Their last class, Charms, had gone on as normal. Hermione and Parvati both got Outstandings on their essays, as usual. Harry had gotten Exceeds Expectations (with her help she might add) and Ron had just scrounged an Acceptable. She glanced subtly over to the Slytherins, where she noticed Malfoy had also gotten an Outstanding. She grimaced a bit, remembering how he had almost surpassed her in Charms last year.

That night there was another Prefect Meeting held by Allen Kuhn and Raya Lowe, that year's head boy and girl. Hermione and Neville arrived a bit early, as did most everyone else. Allen was pacing casually at the front of the empty classroom they were using, waiting for Raya to sort her papers.

Raya nodded at Allen, and he turned to the rest of them, "Hello everyone, I hope your first week returning to classes has been favorable?"

After a few murmurs of agreement and some nods, he cleared his throat and continued, "We've been discussing the obvious security concerns with the professors as well as Dumbledore in light of last year's events. And we have decided upon a few options for implementing a higher level of security for our residents. However, we understand that there is only so much we, as students, can do. So as a precaution for the moment, we will be continuing with scheduled night patrols. But we will have everyone double up as in Third Year."

Along with a few groans and eye rolls from her peers, Hermione screwed up her face skeptically and chimed in "But Allen, doubled patrols didn't work back then. Sirius Black got in anyway, and even made it into the Gryffindor common room and out of the castle again without anyone noticing".

Neville shrunk a bit next to her, likely remembering that he was the reason Sirius had gotten the password.

Allen nodded at her, but it was Raya who responded, "Yes, this is just an added precaution. More measures are being taken by the professors, which we are not at liberty to discuss right now," she said this with a pointed look at the other seventh years, "We have also informed all the ghosts and paintings of our concerns, and they will certainly prove to be invaluable as extra sets of eyes and ears for us throughout the year."

Hermione conceded, though was not entirely convinced.

Allen continued, "Prefects will make up four sets of patrols every night. Since there are eight prefects per year, we will have each night be all made up of students from the same year. We've put a schedule together for the next two weeks, so please come up and look to see what day you have been assigned, and with whom. And I should say, if anyone would like to be scheduled for a particular time moving forward, please speak to either Raya or myself".

Raya set out the schedule on the table expectantly, as several students, including Hermione, pushed to the front to see. The sixth years were to start patrolling tomorrow, and she was to be paired with Anthony Goldstein from Ravenclaw, Neville with Hannah Abbot, and she noticed that poor Padma would have to patrol with Malfoy. Despite his mild lack of vitriol recently, she worried he'd still prove to be a pompous bully.

Looking over her shoulder she said, "Neville, you'll be with Hannah."

"Oh okay!" Neville lit up a bit at that, then asked who she was with.

"Anthony Goldstein," she shrugged, as she knew him from DA meetings and that one time he helped turn Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle into giant slugs. But she had never really had a conversation with the boy.

The next day passed as quickly as the last, and then they were all gathered again to begin patrols. Hermione spotted Ernie Macmillan talking angrily with Pansy Parkinson, who she assumed was his partner that night. Ernie was a kind and intelligent person, she remembered. He was one of the few to believe Harry last year, and he was far and away the best performing Hufflepuff. She thought he and Parkinson might tolerate each other as fellow purebloods, though it seemed she had been wrong, as their argument followed them upstairs. Hermione waved to Neville, who was also conversing with his partner, Hannah Abbot, though with much less severity. Then she and Anthony headed to the third floor.

It was a dull night, where nothing at all happened besides an occasional discussion about classes, their time spent in Dumbledore's Army. Once, Anthony had asked Hermione to explain the events she'd experienced in the Ministry last year. He, of course, lamented not being there to help and added with a slight grimace, "I'm glad you all made it out alright though."

Finally, Hermione returned to her Dormitory, thankful that she'd already finished her History of Magic essay, and that class wasn't until 10:00. After she'd changed into her bedclothes, and laid down, it was less than a minute before she fell asleep.