"Mister Malfoy, how much longer are you two going to take? You need to travel to Australia to be able to perform the spell, and it may have escaped your notice but Australia is a long way away." McGonagall had called Draco and Hermione up into her office to talk about their progress.

Hermione was going to be sentenced in two weeks. They had 14 days to be able to fix her parents, or else she would be punished for crimes against muggles.

"We've figured out almost how to do it, but I need to get a few more people's input first." Draco tried to stay calm. He knew how long the trip was to Australia, and that he couldn't just apparate there. It wouldn't be that easy. They would have to make a few trips, over a couple of days.

"You must be quick about it," McGonagall warned, peering over her spectacles.

Hermione had remained quiet throughout this whole thing, letting Draco answer all the questions. He could sense she was feeling down about her parents, but he felt unsympathetic towards her. He just needed to get his name cleared. That was all. And at the end of this, they would go back to being enemies. They had to get along for another two weeks, and that was that.

"Well, I have a game to prepare for tomorrow." Draco dismissed himself, standing up. "Permission to leave the premises after the game tomorrow?"

Hermione looked up for the first time, and looked at him. Her eyes were widened, asking him why he didn't run it past her.

McGonagall nodded. She didn't want much to do with the boy's plans, as she knew he would be talking with a few fugitives, and she didn't want to be witness to that.

Draco fled from the scene as fast as he could.

Hermione sat on her bed, reading Hogwarts: A History. She didn't know what to think of everything. Previous years, she'd had a friend to talk to, like Ginny or Harry. This year, at a stretch, she had Neville. But even he didn't know of the things that she was going through.

Harry, Ginny and Ron had been writing to her in her weeks at Hogwarts and away from them, and Hermione would open them and read them. However, they mainly ended up unanswered.

Dear Hermione,

Are you okay? Ron and I saw the newspapers, and Arthur won't tell us why you were at the ministry! Please talk to us. We're here for you, if you want us to be. We can meet at Hogsmeade one day, if you'd like.

Tomorrow, Ron and I are starting training to be Aurors! Can you believe it, Hermione? We're finally getting a move on with our lives!

Ginny is trying to get Molly to let her help out George and Lee with the shop, though Molly isn't too impressed. She says she doesn't need yet another child of hers pulling pranks on her. It's good to see them all joking around again. It was tense for a few days after you got onto the train.

How is being Head Girl? I heard that you have to share a dorm with the Head Boy! Who is it, this year? I'm not being told anything!

Love from Harry.

Hermione answered Harry as quickly as she could, without revealing too much to him.

Of course I would love to meet you at Hogsmeade! I've missed you all so much! It's a little lonely here with just Neville and Dean to talk to. They're in different classes and whatnot. Tell Ginny to come along, as well, would you? I'm in need of some girl talk.

I'm fine with everything happening with the ministry. It was just a misunderstanding, and isn't anything to worry about.

Being Head Girl is tiring. All the patrols and the meetings with McGonagall take up so much of my study time, but are worth it, though. I'm having a blast.

I'm glad everything is working out on your end, and that everyone is doing okay. Please send them all my love!

Hermione.

Hermione lied to him about the ministry, not wanting Harry to worry, like she knew he would. She didn't want him to do anything drastic. Merlin knows how hopeless Harry was at making plans. She also avoided mentioning Draco as the head boy. She knew that Harry and Ron didn't like him, and that they would try and help her themselves, but if she didn't have the expertise, neither did they.

Her birthday would be tomorrow. The nineteenth of September. Normally, her parents would send her a letter or two, along with cards from her other relatives and a parcel. This year, Hermione knew to expect nothing. She hadn't really celebrated her birthday at Hogwarts much, and she wasn't going to start now.

"Hermione?" Draco poked his head into her room. She didn't even hear him enter the common room. His blond hair was dipping with sweat, and his face was red. Merlin, these Quidditch blokes take themselves seriously. How much work is flying around on a broom?!

"What?" She asked hastily, her eyes ablaze. She wanted to go out and find his mother. She wanted to do it without him so badly, especially with her birthday coming up, so she could find her parents and reverse everything.

"We've got permission to leave the castle tomorrow morning. I know where my mother is. She knows we're coming. Be ready to leave the castle at eight. Wait for me in the common room."

He must've had a change of heart. Before, he wanted to postpone them going to see his mother for as long as he could. Now, he was trying to get it over and done with.

"What changed?" Hermione asked him curiously, her eyebrow shooting up.

Draco paused for a moment. "I guess I just want to see my mother."

Hermione knew it was bullshit. Spending her birthday with the Malfoys was the last thing she wanted to do. But if she wanted to see her parents again, and for them to remember her, she would have to do it. Hermione sighed and nodded.

Draco left the room.

Well, I better get ready for tomorrow then, Hermione thought to herself, as she put her book down and prepared herself for the following day.

Draco met her in the common room at eight in the morning, sharp. He was dressed smartly in a suit, as per usual from their sixth year. His hair was even slicked back. He was surprised when Hermione stepped out of her room in jeans and a tee shirt. Did it not dawn on her who she was meeting? Either way, it was too late now to change into something else.

Draco rolled his eyes. Her shirt was red. Gryffindors.

"We're apparating from here. McGonagall's lowered the apparition wards for the next few minutes for us." Draco offered her his elbow, though he didn't want to be closer to her than he had to. She hesitantly took the nook of his elbow in her hand.

Draco could sense the nerves rolling off of her, even though she had clearly tried to cover it up by fixing her posture straighter. It just looked odd on her. Draco nodded at her, and she sent him a nod back.

Draco apparated them with a snap to the front of the house.

This was a different manor to the one Hermione remembered to be the Malfoy Manor. This house was much smaller, clearly made for just Narcissa. She wondered if Lucius even knew about it, and prayed for her safety and the safety of Draco's mother, that he didn't.

The house was two stories high, the wooden house being painted robin egg blue and white. Draco shook Hermione's hand off his arm, standing in front of the door confidently. He knocked loudly on the door, his knuckles rapping on the white wood.

Hermione stood slightly behind him. She hadn't seen Narcissa Malfoy since the battle of Hogwarts, when she walked in with Harry's body along with the other death eaters. She was surprised to see that Draco had over dressed, and that Narcissa was only in a maxi skirt and a blouse.

The woman offered a hug to Draco, not noticing Hermione at first. She could tell that Draco had missed his mother, despite him denying it all the time. The way that his stance loosened up when he hugged his mother told her everything she needed to know.

Hermione tried not to flinch when Narcissa noticed her. She stood back a little, backing into the house. Hermione was standing a step behind Draco. Her heart wanted to run away, but Hermione forced it to stay still.

"Hi," Hermione began. "I'm He-"

"Hermione Granger," The cool tone of the woman's voice washed over Hermione. "I know who you are."

Hermione nodded. "Rightly so."

Draco could sense the tension. "Mother, can we come in to talk to you?"

"Sure," Narcissa replied, still looking Hermione up and down, as though Hermione were about to blow up her house.

Hermione's hands were curled around a cup of tea, the mug warming her fingertips, even though the weather was nice outside.

Narcissa and Draco were on another couch. The interior of the house was much humbler than the manor. Lucius would hardly suspect her to be here. They slurped their tea awkwardly.

"So, I suspect you're not just here to talk to your dear, old mother, then Draco." Hermione wasn't sure if Narcissa was talking lightly or if she was infuriated by Hermione's presence.

"Yes. Hermione, would you like to?" Draco looked at her expectantly. Hermione was thankful for it, because this wasn't his story to tell. It was hers. She nodded.

"About a year ago, right before the minister was murdered, I obliviated my parent's memory of me. It was kept on the automatic record that the ministry keeps of magic used against muggles, except it wasn't checked until recently. A trial was held, and I was given a month to reverse what I did. I have thirteen days left until I'm punished for my actions." Hermione condensed it as much as she could.

Narcissa gazed at her hesitantly, as though she were reading Hermione's mind. Hermione shifted in her seat.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." Narcissa said softly, surprising Hermione. "But what do you think that I can do to help?"

"I know you specialise in magic to do with memories. I've already figured out that it's more of a confundus charm mixed with obliviate. The memories are there, somewhere, but I don't know how to reverse it." Draco spoke for the two of them, however Hermione didn't miss the way that he only mentioned himself.

"I've looked through just about every book on memory charms that there are, and I couldn't find anything. I've looked through case studies, but unfortunately for me, every case varies."

Narcissa hummed, her gaze hardening for a moment, before softening. "I'll see what I can do for you two. I'll be in touch in a few days, hopefully."

Hermione nodded, and smiled gratefully at the woman. Narcissa clearly wasn't expecting it, as she blinked for a moment, before smiling back.

Narcissa searched the girl's memory of her obliviating her parents. It put a weight in her chest to see the things that she was forced to go through because of who she was. She couldn't help being born a witch, any more than Narcissa could help how the earth spun.

She could sense the girl's sadness and loneliness that she felt. It made Narcissa's heart ache from the pain that was inflicted on this one person from the war.

Reversing the spell wouldn't be easy, because she could see that Hermione was a very thorough in her spells. But it could be done.

She could see the desperation in the Gryffindor's eyes. If Hermione wasn't desperate, she wouldn't be standing in front of Narcissa, or have asked Draco for help. Though, a quick scan of Draco's mind of the time that he had spent in Hogwarts for the past three weeks showed her that it wasn't through her will.

Narcissa hated invading their privacy like that, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Legilimency was easy for her. As was occlumency. She would have been long dead in the Dark Lord's reign if she wasn't.

Another hour passed of her catching up with her son, before they needed to go back to the castle to report to McGonagall. Narcissa was sad to see them go, but understood that the wards at Hogwarts was no joke.

"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy," Hermione said. Narcissa noted the girl's politeness as she shook her hand.

"Narcissa, please."

"Bye, mother," Draco said, giving his mother a short hug.

Draco took Hermione's elbow, but right before they disapparated, Narcissa commented.

"Happy birthday, Hermione."

The shock was evident on Draco's face before Hermione disapparated them back to the castle.