Disclaimer: Not my characters, they're JKR's. Not my story, it belongs to
"Dani."
'Lupin!' exclaimed Harry with great delight.
The other two looked where Harry was pointing and Hermione gasped.' What's he doing here?'
'He's probably a substitute or something.' answered Hermione.
'Wicked! I hope he'll teach us 5th years,' said Ron, still wide-eyed.
The scared little first years entered the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. They were all terrified but after the sorting ceremony, all their faces were relieved. There were less Slytherins this year.
As usual, Dumbledore addressed the school right after the first years all took their seats.
'Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I would like to say a few words before we start feeding. First, I would like to tell our first years and remind the older students that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to all students.
Next, I'd like to ask all students to stay in their dormitories after 9pm. No student is to be found walking about in school after that time.' he shot Harry a glance. 'Also, the Quidditch season will begin in the first week of November.' many people applauded at this, including an ecstatic Fred and a trippy George.
When the silence died down, Dumbledore continued, 'Now, I would like to tell the students from 4th year and up, that there will be quite a few occasions where you will be asked to get a partner and dress formally for certain events which I'm sure you will very much enjoy.'
Most of the girls looked excited at this idea. The boys weren't that thrilled however.
'If you please, I will now introduce the new additions to our staff. Please welcome, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Ms. Arabella Figg.' the Hall erupted with applause. She looked quite embarrassed at this.
'And Mr. Rubeus Hagrid will not be able to teach Care of Magical Creatures this year as he will be very busy. Your new professor at this subject is a Mr. Lupin.' at this everyone except the Slytherin table and the first years clapped their hands.
It was a known fact that aside from being a werewolf, Lupin was the most favored DADA teacher in Hogwarts. The first years were probably not clapping because their parents must've told them about how all werewolves are bad.
Dumbledore continued,' Yes, yes. We are all very excited this year but if I may, I'd like to start eating now. Camelot' and with that, the empty plates filled with foods and the goblets with drinks.
After eating and getting enough dessert, Dumbledore got up and said a few more words. 'If the prefects would kindly escort the first years to their own house, it would very much appreciated.'
Harry, Hermione and Ron, along with the other Gryffindor 5th years, went silently up to their dormitories. When Harry saw his four-poster bed, he went straight to it, made himself fall backwards and had a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, he woke up only to face the horrible fact that it was Monday. His lessons begin today. But as soon as he saw his timetable, he looked forward to the day.
'There's Care of Magical Creatures today! Wicked!' exclaimed Ron.
'Yeah. we can finally talk to Professor Lupin. After Defense Against the Dark Arts though. We've got double lessons of it.' said Harry, in a somewhat excited tone.
They went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They couldn't find Hermione in the common room but saw her sitting down in the Gryffindor table. They sat next to her. She looked Quite pale and her eyes seemed as if she didn't get enough sleep. Harry noticed she was clutching a note in her right hand.
'Hermione, are you okay?' he asked, obviously concerned.
'Noth... nothing.' she replied, not even bothering to look up.
"Are you sure Herm? It doesn't look as if you're alright.' said Ron.
'Yes, I'm sure.' she said sadly. Both Harry and Ron didn't like the looks of this one bit.
'Uh, okay guys, I got to dash before transfiguration. My girlfriend's calling me.'
For a moment, Harry thought he saw Ron blow a kiss to someone behind him but when he turned to see who it was, he was disappointed to see no one was looking at Ron.
'HA! My girlfriend's too quick for you, Harry!' and with a small grin on his face, Ron left them.
Harry didn't know what to say to Hermione since he was lousy at starting conversations. But he told himself to start one quick as it was getting awkward sitting together, not speaking.
So, he took a deep breath and said,' So Hermione, what's up? How's the family?' in a would-be- cool voice.
Hermione just stared into Harry's brilliant green eyes, tears filling in her own. She looked away only to run out of the hall. Harry didn't know what he did wrong but somehow, he felt really guilty. His mind was telling him to leave her alone but something else, somewhere, told him to follow her. He didn't know what to do but he listened to one of them and Harry ran out of the Great Hall as fast as his feet would take him.
He was going to the Gryffindor common room. There, he saw a few first years and asked them if they've seen Hermione. They said yes and pointed to the girl's dormitories. Harry went straight to the boy's dorm and got his silver key (that opens any lock) and his invisibility cloak.
He made sure that the common room was empty before he went for the girl's dorm. The girl's dormitory was similar to the boy's. The only difference was, the girl's was decorated in girly things and it was, Harry hated to admit, clean.
Harry had to go through 3 different rooms to find Hermione. He saw her in her four-poster bed, crying on her pillow. She was sobbing so hard, Harry was sure her throat was a bit scratched. He approached her, cautiously. He didn't care, though, if she threw something at him for disturbing her privacy nor what she'll think. She was in need of a shoulder to cry on and Harry's was free.
'Hermione, it's gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be fine.' he said consolingly.
'What...are...you doing...here, Ha...Harry?' asked Hermione in between sobs.' Please get out. I...want to ...be alone.' she continued.
But Harry didn't move. He stood still. He looked seriously into her eyes. He wasn't going to listen to her, nor was he going anywhere. Instead of walking to the door, he walked to her bed and sat down. He put his hand gently on her back and began to pat her lightly.
'Hermione, you want to tell me what's wrong?' he asked ever so gently.
'I...I don't know.' she said with difficulty. 'I can't...even...believe they'd do that.I...mean, how...could they?'
Harry just sat there, listening to every word of complaint. Hermione didn't tell him why she was upset, she was just mumbling a bunch of stuff which Harry was kind enough to pay attention to.
'Harry could. you stay here...till...till we have our trans...figuration?'
'Of course. We've still got two hours. Do you want to rest?'
'Yes, please. Tha...Thanks, Harry.'
'Shhh. You should rest now. Your eyes need them.' he whispered to her. And he stayed there, seeing her drift to sleep.
He was there for nearly two hours and he just watched her sleep peacefully. It looked to Harry that she hasn't done this in a long time.
With only fifteen minutes left until Transfiguration, Hermione woke up, 'What time is it?'
'8:45.Transfiguration starts in 15.'
'It's 8:45? Oh no! Come on, we need to run!'
'But what about you?'
'I'm fine, Harry. Now come on, run!'
'Lupin!' exclaimed Harry with great delight.
The other two looked where Harry was pointing and Hermione gasped.' What's he doing here?'
'He's probably a substitute or something.' answered Hermione.
'Wicked! I hope he'll teach us 5th years,' said Ron, still wide-eyed.
The scared little first years entered the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. They were all terrified but after the sorting ceremony, all their faces were relieved. There were less Slytherins this year.
As usual, Dumbledore addressed the school right after the first years all took their seats.
'Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I would like to say a few words before we start feeding. First, I would like to tell our first years and remind the older students that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to all students.
Next, I'd like to ask all students to stay in their dormitories after 9pm. No student is to be found walking about in school after that time.' he shot Harry a glance. 'Also, the Quidditch season will begin in the first week of November.' many people applauded at this, including an ecstatic Fred and a trippy George.
When the silence died down, Dumbledore continued, 'Now, I would like to tell the students from 4th year and up, that there will be quite a few occasions where you will be asked to get a partner and dress formally for certain events which I'm sure you will very much enjoy.'
Most of the girls looked excited at this idea. The boys weren't that thrilled however.
'If you please, I will now introduce the new additions to our staff. Please welcome, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Ms. Arabella Figg.' the Hall erupted with applause. She looked quite embarrassed at this.
'And Mr. Rubeus Hagrid will not be able to teach Care of Magical Creatures this year as he will be very busy. Your new professor at this subject is a Mr. Lupin.' at this everyone except the Slytherin table and the first years clapped their hands.
It was a known fact that aside from being a werewolf, Lupin was the most favored DADA teacher in Hogwarts. The first years were probably not clapping because their parents must've told them about how all werewolves are bad.
Dumbledore continued,' Yes, yes. We are all very excited this year but if I may, I'd like to start eating now. Camelot' and with that, the empty plates filled with foods and the goblets with drinks.
After eating and getting enough dessert, Dumbledore got up and said a few more words. 'If the prefects would kindly escort the first years to their own house, it would very much appreciated.'
Harry, Hermione and Ron, along with the other Gryffindor 5th years, went silently up to their dormitories. When Harry saw his four-poster bed, he went straight to it, made himself fall backwards and had a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, he woke up only to face the horrible fact that it was Monday. His lessons begin today. But as soon as he saw his timetable, he looked forward to the day.
'There's Care of Magical Creatures today! Wicked!' exclaimed Ron.
'Yeah. we can finally talk to Professor Lupin. After Defense Against the Dark Arts though. We've got double lessons of it.' said Harry, in a somewhat excited tone.
They went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They couldn't find Hermione in the common room but saw her sitting down in the Gryffindor table. They sat next to her. She looked Quite pale and her eyes seemed as if she didn't get enough sleep. Harry noticed she was clutching a note in her right hand.
'Hermione, are you okay?' he asked, obviously concerned.
'Noth... nothing.' she replied, not even bothering to look up.
"Are you sure Herm? It doesn't look as if you're alright.' said Ron.
'Yes, I'm sure.' she said sadly. Both Harry and Ron didn't like the looks of this one bit.
'Uh, okay guys, I got to dash before transfiguration. My girlfriend's calling me.'
For a moment, Harry thought he saw Ron blow a kiss to someone behind him but when he turned to see who it was, he was disappointed to see no one was looking at Ron.
'HA! My girlfriend's too quick for you, Harry!' and with a small grin on his face, Ron left them.
Harry didn't know what to say to Hermione since he was lousy at starting conversations. But he told himself to start one quick as it was getting awkward sitting together, not speaking.
So, he took a deep breath and said,' So Hermione, what's up? How's the family?' in a would-be- cool voice.
Hermione just stared into Harry's brilliant green eyes, tears filling in her own. She looked away only to run out of the hall. Harry didn't know what he did wrong but somehow, he felt really guilty. His mind was telling him to leave her alone but something else, somewhere, told him to follow her. He didn't know what to do but he listened to one of them and Harry ran out of the Great Hall as fast as his feet would take him.
He was going to the Gryffindor common room. There, he saw a few first years and asked them if they've seen Hermione. They said yes and pointed to the girl's dormitories. Harry went straight to the boy's dorm and got his silver key (that opens any lock) and his invisibility cloak.
He made sure that the common room was empty before he went for the girl's dorm. The girl's dormitory was similar to the boy's. The only difference was, the girl's was decorated in girly things and it was, Harry hated to admit, clean.
Harry had to go through 3 different rooms to find Hermione. He saw her in her four-poster bed, crying on her pillow. She was sobbing so hard, Harry was sure her throat was a bit scratched. He approached her, cautiously. He didn't care, though, if she threw something at him for disturbing her privacy nor what she'll think. She was in need of a shoulder to cry on and Harry's was free.
'Hermione, it's gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be fine.' he said consolingly.
'What...are...you doing...here, Ha...Harry?' asked Hermione in between sobs.' Please get out. I...want to ...be alone.' she continued.
But Harry didn't move. He stood still. He looked seriously into her eyes. He wasn't going to listen to her, nor was he going anywhere. Instead of walking to the door, he walked to her bed and sat down. He put his hand gently on her back and began to pat her lightly.
'Hermione, you want to tell me what's wrong?' he asked ever so gently.
'I...I don't know.' she said with difficulty. 'I can't...even...believe they'd do that.I...mean, how...could they?'
Harry just sat there, listening to every word of complaint. Hermione didn't tell him why she was upset, she was just mumbling a bunch of stuff which Harry was kind enough to pay attention to.
'Harry could. you stay here...till...till we have our trans...figuration?'
'Of course. We've still got two hours. Do you want to rest?'
'Yes, please. Tha...Thanks, Harry.'
'Shhh. You should rest now. Your eyes need them.' he whispered to her. And he stayed there, seeing her drift to sleep.
He was there for nearly two hours and he just watched her sleep peacefully. It looked to Harry that she hasn't done this in a long time.
With only fifteen minutes left until Transfiguration, Hermione woke up, 'What time is it?'
'8:45.Transfiguration starts in 15.'
'It's 8:45? Oh no! Come on, we need to run!'
'But what about you?'
'I'm fine, Harry. Now come on, run!'