And we're back people! Okay, so far I've written two chapters from Ronnie's perspective, two from George's perspective and the rest from Harri's perspective. But what about Hermes? Nope, nothing for Hermes yet. This may sound odd but Hermes is a character I can write better from another person's view than his own view. But the boy needs a chapter from his perspective! Plus, I plan on doing at least two other moments from his perspective in the future so I need to start practicing…And what better way than by going over the path that led up to his friendship with the girls?

P.S.: A special shout out to two of my reviewers, Tzadikim and elufuir. You two are really able to see this fic on the level I want it to be read at and I'm glad for that! Plus, you two seem to have many of the same opinions on moments in the series that I have. Anyways, thanks so much for your reviews and I'm always happy to see your feedback. That goes for all my other reviewers too!

P.P.S.: Yes, I was in an alliterative mood with the title.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter at all…

Hermes Granger was, by all accounts, a rather average young boy. He went to an average school in London. He was the only child of two average parents, both of whom were dentists. His looks and clothes were all average, though his front teeth could be considered a bit too large, but that's what braces would be for in the future. Yes, Hermes Jacob Granger was truly average.

Well, as average as a gifted boy who had odd things occur around him can be…

Hermes had been brilliant since he was young, being able to read books by the time most children were still learning their alphabet, winning contests in school using his amazing sense of logic. Yes, he was, unquestionably, what one would call a genius.

But such brilliance on his part came at a price…Hermes did not have many friends.

Most people were too put off by his intelligence and rather overbearing personality to stay friendly with him. And the few people who he could call "friends" only stayed with him so that he could help out with homework and projects…Hermes knew this but he didn't call them out on it, no matter how much it hurt.

At least he had friends, even if the title was only in name…

But, as mentioned before, his intelligence wasn't the only unique thing about Hermes. It wasn't that often but it happened enough times that he and his parents wondered what was going on.

It wasn't until that time at the hospital that his parents thought something was off. Hermes had been taken to the doctor with a horrible sunburn. The boy cried loudly and wished for the pain to disappear.

No one had any idea how the sunburn managed to completely vanish over the course of the next five minutes…

It wasn't until a week later, when a woman in robes appeared at the house at midnight with a letter, that it was all made clear…

Hermes Granger was a Muggle-born wizard.

Hermes was practically jumping as he exited the car. His father put his trunk, which held all of his magical equipment, on a trolley. Hermes carefully scanned the crowd and spotted the woman who had told him of his powers, Charity Burbage, waving at him cheerfully. She was dressed in Muggle clothes, fitting considering that they were in the middle of a train station.

Charity Burbage had told Hermes that she was the Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school that Hermes had been told he would be going to from now on. She had taken him and his parents around Diagon Alley, disguised in a most ingenious fashion, and had helped them to understand wizard money. Professor Burbage had even assisted Hermes in practicing a few spells in the books he bought.

"Hello, Professor!" Hermes said brightly, "I must say that I am so excited to be going to this school! And the way the platform is hidden is a most brilliant piece of magic."

"I'm glad you are excited, Mr. Granger," Burbage said with a chuckle.

"Of course! I spent many a night going over the course books and I am certain I have memorized them all by heart, although I suppose a few details might have slipped my mind, and I have been greatly enjoying my copy of Hogwarts, A History. And all that I have read on this Harriet Potter is most extraordinary, I do hope I run into her at school because-"

"Hermes, dear," his mother interrupted while Burbage looked a little shocked at how quickly the boy spoke, though she had been experiencing his motor mouth for the past few weeks, "It is ten minutes to eleven. Don't you have a train to catch?"

"Oh!" Hermes said in surprise, "Quite right!"

Burbage stood to the side while Hermes hugged his parents goodbye. When his father hugged him, he noticed that Hermes' confidence was gone and that he looked very nervous.

"Dad," Hermes said quietly, "What if these people are like my other friends?"

Mr. Granger bent down to his son's level, his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Hermes, let me tell you this," he said gently, "It may be hard but you will definitely find real friends at this school."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Remember…Making friends takes work and courage."

Hermes nodded before grabbing his trolley and following Burbage to the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten…He was off on quite an adventure now.

Hermes was seated in his own compartment on the Hogwarts Express. All the others were taken and, quite frankly, he couldn't bring himself to start a conversation with anyone quite yet. He had already dressed himself in his robes, eager to get into the wizarding spirit.

To pass the time by and to take his mind off of the quiet of the compartment, Hermes read the extra books he had bought in Diagon Alley. The wizarding world sounded so fascinating! And to think, he was about to become part of it!

He was going to work harder than ever before…He saw that some books mentioned how Muggle-borns, such as himself, were looked down upon since they weren't considered "true wizards". He was going to show those people wrong…He would excel and everyone would be impressed…His peers, his teachers, his parents…

…His friends…

The compartment door opened and Hermes looked up from his book to see a teary-eyed girl looking about.

"I lost my pet toad, Trevor," she explained, "Have you seen him?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Hermes replied kindly. He put his book on his seat, "But, tell you what, I'll help you search for him Miss…?"

"Nellie Longbottom."

And so Hermes did help Nellie, going from compartment to compartment and summoning the courage to talk to people. Though, he assumed from their reactions, he might have been coming off a bit too strongly.

After several minutes, Hermes came across a compartment that held two girls. One was a thin and freckly redhead while the other had bright green eyes and messy black hair.

"Have you ladies seen a toad?" he asked, briefly wondering whether or not it was rude to call attention to the dirt on the redhead's nose, "Nellie Longbottom has lost hers."

When they responded no, Hermes noticed the wand in the redhead's hand. He brightened at that. He wondered how he stacked up in comparison with his peers.

"Oh, are you going to perform magic? Let's see it then!" he said excitedly.

The redhead then went on to cast a rather ridiculous and obviously fake spell. Hermes frowned, wondering if the girl was deliberately messing with him. It wouldn't be the first time kids had done that.

After introducing themselves, Hermes was quite delighted that the green eyed girl was the Harriet Potter. She didn't look as heroic as the books made her out to be. Actually, she seemed rather introverted. The redhead certainly appeared to have more spirit.

Oh, the toad! Hermes thought, mentally scolding himself for forgetting.

He excused himself and continued to walk down the train, asking people in other compartments about the missing pet. Harriet, make that Harri, Potter and Ronnie Weasley…They seemed rather interesting…He wondered if perhaps-

"Oh, Miss Longbottom!" Hermes said when he caught up with the girl, "I'm quite sorry but I couldn't locate Trevor."

"Me neither," Nellie sighed, "Well, it's alright. He always turns up sooner or later."

"We could continue looking," Hermes suggested. Honestly, he didn't want to say farewell to his first potential friend so soon, "I'm certain there are nooks and crannies we haven't searched yet."

"It's alright," Nellie said in a resigned voice, "But thanks for your help!"

As Nellie dejectedly made her way back to her compartment, Hermes pressed himself against the side of the train as three boys ran past him. He looked down the train and saw the door to the compartment that Harri Potter and Ronnie Weasley were in was open.

Hermes arrived at the entrance and saw that the inside was a mess, candy littering the ground and the girls standing up, both fuming.

"What has been going on here?" he asked in shock.

The redhead, Ronnie, didn't answer, instead going off about a family called the Malfoys. Hermes listened in curiously. Who were these Malfoys and did they really have a connection with Voldemort?

"Can I help you?" Ronnie asked Hermes sharply, startling him momentarily.

"You two best put on your robes," he said as he saw them still in casual wear, "The conductor says we will be arriving shortly. Have you really been fighting? It is most unbecoming of ladies such as yourselves to-"

Hermes was shocked once again when Ronnie slammed the door shut in his face, telling him to "bugger off".

"Well, fine!" Hermes said, angry at the rude behavior, "I only came because I heard such childish behavior…Oh, and you have dirt on your nose, Miss Weasley, did you know that?"

Hermes stormed off. The nerve of that Weasley girl! Oh, how he hoped that poor Harri Potter would not befriend someone like her.

The Sorting…The event that would place one in one's destined House…

Hermes was breathing quickly when his name was called. Sure, he had been momentarily relieved when he learned that the Sorting didn't require him using any of the spells he learned. But it was still in front of a huge crowd of peering eyes…

But he was too excited to see where he would be and so he ran to the stool and placed the Hat on his head. He wasn't surprised when he heard a voice in his head, having read all about the Hat in Hogwarts, A History.

"My, what a head you have on your shoulders," the Hat said, "It's not often that wizards come along who have logic. You are willing to work hard to achieve your goals and you believe that knowledge is power."

Am I wrong to think so? Hermes asked in his head.

"No, of course not," the Hat replied, "As the saying goes, 'Knowing is half the battle'…With such a strong love of learning, Ravenclaw would suit you so well."

Hermes' shoulder slumped slightly at that. In all the books he had read, Gryffindor seemed most interesting to him. The Hat spoke on…

"Hmm…But it seems there is more to you than intelligence. You have some depths that you yourself are not aware of…There's only one place where you can possibly bring out those qualities."

Hermes beamed as the Hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and he ran to the applauding table. As he sat down and was greeted by the older students, Hermes wondered what the Hat had meant by him having depths he didn't know of.

Hermes couldn't believe how wonderful all his classes were. Learning about a world he never knew existed was quite an experience. He didn't understand the confused and sometimes bored expressions on his classmates' faces. How could they not see the wonders of the magical world?

But he did have a few issues. He couldn't help but admit that the History of Magic class taught by Professor Binns, a ghost, much to Hermes' surprise and delight, was…rather dull, to put it lightly. But no matter! He wouldn't fall asleep like the others! Not like that Ronnie Weasley girl was doing at the moment, drooling on her arm nonetheless!

Defense Against the Dark Arts was quite a letdown as well. Professor Quirrell's stories didn't seem to have any true evidence to back them up and his teaching wasn't up to standard in Hermes' opinion.

Potions was…something else…For one thing, the Gryffindors and Slytherins, who had some kind of centuries old feud going on, were together in the cold, dark dungeons.

Then, there was Professor Snape, who had such a cold gaze as he went on with his speech to the deathly quiet students.

By the end, Hermes was on the edge of his seat. "Dunderheads", he said? Oh no, Hermes would show him that he most certainly was not a dunderhead!

But instead Snape chose to ask all of the questions to Harri Potter, who didn't have a clue as to what the answers would be.

Hermes stretched his hand up high and considered adding a little wave in there, ignoring the look of disbelief from Ronnie. So what if he had done extra reading and happened to know the answers? Was that a crime? Besides, didn't anyone else want to take Snape's attention off of Harri, who was looking more put out as the questions, none of which she could answer, went on?

By the class' end, Hermes was left feeling thoroughly disappointed by Snape's actions towards Harri and towards Nellie, who had made a few mistakes with her potion and had boils on her skin, as well as curious as to the reason behind Snape's absolute loathing of Harri…

"I couldn't help but overhear what you and Malfoy were saying…"

It was just an hour after the flying lesson, during which Harri showed remarkable skill on the broom but, to Hermes' worry, risked getting them all in trouble. By the time Harri had returned from wherever McGonagall took her, she didn't act like someone who had just received a detention. In fact, she and Ronnie were quietly discussing something with large smiles.

"Bet you could," Ronnie muttered.

Hermes shot her a stern look, though he had to admit she was right. He had purposely sat himself near enough to the girls to hear what they said. Sure, it was rude to eavesdrop but he was curious…And, truth be told, he still found the pair to be interesting, despite Ronnie's rather insufferable attitude.

"You mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"It isn't your business, is it?" Harri retorted as she stood up.

"So, goodbye," Ronnie added as the pair walked away.

Hermes sighed as they left. What were those girls thinking? A duel with Malfoy so late at night? Imagine the trouble they could get in…What if they got hurt?

There was only one thing for Hermes to do if they weren't going to listen to reason…

Hermes had tried to scare them into coming back inside, mentioning almost telling Ronnie's brother, the prefect, on them. Discussing how Slytherin could win the House Cup again. Mentioning expulsion. But no, those girls were adamant about this duel.

Hermes was angry. Fine! If they were going to be selfish and risk themselves over something silly, then what did it matter to him?

He hadn't exactly counted on the Fat Lady being gone…Meaning he couldn't go back inside…

Also meaning he had to follow those ladies…

"I'm coming with you," he said once he had caught up with them.

"Not in this lifetime," Ronnie said, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Weasley, but I have nowhere to go and I am not letting Filch catch me by myself. So, once the three of us are caught, I'll tell the truth, that I was obviously trying to stop you ladies from shaming yourselves and the House, and you can back me up."

"In your dreams!" Ronnie screeched while Harri smacked her arm.

"Don't be so loud!" she hissed, "I heard something!"

It was then that the pair ran into Nellie, who had forgotten the password.

"Why the bloody hell would they keep that thing locked up in a school?" Ronnie gasped as they returned to the safety of their Common Room.

Hermes, though he refused to agree out loud, was in full agreement with Ronnie. Why would anyone with a sane mind keep a three headed dog, a Cerberus, in a school full of children? Of course, the animal was locked in a room on the forbidden third floor corridor but still!

"Didn't you ladies use your eyes?" he snapped, feeling angry over the whole situation and the near death experience, "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"I was a bit too preoccupied with staying far away from its three heads!" Harri yelled while Nellie trembled from the run-in with the animal.

Hermes straightened up and looked at the girls with a piercing gaze.

"It was standing on a trap door," he said, "Trap doors, a vicious Cerberus, a forbidden corridor, a locked door. Don't you realize what this means?"

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell us anyway," Ronnie murmured.

"It's obviously guarding something!" Hermes said, resisting the urge to shout at Ronnie, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to bed before either of you think up another clever idea to get us killed…Or worse, expelled…Goodnight, ladies!"

Hermes scooted over to avoid Ronnie's hopefully accidental attempts at poking his eye out with her wand. Flitwick had taught them about the levitation spell and, as expected, most people weren't getting far. Hermes noted the frustrated look on Ronnie's face and let out a sigh.

He supposed he could try to create some kind of truce between the two of them. He grabbed her wand arm as she came unnervingly close to his eye with her last try at the spell.

"Listen, as much as I admire unbridled enthusiasm in lessons, you are going to poke someone's eye out," Hermes said when Ronnie stared at him suspiciously, "Besides, the incantation is 'Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa'. See? The 'gar' is nice and long and the emphasis is on the 'o' not the 'sa'."

"Alright then, Granger," Ronnie practically snarled, "If you're so clever, then you do it!"

"Very well, Miss Weasley," he replied coolly as he rolled up his sleeves and pointed his wand at the feather, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Hermes smiled rather smugly as the feather rose high above the students and Flitwick praised him. By the time class was over, none were able to copy Hermes. He was rather proud of himself for that as he gathered his books.

As he walked across the courtyard, Hermes spotted Ronnie's familiar tall and redheaded form. He ran a hand through his bushy brown hair. Perhaps he should talk with her and Harri. After all, he found them both to be interesting, and troublesome, young ladies. And he had been through more with them than anyone else in the school.

Maybe there was a chance to start anew?

But that thought faded as he got close enough to hear Ronnie's words.

"'The 'gar' is nice and long'," she said in an overly haughty tone, imitating Hermes, "'The emphasis is on the 'o'. Honestly, what's with him? It's a wonder how anyone can stand him! He's a nightmare."

Hermes didn't realize he had knocked into Harri as he hurried away.

In later years, Hermes would state that no, he was not alone in the boy's bathroom, crying over Ronnie's words. That wasn't something a man did. But history loved to disagree with Hermes' claim.

"Why do I care what that horrid girl has to say?" he sniffed, clutching his bulging backpack close, "She's just a terrible person! I don't care!"

But Hermes knew very well that he did care…But he should also be used to such words by now…

Ugh, Granger got top marks again!

He's such a know-it-all! And so bossy.

Hey, Granger? Want to be friends? Great, can you help us out? There's this project…

Stay away from Granger, the one with the large teeth and bushy hair. He's so annoying!

Hermes put aside his bag and got to his feet. Yes, he should be more than used to this sort of thing by now…Why had he expected anything different? But, didn't his father say that he would find real friends at this school?

"But I have to put some work into it," Hermes muttered, "…Dad, I'm just not good at this…"

Hermes, hungry, having been in the bathroom since after Charms, took a few steps when a large rumble knocked him to his feet.

"Wh-What?" he stuttered, "An earthquake?"

But as he heard even more rumbles he realized that they weren't tremors from an earthquake…They were footsteps…

His eyes widened in alarm as the disgusting figure of a troll came into view. His breathing became panicked as he scrambled back against the wall. The troll spotted him and got nearer and nearer, its club raised.

Act! a voice in Hermes' head yelled. C'mon, Granger! Do something!

But fear at the troll's sudden appearance paralyzed Hermes. He couldn't move a muscle…Brilliant, just brilliant…He was going to die in the boy's bathroom, all alone.

"HEY! PEA BRAIN!"

Hermes' jaw dropped in shock as a broken piece of a sink slammed into the troll's head. The troll turned around slowly and Hermes moved to the side to see who had thrown it, not believing the owner of the voice to be who he thought it was.

"You?" Hermes said in shock when he saw that it truly was Ronnie Weasley glaring at the troll, her body shaking like a leaf.

"W-w-w-who were you expecting, M-M-Malfoy?" Ronnie stuttered, though her eyes never left the troll that was advancing on her.

"C'mon, let's move!"

Hermes snapped his head to the side and saw Harri staring back and forth between him and Ronnie, worry written on her face. She tugged on his arm hard but Hermes was rooted to the ground in fear and shock.

"Move, already!" Harri shouted, slapping Hermes' cheek hard.

Hermes let out a short cry of pain but the slap got his head back in gear. He quickly got to his feet, as did Harri, and the two quickly made their way towards the door while Ronnie continued to distract the troll.

"Hey!" Ronnie cried when the troll unexpectedly grabbed her leg and lifted her up, "Guys, help!"

Hermes gritted his teeth and spotted a pile of rubble. He grabbed one piece of a sink and tossed it towards the troll…It fell short about three feet.

"Really?" Harri said in fear as she ran towards the troll.

"I was never good at sports!" Hermes said defensively, though that didn't stop him from throwing the pieces of rubble, only hard enough to make contact with the troll.

"Alright you," Hermes said as the troll slowly made eye contact with him. It raised its club as it made its way towards Hermes, "Why don't you be a good boy and put down that girl? She'd taste far too bitter."

"I'll remember that," Ronnie said with a frown.

As Hermes talked to the troll, knowing it couldn't understand but realizing it added extra distraction, Harri climbed up its back. By the time the troll was aware of Harri's presence, Harri did the only thing she could do with the wand in her hand and very poor knowledge of spells…

She shoved it up the troll's nose.

This caused the troll to drop Ronnie. Hermes moved quickly and dragged a groaning Ronnie out of the way.

"Oh no, Harri!" Hermes cried as the troll started to reach back to get at the girl with its club.

As Hermes reached for his wand, Ronnie shook her head and acted first. She pointed her wand at the troll's club.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" she shouted.

The club then flew out of the creature's hand and rose higher and higher…only to come down with a sickening crack on the troll's skull. The creature swayed for a moment before falling flat on its face. Harri got off of it and walked shakily to the troll's head. Ronnie, who was surprised over what she had done, and Hermes, who was just plain surprised, joined her slowly.

"Is it…dead?" he whispered.

"No…" Harri replied slowly as she pulled her wand out of the creature's nostril, "Eww…Just knocked out…"

Harri wiped off her wand while Hermes stared at the two girls…Hadn't they thought of him as annoying just a few hours ago? And yet…And yet they had come to save him…

"What were you all thinking?"

The three students spun around at the voice, only to gulp when confronted with McGonagall's angry stare. The professor chewed them out for their "stupid and rash actions" and Hermes saw that the girls were worried over what might happen to them.

Making friends takes work and courage.

"It's my fault, Professor…" he said as he stepped forward.

"Well, five points lost and ten gained isn't too bad," Harri said with a relieved sigh, "Well, make that five points gained…"

Harri and Ronnie were sitting in their own part of the Common Room, eating food brought up from the feast and discussing the fact that Hermes Granger had gone and lied to a teacher to get the girls out of trouble.

Hermes stood within earshot of the pair, clutching his plate and looking troubled. With a deep breath, he walked over to the girls and sat down. Harri and Ronnie stared at him, but not with annoyance like before.

"Umm…" they all said at the same time.

"After you," he said politely.

Harri gave Ronnie a look and so she spoke first.

"I was an absolute git earlier," she said, keeping her eyes locked on her plate.

Hermes blinked in surprise at that.

"So was I," Harri added, though she actually looked at Hermes.

"I was a bigger one," Ronnie admitted reluctantly.

"No arguments there," Harri responded without skipping a beat.

As Ronnie glared at Harri, Hermes covered his mouth with a hand to hide the smile on his face. He let out a small chuckle, placed his plate on an empty seat and extended both his hands towards Harri and Ronnie.

"And I was an insufferable know-it-all," Hermes stated sheepishly, "We…We all got off to a bad start. Is it…okay to start over…?"

Hermes tried not to sound so hopeful, not wanting the girls to think he was weird. Harri and Ronnie looked at each other and Hermes felt his smile fade.

Maybe they just saved him out of pity? Or in the hopes of getting points?

Granger's only useful when you want something done at school.

He started to lower his hands when the girls each took one, both smiling broadly.

"I'd be willing," Harri said gently.

"Why not?" Ronnie said with a shrug.

Hermes held back his sigh of relief as he gave the two firm handshakes.

This was going to be the start of something wonderful, wasn't it?

Good grief, this was long! I hope I got across Hermes' personality in the writing. You see, even though the writings are in the third person perspective, they feature only one character's thoughts. So, Harri's chapters need to have her observational, going with her emotions type of feel. George's have the humorous and somewhat sarcastic feel. Ronnie's also has a more humorous feel but they also have to get across her low self-confidence. With Hermes' chapter, I tried to get across his somewhat haughty but rather kind and fearful of failure personality.

Anyways, please read and review!