A/N: Wow, super hectic week! Loving all the Rugby World Cup fever! GO New Zealand! YAY! Haha, anyway this chapter is dedicated to the one reviewer of my last chapter Arianne4u! Thanks so much for your support :D you made me feel loved! (Lalalupin – you are my sister so your review doesn't count! Thanks anyways! Haha) Sorry for the wait, but here's the next chapter! Things are gonna get interesting! It's gonna be a long one to say sorry for the long wait and I don't know how soon I can update again. Enjoy :D

Chapter 8

For the next couple of weeks, Hermione and Draco's truce was tentative. It started off with a couple of nods in the hallway or a few polite words exchanged when they were required to work together. All of their hesitation, however, was forgotten after an interesting double Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Having survived the war, Professor Lupin was back as their teacher and Harry, Ron and Hermione were particularly overjoyed with this arrangement. That day, the professor paired the class up with people from another house.

"Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom."

Pansy scowled at Neville.

"Seamus Finnegan, Theo Nott. Tracey Davis, Harry Potter. Blaise Zabini, Katie Bell. Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy." They all shuffled around to their allotted places with some grumbling.

"Right. Today we will be learning how to battle with partners. You will need to trust your partner with your life. I cannot stress this enough. You must trust your partner. You will need to learn each other's strengths and weaknesses, and work with them. I have selected your partner not randomly, but with a good reason. If you have any queries about that, you may see me after class. We will be working on this for a few weeks and at the end, we may have a small demonstration to see how well you have coped."

The half of the lesson was used to question each other about strengths and weaknesses. Hermione was great at offensive spells and thinking up strategies under pressure. Draco was better at defensive spells and he had good reflexes thanks to his Seeker training. They made a good pair. Considering their fragile truce, Hermione was a bit nervous about trusting her former enemy to save her. After the discussion, Lupin asked for a volunteer pair. When no one offered, Draco and Hermione looked at each other and silently agreed.

"We will, Professor." Hermione stood up.

"Excellent! Well, my assistant, whom I have battled with as partners, will be here momentarily. You may discuss any strategies."

Draco and Hermione moved to the other side of the room.

"So, plan?" Draco asked immediately.

"Oh, so I have to plan?" Hermione was miffed.

"Well, it's just that you usually work something brilliant out." He shrugged.

Oh. A compliment. Hm.

"Okay then. Well, I think you should focus on the defence side and I'll stage the attack. But seeing as that is obvious, we could switch after a while."

They put their heads together and whispered about surprises and strategies. Hermione's head shot up when Tonks entered the room.

"Tonks!" Harry and Ron beamed.

"Okay class, Professor Tonks here has taken over as the Transfiguration, and she has agreed to help me here today."

Tonks smiled and nodded, her bubblegum pink hair bobbing. She spotted Hermione and her smile widened to a grin. It looked almost evil.

"Hermione, Draco? Ready? We won't take it easy on you." She said, smirking now.

Draco nodded. Hermione removed her robe and tied her long hair up into a high ponytail. Draco rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing muscular arms. Then Draco stood slightly in front of his partner, to the left. Tonks stood opposite the room from them, Lupin slightly behind. The students were utterly silent, waiting with baited breath. Everyone knew that Draco and Hermione were the brightest students in the school, and they also knew that Tonks was an Auror and Lupin was obviously the DADA teacher. They also were husband and wife. They would do anything to protect the one they loved.

Suddenly a flash of red light swished towards Hermione. Draco's reflexes allowed him to cast a Protego before Hermione counter-attacked. She silently sent an Impedimenta hex towards the other pair, which was also deflected. The students watched with wide eyes as Hermione cast spell after silent spell, amazing them with her knowledge. Draco was lightening fast with his protection, and occasionally he would also attack. Tonks was also quick with her defence, and Lupin's skill and aim was deadly.

"Flipendo! Confringo! Confundus!" Hermione yelled in quick succession.

"Incarcerous! Stupefy!" Draco also yelled.

"Protego Maxima!" Tonks cried.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Lupin attacked.

Draco's legs snapped together, and he fell to the ground, helpless to defend.

Hermione leaped in front of him and cast a shield. Behind her back, Hermione showed Draco the agreed on sign for their switch. As Hermione defended, Draco, still on the ground, attacked with a new found vigour. Suddenly, Hermione's shield faltered. She was struck with a Stupefy and Tonks held Draco at wand point, panting heavily.

Lupin grinned. He, too, was panting.

"Well, that was certainly interesting." He walked over to examine his fallen pupil.

"Rennervate."

Hermione's brown eyes snapped open. She frowned in obvious disappointment. Draco was set to normal as well, and they joined the rest of the class, looking dispirited.

"Hey, now, that was an excellent first attempt! You had us both really working." Tonks tried to comfort. The class murmured their agreement.

"Right, next lesson, we will begin training. Class dismissed."

Hermione and Draco left class together, both of them silent. When they were far away enough from the class, Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind a statue.

"What-?"

"I just wanted to say thank you." Draco said in a rush.

"What?" Hermione said again.

"For trusting me. I didn't expect that. I think we worked really well together."

Hermione blinked. She did not expect that. Then she beamed.

"Of course I trust you. You haven't given me a reason not to."

"Even after what happened before the war?" Draco looked concerned.

"Yup. We were young, you were an insufferable twit, but I'm over it now." Hermione reasoned.

Draco looked relieved. "Thanks, Hermione."

"Of course. I have to go now, I have class." She smiled once more, then she left.

Draco grinned. He didn't notice the person hiding in the shadows, watching. Draco left, heading towards the library for his free period.

"GRANGER! Hermione! Granger! Shit, where are you? GRANGER!" someone was shouting.

Hermione looked up from her book. She was sitting by the lake, under a nice shady tree. She saw a person sprinting towards her, and she stood up in a panic. Who was hurt? Was Ginny okay? Harry? Ron?

It was Zabini who was racing towards her, and Hermione was confused.

"Blaise? Are you okay?" She asked, running to meet him.

"I'm fine – it's Draco – hurt – cursed – help" Blaise panted, tugging at her hand.

Draco? Blaise was yanking firmly at her hand, so Hermione allowed herself to be forced back into the castle. It was quiet, being a Saturday, and she could dimly hear screaming. Hermione's steps quickened at the sound. Blaise led her to the corridor leading to the library, where there was a crowd of people. McGonagall, Tonks, Lupin, Harry and Ginny were surrounding a writhing body on the ground. She saw a flash of blonde hair, and knew it was Draco. What had happened?

What did Blaise need her for?

Just then, Draco let out a roar. It was filled with pain; hurt, anguish, anger, guilt, torture. It was the most heartbreaking sound Hermione had ever heard. It nearly broke her to hear it. It was worse than hearing someone being hit with the Crutiatus over and over and over.

"Draco. Draco! Listen to me, look at me." McGonagall was begging.

Harry held Ginny in a tight embrace, both looking horrified.

Tonks and Lupin looked helpless. Hermione stumbled forward, not thinking. She ripped her hand out of Blaise's grasp and knelt down next to Draco. He was thrashing around, his face a deathly white. His hands were bleeding, it looked like he had been clawing at the ground. His eyes were wide open, but they gazed at horrors that no one else could see. He looked so broken. His scream hitched, and he convulsed into sobs.

Hermione didn't hesitate. She took Draco's face into her hands and looked deep into his unseeing eyes.

"Draco! Draco, please listen to me. Look at me. I'm here. What you're seeing isn't real. Come back. Look at my eyes. Focus. Draco, please. Not real. Listen to me. Look at me." Hermione was steady in her stream of encouragement, her soft hands smoothing Draco's skin.

The sobbing continued, but the thrashing slowed down. Finally he was laying still, weeping. Hermione still had his face in her hands, and continued to soothe him as she stared into his eyes. The grey started to refocus, and they stared straight into her warm eyes.

"That's it, Draco. Focus on me. Come back. It's no real. I'm here."

Draco closed his eyes, and passed out.

McGonagall stood up and levitated Draco out of Hermione's hands. She hurried away, with Lupin and Tonks on her heels. Hermione sat on the floor, and she started to cry.

She had never known of a pain that intense. She looked up and met Ginny's stare, she was also crying. Blaise and Harry were almost as pale as Draco was. They all looked horrified and helpless. Then Blaise crouched down beside the brown haired witch, and helped her up. In a silent agreement, the four witnesses walked to the Hospital wing, prepared for a long night of waiting.

None of them noticed the smug form standing in the shadow.

A/N: PLEASE let me know how I did with this one. I really, really need to know. It was pretty difficult to write so... PLEASE REVIEW! As always, much love from KaylaKay xxx