Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in relation to J.K. Rowling's books!

A/N: I'd just like to thank everyone for their reviews! I'm planning on doing these little Author Note things that thank the reviewers every time I update...

VoldemortsVeela: Thanks! I don't mind any corrections at all, and thanks! When I edit everything once this story is finished, I'll make sure to include your corrections!

Gryffindor620: smiles Thanks, I'll make sure and consider your idea... I've always wanted to write a fluff or kind of adventure/ action story with Harry and Hermione. I'll give it a shot frown in thought But, no offense to anyone but, I don't think I'll ever do any other pairing except HarryxHermione... I really cringe on HermionexDraco pairings... I just don't see that happening at all! Maybe a HermionexRon...

Anyway, I think I said somewhere in a early Author Note that I would be finishing this story before my school year starts (August 11), but I don't think that's going to happen. I've noticed that I update generally fast since I started in late June or early July, and I think this story

-given the storyline and planning I do- should be finished somewhere in-erm- mid or late September/ early October. Now, I know that sounds pretty far away, but with school now... it's difficult. I really have to dig my head into a book, for I'm starting High School -My left eye should be twitching from all the stress- frown I haven't really picked up a book to study for school since fourth grade! So it's going to take some getting used to, mind you. But, I guess I'm ready for school to start, sort of... For, next summer- or somewhere in the near future- I'm going back to the UK-yay!- for a while with my Aunt! smiles to self We were planning on going this summer, but things over there turned up... She lives somewhere on the outside of London... I don't exactly remember for I've only been once, and I was little. All I remember was that it was really beautiful, we have pictures. I wanted to live there for the longest time, since most of my family originated from there on my mother's side. The only part of me that's not from there is my dad's dad, who's German... But, other than that, I come from the UK-originally- bites lip in thought

But, enough of my prattling, I often lose track of the task at hand... Enjoy!

Chapter 11

The feast began and Ron had laden his plate with the usual everything, and Harry merely threw anxious glances at Hermione's forearm. He truly hadn't meant to do that at all, he hadn't really even knew he was doing it. He found it ironic that not even and hour ago, he had punched Malfoy for slapping Hermione, and just then, he had hurt her.

"Haree?" Ron muffled through food, "Wafts frong, aren'ft you goink to eaft?" Hermione stared at him reproachfully.

"Swallow, please, Ron." she scolded acidly. Ron swallowed and glared at Hermione, "What? Your manners aren't exactly charming." she defended.

"Yeah, yeah what's new?" he then turned to Harry, "Look, don't worry about Hermione," he gestured at Hermione, who's jaw was clenched at Ron savagely, "I'll take her and tell Madam Pomfrey that she shut her arm in a window or door on the train." Harry snorted and stared at Ron at the thought while Ron smiled at his "cleverness."

"You will NOT!" Hermione protested, "She's going to know that I'm not that stupid. Just listen to yourself, that doesn't sound like me at all!" she pointed a finger at herself.

"Okay, we'll say you-er-" Ron looked at Harry for assistance, which didn't come as he stared at Ron expectedly, "I dunno..." Ron frowned.

"Well, I'll just say Crookshanks got excited and did it," she seemed to not want to blame her cat on it, but for Harry's sake she would say so. "You don't mind if Ron takes me, do you?" Harry shook his head as he skidded his ham across his plate with his fork. He felt his heart fall ten feet with his stomach, and he didn't like it. It was, for a regretted thought, jealously that he felt for Ron taking Hermione to the Hospital Wing, for he stated it he would take her first. He took it back hastily as Ron grinned at him from the other side of the table.

He wasn't going to get jealous because Ron finally found someone to consider fancying. It was Ron's turn to get a chance with his crush, for he had with Cho, though he never wanted to again. Yet, he couldn't help but feel rejected somehow.

After dinner was finished and desert was devoured, Ron and Hermione headed for the Hospital Wing and Harry walked up to Gryffindor Tower with Ginny.

"Hullo, Harry," Luna Lovegood sauntered over in a type of skip and looked up at him, "Where's Ronald?" she asked dreamily, looking around the Entrance Hall as they exited the Great Hall.

"With Hermione at the Hospital Wing." said Harry. She looked at him as though expecting him to say "Just kidding," and after succumbing to the fact he wasn't going to, sighed.

"Oh, well can you tell him I was looking for him?" she asked.

"Yeah," she giggled shrilly and skipped away with the rest of the Ravenclaws. He stared bewilderedly after her and then followed Ginny and Dean Thomas, who were giggling and talking non-stop.

"Fwooper is the new password until otherwise," said Lavender as she turned and repeated the password to the Fat Lady Portrait. The portrait swung open and they all filed inside. Dean had separated himself from the conversation he was having with Ginny and joined Lavender in explaining the arrangement of dormitories. Harry placed himself in front of the burning grate of the fire place and waited for Hermione and Ron's return. Many first-years were still awing the Common Room before their curfew.

"Hem, hem -um- excuse me?" Harry turned to see two first-year girls that had tapped him timidly on the shoulder. He recognized one of them, a girl with black hair and blue eyes, to be Elle Hirchman and the other two he didn't know, for he had missed half the Sorting Ceremony.

"Yeah?" he pushed his glasses back on his nose with his index finger and looked up at them.

"I'm Elle Hirchman, this is Miranda Clagg," she pointed to the girl beside her had straight dark brown hair and who was looking down at her shoes. Elle elbowed Miranda scathingly in the side, she yelped and looked up at him, gripping her side. Harry was taken aback by her eye color, that were yellow to lime green and stood out vividly. Miranda smiled weakly and flicked a narrowed glance at Elle. "Anyway, we were wondering-" she gave a furtive glance at Miranda who rolled her eyes at the ceiling.

"-if the article in the Daily Prophet was truthful."

"Is that what you wanted to know?" Harry growled, "If I'm truly a nutter about believing Voldemort's back?" He waited for them to run, or even flinch from the name Voldemort, but they chuckled aloud.

"No, I believe you, I wasn't talking about that," Elle grinned.

"We wanted to know if that girl -er- Hermione was it?" Miranda looked at Elle in question, who nodded, "Yes, is she really your girlfriend?" Miranda asked incredulously and almost had a crude smirk that rivaled Malfoy's.

"And what if I am?" Hermione had her hands on her hips and had narrowed eyes, "Why is it any business of yours?" she scoffed and waved her hand in the air in anger.

"I believe," Elle shot at Hermione venomously, "that I asked Harry to answer that question. Obviously, if you're that heated up about it, it's not true." she looked Hermione up and down.

"You're a Gryffindor, right? Then why are acting like a Slytherin?" Hermione asked heatedly without waiting for a response.

"Don't confuse us with those prats!" Miranda shouted.

"Look," Elle cut in, "you're right, we're acting savagely... I'm Elle, and this is my friend Miranda." Elle held out a hand, "I'd like to renew our meeting." she said business-like. Hermione stared at both of them suspiciously before taking it.

"I'm Hermione and this is Ron," she gestured at Ron who was staring at them as though they were Slytherins, "He's really a regular charmer..." she said sarcastically and elbowed him. He blushed crimson and then held out a hand.

"Ron Weasley," he shook both their hands and Miranda turned to Harry.

"Listen, sorry about our rudeness," she looked down again and moved a wadded piece of parchment that lay on the hearth rug with her foot, "I believe it's past our curfew..." she turned on her heel and headed up the stairs, "Nice meeting everyone!" she shouted behind her.

"'Night," Elle shrugged and followed Miranda.

"I've never been in a more awkward meeting..." Hermione mumbled.

"Hey, why were you freaking out at the feast?" Ron asked, taking a seat next to Harry on the couch.

"Oh -er-" Harry looked at Hermione's forearm that was unmarked now anxiously, "It's Voldemort..." he answered shortly. Ron's left eye flickered and he scanned the Common Room, that was now empty except for them.

"Really Ron. Harry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." But Harry was thinking too much about his vision he had to care for what she had said.

"He's... he's looking for a woman, but they can't find her." Hermione and Ron switched expressions.

"What woman, Harry?" Hermione was now kneeling in front of him and looking up at him. He ruffled his hair in thought and looked at his trainers.

"I dunno..."

"Well, then what were you talking about us hearing something?" Ron broke in.

"I heard a voice, but she was talking inside my head... she- I dunno who it was..." he said helplessly.

"It's okay, Harry..."

"You don't think it's another basilisk, do you?" Ron blurted.

"No, it was inside my head, not out!" he moaned impatiently. Ron took defensive and didn't say another word as he bid them goodnight and headed upstairs.

"Listen, Harry, why don't you sleep on it and maybe we can talk about it later tomorrow, okay?" Hermione patted his knee and stood up as he too stood up and nodded. "It's late, and everything will be clearer in the morning." she straightened herself to full height and kissed him on the cheek reassuringly before turning toward the girls' dormitories. "'Night, Harry..."

" 'Night, Hermione..." he then followed suite toward the boys' dormitories with a fluttering feeling in his lungs. He pushed it away as he found Ron sleeping on his side away from him and grumbling under his breath. Everyone else seemed to be asleep, so he stealthily walked across the wooden floor to his bed.

"Look," Harry sat on his bed and stared at Ron's back, "sorry for going mad on you, I'm just frustrated, I guess." Ron turned over and looked back at Harry through the darkness.

"S' all right," he mumbled and pulled a stray string from his sheets.

"Still best mates?" Harry held out his hand to shake.

"Still best mates," Ron took it and grinned, "'night, mate."

" 'Night," Harry pulled his pajamas on and settled under his blankets. He tried to stay up to think about the voice he heard but, within ten minutes, he too was asleep.

The next morning didn't seem any more vivid than the night before, for Harry still couldn't make heads or tales on what he heard and saw. It still meant the same; Voldemort was looking for something, and doing so miserably. But, was it another "weapon?"

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione, who was sitting across from him in the Great Hall that morning, looked up from her book that she was skimming through and looked at him avidly.

"Just thinking..." he murmured as Ron joined them.

"Quidditch try-outs on the 15th," he said briskly as he piled bacon on his plate, "Maybe you'll make Captain, Harry!" he said excitedly.

"I dunno..." he got a vision of himself ordering Ron and the team on a "strict training plan" like Angelina had done when she was Captain, "It might be to your benefit if I am." he grinned to himself as Professor McGonagall passed out their schedules.

"Well, we'll get a chance to see what our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is like." said Hermione, "Hopefully she's not like Umbridge woman and we can actually practice using our skills." she added.

"Yeah, but that's not until later," Harry mentioned. True, Hermione had a slightly different schedule and some of their new classes, she had already taken, "Me and Ron have got Arithmancy with the Ravenclaws first, you?" Hermione looked back down at her schedule.

"Advanced Ancient Runes, but I might have trouble this year since I had a little trouble with regular Ancient Runes." she frowned up at them and then shrugged. She then bid them goodbye and went up the marble staircase to Ancient Runes classroom which was in the sixth corridor. Ron and Harry finished breakfast and went to their first class of term.

A/N: This chapter is titled Chapter 11 because their really wasn't anything that happened in this chapter worth making it a title, so... anyway, what do you think