Voila! I hope this undoes some of the plot knot.
On her second night in the infirmary Hermione found it almost impossible to sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes she fell straight into nightmares. In one of them Draco hadn't just beaten her, Ron had been there trying to protect her and Draco had managed to kill him before turning on her. She woke up once more staring into the blackness of the ward.
She needed to get out of bed for a bit and clear her head. She pulled on a jumper and a pair of loose shoes over her nightie and set off down the corridor. She wondered vaguely about fetching a few things from Gryffindor tower and wandered vaguely in that direction. One of the rooms in the corridor still had a lamp on, there was a shadow flicking in and out of it and a deep male voice echoed out the doorway. It didn't belong to any of the teachers. Growing quieter she edged nearer.
"......relieved when I heard. I must say I had feared for your life if this got back to the Dark Lord."
Someone replied, their voice was too low for Hermione to catch even one word.
"Don't give me that. You can be straight with me."
"I mean it!"
"I've already stated the facts Draco. I will do what I can to get you out of this. I am sure something can be arranged. I am so proud of you, you're welcome back home any time now."
At that moment Hermione's foot hit a particularly creaky floorboard. The shadow stopped, listening.
"Someone's coming. They can't find me here. Stay strong I'll see you soon."
The light went out and the corridor descended into silence once more. Was that who she thought it was? There was no way it could have been, but then? Deciding it would be safer to return to bed she turned back and moved as noiselessly as she could to her bed.
A few short hours later early morning light began to stream through her windows awaking her from a light doze. She suddenly felt someone's presence in the room with her and opened her eyes in alarm. She was mildly surprised to see Professor Dumbledore seated in the same carved chair looking thoughtful.
"Miss Granger, I am glad to see you are awake."
She wasn't quite sure how to respond that so she just smiled wanely.
"Madame Pomfrey tells me you have been experiencing nightmares."
"Yes Professor."
"Would you mind describing them, it is of utmost importance."
Hermione tried to describe every last detail of the dreams and visions. It was hard but this time she managed to keep it together. Prompted by Dumbledore she remembered half forgotton shades of twisted scenes that her unconscious had been throwing at her. She finally stopped talking when there was absolutely nothing she hadn't said.
Dumbledore nodded gravely a few times and then rang on the little bell that Hermione could use to call Madame Pomfrey. The Matron hurried in looking slightly harrased.
"Yes Headmaster?"
"You can send him in now Poppy."
Madame Pomfrey disappeared back outside the room. She then sheparded a very nervous Ron Weasley to the head of Hermione's bed. Dumbledore gave a subtle nod and she left leaving the three of them alone. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Now then Miss Granger, you tell me that some of your dreams recall a blue flash prior to your losing consciousness."
Hermione nodded, uncertain of exactly what was happening.
"And yet," Dumbledore continued, "the Avarda Kedavra curse emits a green flash. This fact caused me great puzzlement until Mr Weasley came to see me late last evening." Ron now looked even more on edge. "Mr Weasley, could you please tell Miss Granger what you saw."
"Yes, umm.....err," he stuttered, " I.....I followed you down to Hagrid's hut."
"What!" Hermione was roused with sheer rage. Ron stopped talking and went beetroot red.
"Miss Granger, please." Dumbledore sounded almost close to impatient. Ron went a few shades lighter and carried on.
"I am sorry Hermione I was jealous, but I can talk that over later. The important thing is that Malfoy didn't do anything to you. I was watching the whole thing through Hagrid's windows."
"Are you mad, I remember it all. It's in here!" She gestured to her head violently.
Ron shook his head. "No, you and him were talking, I couldn't hear mind you. But then I heard voices coming across the Quidditch Pitch. They were laughing. I was going to go, I didn't want to be seen, but then I caught the words Voldemort and Mudblood. I got nervous then, I thought Malfoy had set it up so I froze and watched."
The silence was tense. Ron seemed to be gathering his wits for the final part of the tale.
"an...and then these deatheaters came in through the door. Malfoy stood, it looked like he was trying to protect you. Then he shouted at them to get out. One of them got out their wand and aimed a spell at him. He collapsed on the floor. They took his wand and then aimed it at you, but it wasn't the avada kedavra, it was a blue snake thing. It went into your head through your eyes. Then they all formed a ring and chanted something. Then they took you out....."
He broke off, staring at the floor, mute with emotion.
"So you think that they changed my memory?"
"Most definitely." Dumbledore pondered. "However the question is why?"
"Can you undo it?" She asked urgently. She didn't want these shameful and hateful memories of Draco if what Ron said was true.
"I believe so, however it will require the presence of Mr Malfoy."
Hermione swallowed hard. It would be hard to face him without experiencing at least some fear and hatred, even after Ron's revelation, the memories still felt real. After a brief pause she looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"Can we do it now?"
"Certainly, if you feel able."
She followed Dumbledore to the room she had listened outside the previous night. As she passed the threshold she felt like she'd passed through something solid. A barrier? They had locked Draco up, and he was innocent, Draco? It all came back again she swayed on her feet reaching out to the wall for support.
"Hermione? Are you ok?"
It was Draco, in the flesh. She shrank back fearful. His face changed from happy relief to hurt confusion.
"What..what's wrong? They told you I didn't do it!......you told her didn't you!" His voice rose in panic and he turned to Dumbledore in desperation.
"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore laid a kindly hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok, I'll be fine, please hurry up!" She muttered trying not to look Draco in the eyes.
Dumbledore rallied his robes around him and began muttering a complex incantation. He pressed the tip of his wand to Hermione's forehead and then did the same to Draco. Hermione felt as if she'd been placed in a foggy room. When the wand touched her it was if a giant fan had blown away the fog. The confusing memories of the assault vanished and she remembered what really happened.
A wave of emotions broke over her and she began laughing and crying almost at the same time. Draco stared in obvious bewilderment.
"Did it work? Do you still hate me?"
He got his answer with a huge hug. Hermione had thrown her arms around his neck and held him fiercely.
"No, I don't hate you. You tried to save me from them."
Draco remained rigid in her arms for a few seconds. Motionless with shock, he wasn't used to women doing this to him. Then he came to his senses and returned the hug.
"I'm so glad," he whispered in her ear, "I don't know what I would have done if you thought I was guilty of that. I would never do that to you."
Dumbledore had regarded the whole scene with quiet amusement but upon seeing Madame Pomfrey look discretely in his direction he spoke up.
"I think that Madame Pomfrey wishes that you both rest. I am sure we can arrange visiting hours later."
Hermione smiled tearfully and pecked Draco gently on the cheek. Leaving the warm embrace she returned to the hospital wing with a few less demons than before.
On her second night in the infirmary Hermione found it almost impossible to sleep. Everytime she closed her eyes she fell straight into nightmares. In one of them Draco hadn't just beaten her, Ron had been there trying to protect her and Draco had managed to kill him before turning on her. She woke up once more staring into the blackness of the ward.
She needed to get out of bed for a bit and clear her head. She pulled on a jumper and a pair of loose shoes over her nightie and set off down the corridor. She wondered vaguely about fetching a few things from Gryffindor tower and wandered vaguely in that direction. One of the rooms in the corridor still had a lamp on, there was a shadow flicking in and out of it and a deep male voice echoed out the doorway. It didn't belong to any of the teachers. Growing quieter she edged nearer.
"......relieved when I heard. I must say I had feared for your life if this got back to the Dark Lord."
Someone replied, their voice was too low for Hermione to catch even one word.
"Don't give me that. You can be straight with me."
"I mean it!"
"I've already stated the facts Draco. I will do what I can to get you out of this. I am sure something can be arranged. I am so proud of you, you're welcome back home any time now."
At that moment Hermione's foot hit a particularly creaky floorboard. The shadow stopped, listening.
"Someone's coming. They can't find me here. Stay strong I'll see you soon."
The light went out and the corridor descended into silence once more. Was that who she thought it was? There was no way it could have been, but then? Deciding it would be safer to return to bed she turned back and moved as noiselessly as she could to her bed.
A few short hours later early morning light began to stream through her windows awaking her from a light doze. She suddenly felt someone's presence in the room with her and opened her eyes in alarm. She was mildly surprised to see Professor Dumbledore seated in the same carved chair looking thoughtful.
"Miss Granger, I am glad to see you are awake."
She wasn't quite sure how to respond that so she just smiled wanely.
"Madame Pomfrey tells me you have been experiencing nightmares."
"Yes Professor."
"Would you mind describing them, it is of utmost importance."
Hermione tried to describe every last detail of the dreams and visions. It was hard but this time she managed to keep it together. Prompted by Dumbledore she remembered half forgotton shades of twisted scenes that her unconscious had been throwing at her. She finally stopped talking when there was absolutely nothing she hadn't said.
Dumbledore nodded gravely a few times and then rang on the little bell that Hermione could use to call Madame Pomfrey. The Matron hurried in looking slightly harrased.
"Yes Headmaster?"
"You can send him in now Poppy."
Madame Pomfrey disappeared back outside the room. She then sheparded a very nervous Ron Weasley to the head of Hermione's bed. Dumbledore gave a subtle nod and she left leaving the three of them alone. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Now then Miss Granger, you tell me that some of your dreams recall a blue flash prior to your losing consciousness."
Hermione nodded, uncertain of exactly what was happening.
"And yet," Dumbledore continued, "the Avarda Kedavra curse emits a green flash. This fact caused me great puzzlement until Mr Weasley came to see me late last evening." Ron now looked even more on edge. "Mr Weasley, could you please tell Miss Granger what you saw."
"Yes, umm.....err," he stuttered, " I.....I followed you down to Hagrid's hut."
"What!" Hermione was roused with sheer rage. Ron stopped talking and went beetroot red.
"Miss Granger, please." Dumbledore sounded almost close to impatient. Ron went a few shades lighter and carried on.
"I am sorry Hermione I was jealous, but I can talk that over later. The important thing is that Malfoy didn't do anything to you. I was watching the whole thing through Hagrid's windows."
"Are you mad, I remember it all. It's in here!" She gestured to her head violently.
Ron shook his head. "No, you and him were talking, I couldn't hear mind you. But then I heard voices coming across the Quidditch Pitch. They were laughing. I was going to go, I didn't want to be seen, but then I caught the words Voldemort and Mudblood. I got nervous then, I thought Malfoy had set it up so I froze and watched."
The silence was tense. Ron seemed to be gathering his wits for the final part of the tale.
"an...and then these deatheaters came in through the door. Malfoy stood, it looked like he was trying to protect you. Then he shouted at them to get out. One of them got out their wand and aimed a spell at him. He collapsed on the floor. They took his wand and then aimed it at you, but it wasn't the avada kedavra, it was a blue snake thing. It went into your head through your eyes. Then they all formed a ring and chanted something. Then they took you out....."
He broke off, staring at the floor, mute with emotion.
"So you think that they changed my memory?"
"Most definitely." Dumbledore pondered. "However the question is why?"
"Can you undo it?" She asked urgently. She didn't want these shameful and hateful memories of Draco if what Ron said was true.
"I believe so, however it will require the presence of Mr Malfoy."
Hermione swallowed hard. It would be hard to face him without experiencing at least some fear and hatred, even after Ron's revelation, the memories still felt real. After a brief pause she looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"Can we do it now?"
"Certainly, if you feel able."
She followed Dumbledore to the room she had listened outside the previous night. As she passed the threshold she felt like she'd passed through something solid. A barrier? They had locked Draco up, and he was innocent, Draco? It all came back again she swayed on her feet reaching out to the wall for support.
"Hermione? Are you ok?"
It was Draco, in the flesh. She shrank back fearful. His face changed from happy relief to hurt confusion.
"What..what's wrong? They told you I didn't do it!......you told her didn't you!" His voice rose in panic and he turned to Dumbledore in desperation.
"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore laid a kindly hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok, I'll be fine, please hurry up!" She muttered trying not to look Draco in the eyes.
Dumbledore rallied his robes around him and began muttering a complex incantation. He pressed the tip of his wand to Hermione's forehead and then did the same to Draco. Hermione felt as if she'd been placed in a foggy room. When the wand touched her it was if a giant fan had blown away the fog. The confusing memories of the assault vanished and she remembered what really happened.
A wave of emotions broke over her and she began laughing and crying almost at the same time. Draco stared in obvious bewilderment.
"Did it work? Do you still hate me?"
He got his answer with a huge hug. Hermione had thrown her arms around his neck and held him fiercely.
"No, I don't hate you. You tried to save me from them."
Draco remained rigid in her arms for a few seconds. Motionless with shock, he wasn't used to women doing this to him. Then he came to his senses and returned the hug.
"I'm so glad," he whispered in her ear, "I don't know what I would have done if you thought I was guilty of that. I would never do that to you."
Dumbledore had regarded the whole scene with quiet amusement but upon seeing Madame Pomfrey look discretely in his direction he spoke up.
"I think that Madame Pomfrey wishes that you both rest. I am sure we can arrange visiting hours later."
Hermione smiled tearfully and pecked Draco gently on the cheek. Leaving the warm embrace she returned to the hospital wing with a few less demons than before.