Chapter One: The Brainy
Hermione Grander sat in the Library of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is not an unnatural sight. Other students past by but none dared to interrupt her, for fear of getting your head blown up. Hermione, unusually, wasn't working on school work at all. She was fighting with herself back and forth, Brainy Hermione and Emotional Hermione, as if each side of her brain was playing tennis.
"HOW CAN YOU STAND THIS?" Yelled brainy Hermione. "YOU HAVE AN ANCIENT RUNES PAPER DUE IN A WEEK!"
"I have more important things to think of… Like Harry." said emotional Hermione. "Ancient Runes can wait a bit; it isn't like I couldn't write the paper in my sleep."
"YOU ARE UNBELEIVEABLE! I can't believe you are letting your personal feelings get in the way of your school work! YOU ARE STARTING TO ACT LIKE RON!"
"What don't be ridicules I don't sound like Ron. I just think it is time to you know start acting like Harry's Girl best friend. Not like the person that he comes running to when he needs help. Although that part is soooooo cute!"
"Hush up I know how you feel, but if you want to get things started you have to think of it rationally not come up with it on the spot."
"Okay what is it that you propose we do?"
"Well you have to let him know how you feel, and then we'll see if he feels the same. Let's start by flirting a bit; you know touch his hand by accident wile reaching for the jam and that entire bit."
"Alright we'll try tomorrow the…"
"Hermione, You alright?" said Harry from behind her
"Wha… Oh Hi Harry, and yes I am quite alright just catching up with a bit of homework you know after the Christmas holiday, loads to do."
"You've been staring at the same spot in the book for about five minutes." Said Ron
"I have… Oh yes well… I really don't quite get the description they have here, I find it isn't at all accurate and now you've made me lose my train of thought."
"Just thought you might like some dinner?" said Ron ready to combat with her a bit.
"Hermione, I think that might be best. You've started over working yourself again. Come on let's get something to eat."
Any meal at Hogwarts was always a splendid time. Each one was different in its own way. One of the many memorable ones was on Halloween of the trio's first year. On this particular evening a troll was released by a not so memorable professor. Ironically this night also happened to be the same night that the friendships of the trio began, when Ron and Harry rescued Hermione from the troll in the girls' lavatory. Another was the breakfast of the first day of the Christmas holiday. On this particular day Professor Trelawney decided to pop down form her normal tower dwelling and eat with the twelve that remained. As Harry and Ron got up to leave she shrieked at the fact that when thirteen dine together the first to rise is the first to die, although nether Ron or Harry died that day.
"Here you are Hermione, mince pie, go on then have a bit of it." Said Ron as he plopped a nice size piece of mince pie onto her plate.
"Thanks Ron…" said Hermione as she comfortably settled herself in between Ron and Harry.
"So how was your first day back Ron?" asked Harry
"Well you know, Class I guess." Said Ron through a mouth full of chicken and pumpkin juice
"Well, ours were quite invigorating, wouldn't you say so Harry?" said Hermione.
"Well yeah I guess. I didn't think it would be all that difficult to become and Auror."
"Don't worry Harry, you'll pull through."
"Well… there is the thing with Snape you know."
"Alright, put it this way you will pull through with top marks in everything but potions."
"Thanks Hermione that really lightens my sprits."
"Harry I am just kidding, you will get through potions I know you will. Snape will give you the grades you deserve; you know Dumbledore will put his foot down if it gets that bad."
"Yeah, you're right Hermione."
"Well I am off to the prefects' bathroom if you two don't mind." Said Ron as he got up to leave. From down the table a tall seventh year named Lavender, got up as her friend Pavati giggled at her. Neither Harry nor Hermione noticed Ron's ears turn red, as they always did when he was nervous. She looked up and caught his gaze as she raced off to meet him at the entrance of the Great Hall.
"Why does he insist on going to the Prefects' bathroom in the middle of dinner? That is so unlike him."
"That is boy business Hermione I am sworn to secrecy."
"Whatever so do we have a date with the library then?"
"A what?"
"Oh, I mean are we headed to the library to finish our Transfiguration Homework."
"Yeah, I guess. I'll do the Hermione thing for once in my school career."
"AWWWWW! Do the HERMIONE thing! Oh that is so sweet come on Brainy can't we move this on a bit you know, well really I don't even know. But I do know that I just want to give him a nice big hug."
"Calm down Emotion, we have to give it time. You know, see if the seeds we sow bloom."
"Ok whatever."
Harry and Hermione reached the school library ten minutes later. They chose their favorite table in the far back.
"Ok Harry if we are really quiet we might be able to practice some spells, but I think it might be best if we reread what we went over in class to make sure it is fresh in our heads."
"Alright, out loud or to ourselves."
"You are such a baby sometimes." Said Hermione with a smirk. "I'll take the first paragraph on Page one hundred and ten."
The two spent about two and a half hours reading their Transfiguration texts. Hermione had left Harry to read a couple more paragraphs, wile she searched for other books that might help get him through this lesson. When she returned she found Harry in the middle of a nightmare.
"NO! She can't be dead! I know it…" Harry yelled as his head twitched wildly back and forth across his text book.
"Harry, Harry wake up." Said Hermione as she tried to rouse him.
"NO! WAKE UP HERMIONE! WAKE UP! YOU CAN'T BE DEAD! I…I…I NEED YOU! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"
"Harry!" she yelled wile shaking her friend's shoulder vigorously. "Harry, Harry I'm right here. Wake up, it is only a nightmare. I'm fine. Wake up!"
Harry's eyes opened but didn't soften. They leaked with all the grief he had just re-witnessed. They were fixed on the young girl that was kneeling at his side.
"Harry, I am right here, safe and sound. It was only a nightmare." She cooed as she stroked his hair. She knew what he had just seen in his nightmare. He was re-witnessing the events of two years before in which she has been knocked unconscious by a Deatheater's spell in the Ministry of Magic.
"ONLY A NIGHTMARE!" He roared, "It was a real memory, if…if… if you would have died, it would be all my fault. Hermione I couldn't live with out you, alright. I just couldn't you don't know how much you help me and guide me." Said Harry tears still streaming from his eyes.
"It's ok, I'm not going any where." She said as he held her tightly in a hug.
"I'll be right here whenever you need me."
