Lost In Our Memories (Dramione story) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 36

Meanwhile, Hermione closed her eyes tightly, trying to block everything out. Images started to flash instantaneously in front of her closed eyelids, succeeding each other rapidly. Just as McKinley had intended, Hermione's mind was now working furiously, replaying a long-forgotten film.

She could now see pictures of a forest, trees closing in on her, surrounding her on all sides. A black robed man was standing over her. She could not move and she felt powerless. Her body was paralyzed. The light of a curse flashed, and her shoulder started to hurt. Blood was flowing all over her clothes, gushing from the wound. Hermione saw herself as a quivering heap on the ground, unable to breath, gasping for air. Then something moved and a head appeared in her line of vision, with a face so pale that it could have belonged to a ghost. Everything else was clear, the features, the shape of the face, all except the eyes. For some reason, she just could not make them out.

"HERMIONE!" Draco was bellowing over her, shaking her furiously.

Seeing her still form and not responding, pushed Draco into a frenzy. He sprang to his feet and started shooting curse after curse at McKinley. The red-haired man deflected them, at first with ease, but as Draco got more and more worked up, McKinley found it more difficult to defend himself.

"You lying prick!" Draco bit out at McKinley. "You talk about truth and all this time you have lied and deceived everyone."

"I didn't lie to anyone, Malfoy. Unlike you, I haven't told people I am someone whom I am not." McKinley snarled.

"Really? Then what about your relationship with Pyrites then? Why haven't you told anyone about what a Death Eater father you had?" Draco said with a smirk.

"That's the last thing you should accuse me of, Malfoy, considering who your father is." McKinley said with loathing in his voice.

He sent a curse in Draco's direction, missing him by inches. Instead, it got one of his followers. The man hit the ground with a thud and remained there motionless. Enraged, McKinley gestured to the other men to take Hermione.

Draco cursed and placed himself between Hermione and the masked men.

Where the hell are you, Potter?! I could use some reinforcements right about now.

"Hermione wake up, dammit!" Draco yelled at her again, shooting another curse at McKinley. The spell hit a tree and sent splinters everywhere.

Hermione twitched and shuddered. As if in a dream, she heard a voice. It sounded familiar, close by, but she could not say for sure if it was real or inside her mind. The voice spoke again, and she saw a flash of bright light through her tightly shut eyes. Then heard a man bellowing a curse, and Hermione's eyes snapped open.

"What's happening?" Hermione said in a feeble voice.

Draco whipped around and rushed over to her.

"Now that she's woken up, we should start our conversation." McKinley said in a strangely satisfied manner.

He ordered his men to stop their movement. He himself stopped, crossing his arms as if sure no one would attack him now.

"Are you going to tell us who you are and why are you doing this, McKinley?" Hermione said in a cold voice, getting up to her feet.

Draco hurried to help her, but she pushed his hand away. He flinched and looked at her, searching for her eyes, but she stubbornly avoided to look back at him. His heart started beating fast and dread took hold of him. What if McKinley had spoken the truth and the potion he gave Hermione would help her regain her memories? What if she indeed remembers him now? Taking a deep breath, he decided to focus on the conversation with McKinley first. He would worry about the rest later. He remained close to Hermione, peering at her face from time to time, making sure she wasn't going to collapse again.