Erin walked into the Great Hall beside Harry grinning from ear to ear and holding onto his hand. She couldn't believe how lucky and how happy she was. She caught sight of Ron and Hermione at the table. Ron looked over and went back to his food and then his head whipped back and his mouth dropped. "Hermione!" He gaped.

Harry too was smiling and didn't care who saw him. It was good to finally have things out in the air. Hermione however jumped at Ron's tone. "What?" She squeaked somewhat annoyed until she figured out what he was staring at. She looked too and instead of gaping, she just began to smile. It was about bloody time!

Fred and George looked up and did not look at all happy about this new development. They got up and went over. "OK, Harry, I thought we already had this talk..." Fred growled.

"Yeah!" George said. "Now we know what's going on..."

Erin rolled her eyes. "Ok, you two, settle down. I am with Harry not you two, get over it."

Harry just shrugged. "Sorry, guys."

Fred and George huffed and puffed a little more until Ron and Oliver managed to drag them back to the table. Ron winked at them. "About bloody time, mate. Now you won't be talking about her in your sleep and to me when I just want to go to sleep."

Erin looked at Harry at grinned. "You talk about me in your sleep?"

Harry looked almost shy. "I wouldn't know. I was sleeping."

Hermione giggled. "This is so great, when did this happen?"

"Well after you left Divination..." Erin began sitting down across from her. "I told Harry that we needed to talk. He agreed and after class we talked. Well that's the cliff-notes version anyway."

"Excellent! So everything is good with you two now?" Hermione asked chipperly, a far cry from her display in class earlier.

Erin looked at Harry who had sat down next to her. "Well, is everything good between us?"

Harry nodded. "Everything's great." He said, smiling down at her.

"Now, about you and Ron..." Erin began talking to Hermione.

Ron went bright red and dropped his fork. He dived under the table for it.

"There's nothing to discuss I'm afraid. Ronald still thinks my cat killed his nasty little rat." Hermione said somewhat sourly.

Erin rolled her eyes and shook her head and then she put some casserole on her plate. She looked down at Ron by her foot pretending he couldn't find his fork and shook her head again. "Don't worry, Hermione, I am sure Ronald will come to his senses any day now." She kicked him in the side.

A loud. "OWWW!" came from under the table.

"Oh, sorry, Ron, was that you?" Erin asked.

Ron came out. "You know very well it was me, woman! Can't even look for a fork without you hurting me."

Erin just smiled, but then her smile disappeared. "Oh, no…"

"What?" Hermione asked puzzled, forgetting Ron for the moment.

Erin turned to Harry. "Harry, isn't that Fudge? What's he doing here? Wait, they aren't doing it tonight are they?" Erin looked frantically from Harry to Fudge and back again.

The others looked to. "Oh no." Hermione whispered.

Harry was the first to get up. "Come on! We've got to go see Hagrid." He said, ready to leave.

Erin followed him instantly and saw Ron coming after her looking a bit angry and scared at the same time.

Hermione ran to catch up with Ron and the four hastily made there exit, careful not to be seen or caught. They were making there way down towards Hagrid's Hut thinking they were off scot-free when who should happen to be snooping, but none other than Malfoy and his idiot friends. Why Hermione could barely contain her aggression at the sound of their laughter. "MALFOY!" She shouted, storming out ahead of her friends furiously.

Malfoy turned with a grin on his face. "Ahh, come to watch the show have you?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, producing her wand as she spoke. "You foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" She cried, pointing her wand at the ready. Surprising everyone, especially Malfoy.

"Hermione, no! He's not worth it." Ron said.

Erin sighed. "Hermione, if you kill him now what are we going to do for fun for the next four years? Come on, he's really not worth it, he's more use to us alive than dead." Erin grinned at Malfoy who was looking at her now like she was crazy. "Besides how are we going to explain it to Dumbledore?"

Hermione glaringly lowered her wand, at which time Malfoy regained his nerve and began to laugh, to which Hermione started to turn away, only to turn back a split second later and sock him one right in the nose. The pain and surprise forced Malfoy and company away with very little protest. Hermione smile sheepishly. "That felt good."

Erin laughed. "Oh, I loved that."

Ron looked at her. "Not good, brilliant." He smiled at her and looked away going a little red.

Erin looked at Harry and raised her eyebrows giggling quietly.

Harry was smiling between them. He glanced at Erin and passed between Ron and Hermione. "Well done." He said, patting Hermione on the arm before starting down the hill. Hermione smiled a little, glancing at Ron shyly before following Harry.

"Come on, we don't have a lot of time." She said.

Erin and Ron followed them and Ron whispered. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Erin asked looking at him puzzled.

"Tell Harry how you feel." He said glancing ahead to make sure no one was listening.

"Ron, I didn't have to. I made the mistake of facing a boggart." Erin laughed.

"Oh, yeah." He said looking down at his feet.

"Just tell her." Erin said. "She feels the same way." Ron stopped dead and stared at her with wide eyes and his mouth open. Erin patted his chest. "Yeah, Ron." She continued on without him.

Ron hurried after them; Hermione and Harry had already gotten to Hagrid's hut.

Harry went to knocking quickly on the door. "Hagrid." He called.

The large man opened the door. "What are you doing 'ere? Well come in, come in." He said holding the door open.

"Hagrid, where else would we be?" Erin asked walking past him.

Hagrid sighed and rolled his eyes a little as he shut the door behind them.

"We wanted to be here for you." Hermione said, glancing out the window at Buckbeak.

Hagrid looked out at Buckbeak chained in the garden. "Oh, look at him. Loves the smell of the trees, when the wind blows through them."

Erin sat next to Fang and hugged the ugly dog sighing.

"We could still set him free you know." Hermione said. "They're coming, but there's still time." She said, looking back to Hagrid.

"They'd know it was me, and then Dumbledore would get into trouble. He's coming down, Dumbledore. Says he wants to be with me when they-when it happens. Great man, Dumbledore. A great man."

Erin smiled. "We'll stay with you too, Hagrid."

"You'll do no such thing! Think I want you seeing something like that? No. You just drink your tea and be off." Hagrid seemed to think of something. "Oh. Before you do, Ron…"

Hagrid took a squirming rat from a tin on his shelves. "Scabbers!" Ron said excitedly. "You're alive!"

Hagrid chuckled. "You should keep a closer eye on your pet, Ron."

"I believe you owe someone an apology." Hermione said suddenly, crossing her arms, watching the reunion between boy and rat.

"You're right." Ron said. "Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know."

Erin mouth dropped as she heard Ron.

"I meant ME." Hermione seethed, dropping her hands into fists. A second later the pot next to her on the table exploded. She jumped, looking at it, on the table there was a small...stone.

A sudden pain shot through the back of Harry's head. "OW." He complained rubbing the back of his skull. Harry turned and saw the small party coming down the hill. "Hagrid."

Hagrid gasped. "Oh. Crikey. It's late. It's nearly dark. You shouldn't be here. Someone sees you outside the castle this time of night you'll be in trouble. Big trouble. Particularly you, Harry." There was a knock on the door. "With you in a moment!" he turned back to the four going out the back. "Quick! Quick!"

"Hagrid…" Harry stopped quickly on his way out. "It'll be alright."

Hagrid looked a little pained. "Go on. Go on!"

Erin took Harry's arm. "Come on, Harry!"

Harry followed them out, Hermione hesitantly opened up the back door to Hagrid' Hut and leaned out, waiting for the perfect moment to sneak away.

"Come on." Ron said as he dashed behind the pumpkins.

They all followed and circled around them waiting till it was clear. Suddenly a twig snapped behind him. They all whirled around. "What?" Harry asked.

"I thought I saw-" Hermione began. "Nevermind."

"Let's go." Ron said and they all hurried up the hill.

They all stopped and watched as the executioner brought the axe down. Hermione put her arms around Ron. Erin turned to Harry hiding her face from it. Harry wrapped his arms around Erin and stared down at Hagrid's garden. He gently rubbed her back and kissed her forehead.

Ron gave a cry. "He bit me. Scabbers!"

Erin turned to see Ron running after the rat. "Ron?"

Ron went after Scabbers without even thinking. "Ron!" Hermione called, going after him. Harry followed the girls in pursuit of their friend.

Erin stopped as she saw Ron grab a hold of Scabbers. "Oh, my god..." She gasped.

Hermione stopped to and Harry beside them. "Harry, do you know what tree this is?"

"Ron, run!" Harry shouted out to the other boy.

Ron looked up and got a scared look on his face. "Harry, Hermione, Erin! Run! It's the Grim!"

Erin whirled around and saw a big black shaggy dog running right toward them.

The three jumped out of the dog's path just as it bounded through growling and snarling, green/gold eyes menacingly set on Ron. It ran forward, barking, knocking Ron to the ground and then it seemed to come back for him. The black dog took a hold of Ron's ankle and began dragging him towards the Whomping Willow.

"Harry!" Ron shrieked. "Harry, help!" He was dragged under the Willow. "HARRY!"