Author's Note: Aaaaandd... here's another chapter! I'm really really trying to update sooner and get this story finished for you guys. I am working as fast as I can I promise! Though I will make it up to you all: if I write a short chapter I will update twice in one day. Okay?

Please enjoy!

The Missing Piece Chapter Six

Day: 10

Hermione had a hard time accepting the memory in the pensieve actually happened. It was like watching a muggle television show starring the man she strongly disliked and herself. It was like being in a dream, watching things happen from the outside. It was like nothing she had experienced before, and the thought of it just made the knot in her throat tighten and grow. Hermione's logical side told her that according to Inside the Depths of the Pensieve, everything witnessed in a pensieve had happened at one time during history, and that memories viewed in pensieves could not be altered or changed in any way. But the stubborn part of Hermione had trouble accepting this. She did not remember living that moment, hence it did not happen. Hermione sat on her couch, curled up into a ball and nursing her confused mind. The memory continued to swim in her mind: Malfoy's distaste, her anger, the insults… none of it went away. Hermione let out a sob in an effort to rid herself from the knot in her throat, struggling to force her mind to remember more, to see the memory from her view. She was growing desperate. How much more could she take? Why can't I remember? Why can't I remember? She repeated desperately to herself, rocking back and forth in a torrent of tears, while the rain pounded against her window in a sorrowful reply.

Day: 11

"Hey! Come in!" Hermione greeted Harry and Ron cheerfully, as she opened the door to allow them inside her flat. She wasn't feeling particularly cheerful today, but the sight of her two best friends certainly lifted her spirits. She had known them for her whole life, so despite her lapse in memory, she felt as if she hadn't missed a thing when it came to Harry and Ron. Harry proceeded to the couch, where he sat down, relaxing against the leather fabric, running a hand through his jet black, messy hair. Ron walked directly into the kitchen, where Hermione could hear him opening cabinets and opening boxes of food. She shook her head lovingly in the direction of the kitchen, and faced Harry, who wore an amused expression on his smooth features.

"Thought we'd stop by and see how you were doing," Harry began, lifting his legs and placing them on the coffee table in front of him. He caught Hermione's stern look and immediately placed his feet back on the ground. "That and we were bored."

Hermione chuckled and gave a swift look at the kitchen door noticing that the noise had stopped, signaling Ron had begun to eat. "Want some tea, Harry?" Hermione offered, already on her way to the kitchen to check on what Ron was eating.

"Yeah, sure."

"Want some tea, Ron?" Hermione asked once she had entered the kitchen. Ron had found a box of chocolate chip cookies and was stuffing them in his mouth. Unable to speak without spitting out cookie, Ron nodded eagerly. Hermione walked up to her best friend and tore the box of cookies from his grip.

" 'Ey, wa wa ah foo?" Ron complained with his mouth full of cookie. Hermione didn't understand a word he had said but figured he missed the cookies by the tone of his voice.

"I like those cookies too."

Ron hung his head and walked into the living room, while Hermione busied herself by making them tea. Flashes from what she saw in the pensieve muddled her mind, despite Hermione's efforts to drive them away. She did not want to think about them now. Ron and Harry were over, and she would try her best to be as happy as she could around them. She didn't need people worrying about her. Several minutes later, Hermione walked into the living room with a tray filled with three cups of tea. She sat down on a chair in front of her friends, who sat comfortably on the sofa.

"So what have you been up to, Hermione?" Harry asked her, grabbing a tea cup and blowing the rising steam off its surface.

"Um, nothing terribly exciting. Been inside here, mostly." She replied in what she thought was a nonchalant tone. She didn't want to tell them she had been to Malfoy Manor to view memories just yet; she didn't know how they would take it. There was a short silence in which Hermione squirmed uncomfortably in her chair, avoiding both Harry and Ron's eyes.

"What are you up to, Hermione?" Harry repeated in a tone that Hermione knew well. Harry had used that tone with her on occasion, when he knew she was hiding something from him. Hermione's eyes flashed nervously to Harry's, whose eyes looked as if they were x-raying her.

Hermione rushed the truth in one breath. "Nothing… I went to Malfoy Manor yesterday. He showed me things in the pensieve, but don't worry, I won't return… I don't think it's a good idea to see them anyways, I don't know what made me—"

"I think it's a great idea." Ron cut in, something unreadable flashing in his eyes. Hermione stopped mid-sentence, with her mouth open.

"Yeah, who knows, it might trigger something. You could remember again if you saw memories, perhaps." Harry added frankly.

Hermione looked between the pair of them as if they grew two heads. Healer Greene had warned her not to try and wreck her brain into remembering events, already making viewing memories a bad idea. But that wasn't why Hermione was in mild shock at Harry and Ron's approval. She had been expecting them to bring up Malfoy, and what a terrible person he was. She was waiting for Ron and Harry to offer up their memories, instead of Malfoy's. The fact that they had no problem with Hermione even being around him was just weird.

"Wait, so you guys don't have a problem with me going to Malfoy Manor?"

Harry and Ron gave each other a knowing glance, and then looked back at Hermione.

"Now, I'm not saying we are friends with the bloke, but he has changed, and we are on good terms with each other. He's different." Harry explained.

"Yeah, you kind of brought on the whole 'he's an okay person' thing to be honest…" Ron spoke cautiously, chugging his tea, and finishing it in just seven gulps. Hermione once again felt uncomfortable at Ron's words, which hinted intimacy between her and Malfoy. It wasn't that she was ashamed or afraid of intimacy itself… She just couldn't wrap her head around how she could have possibly ended up with a guy like Draco Malfoy, professional arse. It seemed completely unreal and made-up. Part of her had accepted it because so many people had told her it was true, but another part of Hermione remained stubborn, refusing to believe such a preposterous idea.

"Do what you think is right. Personally, I think the pensieve is a great idea." Harry spoke again, in a soft but convincing tone. "And… He does want to help. I think you should trust him."

Hermione could do nothing but nod. Her mind was presently a jumble of emotions, unable to make sense of any of them even if she wanted to. Everything just felt odd, despite what her mind thought, and despite what everyone told her.

Day: 12

"Where's Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked Molly Weasley. Mrs. Weasley had invited Hermione over for a while, to catch up on things and chat, but Hermione had the sneaking suspicion that it was because Mrs. Weasley wanted Hermione to get out of her flat for a while and catch some fresh air. It wasn't that Hermione purposefully kept herself inside, she just never thought of leaving her flat, subconsciously afraid that she would walk out onto the street and everything would be completely different.

"Harry I believe is at work, and Ron is too stubborn to come visit me today. He has his own place just outside London now, you know?" Molly replied cheerfully. No, Hermione had not known Ron had moved out of the Burrow. He must have moved out during the last two years.

"Why is Ron being stubborn?" Hermione asked, in an effort to spark conversation. Knowing Ron, it was probably because he and Molly had some petty argument. Ron, being a hard-headed person, probably became angry. Hermione leaned against Molly's kitchen counter, as Molly began adding the finishing touches on a cake she had been making.

"Well…" Molly said in an uncomfortable tone. She pulled out her wand and white icing sprouted from its end, covering the cake in a few seconds. "Ron went to talk to Draco yesterday, asking him if he could perhaps give him some memories for you to see, but Draco blatantly refused his offer. So Ron obviously came home and thundered on and on about it."

Hermione immediately felt uneasy about the fact that others were arguing over which memories she was allowed to see. Shouldn't she be the one to decide? Why wasn't she being given a choice in the matter? Hermione heaved a sigh. "So why is Ron not showing up here?" She asked with her most carefree tone.

"Well I agreed with Draco on this one. I don't think Ronald should meddle in things that are not his business. It would ruin everything. Will you help me put this cake on the tray dear?"

Hermione did not have time to reply, even if she wanted to. She had to words to express how she was feeling. She helped Molly lift the cake and place it on a tray so Molly could bring it out in the living room. Hermione felt somewhat helpless at that moment, and rather lost. Why was everyone suddenly leaving her out of decisions that were hers to make? It angered her. She didn't like how everyone was treating her lately. Memory modification did not interfere with decision-making skills, or any motor skills to her knowledge. She was perfectly capable of choosing what to do for herself. Why wouldn't she be allowed to see someone else's memories? Why did they have to be Draco's memories specifically? I know you may have given up on recovering your memories, but I have not, Draco's voice rang in her mind. Hermione remembered the hurt look in his eyes and the devastation in his features when she told him she would never regain her memories, so any history they had together would be rendered meaningless. He does want to help. I think you should trust him, Harry had said. A sudden thought caused her stomach to drop as if she had swallowed a one ton brick: Could Draco be trying to make her fall in love with him again? She didn't want to accept that, but it just made sense. Why else couldn't Ron pitch in memories? Why else would Molly say it would ruin everything?

"Everything all right, dear?" Molly asked her, concern evident in the wrinkles etched upon the red-haired woman's forehead. Hermione merely nodded, turning quite pale and evading the woman's eyes. "I know it's all very confusing. Merlin only knows what it's like to lose your memory. But with time, you'll find your way again. Don't you worry."

Hermione looked into Mrs. Weasley's bright blue eyes and smiled a small smile. She felt slightly comforted by the woman's words, but that slight comfort was all Hermione needed. She felt reassured, for the first time in a long time that she would find her way again. Even if for just a few moments.

"Come. Let's have some cake." Mrs. Weasley told her. Hermione followed her out of the kitchen, leaving her troubled thoughts behind her for another day.

Day: 13

Hermione looked at the newspaper clipping Draco had sent her a number of days ago, about her new job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for Ministry of Magic. She read it over and over, each time she read it a new feeling of being lost washed over her, but she couldn't stop reading it, holding it. She couldn't. It was the only tangible thing she had. It was the only solid proof that told her she had been missing something. It reminded her how much she wanted to remember. It brought back Malfoy's memory in the pensieve, and so many other conflicting questions along with it. But most of all, it brought a sense of finding that missing piece of herself that she had struggled for days to find. She supposed she trusted Malfoy on some level, because if she didn't she would never have viewed that memory. She disliked the man, even after what everyone said about him, but despite her unpopular feelings toward him she could not deny at that moment that she was thankful he brought her that newspaper clipping, and by extension, hope.

A/N: I feel bad for Hermione. She has such conflicting thoughts at times. She just doesn't know what to do, poor soul. It's funny because I made her that way. But this is a rant for another day...