It was safe to say that Umbridge being headmaster had changed Hermione's life significantly. There were no Dumbledore's Army meetings to fill her weeks with excitement. And the feeling of rebelliousness that had kept her running for all those months was gone. Sitting in classes, not practicing any magic was becoming more and more tedious every day. Hermione had never thought that she would ever get sick of book work and essays. But she was. She missed the thrill of learning new spells and the feeling of creating pure magic. Her life felt drab and empty without it.

Now, as she sat at the breakfast table staring into her scrambled eggs she wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed. The great hall had been sucked of all its magic too, it seemed. Umbridge sat at the front of the hall, daintily sipping her tea and cutting pieces of her toast into small squares. The sight was sickening to Hermione. Suddenly she was aware of being nudged quite roughly in her side.

"Hermione… you look on the brink of killing someone," Ginny spoke with her mouth full. Hermione looked up and winced.

"Sorry," she said leaning her head on her hand. Her curls spilled down next to her plate, just missing the eggs. She didn't think to care. Hermione had never felt more meaningless. Which she knew was quite stupid, considering what was happening in the Wizarding World as these very thoughts crossed her mind.

"Are you going to eat those?" Ron pointed his fork at her plate. Hermione shook her head and pushed the plate towards him. Ron took it happily, floating off in his own bubble as he usually did during meal times. Harry was absent as usual. The soft and unmistakable crinkle of paper interrupted her thought process. The pink notes written in swirly letters floated in the door, ready to land in the lap of unsuspecting victims. They were "invitations" to Umbridge's office to submit to questioning. Hermione watched glumly as the few notes plopped down onto various plates. Then one whisked itself right past her nose and sat on Ron's full plate. Ron stopped for a second and froze, his fork stopping right in front of his mouth. He swallowed and picked it up, setting his fork down on his plate. Hermione looked at him sympathetically. Then another note whizzed up and slid down into Hermione's lap. She let her mouth fall open. Ginny and Neville stared at Ron and Hermione silently. Dread washed through her. Ron looked at the letter in her lap and turned his glare to Umbridge. He tore open his own letter with anger. As if Hermione getting her letter had struck a chord inside him that his own hadn't. Hermione carefully opened the pink envelope. A thick scent filled her nose. Hermione winced as she read the loopy letters.

Dear Hermione Granger,

As the rules set by Hogwarts High Inquisitor and Headmaster, Dolores Umbridge, require you are expected to submit to questioning about suspected illicit activity. Please arrive to the headmaster's office at 8pm sharp and await your turn to be questioned. Failure to attend the meeting will result in severe punishment. Please do not bring your wand or any other supplies, for nothing will be needed but yourself. Hoping to see you this evening,

Dolores Umbridge

Hermione sighed. Ron looked over at her letter. His voice sounded as if he were trying not to growl or scream. "My meeting," he sneered the word, "is at 7:30."

"Good, we can walk down together," Hermione stated, folding the parchment into a tiny square. She shoved it into the pocket of her robes and looked back up at the table. Ginny and Neville were still staring at them.

"I think you two are the first of the DA to be asked for questioning," Ginny uttered in a low voice.

"First besides Cho," Neville stared at his plate.

"Right, well… I'm off to class," Hermione pulled her legs over the bench and stood up.

"You'll be fine Hermione," Ginny grabbed her arm.

"I know," Hermione nodded unconvincingly. As she walked out of the great hall she bumped straight into Harry.

"Oh, Hermione are you on your way to Care of Magical Creatures? I'll go with you," Harry said. "I was kind of avoiding the Great Hall."

"We know Harry," Hermione pulled her bag onto her shoulder.

"Oh… I mean, I just," Harry stuttered.

"Harry it's perfectly okay with me. But you can't just avoid life forever,"

"Hermione what's that?" Harry pulled out the pink envelope that Hermione had stuffed into her bag. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the parchment and handed it to Harry as realization crossed his face.

"Ron too." She said.

Hermione practically floated through her classes in a wave of anxiety. She was wrapped up in the pink pieces of paper buried in her bag. Ron and Hermione frequently made eye contact across classrooms. Both of them understood without having to speak. Slowly the time trickled away until it was 6:00pm and Hermione was lying in her dormitory. She had no appetite at all. Her thoughts rested with the people being questioned at that very moment. She was afraid; there was no doubt of that. Her usual ability to dissect and analyze a situation was absent at the moment. She had no idea what to expect and she wasn't used to this. The time was passing at an increasingly slow pace. Yet it was traveling at the speed of light in another sense. Hermione clutched a section of her pillow in her fist. She wondered what Ron was doing at that moment, likely sitting in the Great hall stuffing his face yet again. She pulled herself out of bed and set her wand in her trunk. She took her robes off and wore just her uniform. She paced for a few minutes restlessly. Finally at 7:00 she walked downstairs to the common room. The only people in the room were Ron, Ginny, Harry, Neville, Fred, and George. She walked down the stairs quietly and perched on the couch in between Ron and Neville. She folded her hands together and stared straight ahead at the fire. She swallowed thickly and tried to keep the tears out of her eyes. She felt incredibly weak. Ron placed a hand on her knee. She froze and looked over at him. His cheeks were slightly red but he kept his hand resting in place. She pressed her lips together and shrugged a little. At this, he licked his lips and sighed. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Ron leaned back on the couch cushions and crossed his arms across his chest. He stared at the ceiling and furrowed his brow. Everyone was silent.

"You should probably head down Ron," Neville spoke up uncertainly. "It's 7:15." Ron stood up. Ginny walked up to him from her place by the fire and hugged him.

Ron let out a soft laugh, "I'm not dying." Fred and George nodded at him and patted his arm. Harry stared at the floor, conflicted.

"Hermione?" Ron stood by the door. His face had never looked so innocent and childlike to Hermione. She stood up. Neville grabbed her hand.

"I'm sure you'll both be fine," he said as if trying to convince himself. Ginny hugged Hermione tightly. Fred and George both gave her a thumbs up and nodded reassuringly. A common understanding was shared among the room. Harry looked at both of them.

"Neville's right," he swallowed. Hermione smiled a tight lipped smile at him and followed Ron out of the common room. She breathed shakily. She and Ron walked side by side down several staircases and turned a few corners without speaking. When the headmaster's office came into sight they both froze on the spot. Hermione could hear Ron's steady breathing. She was sure hers was uneven and frantic. Her heartbeat thudded in her chest. They both continued walking at the same time. Before they could sit at the bench outside of the office a young girl walked out of the office, her head down. Hermione's face contorted with worry.

The little girl looked up at them, "Ronald Weasley…you're to go in now," she spoke softly. Ron looked at Hermione. Hermione stared back at him, fighting to keep her eyes from filling with tears.

"I'll see you in 30 minutes," he said. He turned towards the door of the office. Hermione grabbed his hand.

"Good luck," she choked out. He nodded at her and smiled slightly. Hermione turned back towards the little girl as Ron opened the door and stepped inside.

She comforted her and waited for Ron to come out again. The girl turned out to be a second year from Ravenclaw. After she left to return to her dormitory Hermione thought she would surely explode. Her heart was beating so fast that the only thing she could hear was the sound of blood pulsing through her veins. Her breathing was growing more and more rapid as the time passed. At 8:00 Ron still wasn't out. Hermione pressed her cold hands over her closed eyes and breathed deeply. She was a Gryffindor… this was ridiculous. She could handle Umbridge. She would come out alive, with that there was no doubt. Therefore she had nothing to fear. At 8:15 the door creaked open and Ron walked out. His face was pale and his breathing was shaky. Hermione jumped up and grabbed his hands in hers. He wouldn't make eye contact.

"Ron-," Hermione breathed. "Ron you're okay… you'll be fine." She said. His hands were damp and cold. Ron nodded and sat on the bench. "Wait for me," Hermione said to him. She knelt down in front of him, still holding his hands. "Wait for me, okay?" she whispered.

Ron squeezed one of her hands, "Always," he said. Hermione stood up and turned towards whatever waited for her behind the closed door.

Hermione sat in the plush chair of Umbridge's kitten filled office. Umbridge smiled at her from her seat behind her desk. The putrid scent of the letter filled Hermione's nose and gave her a headache.

"Hello, Miss Granger."

"Hello Umb- Professor Umbridge," Hermione stated emotionlessly.

"I hope you do not prove to be as difficult as your dear friend Ronald was," Umbridge chirped. "I just want to ask you some simple questions about… oh little things. Such as Dumbledore's Army, and your beliefs of he-who-must-not-be-named." Umbridge tapped her wand on her hand and stood up. "Please sit over there," she gestured to a small wooden chair set up in the corner. Hermione obeyed.

"Now… Miss Granger. Who started Dumbledore's Army?"

Hermione hesitated, "Well, it was a common idea among me and my friends."

"Friends?" Umbridge squeaked.

"Harry and Ron," Hermione spoke quietly.

Umbridge laughed, "I'm sorry but that is incorrect. Albus Dumbledore created Dumbledore's Army. Obviously," she pointed her wand at Hermione. "Now should I put you under a truth spell?" She muttered a few words. Hermione felt as if a rope was being tied around her, sucking the breath from her. She gasped and her vision blurred. She had a gagging sensation and Umbridge cleared her throat. "There we go," she purred.

"Now… can you tell me is he-who-must-not-be-named "back" as Harry Potter so believes?"

"Yes," Hermione spit out. Her brain skidded to a halt. She hadn't even meant to say that. The truth spell was obviously working. Umbridge turned on her.

"NO! He most certainly is not!" Umbridge shouted. "Let's try that again," she laughed once more. The sound sent chills to Hermione's spine.

"Is you-know-who back?"

"I believe he is," Hermione spit out again.

Umbridge snapped a quill that she had been twirling in her fingers. She picked up her wand and pointed it at Hermione.

"How did Cedric Diggory die?" She barked.

"Lord Voldemort murdered him,"

"INCORRECT AGAIN MISS GRANGER!" Umbridge pointed her wand at her and pulled upwards. Hermione felt pressure in the back of her head and realized that her hair was being yanked upwards. She was unable to stand and felt the resistance of her scalp burning. Umbridge sniffed and clucked her tongue at the look of pain on Hermione's face.

"Hmm… shall we speak the truth now?"

"Where did Dumbledore go?"

"I have no idea," Hermione choked out.

Umbridge sighed in frustration.

"Oh you're just as difficult as Mr. Weasley was," Umbridge slashed her wand at Hermione's hand. She clutched it in pain. A burn mark was skidded across the top. On her other hand the words that had been etched into her skin were bleeding once again.

"I must obey the rules". The entirety of Dumbledore's army had been forced to write lines after being discovered. Hermione screwed up her face and glared at gleeful face of Umbridge.

"Now Miss. Granger… I think I'll just take a look inside of your head… just to be sure that you haven't snuck anything past me."

Hermione's eyes widened. She tried to stand up but felt as if her limbs were being tied down by anchors.

"Legilimens," Umbridge chirped. Hermione felt as if her eyes were rolling into the back of her head. Different memories flashed through her head.

She was receiving her Hogwarts letter, she was hearing Ron mock her in first year, she was stirring a polyjuice potion, she was watching as Harry created a patronus and Sirius lied under the swarm of Dementors. She pulled away with every inch of her being before the image could finish forming inside her brain.

Umbridge gasped, appalled as Hermione was transported back to her office.

"Have you got something to hide?" Umbridge clenched her teeth. "How dare you disobey me!" Umbridge took several strides across the room and slapped Hermione across her face. Hermione gasped, incapable of speech. Umbridge pressed her wand against her forehead and shouted "Leglimens,"

Again Hermione was sucked into her past. She was on the Hogwarts train, she was seeing the reflection of the basilisk in her mirror, she was watching as Sirius flew away on Buckbeak. Hermione rushed to close the doors of her mind. She watched as images of the yule ball danced across her vision, her fight with Ron burning her heart, watching Harry burst out of the water with Ron and Fleur's sister. She tied down Grimmauld Place with every fiber of her being and let slip the simple images of the summer with Ron and Creature the house elf. Finally, images of Dumbledore's army sent sparks of fear down her spine. Umbridge released her. Hermione was out of breath and sweaty. She felt as if she had gone insane. Umbridge was pacing the room. She laughed a little as Hermione felt tears escape her eyes. She was relieved that she had closed the door on Grimmauld Place.

"Close friends with Sirius Black too are we?" Umbridge sounded almost as insane as Hermione felt. "Very sentimental for that Ronald Weasley… as he was of you and ever so protective of Harry Potter," Umbridge leaned down in front of Hermione. Her face was inches from hers. She looked at Hermione with such rage that Hermione was sure she was going to explode. "And that army of yours… despicable. DESPICABLE," she shrieked. Her tea cup shattered. "LEAVE! You are of no benefit to me. All any of you students are are filthy liars and- and rebels. Foolish and misguided children you are!" Umbridge set down her wand. Hermione felt the anchors release her and the ropes untie her speech. She sighed with relief and jumped up towards the door. As she got outside Ron was sitting on the bench. No one else was out there. Ron looked back to normal as far as Hermione could tell. He jumped up as soon as she stepped out into the hall. In one long stride he was hugging her. Hermione froze in shock. She wrapped her arms around him instinctively and rested her head against his chest. She felt a hand being pressed to her head.

"It's nearly 9:15 Hermione… I was going crazy out of my mind worried for you."

Hermione felt a surge of appreciation and butterflies fill her stomach, then she pushed him away and ran into the nearby closet. She threw open the door and vomited, losing her balance, her knees hitting the stone floor. She nearly fainted but felt Ron's hands on her shoulders. She sat back on her knees and took in a few shaky breaths. Then she started crying.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry," She said, covering her face in her hands. Ron pulled them away.

"Hey, hey… it's okay Hermione. I threw up too… that whole mind invasion is nauseating. Not to mention the site of her face." Ron said. Hermione laughed and sniffed. Ron looked down at her hands. His face contorted in anger and he stroked the burn with his thumb. Hermione was still. The words on his hand were blood red as well. He looked up at her, dropping her hands and trying to hide the anger written in his expression. He pulled her up and helped her over to the bench. They sat close, their shoulders pressed against each other and knees brushing. Hermione pulled away slightly, blush filling her cheeks. The tips of Ron's ears were bright red. He looked at her suddenly. As the blush drained from her cheeks Ron's mouth dropped open. His hand jerked towards her face, but he stopped suddenly.

"Your- your face," Ron gulped. "She hit you?" He sounded astonished.

"Yeah," Hermione breathed, his hand still hovering by her cheek. "…after I resisted her mind invasion." Hermione shook her head. "It's utterly disgusting that she's using that on us."

"You resisted it?" Ron looked at her in awe. "Hermione- that's amazing. How did you? Harry couldn't even… what?"

Hermione shrugged, "I just… I shut the doors in my mind. And when she tried again I kept it closed on Grimmauld Place. You did too didn't you?"

Ron looked puzzled, "No… but it didn't seem to be a motivation of hers to find out from me. It never came up."

Hermione thought for a while. Ron let his hand drop back down to his side. "Thanks for waiting Ron," Hermione stared at the words on his hand and smiled a small smile up at him.

"You don't have to thank me Hermione. What are friends for?"

"No one else came to check on us," Hermione said. Ron looked down at her curiously. She hugged him and rested her head against his chest once again. This time she was filled with warmth. She never wanted to let go. But suddenly they were yanked apart. Hermione fell off the bench with the force of the pull.

"Boys and girls are not permitted to be within 8 inches of each other," Umbridge barked. She had left her office and walked silently up beside Ron and Hermione. "Detention for both of you tomorrow night! Now report back to Gryffindor tower before I make it two nights of detention." She retreated to her office. As soon as the door was closed Ron pulled Hermione to her feet. Hermione pressed a hand to her mouth and laughed. Ron grinned widely at her. His smile was slightly crooked Hermione realized. As they walked back up to the common room, their arms brushed the entire way. Hermione smiled the whole way up and gave the password to the portrait chirpily. No one was in the room and the fire was crackling brightly. Hermione let her hand brush Ron's and felt the familiar blush creep up her neck and face. But she didn't care.

"Goodnight Ron,"

"Goodnight Hermione."