The trip to the Great Hall felt longer than she remembered it being. Hermione knew she was exhausted magically and that was certainly part of the issue. Compounding magical exhaustion with her lack of sleep and skipping lunch? It was no surprise she found herself tired and dizzy. None whatsoever. She should have at least grabbed a snack.

She supposed it wasn't all that shocking she found her mind simply would not be reigned in or directed in a singular direction during her trek. She needed to figure out how to handle the Weasley situation. Ginny had definitely been hinting at the matriarch's intentions, but she didn't seem to be able to speak plainly about it. Was it possible she was under some sort of vow not to divulge the secret? Hermione wouldn't be shocked of Molly had sworn Ginny to silence. Molly Weasley would evidently go to great lengths to get what she desired, and Hermione would not forget that any time soon. Could this have also been the reason Dumbledore had fought so vehemently against her to free Sirius? Somehow, Hermione didn't find it likely to be a coincidence. She needed to speak with Ginny and Harry privately, but not yet. She needed to research first, to be sure she could find them a work-around. She wouldn't deprive Harry of Ginny, or vice-versa should they actually choose one another. Harry deserved happiness, and she wouldn't seek to keep it from him.

There was also the matter of Draco. Hermione had to deliver on her promise to keep he and Narcissa safe. She would not be telling Dumbledore about them, so she would need to make alternative arrangements. She wondered if Gabby or her Opa would be willing to assist her in that regard. They would likely have several places that could house them, and be considered safe…because Lucius Malfoy was not someone she could see herself even approaching, and furthermore, his own son seemed to think him to be a lost cause. No, she would have much to discuss with her Opa when she went home for the holidays in a few months. She was sure he would have an idea; the man was a consummate Slytherin.

Finally! Hermione could smell the delicious food wafting from the Great Hall. Her feet had carried her without much thought, traversing the castle on autopilot while she pondered her schemes and possible resolutions. She would have thought she was much later than she appeared to be, as the owls hadn't come in to deliver the nightly post yet. She absently wondered if this was how Luna felt all the time, all in her head, disconnected and floaty. Hermione could admit she didn't find it unpleasant, but it was rather odd.

"Enough," she thought to her herself. "Go eat you daft bint, before you pass out from exhaustion." She shook her head clear of her thoughts and walked the length of the table until she found and empty seat next to Ginny. She plopped down and loaded her plate with food, eating before Ginny had noticed she had arrived.

"Hello to you too, Hermione," Ginny remarked with an arched eyebrow. "Why are you so ravenous?"

Hermione finished her bite before answering, "It's magical exhaustion. I'm desperately in need of food or I'm going to pass out. Will you pass me a roll, please?"

Ginny did so. "And what have you been doing to exhaust your magical core?"

"Practicing counter-jinxes and some wandless spells."

Ginny just nodded. It made sense; Hermione was so widely accepted to be a swot that if she was studying, people quit asking questions. Hermione had decided to lean into it and use it to her advantage. It came in handy. Perhaps she had been improperly sorted…

A few minutes later the owl arrived with the nightly post and the evening edition of the Daily Prophet. A copy was dropped in front of Hermione, and the cheeky bugger stole some of the roast from her plate before taking his leave. Hermione rolled her eyes at the bird but grabbed the paper and flipped it open. Hermione dropped her fork on her plate. There on the front page was a picture of her with Ron, and some smaller ones with Harry.

Hermione Granger-Ollivander: Death Eater Sympathizer or Half-Niffler?

Good evening my most loyal readers. Have I, Rita Skeeter, got the scoop for you?! It Is my duty as your journalist to report the occurrences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Just yesterday, Miss Granger-Ollivander was seen doting on Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott.

This reporter was on site when the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, pulled the names from the Goblet of Fire to select the champions for the Tournament. As you all know, the Tournament is meant to foster friendships throughout all magical schools, by giving the students a chance to come together. The first competitor chosen from the cup was none other than the famous Bulgarian Seeker, Viktor Krum from Durmstrang. Mr. Krum was witnessed to be "making eyes" at Miss Granger-Ollivander as he took his place at the front of the room. Could this mean the two of them are dating?

The second competitor name for Beauxbatons was Fleur Delacour. This is unsurprising, as the witch is the first in her class and is descended from a long line of French aristocrats. Miss Delacour accepted gracefully, though this reporter did not miss the look of scorn exhibited by her once she noticed the looks Mr. Krum was directing at Miss Granger-Ollivander. Could it be that Miss Granger-Ollivander has some competition for Mr. Krum's affection? This reporter thinks it might be so, and what a competition it will be. Miss Delacour is far more approachable than Miss Granger-Ollivander, who is a plain girl of fifteen. The third name competitor from our very own Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory. He is a well-liked boy among his peers and accepted the position with poise, despite the cheers of encouragement that erupted in the hall once his name was read out by the Headmaster.

Most surprisingly, though, was the cup offered a choice for a fourth competitor, which has never happened in the history of the Tournament. Would any of my lovely readers dare to hazard a guess? If you guessed Harry Potter, you would be correct! Mr. Potter, fourteen, seemed to be very confused at this development, however, this reporter managed to catch the smirk on the young man's face when Miss Granger-Ollivander came to his defense in front of the attendees in the Great Hall.

According to Mr. Ronald Weasley, best friend of Harry Potter and former paramour of Hermione Granger-Ollivander, Miss Granger-Ollivander has also been seen in the company of none other than Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott. Mr. Weasley reports, "Hermione used to be one of my best friends. I thought to make her mine one day, but that does not seem to be in the cards now. I've seen her hanging around with Malfoy and the others. Though I am sure nothing is going on between her and Harry, I'm having a hard time not questioning their relationship lately. I don't know what she's playing at, but I for one don't want to be a part of any of it."

Miss Granger-Ollivander has been seen with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley very often since her introduction into our fair corner of Wizarding Britain. She has been rumored to be dating Harry Potter, as well as Ronald Weasley more than once. Could it have been a love triangle? The intelligent, yet plain girl has not let her heritage dissuade her from making friends with important figures. What could her plans be?

Is one wizard not enough for this plain and ordinary witch? The young woman is Muggle-Born and is seemingly intent on snatching up all of Britain's eligible princes before she is even out of Hogwarts. If any of my most valuable readers had plans to make one of these wizards their intended, I suggest they moving quickly to get a betrothal contract into place!

Stay tuned, readers. I will be covering the Tri-Wizard Tournament events as they take place, and I'll keep you up to date on the actions of Miss Hermione Granger-Ollivander.

-Rita Skeeter

As soon as Hermione had finished reading the filthy, disparaging, and untruthful article she discovered how much of her magic had been recuperated from her meal. Purely on instinct, she cast a wandless and wordless incendio destroying the paper to ash. She fought to keep her face impassive, though she could scarcely hear for the blood pounding in her ears. The steady woosh-woosh-woosh sound drowned out the chattering gossip she was sure was taking place all around her.

"Ginny?" Hermione ground out. She had to keep her voice tightly controlled, or she was going to start screaming and she would not stop until she had said her piece.

"Mi?" Ginny's voice was laced with trepidation.

"Get your brother out of the Great Hall before Harry or I maim him irreparably. He's gone and done something incredibly stupid," Hermione hissed.

Ginny just nodded. She didn't question Hermione's mood. She didn't bother to defend her errant brother. She got up from the table and sought to do as Hermione asked because she had seen Hermione this upset before. She was aware of what Hermione was capable of, and Harry was no different when he was in a temper. Hermione already had the beginnings of a plan rolling around in her head, but she would need to speak with the others as well. After all, she and Harry were not the only ones to be slandered. Rita Skeeter, though? Oh, she was Hermione's prey. Skeeter had made several mistakes, one of which had been to call her a muggle-Born.

Hermione rose from the table with as much poise and grace as she could muster. Her muscles were fraught with tension she was so angry. Harry was at a late Quidditch practice running Seeker drills with Oliver Wood before the upcoming game. He wouldn't have seen the paper yet, and Hermione wanted to make sure he didn't go off and do something foolish in his anger.

She could feel the eyes of the other students watching her as she made her exit from the Great Hall. She ignored them. She had a limited amount of time before she was to meet Draco in the dungeons, and the pitch was a fair walk from the castle.

It was fortunate for Hermione then, that she ran into Harry coming back to the castle from the pitch. He had his broom held in one hand, and the paper still rolled up loosely in the other. He hadn't read it yet; she could tell from the way he was acting. Good, he could yell out here and it wouldn't alarm anything but the birds, and he was going to want to yell.

"Mi? What are you doing out here? I was just coming to dinner," Harry greeted her with a smile. Oh, Harry, if you only knew you would not be smiling. I'm sorry to have to ruin your good mood.

"Harry, something has happened and you're going to be upset by it," Hermione replied with no preamble. There was no way to soften the betrayal of a friend, and she wasn't going to attempt to do so. Ronald Weasley made his own bed, and the consequences would be his alone. She would do nothing to soften the blow for him.

"Okay, Mi. I'm sure whatever it is, we can handle it together. We usually do," he chuckled. "What is it?"

Hermione gestured to the loosely held paper in his hand, a silent indicator that he should see for himself. Harry gave her a look of confusion but opened the paper. She couldn't see his face clearly as it was dark and partly hidden by the paper, but she could feel the spike in his magical aura when he reached to quote from Ron. She cast a silencing charm around them. Three…two…one…

"Are you fucking kidding me?! What's he playing at? This makes no sense! Krum hasn't even spoken to you! Everyone knows you're like my sister! This is a complete and utter tripe! What the fuck was he thinking? How dare he talk to the press about us?! Where the fuck is he? I'm going to hex him!" And on and on it went. For another ten minutes. He paced back and forth in front of her as he yelled his irritations and frustrations into the night sky, with only her for a witness. Hermione waited until his steps started to slow, then stop. She waited for his breathing to reach a normal pattern before she spoke.

"I have a plan, Harry. I think. It will require you to be okay with my Slytherin friends, and it will hinge on you controlling your temper." It was said too calmly. She was so, so very angry, but the rage inside of her sat deep within the pit of her stomach. It sat still, it waited to be unleashed, and it burned in its coldness. Hermione could control this. Hermione would hold tight reigns on it until she could give it over to its purpose. She would control this.

Harry looked at her with angry, pain-filled eyes. "What do you need me to do, Mi? This can't stand. Rona can't get away with this, he can't slander us like in the press. He doesn't get to betray us like this because he's pissed you won't date him, because he's pissed you scarred Lavender for being a foul thief. I can stay calm if you've got a plan."

Hermione smiled a cold, cruel, calculating smile. "Oh, I have a plan, brother mine. Can you maintain control long enough for us to chat with the Slytherin's first? They would need to be involved for this to work, and it would go far to show the world that we are more than just our house rivalries. If we can get them on board, Ronald Weasley will be in for a cruel awakening."

"I will refrain from hexing his bollocks off. You tell me when and where to be, Mi, and I'll be there." His voice was cold as he answered her. The chill in the September air had nothing on the lack of feeling in his voice. Hermione had never heard his voice so cold, and that did not bode well for Ron.

"Do not speak to him until we've worked out how we are going to handle this situation. Not a sound. Ignore him. He does not exist to you. I'll talk to the Slytherin's and arrange a time and place to meet, and let you know soon. I'm actually about to go and meet Draco in the dungeons to speak with Professor Snape. He's got some extra credit brewing opportunities for us."

"It's still weird to hear you refer to him as Draco," Harry said flatly. "Yeah, okay. I can do that. I can do all that. I'm so mad he may as well not exist to me anymore. Let me walk you back to the castle. I'm hungry, and I know you don't want to be late," he offered. His voice leveled out some more, a sure sign that he was in control of his temper.

Pleased with his reaction, Hermione took his arm and they walked in companionable rage, if there ever was such a thing, back up to the castle. Harry went to get something in his stomach before he withered away to nothing, while Hermione veered off toward the dungeons to meet Draco for their meeting with Snape. Honestly, could they not have one normal year?

Draco stood outside of Professor Snape's office door waiting for Hermione. He leaned with his back to the wall, his right leg bent at the knee, with the sole of his foot also flat on the wall. His hair didn't have as much gel in it as it had last year, and he looked languid as he lounged. He had one hand in his pocket, while his other was absently flicking his want and conjuring bubbles. He must have heard Hermione coming because he turned his head to watch her approach.

"All right?" Hermione nodded at him. "You handled that well, considering."

"Yes, well, I have plans to handle it better. Care to help me with those? Harry's game, too." She slowed her approach as she came to stand in front of him.

Draco's countenance darkened, "Yeah, sure. I think I can work with Potter this once. Weaslebee had no right to talk about you like that, or to betray your trust."

Hermione beamed at him. "Good, because it will be much better if everyone is involved. Room of Requirement soon with the others. Are you ready to do this?" She motioned towards the door with her head.

"Are you?" Draco teased her.

Hermione scoffed at him. Pointing at herself she rolled her eyes and said, "Gryffindor," then she knocked politely but firmly on Professor Snape's office door. She was not, in fact, ready. She was furious at the days' events and felt like hitting someone in the face. Not Malfoy. No, someone with ginger hair. Unfortunately, she needed Severus Snape's assistance sooner rather than later, so her personal plotting of a vendetta was going to have to wait until later. This was too important to botch, and she really didn't relish the idea of having to duel the former Death Eater and spy if he wasn't amenable to her requests. She would likely lose.

"Enter," came a deep silky voice. Hermione rolled her eyes again. Honestly, the man was skilled at fitting boredom, irritation, and lack of interest into one syllable. Draco opened the door and held it for her, motioning her inside.

Professor Snape sat behind a large circular desk in his macabre office. There were jars full of questionable contents that Hermione really saw no reason to wonder about. She did her best to ignore them. The room was dark regardless of the candelabras and sconces in the room. He had not looked up at them, far too busy brutalizing an essay. He was nearly stabbing the parchment with his quill as he forcefully made his corrections. Hermione idly wondered how many quills he broke in a week. She took her cue from Draco and remained silent. It would not do any harm to let him finish his thought, especially as he seemed to be writing something particularly scathing. He did, however, gesture to the chairs across from the table as an indication that they should sit. So, they sat waiting a few more minutes, and Snape eventually glanced up from the essay he was demolishing with red ink.

"What brings you…" he stopped. He set his quill down and glanced between the two of them with a furrowed brow. No doubt he was wondering what these two particular students could possibly want from him, especially together. "Well, this is a new one for me. I know you two can't be here for assistance in class." He raised an eyebrow at them as if inviting them to speak.

"No, Godfather," Draco replied quickly. Ah, so this was not an academic visit. He would not be acting in his official capacity. Curious, though, that his godson had brought along Miss Granger-Ollivander.

"I see…or rather, I do not. What are you doing here, Miss Granger-Ollivander?"

"I came with Draco, sir. And it's just Ollivander," she said politely.

Snape's eyes narrowed to slits, suspicion dripping from his pores. "…Out with it. The suspense is killing me."

Draco nodded and turned to ward Snape's office against intruders and eavesdropping. You could never be too careful in Hogwarts, the walls had ears. He looked at Hermione and nodded for her to continue.

"Erm, okay. So, there's no simple way to ask this, but I would like for you to teach me Occlumency, sir." She fought not to fidget with her hands. She fought to sit still and look him in the eyes. She fought not to kick her feet like a child sitting in the big kid chair.

"And why, pray-tell, would I agree to that Miss Ollivander?" Still suspicious. Suspicious and lethal, and Hermione knew it.

"Perhaps it would be easier to show you, sir? In case," Hermione hedged and waved her hands around her at the room and the paintings. "It's not safe to discuss aloud in certain places."

"Very well, Miss Ollivander. Do I have your consent?"

Hermione looked him in the eyes, took a deep breath, and brought everything relevant to the forefront of her mind. She needed him to see a series of events, conversations, otherwise gleaned information, and it took her a few moments before she said, "Yes, sir."

Snape raised his wand and pointed it at Hermione, who was surprisingly calm. She hardly noticed the presence as he entered her mind. He slipped into her thoughts as if he were just one droplet of water in an otherwise larger conglomeration of them, blending into the pool of her thoughts seamlessly and with little in the way of ripples. He thankfully respected the meager boundaries she had set up for him and directed his attention to what she wanted him to be made privy to.

Hermione showed him how her parents had died. She showed him her grief, the conversation with Dumbledore about how he had lied about the way her parents died. She showed him Molly Weasley and how she had treated Hermione; she showed him the arguments and how she had come to be adopted by her Opa. She showed him her arithmancy equations and charm work, how she was working out how to enchant wands to refuse to cast an Unforgivable curse. How she had spoken with her Opa at length about her goals and the likelihood she would be able to do it. Hermione showed him all the conversations she had overheard, all the knowledge she had gleaned from books and past editions of the Prophet. She showed him her logical leaps in how she could trust him with all this knowledge, how she had managed to put together his role as a spy for the Order. She showed him her memories of how he always seemed to be trying to save Harry, how she wanted to save Harry and rid this world of Voldemort once and for all. How she was willing to play whatever part she needed to make sure the rest of her family lived and thrived. She brought forth the altercation with Dumbledore the previous night and how he had attempted to manipulate Harry into competing in the Tournament. She showed him Moody, and his behavior in class earlier that day, and the conversation with Dotty.

It might have been hours, it might have been minutes, but she felt him pull back from her mind. She was the sole inhabitant once more and was pleased for it. Hermione let out a huff of pain and buried her head in her hands. She knew Snape had been gentle, very gently, but she was unused to such intrusions and had a wicked headache to show for her efforts. She was shocked, however, when Draco gently put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back into the chair to rest. He placed a small vial in her hand which she took gratefully, immediately recognizing it as Pepper-Up from the color and scent. She was also grateful for the silence in the room while she waited for the potion to take effect. When she felt the headache begin to abate, she opened her eyes to see the two other parties in the room deep in conversation.

They were speaking, but she could not hear them. She realized they must have placed a silencing charm around her to keep the noise from bothering her. Hermione rose and walked toward the fireplace, where they were standing to give her a moment. She severed the silencing charm with a bit of wandless magic.

"Okay, tell me it gets better. That was very unpleasant," Hermione said softly.

"Eventually, yes, with practice. Think of the headache as a sign of a job well done. You exercised the muscle, so it's a little sore."

"Yes, Miss Ollivander. It is precisely that." Snape studied her closely. Hermione did not try to decipher his facial expressions. "You believe you could accomplish this, after so little tutelage?"

"I've already made some progress. I just need some time to get the rest of it figured out and to perfect it."

"And you, Draco? You trust her?"

"As much as I trust Blaise or Theo."

Snape quirked an eyebrow at this admission. "And your combined sordid past of bullying and dueling in the hallways? All is forgiven and forgotten?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at her Professor. It was obvious he was trying to elicit a response with his goading. "Kids will be kids, Professor. It's hard to hold a child to such things when they grew up learning the very same. Besides, I've gotten a satisfactory apology," Draco scoffed in disbelief, muttering it was at least an Exceeds, "and he's been making it up to me. What are your thoughts? Honestly, I would rather not try and obliviate you."

"You could try, but you would fail Miss Ollivander." Snape chuckled at her admission. "I think your plan has some merit, as insane as it is. So, I will agree to teach you and your friends Occlumency, though you're going to have to work very hard to learn it in such a short amount of time."

Hermione didn't miss it. He said they had a short amount of time to prepare. "I'm not averse to hard work, sir."

"Obviously." He sneered at her, but Hermione didn't feel like it had the expected amount of bite in his tone of voice to be an insult. She decided to take that as praise. "I am concerned about Moody, as well. I'll have to keep an eye on him. I may even know who it is, but I cannot be certain without more information."

"What's this about Moody, now?" Draco asked curiously. He had been silent throughout their exchange, letting them figure out if they would be able to work with one another on their own. He had nearly swallowed his own tongue when she had threatened to obliviate his Godfather but remained quiet. This bit about Moody, though, intrigued him. The man didn't seem right.

Hermione looked to Professor Snape, asking silently if Draco would be able to hide the information. If his shields would be strong enough should he be mentally assaulted? Snape gave her an imperceptible nod. "He has been training in these arts for years. His skill is passable."

Taking his word at face value, Hermione decided then and there to trust Draco Malfoy. She told Draco about her suspicions regarding Moody. He didn't interrupt her and looked thoughtful for a few moments after she finished speaking. She noticed he steepled his fingers when he thought about something. "I thought something seemed oddly familiar about him earlier. Godfather? Look at the memory from class?"

Nodding, Snape delved into Draco's mind. In just a few moments she could tell when Snape pulled out of the memory. "We may have a problem. I think, possibly, Moody is not Moody at all, but Barty Crouch Jr."

Hermione gasped. "You mean the Death Eater that escaped from Azkaban?"

"The very same one. If he is here, that is not good news. I will have to look further into this and find a way to bring it to Dumbledore's attention. From the memory you showed me, it looks like it could be Polyjuice."

"That damn flask! Oh, that makes so much sense. I've got to keep Harry away from that tosser," Hermione seethed.

"Indeed, Miss Ollivander. I can see you usually meet with your friends in the Room of Requirement. Draco can pass me the time you will be meeting, and I will come and assist you with your training. For now, I need to do something sleuthing and plotting of my own." It was an obvious dismissal. "Oh, and Draco, make sure Slytherin house is aware that Miss Ollivander here is to be considered one of our own. We will help her and support her. She's going to need all the help she can get, but we will do it quietly unless we're not able to. There will be many who will object."

Hermione's eyes widened, but she was not about to protest. She knew that house rivalries ran deeply in Hogwarts, and it was a fucking problem. Part of her long-term plan was to eradicate all of that nonsense. It would be mighty useful to have some more friends in Slytherin house, especially if Ronald were going to continue to do stupid things to set her back in the eyes of her peers. She knew he lashed out when he was angry, but she would not be dealing with it any longer.

"Thank you, sir, for your assistance. Goodnight," Hermione bid as she left his office. She heard Draco say something else to Snape, and then he followed her out of the office as well.

"Let me walk you back to your common room," Draco asked, proffering his arm to her politely.

She smiled in thanks and took his arm. She never would have imagined in her wildest dreams that Draco Malfoy would be willingly escorting a lion back to her den, but she was glad for it. She was beyond tired, and the legilimancy had not helped. The Pepper-Up had provided a short energy boost, but it was already waning. All Hermione desired was her bed and about fourteen hours of sleep. She would have to settle for less, likely.

"I'm still not sure what you're plotting, but the fact that my godfather seems to think it has merit is a good sign, even if he called it an insane venture," Draco commented politely.

"I hope so. I will reveal it when we can all keep our secrets better. Thank you for walking me back, by the way." Hermione squeezed his arm in a half hug. "I find I'm wrung out."

"It's my pleasure, Hermione. I know how tired it can make you, after, and you were betrayed by someone you considered a friend today. Both leave much to be desired," Draco replied, his tone kind.

"It does, indeed. I'm not sure we were friends after the events of the World Cup. He was so rude to you all, and to me, simply because I was speaking with you. I don't know that I would enjoy keeping his company when he behaves so crudely," Hermione replied seriously.

"Regardless, it is not an easy thing. I am sorry for your pain."

Hermione squeezed his arm again, as they neared the Fat Lady. "Thank you again for escorting me. Would you mind speaking with Blaise and Theo? I'd like to meet with everyone in the Room tomorrow to discuss the plan."

"Sure, I'll send you a message later tonight. Sleep well, Hermione." Draco removed her hand from his elbow and placed a small kiss on the back of it before releasing her.

"You too, Draco." She smiled tiredly at him before turning to demand entry into her home away from home.

Hermione entered to find the common room was a jumbled mess. She didn't see Ron or Harry, so she hoped Harry was ignoring him elsewhere. It was loud, and she was not in the mood for it. She climbed her way up to her dorm room, only to find Ginny sitting on her bed.

"Hey, Mi." Ginny smiled at her, sadly.

"Hey, Ginny. What's up?" Hermione went about getting ready for bed. She divested herself of her school robes and changed into some warm and comfortable pajamas.

"I figured it would be okay if I kept you company since Parvati and Lavender aren't going to come back from the Hospital Wing for a few days. That okay?"

"Oh yeah, sure. I don't mind. I'm right knackered tonight, though. Do you mind if we get comfortable and go to bed?"

"Not at all. I'm tired from wrangling Ron."

"Sorry about that. I know he can be a handful, but if I had to look at his face, I was going to hex it off."

"Well, I can't really blame you there, Mi. I wanted to do it for you, and it wasn't me he was talking about. He's my brother and I love him, but he does some stupid shite. He is the King of Prats."

Hermione huffed a laugh. "That he is. How did Harry handle it?"

"It was the strangest thing. He just acted as if Ron didn't exist until Ron left him alone. I could tell it was hard for him, but he didn't speak a word. He didn't even look at him. It doesn't help that he had been spreading rumors about Harry entering his name into the Goblet."

"Now I really want to hex his face off."

"King. Of. Prats."

Hermione yawned and climbed into bed, and Ginny climbed in next to her. "Goodnight, Mi."

"Night, Ginny."

Hermione woke to Ginny screaming. Hermione shook her shoulder and called her name. "Gin! Wake up, Ginny!" Ginny did not escape from her dream. She seemed unable to wake up. Swearing, Hermione grabbed her wand and cast an augamenti over her sleeping, thrashing form.

Ginny spluttered awake when the cold water woke her and immediately started crying. Hermione cast a drying charm over her friend and then pulled her into a hug. She cradled Ginny against her making shushing noises, rubbing her hand up and down her back to soothe her.

Ginny eventually began to quiet as Hermione shushed her. It was obvious the witch was terrified by her dreams, but Hermione wanted to make sure she was calm before she asked her what was wrong. She whispered it was alright, she whispered she was there with her. She whispered she would help her, and made all the noises a friend makes when they know you're in pain. She rubbed her hand in circles across her upper back, trying to calm her.

When she could feel Ginny's breathing evening out, she asked, "Ginny, what has you so terrified?"

"It's the damn diary! I dream about it all the time. I do whatever I can to get it out of my head, but it always seems to come back! I keep seeing his stupid face, and his words. How do I make this stop, Mi? I don't know what else to do!" Ginny broke down into sobs again.

Hermione didn't know how to help her friend, who was obviously confused and in a lot of pain. "Do you want me to look into it, Ginny? I can do some research?"

"Please! Please, Mi. My Mum just says it will fade with time, but it's not fading, and I don't know how to deal with this! It's like it's always in my head, in my dreams, and I'm scared to sleep because of the blackouts. I don't know what happened and that scares me. I don't know how to make this stop."

"Of course, Ginny. I'll see what I can find out. Come here, let's get some more rest. I'll owl Opa in the morning and see what he has to say about it. I'll get some books from Sirius, too. I'll look into it okay? Shh. Shh."

Hermione held Ginny and shushed her until she fell asleep again. Hermione lie in bed wondering what the hell Molly Weasley had been doing to help her daughter. The answer was obviously nothing, but something needed to be done. Ginny was in torment. Granted that diary had been evil, and it had almost killed her and Harry both…What kind of thing can do that? It was an inanimate object, so why did it seem to have so much power over her friends?

She could ask Draco and Snape about it, too. They might have some sort of idea since Snape had been in the inner circle and Draco's father was the one to drop it into Ginny's cauldron at the beginning of last year. Her Opa might also have some ideas. Hermione hadn't really talked with him about last year, but she was sure he would have some kind of information, or at least know where she could look for it.

Hermione sighed. Ginny's breathing was finally calm and even, and Hermione had another thing to add to her list of things to do. I could really use a Time-Turner this year, she thought. She wouldn't be asking about getting one granted for her use though. She knew she would never sleep if she had one at her disposal. But it would have been damned useful to have one, just in case.