Chapter 3: Trolls and Cruel Words

All of her classes are with Neville, thank god and she often spends time with him. She finds comfort in his and Trevor's presence. She also finds herself following Ron around, searching for Peter's mannerisms in him. She's still unsure if he is in fact Peter, but one thing for sure is that he gets in trouble like him. A week into school and both he and Harry Potter are sneaking out after curfew. She manages to convince them that Malfoy isn't coming to their stupid duel and stumbles upon a Cerberus before returning to the tower. And what does she get for her troubles? A glare and a "Stay out of it, Granger." from Harry Potter.

Days pass and she falls into a pattern.

History of Magic is droll, and Hermione's the only one taking notes because there just might be a chance she hears the world Neverland.

Astronomy is her favorite class, as she can sit for hours and gaze at her home, her real home. Professor Sinistra is impressed with her knowledge about stars, and lets her look through the telescope the whole class.

Defense Against the Dark Arts is a joke, as she is sure everyone knows. Quirrell is a stuttering fool, and merely chatters incessantly about vampires.

Herbology is about plants, which is actually far more interesting than the teacher first let on. Plants she's never heard of exist, and she finds it fascinating. Not to mention Neville adores talking about plants with her.

Transfiguration's enlightening and she writes on a list that grows longer each day that maybe she can turn into a bird and fly to Neverland.

She was excited for Flying, only to find out it was on brooms. Even that wouldn't have been so bad, but they were banned because of an accident involving Neville that somehow was overshadowed by Harry Potter getting to be a seeker for the Gryffindor quidditch team. So now they were stuck taking notes until Christmas.

The only class she finds she doesn't like is Potions. Professor Snape reminds her of him (We could call you Red Handed Jill, you could tell stories.) and something about him (not the clothes, for they all wear black here) and his countenance makes her anxious. If the Professor picks up on her unease, Hermione does not know (She doesn't know that Severus did sense it and looked into her mind once, only to see flashes of hate and some young girls scream. A scream that was so similar to Lily's when she was younger that Severus never looks in her mind again, and never bothers to ask her about who the girl in her head who screamed is.) and doesn't care. She finds the man for all his brilliance needlessly cruel, and though she respects him, she is disappointed that he is so callous and cold. It is merely the way of this world, but Hermione is bitter nonetheless. Who was he to call her a know-it-all? What did he know of her and her hardships?

One day in Charms, she watches as Ron nearly pokes his eye out and hurriedly stops him. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long." He turns red and she resists the urge to giggle.

"You do it then, if you're so clever!" He snapped. A thought hits her, almost like lightening.

She wants to show off for him, surely that would make him remember her? After all, that was how they met. Maybe, she thinks, it will jog a memory. So, she flicks her wand and states firmly, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Hermione watches as the feather rises and catalogues it as a possible way to fly before turning to Ron. She is not surprised to see anger on his face. Peter was a sore loser too. The bells chime and she watches as everyone scurries away. She hurriedly packs her books before trailing after Ron, going unnoticed by the young boy. He walks up to Potter and starts chattering. She can't hear his words and she moves forward only for her heart to drop as she heard him loud and clear.

"-She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she has no friends!" He sneered. He can't be talking about me. He can't be. I didn't-, Hermione thought desperately, clutching her books tightly as tears welled in her eyes. Her mind unwillingly flashes back, to Peter's cruel words the night before Hook came to her.

"I will not grow up! I will banish you like Tink!" He screamed, each word like a dagger in her heart. The tranquility of the moment they had just shared forgotten as she felt rage encompass her heart.

"I will not be banished!" She shouted, falling to the ground with a gasp as all happy thoughts left her. How can he not love? She thought, When I love him ever so much.

"Then go home! Go home and grow up!" He told her, rising in the air, "And take your feelings with you!" He finished before flying off, leaving a trail of sparkly dust in the air before even that dissipated.

She ran off too, all the way to the little house he built for her. She slammed the door shut before closing her eyes and starting to cry.

He's not-

"Who?" Dean Thomas asks, face covered in soot because he said the incantation wrong.

"Granger, of course. Who else?" Ron said, and turned to look at her when a wail broke free from her throat. She pushed past him, her books falling from her hands as she covered her face because she doesn't want him to get the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She ran to the girl's bathroom and locked the stall door before crying in earnest.

How could she have thought that this stupid selfish boy was her Peter? How did she even know that Peter wasn't waiting for her? She thought, wiping her face on her sleeve. Peter would have never said something like that. She walked out of the stall and looked into one of the mirrors. For once she hated her face. I don't want to be you. She thought venomously. Stupid friendless Hermione Granger. She was pushed out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps, and hurriedly ran back in the stall. She heard Lavender and Parvati say something before they stopped in front of her stall.

"Hermione? Come out please?" Parvati asked, knocking on the door of her stall. Her concern seemed genuine, but Hermione felt tears well up again and shook her head before remembering the other girl couldn't see her.

"I think I'm going to stay here." She said, trying to keep them at bay.

"Are you sure?" Lavender questioned. She sounded bored, and Hermione bit back an insult.

"I'm fine. I'll see you later." She stated. The girls seemed to wait a few seconds, then she heard them leave. Alone again, she didn't hesitate to start bawling once again.

After feeling like she had cried for hours, she stepped out of the bathroom. She ran a hand over her face before turning to leave, only to come face to face with a troll. It looked at her for a moment before raising its club over its head and bringing it down hard. She automatically dodged, but let out a whimper as it whipped around and missed her head by a hair. She ran towards the door, and felt her knees weaken. It was locked. She ran back into her stall, trying to hide from it. She heard it smashing the sinks and let out a cry when the stall next to her was crushed. Letting out another whimper she started to cry again as she ducked down. Splinters of wood hit her back as it demolished the top of the stall where she stood mere seconds ago. She looked around and realized she had nowhere to go. The troll seemed to realize that because it grinned and lumbered toward her. If she died now it would be for the second time for (possibly) the same boy. Seeing no solution, Hermione closed her eyes and prayed she would die fast this time.

A shout made her open her eyes and she watched as Harry Potter and Ron take down the troll. She blinks as she watches Ron use the spell he insulted her over correctly, dropping the club on the troll's head. It starts to fall backward in her way, but Hermione can't move she's so in shock. It gets closer and Hermione realizes it's going to crush her, but before she can move a hand grabs her and yanks her out of the way. She falls onto the person, and looks down to see a red-faced Ron Weasley. She immediately scrambles off him, and smooth's down her hair before opening her mouth. She barely got a word out before there were suddenly teachers everywhere.

"What where you doing?" McGonagall asked them, her face stern. Hermione sees the nervous looks Harry and Ron give each other (looks at sparkling blue eyes and thinks Oh the things I do for you) and steps in.

"Professor, please. It was my fault. I was looking for the troll. I read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong." She lied, keeping her head tilted down so the older woman couldn't see her eyes. "They saved me." She added before McGonagall could ask why the boys were in a girl bathroom.

"Is that true, Potter? Weasley?" She demanded, and the boys quickly stopped gawking at Hermione in time to answer affirmatively. The witch pinched the bridge of her nose before speaking again. "Well then. I'm very disappointed in you. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgement." Hermione didn't say anything, and McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron. "As for you two gentlemen, five points will be rewarded to each of you for sheer dumb luck." She told them, before turning on her heel and leaving. Snape followed, and Quirrell shooed them off. The three of them walked together to the dorms, and parted at the stairs.

The next day, Hermione (for reasons even she couldn't understand) was waiting at the bottom of the steps for them. They looked at each other, then walked together to breakfast. And as Hermione listened to the two of them talk about quidditch, a sense of contentment fell over her. Maybe, she thought staring at Ron as his face lit up as he spoke about flying, I was wrong about you Ron Weasley. After all, when had she ever felt this happy then when she was with Peter?

A/N: Hi! It's me again! What do you guy's think of the cover? I made it myself! Anyways, chapter 3! This took forever to write. Chapter 4 will conclude year one, and open the way for year 2. Please review, I really love to hear people's thoughts. In the next chapter, Hermione flies again for the first time, and looks into the Mirror of Erised. Don't forget to PM me if you have any questions!

I am, therefore I spread,

Pain