Disclaimer: Me no own characters. Rowling own charatcers. Me just monkey who gets weird ideas and types them slowly on computer with monkey hands.


"Are you Hermione Granger?" asked a tall blonde Ravenclaw Prefect.

The girl she asked the question to looked up quickly, startled out of her conversation.

"Yes, I'm Hermione Granger," replied the bushy haired girl, chestnut brown eyes squinting in suspicion.

"The headmaster says he wants you in his office now," said the girl.

"Thank you," said Hermione uneasily.

After the girl walked away, Hermione turned toward her two best friends whom she had been speaking to before the interruption.

"Well, what so you think?" asked Hermione, her brow furrowed.

"Hermione, she's a prefect. I doubt she's trying to do you in or anyone one of us for that matter," said Ron Weasley, a tall, lanky boy with impossibly red hair.

"I know," continued Hermione, "it's just that Voldemort hasn't done anything since the battle at the Ministry and we really don't know who's a follower of his and who isn't."

"I really doubt she's a follower of Voldemort. Now if it was a Slytherin Prefect...," said Harry Potter, Hermione's other best friend.

"We could always go with you," said Ron, Harry nodding in agreement, his wild black hair bouncing up and down as he did so.

"It's alright. I'm not the one who should be worried about this kind of thing anyway," said Hermione, her brown eyes connecting with Harry's emerald green ones, "I'll be fine. Try and get some homework done while I'm gone."

Harry and Ron exchanged looks but promised Hermione that they'd try. Hermione closed the heavy volume she'd been taking notes from, gathered her things, and then left the library. Hermione wondered vaguely if Dumbledore wanted to discuss anything Voldemort related, but dismissed the thought. Yes, Voldemort was a threat, the threat to be exact, but why would Dumbledore want to speak to her about him? If anything, the headmaster would call on Harry for that. Who else has face Voldemort 5 times and came out alive? It had to be something more important. Hermione gasped. Could she be failing her subjects this early in the term? Hermione tried her best to dismiss the thought as she said the password to the headmaster's office ("Chudley Canons") and climbed up the spiral staircase leading to his office.

"Ah, Miss Granger," said Professor Albus Dumbledore, his blue eyes sparkling behind a pair of half moon glasses.

"Good evening, professor Dumbledore," said Hermione with forced calm.

"Take a seat," said Dumbledoree while leaning forward in his own.

Hermione took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. She could feel the eyes of the past headmasters in their portraits on her.

"Ah yes, perfect timing," said Dumbledore while looking toward the door.

Gregory Goyle had just entered the room. The tall, pudgy Slytherin was a 6th year, as was Hermione, but had the brains of a 2nd year. The Slytherin was basically known for beating up other students and laughing at the jokes of fellow Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, an unbelievable prat and son of Lucius Malfoy, the right-hand man of Voldemort.

"Have a seat," continued Dumbledore and Goyle took a seatwhile glaring at a puzzled Hermione, "I have called you both here to discuss a very important issue. It came to my attention at the end of term last year that Goyle may need help with his school work. As today is the beginning of the first term, September 2nd, it is obvious that we are nipping this problem in the bud early. How young Mr. Goyle has made it through his classes all this time is a puzzle to me."

"Oh, it's no puzzle to me," thought Hermione while glancing at Golye, "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to force younger students to do your homework."

"In any case, I am sure, Miss Granger, that you are wondering why you are here. It is because I want you to help Mr. Goyle to pass on his own. Tutor him," said Dumbledore simply.

Hermone's eyes grew wider. Could Dumbledore seriously have thought that something like that would work? Hermione glanced over at Goyle. He as well looked dumbfounded, but then again, he always looked that way.

Hermione was ready to protest when Dumbledore said, "I do hope you agree to this Miss Granger, for you will receive extra credit point to all your subjects for this. And Mr. Goyle, it would not be in your best interests to turn this down when you need this to pass your 6th year. Think of how it will be when all your friends have entered into their final year here and you have not. I doubt anyone would find you very intimidating when they found out...So, do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, professor," said Hermione and Goyle in unison.

"Well then, I think this is going very well, don't you? This, Hermione, is the list of subjects and areas you need to tutor Gregory in. I trust that the two of you will decide on a mutual time and place to study. Now, that will be all. I will speak to you both again very soon," said Dumbledore cheerily.

Hermione and Goyle said goodbye and exited Dumbledore's office. As soon as they were in the hall, Goyle shoved Hermione against the wall.

"You tell anyone about this, mudblood, and I will kill you," growled Goyle.

"I'd like to see you try," said Hermione challengingly, her wand in hand.

Goyle shot Hermione one last filthy look, let her down, and walked away. Hermione knew they'd have to set a time and place to meet, but at that time, that was the last thing she wanted to do. As Hermione made her way to Gryffindor tower (as it was too late now for Harry and Ron to be in the library), she couldn't help but begin to dread what was ahead of her. Yes, she knew how beneficial the extra credit would be, but how was she supposed to help someone who was as thick as a piece of wood and hated her through and through? Hermione was still mulling over that as she gave the Gryffindor password ("Dew Drop") and entered in on a serious conversation between Ron and Harry.

"I'm telling you, mate, you should take this as a sign," said Ron with a determined look on his face.

"What are we taking as a sign?" asked Hermione curiously as she sat her books down on the floor next to her cat, Crookshanks.

"Nothing, nothing," said Harry quickly, "What happened with Dumbledore?"

"Oh," Hermione sighed, "He's given me the task of tutoring Goyle."

At this, Harry's jaw dropped and Ron stared in disbelief.

"He, he wants you to help that oaf? Has Dumbledore lost his mind completely?" asked Ron seriously.

"Well, apparently he's just found out about Goyle's stupidity and Goyle can't pass his 6th year without my help," said Hermione matter-of-factually.

"Can't he just get someone else to do it. I mean, you and Goyle aren't exactly the best of friends," said Harry seriously.

"You couldn't have said yes to this," accused Ron.

Hermione paused for a moment, unwilling to tell them, "It's going down as extra credit for me, I had to."

Both Ron and Harry groaned loudly.

"Anything for a good mark, eh Hermione?" asked Ron.

"I'm surprised she didn't offer extra lessons to Crabbe as well if it meant more exams for her," said Harry, "Just remember that you asked for this. Don't come crying to us if he starts something with you."

Harry knew perfectly well that if Goyle did try to start something, he and Ron would be right there for Hermione and Hermione knew that too.

She said fondly, "Yeah, I'll remember not to ask you guys."

"Geez, think of what will happen when Malfoy hears about this. That rotten git will probably be embarrassed when he learns that a muggleborn is tutoring his pureblood mate. Maybe if we're lucky, this will be enough to silence him for a while," commented Ron dreamily.

They all sat quietly thinking about the prospects of a silenced Draco Malfoy, when Hermione asked, "So, what were you two talking about before anyway?"

Ron gave Harry a look and said, "I'm not touching this one, mate. It's not my dream."

Hermione gave Harry an appraising look as he blushed and said quietly, "I had a dream last night that, that I was making out with Ginny...in the middle of the Quidditch pitch...after taking the House Cup single handedly from Slytherin."

Before Harry even finished speaking, Hermione had burst out into a fit of hysterical giggles.