Author's Note: I don't own the story or the characters of Harry Potter, this work is entirely fan-made. The rights to everything Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling.
Thanks to all those who are still reading the story as it nears it close... For the first year.
It has been a delight to write this as it gives me an outlet and a grateful audience that likes my humble work.
The end of March rolled around very quickly for students at Hogwarts. This was largely due to the immense stress of exams that made them keep their heads down and revise. The usual suspects were behind some pranks and bad behaviour that lightened the mood a little for everyone. The Weasley twins were up to their usual tricks and making alliances with Peeves, without going too far over the line. The gang of Slytherins were the same as normal, parading their blood-status around like a badge of honour, making the half-bloods and muggle-borns feeling insecure. The medieval methods at the school were infuriating due to the teachers' lack of empathy for this. Even some of the prefects had turned a blind eye to the poor behaviour and conduct, such as Percy not 'seeing Ron belittle other students with a lower blood status and ignoring the twin's constant disregard for the rules. The only people actually enforcing rules around the school were the Head Boy and Girl and some of the courageous students willing to speak out against the bullying and racism.
Hermione was one of the prime targets for the racism and hate, due to the Slytherin's race superiority complex and the Ravenclaws disdain for her beating them to the answers in tests and class. Some of the other half-bloods had been exempt from the bullying because they had also belittled the muggle-borns. Those who stood by the hated were seen as the strongest and the stupidest. Strong for standing up against a group larger than themselves and foolish for standing up against the people that society agreed with. Even without the constant humiliation, Hermione was still stressed due to the upcoming exams in May. Although Harry, Zoe and Neville were there for her always. They had made friends with some people who were standing up for the bullied and harassed like Cedric Diggory, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff. Cho Chang from Ravenclaw and many Gryffindors like the quidditch team.
Those people who chose the path that most of the Slytherins had taken would sit separately in the Great Hall to avoid being targeted by association. There was no rule to say that the students from different houses couldn't sit together, so the people on one side of the hall would sneer at the other, whilst most of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were caught in between the two. The teachers were either oblivious to this sudden attitude or were too scared to take the issue to the board of School Governors, who mostly consisted of those richer, 'purer' and Slytherin people that the discriminated against were opposing.
With the stress of exams looming like a stubborn raincloud, Hermione was doing all she could to revise for the upcoming test, while Harry was more concerned over her treatment and when Quirrell was going to strike at the stone under the trapdoor. He had felt his scar ache and burn whenever he was looking at the back of Quirrell's turban. Harry was sure that this meant trouble and that the defence against the dark arts professor was a threat. On one Wednesday after DADA, Harry's scar had hurt so much that he collapsed on the floor of the hospital wing, which Zoe had taken him to. "Harry? Harry! Wake up, please! Madam Pomfrey! Please help!" Zoe shouted to Harry and the healer, the former rushing over to inspect Harry's head. She used some diagnostic charms and levitated him onto a bed. She also called Professor Dumbledore through the floo passage in her office.
Professor Dumbledore looked, for the first time anyone had seen, worried and anxious. Only he knew the reason why and he chose not to share the reason with anyone, especially Harry or his sister. If Harry were to die before his time, the world would be in extreme danger. The healer brought Albus to her and said in a hushed tone "He is radiating dark magic, yet I can't imagine anyone here, especially the Potters to use such methods. The source seems to be from his head, more specifically, his scar". This didn't surprise the old man as he already knew what had happened to Harry and didn't want anyone to know. Madam Pomfrey gave Harry a Pepper-up potion to ease his stressed nerves and went to her office to grab some forms. Then Albus did what he thought any sane person in his situation would do: He obliviated her.
Madam Pomfrey stood in her office, clad with glassy eyes and a relaxed look to match. No one else had seen the Headmaster do this and if they had, he would be in severe trouble. The only sound coming from the office was the slow breathing of the matron and the thankful sigh of relief from Dumbledore, He had modified Pomfrey's memory to think that all Harry needed was a dreamless sleep draught and the pepper-up potion she had already given him. Zoe saw the two people walk out of the office and watched Madam Pomfrey walk over to Harry with a vial of dreamless sleep draught with orders to take it before he went to sleep that night. His sleep was indeed dreamless and devoid of any fearful visions, yet his scar would not calm down after he looked at the back of Quirrell's head.
After the incident with Harry's collapse, all four friends never left each others' side and they made sure they weren't separated by a long stretch in classes. Their exams were in view as the days rolled over into April. Hermione was taking them very seriously as she normally would have in a muggle school but also worked to take care of Harry when she knew his scar was hurting. The practice exams should have been enough to worry her but they didn't, as she was focused and determined to get better than other people to prove that she was more than just a muggle-born. She was a person with dreams, aspirations and goals. She was a witch of Gryffindor.
More character development for Hermione. She is getting more confident and less oblivious of her feelings towards Harry.
I understand that when the books were written, J.K didn't receive any flack for having borderline racism in her books that was an unresolved issue. Yet this is a topic that would need addressing unlike the amount of homosexual wizards at Hogwarts. That was just an example, but the only issue that Jo actually tackled was slavery through the elves and S.P.E.W, which didn't get abolished in the end.