As you may have noticed the chapters are slowly getting longing. I'm trying my best. Also, I feel the need to inform you guys that Hermione will become more OOC as the story moves along. Just a heads up. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. I've tried to do it justice. =)
- SilverSlytherinWitch
A week passed as Ginny and Draco kept a constant vigil at Hermione's bedside. The two refused to acknowledge one another for the first few days and then fell into a comfortable silence. The other teens came by throughout the day to bring Ginny and Draco food and urge them to get some sleep in their own beds. Both would pick at their food and outright refuse to leave the room. The only time either left was to use the bathroom and even those times became less frequent as they gradually stopped eating. When a week had passed with Hermione still in her magically induced coma Ginny couldn't keep quiet any longer.
"Your Master better not have hurt her Malfoy or there will be hell to pay." Ginny warned.
"Weasley, he saved her. Shut up." Draco replied.
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest, "That remains to be seen. She still isn't awake and it has been a week. If she doesn't wake up soon I'm going to the Order to ask if they can help."
"How do you plan to have the Order help her? She isn't leaving Malfoy Manor and they aren't coming here." Draco ordered.
"I'll do whatever is best for her Malfoy. Even if that means fighting you to get her out of here." Ginny growled turning red.
Draco stood up, "Try it Weasley. I'll hex you so quickly that you won't see straight for days. She's staying here."
"Why are you even here?" Ginny yelled, "You don't care about her. Maybe if you left she would wake up! Maybe she would get better! But you've been here the entire time making sure that I don't get a moments peace."
"It's my house Weasley. I'll sit where I want and you'll deal with it or leave. I don't answer to you." Draco snarled back.
"Oh that's right you answer to Voldemort. His little lap ferret, jumping at his every command." Ginny sneered, "You disgust me."
Draco's jaw locked and his eyes darkened to a molten gray. His hands fisted at his sides as he rolled his shoulders trying to calm himself down. "I answer to nobody but myself."
"Right," Ginny mocked, "That's why you have the Dark Mark. You just wanted to get the Dark Mark."
Draco sneered, "You don't get it do you Weasley. We are going to win the war. She is the key to winning the war, and she is going to end up on our side. Before this is all over she'll be our family."
"Hermione would never betray the Order." Ginny replied shaking her head, "You're off you're rocker if you think she ever could."
"She isn't going to betray anyone. They are going to betray her." Draco said seriously.
Ginny frowned, "How are you so certain of this Malfoy?"
"Knowledge," Draco answered, "I have the right information."
"Care to share that information." Ginny asked sarcastically putting her hands on her hips.
He looked from Hermione to Ginny, "No need." He said pointing to her.
"What in the name of Merlin happened to her?" Ginny asked concerned walking over to touch Hermione's hair. The hair had turned black and calmed into loose curls.
"Excellent." Draco said bending closer to look at her face, "Her skin looks darker too. More tan."
"What do you mean excellent?" Ginny asked shrilly putting herself between Draco and Hermione.
"She was under a glamour and memory charm. The Dark Lord had to put her into a deep sleep in order to slowly allow her brain to reopen her memories and allow the spells time to break down. It has to be a slow process or it could drive the patient insane." Draco explained to Ginny while trying to step around her to get a closer look at Hermione.
"Don't touch her!" Ginny shouted, "How do I know that you haven't implanted fake memories into her brain? You've been messing in her mind. You could just be manipulating her!"
Draco rolled his eyes, "Look you know about the prophecy. That means that you know that we won't have to manipulate her to get her to come over to our side. She will regardless of what we do, so stop being dramatic."
"I don't trust you." Ginny snapped at Draco before visibly deflating, "The Order showed us the prophecy. I know it will end up being our fault that she turns. I've tried to tell them that by believing the prophecy and trying to change it, they will be fulfilling it. They don't want to believe me. They are determined to keep her from turning, even if it means branding her a traitor and locking her up when she hasn't done anything wrong. I don't want her to turn, but I can't justify them branding her a traitor either. She hasn't done anything wrong yet, and she's my best friend. I don't want to lose her."
"What about your family though?" Draco demanded, "Would you choose her over your own brother? The Order? How about over your precious boyfriend the Chosen One?"
"I will choose to do the right thing." Ginny responded evenly, "I'll know the right choice when I've watched the actions unfold, and I refuse to choose until that time."
Draco nodded pulling out his wand and sending his patronus out to fetch his father. He could respect the redhead's choice. She didn't want to make a choice that would lead her down a path she might not want to follow. There was solid logic and wisdom in her words. They both sat in silence staring at Hermione and waiting for the others to arrive. Ginny kept wondering who she could believe. She knew of the Order's plan to lock Hermione up at Grimmauld Place if she seemed to be swaying to the other side. Ginny also knew that inevitably the Order would make a mistake that would cause their downfall. She just didn't know what part she played in the finale. She wouldn't follow the Order if they unjustly locked her best friend up. It would be morally wrong, but the Death Eaters weren't exactly morally right. Ginny would end up stuck in the middle. She sighed realizing knowing that she would have to make a decision that would change her life forever. Finally after ten minutes of waiting the door burst open as Blaise charged into the room closely followed by the other teens. Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort entered last.
"What's up Drake? We got you patronus and ran straight here." Blaise asked out of breath.
"Her glamour broke," Draco answered looking at the Dark Lord.
"Does that mean she'll have her old memories?" Pansy asked from the window where she was bent over catching her breath.
Voldemort nodded, "There will be an adjustment period. She'll be disoriented for the first couple of days due to the memory flashbacks and the vague familiarity with everything. Then her brain will fully break through the memory charm. Her hair might even straighten more. Only time will tell."
"Should we wake her up my lord?" Lucius asked.
"No," Voldemort ordered, "Give her one more day. It will be hard enough on her without the added audience."
Lucius bowed his head, "Yes my lord. As you wish."
"Tomorrow morning we will wake her up. I want only Draco and Miss Weasley to be in the room. She will show how much her memory has recovered depending on who she goes to." Voldemort informed the group.
Everyone nodded as they filed back out of the room and onto their daily activities. Draco sat back down in his chair and resumed his watch over Hermione wondering what the morning would bring with it. Ginny looked at him for a second before taking her seat as well. If Malfoy was staying then she was too. Voldemort studied both of them before sweeping out of the room. There was still much to do.
The next morning came much too quickly for Ginny's restless mind. Today her best friend would wake up and possibly be changed forever. Her hair had gradually straightened out through the night which had caused Malfoy to smirk. She didn't take that as a good sign for the old Hermione. The new Hermione might not even want anything to do with her. Would her old memories be wiped away to make room for her new ones? Ginny had never been very good with charms and she couldn't remember much about the side effects of memory charms. She supposed that she would soon find out. She stood as Blaise came into the room and brought her some toast. She took it from him and slowly out it as she stared at her best friend.
"The Dark Lord says it'll be another half hour before the spell lifts to allow her to wake up." Blaise told her, "Maybe you should take that time to freshen up."
Ginny laughed hollowly, "Are you saying I smell Zabini?"
Blaise winced, "Not exactly, but it has been a little over a week since you took a shower, or changed. You are a little potent."
Draco snickered from his chair and Ginny shot him a glare, "Hermione won't care. She'll just be glad I'm here." Ginny answered.
"I will not wake her until you are here Miss Weasley," said a voice near the door.
Ginny turned to Voldemort with a cold look, "No thank you. I'll wait."
"Fine," Voldemort accepted, "I assume you are ready to wake her."
"Yes," Ginny answered shakily.
Draco nodded unable to find his voice. The Dark Lord ushered Blaise out of the room and leaned back against the door. Closing his eyes he mentally removed the sleep spell from Hermione before opening his eyes again and waiting. Ginny shuffled closer bending over Hermione. Draco rolled his eyes crossing his arms over his chest and returned his gaze to her as well. They all waited.
Slowly Hermione took a deep breath and cracked open one eye. She sighed shakily before glancing around the room. Her eyes glazed over as she took in Ginny, Draco and Voldemort all staring at her. She froze as she was sucked into a memory.
She sat in a pink room on her princess bed with pillows surrounding her. She had just turned seven and would be heading back to public school the next week. Her mom had always told her that she was a princess and after such a great birthday she was starting to believe it. Her parents had pulled her out of school for an entire week to take her to Disney World. It had been amazing.
The image in her mind shimmered and changed.
She was sitting in a room painted Ravenclaw blue. Even at the young age of seven she wanted to be placed in Ravenclaw, just like her mother. Her mother was the best charms witch of the decade. Too bad she didn't get to see her father much. He was brilliant, but always working. Today was her birthday and he had to go away on a business trip. Her mother didn't even know when he would be back. At least she had agreed to let Hermione spend time with her best friend. Drake would make her birthday special. He always did.
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. The memories were contradicting themselves. She couldn't have two seventh birthdays, especially not in two completely different rooms on the same day. Besides she didn't know a Drake. That was Draco's nickname and she hadn't known him when she was seven.
She opened her eyes to come face to face with Draco, "Are you ok Hermione?" He asked softly.
Hermione screamed swinging her fist and punching Draco in the jaw. Ginny laughed out loud as Draco stumbled backwards swearing. Voldemort's eyes widened at Hermione's display of strength and he couldn't help but chuckle as well. This brought her gaze to him and she froze again.
"Daddy it's my birthday tomorrow! I'm going to be seven!" Hermione squealed jumping up and down.
Her dad smiled, "Did you know that seven is the most powerful magical number of them all?" He asked kneeling down in front of her.
Hermione shook her head, "Momma says that's all hogwash. She says the best magic comes from the heart."
"Well she would say that. She's a hopeless romantic." Tom chuckled ruffling his daughter's black hair.
"I heard that!" shouted a voice from the kitchen.
Hermione's eyes widened, "She hears everything." She whispered.
Tom laughed at his daughter's words, swung her up into his arms, and headed for the kitchen.
"Dad," She croaked her voice breaking with emotion and fear.
Voldemort's eyes softened when Hermione addressed him. "You're going to be fine Hermione." Voldemort said softly, "You just have to let your memories settle. You fought through a very powerful memory charm. You're still a little disoriented. It could be like this for a couple of days."
Hermione frowned looking over at Ginny, "Ginny?" she asked.
"Come on Hermione!"Ginny yelled, "We're going to miss the train!"
Hermione laughed as she ran after her best friend, "Calm down we still have five minutes!"
Hermione growled and shook her head to bring herself back to the present. The echo of the memory slowed faded from her ears.
Ginny took a small step towards her, "Are you okay?"
"I think so. Just confused." Hermione responded slowly.
"They said that your memories will cause that. You won't have an accurate grasp on reality. Some of your memories are real and some aren't. Your mind is sorting through them to destroy the fake ones. Or something like that." Ginny finished softly.
Hermione nodded to show she understood, "How will my brain know what is real from what isn't?" She asked.
"Each real memory has a root in your mind. I place that it is anchored in your subconscious. Fake memories don't have an anchor. They just appear with no connection to other memories of that same time in your life. For example there are more memories of you that are real from when you were younger than fake ones. So your brain will find the ones that don't fit and destroy them." Draco answered from the wall.
Hermione glared at him and shut her eyes again.
"Drake come on!" Hermione giggled, "You have to at least try, otherwise it's no fun!"
Draco sighed while mindlessly moving another pawn, "Mione I don't like wizard's chess. Can't we just go play quidditch?"
Hermione grinned, "If you beat me I'll play a full game with you. Deal?" She asked holding out her hand.
"Deal." Draco smirked shaking her hand before leaning down to carefully study the board.
Hermione opened her eyes again and sighed, "I think I'd like to be alone for awhile."
Everyone nodded and left the room. Hermione sighed before letting her mind continue with its search through her memories.