A/N: This story takes place in the trio's sixth year and has nothing to do with HBP Also, Ron and Hermione weren't made prefects. That's it for now I think…

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me

The New Student

The Great Hall was loud and bustling with the many students. The sorting had finished and the new first years were being welcomed by their fellow housemates. The Headmaster was now making his speech and informing the students of the rules once again.

"Hermione, does that girl look familiar to you?" Harry asked, pointing to a blonde-haired girl sitting by herself a way down the table.

"Actually no, I don't remember seeing her before," she replied, brow furrowed in thought.

"That's odd." Harry looked back to the girl in thought. She didn't look like a first year but he had seen nearly every face of every Gryffindor and he didn't remember her.

"One final announcement," Dumbledore's voice rang out through the Great Hall, "We have a new student! She came from a smaller school near where she lived, but that is not important. She was sorted into Gryffindor house in my office." There were murmurs around the tables and a bit of excitement coming from the Gryffindors. Harry's eyes went back to the girl and saw that she was looking down at the table in front of her, refusing to look up.

"Hush, hush now." Dumbledore began again, seeking everyone's attention. "I expect you all to make her feel welcome. Now, will you please stand, Miss Skylar Grey?"

Everyone's eyes shot up and down the Gryffindor table. The trio kept their eyes on the girl who had suddenly looked up. Moments later, the girl slowly rose to her feet, eyes flitting about the room, never lingering long in one place. The Gryffindors started applauding and the rest of the students, beside the Slitheryns, followed suit. The girl smiled shyly, blushing, and sat down hurriedly.

"I say we welcome her back in the common room," Hermione suggested. Ron and Harry nodded their heads in agreement.

Soon the feast ended and everyone started filing out, heading for their common rooms. Skylar Grey tagged along behind the other Gryffindors, eyes examining the walls of paintings.

Once inside the common room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood off to the side and waited to great Skylar. The flow of people through the portrait hole slowly diminished until no one else entered. The trio looked to each other questioningly; none of them had spotted Skylar.

"Where is she?" Ron asked, looking over the heads of his fellow students in search of the new girl.

"Maybe she slipped up to the Girls' dormitories," Hermione pondered. "I'll go check."

With that, Hermione was pushing through the crowd and climbed the staircase to the girls' dorms. She entered and found the girl sitting on her bed. Hermione scanned the room and found that no one else was up there.

A look of sadness and concern fell upon Hermione's face as she approached Skylar. She slowly looked up and smiled politely. Hermione smiled back and took a couple more steps forward.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Skylar Grey, it's nice to meet you." She smiled slightly wider

"Yes, I know. It seems Dumbledore finds introducing you before the enter school to be very…welcoming," Hermione said with a laugh.

Skylar laughed softly. "Well, I hope he doesn't do something like that again."

They laughed together for a few moments before they fell into silence.

"Oh! My friends want to say hi to you as well. Come on!" Hermione exclaimed and motioned for Skylar to follow her downstairs.

"Uh. Alright…but why can't they come up here?" Skylar asked as she stood up and walked to the door.

"Because guys can't come up to the Girls' dorms," Hermione replied simply.

"Your friends are guys?" Skylar inquired, seeming slightly uneasy.

"Yes. Is that a problem?" Concern was once again in Hermione's eyes as she looked to Skylar, pausing in the steps.

"Oh! Uh… no. I just don't normally talk to guys besides my brothers," she admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Hermione laughed softly. "Don't worry, they're great! The very first friends I made here! Well after a bit of misunderstanding, but that was nothing. Really, they're terrific."

Skylar smiled to Hermione and they started down the stairs again. Once they were in the common room, Hermione noticed that there were considerably less people.

"The younger students must have gone to bed," Hermione mumbled to herself.

She then spotted Harry and Ron sitting by the fire and moved slightly faster. When they reached the boys, they were discussing something but jumped as soon as they soon Hermione.

"Jumpy," Hermione said with a laugh, then turned to Skylar and ushered her forward. "This is Skylar"

"Hi," she said simply with a small wave and slight smile.

"Hi, I'm Harry," Harry said as he stood, grinning, and held out his hand to shake hands with her.

Skylar looked at Harry's hand for a moment, before reluctantly taking it in a firm handshake. Harry stepped back and Ron bounded forward.

"Ron Weasley," he beamed as he thrust his hand out also. Skylar, once again, examined his hand before shaking it firmly.

"So why did you transfer to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked sitting down on a couch.

Skylar sat down also shrugged slightly. "Wanted to start over I guess."

"Start over from what?" Harry asked from a chair across from Ron's seat.

Skylar's eyes flickered to each of their faces before looking to the fire. "Well, my mom used to teach there and my dad did a long time ago. Plus each of my brothers had gone there."

"What does that me-?" Ron started but choked down his words at the piercing look Hermione was giving him. "Err…uh never mind. Stupid question, stupid, stupid…"

"No, I'll tell you. It's alright." Skylar looked up at the others. "I've lost my family over the years. I only have my eldest brother left who I live with."

"Oh I'm so sorry!" Hermione gasped and took Skylar's hand, which caused her eyes to close for a moment.

She then looked to Hermione a smiled. "It's alright." Her voice sounded a little scratchy but her features betrayed calmness.

"Well if it's any consolation, I never knew my parents," Harry said looking into her eyes with sympathy.

Skylar just smiled softly and looked into the fire.

Moments of silence passed as the foursome sat watching Skylar, not knowing what to do. Then Skylar look up at them again.

"You know, I never really tell anyone that." She looked as though she was pondering something. "Maybe there's something 'special' about you guys," she said with a true smile causing the others to beam at her.