Disclaimer: I own nothing!
A/N: Yes, this will be an eventual Harmony story…And I promise that later chapters will be more detailed and longer...
October 1991
"But Hermione!" Harry ran after his best friend, casting an annoyed glance at Ron Weasley. Ron looked confused as to why the two were upset, but he didn't chase after them. Harry caught up to Hermione just inside the archway leading to the dungeons. His breath caught at the sight of her in tears.
"Hey, Hermione. Don't let Weasley do that to you. Don't let him make you cry." Harry fished a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to his friend.
Hermione took the offered napkin. "Thanks, Harry. I just…" She blew her nose. "I don't understand what I've done to that boy to make him dislike me so much. I was just trying to help him out. There was no need to be so rude."
Harry nodded. "I think Ron's been overshadowed by his brothers for so long that he has a hard time taking help from anyone. But that's no excuse. He shouldn't treat anyone like that. I've met his mum a couple of times with Minnie, and she would box his ears for the way he's acting. I'll talk to him. And," he added at Hermione's expression, "I'll be nice. Ron has been a decent friend to me so far, and I'd like for my friends to get on with one another."
Making sure Hermione was indeed alright, Harry made his way to the dorm to get ready for the Halloween feast that night. Ron was sitting on his bed when he entered the room. He jumped up when he saw Harry.
"Harry! Is she…is she okay?" Ron looked mildly concerned.
Harry nodded. "She's fine. But what was that, Ron? You know she was only trying to help you, and you called her a bloody nightmare!"
Ron looked properly ashamed at this. "I know. I know she's your friend and all, and I know she's brilliant." Ron's ears turned red. "I guess I've been 'helped' by my brothers for so long that I can't take actual advice. I'd like to be a great wizard on my own, you know?"
"I get that…" Harry began.
"No, you don't," Ron interrupted, a bit agitated. "You've been raised by bloody McGonagall, head of the Gryffindor house, professor, deputy headmaster. Not to mention, you're Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived! You don't understand what it's like to have five brothers to follow, five successful, brilliant brothers, at that! You have had everything, everything handed to you, and…"
"That's enough, Weasley." Neville walked in and stood behind Harry. "Your not feeling 'good enough' is no reason to yell at Harry. Professor McGonagall never gave Harry any extra footholds to boost him above the rest of us. What she did was ready him for school and teach him how to survive should anything or anyone decide to attack the one who killed the Dark Lord. Ron, you grew up with your parents, something neither Harry nor I can boast. You had siblings that prepared you for Hogwarts, but we had two older witches who took us in and raised us as their own. I'd be appreciative for what I have, Ron. It could be gone in a second."
Ron looked aptly apologetic, though his ears were still red. "I…uh…I never thought of it that way." He looked at Harry. "I'm sorry Harry. And Neville. I'll apologize to Hermione as soon as I can. And I'll try harder to get on with her." Ron stumbled from the room, assumingly to hunt Hermione.
Harry turned to Neville. "Thanks, mate. If you hadn't come in when you did, I might have had to bloody his nose."
Neville laughed and walked to his trunk. "No you wouldn't have. I don't think you have it in you. But someone had to put Weasley in his place. He shouldn't talk to our friend like that.
"No. And he'd better have a good apology ready for her when he finds her."
Harry looked around at the revelers across the Great Hall. Halloween decorations floated around, jack-o-lanterns glowed, and candy filled the room as students enjoyed their treats and dinner.
He took this moment to glance up to the professors' table. Seated in the middle, obviously, was Albus Dumbledore in all his eclectic strangeness. To his left sat Minnie, elegant as always in her dark green robes and her pointed witch's hat that she kept for special occasions. Beside her was Professor Flitwick, professor of Charms and head of Ravenclaw. He was in a deep discussion with Professor Sprout, who taught Herbology and lead the Hufflepuffs. Finally, at the end of that section of the table sat Severus Snape, Potions Master and head of Slytherin. On Dumbledore's other side sat some professors that only taught third years and older, but he noticed that Quirrell, Defense of Dark Arts professor, was not in his seat.
Just then, Snape stood and walked the aisle to the large double doors leading out of the Great Hall. Harry was slightly baffled by Severus Snape. Minnie had told him that he and Harry's mother had been friends throughout school, but the friendship fell out later on in their time at Hogwarts. Snape seemed to go out of his way to ask Harry questions that he knew he had no answer for, such as questions that were not even found in the book. However, Harry would answer as best he could, usually at least close to the correct answer, and Snape would look at him strangely, as if he couldn't believe his own ears. The questions came less frequently, but Harry stayed as knowledgeable as possible, just in case.
Snape did, without a doubt, dislike Harry and his friends, but he was especially hard on Hermione. If Harry's questions were difficult, Hermione's were outright impossible. He frequently commented on her lack of background knowledge, targeting her Muggle upbringing. Neville suggested telling Minnie, but Hermione was appalled.
"No! Do not tell Professor McGonagall that I'm having trouble in Potions! I just have to study harder, that's all!" Minnie was Hermione's favorite professor, and Minnie had admitted to Harry that she had a soft spot for the Muggleborn as well.
Harry had, without his friend's knowledge, during his and Minnie's weekly private tea, addressed his concerns without mentioning Hermione's or Snape's names in particular. His guardian looked down into her teacup and frowned.
"Is this professor cruel? Does he or she make it a point to punish this student unnecessarily?"
Harry shrugged. "The professor doesn't exactly punish the student, just makes sure that the student feels inadequate and unprepared. Other students receive the same treatment to some degree, but not as severely as this particular one."
Minnie nodded. "I've had other students concerned with this problem as well, particularly Gryffindors. And all of the complaints are about a single professor. Tell me, Harry, does Snape seem to have a particular problem with you?"
The boy gulped. "Well, at times he's hard on me. But I'm not the student in question at the moment. He's harder on some of the others."
The deputy headmistress set her cup down. "I'll address this problem again with the headmaster, but I'll go ahead and warn you: Snape is set in his ways. You may see a difference, and if I can help it, you will, but you may not. Like I said, I've had this issue before, and not much has changed. But," McGonagall continued as she walked Harry out, "something will be done." As Harry walked down the corridor from Minnie's office, she called out, "And tell Hermione to keep her chin up. She's exceptional just as she is!"
Back at the feast, Harry wondered what the Potions professor was up to. "Where is Snape going?"
Neville, taking a huge bite of pudding, followed Harry's gaze. "Maybe he turns into a vampire at midnight."
Hermione shook her head. "Why does it matter, Harry?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just feel…" Just then, the doors flew open and Quirrell ran in with his pronouncement, promptly fainting afterwards.
The next day, the stories flew through school about how three first year Gryffindor students rescued one of the Weasley boys who had been unlucky enough to have eaten a tad too much at dinner. The four students were seen in each other's presence for the remainder of the year.