A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and has been reading. And a special thanks to Lingo10, DepressionInTheFlesh, Mischa Rowe, greatEXpectationz, and GothicBunny123 for the recent reviews I haven't been able to answer; you all know how much I appreciate them. Anyway, hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season and here's another gift. Happy reading.
Forget Me Not
Chapter 9: Reality Restored
That following Saturday I went searching for Draco. I hadn't seen him in a few days and I was worried. He always came to my room at night and slept with me and would leave before others woke the next morning. What bothered me more was that I hadn't even seen him in class since Tuesday. I'd checked the hospital first and made sure he wasn't there; I feared Lisa had regrouped and attempted to confront him again. Thankfully, he wasn't there. But where was he?
I searched for a while longer and wished again that I had that map. I couldn't even ask Harry for it since he didn't want me with Draco anyway. So I had to continue on searching for him the hard way. I finally spotted that blonde hair on the second floor. I started running down the hall and called his name. He turned as I lunged into his arms; I kissed him without even thinking about it, but he didn't respond as I thought he would.
Instead of his arms wrapping around my waist and his mouth opening to deepen the kiss, he grabbed me by the arms and harshly pulled me off of him. I looked hurt and confused while he looked absolutely horrified.
"What the hell?" he exclaimed while showing his disgust and terror.
My confusion instantly melted away and was replaced by sadness. "I-I'm sorry," I said trying to fight back the tears I felt forming from behind my eyes. Before he had a chance to say anything else I turned and legged it down the hall. I kept going until I got to the clock tower balcony; my mind was racing and I barely noticed where I ended up until I felt the cold winter air blowing against my tear stained face. My legs quaked and were no longer able to hold my weight so I fell to the ground and hugged my knees to my chest and cried into them. My sobs were loud and I was sure they echoed through the halls, but I could care less. My body focused on regaining my normal respiration pattern while my mind impeded its progress with the constant flow of tears and hitching breaths. The way I was crying, one would think I lost my best friend, and in a way I did.
I had no one to blame, but myself. He told me not to tell anyone; I didn't listen and instead went to Snape. I'm sure he was the one who found a solution and administered it somehow. If I'd have listened, I still would have had the Draco Malfoy I had fallen in love with.
As my punishment, I lost him and was shedding tears for my lost. I couldn't stop them from flowing so I allowed them to as long as they formed behind my eyes.
It felt like several hours later, but it turned out to be forty odd minutes. I stood up from off of the ground and wiped my face to clear away the tears. I headed back toward my dorm to see if Harry and Ron were there. They at least need to know that Draco was back to his old self.
When I got back to our common room I saw Harry and Ron sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace. "Harry," I called in a hoarse voice. They both turned and looked behind them. I watched both of their features shift and was surprised more when I realized Ron was also reacting to me.
"Hermione! What did that bastard do to you?" Ron yelled as he hopped over the couch and rushed to me. Harry came over quickly as well, but not in the same manner. I shook my head. "I'll kill him. I swear I'll kill him," he angrily declared, and I knew he meant it. I wanted to smile then after witnessing that he still felt some concern for me, but I was too numb to outwardly appreciate the display.
"Tell us what happened," Harry instructed calmly, but I could tell he was upset as well.
"He's back to normal…" I lowered my head as I felt the tears coming back.
"How?" Harry asked.
"Did he hurt you?" Ron interrupted before I answered.
"No," I shook my head and decided to give him a response first. "He didn't remember anything… he was just confused when I found him."
Ron's temper subsided slightly. "How?" Harry repeated.
"Snape. I asked Snape for help, and he found a cure… he reversed whatever Lisa Turpin did." Harry and Ron both enveloped me in an embrace. I leaned on Ron's shoulder and cried some more as my friends comforted me.
"It'll be all right, 'Mione," Ron tried to assure me, "It's probably better this way." He sounded too cheerful about this to me, but I couldn't find the energy to react.
"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," Harry suggested. I nodded and smiled.
"Let me go get cleaned up first," I said. They nodded and waited for me to go change and clean up while I grabbed my outdoor apparel. When I re-emerged from my dorm, my two male friends were also adorned in their outdoor ware and waiting for me. We all left together and headed for Hogsmeade through the One-eyed Witch Passage.
I was quiet while we were there drinking butterbeer in the corner while they quietly discussed some secret information the Order had learned. I was lost in my thoughts and kept regretting what I'd done. The other two noticed how down I was and stopped their conversation and tried to cheer me up. It helped a little, but I was still feeling depressed.
Before nightfall we made it back to the school. I told Harry and Ron that I was going to the library and they headed back to the dorm. I actually went to Cuthbert Binns's office and sat in the small alcove and looked out the window at the falling snow. I felt the warm tear drops stain my cheeks as they flowed down my face to land on the blue bedding.
Was it supposed to feel this way? Was I supposed to hurt like this? Because it hurt like hell and that was the only way to describe the feeling. I couldn't help but wonder if it hurt more because I knew I was the one responsible for it in the first place.
I wanted to clear my head of all of the thoughts and decided to just go to sleep, hoping my dreams would offer some refuge. I snuggled up under the covers and waited to be overcome by sleep.
Around midnight, I left the room, unable to escape the dreams. As I was walking down the hallway on the fourth floor I saw something small and furry rush pass me. I turned around and saw it huddled in the corner. I was worried and headed over to pick up the terrified ball of fur. I noted the color first before I uncurled the warm, fuzzy creature. I instantly knew who it was.
I cradled the ferret to my chest and pressed myself to the column beside us after I heard footsteps running down the hall towards us. I looked over and saw a frustrated Lisa Turpin running down the hall with her wand drawn. "Come out, you bloody ferret!" she yelled through the quiet, moonlit halls, "Your precious Granger isn't here to protect you now." She kept running while she swiveled her head, looking for the transfigured blonde.
The mammal was panicked still and writhed in my grasp, but I held him securely to me and hoped he wouldn't make any noise that would draw her attention. I placed a sleeping charm on him, just in case. The furry creature relaxed in my arms. I smiled, pleased by my actions. I waited until the hall was quiet before heading back to Binns's office.
I lay the sleeping animal onto the bed and then retrieved my wand. I waved it and watched as it morphed back into the blonde Slytherin. He remained asleep and I contemplated waking him up versus letting him sleep. I chose the latter and then pulled up a seat beside him to watch his sleeping form rest peacefully.
A few hours later I woke up when I heard him stirring. I hadn't even realized I had drifted to sleep in my chair. He slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Then his eyes met mine. He glared at me before sitting up.
"Where are we?" he asked in a demanding tone.
"Fourth floor, Cuthbert Binns's office," I answered calmly.
"Why am I here? The last thing I remember is being turned into a rodent and chased by Turpin after she was yelling some nonsense at me," I laughed lightly at the way he retold his recent misadventure. "What's so funny?"
I shook my head, "Nothing." I smiled at him, but I feared my sadness showed through my eyes.
"Did you help me get away from that crazy bitch?" he asked, seeming to finally piece things together in his mind.
I nodded. "I was going to my dorm when I saw a small figure running pass me and hid in the shadows. I walked over, picked it up, and knew it was you," he glared at me; I paid it no mind. "Turpin was still after you so I put you to sleep to wait while she left. You were terrified," I had to add. I noticed his slight embarrassment.
"Why'd you help me?" I had a strange sense of déjà vu.
"It's in my nature, I guess," I shrugged. "Besides, how can I not help such a cute furry creature when it was so frightened?" I added with a soft chuckle. He looked down right indignant, but didn't say anything.
"Don't expect me to thank you."
"I don't," I said simply. He looked shocked.
"Really? No witty comeback about me and my horrid upbringing?" I remembered his mother and then shook my head. "You must be tired," he added after a few seconds of silence. Draco turned and let his feet touch the floor. "Not that I care, but why are you out so late?"
"It's not important," I said after I shook my head. "But why were you out so late and running from Lisa Turpin."
He looked wary, but decided in the end to speak. "I… the last thing I remember was talking to her, but apparently that was months ago. I was trying to figure out why so I found her during her rounds. She went berserk and began spouting rubbish. Next thing I know she says she going to turn me into a ferret and keep in a cage 'for real this time' since my guardian angel wasn't keeping me safe. Who the hell is my guardian angel supposed to be?" I tried to look as confused as him.
I shrugged again, "But I guess it was a good thing I was out. Or you would've been her pet ferret." I laughed lightly, but he looked horrified by the idea.
"Now you have my thanks. That mental bitch would've done that and I'd have been helpless." I nodded in agreement.
I stood up, "Well, you should get back to your room before she finds you and tries again." The Slytherin looked panicked. I touched his shoulder lightly to calm him, "You should be all right." I smiled reassuringly at him, "Good night, Draco," I turned to walk away.
"Granger," he called; I looked over my shoulder. "Did you just call me 'Draco'?" I cursed myself inwardly for letting it slip, but I tried to remain cool.
"Well, I just saved you from imprisonment. Why not?" He seemed to accept the answer. I smiled at him one last time before leaving him in the room and heading back to my dorm. In some strange way the entire ordeal put me at ease and I felt I'd be able to make it through the rest of the night, at least.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. I hope you're not too upset amnesiac Draco is gone, but we all knew it was coming sooner or later.