Sitting on the ledge of her window and looking out into the sprawling gardens below, Hermione sighed. It wasn't due to being at home, on the contrary she loved nothing more than being back in a place she could fully be herself and not have to suffer fools on a daily basis.

She could also take the time to look back on what had happened from the following year, and plan ahead for the next. As it was now her fifth year… that meant O.W.L.S

Something she had been anticipating since the moment she heard of them. Having already done research and asked Cedric what they were like. She had a pretty good knowledge on what to except from the exams.

Which also meant study… lots of studying, something she doing – or was going to, planned it really but found herself staring out the window instead.

Another reason she was glad to be home, it afforded her peace to mull on her thoughts and right now she had a lot of them.

Mainly – what Nídhógg had asked of her, of course there was the end of tournament kiss to deal with… but she could sort that out later, right now her top priority was the request.

It was absurd.

Not just that… completely impossible, well, not totally incapable but the consequences should she get caught, didn't really bare thinking about.

Though she knew… the arrogant side of her knew she was much too smart to get caught or even allow herself to be found. That was if she decided to go through with his ask.

She let out a heavy breath and ran a hand through her hair. Of course there was the plus side to such a risky endeavour, one that would be just as great if not even more…

She let her head drop to her knees just as a knock on the door broke her silence. Not lifting aforementioned head, she shouted as best as her muffled voice allowed.

"Come in!"

The handle pulled down and Minerva popped her head around the corner. She spied the younger girl sitting on the ledge and gave her a small smile.

"You ok?"

After having what seemed like and endless panic and heart attack all in one… not to mention the forever feeling of dread that had taken residence in her stomach, after talking with Albus she decided the best thing she could do was carry on like nothing had gone wrong.

Also Hermione was a perceptive girl, if trouble could sniff her out of a crowd the ability was likewise. Always knowing when something was wrong she didn't want her to sense her waring emotions and so did her best to tamper them down as she made her way inside.

"What's up?"

Minerva shook her head as she approached the younger girls perching spot. Giving her a small once over, she returned her gaze back to Hermione who had now lifted her head and was staring as their eyes met.

"But I could ask the same of you my dear?"

Like hell was she going to start talking about her problems, especially when one of those said problems was meant to be dead at least two years ago, so shaking her head again she lifted herself up a little.

"Nothing… just contemplating what I can do now that I can't study straight off as I would like."

Hypocritical as it might have seemed considering in school that's all they implored the students to do, but the one thing Minerva had said was that Hermione wasn't to pick up anything related to a school book for at least a month into the holidays.

She was pleased that she was trying to be the best she could be, nothing made her prouder, but even she had a break from schoolwork when she was a student and so had banned the reading of academic books, unless it was for pastime uses.

Of course there was an argument about it, she would have been both greatly and pleasantly surprised if there wasn't. But very rarely was there ever a time Hermione did things she asked without some sort of smart arse retribution and so had resorted to the age old and what at one point, she assumed was non-negotiable – it certainly had when her Mother was alive

But seeing as she was the adult and Hermione was still a child, really it should have been the end of it, but no… not even that rule seemed to stick and so had her wondering when things had gone so downhill as she found herself pulled into the argument she had been hoping to avoid in the first place.

"Have you gone to see Addie?"

Despite her staunch misgivings about the whole 'topic' once she had heard a little of what the reptile had to say during their conversations… along with the fact she had shared a house with him for two weeks and only saw him twice, she was inclined to think a bit more of the irascible serpent.

She saw her nod. "We made an agreement. I wait at least two weeks before I go down and annoy him." The older woman frowned at the odd statement, before curiosity made her ask further.

"Why two weeks?"

"It's so that he can get extra sleep,"

Still frowning that made absolutely no sense. As far as she knew all he did was sleep here… so what did it matter where he slept? She had to stop that line of thought, the horror that nearly admitting it was fine for a snake to sleep in her home…s' Merlin she really was getting to complacent about her rules.

Shaking that from her head she decided to move on. She was sure the younger girl would find something to occupy herself with soon, it was only a week and a few days in after all so patted her feet as Hermione slowly moved them so she could sit at the bottom.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something." She waited as Hermione sat up straighter, her back against the wall.

"Oh?" She nodded and lifted a hand to rest it on her knee, her thumb rubbing circles on the top like she used to do before and turned back to her.

"I only really got the back end of what happened at the tournament. But it's come to my attention that you and Mr Diggory have become… close."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the mentioning of the older boy. Not that she hadn't been thinking about him but she did at least to solve one problem first, but it looked like this one was it… wanted or not.

"…Right."

"The fact that you managed to help both him and Harry, escape the graveyard they were in – while both commendable and something we will have to discuss… it's not the reason I'm here."

Hermione's frown deepens in her confusion as Minerva takes a breath, Circe why was this so hard? Then again she had tried hard to forget afterwards, that was probably why and so proceeded on.

"Now I know that you are more level headed than… at least three quarters of that school. Which is why I can trust you a lot more than what a normal fifteen year old should be," She did pause for a moment before adding.

"Most of the times."

Hermione did have the grace to send her a half sheepish half smirking grin as Minerva shook her head. "But if this… dalliance with Mr Diggory is indeed something more than just an adrenaline fuelled kiss purely because he survived a life threatening fight, then I think it's time we had a little talk."

Hermione was silent as she mulled on her words. The stiff way she held herself and the slight wincing whenever she mentioned she and Cedric in any given sentence, if she didn't know any better, then she would say this was.

"Oh hell no."

Minerva turned sharply on hearing her speak. They faced each other in silence before she responded. "What was that?"

Struggling to cover her arse. Hermione's tongue slowly poked through her lips making the older woman chuckle internally before she nodded.

"Well what I was meant to say." She stopped and this caused the other witches brow to arch as the younger girl suddenly went quiet and slid over to where she sat, her turn to be confused she watched the younger girl simper slightly, laying her head on her shoulder and giving her the biggest doe eyes she could muster, which was a feat considering she didn't know how to subtle.

It was that which had her suspicions aroused and so letting it play out, waited as Hermione picked up her hand and was walking her fingers up the skin.

"You know I read."

"Understatement of the century." She frowned at the remark but ignored it in favour of creeping. "So you know that I like to read up on every an all little things that take my interest."

"Hmm-mm"

Now playfully bending her fingers back whilst still trying to look casual, she carried on. "So you must know that I've already read up on all the little… wasps and seagulls."

She had to laugh at that, her chuckling prompted Hermione to look, as she saw the mirth in her eyes. "Nice try dear, but we still have to talk."

"No we don't… we really, really don't."

"I wasn't aware this was up for discussion." Green eyes met their counterparts as she nodded.

"True… but isn't that was diplomacy's for,"

"Nice try." She lifted her free hand and mussed up her hair, the simple act had the younger witch giving up all pretence. Throwing her hand away she reached up with both and tried valiantly to cease her efforts making Minerva laugh harder.

Finally she let up and sat back straight allowing Hermione to scurry back to her original spot and fix her hair; she glared at the older woman as she set about taming the now wild bush her hair had become.

"Happy."

Minerva pursed her lips. "I'm not unhappy." Her response was a scowl.

Finally she had her hair back to a suitable state and the other woman watched her in silence for a few more seconds. "Are you sitting comfortably?"

"Sort of…" She nodded.

"Good, then we'll begin."

"Aww."

"Suck it up, dear."

An hour later the door opened and Minerva left the room. She was smiling feeling both pleased that she had managed to have a whole conversation and get about the fundamentals that she felt the younger girl would carry with her for the rest of her life, and also pleased because at the same time… might have left her speechless.

Or horrified. Whichever. The look on her face was one she was keeping a memory of as she made her way to her own room. Though she knew she didn't have to worry just yet, after that she was certain she and Mr Diggory wouldn't be participating in anything unseemly for quite a while yet.

Having a sense of accomplishment wash over her she pushed on the door to the room and vanished inside.

The next day was a slightly subdued affair, Hermione made her way down to breakfast to see her Mother already sitting and reading the paper. She slid into the seat across and mumbled a small 'Hello' before smiling at the elf as she went about getting her breakfast ready.

Figuring it was just a morning thing Minerva merely greeted her in return before carrying on with her reading, she would let her have tea first before speaking as Hermione gratefully took the cup.

Sometime later and Hermione still hadn't spoken. Did she put the paper down "Are you alright?"

Looking like a sheep next to a wolf. Hermione jolted a bit at the unexpected question before hurriedly nodding. Keeping her eyes averted she focused on the tea as Minerva sighed.

"It's about yesterday, isn't it?" Hermione said nothing.

"Look. I was merely telling you what every young adult will need to know about, it's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Oh believe me," She finally responded, still staring at the cup, "I'm not ashamed."

"Then what."

"I'm mortified." She said looking up and meeting her eyes. "You didn't have to go that far into detail." A small wave of her hand saw the argument dismissed as she reached for the toast.

"Now really, you make it sound like I enjoyed telling you, as necessary as it was, it really wasn't what I wanted to be talking about… so on that I think we both drew the short draw dear, stop being a martyr."

At her words Hermione scoffed, a small laugh of disbelief slipping from her lips. "Are you being serious? You went into so much dam… vividness; it was one stop short of a live showing."

"And here I was thinking Hogwarts didn't do drama." The older woman muttered having gone back to her paper. Hermione stares at her in silence before giving up, taking her many toasts and her tea, she leans over and kisses her Mothers cheek before retiring to her room, she was thinking of going to see Addie today and so was going to get ready.

He might have said a two week mark but she was itching to escape the house… if she had to suffer than so did he.

Only she never did make it out. On entering her room she was surprised to see the large snowy white feathers of the owl sitting on her bed, she glanced to the window warily as she didn't think she left it open, before the soft hooting had her looking back to see the owl now staring at her.

"Hedwig?"

The owl hooted again as she made her way over to the bed. "What are you doing here?" She looked down as in reply the snowy bird held out her wing as the corner of the letter she was carrying could be seen. Leaning down she gently plucked the item from her fluffy keep before holding out her arm as the bird climbed the offered limb.

"Let's go see if we can't find you some food," She smiled at the happy hoot before leaving her room again and making for the upper floor, idly stroking the feathered breast as she went. She reached the door of the once make shift bird sanctum, now full time aviary as she climbed the stairs.

Looking around she cast her eyes over the different types of birds that came and went when they pleased, as Hedwig hooted softly again. Spotting a perch on the far left she leaned in slightly.

"Go to that one," She craned her neck before adding. "I think Nemesis is sleeping so it's ok to steal what's left in her bowl." The owl hooted and gave her a small nip before flying across. She watched as she landed before shuffling over to where the snoozing bird sat before peering into the bowl and diving on the remains as Hermione smiled before making her way back to her room.

She picked up the letter again and read the familiar and messy scrawl that could only come from her best friend, though why he felt the need to write and so soon after breaking up she would never know… well she would, once she opened the letter and so slid her finger under the seal.

Whatever it was had to be important as she read the long winded letter, she realized just how important it was as her mouth slowly fell open in shock at what the letter contained. Once finished held it tight in her hands for a few minutes, thinking in silence before acting.

"MUM!"

She moved to her door and shouted down. "MUM!"

Seconds later the crack in the air saw the older woman standing at her side, she quickly looked the younger witch over concern and confusion in her eyes as Hermione held the letter out, still confused she slowly takes the paper, glancing quizzically at her before letting her eyes fall as she reads what's written.

Like Hermione's her mouth to fell open in shock as she read in silence, what the young man had written. Eventually she lifted her head as Hermione looked at her with worry.

"You don't think its true do you?"

Not knowing what to say Minerva could only shake her head. "I don't know dear, but I will intend to find out. Come on." With that she turns and leaves the room letter in hand as Hermione hurries after her down the hall. They reach the door to Minerva's study as she pushes on and strides through, the younger girl right on her heels as they move to the fire place.

Being the deputy head the job came with certain privileges and once of those was a direct connection to the schools office itself, so simply taking a small handful of powder, she throws into in to the flames and walks on through, again Hermione following right after.

They come out the other end in the large room of Dumbledore's office. As Minerva feels rather than hears the younger girl behind and so turns to face her.

"What are you— who said you could come?" Giving the other witch a half scathing half insulted stare, Hermione lifts her head and replies.

"He's my best friend."

Apparently that was all the reason she was going to give as Minerva went to reply but just then the door opened and before she could have time to say anything, Hermione had slid around her and straight over to the headmaster.

"It's not true is it?"

He looked the slightest bit taken aback at the sudden launch into questions. Looking at the younger girl he lifted his head to see Minerva, who had her own questioning gaze and expelled a tired sigh before nodding.

"I'm afraid it is,"

"But they can't do that!"

"Hermione." Minerva took a step closer as the other girl raged. She shook her head and manoeuvred to the side out of reach.

"No. They can't decide to kick him out and snap his wand just for defending himself… or don't they know whose come back recently."

"Hermione." She turned to see the sharp look the older woman was giving her just as Albus spoke up again. "He hasn't been expelled."

They turn to look at him as his hand runs down his oddly aged face and sighing again as he made his way towards his desk, Hermione tagging behind him and slowly followed by Minerva as the younger girl camps in the seat across him.

"What do you mean?"

Dumbledore stared at them both for a few seconds, before he sat back in his chair and began to tell them what he knew.

"Apparently, both Harry and his cousin were attacked."

"Attacked." He nodded looking at Minerva gravely. "By Dementors."

"Fuck."

"Hermione!" but the older woman too was stunned into silence as they kept their eyes on him. "Are you certain Albus?"

He nodded slowly; there was no sign of the normal twinkle in his eyes, stressing the tension the news had caused.

"He tried to fend them off using his Patronus. He succeeded in driving them away but of course the trace meant that his attempts had already been picked up by the Ministry and when he returned to his house, a letter had been sent to him, informing of his expulsion."

Hermione sat in silence simply staring at the weary looking headmaster. Before shaking her head, unwilling to believe that her best friend had been kicked out of the school.

"They can't do that… they can't."

He turned to look at her, seeing her gaze and noting the worked up ire, he felt even more ragged knowing she was in the mood to argue.

"Can't those dicks see that it wasn't his fault?" She felt an arm on hers but shrugged it off, staring at the older man with a determination and loathing built up by the continuous inadequacies the morons who ran the country repeatedly made.

"Who was the person that sent them? From what I've read Dementors never leave the prison unless they are told or are hunting someone like they did Sirius. So that meant they were given orders to go."

She kept her gaze firmly on him. "Have they even bothered or are they just that insurmountable in their foolishness that they have already used him as a scapegoat for their own shortcomings."

The look told her that they hadn't indeed looked into why two of the worst prison in the world's nightmarish guards had left their duty and was in the middle of the country. She laughed and threw herself from her seat.

"So what now? Does this mean he has to go to another school? Or have they decreed that he might suddenly attack the local wildlife? Incompetent bastards."

"HERMIONE!"

She turned her gaze sharply and glared at the other woman as the room fell silent. It was until he spoke a few moments later that she broke the contact and turned back to him.

"He's been given a chance to give his side of the story in a trial that has been set up."

"A trial." He nodded looking more tired than before. "He has to go before the Wizangamot and explain why he had his wand on him and why he used the spell."

Another snort escaped her as she stood in the middle. "The spell itself is pretty self-explanatory. Or are they that feeble with age that their narrow mindedness had clouded their rather stunted view of what's fair these days"

He didn't respond to her seemingly rhetorical question and instead carried on with the rest of his news. "But I have heard that Mr Weasley will be accompanying him."

"Ron's dad." She wasn't stupid enough to think that it wouldn't be, but there was also Percy in the Ministry. But she doubted that he would risk time and reputation to help Harry, the ginger haired rat was far too spineless for that as she saw him nod.

"Yes, Ron's dad will be taking him to and from. I will also be going to help." Minerva turned to look at him on that.

"You are." He nodded once more. "I do have at least some authority in the council, what good is it if I can't help one of my students who have been unfairly judged."

Hermione said nothing. She was staring at him with a look akin to scrutiny. While his words seemed innocuous enough to make a person believe that he was doing it merely for the interest of his student's welfare she was still in the middle.

Though she had no idea why. She fully did take him at his insistence he would help her friend, but there was a niggling in the back of her head telling her that it simply wasn't just that.

She had come to realize with the seemingly stalwart and unerring pillar of the magical community, nothing was ever just from the goodness of his heart, there was an agenda to him… always had been and there was one now.

She just didn't know what.

Before she could ask anymore. Minerva cut in as she faced her friend. "So… he won't be getting kicked out." She waited as his blue eyes broke from Hermione's to hers; she saw what looked like the smallest glimmer giving her some hope before he nodded.

"I'll make sure of it."

She smiled. After everything that the poor boy had been through, to lose the one place he called home… she didn't know what he must have been feeling, but she had faith in him to get him out of this mess and so knew that it was going to be ok.

Knowing that there was nothing else to do but wait. She stood and with another small nod to Albus she made her way to Hermione.

"Come on."

Turning her attention to her, Hermione frowned. "Where."

"Back home, where else… if you hurry, you might just be able to write a letter back to him."

She hadn't thought of that, with an eager nod and a small wave to her uncle. She rushed to the fire and raced back through, Minerva watched her disappear with a small chuckle before making to leave herself; she was just about to walk through when the sound of Albus had her looking again.

"Yes?"

He said nothing for a moment. Deliberating on wherever to say something at all, but finally he nodded and spoke. "I think it's time to call back the order."

Her face fell for a second, before it slipped back into a picture of stoic indifference as she looked at him. "Are you sure?"

He nodded, more assured this time. "We know this was coming. We need to start making plan's now before he gets the upper hand."

She kept her face calm, but inside both her heart and mind knew he was right and so nodded. Leaning back further he cocked his head so he was looking at the bird perched on the stand and replied.

"I'll send word to Molly and Arthur, let them know and to tell the others."

With the conversation drawn to a close she bade him one last goodbye and returned home. She walked through the still roaring flames and entered her study as she looked around to find the room empty, the younger girl must have taken her at her advice and gone to write him a letter.

Now alone she let out the shaky breath she had been hiding back… He wanted to resurrect the order…

Not that she had any issues with such a plan, far from it, as it just might be the only thing to help them. But she didn't want to in equal measures because she so wanted it all to still be a dream.

A horrid nightmare. One she was still reliving and soon would wake up, with everything normal and their lives not about to be upturned, but she knew it was all just a fools' wish.

What Harry had seen in that place was real. He had witnessed the comeback of Voldemort and he would make his return known soon, whether people believed it or not.

Now with the order about to return she knew now it was all real. All of what had happened wasn't just a vivid but fictional reality, the real reality was this… the one with the never ending fear that lay constant in her stomach just waiting to rise up and choke her.

She inhaled a hitched and shaky breath before proceeding out of the room. She made her way down the hall dead straight, not bothering to check around her, why should she? But if she had then she would have seen the younger girl as she slowly rounded the curtain she had placed herself behind.

Green eyes trailed the older woman as she rounded the corner. They never left the place she had just been as Hermione mused on all she had heard. She had been intending to write Harry a letter – still was, but before she made her way back to her room she halted halfway through the fire.

There was something she wanted to ask the older witch and so turned about to go back through when she heard the sound of his voice calling her Mother back. Something about the tone of his voice was screaming at her that this was the agenda he was hiding, so moving further back into the house's study, she kept her hand firmly in the flames.

As long as something remained inside then the fires would stay open and so she listened, training her ears carefully on the office as she tried to work around the sound of the fire.

She frowned at the garbled words she heard but carried on trying to work it out. It wasn't until she heard her Mother bade him goodbye that she fled. Racing around the corner and behind the curtain as she sound of footsteps as they moved downwards to the stairs, told her it was safe to emerge.

She leant on the wall, eyes still on the last place her Mother stood. She had no idea what the order was, nor was it something had she heard about before. She doubted it was something the older woman was fond off and so kept quiet on.

If it were anything other than just a club that they happened to be a part of in their own school days that he was possibly thinking of bringing back, then she would have no need to pry further, but as it stood, with Voldemort finally making his long and almost prophesised return she knew that this order had something to do with it.

Mind already hard at work she turned and made her way to her room. Still intending to write that letter she made a stop to the bird room first, climbing the steps to see if Hedwig was still there. She would write to Harry as planned.

But then she would find out all she could about this order, not stopping until she had every last scrap… down to the last letter of the alphabet if necessary, as she returned to her room and shut the door behind her.