For the weeks that proceeded, Hermione was just a girl unconcerned with the world. She went through her daily activities like a robot. Her grades were stable, but by no means were they the best in class any more. Her Professors showed concern for her health and insisted she visit Madame Pomfrey.

Madame Pomfrey diagnosed her with a broken heart. This illness could not be cured with medicine or magic. It could only be cured by time.

Hagrid had stopped owling her little notes of encouragement. He stopped inviting her down for tea to talk. He put his complete faith in Harry and Ron, in hopes they would pull her through.

Draco stopped bugging her. He scarcely looked at her, but when he did his gaze was met with one as cold as ice.

Oliver glanced at her now and then with a sad look upon his face. But he made no move to talk to her. He looked like he was deep into his own thoughts and he rarely spoke to any of the Professors anymore. Let alone the students. The girls even stopped giggling after he left the room and they disbanded their "Oliver Wood Fan Club." Hermione didn't seem to notice that Oliver was withdrawing from the world. Perhaps, because she was as well.

The boys who had before had her 'attention' were now avoiding her. Seamus no longer sat near her, or tried to talk to her. Justin Fitch-Fletchley talked to her only when he had to during Herbology.

Hermione didn't notice the change in her peers. She only noticed the change in herself. A small change, but a change nevertheless.

In her mind, it was her against the world. But that was not really the case.

Harry and Ron stuck by her. Edging her into conversation even when she built the wall up. They prodded her for information...for some show of emotions.

But it seemed that Hermione Granger no longer had emotions.

Eventually, Ron stopped trying. When December faded into January, he found other people to occupy his time. It hurt him to just sit and watch her slowly pulling away from them. He couldn't stand it. He sought comfort in Rosalind Rose. And even though she wasn't much good at helping him with homework, she was someone who would listen to him. And reply.

Harry didn't give up. After the New Year, his resolution became more like an obligation. He was going to pull Hermione back to earth...whether she liked it or not.

One night, Harry sat Hermione down at a desk in the common room. It was late at night and most people had gone to bed. The N.E.W.Ts were coming closer and Harry knew that Hermione needed to snap back...and take control of her life again.

"Hermione, you need to work," stated Harry firmly.

Hermione was staring at her books, but not really seeing them. She rarely saw anything anymore. It was all just a big blur. Life was a blur.

"You need to talk to me, Hermione. You need to tell me what's going on with you lately. What happened? Who made you become a complete mute?"

Hermione continued to stare straight ahead. Ron, who had just said goodnight to Rosalind, stepped up to their table. Harry was quite surprised given the fact that he hadn't really spoken to Ron in the last week.

"Hey," said Ron, taking a seat next to Harry.

"Er--hello," replied Harry, looking from he to Hermione and then back again. "What--er--brings you here?"

"I want to help," said Ron.

"Help?" asked Harry. "How?"

"Hermione," said Ron, leaning closer to her, "Hermione, you need to talk to us. We're your friends."

"We?" snapped Harry. "You haven't spoken to us since Christmas."

Ron shrugged, "I've been busy."

"With Rosalind," retorted Harry angrily.

"No, well---sort of. I've been asking her questions....about what to do for Hermione. She's a girl. I figured she'd know where Hermione was coming from."

"You haven't disowned us completely?" asked Harry, his calm voice mixed with anger.

"Harry, this is not about me...and you. This is about us. The three of us. The three musketeers. We can't just throw it away just because one of us is a bit----out of it."

"Out of it?" snapped Harry, "She hasn't spoken for about 3 weeks!"

"Stop fighting," came Hermione's soft and cracked voice. Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, "Are you okay?"

Hermione nodded slowly. "He used me."

"Who? Who used you?" Harry asked urgently. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"Draco, it was all a bet. He liked me because Blaise bet him to get him to sleep with me." Hermione was still staring at one of the books, not blinking. Her voice was far away and misty but it all made sense.

It suddenly dawned on Ron, "Blaise bet Draco he couldn't get you to sleep with him? That jerk!"

Hermione blinked and looked up at them both. "They both hurt me so horribly. I---"

"It's okay, you don't have to say anymore," whispered Ron. "It's all right."

Harry stared at her. "We can help you. We'll help you. You're not alone in this."

Hermione smiled at them. It was the first emotion she'd shown for a month.

"Thank you."

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling better than she had in a long time. She, Ron and Harry had, had a long talk last night about everything. They knew everything now. Nothing was secret. Not even what she was feeling for Oliver.

The horrible things that had happened to Hermione had brought she and her two best friends closer. She was beyond thankful for that. And she was completely over Blaise now. And completely over Draco. Her feelings for him had never been real. None of that had been real.

The only thing that was real in this whole thing, were her growing feelings for Oliver. The more she saw him, the more she wanted to run to him. But she held back.

Because obviously he wasn't feeling the same way.

When she went down to breakfast with Harry and Ron, she was smiling. Everyone noticed the abrupt change in her. Even Draco smiled slightly when he saw that she was happy again. Well maybe not happy, but happier.

She sat with Lavender and Parvati but let her gaze wander around the room. She caught Draco's eye and he smiled at her. She smiled slightly back. It would take a lot for her to ever talk to him again, but she didn't want him as her enemy anymore. The evilness wasn't all that was there. At least, that's what she thought.

When she scanned the Head Table, she didn't see Oliver.

Hermione leaned over to Parvati, "Where's Oliver?"

Parvati shrugged, "Dunno, haven't seen him for a couple days."

"Oh no," whispered Hermione.

"You could ask McGonagall," suggested Ron as Professor McGonagall passed their table.

Hermione shrugged, she could ask her, but she didn't want to. Not yet.

As the day wore on, Hermione pulled herself back into the real world even further. She talked with her friends, she raised her hand in class and she laughed like she'd never laughed before. She felt back to normal.

Although a part of her was still missing. And she knew how to get it back. She needed to see Oliver and she needed to talk to him.

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