Author's Note: Because it's taking forever to properly write Slytherin Prince from beginning to end, I came up with an idea. I'll simply post significant moments between Harry and Hermione that occur in the story, whether they've already been written, or have been residing solely in my brain. Hopefully it's enjoyable.

Part One: Every Story Has A Beginning

Harry nodded slowly. "That certainly sounds like Dudley," he admitted, rubbing his own arm.

The first boy's eyes narrowed again, assessing. "I'm Richard," he introduced himself and pointed to Jake, the red-head. "That's Jake, as I'm sure you heard me call him." Then he pointed to the third boy, the blonde. "That's Ty."

Harry nodded slowly. "Where would we be going?" He asked.

Richard smirked. "My house," he said. "You look like you're about the same age as my sister. She could use a friend her own age," He said softly and his eyes brightened.

Ty chuckled. "If she doesn't tear him to shreds before he can even introduce himself," He commented.

A shiver went down Harry's spine, but he wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "I'm sure I'll survive, even if I'm in pieces by the end," he countered.

Richard's eyes widened. "Well then, let's go for a walk," he offered and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him up to the front of the group as they walked together.

It didn't take long for them to reach a two-story house with sweet scented wisteria vines climbing up it. Richard walked up to the door and knocked. In less than a minute, a girl had come to the door, yanking it open and glaring at Richard. Sparks seemed to crackle in her thick mass of dark brown, curly hair and her eyes seemed to pierce straight through all three of the boys Harry had just met. "Where have you been?" The girl asked, an unspoken accusation hanging between her and her brother as she caught sight of the blood on his knuckles. But then she glanced at Harry and the rage simmered down, shifting instantly to curiosity. "Who are you?" She asked with a softer tone.

Harry smiled carefully. "I'm Harry," he said, forgoing his last name this time. "What's your name?" He asked.

The girl bit her lip. "Hermione," She said simply.

Harry continued to smile. "Nice to meet you, Hermione."

Shockingly, her big, beautiful brown eyes widened and she smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, Harry. And… you can call me Mia if you want," she offered. "I know Hermione is a bit of a mouth-full," she admitted, her face turning pink.

Harry nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," he began. "I think Mia might suit you better anyway," he added casually.

Richard watched the exchange with eyes as wide as saucers. He had never witnessed his sister offer to let someone call her Mia. Typically the only person who ever called her that was Richard himself.

Hermione typically refused to allow anyone to shorten her name at any point ever, she felt it was lazy of the other person and she refused to accommodate laziness. That, and she found nearly every shortened version of her name to be gag-worthy and annoying and she didn't want to hear any of them. Mia was the classiest, and only acceptable shortened form of her name as far as she was concerned and it was a restricted privilege for anyone to have that option presented to them.

So needless to say, Richard was struck rigid with shock until she turned her eyes back on him and the fury returned. "You've been home less than a day and you disappear?" She asked and crossed her arms over her chest. "Where were you?" She asked again and began tapping her foot against the ground.

*Short Time Skip*

But there were two other people he was frustrated with. Two people who could have told him this when they met. Two people who may have only chosen to befriend him because they recognized his scar and knew who he was. Hermione and Richard.

One of which stepped outside sometime after the sun rose, and laid down in the grass beside Harry, reaching for his hand. "You knew," Harry stated coldly, and didn't even bother to turn to look at Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, I knew," She admitted, knowing exactly what Harry meant.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, sitting up and plucking at the grass by his feet.

Hermione remained lying down. "Would you have believed me?" She asked him in turn. "I can't prove it the way my mother can, neither can Richard. I haven't gotten my wand yet, and Richard is barred from using magic outside of school until he's seventeen."

Harry grumbled. "You knew who I was… that's why you both wanted me as a friend, isn't it?" He asked, his tone cruel and accusatory.

"Not at all," Hermione stated firmly, sitting up. "I didn't realize until after you mentioned your scar and how Dudley hadn't been the cause of it. And Richard didn't realize it until you told him your name. Even then, Richard was just impressed that you stood up to three older boys as casually as you had, and he wanted me to branch out and maybe connect with someone my age for once," Hermione admitted and bit her lip nervously.

Harry finally turned to face her. "For once?" He asked, hoping for her to explain further.

Hermione sighed. "My mother is a witch, but my father is a muggle dentist, and when Richard was born, my father insisted he wanted his child to grow up with equal exposure to a magical and non-magical upbringing. He insisted again when I was born. My mother agreed both times and enrolled us both in muggle school when the time came. Richard is very sociable and friendly and easily connects with people all the time with almost no effort… I'm… I'm not like him."

Harry watched as Hermione seemed to retreat inward and her eyes began to glisten. "I used to be jealous of him, how effortlessly he just had everyone eager to befriend him and invite him into their circle of friends and hated that it was so hard for me to just get along with people my own age. None of them enjoyed reading like I did, none of them wanted to talk about anything real, they didn't even seem to grasp the concept of reality, and the constant insistence with everyone wanting to shorten my name because," she cleared her throat and adopted a mocking voice, "'It's too hard!' And coming up with abysmal nicknames like Mione, or Herms, and after I'd protested too many times and gotten too aggressive about demanding that people stop messing with my name, they started getting cruel and calling me Mousy… And the bullying really started there."

Harry nodded. "I get that… at least a bit," He admitted. "Vernon was only a nightmare when I was home. Outside the house I was Dudley's favorite punching bag, and he had everyone afraid of him, so no one wanted to befriend me and end up on Dudley's bad side, risking getting jumped by his gang. And I'll stop calling you Mia if you want, I don't want to irritate you, shortening your name."

Hermione shook her head. "No, no I don't want that," she said quickly. "That's the only shortened form of my name I like. I chose it myself. And I never wanted anyone but Richard to use it because I trust him, and he's my big brother. But… You didn't immediately gripe about my name and try to change it to suit your preferences, or comment about how it sounded ridiculous… So, I trust you too… and honestly if you keep calling me Mia, it's fine, I like it. I just… also want to be called Hermione sometimes too… you know?" She explained and bit her lip a bit, her eyes still glistening.

Harry nodded and pulled Hermione into a hug. "I'll keep that in mind, Hermione," Harry said softly, and Hermione gripped him tightly. "But… What am I going to do now? Your mother said my aunt and uncle have been arrested… I can't go back there, and I don't have any family left…" Harry sighed.

"You have a home here if you want it, Harry," Hermione answered him. "You always have a home here."

Harry couldn't help smiling as he held Hermione against him tighter. "I think… I think I'd like that…" He said. "Thank you, Mia," He added softly.