Hermione toppled off the chair as her body seized. The agony was riper so soon after the last curse, and she curled in against the pain. The connection with Draco, always humming in the background, flared back to life as he felt her being tortured. The same sensation countered the curse. The pain receded as Hermione focussed on Draco. From wherever he was, he fed her more love as she built resilience against the flaying pain. With his help, she pushed back, reclaiming her mind from the agony. Her hand warmed pleasantly as Draco held nothing back from her. In reply, Hermione felt her love for him surge to the surface.