For the third night in a row, Hermione woke in a cold sweat panting and tears streaming down her face. It was always the same dream; she was being kept prisoner in the Manor, Theo Nott carving into her arm while laughing in amusement. Bellatrix and Draco stood off to the side, mocking her and yelling. But this time had been different, Draco had stopped laughing and spoke directly to her in a much calmer voice. "Forgive me," he'd said "I never meant it, this isn't me. Help me." Then, Draco was taken from the room, yelling and screaming as he was tortured as well. That was when Hermione had woken up.

"This is ridiculous." she said out loud, to break the stillness she felt in the darkened room. Beside her bed she reached for her wand and cast a quick lumos. Once lighted, she reached into her bedside drawer and pulled out a quill and parchment. Scribbling a hurried note, she jumped from the mattress to her caged owl in the other corner of the room. She gave him a pat as she tied the note to his leg. "Take this to Pansy." she whispered then watched the bird fly off into the night.

Now fully awake Hermione quickly showered and dressed while she waited for a reply to her note. It wasn't until an hour later that a reply finally came. "About time." Hermione muttered as she patted her owl and retrieved the note. She scanned over the note quickly, anxious to know what Pansy had said. Sighing with slight relief Hermione gathered up her coat, wand and checked the location to where she was to apparate then disappeared with a crack.

Hermione stood outside a small cottage several miles from the nearest town. Before she could even lift a hand to knock on the door it shot open and Pansy grabbed her wrist, yanking her inside. "Ow!" Hermione yelled, jerking away from Pansy's grip, rubbing her injured wrist.

"Oh don't be a child," Pansy said angrily, "what do you think you're doing apparating here like that in the open. I gave you the address so you could get here by muggle means."

"Oh leave her be Pansy, besides, O'Connor and his buddies already apparated to and from here. If anyone noticed we would have known by now." Hermione noted the brunette across the room, pouring cups of tea. It must be Astoria, she reasoned silently. "Come sit down Hermione, and have some tea with me."

Pansy threw her hands up, "oh yes, let's use our real names, out in the open. Why don't we just remove our glamours as well and throw open our doors and just scream it to the world!"

Astoria rolled her eyes as she swept over to the couch and sat down, offering Hermione the other teacup in her hand. "Always a drama queen, Panse. Just relax and sit down. Hermione obviously came here for an important reason." Hermione glanced between the two women as she sat down, followed by Pansy.

"Fine. What brings you here, Hermione?"

Hermione didn't speak right away, instead taking a moment to gather her thoughts while she took a sip of tea. "I've been thinking about what you said," she began. "I looked into those memories you gave me as well." Pansy was just staring at her intently, listening, while Astoria patted Hermione's knee comfortingly.

"You poor thing," Astoria said softly. "You are so brave. Even that day, I don't know if I'd still be here if you hadn't been there with us."

Hermione ducked her head down, not particularly in the mood to be praised. Pansy cleared her throat, "yes we all know Granger was the bravest witch around but what exactly did you come here for in the dead of night?"

Astoria scowled at her friend but Hermione ignored the comment, "Lupin wants to use me to get through to Malfoy doesn't he? He is hoping that if I can restore Malfoy's memories then it would be a turning point for the war." Hermione looked between the two girls, both not quite looking her in the eye. "Right." She said, taking their silence as affirmation. "What I don't understand though, is if you had the memories, why does he still need me?"

Pansy sighed quietly before answering, "no one knew I had the memories. Hell, no one even knew about me until about three years ago when Astoria and I needed the help of the Ministry. Lupin was assigned to us and happened to discover my secret. I swore him to secrecy, but apparently he told O'Conner. They haven't bothered us until now."

Hermione frowned, "but why you? If you don't mind my saying, we weren't exactly friends in school. Why would he think you would know where I was." She paused, her frown deepening. "How did you know where I was, come to speak of it?"

Pansy glanced at Astoria, who nodded. "We'd been seen together that day at Hogwarts. So I was technically the last person to see you before you were captured, and because I was so involved with the Death-eaters," Astoria nudged her in the ribs. "Fine." Pansy corrected, "I had killed a lot of them, I guess Lupin thought I must have heard something or at least had seen you." she paused, twisting her cup distracted between her hands before taking a sip and continuing her story.

"I really hadn't heard any word on you at first, I didn't even know you'd been captured. Not until you'd gotten out." Pansy looked guilty, "if I'd known…"

Hermione watched as Astoria gave Pansy a small reassuring hug, "You couldn't have known, Pansy. And if you had, you could have gotten yourself killed if you'd try to help."

The former Slytherin just nodded, "anyway, I had overheard Snatchers talking about a 'brainy-witch' who wouldn't break, and how she'd escaped but no one really knew how." Pansy paused, "it didn't take much to realize that they were referring to you."

Hermione just nodded slowly, trying not to recall the dark events, although she subconsciously rubbed gently at her arm where her charmed scar resided. "So Lupin thought, you'd also heard what else had happened to me?"

Pansy nodded, "obviously I didn't know that information, but I also didn't want Lupin stirring up trouble for me while looking for you. So I told him I knew where you were and I'd try to get word to you and get you to speak with him." While Pansy spoke, Astoria excused herself quietly to retrieve more tea. Pansy placed her cup on the table, "it took me weeks to even hear anything on you, I'm actually quite surprised I was even able to but it helps to know former Death-Eaters in hiding I suppose. And former students."

Offering her cup as Astoria refilled their tea, Hermione sighed, "I did everything I could to not bring attention to myself, but I had needed help so I reached out to a few people I knew I could trust. Clearly, they weren't as tight lipped as I thought."

"Don't blame them, I can be rather… encouraging when I want to be." Pansy said, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "Anyways, I finally tracked you down and here we are."

"So, you're saying I should do what Lupin wishes? I should reveal myself and try to draw Draco out, return his memories and… what? Hope for the best?" Hermione stood up in frustration and began pacing, "Pansy I took his memories. Against his will. You didn't see," Hermione looked away, wiping frustrated tears away. Her voice was unsteady as she continued, "...you didn't see the look on his face."

Astoria looked pained, feeling sympathetic toward the former Gryffindor. She glanced at Pansy, waiting for her to say something.

With a slight roll of her eyes Pansy stood and put a hesitant arm around the upset girl. "You can't change what happened, what's done is done." Hermione nodded, and pansy continued. "But you also can't let that hold you back. I may not have seen those memories, but I did see how he was when he was with you. I think you were good for him Granger, and I think he cared for you."

Hermione nodded again, squaring her shoulders, "I just hope that if I see him I don't let what happened there at the manor, get between us. I know that wasn't him but it was real and it was terrifying."

Sighing, Pansy patted her shoulder, "you don't think he'll have those same fears when he gets his memories back? You don't know what they did to him after you left or what he has gone through since."

A whole new wave of emotion washed over Hermione at that statement. She felt afraid, bout for herself but for Draco. If he'd lost favor with Voldemort, who knew what kind of state he was living in. Sniffling and wiping away the last of her tears, Hermione arranged her face to that of determination. "How do we find him? Where do we even start?"

Pansy nodded to Astoria who stood and left the room. "That's where Lupin comes in. He has some plan to get this started. Astoria went to send him an owl. I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he can." Pansy hesitated for a moment, "are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes." Hermione said, with that old determination in her voice. "But I want to be clear. I'm not doing this for Lupin and his war. I'm doing this for Draco."

A faint smile played on Pansy's lips, "of course."