A/N: Reminder, I will not be bullied into writing more. Again, this is a once a day thing. For the single reviewer who compliments me and then backhandedly says to upload again right away, you make me not want to write. Remember, people have lives, have feelings, and being told to do something, when there is a schedule is so disheartening, it already make me want to abandon this. This world is too cruel for you to bully people on the internet. Please, just be kind.

I have taken the stance, that a chapter will be delayed every time I get one of those reviews. They're rude, and I don't want them, please. This chapter is on time, because it literally sprang from my fingers with no effort.

So I hope you enjoy.

1/5/21

shenanigans

[ shuh-nan-i-guhnz ]

plural noun

mischief; prankishness.

Hermione had to smother her smile as she watched the Weasley twins amuse the first years in the courtyard. She kept a close eye on them, to ensure none of their candy got handed out, but so far Fred and George had kept it all to toys and magical tricks. Even as a second year, Hermione's threats to reign in their more malicious tendencies was enough for the two redheads. She remembered being bullied, and the worst of all was public humiliation. She made it her goal to not let anyone go through what she did. Even now, her housemates teased her, but it never came down to physical bullying like she's encountered before. Once she had proven herself to be a formidable witch, even at a young age, her bullies left her alone.

It also helped that the Weasley twins seemed to have taken her under their wing as well.

Turning back to her book, she immersed herself into magical theory they wouldn't learn until their NEWT years, and let the time whittle away, making sure to keep one eye on the first years, despite only being a second year herself. She hadn't noticed the newcomer until someone sat down next to her. Looking up from her book, she first noticed the messy black hair and the piercing green eyes that matched his uniform.

"Hi," he greeted confidently, and Hermione's first instinct was to search the courtyard for his friends to make sure this wasn't a dare attempt to talk to her. She found no one.

"Hello," she greeted cautiously, drawing her book closer to her in trepidation. She's had this happen before...the popular kids coming to talk with her, get her talking about something, and then a quick excuse or insult revealed that they were dared to talk to her, insinuating that she was nothing more than a joke to them. If this was another attempt…

"How are you liking Remingwire's theory on Gamp's Third Law? Have you gotten to that chapter yet?" the boy asked. Hermione blinked in surprise, looked down at the book, turned the page, and saw the chapter title "Gamp's Third Law, Remingwire's Theory and the Validity Therein" and her eyebrow raised before she looked back at the boy.

"Not yet. Their shenanigans over there have been keeping part of my attention," she replied primly. The boy grinned widely, making her blush.

"Then someone should let those rapscallions know that they are keeping you from an enlightening read," he teased, his smile not cruel, but kind. Hermione didn't let her guard down, however. The other shoe may still drop-

"Oi, Gred!"

"Yes, Forge?"

"Methinks our Damsel is in Distress!"

"Methinks she needs saving!"

"Slimy Slytherins have no business here!"

"Be nice," Hermione's quiet, but firm voice stated. The twins shared a look and then grinned at the boy next to her.

"Our Damsel demands niceties, so niceties we make!"

"Be nice to her and we will be nice to you!"

"We're keeping our eye on you, Potter!"

"So don't think you can get away with anything!"

The boy named Potter grinned, his attention fully switched onto the twins. "Nah, Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail wouldn't let me get away with anything like you're thinking...though Wormtail might…" he then grew thoughtful, blatantly ignoring how still and wide eyed the Weasley Twins got. Then, the two were scrambling over to talk to the boy about how he knew those names and if it were easy to meet them.

And that was how Hermione first officially met Harry Potter.