Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling

Chapter Nine: New Beginnings

Both Harry and Hermione found that it wasn't very difficult to adapt to life in the magical world. Each, of course, had their favorite classes, but since they had them together it gave them each a natural study partner. This was not to say that others didn't try to intrude upon them. Ron Weasley, especially, had a tendency to try and sit with Harry, excluding Hermione.

Harry would have none of it. He liked Ron. really. The young redhead was fun to be around, and Harry had realized quickly that he really didn't have any true malice behind what he said and did. It was just that Ron never put any thought into anything he said or did. He didn't really get along with Hermione, and in Harry's thoughts that was tantamount to blasphemy.

Instead, Harry tended to seek out others that he found an affinity with. In particular this seemed to lead him naturally into a friendship with Neville Longbottom. The pudgy young wizard was shy to the point of seclusion, and Harry was determined that he would not let someone else suffer in silence when he could bring some small bit of happiness through his friendship.

Neville, it appeared, wasn't really very good at magic, but he tried as hard as he could, and he seemed determined to learn all the professors had to offer. If there was a third spot at wherever Harry and Hermione sat, it was often filled by Neville.

Though it looked like both Harry and Hermione were destined to be the star pupils of their year, it wasn't always easy for them, especially Harry. Case in point was their first run-in with the resident potions master: Severus Snape. Harry and Hermione had just taken seats near the front of the class when Professor Snape strode imperiously into the dungeon. The door to the room slammed shut behind him and the professor swept up to the desk in front, his robes billowing behind him. He was dressed all in black, and his greasy hair was the same shade as his robes. He had a prominent, hooked nose, and beady dark eyes. He cast his gaze around the room and students all throughout shuddered as his eyes fell upon them.

Harry gulped as the professor fixed his gaze on him. A sneer curled the professors upper lip and he glared at Harry momentarily. He started by taking the roll call, and like professors before him, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah yes," he said softly, his voice seeming to pierce into Harry's soul, "Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity." His eyes seemed to sink right into Harry. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you shall really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, or even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

A long pause followed this speech. Harry and Hermione exchanged a quick glance, and then turned back to face the professor, anxious to hear more of what he had to say.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I think I remember reading that it would make a potion called the Draught of Living Death, sir," Harry responded. Despite himself Snape rocked back on his heels.

"Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?" he sneered.

"I believe that bezoars are found in a goat's stomach, aren't they professor?"

"And what is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" the professor snarled.

"They're the same plant, professor. It's also known as aconite. That's in the fifth chapter of the book you assigned us, Professor," Harry said softly.

"So fame has made you an insufferable know-it-all, has it Potter?" Snape asked. "That shall be two points from Gryffindor House for your cheek." Harry gaped at him momentarily before turning away to control himself. He would not let the others see him cry.

After the class, during which Neville had panicked and added an ingredient at a very inopportune time and landed himself in the hospital wing, Harry and Hermione hung behind.

Professor Snape glared at them for a few moments before a flick of his wand slammed the door, shutting them in with him. "Yes Mr. Potter, Miss Potter?" he said in a snide tone.

"Erm, I'd like to apologize, Professor," Harry said to the glowering man. "Uncle Moony warned me that I might say the wrong thing in your class, and I'm sorry if I did."

"Oh he did?" Snape sneered at him. "And what else did your uncle say?"

He told us that you had very much disliked my dad in school, well, my dad and his friends, but that you had started off as very good friends with my mum. He said that my dad and his friends didn't treat you very well, and that you probably would be reminded of him because I seem to look a lot like him."

"It seems that your uncle was correct, Potter," Snape spat out.

"He also said that my mum shared your passion for potions, and that it was a very important class. He said that if we were careful, took a lot of notes, and applied ourselves, we could learn a lot from you. He… um… he said that we shouldn't make the same mistakes that his group of friends made, sir." Harry looked at the tall professor.

"I really am sorry, sir. I just think that if it was important to my mum, then maybe it should be important to me as well." He looked at Hermione and smiled. "We both feel that way sir, we want to learn."

Professor Snape gawked at them for a few moments. He stared at them and Harry had the feeling that the professor was staring right into his mind. He didn't like the sensation, but he stood still until the professor turned away.

"Continue to have that attitude, the both of you, and you shall do well in my class. Now get out of here before I change my mind." He strode back to his desk, his robes once more billowing where there was no wind. There was a click behind them as the door opened. Both youths decided to take his advice and they fled the room.

*0*0*

Ginny Weasley looked up from her breakfast one morning to see a brilliant white owl fly in through the window. It settled itself in front of her and gave a soft hoot, holding out its leg so that she could untie the parchment tied there.

"Who's it from Sweetheart?" her mum asked.

Ginny unfurled the parchment and grinned. "It's from Harry and Hermione!" she exclaimed with a squeal of delight. She put it in front of her and began to read.

Dear Ginny,

It's been a week now, and Hermione and I are adjusting to living in a real life castle. It is so much different than life back at home. The people here are nice, for the most part, and we are both doing well. We are being taught in a lot of classes. I really like Charms and Potions. I didn't think at first that I would like Potions, but after a rough start, I'm really starting to see what my mum saw in it. Transfiguration is nice too, and the professor can turn into a cat!

I really think that you'll like it here next year. Hermione and I can't wait for you to join us. We would love to have another friend to share it all with. We met a wonderful young man named Neville Longbottom, and he's become a really good friend, but I think that Hermione would really like to have another girl around.

I wish I could say that we were getting along well with your brother, Ron, but he's making it difficult for us. He doesn't really like Hermione, and he makes her cry a lot. I've almost hit him a few times, because he treats her so poorly. I don't really think he means a lot of it, but he never thinks before he talks, and it hurts Hermione's feelings.

Anyway, Hermione says hi, and we hope that you are doing well. Please write back and let us know what you are doing.

Harry and Hermione

Ginny scowled as she thought of her git of a brother. He was a wonderful brother, but Harry was right, he never thought things through before he opened his mouth. She would have to write to Fred and George and have them encourage him… She took out a quill and some parchment and began to write a couple of letters while Harry's magnificent owl waited patiently, well, while she finished off Ginny's breakfast at least.

*0*0*

Time passed quickly for the young pair, and before they realized it, it was Halloween. Harry had been discovered by Professor McGonagall while trying to help Neville, and he had ended up as the youngest seeker in over a century at Hogwarts for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He had been very busy with both practices and his homework, as well as exploring his budding relationship with Hermione. She proved, more than anything else, even Quidditch, to be the joy of his young life.

Unfortunately, others didn't necessarily see her as the joy that Harry did. Hermione was somewhat insecure, stemming from her bookworm tendencies, and she exhibited this by trying to be the most knowledgeable student of their year. It especially seemed to irk Ron.

Thus, on Halloween, Hermione had been the first to master the levitation charm, and when she had tried to help Ron, he didn't take kindly to her attempt. He had rudely shoved her away, causing Harry to glare at him.

When they were leaving he couldn't let it go. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said loudly to Seamus Finnegan as they pushed their way through the crowded corridor. "She's a nightmare, honestly…"

Harry whirled around and his fist flew out. As he struck Ron's chin he felt something flare up inside of him. Ron flew back ten feet and crashed into a wall. He slid down it and laid there in a heap. "Don't you ever say anything like that about my Hermione again," Harry snarled at the thunderstruck boy. "If you so much as blink wrong in her direction again, I swear I shall rip your eyelids off and stuff them down your scrawny throat." His robes fluttered in a wind that wasn't there, billowing about him as he panted while he glared at Ron. People slowly backed away from him. He turned and strode off, intent on catching up to Hermione in the Great Hall.

Unfortunately, Hermione wasn't in the Great Hall. Harry sat at the Gryffindor table and fumed, all the while wondering where Hermione had gone. He knew that Hermione had heard Ron, and that it had hurt her badly. He wished he could find her so that he could hug her and make her feel better.

As he was sitting there, Neville settled down next to Harry and gave him a tiny smile. At that moment the doors to the Great Hall burst open and Professor Quirrell, their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, stumbled in and muttered something about a troll being loose in the castle before he crumpled to the floor.

Professor Dumbledore stood and directed the prefects to take their houses to their common rooms while he and the teachers dealt with the troll. As Harry worriedly got up to follow Percy he still had no idea where Hermione was. He was taking his first step when he clutched his scar and in a fit of pure terror screamed, "HERMIONE!" He sank to his knees and let out a small whimper.

Professor McGonagall was rushing towards him when there was a flash of red and a brilliant red and gold plumed bird appeared perched on Harry's shoulder. There was another flash and Harry and the bird were gone.

Harry and the bird appeared in what seemed to be a girls' loo. There came to Harry's ears a sound he hoped fervently never to hear again. It was Hermione screaming as a great, huge troll swung its club and just missed her, smashing a sink apart next to her.

"NO!" Harry screamed and charged the troll. He ran up to it and did the first thing he could think of: he kicked it straight in the groin! It felt like he had broken his foot, but it did seem to get the thing's attention. It grunted and brought its club straight down on top of Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked. She stretched out her hands to him and a brilliant golden shield formed over him. The troll's club thundered down on the shield and Hermione grunted with the effort of holding the barrier in place. As the club rebounded Hermione passed out from the effort. The troll turned back towards the now unconscious girl.

Harry was desperate. He wished with all his might that he could do something. As he did so he felt something appear in his hand. He looked and there was a long, slender sword in his hand. It had a ruby encrusted hilt and the blade shown like finely polished silver. He looked back and saw that the troll had decided to swing at him again.

He stepped inside the swing and brought the gleaming sword around. It sliced easily through the brute's arm and the thing's hand and club fell to the floor. As he followed through Harry spun around and it seemed the most natural thing in the world to slam the sword point first right into the troll's stomach.

The thing let out a piteous howl and clutched its wound, then toppled over backwards into a stall, flattening it in the process. The sword slid out of the wound and stayed in Harry's hand as the thing fell. Harry dropped the sword and ran to Hermione. He cradled her head in his arms as he cried over her. He was sure she was dead and he hadn't been in time when she let out a low moan and her eyes fluttered open.

Harry wept tears of joy this time. As he did so the door to the loo flew open and a host of professors stormed in, coming up short at the sight before them…

"Mr. Potter, Miss Potter!" Professor McGonagall practically shrieked. "Goodness, are you alright?"

"It tried to kill Hermione," Harry sobbed. "I think she's hurt. I tried, but I didn't get here in time. Please don't let her die." He was shaking so hard he could barely hold her.

"I'm alright, Harry," Hermione said softly. "You were in time, my Knight."

"You're alright, Princess?" Harry asked incredulously, "really?"

"Yes Harry, I'm alright. I've got a headache, and I feel exhausted, but I'm alright. You saved me."

Harry peppered her face with feather light kissed. "You scared me so much, Princess…"

"Professor McGonagall, if you would be so kind as to show these two to the hospital wing, I believe Professor Flitwick and I can handle the mess in here."

"Of course, Headmaster," the stern witch replied. "I shall also notify Hermione's parents and Harry's Godfather as well."

"Please do, Minerva. We have much to discuss, the group of us. I shall want you there when they get here. Would you be so kind as to arrange transport for the Grangers?" Dumbledore nodded to his deputy and McGonagall led Harry and Hermione out of the room and down to the waiting Nurse Pomfrey.

Author's Note: First off, I would like to thank all the people who responded to the last chapter. That had to be a record, and the responses were wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing what you would like to see.

Now, as I have been reminded by one reviewer, who I really respect, this is my story, and if what I write doesn't match what you suggested, I apologize ahead of time. However, I am trying to incorporate the most requested answer by far. Neville appears to be displacing Ron in the story...

Next chapter: Wormtail, Sirius and the Grangers return... Aslo, what Ginny suggested to the twins, and maybe even a little Lovegood for good measure...

Thanks again...

Sharptooth