Super quick to update I know! (don't get too used to it) But getting reviews fuel my writing! (Seriously, AliceEnchanted writing that second review made me write 2 whole new chapters!) I could have posted yesterday, but I know how sporadic my writing can be so I figured I'd space them out more, but then I got a review from HazelEyedShadowhunter and I just had to post something!

And seriously 8 favorites and 12 follows? You witches and wizards make my day.

Numbers

1 day of silence was all she asked, but it was not something she could be granted it seemed.

2 times she had suffered from the people supposedly protecting her. They had made her lose points from her house the first time, but the second time she had to endure 2 hours of detention with Slughorn.

Slughorn had spent the entire time beaming over her intelligence, and praising her father. She wanted to gag, what was with everyone telling her how charming he was? She had searched her mind to think of any moments her father had actually been charming, and came up empty.

It was taking a toll on her life, she preferred being left alone.

Lucius was bad enough, but now she had the 3 Slytherins of her own year that were following her around.

This made her days even worse, before she could at least escape Lucius when she was in class. But now a 3rd of the time, she had 3 sets of eyes following her in class. She was sad that she couldn't start hexing them in class for a long time yet. Apparently first years shouldn't know how to duel, she would have to wait at least a year before she was allowed to hex her classmates.

It didn't mean she wasn't going to hex them every time she could between classes. In fact most of her time outside of studying, was spent looking up new ways to torment the people following her, or actually hexing them.

She hadn't even bothered to learn their names. She was sure they had told her on multiple occasions, like telling her was going to earn them favor with the Dark Lord or their parents.

When her father had asked her if she was protected at school she had replied in the negative. Going on about how the castle seemed very scary when she had to walk around alone all the time. She knew it would make the boys even more persistent in their efforts, but it was worth it when she saw their looks as they got Howlers from their parents.

4 Howlers shouting at the Slytherin breakfast table at the same time was a right sight to behold. It had lifted her spirit immensely. Their house had abandoned them to the Howlers, while the rest of the school had laughed. The Gryffindors had spent the next few days quoting them, or throwing insults at the Slytherins in regards to the Howlers.

Hermione had seen the positive side of them following her around then. At least she was able to hear every witty thing the Gryffindors had come up with to torment them. And sometimes they were so embarrassed by the remarks that they escaped to their dungeon, leaving Hermione in peace to study. One day she had managed to get a whole 4 hours in the library alone.

It was stupid what had brought the entire thing on really.

4 Gryffindor boys had tried to prank her in some way. Their timing was really bad though, sending her flying down some stairs, and landing her in the hospital wing. She thought it was funny that the Matron was quick to fix her wounds and broken bones, but the dreadful green color of her skin had taken her 4 days to get out.

Thankfully Hermione didn't mind the color, and was allowed to attend classes in between trying to get the color out. She did wish they had turned her blue, or maybe given her a camouflage pattern, at least then she would be able to blend in more easily.

With the green color, she took to escaping into the Forbidden Forest. So far she hadn't been caught sneaking around, but her stalkers had been caught 5 times. She had watched from nearby as they tried to splutter out a reason for them going into the forest, again, when they had just been caught the previous day. They could not turn her in; their ego would be wounded if they admitted that she had outsmarted them again. Telling on the Dark Lord's daughter was not smart when you wanted to gain favor with him anyway.

After managing to get them banned from the library so she could study in peace, she noticed that they weren't the only ones keeping an eye on her.

The mysterious older Gryffindor would sneak glances at her. His eyes held humor and curiosity, he seemed open and welcoming.

It scared Hermione, why would someone look at her that way? It seemed like he had no intention of gaining favor from her for the Dark Lord. There wasn't anything to suggest he wanted to cause her harm, and he didn't have that glint in his eyes that suggested mischief.

After locking eyes with him for the 5th time, she sighed exasperated "What?"

He smiled at her "Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but decided not to pursue the matter, books were more important anyway. "Are you always this rude when someone takes an interest in you?" she looked up at him, there was good natured humor there, like he found her amusing.

"Depends on the person." He raised his eyebrows at that, she sighed "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." She smiled a genuine smile at him "Just some guys getting on my nerves."

"I've noticed." She hmm'd noncommittal at that and returned to her book.

"So where is your flock of followers now? Given them the day off?"

"Don't call them that. I don't have followers, I have stalkers." He laughed at her, and she stared at him, how strange.

"I thought girls wanted boys to give them the sort of attention you are receiving."

"What most girls want boys following them everywhere, watching their every move to report back to their father?" she raised her eyebrow at him.

"That's what it's about?"

"Apparently I need protection."

He laughed "From what I've seen, they should have someone protecting them from you. You throw some nasty hexes."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

They stared at each other for a while before Hermione noticed the time. "It's late, I need to get back to the dorms." She started gathering her things and made to leave.

"You don't have 5 minutes to spare for a conversation with me?" He seemed slightly disappointed by her sudden departure.

"Not really."

"How about I follow you back to your dorm and we talk?" he tried a charming smile, one she had seen her father use on his followers wives when he needed something. She cocked her head to the side, studying his face. She found that this boy did it better, but it had nothing on the brilliant smile he had when he thought something was funny.

"I don't think my stalkers would like that."

"I wasn't asking them, I am asking you."

She floated the books she had been using for her homework over to one of the carts and turned to face him. He had walked towards her, and was towering over her small form.

She studied his face, and found him even more handsome up close.

"No thank you, I can take care of myself."

Before he could say anything else, she turned on her heel and marched out of the library, pushing past him. To her relief he didn't follow her. But she did hear her stalkers take up pursuit once she left the library. She managed to shake them off when she jumped between the landings on the moving staircases.

The next morning 5 owls came floating through the windows at the same exact time, dropping one in front of her, one for Lucius Malfoy and one for each of the ones in her year. The instructions in it told her to stay away from the boy from the Bloodtraitor Fenwick line.

When she looked over to the Slytherin table she noticed the looks the boys were sending the Gryffindor table and her. She sighed; it seemed she would have a 5th person watching her. But this time one she couldn't interact with. unlike the Slytherin boys who she wouldn't want to interact with.

At least if she wanted to keep him safe, the boys would never do anything to harm Hermione, but the way they were looking at Fenwick she was sure they weren't above hurting him.

Hermione turned around to look at the boy and caught him winking at her. Now that he was forbidden territory he was much more interesting to her.

For the rest of the day she couldn't help but wonder what the green eyed boys first name was.

And she wondered if she would ever be able to have friends of her own, people her father didn't control.