AN: Someone reviewed and said it was a Snape/Hermione story. Nope. Not one of those. Sorry. I do have another story that's Snape/Hermione, but it's rated M. No false advertisement here!

Chapter 5

After instructing the Grangers to go return her school books – with a promise to the little bibliophile that he'd be procuring a new booklist for her library – the Potions Master made his way back to Hogwarts and up to the Headmaster's tower.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted happily, "welcome, welcome. I would offer you a seat, but I doubt you would take it."

Professor Snape gave him a slight nod at his inference, earning an extra twinkle from the insufferable man. Instead of commenting, Severus took up a position against the only spare wall – the one by the fireplace – and got straight to business.

"I've come regarding Miss Granger."

Dumbledore observed him with a determining gaze, something most people would say was all-knowing.

Snape knew better, but only because he was an exception. Dumbledore had an involuntary talent for surface-level Legillimency that he never turned off unless it was a danger. Severus had no reason to fear because of his talents, but the look was still unnerving.

"You do not seem any angrier," Dumbledore observed teasingly. "Your meeting with the girl went well, I presume?"

"She will be a Gryffindor," Severus snorted. "A more insufferable, righteous girl I've never encountered."

That made the old man chuckle. Snape continued, "She requires … special placement. I recommend putting her with the third years with some additional tutoring twice a week for the first term to address any gaps in her knowledge."

"You recommend?" Dumbledore quirked a brow at the dour man. "She must be quite exceptional to earn your commendation, indeed. Why don't you tell me about the girl?"

He rolled his eyes. "Insufferable, as I said. The girl seems incapable of being patient and likes thinking of herself as smarter than her peers. That being said she is advanced, and it seems her past accidental magic was directly linked to her being unchallenged and bored in the classroom setting as well as others. The worker who was assigned to Granger gave her magical texts to keep her from mischief."

"Other families give their children tutoring in this regard," Dumbledore reminded him. "No wands, of course, but they are more well-versed in the spells themselves than others and you still deny them any advancement."

"Miss Granger can do wandless magic."

That made the older man pause, if only for a moment. "All children are capable of such, I believe, in the right circumstances-"

"She summoned my scotch from the bar of the Leaky," Snape interjected cuttingly. "According to her parents, she has been working through three textbooks worth of spells and succeeding. With how she's developed magically and the spells she's told me she can accomplish, the only gaps in her magical education have been potions, history, and a wand. Two of which we can easily fix and get her caught up in regards to her peers, and the other only requires additional time to practice."

"And you're willing to do this for the girl?" Albus inquired. "The year the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter come to Hogwarts?"

At the mention of Potter, his teeth ground together in frustration. But he knew Dumbledore was only doing this to distract from the topic. "Who said I would be required to assist in her additional studies in my subject? I suggested seventh year tutors for the girl."

"And they would still be required to do so in your classroom," Dumbledore pointed out. "You would need to supervise, at the very least."

That wasn't happening. Severus thought of one extra child in his classroom out of hours was a nightmare; making his classroom a meeting room for two or more students, all the sort of loathsome students and horrible mistakes, seemed even less appealing. As did spending his time listening to tedious repetitions of class materials. Albus would know this and would be expecting him to quickly remove his recommendation from the girl. The few times this had happened in the past, usually after a year or so in Hogwarts, Severus had refused to move the child forward based on the additional practice that would be required in Potions. They were always recommended because they were Charms prodigies, Transfiguration buffs … those students usually were mediocre or untalented in other subjects like his own, and he'd denied their advancement in his class because of it. Potions was a necessary course, and he would not have them skipping out.

Those children were odious, annoying, and lazy. Many he wouldn't give the time of day. Some, like his Slytherins, were tolerable and even bright. He wouldn't mind providing them the additional support if they were allowed to advance.

But Miss Granger seemed excited by his subject; it was, after all, new knowledge to her. Children as curious as the girl also seemed to be the ones who thrived without the theory, preferring to practice it and experience all the things that textbooks could not describe or prepare them for. Potions would probably suit the girl. If it didn't … At the very least, the girl wasn't scared of him.

A sneer made an appearance on his face and he nearly growled at the headmaster, "I suppose she will catch up far more readily if I were to teach her myself. Since she is already taking up a great deal of my Sundays, she can simply spend the day while I brew."

Albus' eyes shot skyward. "You would tutor the girl?"

"Are you going deaf, Albus?" Snape snapped. "I will take care of the girl's potions education. I trust the rest can be accomplished smoothly enough?"

Albus waved his wand and summoned a large and multi-coloured parchment with each teachers' schedule on it to his desk. It spread itself so he could see it all laid out before him. The colours shimmered before his view, showing him the information he needed.

"Third years …. As we do not know the girl's house as of yet, we will need to put her in a mixture of classes," Dumbleore murmured, looking over the schedule. "For the best, perhaps. We certainly can't organize this on the day of the Sorting. Let's see ... Only the Hufflepuff/Slytherin class has seats in History of Magic …. Transfiguration with Ravenclaw/Slytherin …. Divination all the classes are full so if she-"

Snape snorted. "I will not endorse a girl who'd waste the advancement on Divination, Albus. She will not be part of Divination, Muggle Studies, or Care of Magical Creatures. She will take the mandatory courses as well as Ancient Runes and Arithmancy."

The Headmaster quirked a brow at the Professor, who glared back as if daring the Headmaster to question him. "We normally allow the students to select their own electives."

"Ollivander says her wand is not suited for Divination," Severus started listing them off, "she is Muggleborn and does not required Muggle Studies, and she will learn of Magical Creatures from her studies in Defence, Herbology, and Potions. That leaves only the two other electives which are extremely useful. I would recommend those two courses to any of my Slytherins. If she wishes, however, she may drop them as is her prerogative. Does that appease you, Albus?"

"It does make things easier," the Headmaster allowed, looking back to the schedule. Finally, taking out a sheet of parchment, he began to pen a mixed schedule for their new student. "Those electives will be with all four houses either way so it's a matter of scheduling around them … Gryffindor/Slytherin Potions … yes, there you are …. Hufflepuff/Gryffindor Astronomy ….. Charms with Ravenclaw/Slytherin … good, good, that will go there …"

Severus just let the old man work a schedule for the girl and contemplated just how he would catch the girl up in his subject. Would she even accept to work with him on her Sundays? Would her religion allow it? Regardless, he would need to spend time around the little ingénue. If she were to brew it would need his direct supervision and while he could spend the time marking essays, it would not be the most efficient way to get her caught up. More direct involvement would be necessary.

Perhaps … she could assist with marking the first-year and second-year essays so she could see the material and learn the mistakes. That would help him somewhat and the girl would get more well-versed than most students on the various essays he assigned. He'd have to make sure to assign them well enough to be comprehensive for the girl. And if he didn't have essays, perhaps she could help with ingredient preparation for classes, maybe even his own personal brews if she became decent enough at the task. She could brew while he did as well; he was well-accustomed to monitoring multiple cauldrons and would easily keep up with one brew of his own and one simple brew for the girl.

Plan in mind, he looked back over to Dumbledore. He seemed distinctly discontent with the schedule in his hand and was crossing out a course and replacing it with another.

"The girl will be moved to third-year after being sorted?" Severus drawled.

Albus nodded, looking down at the sheet. "I'll bring it up at the next staff meeting. We'll need to ask one of the upper-years to tutor her, and we'll need to keep a close eye on the girl – at least for the first little while – to make sure she's living up to expectations."

"I will bear full responsibility for finding her a seventh-year to assist. And if she is not performing, she will be seen to by myself."

"You'll use those school owls to write to us?" her mother fussed. "And if anything happens, you'll talk to your prefects or Professor Snape?"

"Mom," Hermione huffed, "I said I would."

Dan Granger laughed at his daughter's put-out look. She kept glancing around at the other kids who were boarding the train, like they would judge her. His daughter pretended, and quite well, that she was fine with being different, that she was proud of it, but she would never admit the truth that she wanted friends. Despite that, she could never hide that from them.

"Now, sweetheart, you wouldn't deny ol' mum and dad the chance to embarrass you one last time, would you?" he teased. "Come on, let's show them how much I love my daughter."

Hermione tried to step back, but her dad had scooped her up in his arms and hoisted her high, twirling her around. She laughed. "Dad!"

He lifted her tiny body high and then plopped her back on the ground, huffing with the effort. "Goodness, my little girl just keeps growing up. You might be too big to lift when you get back for Christmas!"

Hermione laughed, but the sadness of leaving them settled back over the endorphins of their play, and Hermione threw herself into her parent's arms. "I love you."

"We love you too, no matter what," her mom squeezed her poignantly. "Now, you better go get your luggage into a compartment before the train starts moving. And don't just pick an empty compartment, you have to meet your new classmates."

"You just want me to make friends," Hermione huffed. "I told you, no one wants to be friends with a know-it-all."

"Some will," her mother encouraged before her father interjected once again. "But you will never find them if you don't look, will you? You have to try to make friends. Promise us."

She crossed her arms with a huff, nearly glaring at her mother. For such a small child, she had a lot of anger in her tiny body.

"And remember what the professor told you," her mother said in a worried whisper. "No wandless magic in front of your classmates, okay? I know you might forget every once and a while, but I don't want you showing off and making them feel badly, alright?"

Now that was something Hermione understood. Every year before school her parents not only gave her a priesthood blessing, but always told her to be modest and patient. Patient with her classmates, modest in herself. She could be proud of herself, she could want what she wanted, but she wasn't supposed to do things simply for recognition. Things done in private were supposed to be more meaningful, and Hermione did remember that lesson on the widow's mite, but …. What do you talk about if not the exciting things you did and read? The things you managed to accomplish? Hermione didn't understand and she didn't really want to.

Still, she nodded with a sigh at her mother. She'd finished her last library book yesterday and hadn't started re-reading her school books. She knew if she started, she'd become too immersed to even want to interact with people and she would fight the urge for her mum … at least not in the first hour of the train ride. She'd hold off and explore the magical train, maybe finding someone along the way to bring with her.

The warning whistle blew and the parents began pulling away from their children. Her parents each gave her one more kiss on the forehead before letting her go and run for the train.

"Write to us!" the called. "Don't forget to say your prayers!"

Hermione gave her parents one more wave goodbye before she lugged her magical leather luggage and kitsune cage onto the train.

Because of her parents' goodbyes, she was one of the last ones on the train. Every compartment had people in it that she didn't know and girls that looked just so … pretty, it made Hermione feel strange about approaching them. But she was getting tired with her luggage, and so when she found a compartment with no girls and only three boys she breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Erm, hi!" Hermione said with a pressed smile. The two gingers and one black boy looked up at her with curious looks. "I'm Hermione Granger. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Well, ickle firstie, can you keep secrets?" The left ginger asked.

The second added, "Because we can't have snitches here."

Hermione gave them a confused look. "We can all keep secrets, can't we? We're wizards, we have to."

All three got looks of recognition on their faces. The black boy got up first. "Oh, you're a muggleborn! Yeah, come on in. Hey, I'm Lee. These monkeys are Fred and George. Here, let me put your case up."

The nice one, she decided, although she was still hesitant whenever someone called her a muggleborn. Her mother had spoken to her about her schooling and setting goals in case she didn't want to be in the Wizarding World after her time at Hogwarts, and it didn't take much to figure out why her mother insisted on her studying for her GSCEs. Even these nice boys had identified her as that term, the same one Ms. Wright had used in her pet store.

"You want to put your cat up here too?" the boy asked.

Hermione bit her lip. "Is it a long train ride?"

The twins and him nodded. "All day. You might want to let it out."

"It's fine with us."

"It's not vicious is, it?"

Hermione gave them a shy smile. "No, not really. But he's not really a cat. Well, unless he wants to be. The Professor said familiars were welcome, and well…" She set the carrier on a seat and opened the carrier. Daedalus must have hated the cage a lot to jump out and into her arms so quickly, but she caught him easily. It was practice. She turned to the boys and showed them. "This is my kitsune familiar, Daedalus."

The boys gaped. "Wicked!"

"Cool!"

"Can it really change animal shapes?"

"I thought they were bigger."

Daedalus loved all the attention, while Hermione was just relieved. Her little kitsune was the icebreaker she needed.

"Daedalus, can you show them your cat?" Hermione asked nicely. The kitsune preened and flashed into the beautiful cat she was familiar with. "Thank you."

They all looked really amazed, so Hermione guessed the kitsune was not a very common animal. Still, it was nice to be able to introduce her kitsune to other wizards.

"So ..." she hemmed when Daedalus turned back, "erm, which one of you is Fred, and which is George?"

Lee groaned and covered his eyes. "You're not supposed to ask them that."

The twins got a devious look on their face and leaned into her space, one on each side of her face.

"Before we tell you-"

"Just which twin is which-"

"You have to tell us-"

"Who the cuter twin is."

Hermione blushed a beet red and yanked her head back from their sing-song encroachment. Still, she couldn't help but consider their question as they laughed at her reaction. The one on the left was the one with his arm on his brother's when he laughed, his brother supporting some of his weight. His smile was a little different too and seemed … brighter. And one of his freckles pulled up with the smile giving him a sweet appearance. The smile pulled up just a little closer to his eyes, making his seem so jovial. The other one was just as handsome because, well, they were twins, but the one on the left seemed just a bit more … free.

Still blushing, she couldn't help but answer, pointing to the lefter brother, "Well, I guess, he is. To me."

Both brothers stopped laughing almost instantly and gave her a puzzled look.

"Well, no accounting for tastes," the one on the right said with a sniff. "How'd you like that Freddie? The firstie thinks you're prettier."

"But why does she think that is the question, Georgie," the left one said with a teasing smile in her direction. "She does know we're identical, right?"

Hermione stammered and blushed, looking down at the kitsune in her hands and petting it. "I don't know. I just … like your smile more."

At those words, Fred seemed to completely lose his common sense. He dropped to his knees in front of her and grabbed one of her hands in his. "Of, fair maiden, will you marry me?"

Hermione laughed at the drama of it all. "Well, fair knight, most have to go on a daring quest to earn a lady's hand."

Fred seemed to like her response, but still went into overblown dramatics. "Oh, wo is me! I have schooling and cannot yet be going on any perilous journeys. Will the maiden fair understand if I must wait five years to finish honing my knightly skills for the journey?"

Hermione pursed her lips in faux-thought, although this whole display still had her blushing. "Well, I suppose. But a knight needs a favour."

Hermione took the hair tie from her wrist and waved her hand over it, turning it into a cute little button with a picture of the two twins on it, laughing like a moment ago. It was just as she pictured. She went to present it to him with the overblown flourish, but Fred wasn't looking so joking anymore.

"Erm, you don't like it?" Hermione stammered, a little awkward. It wouldn't do to withdraw her hand, but she also couldn't really keep holding it out when he wasn't taking it. "I-I can change it."

Fred immediately snapped out of it and acknowledged the gift, taking it and looking at it with intrigue.

"Umm, you know," George coughed, "you don't have your wand tucked up your sleeve, do ya?"

She shook her head.

"This is brilliant!" Fred squeeed and showed George. "Look at this! Wandless!"

Hermione blushed, but more from mortification than anything. Professor Snape had specifically warned her about this, and she'd forgotten in the heat of the moment. It wasn't even a high-pressure situation.

"Your booklist," he handed her a new sheet of parchment, this time with the third-year reading list. "You will need another trip to Diagon Alley. , Mrs. Granger, will you require me to escort your daughter or are you able to return there? Do you remember the pattern?"

"I remember!" Hermone said proudly. "We can go again, right dad?"

"We'll find time to visit again," her mother promised.

Professor Snape inclined his head in acknowledgement. "The second page is a permission slip to Hogsmeade village. There is a wizarding town next to the school where your daughter might go to buy anything that needs replacing, or if she is like most students, act like a child and cause a headache for the locals." That earned her a fixed glare. "Students third-year and up have monthly Saturday visits if they so choose. However, feel free to refuse her permission. It is by no means necessary."

Then he fixed his eyes on her. "One more thing … show no one your talents. Your classmates, your tutor, even the Head Girl and Boy should be kept as much in the dark to your wandless abilities as possible. There may be … consequences."

Hermione leaned forward, her eyes wide with panic. "You can't tell anyone! I promised not to show people! The Professor will be so disappointed with me!"

"Woah, breathe," Lee raised his hands. "Of course we won't tell. That doesn't mean it's not bloody wicked."

Hermione cringed at the swear, but still relaxed. At least her Professor wouldn't be upset. "Thanks. I just forgot, I really didn't mean to forget. Professor Snape said it wasn't a good idea to tell."

That brought on a whole new round of questions. The boys seemed to have forgotten their planning session in favour of questioning her relationship with the Professor. She told them about how he was going to be taking her to church on Sundays.

"He's really nice when he's not angry," Hermione said at one point.

Fred and George did a simultaneous snort. "If you're not a Gryffindor."

"Here, here!" Lee affirmed.

"Why Gryffindor?"

That was how she learned about the Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry and the fact that Severus Snape was the Head of House for Slytherin. She didn't believe them when they told her about his favouritism in Potions class, but the way they talked about him made her uncomfortable. He really was someone she liked.

So when she got the chance, she said the next nice thing she could think of. Which turned out to be the sorting. Although fairly useless.

"Sorry, can't tell you," Fred and George said immediately, but Fred had an apologetic smile. "It's a Hogwarts secret."

"Yeah," Lee interjected. "You can try to talk about the Sorting, but you can't with anyone who doesn't already know. Some sort of spell, I'd wager. I guess it's to make the thing unbiased."

"Oh, come on," she huffed.

"We told our brother he had to fight a troll," George grinned. "He's going to be right relieved when we get there."

Her annoyance burst and Hermione giggled before she could shake off the feeling. It gave the twins a smug smile that made her pout at them.

"Well, I wonder-"

At that moment, a flustered young boy of her age opened the compartment door with a face that was a lovely shade of rose and apologized for bothering them.

"S-sorry, but have you seen my t-toad, Trevor?" he stuttered.

It wasn't a bad stutter, but Hermione frowned. Her dad had talked to her once about a student in her class that she'd been annoyed at for slowing the class down for speaking with a stutter. She'd felt horribly for it once her dad sat down and taught her about the studies into stutters and how it was developed. She even researched it some after that. Some of it was genetic, but other times it could be caused by trauma or illness. She was concerned already for the boy.

"I'm sorry, mate, but no toads here," Lee told him.

The boy nodded and looked to his shoes. "Thanks. Sor-r-ry again."

When the boy went to leave, Hermione jumped up and stopped him.

"Do you need help?" Hermione asked. "I could look too."

That made his hazel eyes come off his shoes and turn to her. "Really?"

"We'll help as well, mate," the twins said, getting up. "Lee, hold the compartment?"

"Sure thing."

The group left the compartment to begin the search and Hermione turned to the boy.

"What's your name?"

"N-Neville," he replied. "N-Neville Longbottom."

"Oh, Neville!" Fred and George immediately threw their arms around the young boy. "Hey, you used to come over all the time when you were all itsby bitsy. Hardly recognized you! You used to play with Ron and Gin in the backyard, terrorizing the gnomes and sneaking Bill and Charlie's brooms. Remember that?"

Hermione felt a pit form up in her stomach at their cheerful acceptance of Neville. She didn't begrudge him, per se, she just felt awful that she'd felt so accepted when it was clear the twins were the same with anyone new. Well, she couldn't have expected the first people she met would be her friends. She forced a smile to her face.

"We should split up," Hermione said as reasonably as she could. "Where else have you checked?"

"Umm, I-I am in that c-compartment," he pointed a few doors down. "I haven't check-k-ked many, just these four here."

"Alright, Georgie and I will take that way, you two go that way?" Fred divided them easily. "You can each pick a side and don't forget to check the hallway. Wouldn't want to step on him."

It was said like a joke, but Neville looked stricken at the thought. Hermione quickly grabbed his upper arm and led him down the hallway while waving good luck to the twins in their search. They knocked on various compartments, one at a time on either side, just asking if they'd seen the toad.

Hermione had just closed the door on a fifth-year compartment when she heard Neville stammering in the one down from where she was. She sighed in her head, hoping that her coming would give him some confidence, but was shocked to hear what was causing it.

"Talk much, Longbottom?" a voice sneered from the compartment. "Go away, you're hurting our ears."

"You really do give us purebloods a bad name."

Hermione felt the waves of anger flood over her. How dare they!

"Neville, why don't you leave these jerks alone," Hermione came up next to him and levelled a steely glare in the compartment. "I'll check this one."

"Th-thanks Hermione," Neville squeaked out before bolting from in front of the door.

Now it was Hermione's turn. Her hands were on her hips and her body tense and grounded as she glared at the compartment occupants. All well-dressed, handsome little kids about her age. The most annoying looking was the blonde one who seemed to live with a smug little smile on his face.

"That was very mean," Hermione chastised them. "He's just looking for his toad, you didn't need to be bullies."

One of the prim little girls looked her up and down before turning her nose away. "You wouldn't know anything about this. You're not even properly magical."

"'Properly magical?'" Hermione quoted in disbelief. Her blood was boiling and she didn't even notice the little white sparks going down her voluminous curls. "I got my Hogwarts letter, same as any of you. We would be the same if I were a nitwit and bully. Luckily for you, I'm not, or you would all be punished for being mean to Neville."

"Oh, really?" the blonde smirked. "You really are a muggleborn. Do you know who our parents are?"

"No, and it doesn't matter," Hermione hissed. "You should still apologize to Neville. It's not his fault he had a stutter, but it's your fault for being mean to him for it."

His smirk changed to a look of disgust. "Me, apologize to Longbottom? I'd rather eat a dungbomb."

She glared at the boy. "What's your name?"

He quirked a brow haughtily. "Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

"Granger. Hermione Granger," she replied equally as pretentious. "If you won't apologize I'm going to have to tell the Professor. He hates kids who are rude."

"Oh, you know a Professor?" Malfoy sneered. "Which one? The halfbreed in Charms?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I'm going to tell Professor Snape."

Malfoy took one second to process and then promptly started laughing. Hermione was shocked when the rest of the compartment started laughing too.

"What's so funny?" she fumed.

Malfoy wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Nothing, Granger, just your stupid face. You know what, why don't you tell Professor Snape once we get to school. I'm sure he'd love to hear it."

"I will," Hermione bit. They were making fun of the Professor and that was not any more okay with her when the twins did it than now. The compartment had raised brows at her sparking hair. "Now, I'm going to leave. But before I do, I'm going to ask nicely if any of you have seen Neville's toad."

Malfoy waved her off. "Who cares? Proper wizards have owls. He should be glad it's gone."

"I imagine it will help his appearance," a girl said. "He'll avoid slime on his clothes."

Another girl giggled. "Maybe he familiar-bonded with a toad. Can you imagine?"

Malfoy smirked. "That'd suit a squib like him. I bet the toad's more magical than he is."

"SHUT UP!" Hermione screeched. "You stuck-up, mean, BULLY! Neville is upset, and you say it doesn't matter? Who taught you to behave, a psycho?!"

Malfoy looked absolutely livid and rose from his seat to draw his wand. But when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. His eyes went wide and his face gaunt when he realized that no matter how red in the face his curses made him, he was completely silent.

The others in the compartment had seen the sparks in the girls' hair and had gaped when she had – intentionally or not – used accidental magic as an eleven-year-old. The cores were supposed to settle when they got this old.

Hermione, though, was wide-eyed. She hadn't meant to, but she was just so angry.

"What's going on here?" an orotund voice asked behind them all. Hermione turned around in terror to see a ginger, much like the two brothers she had met earlier, staring down the compartment. HE inspected the occupants of the compartment with a sharp eye and said, "Well?"

Draco made a rude gesture at the older boy, but the words trying to come out never made it. The girls looked vaguely uncomfortable, but the other boy next to Malfoy seemed more composed.

"Miss Granger here was looking for a lost toad, Weasley," he explained casually. "She must have been very distressed, because next thing we know Draco here lost his voice. Some sort of accidental magic?"

"That's not true!" Hermione held up her hand plaintively. "I swear! I mean, it was an accident, but-"

"That's enough," the boy struck her down ruthlessly. "Accidental or not, Miss Granger, I will be taking both you and … Mr. Malfoy to Professor Babbling. You are not off to a good start, you know; an incident on the train before you even get to school, honestly. Come along."

Already in trouble?! Hermione anxiously followed the boy with a badge and thought about all the things that could happen from this. Snape had told her to stay out of trouble, avoid using her magic wandlessly around the students, keep her nose clean. Already she'd failed in all of those things. There was a sad pit in her stomach at the thought of the Professor being disappointed in her, or worse, putting her back in first-year.

Neville saw her exit the compartment with the two boy and gave her a panicked stare. There was nothing she could do to reassure the boy but give him a sad smile. It was kind of forced, her smile, but it was better than nothing.

Hermione felt guilty about taking Malfoy's voice, and she had been taught to apologize whenever she felt that way. Still, it didn't make the task any easier.

She turned to the blonde boy and huffed, under her breath, "I really am sorry about your voice. But maybe now you won't be so rude."

The boy glared at her, promising death and retribution, but the ginger teenager addressed them.

"You're not in your robes, but I'm assuming you're both first-years?" the boy asked as they walked.

Malfoy silently fumed at being unable to respond, but she responded. "Actually, I'm technically a third-year."

"Really?" Percy quirked a brow at her over his shoulder. "Which house?"

Hermione flushed. "Well, I actually haven't been sorted. This is my first year, but the Professors moved me to third."

"Oi, Perce!"

Two ginger pranksters emerged from the woodwork and surrounded their leader, giving her an assuring wink. She relaxed a little bit at their arrival, although their brother didn't look too thrilled.

"I'm busy, you two," the badge-wearer tried to shrug them off. "Unlike you, I need to maintain some semblance of order."

"Aww, what did our new friend do to Malfoy?" Fred gave her a wink.

George jumped right in. "Did she turn his hair white?"

Fred gave the fuming Malfoy a mockingly discerning look. "I think that's his normal colour, Georgie."

"You know these two clowns?" Percy grit out over his shoulder.

Hermione nodded nervously. "They let me sit with them. Are they your brothers? They're nice."

"See? She thinks we're nice!"

"Totally friend material."

"So, what's up Perce?"

"Going to let her off the hook?"

Both twins turned and gave devastating puppy-dog eyes to their older brother, each making pitiful whimpers for all to hear. If Hermione's heart wasn't in her throat, she would have giggled.

Percy crossed his arms but did stop to address his brothers. "I'm a prefect. I don't give free passes."

"Yeah, but you can give warnings, right?" George pointed out pleadingly. "It's her first experience of Hogwarts, Percy."

"Yeah!" Fred exclaimed. "Free the firsties movement! It has a great ring."

"Besides," George's gaze slid over to the blonde, "it probably was deserved."

"Was it, my lady?"

Hermione bit her lip but nodded. "He was bullying Neville. And he and his friends said … said I wasn't 'properly magical'. I just got so mad!"

Fred and George withheld their guffaws in front of their brother, but one gave her a secret thumbs up and the other grinned. Malfoy was now gesticulating wildly, trying to speak or mime his words, but nothing came out. Just his face turning red and his hair standing out even more at the comparison. Percy pursed his lips grimly, but nodded.

"Miss Granger, if you disobey the school rules again it will be at school, where I can take points," he pointed out. "Do you understand me? This is your only warning."

Hermione nodded her head furiously. "Yes, sir."

He gave her a swift nod in return before motioning to Malfoy. "Come along. We'll see if Professor Babbling can reverse that spell on you."

It wasn't until the twins had pulled her back to the compartment that she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"At your service," they bowed. "We are the best in our field."

"Besides, Perce isn't bad," George interjected, "just a stick in the mud."

Hermione giggled. Lee gave the twins a look. "Umm, did you find the frog?"

"Neville!"