Hermione Granger and the wishing stone

Hermione woke slowly, part of her still wishing that she would find herself in the cold cave with Harry, but the bigger part of her knowing that she was still trapped in the world she had accidentally created. Sitting up in bed she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Gathering her school robes she looked around for a door leading to a bathroom, finding only the door that lead to the stairs she frowned. She was sure that the Heads' quarters would have its own bathroom, but it didn't seem to be upstairs with the bedrooms. Which meant the only other place it could be was off the common room. Steeling her nerves she opened the door and headed down her private staircase.

On the last step Hermione froze, she was once again face to face with her adversary, who was no longer an adversary, the thought still boggled her mind.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the center of the room, facing the stairs, his long blond hair was damp and framed his face in thick strands. He smiled at her, a charming and real smile, his eyes bright, the color of a cold winter morning sky. "Morning 'Mione."

She was once again amazed at how natural her name sounded when it left his lips. She opened her mouth to speak, knowing that pleasantries were a must. Daco Malfoy was a prat, in her world, but things were upside down in this new reality and she couldn't risk drawing attention to herself. "Good Morning Draco." She stated stiffly.

His smile faltered for a moment, his eyes darkening. "You're still mad at me."

Hermione felt something in her chest twist and knot. He sounded the way both Harry and Ron tended to when they had upset her. Ron; their romance had just begun, she had loved him for years and he had just begun to love her back. Shaking her head she tried to hold back her tears. "It's not you." She managed, her voice hitching slightly.

His smile faded completely, replaced with worry. "You had that dream again, didn't you? It's okay Hermione, I'm here, you're not alone." Draco crossed to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I'm here."

Part of her was appalled, wanted to pull away and tell him to leave her alone. But something else found comfort and familiarity in his embrace. Shock filled her for an instant, she knew she shouldn't feel comforted by his touch, but she did. Part of her remembered the new life she found herself in, and that part of her wanted to stay in his arms for as long as he would allow. "I need to take a shower before breakfast." She managed, pulling free of him.

Slipping past him she hurried into the bathroom, her head spinning with question after question. She remembered everything from the world before her wish, and nothing from this new present she had unintentionally created. Yet things that shouldn't seem natural did. Her anger toward Ron and Harry, her comfort at Draco's touch, it was as if her soul kept a residual memory of who she was in the new world.

Stripping out of her matching red tank top and pajama pants she turned on the water and stepped into the still damp shower stall. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't bother to take in the beauty if her surroundings, but the lingering smell of mint and sage with just the hint of clove. It was relaxing, and inhaling deeply she realized that it was his sent. Completely and totally his. Looking around the stall she saw his set of soaps and conditioners sitting on a small alcove, next to them was a near identical set that had her name on them. It looked expensive, and smelled of cinnamon, honey and vanilla.

A gift, she decided, no doubt from Draco Malfoy,  the part of her who still saw the blond as the nasty little ferret screamed for her to ignore the soap set. The more rational part of her brain told her that doing so would draw more unwanted attention. That and it was a beautiful smell and a very sweet, understated gift. The kind of thing Ron would never think of getting for her. Reaching for the bar of pink tinted soap she froze, Malfoy called her "Mione", he hugged her when she thought she would break down into tears, he'd looked devastated when she called him by his last name, and he had compared her to Lily Potter. Her eyes grew wide, it couldn't be, there was no way, but yet it seemed... she was dating Draco Malfoy.

Why him? Why him Hermione? Come on, I know I still have memories of this world somewhere. The Journal! Her heart hammering in her chest she showered as quickly as she could, trying to ignore any complications that could arise from using the soaps.

Turning off the water she stumbled from the shower and grabbed a towel. "I have to figure out what kind of relationship Malfoy and I have before he does something stupid and I end up decking him. Merlin what kind of screwed up world did I create?" She was rambling as she dried off and threw on her robes. But she couldn't help it, not only was her life upside down, not only were her best friend and boyfriend no longer the same sweet natured boys, but the bane of her existence was, was, important to her somehow. "This will teach me for ever even musing about what things would be like if Tom Riddle never became Voldamort."

Thankfully the tall blond was absent, however a different blond was sitting on the floor, looking up at her expectantly.

"Good Morning Hermione." The little blond said, before falling back onto her back and staring at the ceiling. "You are looking particularly disheveled this morning."

"Luna!" Hermione could hardly contain the relief that came from seeing a friendly and familiar face.

"Dracy said you had another nightmare. Was it the same as the others?"

Hermione blinked, shocked that in the new world Luna and Malfoy were friends. "I... well." What had she dreamed about? She couldn't remember.

"You shouldn't fret so. You know you're never going to be alone so long as Draco and I are with you. And I can't think of anything that could keep Draco from your side." The younger girl spoke evenly, as if what she was saying was completely normal.

The facts were that in the new reality it might have been common place for Malfoy to always be at her side, but the thought made her both slightly nauseous and embarrassed. "I should get my books so we can head to the Great Hall for breakfast." Turning she practically ran up the stairs to the silent sanctuary of her room. Grabbing her book bag she tried not to stuff her books, parchment, and quills into it. She was no longer all that excited about attending the first day of her seventh year, now she just had the burning need to find out about herself, and to keep as much distance between herself and Draco Malfoy as she could. The last thing she needed was for the little ferret to try and kiss her or something. Shaking the thought of his lips pressed to hers from her mind, she threw the bag over her shoulder. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she picked up the red leather bound book from the desk. Inside she would find answers to questions she didn't know if she wanted to ask.

Nodding once she left the room, hoping to get to breakfast without being blindsided by any other revelations she would be unable to deal with.

Both blonds were waiting for her by the portrait entrance. Luna looked as she always had, her hair laying flatly down her back, radish earring's dangling from her ears. Malfoy had pulled his hair back into a tail, a few strands falling forward to frame his face. If he wasn't Malfoy she would have thought he looked very handsome.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting." She mumbled as she pushed past them into the hall.

The two fiends gave each other worried looks before following her out into the mass of students.