A/N: I know that this chapter kind of gets away from the Draco/Hermione relationship but it will be relevant I promise so just stick with me here.

The Truth About Autumn:

Fifteen minutes later the boys were off to the Quidditch pitch and Hermione and Autumn sat down at a table in the very back of the library hidden behind the rows of books. Reaching into her bag she pulled out the chart and unrolled it on the table before them. Hermione began grabbing huge books off the shelves. Setting them on the table her mouth fell open. Autumn was leaned over the table her quill scratching in answers, a spare bit of parchment to do calculations beside her.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione asked Autumn unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. Autumn looked up.

"umm our homework."

She said, unsure as to why Hermione sounded so mad.

"It won't help if you are filling in wrong answers!"

"I'm not!"

Autumn said angrily, she didn't know what Hermione's problem was all the sudden.

"You can check them if you want."

"Fine I will."

Hermione said. The two girls began working, an icy silence fall over the table; Autumn putting numbers in the correct equations and Hermione pouring through a stack of books and scribbling on a sheet of parchment. After an hour of this Hermione closed the last book and stared at Autumn who was idly twirling her quill between her fingers.

"Wow, you're really good. Where did you learn how to do Arithmancy, I mean you're really, really good. Not a single mistake on that whole chart.

"Thanks my Dad taught me."

She replied.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you earlier,  I was just sure you were weren't doing it right."

"It's okay, really."

"Okay, well I'm going to bed then."

Hermione said with a yawn, re-rolling the parchment and slipping it into her bookbag.

"Yeah me to."

Autumn said. She made her way back through the rows and rows of books and out the library doors. Walking along the nearly deserted hallways towards Gryffindor Tower she could no longer hold back the flood of memories she had been trying so hard to forget. Slipping into a tiny alcove of off the corridor she sat on the window seat and stared out the window. She could see the dark shimmering surface of the lake still as glass. She closed her eyes and remembered…

A young girl about seven years old with rich auburn curls and green eyes as bright as the starts themselves was playing outdoors with another girl that could have been her twin except for being a few years older on a bright midsummer day. As the two girls played a man with dark hair came up the walk and picked up the littlest girl swinging her around in a circle and laughing as she squealed with delight. Carefully he set her back down and swept up the other girl in a bear hug. Just then the front door opened and a pretty young woman came out and embraced the man.

This was one of her happiest memories. Autumn opened her eyes, now that she was finally alone the tears that she had been holding back for so long cascaded down her cheeks. That day had been seventh birthday. Closing her eyes again she saw her first day at the Academy, then her father teaching her the complex components of Arithmancy late at night. The next thing she remembered was that awful day when she had come home and found herself completely alone in the world.

 Hermione walked along the fifth floor corridor towards the portrait that hid the common room. Pulling her robes tight around her she shivered, the castle was always a bit drafty at night. Suddenly the still night air was broken by the sounds of muffled crying. Pausing, Hermione listened before turning and retracing her steps. Peering into an alcove off the hall she saw Autumn huddled on the window seat, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Autumn?"

She said softly. Startled the other girl wiped her eyes.

"Yeah?"

She said with forced cheeriness.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to upset you."

Autumn glanced at Hermione.

Does she think this is about her?

Autumn wondered.

"No, it's not your fault, I was just…thinking."

Hermione sat down next to Autumn on the plush bench.

"About what?"

"Home,"

"oh"

"and my family."

"If you don't mind my asking, why did you come to school here? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'll tell if you promise me not to tell anyone. Not even Harry and Ron. I don't want everyone feeling sorry for me."

"I promise,"

Hermione said solemnly.

So Hermione and Autumn sat together on the window seat, the moonlight illuminating their faces as Autumn told her story. She told Hermione about growing up on the vineyard, running through the fields with her sister and riding their horses over the rolling hills. She told her of all her friends at the Academy, especially her best friend Kate. Then that day a week and a half ago she had gotten the letter that said they were dead. Her mother, father, and her older sister. The only survivor of the freak car crash had been her two week old sister, Lorelai. She had been an orphan without even knowing it. She and Lorelai had become ones in the blink of an eye. So the two of them had been shipped off to England to live with their parents' close friends a week ago seeing as they had no family left that wanted them. After arriving they had taken her to Diagon Alley to buy her required school things and then put her on the Hogwart's Express that same day. So she had arrived at the school and immediately been she had been sorted. Hermione sat patiently listening to everything Autumn said. When she finished her story and dissolved into tears again Hermione out her arm around her comfortingly.

"Do you want to come back to my room tonight?"

She offered.

"Sure, thanks."

Autumn said wiping her eyes.

"No problem, come on."

So the two girls walked to the end of the hallway and disappeared behind the portrait of a beautiful young woman in a violet dress.