." Draco's words, low and carefully chosen, resonated between the group. "You have no right to hold anything back from her."

Ron's face grew purple with unexpressed rage but Harry nodded his head. "Two weeks before the ceremony we came into work at the Ministry to find the Order busy at work. Voldemort's dismembered remains had been kept as proof but someone broke through those defenses and stole his remains. We know it was a Death Eater, but which one we don't know. Days later Mrs. C reported some strange man at your door while you were out. Again, we don't know who what was, but we suspect it was the same man who stole the remains. By this time…well you remember our visits and the ceremony…"

Harry cleared his throat and looked expectantly at his hands as if they could have made the difference. "I thought… I didn't…" Harry growled in frustration, "I still don't know how to act around you! None of us do really… Things are bad Hermione. The public doesn't know but we've still have reports of Death Eater activity and one member from the Order of the Phoenix is on your tail at all times. Seventeen officials have died since the war and there's was some indication before that there going to be retaliation. The attack during the fundraiser only confirmed our fears and stirred up questions in the populace. The Dark Wizards are still here and refuse to enter the new age quietly."

Draco snorted.

Hermione played with the rim of the cup, "Ron?"

"It hurts seeing you like this Hermione. I thought if anyone would make it out okay it would be you. I miss the old Hermione and I can't stand you needing help all the time… The Healers could really help you…"

Hermione scowled, "They can't help me Ron and your foolishness is causing you to hang on to that single thought. The Healers, while magical," Hermione bitterly smiled, "aren't perfect. I see him in my dreams. Nightmares are always present and I cannot get out of the Darkness. In my coma Voldemort still lived and the ignorance you've trapped me in… I don't even know what happened at the fundraiser! I woke up unable to leave the one place I hate the most right now!"

"Scars."

Ron and Draco flicked their attention from Hermione's righteous fury to Harry's low whisper. Ron, long acquainted with the warning a certain lightning bolt scar gave off shuddered.

"Its like my scar Hermione. Like when I knew Voldemort was up to something, you will know if Dark Magic is at work—I think the intensity of it knocked you unconscious." Harry moved his bangs away and absently rubbed the old scar. "When the field meds couldn't wake you they we had no choice but to send you to St. Mungo. The administration refused to let you leave because they said a cure was imminent and since I am not a blood related family member had no authority."

Hermione eyelids unconsciously blinked and finally her attention rested on Draco. "So what do I do now? I don't even understand everything…"

"You will Hermione.'' Harry squeezed her hand as he got up to leave, "We don't know everything ourselves right now, but we'll try harder." With a pause he bent down and pressed a small kiss to her forehead, "Take care I'll stop by later to see how your doing."

Draco was the last to leave, "I'm leaving the elf here to help you out for the next couple days. Get better soon—the fight isn't over yet."

The next week that she spent in bed was often in the company of Ginny, Molly, or Harry. Harry's version of trying harder was daily updates during those long morning hours. Several lawyers stopped by since Hermione's maltreatment by the Healers had spread through the links in the Ministry. The hospital, Ginny was proud to say Monday morning, had been shut down and was currently under investigation. Hermione didn't feel at all sad about any Healer might have lost their job permanently.

As time went by she grew back into her old schedule until she back in training with Draco full time. The offensive training was a lot harder than she originally thought and came dangerously close a few times to needing someone better than Draco to heal wounds.

"Concentrate! Sense the air pressure around you! NO—don't madly swing the staff about…"

Hermione cursed as she foolishly miscalculated, thrust the butt end of the staff too high, and left her side wide open. A smart rap on her ribs from Draco's staff and they broke off the would be battle.

"Whats wrong? You might have at least evaded the blow to your ribs by dropping forward."

"…I can't…"

Draco chuckled, "Your thinking about seeing the conventional way again. Remember your not seeing the objects but feeling and hearing the difference in air pressure. Lets try again but remember stop trying to see with your eyes."

After 20 minutes and a particularly ugly cut on her thigh from twisting in the wrong angle and then landing on her own broken staff Draco called a halt. He clapped her shoulder but a distinctly feminine voice caused him to flinch.

Their voices flowed through the foreign language but Draco's last pleading of "alright!" was answered with a swish of robes and departing footstep. To answer Hermione's inquisitive tilt of her head he chuckled, "My mother—sometimes she insists on speaking Italian."

"Italian?" Hermione hurried a few steps to catch up as Draco moved toward the receiving room, "You speak Italian?"

"My mother went to finishing school in Italy and taught me the language during my studies."

"You really did have some of the best education money can buy…"

Draco only stood in the doorway of the room, "Money can only buy so much. My mother has asked for you to dine with us tomorrow, don't worry about clothes one of the elves will pick something up for you."

Hermione smirked, "At least I can eat soup now without missing my mouth…" A small chuckle from Draco made her smile widen. A sobering thought wiped the smile away and Hermione paused in reaching for the necklace, "Why all of this Draco? Harry and Ron don't even…"

"—Your not a charity case, and don't think that way. I've some work to do so I'll see you tomorrow."

Hermione nodded and left holding the necklace tightly. Her arrival back home was met with Rufus's gleeful barks. After an enthusiastic greeting, she immediately went to the refrigerator and took out a large container of vegetable beef stew. Heating two bowls of the thick chunky soup took several minutes a piece and Hermione poured some dry food into the first heated bowl for Rufus before setting it on the floor. A thin layer of butter on bread topped with a thick slice of cheddar cheese then covered by another slice of bread made a sandwich and with hardly a second thought Hermione found a tray in the second to right cabinet, a large spoon in the first drawer, and all before the microwave chimed its timer. Carefully setting the hot bowl on the tray she made her way to the small round table.

Of course the salt and pepper were on the table but Hermione reached over them to the CD player. The soup, compliments of Mrs. C, warmed her from the inside out and after finishing most of the bowl's contents Hermione moved to the soft couch still listening to the reader's voice. She thought about the Death Eater who had stolen Voldemort's remains and shook her head. They had destroyed each item that had held a piece of his soul—if would be impossible to bring him back using blood magic and the remains were already partially decomposed not to mentioned dismembered.

Hermione blinked her sightless eyes and sat up. The air felt different—had she fallen asleep? She had only sat down for a moment before she took a shower. Her grime-filled clothes stuck to her skin and slowly Hermione realized that the clothes were the least of her problems. The CD, which she continually had on repeat, wasn't playing. "Hello? Harry is that you?"

Hermione spun around feeling a suction of air coming from the chair in the corner. "Please leave before I call the authorities."

A slithering voice slid over her freezing her body, and a freakish feminine laughter danced around it. "My dear mudblood, you haven't even the ability to call who you really need for help."

Hermione's body stiffened as waves of pain streamed from her eyes in never ending tides. "I…You can't be…You died!" Hermione blankly felt herself falling to the floor on her eyes and screaming when the woman grabbed and clenched her shoulders making holes in Hermione's skin from her finger nails.

"Dead? Not really my dear. Like when the fool Dumbledore died the people lived on in his names and works—the faithful followers of the true lord will continue my name and works." The black robed man carefully balanced the wand between two fingers as he stunned the girl with a sharp burn mark into her side. "I couldn't believe that it was you who helped Harry at the end. Of course you have always been there haven't you? Your books, scrolls, potions, and your know-it-all attitude…"

Hermione clenched her teeth and threw her head back, "You are dead and I have no need to fear a corpse."

The sticking rotting breath of the man who single-handedly destroyed countless lives was suddenly much closer, "Oh no?" The damp scaly hand roughly caressed her jawbone, "I know you dreamt about me. Was it as wonderful from your perspective as it was mine?" The hand gripped her mouth and aggressively pulled her up from her knees. "The dreams were my gift to you and I do hoped you loved them."

Hermione grabbed at the hand choking her trying to desperately squirm away. The dark magic that flooded her body when she accidentally touched the wand almost sent her over the edge.

"Naughty girl Miss Granger this wand could kill you although I had hoped your depression would…" The voice chuckled and the hand withdrew with another single caress to her blind eyes. "Who's helping you m'dear? Our spies were certain months ago that there was no way for you to return to your former glory."

"Better to bask in the glory of the cripple and the sick than to give into a warped creature once called Tom Riddle."

The silence was deafening, and Hermione realized she might have gone too far. She had hoped…

The pain tore through her and a sharp sting across her face knocked her to the ground. Rufus was barking in the background and Draco was shouting orders above her. A familiar scent was holding her tightly "Harry?"

The pale hero moved his attention from the shouting orders and held her steady, "Hold on Hermione your safe now."

"No…I'm n…"

Harry held her tightly, "Of course you are. You just have to live with us for now."

"No Harry" Hermione sobbed gripping the front of Harry's robes, "None of us are safe. Voldemort—he's returned."

Harry held her to him, "No Hermione we found the bastard's remains less than an hour ago. Dumbledore confirmed it—some of Voldemort's remains weren't there but it is him."

"Potter."

Hermione felt Harry shift to reach a hand toward Draco. A crackle of paper and Hermione smelled crisp parchment in Harry's hand.

"They sent a dream wraith and it's center is on this paper. Obviously its not his style."

What? Hermione pushed herself away and up so that she stood on her own two feet. Her balance swayed for a moment but then held steady. "What does is say Harry?" She felt Harry's hesitation and grabbed the shoulder of his cloak thinking of pounding it out of him if he didn't answer. "Harry!" She faintly recognized her own voice being a bit hysterical.

"It says 'Welcome to your new world Hermione'".

Next Time on From Darkness Chapter Six:

"Well if it isn't Voldemort and all the DE's are still locked up then who sent the bloody letter?"

Hermione felt Molly's soft warm hand give her over to another hand which, though it was a lot thinner, was just was warm. She sighed and stepped over the threshold into her new home.

Harry smiled before pulling her into a deep and strong hug like the ones she got from him in long ago Hogwarts. "You'll always be the original member of the Golden Trio Hermione and don't you dare forget that. After all, I owe most of good grades to you." He laughed at Hermione's shocked face, "Fine okay—I owe all my good grades to you."