Kellen remained standing outside the door, transfixed at absolutely nothing but the space around him. His heart leaped when the door opened, and the sweet voice of Hermione beckoned him to come back inside the office. "We're finished, Kellen. You may come back in with us. Hagrid will be arriving shortly to start the castle tour." Kellen noticed some slight redness in Hermione's eyes; he figured that she had been crying. The conversation they had must have been a difficult one.

"Welcome back, my boy," Dumbledore said boisterously. "Thank you for being patient with us. Hagrid is on his way as we speak. He's quite… imposing, but he's a jovial fellow. Miss Granger can attest."

At that moment, there was a loud knock on the door. Dumbledore smiled. "Speak of the dragon," he said with a small chuckle.

"Come in, Hagrid," the professor said calmly.

"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid said in his signature West Country dialect as he entered. "Sorry I'm a bit late. Mister Filch had a few choice words with me." The enormous man-giant stopped in front of the children.

"Hello, Hagrid. It's good to see you," Hermione said cheerily.

"Well hello there, Hermione," Hagrid replied. "It's always a pleasure ter see you." He turned to Kellen. "And you must be Kellen," he said with a warm smile. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. But most folks just call me Hagrid."

"H.. h.. hi, Hagrid," Kellen stuttered. He knew Hagrid was huge, but he seemed twice as large as described after seeing him in person. "I've never seen anyone quite like you before."

Hagrid laughed heartily. "They must not have half-giants in the States, I take it."

Kellen shook his head. "Not that I know of."

Hagrid smiled at Kellen. "So, how are yeh liking Hogwarts so far?"

"It's different than Ilvermorny, that's for sure. But I like it here so far. Hermione is the best part, I think." Hermione blushed deeply.

Hagrid chuckled. "I'm glad that yer do. And yer have a fine friend in Hermione."

Hermione smiled. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, Hagrid. I'm very glad to be here with Kellen. He's a very sweet boy."

Hagrid laughed again, his massive mane and beard shaking. "I have no doubt that he is, Hermione. Are you both ready ter go?"

"Oh, and before you leave, did you need anything from me, my boy? Any questions or concerns?" chimed in Dumbledore.

Kellen shook his head. "Um… hmm… I don't think so, sir. I'll let you know if I think of anything."

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well. Off you go, then."

"All right, yer two. Follow me, please," Hagrid called out cheerily.

Hagrid, Hermione and Kellen first went to the Astronomy Tower, as it was rarely occupied in the daytime. They ascended to the top of the tower – there wasn't much to see in the day except for some fluffy white clouds and a few birds. "This is so much cooler than what we have back at Ilvermorny," Kellen confessed. "We just have a lousy glass dome at ground level. The view from up here is phenomenal."

"I take it that you enjoy Astronomy, Kellen?" Hermione asked.

"Um, hello," Kellen said with a laugh. "I'm a science fiction nerd, remember?"

Hermione giggled. "As if I can forget."

The three felt a gust of chilly air. Hermione shivered slightly.

Kellen laughed. "It's not that cold, Hermione. I know it gets cold in the Scottish Highlands, but central Minnesota is a whole other level of cold. The winters there are brutal. The snow and cold are one thing, but the wind can sometimes exceed hurricane-level speeds." Remembering he was in Britain, he quickly calculated the conversion from imperial to metric in his head. "That's 120 kilometers per hour."

Hermione gave him a smirk. "Nerd," she said softly.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," Kellen retorted with a grin. "But if you forgot your scarf, I brought mine just in case. Would you like to use it?"

Hermione giggled. "He's such a sweet boy, Hagrid." She then turned to Kellen. "If you don't plan on using it, I'll gladly wear it. Thank you." He offered her his red and gold Gryffindor scarf, and he gently wrapped it around her neck. "That's much better, thank you," Hermione said gratefully.

Hagrid chuckled. "He's a right gentleman, Hermione. Yer found yerself a good one there."

"The view from up here is brilliant," Kellen said. "The more I see of Hogwarts, the more I feel like I've missed out. There are towers at Ilvermorny, but they don't really serve as observation decks. And that's too bad because there is some nice scenery there."

"Do they have houses at Ilvermorny, like they do here? And if so, which one did you belong to?" Hermione asked.

Kellen smiled. "We do. Like Hogwarts, Ilvermorny has four houses – the Horned Serpent, Wampus, Thunderbird, and Pukwudgie."

"Huh," replied Hermione. "That sounds very strange to me. Are they analogous to our houses?"

"Kinda-sorta," Kellen answered. "We get sorted by totems instead of a hat. I got picked by the Horned Serpent house, which I suppose would correspond most closely with Hogwarts' Ravenclaw house. It emphasizes the mind."

"That doesn't surprise me," Hermione said. "And what about the other Ilvermorny houses?"

Kellen paused to think. "Wampus values the body, Thunderbird values the spirit, and Pukwudgie values the heart. They are a bit different than the Hogwarts houses, but if I had to match each of them up, I would imagine that Wampus corresponds with Hufflepuff, Thunderbird corresponds with Gryffindor, and Pukwudgie corresponds with Slytherin, but only because the last two had to be matched with someone. We don't have a "red headed stepchild" house like Slytherin, so all four Ilvermorny houses exist harmoniously."

"Oh, that has to be nice," Hermione said. "I try to keep an open mind and I know there are some genuinely good wizards that happen to be Slytherin, but you have to keep both eyes open because most wizards that dabble with the Dark Arts come from there. And please be careful, Kellen. Draco Malfoy and his lackeys are not very kind boys, unlike Ron, Harry, or Neville. Seamus and Dean like to goof around, but at the end of the day, they're still good boys. They're much better company than Malfoy's gang. I'd hate to imagine what they'd do to you if they saw you wandering the halls by yourself… they're going to push you around and humiliate you if they get the chance. I'm only telling this because I deeply care about you. I will do my best to protect you from them. As will Harry and Ron. We'll always have your back. I promise."

Kellen smiled. "And I will always have yours, Hermione. Harry's and Ron's too." Hermione wrapped her arms around Kellen. "I like your hugs, Hermione," Kellen admitted. "They feel perfect." Hermione giggled. "And I like your hugs, Kellen. I like having the arms of a gentleman around me. I can't say that every time a boy hugs me. Which isn't very often."

Hagrid chuckled. "All right, yer two lovebirds. I think it's time ter make our way back inside ter continue the tour."

Hagrid, Hermione and Kellen made their way back inside and headed down the stairs. They made their way to the dungeons to see where Potions would be. Then they went to the greenhouses, where he'd be taking Herbology. They then went to the infirmary, where Hagrid advised Kellen to try to make as few trips as possible.

"Is it just me, or are we taking the most scenic tour possible?" Kellen whispered to Hermione. "I think we're going from one end of the castle to the other, and back the other way again." Hermione covered her mouth, trying to suppress a laugh.

Hermione winked. "I think it's just you," even though she felt the same way.

They traversed numerous corridors, and countless stairsteps. They went outside to see the Quidditch Pitch, the Womping Willow, the Great Lake, and even Hagrid's own hut by the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They went back in the castle where they went to the Divination Tower and a few other classrooms. After what seemed like several hours' worth of walking, they finally came to a stop at the library.

Kellen was dumbfounded, it had at least twice as many books and scrolls as the one in Ilvermorny. "Now this is a library," he said softly.

Hagrid smiled. "And this is where the tour ends. It was nice to meet yer, Kellen. Feel free ter stop by my hut if yer need anything."

"Thanks, Hagrid," replied Hermione and Kellen softly.

"Now that we're in a quiet place, I'd like to find a place to sit so we can talk, Kellen," whispered Hermione.

"About British culture and other differences I should be aware of while I'm at Hogwarts?" Kellen replied softly.

Hermione nodded. "That, and other things."

Hermione's expression was one of concern, and not her usual bubbly self. Something had been eating at her, thought Kellen.

They found a small table in a far corner of the library.

"You were crying earlier, weren't you Hermione?" Kellen whispered. "Whatever you spoke to the Headmaster about must have been a painful topic."

Hermione nodded. "Kellen, please bear with me. This is not easy for me to say, and I know it won't be easy for you to hear. All I want right now is for you to let me say my piece."

Kellen's heart pounded. This did not sound good. Did the Professor want him to leave Hermione alone? He was thinking of a hundred different scenarios, and all of them were equally awful.

Hermione continued. "I've never met anyone with your condition before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Professor Dumbledore gave me some perspective – some things to be aware of right now, and some things to be mindful of in the future. He essentially told me that there is no 'typical' case of Asperger's, as the symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.

Apparently, many boys with Asperger's more readily attach to girls than boys because a girl is more likely to be empathetic than a boy. Do you agree with that?"

Kellen shrugged. "I don't know. You're the first girl that wanted to be my friend, most of the other girls – witches and no-majes alike – wanted next to nothing to do with me."

Hermione nodded. "Do you have any feelings for me? I want you to be honest, because I really care about our friendship. I care about you."

Kellen sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I like you, Hermione Granger. I like you a lot."

Hermione smiled. "And I like you, Kellen Grimseth. I like you a lot. Do you know why you like me?"

Kellen surprised Hermione with how quickly he answered her question. "Because you're smart and sweet. You listen to me, you make me feel valued… you make me forget that I have Asperger's. That's really, really hard to do. And it helps that your posh Received Pronunciation accent is heavenly."

Hermione's smile grew. "And do you know why I like you?"

Kellen smirked. "Maybe?"

Hermione giggled softly. "I think you do too, but you just want me to say it. Fine," she said, mock-swatting Kellen on the shoulder.

Her warm brown eyes met his green eyes. "Kellen, Asperger's or not, I've never met a boy like you. Dumbledore says that you treat me like a princess, and I couldn't have said it any better. You're sensitive, you're sweet, and you put my needs above your own. Lending me your scarf earlier – that was very gentlemanly of you. And oh Merlin, that brain of yours, Kellen. I know I was messing with you when I called you a nerd earlier, but you can convert Imperial to Metric like it was nothing. Things like that are instantaneous for you. Even I have to stop and think for a moment. And I know that you're being very sweet when you say I'm smarter than you, but Kellen, there are things your brain can do that mine can't, or at least as quickly. I envy that, just like most of the school envies my academic talents."

"You are smarter than me, Hermione," Kellen protested. "At least, in some ways. You say you're not a people person, but you can express your emotions more easily than I can. You don't experience nervous tics like I do. You don't stare off into space when trying to dodge uncomfortable situations. I sometimes stare off into space for no reason.

People don't look at you like they look at me. At Ilvermorny, I got labeled a 'freak'. Yes, a 'freak' among wizards, not just no-majes. I'm not an emotional person, but that hurts to the core. 'Freak' is to me, what 'mudblood' is to you. It hurts both of us because neither of us can help it, but it's something we're forced to live with."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm so, so sorry, Kellen. I know that has to hurt." Again, she looked deeply into his almost teal eyes. "Please believe me when I say this, but you are not a freak."

Kellen smiled. "Thank you, Hermione. That does mean a lot to me."

Hermione smiled, although perhaps somewhat wistfully. "You're welcome. I'm glad it does." She swallowed hard.

"Kellen, when we… snogged last night... I'm not sure we should have done that." Tears started forming in her eyes.

Hermione continued. "Professor Dumbledore also said that boys with Asperger's are prone to attachments, sometimes almost possessive. I like you Kellen, but I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect about… dating you one day."

Kellen just sat there silently. Hermione gave him a moment to respond, but he just remained silent, so she continued.

"I'm flattered if you want me to be 'your girl'," she said, fighting tears. "But I don't want to be unrealistic either - not with you, and not with myself. A couple of years from now, I don't want to break your heart. That's the last thing I want to do. If I date another boy, it's not because he's better than you, but he may be able to meet my emotional needs in a capacity that you might not be able to. And it's going to break my heart too, because you've been amazing to me in the short time we've known each other."

Kellen looked like he had just zoned out. Although he was struggling processing with these revelations, his face remained stoic and he uttered no sound.

He shook his head and slowly stood up. "No… don't… no…" was all he could say, before storming out of the library, clearly distraught.

"Kellen, please," Hermione called out. She stood up and ran after him. "Kellen, wait! Please wait up. I didn't mean to offend you, truly, I didn't." He turned around, and simply shook his head at her. The stone face of his was starting to break, as she saw tears welling up in his eyes. He quickened his pace in an attempt to distance himself from her as quickly as possible. He didn't really care where at this point.

She started walking faster, trying to think of a way to get him to just let her finish, but a rush of students poured into the hallways and she had completely lost track of her friend. "Shit," she uttered under her breath.

"Miss Granger, I never thought of you capable of using such language." She turned to her right and she saw the familiar green habit of Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem upset; on the contrary, she had a mild look of bemusement on her face.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I didn't think anyone heard that," Hermione replied somewhat sheepishly.

"My eyes and ears are quite keen to picking up conduct unbecoming of our young witches and wizards," the professor replied. She smiled at Hermione. "But, I'll pretend I didn't hear that. You seem distraught, child. Would you like to come to my office for some tea?"

"That would be lovely, Professor," Hermione said.

Shortly after that, the two witches sat down in Professor McGonagall's office. "Chai or Earl Grey?" Professor McGonagall asked Hermione.

"Oh, the Chai please," Hermione answered sweetly.

"Here you are, dear," the professor said, handing Hermione a teacup and a matching saucer.

"Thank you," Hermione replied.

Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a bit of a worried look. "What happened to Kellen? I thought you were going to be spending the day with him to help acclimate to Hogwarts,"

Hermione took a small sip of her tea. "Not all that long ago, Hagrid ended the tour at the library. Professor Dumbledore wanted me to find a quiet spot and discuss cultural differences between the States and the UK, but I think I went and mucked it up."

Professor McGonagall poured herself a cup of the Earl Grey. "How come, dear?"

Hermione sighed. "Before our tour began, Professor Dumbledore asked Kellen to step outside his office for a few minutes as he wanted to speak to me privately. About Kellen."

Professor McGonagall looked up from her tea cup. "Oh?"

Hermione elaborated. "He basically warned me to not get too attached to Kellen, because of his condition. There are just certain things that he's going to struggle to provide if we're to seek a romantic relationship."

Professor McGonagall chuckled. "Oh goodness, child. You're barely thirteen. You shouldn't have to think about boys like that. All I will say is, when the time is right, you'll know precisely what you want in the boys you date. But that time should not be now."

Hermione nodded. "I agree with that. But, Merlin help me, I like him. Even some of his eccentricities are rather endearing. A lot of the things that make him stand out are good things. Very good things. He is so bloody smart, for example. I wish he could comprehend his own brilliance because the more I know him, I don't think he understands just how gifted he is."

Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a knowing look. "He is an extremely bright pupil. That much is certain."

"And that's not even the real reason why I like him. He's so gosh-darn sweet. He treats me like a princess. For instance, he let me use his scarf outside today when the wind picked up this morning at the top of the Astronomy Tower."

Professor McGonagall laughed so hard that she snorted. "Did I hear you correctly, Miss Granger? Did you just say… 'gosh darn'?"

Hermione's cheeks flushed deep crimson. "I guess I did, Professor. He's rubbing off on me and I didn't even realize it."

"So, why did he leave you then, Miss Granger? I don't think you've actually told me what happened," Professor McGonagall murmured.

"I told him that we probably shouldn't have snogged last night. I just didn't want him to feel too attached to me, because while I care for him a great deal, he is wired differently than most other boys. He's not the best at communication, either verbally or nonverbally. He's not very good at expressing his emotions. He has a face of stone, but deep inside I know that his emotions run rampant. I know that there is much pain, frustration, and sorrow in him, but he bottles all of that up because he doesn't know how to deal with those feelings.

It'll break his heart if he sees me spending time with another boy. And honestly, it'll break mine too because he is such a sweet, caring soul with lots of love to give. So when I suggested that he might not be the boy I eventually see myself dating one day, he ran off. He didn't say anything, but for someone that isn't very emotional, I know that he was hurt because he was tearing up. That's not like him. And I really didn't mean to hurt him."

Professor McGonagall slowly sipped her tea, taking in Hermione's story. She them smiled warmly. "It's apparent that he does feel an attachment of sorts with you. After all, you talked to him the most out of anyone at the Gryffindor table last night at the special welcoming ceremony, is that correct? And from what I gather, he didn't prod you, you prodded him. When someone pays him that much attention, he's naturally going to want to know more about you. Remember, what the two of you did was completely natural. He feels more readily attached to a girl that actually cares – or at least seems to care – about him, and you gave him that empathetic ear that he's probably craved his entire life. You threw him a life preserver. It took him a little bit to find it, but when he grabbed ahold of it, he did it hard."

Hermione broke down sobbing. "And I would never tell him that there was no way I was going to date him, because that's not true at all. He has a heart of gold, and any girl would be lucky if he treats them half as well as he treats me. I can overlook some things to pursue a romantic relationship with him."

Professor McGonagall embraced Hermione warmly. "And that is exactly what you should tell him the next time you see him. He's hurt, yes, but he still thinks very highly of you. I have no doubts. Right now, I would just give him the space he needs to let him deal however he can."

Hermione nodded. "Professor Dumbledore said something about the possibility of him attending therapy to help him with his emotions and his coping mechanisms. Those services were not available to him at Ilvermorny."

"I agree, Mister Grimseth should benefit from some regular therapy. I would prefer that we use the appropriate channels and get a witch or wizard trained in counseling, but if we need to go under the table and seek a Muggle specialist, then we will do so. He deserves our full, unconditional support."

"And is there any chance he could end up transferring back to Ilvermorny after this year? I know it didn't work out last year, but maybe his parents are pushing for changes so that he can be brought back to his home school," Hermione asked.

"I cannot answer that, one way or the other, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall replied. "He is homesick, but he also finds comfort in you. As long as he's enrolled here, whenever he sees you, he's happy. And that's all that matters."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Where do you think he could have gone off to? It's almost lunch, and if Malfoy and his cronies spot him, he might as well be a sitting duck."

"Let's start with the Gryffindor dormitories. He may be in his room, or the common room."

Kellen was in a panic. He bolted for the Great Hall, maybe a few minutes with Neville or Harry or Ron could do him some good. He wasn't angry with Hermione, but he did feel confused and hurt and just needed a new, temporary happy place.

As he went into the Great Hall, he was in such a hurry that he accidentally brushed shoulders with a Slytherin student. Unfortunately, it wasn't just any Slytherin student, but that right prat Draco Malfoy, himself.

"Hey, you, watch where you're going," Malfoy drawled.

"I… I… I'm sorry, I'm just in a hurry. I'm not looking for trouble," Kellen replied.

"Well, I have news for you pal, you just found it," Malfoy said with a smirk.

Kellen glared at Malfoy. "You… You must be the infamous Draco Malfoy," he snarled.

"Indeed I am. Let's see… outlandish accent, outlandish mannerisms, you must be that new kid, Kellen Grimseth."

"I might be, Draco. Just let me pass and we can both forget this happened."

"Not so fast, mate. Crabbe? Goyle? I think we need to put Mister Grimbreath in his place first. What say you?"

Malfoy's two hulking lackeys gave their leader looks of smug approval.

Malfoy snickered. "Bottoms-up, Grimbreath!"

He waved his wand and pointed it at Kellen. "Levicorpus!" Malfoy had cast the dreaded Dangling Jinx on Kellen.

Before he realized what had just happened, Kellen's feet were up in the air, and his robes were hanging down over his head.

"I wonder what color underpants Grimbreath is wearing today," Malfoy said to his Slytherin cronies. "Shall we find out?" Several Slytherin students had joined in on the laughter.

At that moment, they had noticed that Professor Sprout had walked into the Great Hall. Malfoy knew the jig was up, so he quickly mumbled "Liberacorpus" and Kellen dropped on the floor with a thud.

Malfoy smirked at Kellen. "That was fun, mate. We should do that again sometime. Have a nice day, Grimbreath." He and his goons snickered as they found their seats.

Kellen, already distraught, fled the castle. He was thoroughly embarrassed. He wandered around the grounds, trying to regain his bearing. He saw a plume of grey smoke in the general direction of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid, he thought to himself. He walked toward the smoke plume until he came upon the doorstep of Hagrid's hut. He knocked on the huge door and waited for an answer.

"Hello, Kellen. Yer look like yer a bit lost," Hagrid beamed at his new friend. "Why don't you come in fer a few minutes. Tell me what's on yer mind."

Kellen sniffed slightly. "I'm sorry, Hagrid, I didn't know where else to go…" His eyes were red from shedding a few rare tears.

"Yer seem upset about somethin'," Hagrid said knowingly. "Nothin' some treacle fudge can't fix."

Kellen bit in to the treat. "It's tasty, Hagrid. Kind of like the sweets my Bestemor Pernille makes. Thanks."

Hagrid smiled. "I'm glad yer like it. Poor Harry, Hermione and Ron can't seem ter stomach it fer some reason."

Kellen laughed. "I'm half Norwegian, Hagrid. I'm used to eating unusual things."

"And what's the other half, Kellen?" Hagrid asked.

"English and Scottish. My mother's maiden name's Moultrie."

"Maybe you're related to Desiree Moultrie? She's a Ravenclaw witch. Third year student, I believe."

Kellen shrugged. "I have no idea. My mom's family came to the States a hundred and seventy years ago, so maybe very distantly. But I definitely identify more with my Nordic heritage than British. Ever had lutefisk?"

Hagrid laughed. "Jellied codfish, right? I believe I've sampled a time or two during one of my Scandinavian excursions. Not too bad."

Kellen chuckled. "Yeah, basically. I had it at my aunt's house a couple of years ago for Christmas… I didn't really like it."

Hagrid looked at Kellen. "M'boy, I don't think you've come here to talk about food. Something's bothering yeh, I know it."

Kellen couldn't quite make facial contact with Hagrid. "Yes, you can certainly say that."

He continued. "I just got jinxed by Draco Malfoy. I accidentally bumped into him in the Great Hall, and he cast the Dangling Jinx on me. If it weren't for one of the professors, they would have kept harassing me. I was warned about them."

Hagrid's face flushed with color. "That Malfoy brat is bad news, Kellen. He thinks he's better than everyone else because he's from a pureblood family. Say, what happened ter li'l Hermione? She was with you the last I saw yer two."

Kellen started to tear up again. "We talked in the library after the tour. She was supposed to help me acclimate to British culture, but she talked about regretting about something we did last night. She… kissed me. Like, not just a friendly forehead peck. A total snog."

Hagrid smiled. "She's a terrific girl, m'boy. Yer must have left quite an impression on her, fer her ter do that."

Kellen shrugged. "And Merlin help me, Hagrid… I liked it. We snogged twice."

Hagrid chuckled. "Was that yer first kiss, by any chance?"

Kellen nodded. "It was, sir."

"I see," replied Hagrid. "She's not at all promiscuous, so she really likes yer." He gave Kellen a hearty pat on the back.

"So she told yer that she regrets giving yer the ol' lip wrestling routine. Did she say why?"

"She said that she spoke with Professor Dumbledore this morning. They wanted me to leave his office for a moment so they can talk in private, so I don't know exactly what they said, but I think I can put two and two together. He discouraged her from being too attached to me. He probably told her that I'm not worth her time because I'm abnormal. A f-f-freak," Kellen added, reduced to tears at the end.

Hagrid's expression suddenly got rather stern. "Kellen Grimseth," he said, "I don't ever want to hear you refer to yourself as such going forward. Is that understood?"

Kellen nodded. "Yes, sir. I was called that a lot at Ilvermorny, so I guess it just stuck with me."

Hagrid's face softened to its usual friendly expression again. "Heh, they don't know what they're missing, and truthfully, yer better off here. Don't let them get to yer. Yer have a lot ter be proud of, m'boy. Yer Norse heritage. Yer smarts. Yer wizarding gifts. And even more importantly, the fact that yer have made some terrific friends here. I know Hermione like the back of my hand. She would never, ever intentionally hurt anyone, much less anybody like yerself. That girl adores you, Kellen. She adores you. And she adores yer - both in spite of yer differences, and because of yer differences. She can overlook the things that yer might think will turn folks off. Yer still twelve years old, Kellen. She's only thirteen. Yer both a lot smarter than most people twice yer age, but emotionally yer still pups. Yer need to enjoy being children first."

Kellen looked Hagrid in the eyes, knowing that his great bearded friend knew exactly what he was talking about. "I up and left her at the table. I ran away from her."

Hagrid nodded. "And she's probably worried sick about yer. I think yer ought ter stay here fer the time being. Yeh will be safe from those meddlin' Slytherins, and Hermione will figure out that yer are here soon enough.

Kellen nodded in agreement. "I like that idea, Hagrid. I don't trust people easily, but I can tell that you are the trustworthy sort. Thank you."

"Yer are certainly welcome, Kellen. Another treacle fudge?" Hagrid said with a grin.

As soon as Kellen bit into the piece of fudge, there was a knock on the front door. Hagrid opened the door and saw Hermione and Professor McGonagall.

"Hagrid, we're trying to find Mister Grimseth," Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "He left the library without Miss Granger. We tried searching the Gryffindor common room and he wasn't in his dormitory. He wasn't in the great hall eating lunch, so I was hoping you could help us search for him."

Hagrid smiled broadly at the two witches. Without saying a word, he gestured them inside with his head.

When Hermione saw Kellen sitting, munching on his piece of treacle fudge, her face lit up. She ran as fast as she could to her friend, embracing him warmly.

"Oh Kellen, I am so glad I found you, she said with a bright smile. Her face then hardened into a more serious expression. "You had Professor McGonagall and I worried sick," she said with a note of indignance. Her face brightened again. "I'm glad you're all right, Kellen." She gave him a gentle peck on the forehead. Kellen's cheeks turned crimson.

"Treacle fudge, ladies?" Hagrid offered Hermione and the professor. "No thanks," they said at the same time. Kellen chuckled. "You're missing out. Reminds me of my bestie's fudge." Hagrid laughed heartily. "Glad someone here appreciates my cooking."

Kellen looked at Hermione in the eye. "I'm sorry for leaving you like that, Hermione. I didn't know how to process what you were saying, and even though it wasn't your intention, it sounded almost like a rejection of sorts, and that is a huge fear of mine."

Hermione smiled. "I would never, ever, reject you, Robert Kellen Grimseth."

Kellen returned the smile. "Your friendship is the best treasure I could ever ask for." He gave Hermione a peck on the forehead. This time, her cheeks turned bright red.

"If you're still hungry, there's still about twenty minutes left for lunch," Professor McGonagall said.

"Good-bye, Hagrid. Thanks for everything," Kellen said.

"Good-bye, Kellen. It was great getting to know you today," Hagrid replied.

Professor McGonagall, Hermione and Kellen made their way to the great hall. Kellen and Hermione made their way to the Gryffindor table. Professor McGonagall waved her wand and conjured a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and waters for her two smartest students. She smiled at the kids. "I know it's not much, but I don't want you two to go hungry."

"Thank you, Professor," they each said.

"So Kellen, what happened after you left the library? Where did you go?" Hermione asked.

"Well… I was trying to find a place to sit and process what happened in the library, but I ended up bumping into Draco Malfoy here in the Great Hall before I went to Hagrid's hut," he said.

"You didn't," gasped Hermione.

"The little asshole cast the Dangling Jinx on me. He was about to get a peek at my boxer shorts until – at least I think it was – Professor Sprout came by. Malfoy dropped me pretty quickly, though I think I have a bump on the nape of my neck. It wasn't a fun fall." Kellen rubbed the back of his neck, and Hermione saw a small bump.

"I'm so, so sorry," Hermione responded.

"I'll be all right," Kellen said with a reassuring smile.

After the two finished their two simple lunches, they got up to leave the Great Hall.

"Where to now?" Kellen asked Hermione.

"Do you want to just chill in the common room for a bit? You've had a lot happen today and I thought maybe you could use a little quiet time."

Kellen smiled. "That sounds good to me. Lead the way."

As the two were about to exit the Great Hall, Draco Malfoy and his goons were also getting up to leave. Crabbe pointed toward Kellen and Hermione, and whispered something into Malfoy's ear.

Malfoy turned around and smirked when he saw Kellen and Hermione making their way out of the dining hall.

"Back for more, eh, Grimbreath? Oh, and fancy seeing you here as well, mudblood."

Kellen's face turned deep purple with primal rage. Even Crabbe and Goyle gulped.

"Hermione, hold my wand. It's time I teach a lesson of my own to Draco."

"But Kellen, he's going to jinx you again!" Hermione protested.

Hermione beamed when she heard how confident Kellen replied. "No, he won't. I don't need magic to kick his ass."

Draco attempted to reach for his wand, but before could, Kellen's left hand deftly snatched the wand out of Draco's hand. His other hand was clutching Draco's throat. He backed Draco to a wall, and lifted him a foot off the ground with just his one hand. Hermione was pleasantly surprised by Kellen's display of muscle – all those years as a farmboy made him much stronger than he looked. Kellen then tossed Draco's wand to Hermione, who caught it with her free hand.

Kellen gave Draco an intense, scornful glare. "Draco, you will apologize to Hermione for that disgusting epithet."

Struggling to breathe, Malfoy spat, "Never, you autistic freak."

Kellen landed a powerful haymaker right in Malfoy's breadbasket. "You can call me any name you want, Draco, but you will never insult Hermione like that in my presence. You can apologize to her now, and you can get your wand back, or I can continue to pummel the living shit out of you."

Malfoy snarled. "Fine. Have it your way, Grimbreath. Let me go and I will apologize."

Kellen released his hold on Malfoy, and let him drop to the ground. Malfoy approached Hermione. "I'm sorry for calling you mudblood, Granger." He glared at Kellen, and gestured for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him out of the Great Hall. "Let's go, boys." Hermione handed Malfoy his wand back as the Slytherins left the great hall, utterly humiliated.

It was a real treat seeing Malfoy leave with his tail tucked up under his legs. "You were great, Kellen," Hermione said. She hugged him tightly. "I'm very proud of you for standing up to Malfoy like that. The Hat did choose the best house for you. You truly possess the courage and confidence of a real Gryffindor."

"I can't let a jerk like him get away with that," Kellen replied. "It's one thing to insult me, but when my friends are insulted in my presence, I will make him regret it. I hope he thinks twice the next time he tries to do that."

The two Gryffindors then went upstairs to their common room.

"May I take your robe, Hermione?" Kellen asked.

"You may," Hermione responded. They removed their robes, and Kellen hung them up on a coatrack in the corner.

They sat down on one of the couches. "It's really quiet up here," Kellen said.

"I like it that way," Hermione said.

"Is that... a no-maj record player on the shelf over there?" Kellen asked.

Hermione giggled. "You say 'record' funny."

Kellen smiled. "I've heard that pronunciation before. They say it that way in parts of Canada."

"I'm sure," Hermione answered. "And yes, it's a muggle stereo with a turntable."

Kellen looked into Hermione's liquid brown eyes.

"Hermione Jean Granger, I would be delighted if you would have this dance with me."

"Robert Kellen Grimseth, I would love to dance with you," Hermione replied with a bright smile.

He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the stereo set. Without using any words, the receiver turned on and the speakers started crackling.

Kellen stood up, and gently pulled Hermione up by the hand. She put her hands on his shoulders, while he very respectfully placed his hands on her waist. At that moment, the Temptations' signature song, My Girl, started playing.

Hermione placed her head on Kellen's chest, And they slowly moved back and forth to the beat of the song.

"So am I your girl, Kellen?" Hermione asked.

"Always," Kellen responded.