A/N:

Moonbeam: Here's more!

SB Potterhead Budgie Lover: hope this chapter is as exciting as well.

Infernalbooks: that's actually a good point.

Silverwolfigter00: Thanks a lot! And a cute moment is going to come in the next chapter, hopefully, so stay tuned!

Beta: MaeSilverPaws1


Chapter 7-Hogsmeade weekend

Days flew by and before they knew it the Hogsmeade weekend was here.

Marlene, who herself had no date, was helping Hermione look her best for the day. She was fussing over Hermione who just rolled her eyes.

"Marlene," she said, looking straight into Marlene's eyes, "I don't care how bad I look. Can you just make me better without commenting?"

"That's preposterous!" Marlene said pulling the bundle Hermione called hair. Hermione squeaked causing the other girls to giggle. Marlene applied a bit of potion and the hair began to straighten up. "It's your first date and you need to be perfect!"

Hermione looked at other girls in her dorm with pleading eyes. Joyce and Fiona giggled and went on to get ready themselves. Lily tried to ignore everyone.

"Ouch! Marls, it's my hair!"

"Really? Looks like undergrowth to me!"

Hermione groaned and sat still, her arms crossed. Marlene kept wrestling with her hair till they heard a voice say, "Here, let me do it."

The two best friends turned to see Lily standing there, her hands extended, demanding the hairbrush. Marlene looked at Hermione with a questioning look who just shrugged. Marlene silently handed over the brush and said, "OK then, I'm going to get you an appropriate dress."

Marlene disappeared into Hermione's trunk as Lily gently brushed Hermione hair.

"Um, Thanks I guess?"

Lily chuckled and said, "You don't say that in a way of question."

They sat in silence for some time. Marlene kept commenting on how poor Hermione's clothes were, causing Hermione to roll her eyes over and over again.

"Listen." Hermione looked at Lily's face through the mirror. "Severus told me that the spells you used were quite advanced."

"Well, I have two brothers who are in Auror training and I read a lot." Hermione smiled at Lily who nodded.

Lily seemed to think for a bit. "Can you maybe teach me those spells?"

"Why?"

Lily leaned near Hermione' ear, pretending to hold a few free strands and whispered, "I am sure you have heard about You-know-Who."

Hermione turned and looked at those green eyes of her old friend. They were full of worry, much like how Harry was throughout their fifth year.

"Yes I have." She said, worry evident in her own voice. "Why?"

"He has been known to eliminate Muggleborns." Lily whispered, her hands shaking. "I think I need to start become better at dueling."

"But you are the best in Charms!" Hermione exclaimed, and then lowered her voice. "No spell should be hard for you to learn."

"You're top in Defense." Lily pointed out. Sighing, Lily held another strand of hair and said, "Hermione, I know we haven't exactly been the best of friends for past four years. The hatred I had for you was solely for the reason that you were better at things than me. It somehow never occurred to me that you were brought up in a magical household."

Lily firmly clasped together the hair and continued. "But I have grown up. Those fights now really don't make sense if I-if I die tomorrow. Running away from the magical world is not an option- I am a witch! My parents don't know and I would rather keep it that way or I know they will never let me come back here. I want to fight for survival and live here. Can you please help me?"

Hermione looked at that worried face. The petty dispute they had had for years for competing for the first position wasn't important anymore.

She smiled and gently taking Lily's hand, said, "I'll be happy to."

Lily smiled and said, "Thank you."


Hermione waited for David at the entrance as everyone handed over their slips. He appeared almost at the end, panting.

"Hey! Sorry I was late. Caught up into some questions."

Hermione nodded. "It's all right. May we?"

"Sure!"

As they reached Hogsmeade, the first place they stopped to get some parchments and ink at Scrivenshafts'.

"So," David suddenly said as they were picking a few ink pots, "Excited for the next match?"

"Yeah!" Hermione said excitedly. "Gryffindor vs. Slytherin is the most awaited match every year!"

David nodded and said, "Do you know Remus Lupin runs a betting pool?"

"Everybody knows that."

They kept talking and purchased the things they needed. After walking out of there, the young couple made their way to Three Broomsticks.

"Did you know the name Three Broomsticks emerged because the first Butterbeer that was served here was under a place made out of three broomsticks?"

David laughed and said, "Really? That's…amusing?"

The two laughed and entered the crowded place. Sirius Black was busy flirting with Madam Rosmerta who was blushing. James Potter, sitting beside his best mate was doing the same, causing Madam Rosmerta to blush harder.

Peter and Remus were sitting on either side of the idiots and drinking away. Hermione waved to Remus who waved back and gave her a thumbs up.

David led Hermione to a side table and disappeared to get two butterbeers when Marlene sat down in David's place.

"How's the date so far? Has he done something romantic? Have you kissed yet?"

"Marlene!"

Marlene huffed and said, "I want all details tonight. I am not leaving you without them and that reminds me, what did Lily want form you?"

Hermione sighed. To tell or not to tell.

"She was asking if she could join us in the library for study sessions."

"And you agreed?" asked Marlene, shocked. Hermione shrugged.

"Hermione!" Marlene shook Hermione and looked her into the eye. "She is your rival!"

"Not anymore!"

Marlene rolled her eyes and muttered something about teenage hormones. She looked up and said, "Oh, here comes your date. Se you later. Bye, bye!"

As Marlene disappeared, David appeared with two glasses. Sitting down, they began talking about everything and nothing. Hermione was having a grand time.

As she finished her butterbeer, David gave a low chuckle.

"What?"she demanded.

David leaned forward and gently rubbed off the foam from over her lips. They sat so close together and the noise just began to disappear. As they closed together, a heart piercing scream was heard from out on the street.


As Hermione and everyone else ran from the shop, she saw a scene she hadn't in years. People in dark cloaks and white masks were firing away spells randomly.

It was a Death eater attack.

Whipping out her wand, Hermione was ready to get in the street when she felt somebody holding her back.

She turned to see a scared David.

"What are you doing? You can get killed!"

"Let go of my arm David!" Hermione insisted.

The intensity, the seriousness with which she spoke made David shudder and he left her immediately. Hermione walked up to the street and began firing spells with some sixth and seventh years.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Expulso!"

"Reducto!"

"Stupefy!"

Curses flew right and left as Hermione dodged them fired at the same time.

She looked around to find shopkeepers and older students fighting with whatever they knew, but failing miserable. They were not soldiers, how could they fight?

Hermione looked around to see other students either running to safety or frozen to spot.

She searched for her friends, and finding them on the entrance of Three broomsticks, shouted, "Marlene! Remus! Peter! Get the students to safety!"

The three looked at her as if she had eaten a hippogriff. Hermione dodged a spell while firing a stupefy towards one of the Death Eaters, she shouted, "Get everyone to safety!"

This snapped everyone out of their dream and students began scrambling. Remus immediately took charge of the third years who were hiding wherever they could. Marlene and Peter took control of other students and soon the place began to empty except for the students who were fighting.

As the last of the students let her line of sight Hermione felt it. A dread pass over her. A chill running up her spine. It wasn't Dementors, but a strong wizard.

Firing one spell, she turned to see a man observing her. He was handsome and had an air of authority. With short black hair, he could be one of the pureblood suitors. But it was his red eyes that caught Hermione attention.

"Voldemort."

He almost looked human.

Voldemort walked up to her so that they were standing only a few feet away. He suddenly waved his wand and all the noises ceased. The air became still and Hermione could just not stop looking at him.

"I have never seen such a young person fighting so well." He remarked and fired a spell which Hermione immediately dodged.

He walked as Hermione scrambled back "The way you fight," he fired another spell, "the way you act," he fired yet another spell, "it's as if you have been trained well."

Hermione dodged the spells and stood firm on the ground.

"I heard about you from some of my friends." He said, "And their description was poor. I must say young Prewett, there is something about you."

Hermione looked at the man who had destroyed her entire life, her friends, her family. Had Ron or Harry been here, they would have said something stupid, something to provoke him. But anything that Hermione spoke could mean an end to all her plans.

"Fear not, young Prewett. Speak. Let me hear what you have to say."

Hermione tried her best to raise whatever Occlumency shield she had and firmly closed her lips.

"You can join me." Voldemort said, "I value people like you."

"I think not Voldemort."

His lips curved into a small smile. "Nobody calls me by that name. You are definitely a Gryffindor."

Without any hesitation, he fired another spell as Hermione dodged it. Voldemort began firing away and Hermione waved her wand frantically. But each of Voldemort's strike missed. As if he didn't even want to hurt her. And that confused Hermione to no level.

She was becoming exhausted, her magical core beginning to deplete. Before she knew it, she was on the ground, panting. She raised her wand to through a spell when her wand flew right out of her hand.

As her hands touched the ground, she looked up to see Voldemort smirking, judging her. She felt no tug in her mind.

"We will meet again Young Prewett." He dropped the wand on the ground and smirked. "Can't have my opponent without any wand, can I? Consider my offer. I will not yet recruit you. But let me know. A witch so powerful has not been born….yet."

With a swirl of his robes, Voldemort disappeared, leaving a bruised and exhausted Hermione lying on the ground.


So Voldemort is finally into the picture. Soon the whole wizarding world will know what a brilliant dueler Hermione is, standing up against the Dark Lord himself. So what do you think?

And I still need inputs on the pairing. I would like to hear what my readers want!

Till then, Au revoir!