Femslash, Romance, Struggle, Adventure, Horror

Pairings: OC Female/Hermione Granger

Description: Taking place after the Chamber of Secrets in Hermione's third year. A mysterious girl is accepted at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. She seems to know a lot more than she is ought to do. Thus Hermione, as top-student takes interest in her and tries to unveil her supposed secrets. A story with different point of views, mixing up the muggle and wizarding worlds and bringing in a little bit more darkness to the story. Besides, Snape turns out to be not such a jerk and takes a rather 'good' turn here.

Disclaimer: This story will develop into a same-sex lovestory. Please be aware of that!

Please take a little time and review!

Chapter 1

-A New Start-

*Nothing is like it seems*

POV Harry

"What did you just say?", Ron pressed out between his mouthful of food over the Gryffindor breakfast table. It was Thursday of the first week into the new term and everybody still needed to resettle in everyday's school life after the events of the Chamber of Secrets.

"I SAID", Hermione answered quite angrily after Ron seemed to ignore the first two times she stated this sentence, "that Potions wasn't that bad. You know? The first class this new teacher Mr. Jeffson gave after Snape swapped subjects?".

"Ah that.", he repeated, "Actually I was trying to forget it. I mean you're right. With Jeffson I've the feeling to finally learn something in this friggin' class."

"Yeah, it's definitely different. But I'm anxious about Snape being our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. It's certain he KNOWS, what he's talking about. But... it's Snape...", I added to the conversation.

Evidently the news had shocked the trio as much as everybody else: After applying 3 years in a row for the post of the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher Dumbledore this year announced Snape to be the replacement for the "not-so-able" Gilderoy Lockhart. Mr. Nikolaj Jeffson, a very muscular small man with an exact hand in terms of measurements, cutting and brewing, turned out to be someone with whom the students could cope. But apart from the Slytherins everybody was shocked and a little freaked out by the news. Especially me, considering our history.

"Snape will be trying to kill us on Friday. He will teach us the Unforgivables and let Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle duel us. Not that it won't be manageable to beat these idiots, but Snape will surely deceive us and give any advantage possible to his house-brats.", Ron said.

"That's not very likely.", matter-of-factly answered Hermione. "It's a pity though, that they didn't change the house/class rotation, too. Defence against the Dark Arts together with Slytherin will be a challenge tomorrow." Though she tried to sound somehow professional, her composure seemed to be just as anxious as ours.

"And definitely not a nice one...", I added rather flatly.

Before I could further elaborate my opinion on Snape as a moral being, we were interrupted by Mrs. McGonagall opening the big doors to the Great Hall and leading a shallow, shy looking girl in the usual Hogwartsrobe into the dining room. It was odd to have a new student after the sorting at the beginning of term. Especially as this girl looked like she was in our age. Professor McGonagall came straight up to the Slytherins, spoke briefly to the lot at the end of the table and after pushing the new girl to sit down next to Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini she strolled forward to the teacher's table, taking her usual seat next to the headmaster. As I watched the girl's unease at the prying eyes of the fellows sitting next to her, a thought crossed my mind: "What the heck is the matter with her? Being a Slytherin and being so uncomfortable near the most Slytherin-ish boy in the whole school, Malfoy?"

"Who is she?", Ron asked bluntly.

Hermione added: "And why does Professor McGonagall seat her at the Slytherin's table and not Snape?".

Seamus, one of the guys I share a room in the Gryffindor tower with, concluded: "Well, that is certainly a mystery to be solved soon enough. But THAT she is a beautiful girl, even those snake-guys seem to notice.". While saying so he pointed to Blaise's, Draco's and the other males' intent stares at the new student at the opposite of the room. Well, she most certainly was pretty but nonetheless she seemed to be annoyed by the whole situation.

"BOYS!", Ginny snapped us to attention, "This is so stupid! As soon as a good-looking girl comes around, you're all after her!"

"Ginny's right...", Hermione added.

Immediately Ron retorted: "You're just envious. And being girls yourself, you can't really talk about that...".

"Of course I can! I mean she is pretty but...", Ron interrupted Hermione: "Ah come on! You simply can't stand the fact, that our attention is with another girl. You girls are all so envious. And then you pretend it's not a matter for you!".

Before things exploded, as I saw a reddening Hermione and an angry Ginny just about to respond, I chose to ease the situation by declaring: "Guys! Guys and girls, it's nothing to argue about. By the way, Ron, Hermione, we have to go to Divination now. The Astronomy tower is at the other end of the castle. Let's get moving, I don't wanna be late."

The participants of the quarrel all shot angry glances at each other but Ron and Hermione simply nodded, stood up, said their goodbyes and followed suit after me out of the Great Hall. Though I noticed Ginny having much trouble to refrain from killing her brother, we managed to get outside, before Hermione and Ron started all over again. After all it was very uncommon that I was so successful in preventing the argument to get out of hand. At least for the time being.

POV Ginny

"It's so unfair!", I muttered to myself, sitting on my bed in the girl's dormitory after my last class in the evening. Previously I closed the curtains, because I felt sick about the world around me. Why was it so complicated to relate to other people? For obvious reasons, I knew before I came back to Hogwarts that it wouldn't be easy. That everybody would be talking about me being in the Chamber of Secrets and kind of being hijacked by the Dark Lord himself. It brought goose-pimples to my skin just to think about this horror. But of course, the same problem which caused me to feel discomfort then, let me to pour my heart out to this forsaken, damned diary in the first place. Why can't people just accept each other the way they truely are? Why are we always judging people by their looks rather than to get to know them first? Besides, it sucked so hard that the boys were able to make me feel so uncomfortable just by being stupid this morning.

I guess it's just natural that the others thought of me as a freak. Obviously I am. Though it still hurts to be treated like one. Ron's comments at breakfast just were the one drop to let the casket break. This whole male/female thing at it's core isn't that big an issue. Basically, we're all just people, doing best while we're being true to ourselves. Ron always has been some kind of retard in some aspects. But his opinions on women today were so stupid and outdated...

"Here you are!", Hermione said, withdrawing one of the curtains of my cozy bed, "I've been looking for you. What do you think about going outside for a sunset-walk on the school grounds?"

"Oh, hey, yeah sure.", I answered. Brooding over my perceived problems with overall society wasn't too healthy after all. And damn, it WAS a nice evening. Because of the shut curtains I wasn't able to see the beautiful light shining into the dormitory through the big castle windows. Golden colours sparkled on the dormitory's floor. It was marvellous.

As we descended down the stairs, over the common room to the Fat Lady's portrait entrance, Hermione spoke up for my brother as we passed Harry and Ron playing wizard chess. The boys were briefly looking up, we nodded and they returned to their game. At least there weren't anymore comments. Though a part of me wanted them to continue just to have an opportunity of putting the whole lot back to their place.

"Are you still angry at Ron? Because he kind of took it back what he said, when we went outside."

"Did he really? I mean 'kind of'?"

"Well, he acknowledged that maybe not EVERY woman is always jealous, if the men at a table turn their heads around to another girl."

"Ah, come on Hermione, I've lived with him all my life. That's just so ridiculous! He's my brother, I know him. He maybe have said that about you. You being stood directly infront of him pointing with your wand directly at his throat threatening him with a life long joy of vomiting snails. But he meant what he said at the table."

"Eeeeeehm, technically..."

"Yeah, I see. Please spare me the details."

With that we continued to the corridors and went outside. It was wonderful. The sun shone directly into our faces, the birds were singing and miraculously the area around the big lake wasn't too crowded. So Hermione and me walked for two rounds around the lake talking about this and that. It was really nice and finally I felt relaxed.

And I didn't took this privilege for granted. Hermione was the school's best student. Incredibly intelligent, friendly, handsome and we were on a good way to become friends. At first it was awkward, because I was just the little sister of one of her best companions. And, of course, the events around the chamber wore me down. But it turned out that we shared a lot of interests, opinions and of course the same close people around us. So I guess, there was enough common ground for us to be comfortable in each other's company.

It would be so awesome to feel her being my friend.

POV Julia (OC)

Happily no one in particular paid attention to me while I got changed and went outside the castle for a run, somewhere where I could be alone. It didn't go too bad though for a first day. This strict Gryffindor head teacher (What was her name again?) who'd taken me to the Slytherin table this morning said, that a certain "Professor Snape" would be my head of house. I'll get to know him on my first DADA- [Defence against the Dark Arts] class tomorrow morning. Hopefully he'll be alright and able to teach me a lot.

Overall, England and especially this school wasn't too bad. Everything was so nice here, so full of history and magic. The castle, with its massive square stone walls gave me certain sense of security. A sense, which wasn't granted for me to have. Thus it seemed that here I was finally able to concentrate and learn about my magical talents in a proper way. But now, I definitely needed some physical exercise to clear my mind. After all, what would you use your first sunny evening in your new school for?

Once I was outside the castle I turned to the Forbidden Forest and started at a slight speed. As I reached the trees I kept going along the shore of the woods and ran at a quicker pace. I remembered it to be prohibited, to go into it. Though I was wondering why. What could be so dangerous, that it was forbidden for people able to use magic to go into it? Maybe it was a little bit of overprotectiveness on the side of the headmaster. It was just a forest after all.

As some shiny sunrays played on my face, I had to broadly smile. What a vast opportunity it was to be here.

Hermione POV

It was really nice to stroll around the Great Lake togehter with Ginny. We talked about this and that and had a pretty good time. Suddenly we noticed that new girl running outside the castle and obviously having a not-so-easy workout. Being muggle-born, I knew what she was doing. Although I wasn't a big sportswoman, at least when I visited my parents I always took the time to go for run myself. Funnily in Hogwarts nobody, including myself, normally did it. Hence for Ginny it seemed kind of strange seeing the new girl running.

"What does she do there? Isn't it the new girl from breakfast?", she asked.

"Yes and I think she is doing some physical exercises."

"Physical exercise? Good on her but I've never seen anyone around here just running along the grounds for having a chilling workout routine before sunset."

"Well, it ain't a bad idea! After all you might have some use for a run yourself!", I gayly remarked with a playful smirk on my face while I pinched her side.

"Hermione Granger!", she seemingly angry said snapping my hand away, "Do you want to apply that I'm too fat?"

"No, no, don't worry. I just wanted to see how you react."

"Shut up! No, but seriously I'm interested in getting to know her.", Ginny added while pointing in the direction of the new student.

And so was I. She was indeed very good-looking, even though she was wearing herself down running. Suddenly I became very self-conscious of my not-so-sportive-physique.

"Ginny?"

"Yeah?!"

"Maybe, sometime, we should do some sports, too."

Reddening, Ginny poked me in the rips and we started laughing.

In that moment, I was very content with my life.

"Mankind's secret terrors are the realities which Gothic novelists seek to engage through their extravagant and impossible fictions... It is not Walpole's ghosts who inspire terror, but the ghosts we carry within us." David Morris