A/n: Hello guys! As you can see this was slightly a longer schedule but I wanted to finish out the 5th year and move into the 6th. We are heading into AU as you can see by the fact that Myrtle and Hagrid are still in play! Do not fret it will be addressed soon but I wanted to remind you that it now AU from here on out! As always please leave a review as I do love hearing your guy's thoughts and suggestions.

Hermione walked back to her common room deep in thought. Her meeting with Dumbledore had shed some light on what she was doing here but it had also raised some questions. If she was here because she was already here then does that mean nothing matters? In Her timeline, Hagrid was already expelled and Myrtle was a ghost haunting the bathroom. But right now both parties were in their common room getting ready to go home on Monday.

Her thoughts consumed her so much that she didn't notice that her feet had taken her right to the common room door. She gave the password (purity) and walked in. Druella and Walburga were sitting on the couch facing the fireplace. Philomena occupied the chair to the right of them, her back facing Hermione. Hermione approached and sat in the chair to the left with a huff. The girls looked to her in question.

Hermione shrugged, "sorry I just came from a meeting with Dumbledore. Sometimes that man gives more questions than answers and it's incredibly frustrating."

Druella nodded in understanding, "Evan wanted me to tell you he probably won't see you tonight. Toms 'study group' is still studying."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew it wasn't a study group but she couldn't really tell the girls that. She just nodded and took a deep breath, calming herself before her brain exploded. She distracted herself by joining in on the conversation that was taking place before she entered, which happened to be summer plans.

Apparently, during the summer, pureblood girls learned the finer art of keeping a magical home and hob-knobbing in society. Not having much to contribute she listened to her friends' drone about the finer points.

She and Evan had been spending time together less and less the last few weeks. With OWLs and Tom having his little study group she saw him socially about once a week. After the meeting with Dumbledore, she thought that might not be a bad thing.

The fire began to die down. The girls had stayed up much later than usual and were just about to head to bed when the porthole door swung open and the boys stumbled in one by one. Most of them didn't spare more than a nod and a good night to the girls as they walked to their dorms. Bringing up the rear was Evan and Tom. Tom, of course, looking no worse for wear while Evan looked to have gone 10 rounds with an angry troll.

Hermione rushed to his side but Evan brushed her off. He told her he was fine and he was going to bed. He cast a small side look towards tom before he walked into his dorm and shut the door with a solid click.

Hermione spun on her heel to face Tom. He looked at her as if mildly amused by a child.

This only irritated her more, "What are you doing?"

Tom met her angry gaze with a bored one, "I don't know what you are referring to Miss Granger? At the current moment, I'm standing here with you."

Hermione could feel her face glowing read in frustration, "No Tom that's not what I mean and you know it. Your little study group doesn't fool me one bit. Keeping Evan from seeing me is the cherry on top of the situation."

His mask hardened slightly, "I don't know what you're talking about Hermione. People are just taking this time of year very seriously, you of all people should appreciate that."

She scoffed, "you are not fooling me for one second Tom just know that."

With her parting words, she turned back around and walked towards her dorm. She shut her door with such force the flames from the wall sconces flickered slightly. She got ready for bed in a huff and laid down. The girls knew she was upset about Evan so they left her to her thoughts. She fell asleep angrily confronting Tom in her mind, knowing she could never do it in real life.

Tom, believing himself to be too smart for her to actually know what was going on, he went to his dorm as well not giving her parting works a second thought as he laid down to sleep.

In the morning, Hermione woke up in a much better mood. It was the last Saturday before everyone went home on Monday and Hermione could hardly wait to have the castle to herself. She got up, showered and dressed in a simple skirt and shirt, casual wear for someone of her gender in these times.

She walked into the common room to see Philomena at the homework desks, writing a letter. Once done she looked up to see Hermione as well.

Philomena smiled, "Good Morning Hermione, how are you doing today?"

Hermione couldn't help but be reminded of Luna when she spoke. Luna must have gotten her lilting soft patter from her great aunt. She had met Philomena's younger brother, Xander, who would be Luna's Grandfather, previously.

"I'm doing much better thank you. I can't believe it's already almost the end of the school year." Hermione tried to sound happy about it, but everyone knew she loved school too much to be happy about it ending.

Philomena chuckled, "I need to send this letter to my mother, would you like to walk with me to the owlery?"

Hermione nodded, the walk would be nice. She barely hung out with Philomena one on one and wanted to get to know her more. They chatted idly as they walked. The girl reminding Hermione more and more of Luna as the walk progressed.

They delivered the letter and walked back to the great hall, it being time for breakfast. They sat down and ate with Walburga and Druella, who joined them just as they sat down at the Slytherin table. The boys were mysteriously missing again.

The rest of the day was spent as a girl's day. They all sat in the dorm room gossiping, practicing beauty charms and laughing. Hermione couldn't remember a day she had spent like this before. Between the war brewing and having boys as her only close friends she never really got the opportunity to be girly.

By the time Dinner time came about and they got to the great hall, the boys had emerged. They came to sit by the already sat girls. Tom sat across from Hermione, as was usual lately. Today, however, Evan didn't take his seat beside her. Tonight he sat furthest away on the same side of the bench, making it impossible for her to subtly catch his eye. They confirmed her thoughts. Tom had been making his life extra miserable at meetings because he was getting close to her. She internally sighed. She'd publically turn him down tonight in the common room. It would save him from further petty punishments. For how smart tom was he still was a hormone-riddled teenager and being petty just came naturally.

Once dinner was finished the entire group walked back to the common room. Most of the guys went to do their own things while Walburga, Druella, Orion, and Cygnus sneaking away for some time alone before being chaperoned at home. Only Abraxas, Evan and Tom stayed with Hermione and Philomena on the couches. Hermione had grabbed a book and was slowly turning the pages, not really taking in what was written.

The talk was a little forced, the tension creeping into the conversation. Before long Philomena and Abraxas left, citing the need to pack as the reason for their early departure. Hermione wasn't sure how she was going to go about helping Evan, having Tom watch the fight she was going to start seemed oddly intimate.

As it turns out, she didn't need to worry about what to say as Evan had the same idea. He spotted a fourth-year girl, Hermione wasn't sure what her name was and walked over to her. He was obviously flirting. She internally sighed. This was the coward's way out, trying to make her mad but on the other hand, she understood. If she was being harassed and could do something about it she would too.

Evan headed back and sat down on the chair to the left of Hermione. When she didn't react, playing the role of a pureblood woman and keeping her emotions in check, he decided to dig the preverbal knife in deeper, "Charlotte agreed to see me during the summer and suddenly I'm looking forward to some time off." He finished with a chuckle.

Hermione could see Tom cast a side glance towards her. Hermione sat back and continued to read her book, looking uninterested.

She could feel the eyes of both boys on her and she decided she played her role long enough, "Well I do hope you and Charlotte have a wonderful time this summer. "

She closed her book with a loud snap and got up, walking toward her dorm room. She felt a tug at her sleeve and spun to see Evan. She rose an eyebrow in question.

He opened his mouth, "Hermione, I thought you understood, we're just friends. There is no need to act that way."

She snorted, "Evan you are more than welcome to do whatever and whomever you please. I honestly couldn't care either way. Now if you will excuse me I am going to my room, suddenly the ego in this room is too much to take."

She walked to her room and shut the door. Druella was sitting on her bed, reading an issue of witch weekly. She looked up and saw Hermione taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

Hermione explained what had just happened. Druella grew angry with her brother and wanted to go give him a piece of her mind. Hermione stopped her. She explained how it was the last weekend of the school year and she honestly didn't care anymore. If he wanted to try and parade around her with a fourth year then that was his prerogative.

Hermione got ready for bed as Druella talked, mostly about her brother and why she was going to make his summer miserable.

As Hermione laid down she couldn't help but frown. Tom was rapidly becoming manipulative and petty and it was going to be a problem no matter what she managed to change.

Sunday was a whirlwind of flying clothes and books as everyone finished their packing. Hermione packed for show, as she wasn't supposed to tell anyone she was staying in the castle. She had already started the groundwork of throwing them off her trail. She told her friends that she would be floo'ing with Dumbledore instead of taking the train home.

She had received a letter from Dumbledore saying that she could choose where to stay and she had decided to sleep in the private room she stayed in before. After the train departed she would move her stuff to the room.

Meal times were spent in relative silence. The tension between Evan and Hermione- and by extension Druella who had quite vocally taken Hermione's side- was almost visible in the air as Tom looked between the two of them, barely concealing his look of victory.

The walk back and the rest of the night was spent superficially talking about good times and memories of the year before everyone headed to bed.

The morning was almost as hectic as the previous. Everyone got ready and headed down to the great hall before departing towards Hogsmeade station. Hermione walked down with her friends.

Hermione made sure to hug each girl fiercely. Promises of writing and frequent owls were made all around before they got into a carriage and waved as the carriage pulled away. Hermione said her goodbyes to Cygnus, Orion, and Abraxas as they climbed into their carriage, again promises of owls were exchanged. Evan climbed into the same carriage. He didn't offer to write nor did Hermione. She told him to have a nice summer and say hello to Charlotte for her. Anything he was going to say after that stayed with him as he shut the door to the carriage.

The last, of course, was Tom. Hermione didn't know what to say to him. He didn't seem to know what to say to her either. She raised her hand and offered a handshake, "I will see you in September Tom. I hope you have a nice summer."

He nodded and shook her hand, "I do hope you have a nice summer as well Hermione. Would you be opposed to receiving my owl as well?"

She sighed. She didn't really have any reason not to, besides her own feelings.

She nodded, "I'd like that Tom."

He offered something between a smile and a smirk as he got into the last carriage. As it pulled away she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She now had an entire summer in the castle to figure out what to do.