Hello everyone!
I have decided to rework a lot of my stories this one included. I think it will be better this way than in the direction I was going in last time with this story. The last story had a tragic element to it because at the time I lost one of my parents (this is back in 2018 btw) but I never got a chance to write that version of this story so you will never know
Anyway, enjoy this better version that has a twist and mystery element to it!
:D
If there was a knut for every time Hermione Granger had been harassed and bullied by any Slytherin, she would be a very wealthy witch. Then maybe she could leave Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But she knew that she could never do that, it would be a great disservice and very unrealistic for her to do. Even for all its flaws, Hermione had developed a great fondness for Hogwarts. She was learning new and interesting subjects like potions and the history of magic that intrigued her so much that she never thought about leaving. She was very clever and most of the staff at Hogwarts took notice. So much so that one of the professors, Professor McGonagall, took her under her wing and taught her many of the defensive spells that helped her throughout the years. After becoming one of her most prosperous students Professor McGonagall nominated Hermione to be Head Girl for her 8th year. But that wasn't the only reason Hermione was staying at Hogwarts; her two best friends, Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley were the other reason Ginny and Luna were the two closest people to ever truly know Hermione other than her parents. With Ginny and Luna here at Hogwarts and her parents at home in the Muggle world, it feels like she never left home. She felt comfortable in her own skin with her parents or her friends without going far in finding it. As the pain on her hand started to nag throb once more, sending Hermione back to reality, she realized that both have their fair share of downsides but if she could find peace and comfort in both she was happy. A light tap on her shoulder called her attention to Madam Pomfrey, the school's nurse, with a pain relief potion in hand.
"Miss Granger, I would like for you to take this pain relief potion before you go to bed tonight," Madam Pomfrey instructed as Hermione nodded taking the potion from her. "Miss Granger if you don't mind me asking, what happened today?"
"Parkinson threw a disabling spell at me and since I was using my protection charm around me, it bounced. I guess this angered her so later her friends found me in the bathroom stole my wand away, disarmed me entirely, and cast a spell cutting my hand," she replied.
"I'm so sorry Miss Granger you don't deserve the treatment they put you through. If I can give my opinion, I think they're just jealous of you."
I don't think the hate of me is that simple or straightforward. Jealousy doesn't make the victim feel less than or call someone so hate-filled as mud blood. It is always good to have places where you are the most content but there are always downsides to our places of content. I always try to have a balance between the two but sometimes it becomes unbalanced.
"Anyway, I think that is all I can do for you today," Madam Pomfrey said. "If you need anything, just come back. My door is always open."
Hermione thanked her and reached for her bag as the first bell of the day tolled throughout the school. As the hospital door flung open to her two best friends calling out her name. The sounds of the familiar voices made Hermione's heart leap for joy and immediately forgot about what put her in the hospital wing in the first place. Both Ginny and Luna race up to her, talking over each other asking if she was all right.
"I'm fine. Everything is fine," Hermione explained quieting them down to hear. "Madame Pomfrey gave me a relief potion for me to take later but for now I'm fine."
"When Ginny told me about the accident this morning, I needed to see you right away," Luna said, almost out of breath.
"What happened while I was gone?"
"That arse of a Slytherin and her friends were last seen talking to both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape," Ginny explained. "We couldn't hear anything through the door because they used silencing charms. But I bet they both gave them extended detentions."
"Even Professor Snape gave them detention?" Hermione's jaw dropped at the implication. "He usually just gives them a tongue-lashing."
"I think that their crime was more severe this time for them to get a light punishment."
"That's a better outcome than I hope for," Hermione smiled.
"Yeah, well we better get going, class is about to start and we all can't be late," Luna said. "We don't want to join Pansy Parkinson and her gang in detention."
As the trio of friends ran out of the hospital wing's doors, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loud enough to get Hermione's attention; stopping her in her tracks. Hermione told her friends to go on without her as Professor McGonagall pulled her to the side.
"I am so sorry about what happened this morning and I have you know that Miss Parkinson and her friends have been given the highest punishment I can for repeated offenders like her. But tomorrow morning I want to continue our spell casting sessions. I think I have one more defensive spell that will help you in more situations. How is your wound?"
"It's healing; Madam Pomfrey's potions work well," she answered. "Thank you so much, Professor McGonagall."
"You're welcome, Ms. Granger and I'll call you tomorrow morning. 7 o'clock sharp."
Hermione assured her that she would be there and hurried off to her first class of the day, potions. Hermione makes it on time and waits patiently at her potion's table. As everyone walked in, Hermione studied the ingredients for today's potion in her textbook until she heard the door to the classroom slam shut indicating that class was about to start. Hermione looks up from her textbook and turns her attention to her potion's professor, Professor Snape. Professor Snape had a sneer on his face as he scanned the room for anyone not paying attention to him. Hermione tries to stay on his good side since he was a cold and bitter man to all that doesn't. If you repeatedly forget to do your homework or not complete the homework from the night before, you will sit with him sorting out potions and learning all their names as a detention.
"Morning class, I hope everyone finished last night's homework." Professor Snape said as he took out and waved his wand to collect everyone's scrolls. Hermione could hear from one side of the room someone growling, possibly frustrated over the fact that they weren't finished yet with their homework; there was always one person.
"And Mr. Weasley, I'll see you after class," Professor Snape said.
Hermione rolled her eyes and waited for Professor Snape's instruction.
"I want everyone to find a partner and turn to page 749 so we can start today's potion."
Everyone quickly all-around Hermione found a partner but left her alone without one. As per usual and expected, Hermione slowly raised her hand when there was a frantic knocking on the door. Professor Snape sighed in disgust and walked over to open the door. Standing there in the doorway was Neville Longbottom, out of breath and sweating. He was one of Hermione's few acquaintances outside of her friends.
"I'm so sorry Professor that I'm late!" Neville panted and wiped the sweat from his cheeks as Professor Snape growled in response. The second thing he hated the most behind no or late homework is students being tardy for his class.
"Mr. Longbottom just joined my class without disrupting it!" He replied. "Now since you are late to my class your partner for this potion will be Miss Granger since she is the last one without a partner."
As Professor Snape walks out of earshot, Hermione and Neville start the potion that was assigned to them without question. As Hermione gathered all the ingredients for the potion, Neville tried but failed to hide the concerned look on his face.
"I think we should-" Hermione started but was interrupted by Neville starting his thought at the same time as hers.
"Hermione-" Neville paused, seeing that she was going to speak. Hermione gave a conceding nod to him to acknowledge that he can proceed in asking whatever he wanted to ask of her. "I'm sorry Hermione for interrupting but I want to ask are you okay?"
"You saw what happened this morning?"
"Yeah, I did and I wanted to help. Maybe to warn you ahead of time but it was too late for me to actually stand up for you. But you know how the Slytherins get when someone opposes them."
Hermione was the main target for the constant bullying that the Slytherin girls imposed on her daily basis but there was nothing for her to combat this. Most of the students at Hogwarts were fearful of the Slytherins and as a result, they could do anything when they caught Hermione alone. It was better to dismiss than confront the realities.
"I'm fine, there's a bit of bruising on my arm. I think I'll be okay."
Neville took a moment and occupied himself with the potion before whispering, "I saw the spell they hurled at you, you know Parkinson's friends."
Hermione could tell that he was trying his best to reason with her and engaged with her on topics that were uncomfortable for her.
"It's okay, Neville," she replied as she continued to read the ingredient's book which was hard to understand. This potion was complicated and wanted the end result to be a cherry-scented plant multiplier which the ingredients were placed on the table beforehand but the charm to activate it was confusing.
"Are you stuck?" He asked and Hermione nodded in defeat.
"I think I know what is missing from the instructions and it's the use of a relaxing charm but instead of using the one that we learned in Professor Flitwick's I'm going to show you a charm that purebloods use that my grandma taught me. Also, this is an ancient charm that Parkinson's friend used on you today."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Isn't using ancient spells and charms against the Magical Codes?"
"Not all of them were banned, Hermione. A lot of them were just replaced, renamed, or modernized and in some cases a combination of all three." Neville explained. "How about you just put in the ingredients into the cauldron and I'll show you how to cast the spell."
"Right," Hermione replied.
She carefully placed the ingredients into the potions as she always did any other potion and then took a side step to the right and watched Neville commence. Even though Neville was an acquaintance to her and a person that she always said hi to in the hallway this change in their extension of their friendship was a pleasant surprise for Hermione.
Neville carefully looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching what he was doing and once he found himself in the clear he started the incantation. "Relaxat animi et corporis!"
The potion started to boil and then pop with excitement which caught the attention of Professor Snape. He quickly proceeded over to their cauldron and studied it for a while so much so that Neville and Hermione gave each other nervous looks.
"Mr. Longbottom, I have always expected less than impressive from you when assigning this assignment with Miss Granger as your partner has proved that you can achieve a potion worthy of commending," Professor Snape congratulated even with the omnipresent disgusted look on his face. "10 points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."
"Wow, thank you for showing me that spell," Hermione said as Professor Snape walked out of earshot to another student's potion.
"No problem here let me write down how to perform the spell so you can have it for yourself later," Neville replied. "And I'll also write down the counter spell to defend yourself for this spell too."
Hermione smiled and nodded in agreeance she could not contain how happy she was in getting this helpful information from someone.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," Professor Snape sighed loudly. "You never cease to amaze me in how disillusioned you are in even trying to succeed in anything in my class. 20 points from Gryffindor."
One step forward two steps back, I guess.
As the bell rang, Neville handed her the piece of parchment.
"You know I wish that you weren't the main target of Parkinson's. You don't deserve the hate that she puts on you." Neville said. "You're a brilliant person and shouldn't be envied because of that. Well, see you later Hermione."
He waved and ran down the hallway to his next class leaving Hermione to do the same in the other direction.
_o00o_
"Great work once again Miss Granger," Professor Potter said, handing back the essay that Hermione wrote the previous night. Professor Potter was a woman in her late thirties with dark ginger hair who taught the history of magic. A subject that was near and dear to Hermione's heart. According to what Ginny has told her, she is the mother of Harry Potter, a classmate that Hermione barely even noticed. She didn't even know she was his mother because they looked nothing alike.
"Tonight, I would like a half a scroll on your readings in your textbooks Hogwarts: A History and answer questions 42, 43, and 44."
The classroom audibly groaned at how much homework they had to do that night before the bell rang letting them loose to dinner in the Great Hall.
"Have a great rest of your day everyone," Professor Potter smiled. "Oh Harry, can you stay behind? I want to have a word with you."
As everyone ushered out of the room, Hermione found herself to be the last one to close the door and bump into Ronald Weasley. Hermione never really noticed how tall he was until she was this close to him. Yes, she has been to his house before because of his younger sister Ginny but she has never really talked to him one on one. She had only interacted with Mrs. Weasley; Ginny's brothers were always out of the house when Hermione was invited over.
"Hey, you're that Granger girl, right?" He asked almost hunching down to her level. Their height difference wasn't that different, so there was no need for this.
"Yes?" Hermione answered with a confused look on her face as to the reason why he was asking this question.
"Never mind did you see, Harry," Ron said quickly like he was in a rush. "He's a tall guy with messy black hair with glasses."
"I think he's talking with Professor Potter. She called for him," Hermione replied.
"Ugh, why does she need to talk to him now? We need to plan for the next Quidditch game tomorrow!"
"Ron!" Ron and Hermione whipped their heads around to face a familiar voice to both of them. Ginny Weasley was charging up to her brother with her wand in her hand ready to duel.
"What the hell, Ron?" She exclaimed as Ron hastily tried to run away from his younger sister but only to find himself backed into a corner.
"What? I didn't do anything?"
"Of course, you would say that knowing that you did something. Mum sent me a howler today."
"Oh! What did you do?" He smirked trying to get out of it.
"Nothing she wanted me to yell at you because she knew that you would rip up her howler before the letter even reaches you! How many days of detention did you get from Professor Snape?"
"7 days, can you really blame me? Professor Snape hates me and is out to get me."
"Does that even matter every time you destroy one of Mum's howlers? She sends me one to get to you, you know how embarrassing that is?"
Finally, the door to the History of Magic opens to a bewildered Harry Potter who just walked into Ginny chastising her older brother. He first made eye contact with Hermione who was leaning against the wall waiting patiently for her friend to finish. She decided this would take too long and wait for her.
"So, who are you waiting for?" Harry asked.
"Ginny," Hermione replied. "She's over there berating her brother."
"Ah, I see," he looked over to the fighting siblings and sighed knowing that they will take a while he turned his sights to Hermione.
"Uh-my mum, I-I mean Professor Potter said that-uh- you're the most brilliant student that she's ever had," Harry stuttered.
"Tell her to thank you and her class is one of my favorites," she replied and Harry smiled as he scratched the back of his head.
"You know I have been seeing you around for the past couple of years and I want to say that you and your friends have the best relationship out of everyone in Hogwarts."
"Thank you and that's a nice perspective. I wouldn't replace them for the world."
"Oh, there you are, Hermione. I've been looking for you and Ginny." Luna's dreamy voice came in from behind her. "Why are you standing here, are you going to talk to Professor Potter?"
"No, Ginny is over in the corner with her brother berating him so I decided to wait for her so we can walk together to dinner."
As Hermione and Luna conversed, Ron found his opportunity to get out of Ginny's scolding. He raced over to Harry and started pulling him by the arm toward the end of the hallway.
"You see Ginny, Harry is waiting for me," Ron said even though Ginny was right behind him. "We need to go out to the Quidditch pitch and practice for tomorrow's game. You know we cannot lose against Slytherin again."
"Ron, stop lying to me since when have you skipped a meal for Quidditch?" She replied.
"Today! It's like that old saying, no time like the present or something like that. Why don't you run along and go eat dinner with your friends Luna and… Granger right?"
"Yeah," Hermione says begrudgingly.
"So, I'll talk to you later Ginny," Ron said, pulling himself and Harry out of the way and out of sight of his younger sister.
"Let's forget about your brother for now and go to dinner," Hermione said as she tried to capture Ginny's attention away from where her brother once stood. Ginny growled under her breath but Hermione's words were working on her.
"Yeah, Ron isn't your top priority," Luna joined. "You know that your mother will get to him eventually."
Ginny closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning on her heel to her friends. "Yeah, I should let it go for now. He's just a pain in my arse sometimes. Anyway, let's go to dinner!"
Without hesitation, the three friends headed to the Great Hall.
_o00o_
After a few hours the trio of friends found themselves heading back to their respective towers for the night. Their long day had come to an end finally and now they had a moment to converse amongst themselves in peace.
"So, Hermione, are you coming over to our house for Christmas break?" Ginny asked.
"I think I will stay for a few days with my parents and then spend New Year's with you," Hermione replied.
"I think I'll do that too and meet with all of you on New Year's," Luna said. "Maybe we can shoot some fireworks at midnight."
"That sounds perfect!" Ginny exclaimed but only to follow up with her bumping into a gang of two Slytherin boys.
"Hey you three, isn't one of you that sent my girlfriend to detention for five weeks?"
The short and stout one of the two accused.
"We don't know what you're talking about?" Ginny scowled as she stood her ground.
"Oh, of course, you do, we even know her name." The tall one stepped in and cracked his fists to make himself more intimidating to the trio. "It's Hermione Granger."
Of course, it's always me!
When the tall Slytherin boy uttered Hermione's name all three of them placed a hand on their wand respectively ready to protect themselves from whatever will happen next.
"Now tell me which one of you is Granger and the other two won't have to face the consequences of protecting her." The tall one continued.
"We will never tell, that's our friend!" Ginny proclaimed. Since Ginny was the first one to speak up to these boys it was better for Luna and Hermione to keep their mouths shut so it would be harder for the Slytherin boys to figure out which one was which. The only Slytherins that knew Hermione physically were the girls so the trio had a better advantage over them since they didn't know who was who. As the three were about to arm themselves with their wands a third Slytherin came onto the scene with his platinum blond hair. This platinum blond Slytherin knew Hermione all too well as they were both head students of their prospective houses. This boy's name was Draco Malfoy and from prior confrontations, this protection was going to be a struggle.
"We think we found this Granger girl that Pansy was talking about and we're about to fight them for putting her into detent-"
The short and stout one was stopped mid-sentence with a stern order from Draco Malfoy that caught them off-guard.
"Leave!" Draco growled.
"W-what?" The two Slytherin boys stuttered.
"As your head boy, I want you to leave and leave them alone! Now!" He shouted having the hall echo his demand.
They both ran as fast as they could in the other direction without even thinking about glancing back in fear as to what would happen to them if they stayed. When the three friends turned their heads back to Draco Malfoy, he was nowhere to be found.
"What made him of all people change his heart?" Luna said with one eyebrow raised.
"I don't know, maybe we should watch out for him. Maybe the Slytherins are planning to do something in retaliation for what I did to Pansy." Hermione said.
"Most definitely, can never be too safe!" Ginny said and the friends continued their way to their houses.
_o00o_
After her patrol for the night, Hermione returned to the Ravenclaw Head Student dorms for the night and finally get some rest. As she shut the door, she could hear from behind Ravenclaw's Head boy Michael Corner who was getting up from one of the common room couches.
"Granger!" Michael confronted her.
"What is it, Corner?" Hermione replied annoyed by all the shouting that had been done to her up to this point today.
"There has been an awful lot of fluttering up in your room. It's been keeping me up since I got here 30 minutes ago," he responded.
"Oh, I'll get it is probably an owl that my parents sent."
"Well hurry up and get the letter I can't study for my charms test with all that racket!"
"Will do!"
"Thank you and goodnight," Michael said with a nicer tone this time it was like he was actually being genuine with his words. Hermione noticed this and started to blink rapidly in confusion but immediately shook her head and raced up the stairs to her room dismissing whatever Michael had just said to her. Maybe it was an absent-minded thing he said or maybe he didn't want to start a shouting match with her which he was prone to do.
Once opening the door to her room, she saw the most beautiful and unusual barn owl that she's ever seen. This owl in particular was not the one that she usually used to send her letters back and forth to her parents. So, this was clearly from someone else but who was the question? She quickly put down her bag and cloak on her desk and opened her window to let the owl in. The owl angrily threw the letter down onto the ground and flew onto her end table to wait for his treat for sending the letter.
"Okay, okay I'm sorry for making you wait for so long," Hermione said, pulling out a nearby drawer and grabbing some food for the owl. Once the owl was satisfied it flew back out of the window and into the starry night. Hermione opened the letter, definite that it was indeed not from her parents, and after reading the first few lines it was from a secret admirer.
Thank you for reading as always and leave a review because it's always helpful to read the feedback from you all
Be safe out there, see you soon!