A/N: Closer now. We're gettin there. Thanks for all the likes and reviews. Makes my heart sing every time I see one.

Hermione had been saying goodbye to her parents when she heard Harry's voice, "But it's not fair! You work as an Auror Dad! Why can't you do something? Anything!"

Harry's still angry about Professor Lupin.

The last week of the summer holiday had been great, up until the Daily Prophet outed Remus Lupin as a werewolf. He had been fired the same day due to outraged parents owling the Minister to 'take action' and 'protect the children'.

Harry's family was also experiencing some unwelcome attention due to Mr. Potter's friendship with the Professor.

While Hermione sympathized with Harry, she couldn't help feel like this could have been prevented if Professor Lupin had been registered in the first place. It was illegal not to inform the Ministry that he'd been bitten. And according to the Daily Prophet's findings, Lupin had been bit in his first year. The paper speculated that only Lupin's 'close friends' would know. They colored him as a monster for hiding it and anyone near him felt the effects.

I'm just as much to blame, if I'm being honest with myself.

Hermione watched as Mr. Potter pulled Harry in close, whispering something.

"What's going on Hermione?" her mother asked gently.

"Oh, it's about Professor Lupin. You remember what I told you a couple of days ago? Well Harry is still quite put out."

Mrs. Granger adopted a stoic face, but Hermione could tell she was still struggling with the fact that the Potters knew Professor Lupin was a werewolf and didn't tell them. The Grangers had grown quite close with the Potters since Hermione and Harry's first year.

Perhaps mum's sad that Mrs. Potter didn't think she could confide in her…

Hermione thought her mother and father had adapted extremely well to their daughter being a witch. They encouraged communication and thoughtfulness about everything. She could always come to them with anything that bothered her, magic or not. Even if they didn't understand because they were 'muggles', Hermione still kept them informed. They could never repeat what was said to any other muggle regarding magic, but that was a given from the first moment they were informed of her abilities by the Ministry. They had signed a non-disclosure agreement that allowed Hermione to continue to live with them. The document had been enchanted to silence any oath-breaker with a temporary hex as a precaution against the magical community being exposed. But the Granger's could talk with wizards and witches.

When Hermione was first invited to the Potter's home in Godric's Hollow, her parents came too. The Potter's had been welcoming from the start. They encouraged them to learn more for Hermione's sake and from that point forward there was a friendship between the adults. Hermione may have only been eleven at the time, but she could see just what a relief it was to have an anchor for the more difficult parts of having a muggle-born child. And with Lily being muggle-born herself, she was able to relate to Hermione. She gave Mrs. Granger quite a bit of advice, and Hermione thrived because of it.

So when Hermione brought the Daily Prophet home a few days ago, her mother wasn't the only one who felt the sting of a secret kept from them. Hermione's father was unusually quiet.

The family had spoken at length on what being a werewolf in the wizarding community meant. And while the dangers were possible, what really concerned them was the fact that Hermione had admitted to knowing Lupin's secret before now, and she had never told them. They felt it was irresponsible to withhold that from them, so not only did the Potters keep a secret from them, but their daughter did too. They held off their judgement though, and once Hermione explained how the wizarding community held such malice for the werewolves, they felt a little less agitated. Both their daughter and the Potters kept the secret to protect someone. That was something the Grangers could be proud of. They listened as she spoke of the discovery.

Professor Lupin had joined the Hogwarts staff in her third year, and Hermione discovered his secret not long after. She had noticed the regular absences coinciding with the full moon and the haggard appearance the Professor appeared in upon his return, and to put the nail in the coffin, when Professor Snape put up the recipe for the Wolfsbane potion for one of his classes, Hermione knew it was more than a coincidence.

She had immediately gone to Dumbledore and informed him. She held the Ministry in high esteem then, and wanted to report him as soon as possible. The headmaster was kind to her younger self, and patiently debated her about the morality of exposing the professor. Of course she ended up sitting in his office sipping tea and nibbling on biscuits into the wee hours, his kind eyes watching her over the rims of his half-moon spectacles as she kept circling in her moral dilemma.

Looking back now she could see how adhering to all the rules could get good people hurt, but luckily, Dumbledore had convinced her to keep what she knew to herself and see what she could learn from the DA professor. She never told anyone, not even Harry and Ron.

And knowing just what a wonderful professor he turned out to be, she was entirely glad she hadn't been the one to out him. Her parents had understood, but asked to be let in on any secrets in the future.

Hermione shook her head to dispel the memory as her father approached.

"I bet he is. I would be upset too," her father said placing his hand on her shoulder, "Wasn't Lupin Harry's favorite professor?"

"Ron's too."

It was in that moment Harry yanked himself out of his father's grip. He completely ignored his father, and hugged his mother goodbye. He brushed past the Weasleys grabbing Ron as he went.

"I'd better do some damage control. He looks like he's on a warpath." Hermione said to her parents, pulling them tightly into a group hug. "I love you."

"We love you too sweetie."

"Wait wait!" Her father called grabbing the sleeve of her robes, "It's your last year! We have to get the photo!"

"Of course! How could I forget?" she said smiling.

Every year her parents took a photo of her in her uniform in front of the Hogwarts Express. The first two years were normal muggle pictures, but the third year on were moving pictures that wizards had. James had bought a wizarding camera for her father's birthday, and he absolutely adored it.

"James! Lily!" he called waving his arm. They looked away from the retreating form of their son to the Grangers. They made their way over arm in arm.

"Jack! Catelyn! How are you? It's been a while, hasn't it Lily?" James said breaking away from his wife and patting her father on the back.

"Oh Kat, your daughter is just lovely." Lily said turning to the young witch," I didn't see you this summer Hermione, how are you?"

"That's because Molly cooks better isn't it?" James joked earning a playful swipe from his wife.

"I'm fine thank you Mrs. Potter. Just a bit nervous I guess."

"Oh that's right! You've made Head Girl! Harry told us how excited you were when you got the letter from Dumbledore."

"Listen here Hermione," James mock-whispered, "You have the supreme authority now, just don't let it go to your head okay?"

"What- like you?" Lily cut in with a mock smile.

"Oh she won't Jim. Our girl has a will of iron. She's the best for the job." Jack Granger said with a righteous nod, "And as a matter of fact-"

"Lily, dear- would you be so kind as to take our picture with Hermione? It's her last year and if we let these boys go on, she'll miss it I'm sure." Kat handed the camera to Lily and pulled her husband and daughter into position.

"Say 'Peeves'!"

With the picture done, Hermione wanted to get going, so she bid her parents a final goodbye, waving to them and the Potters as she stepped onto the train.

Hermione had just gotten to the compartment when the train began pulling away from the station. Harry was grumbling to Ron.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked, pulling a leather-bound portfolio from her book-bag.

"Right here," the redhead chimed in sliding open the door and plopping down next to Harry, "And you are not gonna believe who's Head Boy."

Everyone thought Harry would be Head Boy this year, Hermione included. It was supposed to be a surprise until the after the sorting ceremony; Dumbledore normally announced all Prefects, then the Head Girl and Boy. Most students found out on the train though. They were called to the front car to be given a list of responsibilities and whatnot for their position. Hermione had done so as a Prefect last year.

"Tell me quick Gin, I don't want the surprise when I get there."

"I'll give you one guess."

"You're not saying-"

"Yep."

"Malfoy." Harry seethed, "Dumbledore picked Malfoy over me?"

Ron was just as astounded as Hermione, "Are you sure Ginny? Are you absolutely sure?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Yes Ron, I'm sure. I saw the pin on his robes when he shoved past me just a moment ago. I don't think he knows you're Head Girl though 'Mione."

Hermione glanced down at her shiny Hogwarts pin. It was enchanted to change its engraving from the Hogwarts seal that displayed all the houses and their sigils, to just the Gryffindor Lion roaring with her name and year below it, along with the words 'Head Girl'. Hermione thought it was marvelous when she first got it. Ron even pointed out that she was destined for it because her initials matched- H.G.- Head Girl, Hermione Granger. Destiny.

Hermione had been more than pleased with Ron's assessment when he'd said it, but now, just the thought of being Head Girl alongside Draco Malfoy…

I can feel the headache already.

She pushed her bag up onto the rack, tucking her leather notebook under her arm.

"I'm off to dance with the devil. Don't wait up." She quipped trying to lighten the mood, but failing when Harry said nothing.

He was stubborn and relentless in his rivalry with Draco. He could be so pig-headed it drove Hermione up a wall. But this was another beast altogether. Draco was bound to lord it over Harry, that and the fact that Lupin was fired, meant there would be a new professor to teach them. One they didn't know. One who didn't know them. This was their last year, and already Harry was losing to Draco.

He ignored her choosing instead to wallow in his anger while looking out the window.

"You'd better get going 'Mione. Before Malfoy has a reason to dig at you." Ginny said turning to whisper something in Harry's ear.

Ron held up his half-eaten sandwich in a mock salute before she exited the car.