Title: Little Spark of Madness

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in anyway, that belongs to JK Rowlings. I don't make any money from this either. I just do it for fun :) All original characters are my own, those would be the ones that you don't recognize from the books.

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Take one breath, one day at a time; it won't always be this hard.

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Hogwarts - Head Table (The Next Day)

Minerva was sipping her morning tea as she waited for the mail to arrive with her daily prophet. As the owls came swooping in she stopped for a moment seeing a post from her brother Malcolm.

Picking it up breaking the seal she could almost feel the color draining from her face as she read through the letter.

Dearest Sister,

I am writing to inform you that our young niece is quite a bit more popular than we had originally thought. As I never had children I did not expect to be dealing with marriage requests, and I now have five to peruse at my leisure. Although one is disgusting and will most likely be thrown out right as I present it to her.

As her guardian and Head of House I am letting you know know in case there are any issues at school, as four of the five young men are currently attending Hogwarts.

The requests are from: Mr. Sirius Black, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, Lord Zambini, Mr. Rabastan Lestrange, and Mr. Galen Avery.

Do take care sister, and watch out for our niece, four of the five are Slytherin.

Your Brother,

Malcom.

Minerva folded the letter carefully placing it back into the envelope as she watched the girl in question eating her breakfast with her friends unaware of what was going on.

Sighing as she ate her breakfast, things just became quite a bit more complicated. The only question now was why the boys suddenly all requested this new girl for a wife.

After breakfast was over she turned to the Headmaster, "A word in private Albus? We have something to discuss."

Dumbledore glanced down at her over his spectacles with a twinkle, "Of course Professor, do we need to invite anyone else?"

Shaking her head as she stood smoothing her robes, "No, not yet at least."

Nodding his head at the two made their way to the headmaster's office. After sitting down he smiled kindly, "What is it that you would like to discuss?"

Minerva simply passed her brother's letter to the headmaster to let him read what she had already.

Nodding his head as he finished and passed it back to her, "And what is the problem then? Hermione will be given the choice on who she accepts correct?"

Minerva smoothed her robes again, "What if there is more blackmail. Lucius Malfoy heir to the Malfoy name is on there, along with Galen Avery another heir, and while Rabastan is not an heir the Lestranges would rather die out than marry a half blood Albus. They must all know something that we do not, or know what Walburga Black thinks that she does."

Albus got up and walked to his desk with his hands loosely clasped behind his back, 'I see your point Minerva, but our plan still stands. Hermione need not know about any of this before her 16th birthday. Otherwise she may find herself in a similar position to being forced into the Yule ball with Sirius by Mrs. Black. Once she knows about any request, until a final decision is made she would have to accept invitations from all the men. Including Lord Zambini, and I think we all know that is a bad idea."

Stilling Minerva looked at the headmaster , "She will have to make a decision then in order to stop all advances? Not just denying one, but she will have to accept one?"

The headmaster stopped his own pacing and nodded, "Lord Zambini can ask for her until she decides on a husband, as his right. You can of course assign her a chaperone for all outings in order to preserve her chastity. The chaperone would have the power to end the dates if they got too close for comfort, but again the chaperone would go on all dates."

Minerva was looking down at a vase, however she wasn't paying it any mind as she thought about everything, "She won't be told. You are right that it is bad enough she knows about Sirius, I know the boy is confused and trying to protect her. However, I've seen many times where she leaves his presence with tears in her eyes. He isn't old enough to handle this, he is a barely 16 year old boy whose main concern should be school and quidditch."

The headmaster nodded gravely, "Very well it has been decided then."

Getting up he walked over to one of his many bookshelves, "Now I did have some other business to discuss with you. We've uncovered another horcrux." Pulling a box down and opening the lid revealing the Gaunt ring.

They had discovered Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem over the Yule holiday while most of the students were away at their homes.

"Albus you didn't put it on did you? You saw the memory." Minerva looked to both of his normal hands in panic.

"No, no dear. I had no intention of fulfilling that horror. Although, I must say it was difficult to resist." The two looked down at the dark ring, "The question now it where to place it, I do not think placing these items in the same area will be a good idea."

Nodding her head, "Yes, but both should remain in the castle. You-Know-Who cannot reach them here."

Nodding, "Voldemort Minerva. His name should not be feared. You are correct though, we must find safe areas here for the items. I am keeping the diadem in the room of requirement, the ring though, I think a hidden area in the forbidden forest will do. Maybe our dear centar friends would be willing to assist."

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Hermione was currently sitting outside by her tree after becoming too uncomfortable by the stares that she had been receiving in the library.

She couldn't understand why it seemed that she was gaining their attentions. She had asked one girl who had been watching her but she just took off only to find her way to a group clearly talking about her.

With her legs tucked slightly under her as she read something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Looking up she smiled seeing a little flower floating next to her.

Turning to look behind her she smiled seeing Galen hovering the flower with his wand. "Galen, how sweet." She took the flower from the air as he sat down next to her, "I don't think we have a study time scheduled today though. Did I forget something?"

He smiled and shook his dark blonde hair, "No Miss Hermione, I just saw you sitting out here alone. It would be remiss of me to leave you alone without checking up on you."

She blushed slightly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Oh, thank you. I was actually trying to avoid the stares and whispers. It seems I may be a part of a rumor, however I have no idea what it could be about. I am fairly boring compared to others."

Galen just raised a brow, his cheek bones seeming slightly more prominent, "So you don't know then?"

At the shake of her head and questionly look he sighed as he shifted into a slightly more comfortable position, "You're not as boring as you make yourself out to be. A third year ravenclaw saw you leaving a previously locked classroom with James Potter. I believe you were quoted in saying that what happened was just between you, and you didn't want to add Lily. I do believe you have a bad girl streak. Snogging with a cousin?"

Hermione's face was about as red as possible, she was sure there was not an ounce of blood anywhere else, "What?" Her voice was breathless as she tried to catch her breath that had suddenly escaped her, "That isn't true! I would never!"

Galen nodded his head as he watched her panic internally, "So you aren't snogging your cousin then?"

"NO!" Her voice came out shrilled in her panic, "Galen, I have never snogged anyone here, please believe me."

Galen just chuckled as he nodded his head, "I believe you, calm down Hermione. The rumors will calm down soon, it is hardly that scandalous."

Grabbing her things and shoving everything in her bag, "I am sorry Galen, I've got to go find James and the others. Oh no… Lily! I have to find Lily!" Hopping up quicker than Galen had time to rise before she took off at a full run towards the pitch.

She made it there quicker than she'd ever made it in her life. Her cheeks and top of her rest red while the rest of her was a pale white as she ran up the stairs to the bleachers where she knew Lily and Marlene watched practice.

Seeing Lily she ran down trying to catch her breath only to see a smiling Lily, "Oh my! Hermione? What's wrong?"

Lily and Marlene both dropped their conversation to tend to their friend, "The rumors… have you heard them? I promise they aren't true! I just.. Heard them… Oh bollocks."

Lily and Marlene just looked at each other confused as Lily turned back to Hermione, "We've been up here since dawn, we haven't heard any rumors. What are they saying?"

Hermione felt her world stop, "I had to talk to James about something private so we used an empty class. As we were leaving he started to asked me about you, I stopped him and said it had been about us, and I wasn't bringing you into it. Some Ravenclaw heard and now the entire school thinks James and I were snogging and trying to keep you from knowing!"

"WHAT!"

Hermione snapped her head upwards to see Harry, James, Sirius and the rest of the team hovering above them. The three boys all looked varying degrees of pissed off.

They must have come over when Lily and Marlene panicked about Hermione's appearance. "Oh Hi. Well as long as you know I would never kiss James. Never! The phrase they are using is kissing cousins and it is grossing me out."

Lily nodded her head, "Well thank you for telling me, hopefully the rumors will stop soon. It must be horrible for you to have been through that this morning alone, I mean you haven't ever gone to a school before."

Hermione bit her lip and looked to Harry before nodding, "I don't know what to do."

Marlene just smiled, "We can find you someone else to snog! Someone not related! Oh how about Frank?"

Lily just glared at her, "Sweet Alice would kill you for even mentioning Frank! It was a stupid idea."

Hermione sighed in relief thinking that at least one person was on her side. The feeling only lasted a few seconds until Lily betrayed her with a smile, "She should snog Sirius."

Glaring at the redhead as the blood rushed back to her cheeks. She could feel the boys staring at her from above and then heard a whooshing noise. Looking up she saw Sirius' retreating flying away from them.

Looking down as she tried to hide the tears welling up at his treatment. It was useless and a large tear drop fell on her hand. Looking back up to glare at Lily, "I rushed all the way out here to spare your feelings and this is what I get? You know what is going on! Thank you for making things so much better!"

Grabbing her bag as she ran to the doorway to get away from everyone ignoring the plea and apologies from Lily. Once down below Harry was waiting for her hovering on his broom, "'Mione?"

Hermione just glared at him tears streaming down her face, "Leave me alone Harry, I just want to be left ALONE! I shouldn't have to be involved in all this childish drama. I tried sparing Lily's feelings and…. Why would she think that comment was alright? Especially in front of Sirius?"

Walking past him angrily wiping her face with her sleeve only to be pulled into a tight hug, "Close your eyes." It wasn't a request, she just buried her face in his dirty shirt from practice. Letting out a squeak as she felt him lift off the ground.

"Harry!" Wrapping her arms around his waist tighter than she'd thought possible, "Put me down!"

He ignored her plea as they flew for a bit, it was only a few minutes before her feet felt the ground once more. Hopping off the broom she glared at her brother, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"

Harry raised his hands and she noticed that they were currently on the far side of Black Lake. No one really ever came over here, it was really close to the forbidden forest.

"I thought you needed to be alone." Harry just looked at her with concern in his eyes, "I use to come here before. You know when things became too much." He was worried about her, he knew she was close to snapping. This was worse than her over studying though, she was losing herself.

Hermione just stood there in the silence before wrapping her arms around Harry again, hugging him tightly as her tears began to flow again. "I want to go home. I miss the Weasleys, I miss Remus and Tonks, I miss Ron, I miss Ginny, I even miss old Sirius! The twins pulling pranks. No one cared if I had a conversation with a boy. I had no Marriage requests, I didn't have to pretend Harry. I don't know how much more I can take."

Running his hand up and down her back trying to calm her as he sat down pulling her with him, "'Mione. I don't even know how to begin. I am so sorry about him."

Hermione sniffed and shook her head, "No, don't mess up your friendship for…"

Harry put his hand over her mouth, "You are my best friend Hermione. I just get the added bonus of calling you my sister too. You and I have been through more together than I ever thought was possible. The best things and the worst things in the world."

Hermione nodded as she looked out at the water, "I guess I owe Lily an apology for blowing up on her."

He turned and frowned at her, "No you don't. She owes you one. What she did was uncalled for, she knew the tension that was there. She knew he could hear her." Swallowing he thought about his next words, "He was worried about you. He was the first to stop practice and fly over to you. Lily's words must have gotten to him too."

Hermione sighed and started talking about the upcoming O.W.L.'s and how it didn't really matter how Sirius treated her, she was going to be studying from then on.

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