Chapter 6, Book 1, After a War

Hermione smiled as Ronald kissed the top of her head. They were sitting out by the black lake, watching as the sun set. Classes were starting the next day, and according to their class schedules, they didn't share any of the classes for the year. This was gonna be the last chance they got to hang out for a little while. Nothing really eventful had happened that day, she had just hung out with Harry and Ron most of the day and studied a bit for the classes of the next day.

"I can't believe George got Slytherin. I can't believe you got Slytherin! We must actually be different. You still seem like the same Hermione to me though." Ron turned his head to look at her.

"I know. But last night I just sat there thinking, and maybe I am different then how I was before everything happened. I don't know. I suppose it doesn't matter much now." She looked at the treelike where the sun was going down, nearly out of view, making all the clouds pink and purple. The fall season was definitely on its way, with a soft chill in the air and the nights already slowly getting shorter. Or maybe she was just getting busier and time was going by faster in her head.

"As long as the Slytherins don't try to hurt you. It's not your fault you ended up in Slytherin. You should be back in Gryffindor. Gin wanted to talk to you by the way, said she misses you," Ron informed her. He was sweet to want to protect her from the Slytherins. She wished she could tell him that Maya and Bella didn't intend to harm her.

"I'll be fine Ron, I can take care of myself. I'll tell you if something happens though. I promise. And I'll try and talk to her in class tomorrow," Hermione told him. He nodded.

Hermione stood up as she knew curfew was right around the corner. She couldn't get in trouble on the first week of school. He smiled at her.

"Goodnight 'Mione," he gently kissed her for a moment and then pulled away, taking her hand to walk her back to the castle.

"Goodnight Ron," she replied when they reached the castle. They split ways and walked to their separate common rooms, him going upstairs as she went down.

~

She was woken up in the middle of the night by Theodore.

"How did you get in the girls dorm?" She asked immediately.

"Granger we're in our seventh year. You really think I can't figure out how to get in here in seven years?" He questioned with a raised brow. He shook his head. "Anyhow, you're the new smartest person in Slytherin, I need your help. Somethings wrong with Draco." He walked over to the door, expecting her to follow him, and she did.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"He's having a nightmare," he said. She stopped walking and scoffed, crossing her arms.

"What am I supposed to do? Kiss it better?" She asked sarcastically. He glared at her.

"No. He's trapped in the nightmare. We tried everything to wake him up. We don't know how to fix it." He have her a deadpan look. She nodded. Ok that was better, because there was no way she was going in there just to comfort him after a silly nightmare. She followed Theodore into the boys dorm, though she had no idea how he had gotten her in. Four or the five beds had sleeping boys. The only bed empty was Theodore's.

"Malfoy." Hermione stepped over to his bed, he was sweating, he had this pained expression on his face. She put her hand on his forehead. He was soaking wet.

"I poured a glass of water on him to try and wake him up," Theodore told her, knowing that she was confused.

Hermione nodded. "Take my hand." She extended her hand to Theodore. He scoffed.

"No way Granger. You can keep your Weasel, in perfectly fine being single." He backed away from her. She glared at him.

"You git. Just take my hand. We have to wake him up from the inside." She grabbed his hand and whispered the spell under her breath. She wasn't amazing at nonverbal spells yet.

The world around them turned to dust and then reformed itself into a new scene. Her and Theodore were standing next to Malfoy as he watching his father yell at his mother. It was right after fleeing the scene of the battle, she could tell, the entire family was covered in dust that had crumbled off the castle and Malfoy's hands were shaking. She had never seen him so broken. She moved her gaze to his parents as they yelled at each other. Lucius was insisting that they go into hiding like they had the first time Voldemort fell. Narcissa was telling him that if they pleaded for forgiveness they might not end up in jail or separated. He hit her.

Malfoy, Hermione and Theodore winced as they watched, unable to do anything. Hermione moved her gaze to Malfoy, he was crying. She had never seen him cry before. Harry had told her that he had seen him before, but Hermione never had.

The scene shifted to before any of the war began, to before Dumbledore died; to when Malfoy was being told he had to kill Dumbledore. Hermione put her hand over her mouth, trying not to scream at Lucius. They needed to get him out of this dream fast.

"Malfoy wake up!" She yelled at him. He didn't even look at her. "Malfoy!" She yelled again.

The scene changed. There was screaming. Hermione winced. It was her screaming. She moved her gaze from Malfoy to herself being tortured by Bellatrix. She could hear Ron and Harry yelling from here. She felt tears sting in her eyes as she remembered the pain she had been in that terrible day. Theodore even tightened his grip on her hand.

"We need to get him out of here.." Theodore whispered. Hermione nodded and looked back at Malfoy.

"Malfoy please! Wake up!" She yelled, it wasn't working. Come on. "Draco!" She yelled. It felt weird to say his first name. Theodore used his free hand to punch him. That worked.

"Bloody Hell?" Malfoy whispered as he felt the blood coming from his nose. Theodore smirked. He went to punch him again but the scene shifted.

No.

Please no.

Hermione didn't want to see this. They were in the astronomy tower. Malfoy has his wand pointed at Dumbledore. Wait, he lowered his wand. Then... Snape. Snape came in. He and Dumbledore spoke for a minute and then...

"No!" Hermione screamed as Snape cast the spell that killed her headmaster. Theodore held her back and made her focus. He punched Malfoy again, making him stumble back this time.

"Hitting him isn't working!" Hermione yelled at Theodore before he could try and he Malfoy again.

"Then what do you want to do!?" Theodore yelled at her. She looked at Malfoy and then at Theodore.

"Wait for me in the dorm." She let go of his hand and he disappeared before he could even protest. She looked at Malfoy. Maybe if hate didn't work then caring would. She wrapped her arms around Malfoy's neck and hugged him. "Please wake up." She pleaded. He looked at her confusedly.

"Granger?" He questioned. She looked at him.

"You can see me!" She yelped.

"Of course I can! What are you doing here!?"

"I'm trying to wake you up! This is a nightmare! Just wake up." She pulled out of the hug and then faded from the dream, her spell had wore off.

She looked at the sleeping boy in front of her and waited. "Malfoy?" She asked.

"Granger?" He replied.

"Malfoy! Thank Merlin!" She yelped. He opened his eyes and looked at her and Theodore.

"What happened?" He sat up and looked at them. Hermione sat on the edge of his bed.

"You had a nightmare." She explained everything she saw, he looked more and more embarrassed by the second that she had seen his dream. But wen she finished talking he returned his expression to hard.

"Ok.. well you can go back to your dorm now." He looked at Theodore for a moment and then back at Hermione. The girl nodded.

"No thank you? Fine. Next time I'll let you die in your sleep." She stood up and walked over to the door. She opened it and was about to step out when Malfoy's hand grabbed her wrist. She looked back at him.

"Thank you." He sounded like it pained him to say that. She nodded, a small smile of approval on her face.

"You're welcome." She whispered before she walked back to her dorm and went back to sleep,  a smile on her face.