The Coin

The scream sounded as if it was being pulled from the very depths of Hell itself. It took Harry a moment to realize that the sound was coming from Hermione. She was sitting bolt upright in bed, a look of sheer terror etched onto her face, a scream ripping its way past her kiss-swollen lips. Her eyes were wide and unseeing, as if she was still locked in some faraway nightmare she couldn't escape.

Fear pounded through Harry's veins. What kind of nightmare was she trapped in? What could she possibly be seeing that would terrify her so? Should he wake her? He had to. The sound of her screams was piercing his very soul.

"Hermione?" Harry said loudly, grasping her by the shoulders and shaking her slightly. When she didn't respond, he tried again in a louder tone, "Hermione? It's me, love. It's Harry. Wake up. Please, Hermione, wake up." Terror ripped a jagged edge to his own voice.

Hermione didn't acknowledge that he had spoken to her, but her blood chilling screams soon turned to wracking sobs, sending new shivers down his spine. His Auror training had equipped him to handle many frightening situations, but he was at a complete loss as to how to handle this one. So he did the only thing he could think to do--he pulled her trembling body close to his own. Laying back down, he pulled Hermione into his arms--her head pillowed on his chest. He drew the down comforter over them. As he held her, gradually the sobs that ravaged her body gave way to pitiful moans. He rocked her gently in his arms, murmuring soothing words of comfort, softly caressing her bare skin with gentle hands.

Finally, she began to quiet, but silent tears still tracked down her face, plopping in big, wet drops onto Harry's naked chest. After several long minutes of silence, broken only by an occasional sob, Harry spoke, "Can you tell me about your dream?"

Harry felt the instant tension seize Hermione's body. At the same time, he felt her hair rasp across his chest and the moisture from her tears spread against his skin as she shook her head in a vehement 'no'.

"Hermione, please, love, you need to talk about it," he urged. He placed his finger under her chin and gently lifted it until their eyes met. The look of abject terror in her beautiful, brown orbs chilled him to his very soul. It took him several attempts before he could voice his next plea. "Please, Hermione. Talk to me."

Agonizing seconds dragged into long, drawn-out minutes in which Harry feared Hermione wouldn't respond at all. Then, hesitantly, she began in a slightly shaky, halting voice, "I don't remember much. Just images--feelings."

Harry tried to push his own feelings away...the fear that Hermione's nightmares caused him, the concern at seeing her so upset, the love that he felt for her but had been unable to verbalize. Knowing he needed to be objective now, Harry pushed his own intense feelings of unease and disquiet aside. Letting his Auror training take control, he gathered Hermione into a sitting position on the bed, wrapping the sheet around her for both warmth and comfort, though she seemed to have completely forgotten that they were both naked. He couldn't let go of her hands, however. She was clinging to his as if they were her lifeline, her tether to sanity and safety. So instead he squeezed her hands gently in support. "Tell me what you remember?"

"Cold," Hermione said, shivering involuntarily. "Bone numbing cold." Harry drew the comforter back onto her lap, but Hermione didn't notice. "And fear. Fear so strong I could taste it." Hermione's voice had gone cold, detached. She had switched to analytical mode. The visions were too horrifying to process without falling back to her fail safe--analytical reasoning. Harry had been counting on that. He watched as she worked her way through the puzzle that was her nightmare. "There were voices."

"Did you recognize any of them? Could you hear what they were saying?" Harry asked.

"No, not words. Moans. Horrible. Pitiful cries. Like lost souls with no hope of ever finding the light again." Hermione stared straight ahead.

Harry shivered. "Anything else?" he questioned.

"A smell." Her nose wrinkled at the thought. "Decay. Worse than that, though," she shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "Death. That's what it smelled like. It smelled like death."

Gently stroking his thumb across her hand, Harry asked, "Did you see anything, Hermione? Anyone?"

Hermione closed her eyes, her face a study in concentration. She took a few minutes to think about her answer. "Darkness. Everything was dark." Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, wide with terror.

"What Hermione? Tell me what you saw," Harry urged.

Hermione shook her head mutely.

"Please, love."

Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Hermione whispered, "I saw a green light. Like a bolt of lightning."

"Coming from where...or what?" Harry asked with trepidation.

"An outstretched hand...a wand, I think. And that's it. That's where it ends. That's all I can remember," Hermione concluded on a sob.

Harry didn't like the ominous portent of her last statement. "That's okay, Hermione. You did well." He pulled her into his lap and wrapped both arms tightly around her. She snuggled into the safety of his embrace.

"Why am I having these dreams, Harry?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I don't know, love. But there's a doctor at work I'd like you to see. Do you think you could do that?"

Hermione nodded mutely.

"Good. When I go into work today, I'll ask her if she can come out and talk to you."

"Will you be here?" Hermione asked, a note of pleading in her voice.

"Of course I will," he assured her.

Several long, silent minutes passed. Hermione was clinging to him in an almost desperate manner, Harry noted. "It was only a dream, Hermione," he soothed.

"But I haven't been able to remember them before and now I can't get the images out of my head," she confessed, a small catch in her voice. "I just want them to go away. Please, Harry, make them go away."

The desperate note in Hermione's voice coupled with the pleading look in her eyes was Harry's undoing. He kissed her softly, sweetly, gently caressing his lips against hers. But Hermione didn't want soft and sweet. Not now. She needed frantic and frenzied. She needed to feel alive. To chase away the images of death that her dream had so vividly brought to her mind. Her lips clung to his like her hands clung to his arms, grasping desperately, making sure that he was real and not a dream.

Where the first time their lovemaking had been slow and sensual, this time it was fast and furious. Harry knew that Hermione was using him to chase away her demons, but when her hand slid down the flat plane of his stomach, he no longer cared. He allowed himself to get swept away in the rising tide of desire that quickly threatened to engulf them both.

Afterwards, he held Hermione and watched her as she slept, a small, satisfied smile curving her lips. He hoped these dreams were pleasant ones and that, for a while at least, her nightmares were far away.

*^*^*^*^*^*

When Hermione awoke later that morning, Harry was gone. There was a piece of parchment lying on his empty pillow.

Hermione,

I had to go to work. If you need me, don't hesitate to send Hedwig. I'll see if I can bring the doctor round for a visit this afternoon.

Harry

Just "Harry". Not "Love, Harry". After what they had shared last night, shouldn't he have signed the note with love?

Hermione thought back to the previous evening, after the first time they had made love. She remembered telling Harry that she loved him, and a small flare of insecurity had appeared when he hadn't return the sentiment, instead choosing to kiss her again. The feelings of insecurity returned again with a vengeance; twisting her stomach into knots, compounding her already unsettled feelings. Getting out of bed, Hermione padded to the bathroom. She hoped a nice long, hot shower would wash it all away, not only the remnants of her nightmare, but her insecurity about Harry's feelings, too.

A while later, feeling refreshed, Hermione walked into the lounge room expecting to find Eric ensconced in front of the television, but he wasn't there. She knew Harry wouldn't have left her alone and unprotected, so Eric had to be in the house somewhere. The where was answered when she heard a loud thud from the kitchen, followed by an even louder string of curses. Hermione grinned and followed the sound to find Eric and a rather large mess in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"Cooking isn't your strong suit, I see," she grinned cheekily.

Eric glared at her in response. "Like you could do better? I seem to remember a conversation about your lack of culinary skills."

Hermione laughed outright. "I just burn it or make it taste so terrible that it's inedible. I do not destroy the kitchen in the attempt."

Eric took out his wand and cleaned the kitchen with a flick. Hermione sighed, dead sexy, charming and he cleans--every woman and witch's secret fantasy man.

"How's toast sound?" Eric asked with a self-deprecating smile.

"Great," Hermione responded with an answering smile of her own.

After they'd eaten, Eric settled himself in front of the TV with the Daily Prophet.

Hermione sat down on the end of the couch, stealthily removing the book she'd placed under the cushion the night before. With Eric's attention turned toward the television, Hermione opened the book and began flipping through the pages. It wasn't long until she found what she was looking for--a photo of the coin the old woman had given her. Quickly, she began to read the text located on the page. The prophecy was there in black and white.

If this coin is held by two who love, its warmth will all surround, but if lost before that love is known, only sorrow will abound.

"Well, bloody hell," Hermione swore uncharacteristically.

"Excuse me?" Eric asked, glancing in Hermione's direction.

"Paper cut," she said hurriedly, sticking her finger in her mouth and sucking on it.

"Those do hurt like hell," Eric sympathized, turning back to the television.

Hermione glanced back down at the book. There wasn't much information other than the prophecy and the fact that the coin was believed to have originated in the highlands of Scotland.

If lost before that love is known...

She'd lost the coin. Harry hadn't said he loved her. She'd been kidnapped--almost killed. Now Lissa was missing. And Harry hadn't said he loved her. Not even after they had made love.

What if it was true? Was all the recent sorrow in her life due to losing a simple coin? It could be if it were cursed. And Harry hadn't said he loved her.

Stop it, Hermione! She mentally scolded herself. Harry did love her; she was sure of it. He couldn't have made love to her the way he had last night if he didn't love her.

Oh yeah? a little voice inside her head asked. Men do it all the time, don't they?

"Shut up!" Hermione exclaimed.

Eric looked over at her, a bewildered expression on his face. "I didn't say anything."

"Sorry, um... I think I'll take my book and read in the other room so I won't disturb you."

The concern was evident in Eric's eyes. "You okay, Hermione?"

"Yeah. Fine. Go back to your program."

Once Hermione was back in her bedroom, she sat on the edge of the bed for long what seemed like ages. The book was clutched to her chest; her gaze unseeing on some distant object, but her mind was awhirl with possibilities. Even though she didn't want to believe it, the evidence seemed overwhelming. The prophecy had come true.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Sabrina had woken up late that morning. She'd had to rush just to make it to work on time and even rushing, she'd barely arrived on time. As she set about opening up her office for the day, she tried to put her finger on the niggling little voice in her mind telling her something was off. It was probably just the fact that she hated to be rushed. Nothing seemed to ever go right with her day when she overslept.

It was more than that, though. But what? She remembered waking up, rolling over and looking at the clock. Only thirty minutes before she was due in the office. Good thing she was a witch and could Apparate to work. If she'd had to add in travel time, she'd never have made it there before 9 am.

Sabrina winced as she remembered leaping from bed and stepping squarely onto the metal picture frame that had somehow gotten knocked off onto the floor. The pain in her foot couldn't compare with the pain in her heart as she had set the picture of her and Hermione back on her bedside table. When would she stop missing her friend? Probably never, but she at least hoped the pain would dull over time.

As she sat at her desk and began her day's work, she couldn't quite push aside the thought that there was something she should remember. She hated that feeling, but also knew the more she tried to remember the less likely that she would. Oh well, if it's important, it will come to me, she thought as she opened a file and began to work.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Across town, Harry was having as much trouble concentrating on his work as Sabrina was. Images kept replaying themselves through his mind as if a time turner had dropped him right back into the scene...

Hermione was lying in the bed they shared, her bushy brown hair haloing out to frame her face, a look of complete and utter trust in her eyes. Hermione matching him kiss for kiss and touch for touch, as they learned things about each other they'd never thought they'd know. Hermione telling him she loved him after they'd made love for the first time. Always Hermione. It had always been.

But the disturbing images wouldn't leave him alone either. Her screams as she'd woken from her nightmare. The way she'd clung to him as if he were her lifeline. The frantic way she'd made love to him the second time.

Slamming the file closed, he let out a long sigh. This was getting him nowhere fast. How could he find Lissa if he couldn't stop thinking of Hermione long enough to do his job? When had Hermione so insinuated herself into his mind, and yes, he admitted it now, his heart that he could think of little else? She'd always been in his head. Her voice was his conscience. The one thing he counted on to hear in his greatest times of need.

But when had she worked her way into his heart as well? Had it been after the first time he kissed her after their mad race through the wind? Was it after Eric had tried to ask her out on a date? After she'd given herself to him last night, trusting him not only with her body, but her heart and soul as well? Or had she been there all along?

That last question brought Harry up short. She had been there all along. Since they were eleven. He didn't kid himself that he'd loved her for that long, but after that incident with the mountain troll, she certainly had become an irrevocable part of his life. The friendship the three of them had formed that day was a bond that could never be broken. The bond that he and Hermione had formed last night, though different, was just as true and undeniable.

Ron was right, he had to tell Hermione how he felt about her. If Lissa's disappearance had taught him nothing else, it was that life was too short not to tell the ones you loved how you felt about them. If, Heaven forbid, they didn't get Lissa back safe and sound, at least Ron had the comfort of knowing that Lissa knew that he loved her. Harry wanted to make sure that Hermione knew the same about his love for her.

Part of Harry wanted to rush straight home, tell Hermione that he loved her, then spend the rest of the day showing her how much. But his practical side told him he needed to get as much work done as possible. Three o'clock and the appointment he'd set up with the doctor would come soon enough. For now, he needed to concentrate on bringing Lissa home. With a new sense of purpose, Harry opened the file, determined to find some clue that they'd missed in the search.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Everything Hermione Granger had ever learned, she'd learned from books. So she was counting on them not to fail her this time. The information in the book that she had taken from Sabrina's had been woefully inadequate. But surely her secretary had other books on coins. Hermione was certain she remembered Sabrina telling her that she had other reference books besides this one, lying open on her bed. She just had to get to Sabrina's flat. There was only one choice, really. She wasn't usually the kind of witch that would used her feminine wiles to get what she wanted from a man, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Even though it went against her nature, she pasted on what she hoped was her brightest, most seductive smile, walked into the lounge room and sat down beside Eric on the couch. Very close beside. Eric scooted over a few inches and shot Hermione a perplexed look.

"Hi Eric," Hermione said innocently as she casually placed her hand on Eric's knee, rubbing her thumb up and down the inside of his leg.

Eric's eyebrow rose in question. "Erm, hi Hermione," Eric croaked out, once again scooting farther away from her. "Wha..what are you doing?"

Hermione smiled seductively and scooted closer again. Placing her other hand on Eric's chest near the opening of his robes, she said, "I thought that would be obvious."

Eric took a long breath. "Um, yeah, it is, but I thought... Not that I'm complaining mind you, but I thought you and Harry..." Eric trailed off as Hermione's hand went into his robes, caressing his chest. But before he could begin to enjoy the sensations, Hermione had grabbed his wand from the inside pocket of his robes and hastily stood, backing a few feet away from the couch.

Eric stood too. A look of shock and dismay contorting his handsome features. "Hermione...don't..."

"I'm sorry, Eric," she muttered, genuinely contrite she had to utter the spell, but knowing she had no other choice. He wouldn't let her go if she asked and she couldn't sit here doing nothing. No other choice. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Eric's body went suddenly rigid as a board, falling back to lay at an awkward angle over the couch. Hermione lifted his feet so that his entire body was laying on the couch instead of angled across it. She didn't feel any better about using the curse this time than when she'd used it on Neville in her first year at Hogwarts. But sometimes it was necessary to do things for the greater good. And right now the greater good was finding out if she had inadvertently put a curse in motion that had doomed her love for Harry before it even had a chance to begin.

With one last apologetic look at Eric, she Disapparated.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

It was right there on the edge of his mind. If he could just reach for it a little more...but the more he reached, the farther away it became. And he hated that. Hated being out of control. Malfoys were never out of control. The world existed to do his bidding. Or so he had always been taught.

But one little elusive thought danced on the edge of his memory, taunting him. It was important. It could help them find Lissa. He knew it had to do with Nappa. With dreams.

But he couldn't remember.

"Bloody hell!" swore Draco.

A tall, lithe, blonde witch stuck her head around the door to his office. "Every thing all right in there, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Fine, Nancy. Just a bit frustrated is all," Draco responded.

"Anything I can do to help?" she asked, sashaying into the office, her straight hair swinging over her shoulder and her shimmering blue robes clinging in all the right places. "Anything at all," she added in a husky undertone.

Used to her blatant sexual advances and not interested in the least because of a certain red-headed witch, Draco turned away to stare out of his window. "I know it has to do with dreams," he muttered. "I'm just not sure exactly what."

"Mmmm," Nancy purred. "I had a dream about you and me last night. We finally connected."

Draco whirled around and caught her by her upper arms. "We what?" he demanded.

Nancy's eyes widened in surprise, but she wasn't going to miss the opportunity to press her advantage. "We connected," she reiterated, sidling closer to him.

Draco let out a triumphant laugh. "That's bloody well it!" Kissing Nancy quickly on her cheek, he released her and strode purposefully for the door.

"Draco, wait," said his secretary petulantly, dropping all pretense of formality. "I thought we were going to...you know...connect."

"In your dreams, Nancy," Draco smirked. "Only in your dreams."

"Then where are you going? To see her?"

"No," Draco smiled. "Although that wouldn't be a bad way to spend the afternoon. I've got to find Harry Potter. I've got important information for him that will hopefully lead to Lissa." Draco sighed, "Me. Trying to help find Weasley's Muggle fiancée. What is the world coming to?"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The morning sped by, so Sabrina had had little time to give thought to the niggling feeling still tickling at the corners of her mind. When she looked up to find the clock's hands pointing to the lunch hour she was more than a bit surprised. She was just picking up her purse to go out to lunch when Elia Sheldon walked into the room.

"Hi, Mrs. Sheldon. Is there something I can help you with?" asked Sabrina.

"No, I was just returning the book you loaned me. It was really great, but I'm afraid I figured out the mystery before the end of the book."

Sabrina took the book with a smile. "Well, you're better than me. I couldn't figure out who'd done it until the end."

"I've always been good at figuring out mysteries early on," admitted Elia. "If you have any other good books you don't mind loaning me, I'd love to read them."

"That's it!" exclaimed Sabrina.

"What's it?" asked her superior.

"The book. I can't believe I didn't remember before now that it was missing. I'm sorry, but I've got to go home to check on something."

Sabrina hurried from the office, leaving a perplexed Elia Sheldon in her wake.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

A stack of books sat on the kitchen table. Hermione had been gathering tomes likely to have information on ancient coins since she'd Apparated into Sabrina's flat about 15 minutes before. Although Sabrina had countless books lying around her home, Hermione was afraid that if she took all the books on coins home with her that her secretary would surely miss them and become suspicious. So she needed to find parchment and quill so she could takes notes and put the books back where she had found them.

She knew her time was limited, even if Sabrina didn't come home til after 5 pm; the spell she had cast on Eric would not last forever and she needed to be back at Lissa's in time to Obliviate Eric before Harry came home with the doctor this afternoon. She sat down at the table, opened the first book and began eagerly thumbing through the pages. So engrossed was Hermione in her task that she didn't hear the soft pop of Sabrina Apparating into the flat.

So intent was Sabrina in her quest to ascertain if the book was missing, she didn't see her unexpected guest sitting at the table until she heard the distinct scratching of quill on parchment. Whirling around, she gasped softly when she saw the back of a bushy brown head that could belong to none other than...

"Hermione?" she said in a soft, shocked voice.

Hermione put down her quill and turned slowly in her chair. Looking at her friend, she gave her a tentative smile. "Hello, Sabrina."

"I thought you were..."

"Dead," Hermione supplied, standing. "Yes, that is what we wanted everyone to think."

Next moment, Hermione found herself enveloped into a tight hug. She happily hugged her friend back, relief flowing through her that a small piece of the deception had been chipped away.

"I think we should talk," said Hermione, leading her friend to the couch.

"Yes, I think so. I have lots of questions, not the least of which is what the bloody hell is going on? Does Harry know that you're alive? Why are you pretending to be dead? Does it have to do with that Nappa person? Why are you here?" Sabrina's rapid fire questions peppered down on Hermione.

"Yes, Harry knows that I'm alive. It was his idea that I pretend to be dead," Hermione began. Over the next fifteen minutes she explained everything from her kidnapping to the current disappearance of Lissa to her secretary and friend.

"The reason I came here today was to find more books on coins," Hermione concluded. "I've lost that bloody coin and I think that prophecy I scoffed at has now come true. I think that's the reason all these bad things have happened."

Sabrina nodded sympathetically, then went to retrieve a book from the middle of the stack Hermione had made on the table. Flipping to the correct page, she laid the book open for Hermione to read.

Hermione saw the familiar coin pictured on the page. She quickly scanned the written text, her eyes widening in surprise. "Well, bloody hell!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yup," Sabrina nodded.

"You mean all he would have had to do to cancel the curse was simply..."

"Yes," Sabrina nodded again.

"Bloody hell," Hermione swore again. "But what if he..."

"Oh, don't go there, Hermione. You know better than that," Sabrina scolded.

Just then a sudden, cold realization struck Sabrina. The shock must have shown on her face because Hermione asked "What?"

"When I found this, I went to the hospital, but you were already dead. Or I thought you were. If I'd only told Harry what I knew then, maybe Lissa wouldn't have been kidnapped." Tears shone in Sabrina's dark eyes.

Hermione shook her head regretfully and repeated what she had just been told. "Don't you go there either, Sabrina. We could beat ourselves to death with the 'what ifs' in this situation. We can't change what has passed; we can only go forward and try to fix what is wrong." Even as she said this, her own stomach was twisted in a knot of fear and guilt that she had been responsible for Lissa's plight.

Sabrina nodded. "You're right."

Hermione glanced down at her watch. "I've got to go. I've been away too long. I have to get back before Harry finds out that I'm missing. He was less than happy when he found out that I had snuck out the first time."

"I'll bet that's a bit of an understatement," Sabrina smiled.

"Slightly," Hermione giggled. "Although, I'm not complaining about the consequences."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Hermione smiled at the memory. "I'll tell you when I have more time. Now you have to promise me you won't tell anyone that I'm alive."

"I promise," Sabrina said as she reached to give Hermione a last hug. "I'm just so happy that you are."

"I'll be happy when I can tell everyone else," she said wistfully.

The friends parted soon afterwards, Sabrina going back to work and Hermione sneaking back to Lissa's where she Obliviated Eric's memory of the afternoon's events.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The cell was cold and damp, dark and quiet. The only sound that broke the stillness was the rustling of a mouse scurrying behind the stone walls.

A hooded wizard quietly opened the door to the cell. A small shaft of light fell across the motionless woman lying on the dirty cot. He surveyed the scene with distinct pleasure. Slowly, the wizard closed the door, a small, satisfied smile lighting his face.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Hermione jerked upright with a start, the quill and parchment sliding off her lap. She couldn't believe she'd actually fallen asleep. It had to be from the lack of restful sleep she had been getting, or not getting as the case had been, lately. She'd been in the process of making a list of the things she remembered about her dreams when she had dozed off.

She looked around the lounge room, disoriented. The warmth of the fire crackling merrily in the grate was a polar opposite to the cold feeling she'd experienced upon waking. The brightness of the electric light did little to chase away the darkness that had descended upon her soul. But this time there had been no images to terrify her. There had only been stillness. Stillness and death.

Where had that thought come from? Hermione wondered. How did she know that there was death associated with her dreams? And why couldn't she get the image of Lissa's motionless body out of her mind now? The image had come unbidden, once she was fully awake.

Hermione glanced over at the clock. Almost three. Harry had sent a message that he and the doctor would arrive at three. Just enough time for her to go splash some water on her face to try and clear her head. She murmured an excuse to Eric and hastily made her way to the bathroom.

Once there, she took several, deep calming breaths in order to regain some semblance of composure. She wanted this session with the doctor to be productive; she couldn't stand having many more of those dreams without it affecting her peace of mind. And to that, she was now terrified of what her dreams might reveal.

Hearing Harry call her name from the other room, Hermione drew in a shaky breath and answered back. "Be there in a moment."

Hermione entered the lounge room to find Harry standing there with a witch that was almost as tall as he was. She had raven black hair and skin that was so pale it was almost translucent. But she bore an expression that spoke of kindness and compassion and Hermione was immediately put at ease.

"Hermione, this is Dr. Katherine O'Malley." Hermione nodded to the doctor.

"Kitty, this is Hermione Granger," Harry finished the introductions.

Dr. O'Malley closed the distance between herself and Hermione and took the younger woman's hand in her own reassuringly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Granger. Harry has told me a lot about you. May I call you Hermione?"

"Of course," Hermione responded.

"Let's make ourselves comfortable over here on the couch, Hermione."

Hermione cast an anxious look back in Harry's direction; he gave her a reassuring smile in return, so Hermione followed the doctor to the couch and sat down beside her. Harry took the chair closest to Hermione and Eric stood unobtrusively off to the side of the room.

"Now, let's just get some basic information to start with, shall we?" asked Dr. O'Malley. You've been having these dreams since you returned from being kidnapped. Is that correct?"

Hermione nodded.

"And they seem to be getting progressively worse. Would you say that's a fair assessment?"

"Yes, I would."

"When," the doctor asked, "did you begin to see the escalation?"

Hermione thought for a minute. "Well, at first, I didn't even remember that I was having them and when I finally did realize it, I didn't remember what I had dreamed. Until last night."

"You remembered specifics?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not sure I'd call them specifics. Feelings and images would be more accurate. But it was more than I had recalled previously."

"Sometimes our feelings lead us to great discoveries," the doctor said cryptically. "All right, Hermione. Are you ready to be hypnotized?"

Hermione glanced quickly around at Harry. He held her gaze for a moment as if willing his strength back to her. She smiled, then turned back to the doctor. "I'm ready."

The doctor withdrew a long gold chain with a heavy crystal sphere attached to the end from underneath her robes. It threw off a rainbow of colors in the artificial light. "I want you to concentrate on this sphere. Clear your mind."

"It's a pumpkin," Hermione let out a nervous giggle when she realized what the round shaped object was.

"Yes," said Kitty O'Malley. "It seems to be a bit more of a conversation piece than a regular prism and puts my patients at ease."

"I would have thought you would have used a spell."

"I've found that it's better to let the patient's mind go naturally to the problem rather than forcing the issue with spells or potions."

"That makes sense," Hermione admitted, taking a deep breath and trying to relax and clear her mind, focusing on the crystal pumpkin swinging to and fro in front of her eyes. After a few moments of watching the hypnotic movement of the pumpkin and hearing the even, calm cadence of the doctor's voice, Hermione's eyes began to drift shut.

"Now, Hermione, I'm going to take you back to your dreams. Remember that you are safe and nothing can hurt you here. If it starts getting too scary, I'll bring you out, okay?"

"Okay," replied Hermione in a small voice.

"Tell me what you see."

"Darkness. Everything is dark."

"Is there no light?"

"Only a sliver. Only when someone opens a door."

"Where are you, Hermione?"

"A cell."

"A prison cell?"

"More like a dungeon."

"How did you get there, Hermione?"

"Apparated. But not directly to the cell. We walked through a maze. Or it seemed like it was a maze."

"You're in the cell?"

"Yes."

"Is anyone with you?"

"No, I'm by myself," Hermione's voice quivered.

"What do you hear?"

"I hear the other prisoners. They're crying, moaning, screaming. There is so much pain." Tears began to flow unchecked down Hermione's cheeks.

"You said there was no light unless someone opened the door. Did someone open the door, Hermione?"

"Yes." Terror constricted Hermione's throat and she instinctively reached her hand out to the side. Harry took her hand and wrapped it securely in his own.

"Who is it, Hermione. Can you tell?"

"It's a man. He's standing in the shadows. He's wearing a robe with the hood pulled up to cover his face."

"Is he coming in the room?"

"Yes," Hermione whimpered, unconsciously squeezing Harry's hand hard.

"Does he say anything to you?"

"He said he's my worst nightmare. Oh my God, nooooo!" Hermione screamed, tears now streaming down her face. Her face contorted in terror, her eyes glazed with fear.

"Bring her out now, Kitty!" Harry demanded, his tone one step below panic.

"Hermione, listen to me," Dr. O'Malley said in a calm, soothing voice. "When I count to three you will wake up, but still remember everything you saw. One...two...three."

Hermione choked on a sob, but her eyes began to focus on the doctor's face once more. But Dr. O'Malley's reassuring smile wasn't what she needed to see. She pivoted to the side to find Harry had moved to the couch to sit beside her. Her hand was grasped firmly in his own.

"Harry," she sobbed, flinging herself into the arms that were already reaching to gather her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her securely into the safety of his embrace.

"It's all right, love. You're safe. I've got you. I won't let anyone ever hurt you again. I promise." Harry rocked Hermione gently as he murmured soothing words of comfort to her.

"You did well, Hermione," Dr. O'Malley said soothingly. "I'm sure next session we can go even farther into your dreams."

"There won't be a next session," Harry bit out tersely.

"Harry," Kitty began placatingly. "I know this was very upsetting for both Hermione and yourself. But I think we made great progress today. I think even more detail could come out with a few more sessions."

"She's right, Harry," Hermione pulled away from him slightly, but not out of his arms. "I remembered the maze-like corridor and I've never remembered that before. Maybe there are more details like that are locked in my mind which could lead us to where I was held captive and maybe lead us to Lissa. Can we do this again tomorrow, Dr. O'Malley?"

"Of course, Hermione. Would you like to try a morning session this time? How's 10am?"

"That's fine," she replied, ignoring Harry's scowl.

"I'll see Kitty out," Eric suggested, sensing that Harry and Hermione needed a moment of privacy.

Once they had left the room, Harry turned to Hermione but a finger placed over his lips forestalled his objections.

"I know what you are going to say, Harry, but this might be our best chance at finding Lissa."

Harry sighed. "I realize that, Hermione. But I can't stand to see you put yourself through that." Harry framed her face with his hands and rested his forehead against hers.

Hermione turned her face slightly so her lips could nuzzle his and kissed him softly. "And I love you for it, Harry."

Harry took the opportunity to plunder her lips more fully until they were both slightly breathless. He pulled away reluctantly.

"Speaking of love..." Harry began.

"Yes?" Hermione asked hopefully.

But before Harry could say more, Elizabeth Apparated into the room.

"Sorry," she said, when she saw them seated so close together on the couch. "Truly, but this can't wait, Harry. Shazzman thinks he has finally isolated the Apparation particles from where Lissa disappeared."

"Yes!" exclaimed Harry, kissing Hermione firmly on the lips, then drawing her into a brief, but tight hug. "This could be the break we've been waiting for."

"Go then," Hermione rose to stand beside him. "Go bring Lissa home."

"After I do, you and I have something we need to talk about," Harry told her earnestly.

One brief kiss later and Harry and Elizabeth had Apparated away.

Hope surged through Hermione like she hadn't felt since before Lissa had been kidnapped. Maybe they could find Lissa. Maybe she could rid herself of the horrible guilt that she felt since realizing that it was her fault that Lissa has been kidnapped in the first place. It had been her carelessness and disregard that had set these wheels in motion. Hermione only hoped that Harry could stop them. And maybe with Lissa safely home, Hermione would never have to face one of those horrible dreams again.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Eric snoozed away on the couch, the television droning on in the background. Even though it was late, Hermione could not sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw flashes of green light streaking out into the darkness.

The images had started about two hours before. She hadn't let on to Eric; she'd simply gotten a book and buried her face in it. But she didn't see the words on the page. She saw a massive, decrepit, brick building surrounded by trees and a small lake. Long, winding corridors leading down, down, down. The insides of a cold, dank cell. A shrouded figure looming over her menacingly. And flashes of green light, like an unholy fire.

The last image that kept flashing across her mind was the most troubling, though. A young woman whose face was partially shrouded by a cloud of honey colored hair laying on a cot as still as death.

Lissa. It was Lissa that she saw laying there dead. Hermione couldn't bear the thought. She knew she should owl Harry and tell him, But tell him what exactly? That she was having visions? Dreaming dreams? Channeling Lissa? Professor Trelawney would love it if she were to find out the student who had scoffed at her branch of magic as a bunch of nonsense, was now wondering if she hadn't been wrong all along. Maybe there was something to this "Inner Eye" thing. Because as each image flashed onto her mind, Hermione was beginning to believe that she was connecting with Lissa.

Hermione wondered if it was like the way Harry had connected with Voldemort in their fifth year. When Harry had been able to feel what Voldemort was feeling, see what he was seeing. Because Hermione now knew with crystal clarity that she was seeing what Lissa was seeing. That she was feeling what Lissa was feeling. And she was doing it through her dreams. But she couldn't see the most important part. She couldn't see where Lissa was. Without that, all these visions did was leave her frustrated and fearful.

Hermione was startled from her musings by a knock on the door. She glanced over at Eric, but he had barely stirred. When the pounding resumed again, Hermione hurried over to the door. A familiar drawl sounded through the oak portal.

"Potter, if you're there, open up. I have information that might be able to help you find Weasley's fiancee."

Hermione pulled the door open quickly to face Draco Malfoy. His face registered his shock when he realized who stood in front of him.

"Granger, I thought you were dead," Draco said smoothly to cover his shock, quirking one pale eyebrow.

"Don't sound so disappointed, Malfoy," Hermione responded dryly.

A genuine smile crossed Draco's face. "I'm not, Hermione. I'm actually very happy that you are alive."

Hermione surprised him and herself by giving him a brief hug.

"Okay, now that the pleasantries are over, will you tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Draco demanded.

Hermione led him into the kitchen where they took seats on opposite sides of the small kitchen table. She briefly filled him in on all that had transpired since her death.

"You are connecting with Lissa," Draco informed her when Hermione finished with a description of the dreams she'd been having. "That's what I came to tell Harry. That's what I finally remembered. Nappa was working on a dream curse that connected the people through their nightmares. He evidently has perfected it, I see."

"Evidently," muttered Hermione.

"I wasn't sure that it would have any bearing on finding Lissa. But something just kept telling me it was important anyway. Of course, if I'd been let in on your supposed death, then maybe I could have figured it out earlier."

"It's not that we didn't trust you, Draco. Now there's a concept. But Harry thought that the more people who knew..." Hermione trailed off.

"The greater the risk to you. I do understand that, Hermione. Explaining it to Ginny, however, will be something else entirely. She really was devastated to think you'd died."

"I know and that's been the hardest part. Letting the people I love believe that I was dead. But just because you've confirmed that I'm connecting with Lissa in my dreams doesn't make us any closer to finding her," Hermione lamented.

"Describe the place you were held to me again," he requested.

Hermione did, giving him all the details that she had remembered that night.

"Weasley will owe me one," Draco smirked. "Imagine, Weasley indebted to me." At Hermione's raised eyebrow, Draco continued. "I know where Lissa is being held. My father took me there to visit Nappa's father when I was young."

"Let's go. We'll send Harry an owl, but he may already know if they were able to successfully trace the Apparation particles this time."

"Hold on, Granger. What makes you think I'll take you with me?"

"Because if we get there first and save Lissa, not only will Ron be indebted to you, but you'll have one up on Harry too."

"Good point. Let's go. But shouldn't we wake your useless bodyguard first?"

"Are you mad? And have him stop me? I don't think so. I'll write Harry a note and send it by Hedwig. But we have to hurry, Draco. We've got to get there before it's too late for Lissa."

"If it's not already," Draco said ominously.