Here you go... I was having a bit of trouble with the Troll scene. I couldn't think of anything that hadn't been done before... and then I realized that i'd made completely different relationships than those that had been in canon. I hope you enjoy what I came up with!

ps- USS Stingray = Down Periscope... I highly recommend the movie. It shaped my humor along with Undercover Blues, Hudson Hawk and Clue... enjoy!

The hallway was deathly quiet. Harry watched over the crowd with a sinking feeling in his gut. In fact, as Hermione took a deep breath and blinked away the encroaching tears, he could swear he heard his inner USS Stingray screaming, "Dive! Dive!" and he could only be pleased he was out of reach. It was a wonder Ron was still breathing, after what he'd said.

Hermione, as Harry had predicted, had needed a bit of loosening up. Unfortunately it was slow going, and she still managed to put other students backs up with her "helpful hints". This time she'd tried to help Ron in Charms class, which only made him madder and more flustered. He'd managed to make his feather float, but at the same time it had burst into flames.

As they left the classroom he'd grumbled to Seamus, unaware that she was right behind him, "It's a wonder she's got any friends at all. Little Miss Know-it-All." The gasp behind him caused him to pause, and the rest of the class to gather around in a loose group.

And, for a while, it looked like Hermione might cry. Then her eyes narrowed and her lips set in a fierce frown. She reached over and tapped Ron lightly on the shoulder, then as he turned she pulled back her fist. The entire thing seemed to happen in slow motion, Hermione's fist springing forward, Ron's head snapping back, the spurt of blood from his broken nose flinging itself over his head… Then time slapped back into place as Ron collapsed backward onto the cold stone floor, his hand clutched over his nose, his eyes squeezed shut in agony as tears escaped the corners and dripped down the sides of his face and into his sprawled hair.

Hermione just sniffed imperiously, held her perfectly intact nose in the air, spun on her heel and stalked away. Students moved aside, fearful of reprisal, so it looked like a sea of black robes opening before her.

Neville smirked for a second, "Brill." he snickered and ran off to congratulate Hermione on her perfect aim.

"Ron… Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron," Harry shook his head as the crowd started to disperse. "For someone so good as Chess, you really miss the obvious sometimes, then, doncha?" With a small sigh he stepped forward to help Ron to is feet. "Come on then, lets get you to Pomfrey."

With Ron in the Hospital wing Halloween dinner was filled with people recounting "Hermione's Stand", as it was starting to be called. Ravenclaws were only interested in first hand accounts, the closer the better, so they flocked around Hermione. They even went so far as to push Gryffindors out of their seats, forcing them to sit with the Hufflepuffs or the Ravenclaws who didn't have as much interest in Hermione's Stand. Dumbledoor watched with mild bemusement as for the first time in his career his students were intermingling houses. Only the Slytherin's didn't switch tables, but he had noticed a few of them had paused by Hermione to congratulate her on standing up for herself. Most noticeably Tracey Davis, who was already gaining the reputation in the Slytherin house as a girl who did not take bull from any boy, not even one in her own house.

As dinner continued on, explaining the Stand had taken little time, Hermione started talking about Halloween and the traditions in the Muggle world. Ravenclaws hung on her every word, Hufflepuffs seemed to enjoy the notion of dressing up, and Gryffindors kept asking about the "tricking" part of "Trick or Treat", while some Slytherins unbent enough to sneer at the "quaint muggle traditions" proving that they'd at least been listening. Other Mugglebornes soon started regaling the hall with their own tales, and Dumbledoor had to admit, he hadn't seen a more festive Halloween since the year the Mauraders managed to get everyone to dress in costume.

The night was going very well indeed, that is until the large doors at the end of the hall burst open and Professor Quirrel stumbled through shrieking something about a Troll in the dungeons before passing out rather spectacularly at Harry Potter's feet.

Dear Aunt Lara,

Don't Panic. I am perfectly all right, and I didn't get anywhere near the Troll.

During the Halloween feast a Troll managed to find it's way into the castle. How I'm sure I'll never know, considering the brain capacity of those things is less that a headless kitten… speaking of, how's my snake?

Anyway, the teachers locked us all in the great hall and went Troll hunting. Didn't you know it's Troll hunting season? Dumbledoor left the great hall wearing a hunting helmet that came straight from an Elmer Fudd cartoon, I swear.

But I do have to ask, just how safe is a building that an idiot Troll can just waltz into? How extensive is my education going to be when my defense teacher faints in front of his students from sheer terror? Its starting to feel like it would be more productive if I set a baked potato on his desk and we just stared at it for two hours. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes.

I can almost feel my magic entropy here. Ignore Neville, it's not that great. He just likes to watch me get in trouble every five minutes. Some great friend he is.

You know, they had to explode the Troll? Neville just watched, snickering, as I stepped in Troll brains… that's how I know just how much mass was in that head. It was mostly bone and guts strewn across the courtyard, not many brains. At least it was easy to scrape off my shoe. And how difficult would it be to clean up the mess before a student had a chance to see it? huh? I mean, really... all right, we weren't supposed to detour through the courtyard, but I did want to see it...

I am coming home for Christmas right? You won't be off in the Andes hunting down the Abominable Snowman? I hear he's not even in the Andes that time of year. He stays close by London during Christmas so that adventuring Aunts will stick around for their poor, orphaned nephews…

Anyway, the bell just rang and McGonagall is giving me her glare of death.

I'll write again soon.

Harry (I'd write "Love Harry" but you sent me to this stupid school, and you deserve me being a petulant preteen, look at all the growing up you're missing. You miss me, and you know it.)

Hermione sat in one of the plush red chairs that littered the common room, reading a letter that was obviously sent from one of her parents. The muggle notebook paper being a huge clue. She sighed and rubbed her eyelids as she sat back and set the letter down on her knee.

"What's new pussycat?" Neville asked as he collapsed into the chair next to her.

"Very funny Neil," she smirked. Hermione had never had friends like Neville and Harry before. Of course their speech was not only educated higher than their year, as hers was, but they also managed to sneak in pop culture references that seemed to throw the wizarding children into confused frowns. When she understood what they were saying, for some reason she felt special, more so then when she read ahead in her texts and could more than keep up with the teachers.

"What's with the pensive frown Hermione?" Neville asked as he snatched the paper from her knee.

"Nothing much, it's just that, well I don't know what to tell my parents about school and all. It's so foreign to them, I'm afraid that every time I try to explain I end up bricking myself into a corner…"

"Well, that's easy enough to fix," Harry stated as he collapsed on the floor in front of them, spreading himself out so his legs were in the aisle and everyone who wanted to go up to the rooms had to step over him.

"Are you purposefully being an ass today?" Hermione asked him, then covered up her mouth in shock. Before she started hanging out with these two she'd never sworn before in her life! She kicked Harry's legs out of the way in a fit of spite. What were her parents going to say about her sudden lack of propriety?

"The answer to that question is yes, but still, how would you and your parents like to come over for Christmas dinner?" Harry asked as he sat up against Neville's legs.

"What?" Hermione just stared at Harry, her mouth open, still covered with her hand from earlier.

"Your parents could ask Remus all the questions they'd like, he'd be able to answer them in a way that muggles could understand, and my aunt would see that I have made the effort to be somewhat civilized and make new friends, not just irritate new enemies. It's a win-win."

"Harry…" Hermione tried to say what she was thinking, but she couldn't get the words past the great big lump in her throat. This was the first time in her entire life someone from school had invited her over! She launched herself from her chair and pulled Harry into a glomp-hug.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

The day before Winter Holidays was supposed to be a day of fun, a day that most teachers took the lesson off and invited their students to do something fun with what they'd learned so far in class. They'd made ornaments in Transfiguration, taught them to float in Charms class, and History of Magic even managed to be interesting for once. They'd learned about how the Three Kings in the Bible were actually Wizards, and the items they'd given the baby Jesus had been charmed for protection, intelligence, and compassion. Harry was almost looking forward to Potions, wondering if for once, maybe, Snape had something to teach besides snide sarcasm.

They'd ended up with a potion that was supposed to induce temporary silence, as Snape claimed he hated large, noisy celebrations. It was a bit of a let down, but they'd been expecting it, really. Of course, Harry hadn't been expecting the Eye of Newt which Malfoy had flung across the room and into his cauldron, causing it to bubble over and spill on the table. The potion then ate through the table and caused it to collapse; which made the bubbling potion bounce in its cauldron all the way down to Snape's desk. The potion, as it spilled, caused holes to be eaten into the stone floor. And then it ate through Snapes desk leg; which caused all of his papers to fall to the floor and start to get eaten by the potion before Snape vanished it all and declared with absolute irritation,

"Potter! Detention!"

Of course, since it was the last day before vacation the detention had to be put off until after they got back, but it didn't stop Harry from planning his revenge…

all next chapter: Holidays!! wooohoo! And the explaination via Remus as to why Snaped hates Harry... (as I mentioned earlier, I had a great confrontation scene between Harry and Snape... next chapter people, next chapter!)

and as to Hermione calling Neville, Neil... "What's New Pussycat" sung by Neil Diamond... just so you know...