Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely a devoted slave to our beloved queen JK Rowling without whom this fanfiction would never have been created. All Hail the Queen

And now, onto the good stuff…

Sitting there squirming with the darling little owl perched on her shoulder she pulled out the vial, gasping as she looked at the artistic piece, long fingers running over the emeralds in the serpent's eyes as three long tables down Draco fought to keep his eyes off of her, but unable to suppress a quick grin as her curiosity won out on her, sending Hermione rushing from the room as discreetly as possible clutching the vial in hand, with a small owl fluttering along behind her. Nervous butterflies, though, quickly took the place of his confidence as he knew she would be looking into his mind, his everything. There was no way she would be able to overlook everything he felt, and to be lain out so bare before her was a terrifying prospect.

….

Pacing before the pensieve Hermione shuddered while petting the bird obstinately perched on her right shoulder, torn between not even wanting to know what this mystery person had in mind and being so driven to know what was so important that they all but ensured she would look that it was driving her insane. Finally driven to the brink her wand arm twitched almost of its own accord, summoning her makeshift pensieve from its tucked away spot and into the open before uncorking the vial and pouring in the silvery memory as it already began to take hold of her senses. Filling her nose with the intoxicating rich fragrances as her sight grew foggy, mind filling up with all the little bits and pieces which would allow the memory to be presented to her. Blinking rapidly she took her first look into the memory and almost pulled right out of it as the owner stood before her in Prof. Dumbledore's office. It was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Now Draco, you should seriously consider the choice I am giving you here. The opportunity to switch sides in times like these are not given to many, my boy. I want nothing more to save you from the fate that awaits you if you continue down this path. But I cannot make these decisions for you. But tell me, do you really believe in this cause? Do you really want this?"

His memories washed out from him in waves as she listened to, she felt his frustration. "Why can't this old fool leave me alone. Can't he see there is nothing to be done?" Reluctance coloring his thoughts and his actions, even as he noticed the ruby hilted pen knife well within reach on the professor's desk, even as he knew just how easy it would be to kill the headmaster he had sworn to destroy right here and now. Before he finally managed to mumble that he was indeed sure though his mind proved him anything but.

She trailed them as she followed an equally curious Draco through the halls after the errant headmaster until they paused at the wall both she and Draco knew too well as being the entrance to the room of requirement – neither one quite sure of what the headmaster had in store. Neither would ever have believed it could possibly be the Mirror of Erised which Hermione had heard so much about from Harry showing Draco Hermione. Her eyes growing wide as saucers as Draco's thoughts filled her mind. Denial at first, quickly fading into assent that this was something he had wanted starting four years ago when he first saw her walking into the Yule Ball on Viktor Krum's arm. She was so lost, so wrapped up in Draco that she even missed the knowing smiles of Dumbledore, just as Draco had.

Next came a montage. Slips of scenes with Draco camped out beside the mirror at first, staring into it as though it contained his whole world until he fell asleep still dreaming of all it contained. Evenings speaking to it as though it was truly her. And days rushing to it to inform the girl in the mirror of just what her real life counterpart did, how beautiful she looked. All the waves of disgust that had overwhelmed Hermione as she first saw who the memory belonged to vanished, washing away slowly as she became more and more entranced by all she saw. It was hard to ignore that kind of devotion.

She could see the confusion, felt it, as reality and the fantasy Draco and the mirror created blurred. As his feelings became stronger and harder for the stoic slytherin boy to ignore. Until finally it snapped. Reliving again the feeling, the sensation as his lips crashed against her own. Taking it all in, his wonder, his thoughts as first they drowned together in ecstacy before both came back to earth, the spell shattering around them as she looked again at the situation, this time from another's eyes. Watching as Draco shattered again before her eyes, this time knowing that it was nothing but the whole hearted truth. Him running from the scene to the mirror. Leaving her to bear witness to the hardest thing she had to watch yet. As he took the cricket bat to the mirror, smashing it again and again. Trying to destroy it as furious tears ran in torrents down his cheeks. Asking why. Only to be answered by the very man who had seen fit to put him through all of this.

Tears running down her own face she watched the memory again fade to gray as she opened her eyes again in the present. Too stunned to move. Too stunned to think. Choking out between sobs to the bird perched on her shoulder. "Go to him. Go to Draco." Knowing that was all the answer he needed in the world.

Hey guys thanks for reading. I know this was a lot of recap, but it was all necessary for everything to come. Hope you all are still enjoying what you are reading! I ended up just doing two littler updates tonight but more shall be up soon! I know this is broken up funky but I prefer to have them cut where makes the most sense rather than just writing for long periods and just ending it abruptly. So here ya go, more to come!
xoxo

a-stranger-angel