AN: Just a side note to my (I think) most loyal reviewer, Titflo, I don't like mentioning other users in my stories too much but since they're (not sure if you're a boy or a girl, sorry) an anonymous (I can't spell...) reviewer, I guess it's safe. I just want to expand a bit on Fidelis since you said that you like him. His name is actually Latin for courage I think (I wrote this story a while ago...) and since lions are usually compared to loyalty and courage, I thought, what the hell, most of my characters names or spells that I made up (there are two that will come into play) are latin for something. And I thought Hermione needed someone to protect her since she's gone through a hard time, what that time was you'll find out later.
So onto the story.
Ah, before I go I just wanted to say that the reason I'm updating is BECAUSE of Titflo, because they reviewed, I know this is typical but I live for feedback, if people don't seem interested in my stories then...well I'll continue (just to be a pain in the ass) but it will take me a lot longer to update because I'm waiting for a review!
Well...thanks for reading.
...one more thing, I know you're getting ansy and ready for the story but I thought this might help in the reviews, I'm asking for anyone who can guess who/what (there is both so guess on both if you want to) is tourturing Hermione. If you get it right...well maybe I'll mention you or something in my story or whatever, (remember I'm a feedback junkie). So this is for real, HAVE FUN READING!

Too Long In The Rain
Chapter 7

Hermione finally had her evasive maneuvers down pat, she had her room moved (much to Sir Edgar and Fidelis's protests, but Fidelis insisted that she leave an empty frame for him, which she agreed to), she asked an elf to bring her dinner every other day, and she only left her room for classes, announcements in the Great Hall, and the occasional trip to Hogsmeade. One day she was getting ready to leave her classroom for the night when she saw Oliver leaning against her doorframe, it had been a week or so since she saw him and she sighed and grabbed her things walking passed him. He closed his eyes in a wince before following.

"Hermione, Hermione I'm sorry." He said catching up to her.

"For what Professor?" She asked being her polite self.

"You know what, don't play coy, it doesn't suit you."

"How would you know what suits me."

"I know you're not like those little brained girls we used to go to school with."

"You mean the ones who swooned over you?"

"Yes, I mean…Hermione!" He said grabbing her upper arm.

Hermione turned to him and tried to take her arm back but his Quidditch muscles stopped her," Let go of me." She demanded.

"Not until you listen to me."

"What are you going to do drag me into another classroom?"

He pulled her closer so that their faces were almost touching," If I have to."

She, surprisingly, didn't pull away," I won't let you treat me like a child." She closed her eyes and looked back at him before pulling away with surprising strength and walked away towards the railing, she looked over at him and said," Goodbye Oliver." With that she leaned backwards over the railing falling over it.

Oliver's eyes widened as he ran over," Hermione!" When he reached the edge of the railing he didn't see Hermione only, her briefcase and journal hitting the ground. His eyebrows knitted together and then finally he saw a hawk flying over him and fly towards the ground turning into the one and only Hermione Granger. She picked up her items, her hair now free from it's usual bun falling over her face as she looked back up at him and nodded at him the tiniest hint of a smile on her face that Oliver almost missed it before she went on her way to her new room. Oliver smiled and laughed a bit before saying to nobody," Well played Hermione, well played."

--

Hermione laid in her bed and couldn't help but realize how uncomfortable it was compared to her other bed in her other room. She sighed and sat up walking over to her famous uncomfortable chair and started grading the parchments. She looked up when she heard knocking and looked out her self installed muggle peephole and saw it was Oliver. She bit her lip and hid her papers that Oliver knew she carried with her and transfigured into a crookshanks look alike and sat on top of the bed.

Oliver looked at the new portrait which was a hippogriph named Dean, Dean had been informed as to who he was and why he was here so he let Oliver in. Once he was in the room he saw a cat (Hermione) on top of the bed and remembered in Hermione's third year she had gotten this cat and was surprised that it was still alive. He looked on her desk and didn't see any papers so he guessed that she was out wandering the castle and decided to wait for her. He sat on her bed next to what he thought was just Hermione's cat.

When Hermione saw him sit down she knew he was going to wait for her as a human to walk in. She saw him reach over to pet her and she jumped away hissing. Oliver jumped off the bed and stared at the cat and said," Whoa, whoa there." He saw that the cat just was not backing down and sighed before he said aloud to himself," Apparently you don't like me either, Hermione must have talked badly about me huh?" He remembered a trick that his grandfather taught him about 'taming wild beasts' as he had said and started humming an old Scottish song.

Hermione stopped hissing when he started humming and was now listening to his soft hum. She didn't even realize that Oliver had approached her again until she felt his soft touch on her back. She closed her eyes and then remembered who he was and jumped off the bed looking back at him with her wide cat eyes. Oliver looked at her confused before she walked over to the portrait and started meowing, wanting to get out. Oliver walked over and opened the door when he stood face to face with Hermione Granger.