A/N: So here's another update. :D Seriously, don't get used to it. Semester finals are coming up. I'm sure you can symmpathize.

Disclaimer: So, I don't own Harry Potter/characters they belong to J.K.R.

Year Three

The summer was good and sunny. Enough to cause a good healthy tan on Hermione's otherwise fair skin. And even before the school year started so much was going on. Blown up aunts, a beautiful ginger cat, and Sirius Black. Escaped murderer, scary and gaunt.

The train this year was different, although wasn't it always? Rain poured down as her along with Harry and Ron found a not so empty compartment. Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, poor fellow, incredibly skinny and apparently exhausted. It didn't matter, not now that she knew that previously mentioned murderer was after Harry. This was going to be a rough year, at least until that madman was captured.

Before even arriving at Hogwarts, adventure presented itself. Though 'adventure' was entirely the wrong word. Dementors, the one thing that scared her more than anything. They were gruesome, and after that first meeting she was more thankful for chocolate than she had been ever before.

"You fainted Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" Of course, there was Malfoy being a prat again. It was hard to believe he was ever decent to anyone. His mocking was stopped as Hermione looked at him, 'like you weren't affected too. Shut up!' He could read her mind, unfortunately for him.

Not even to the feast and she was on about thinking of her many classes. Professor McGonagall was her favorite for a reason. This time turner was going to be her lifesaver and it was all thanks to the Head of her House.

"How is your arm?" Hermione asked. It had been three days since the hippogriff attack. Draco scoffed slightly before pulling the bandaged appendage out of the sling and waving it around. "I thought so," she smiled.

The two of them were sitting in a empty classroom, door shut tight and locked, walls sound proof, and two deformed, though just as comfortable, arms chairs conjured, (Hermione was still just a third year after all) near the back of the room. "This thing is useful." Draco meaning his 'hurt' arm, "It gets me out of so much work and what not." Hermione frowned disapprovingly. "Oh, relax. I can only successfully pull it off for another few days. After that, everything will be back to normal."

"Well anyway," Hermione changed the subject, "that first Divination class was bullocks! I don't know where that sparkly excuse of a teacher comes off telling people that they are going to die in the near future."

Draco smiled knowingly, "You only say that because she had picked on Potter." He knew her.

"Well, that is part of it I guess." He knew her well. "Though I still say, it is too frivolous to be considered a real subject."

"I don't know that frivolous is the right word. Stupid, I think fits better." That made her smile, and in turn making him smile.

Hermione was exhausted, but happily so. Her work load may have been killing her already, but it was worth all the interesting things she was learning, nonstop. Even, she had to admit, in potions, things were getting more advanced and she relished in it. Though far from the same could be said for the Potions Master, she didn't know how Draco could stand him as a Head of their House.

Finally it was the first year she had been in the class of a competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Lupin not only actually taught them about things, but also was very kind and fair. What more could she ever ask for. She didn't understand why some people didn't like him as she did.

"Ron is being stupid." That was all she said when he asked why she looked so upset.

"I concur!" he exclaimed. "Finally, you see what I mean, though it took you long enough."

She couldn't help but laugh a little at his enthusiasm. "Well, it may not be the same way you believe though. He's just so stupid about his rat. Crookshanks is a cat, what does he expect?"

"I think it well that I meet this cat of yours." Draco smirked playfully.

"I'm sure you would." They were seated in the quidditch stands, braving the cool weather while everyone else was warm beside fires inside the castle. It was after dinner, Hermione had met him with her enormous book bag, having not been to Gryffindor Tower; she wasn't able to grab a cloak either. He gave her his. She objected, so to shut her up, he sighed, and they shared.

Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks were the most lovely places Hermione had been to in all of Hogmeade. Too bad Harry wasn't there, though Ron was being nice and sweet again. Finally having forgotten Scabbers for the duration of their trip he had.

The Halloween Feast was always something to look forward to. The Fat Lady being shredded was not. As scary as Black was, he just became scarier, being able to get past all the enchantments that protected the castle.

It only took one class of Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape for Hermione to know she never wanted him to teach the subject.

When Harry fell from almost 50 feet in the air, her heart stopped beating, it was horrible for her and she knew Ron hated it too, when they had to break the news that his broom had been destroyed.

Christmas was coming, and so was a hogsmeade trip. Again alone with Ron, though this time she preferred Harry didn't come. Sirius Black was still out there after all. Apparently it was worse than just that; Black wasn't just a murderer, but a back stabber as well. (No pun intended).

Harry was sensible for the most part, but now he was worrying her to no end. Going after Black was one of the worst ideas he's had. She had almost cried trying to explain this to him. Apparently it was just going to get worse as they found out about the lawsuit against Hagrid and Buckbeak.

"Look Hermione," he started when she confronted him, dragging him into a classroom and locking the door. "I never asked him to do that, I was completely okay with getting out of a few classes and some work after the attack."

"So you didn't ask your father to take Hagrid to trial?" Anger radiated from her.

"No, as much as I don't care for that…him," he didn't want to push her over the edge, "I didn't bother to get father involved. He found out and got angry." When he saw that she had stopped baring her teeth but was still glaring, he added with a huff, "Well come on Hermione, what do you expect, I'm his only son." And then she did the last thing he would have expected. She came forward and hugged him, burying her head in his shoulder.

The surprise passed and he put his arms around her, pressing her closer against him. He could feel her shaking frame. She was crying. He didn't think it was the time to ask just yet.

She pulled away slowly and wiped her face with the sleeve of her robes. "Sorry," she said, not looking at him, "I've just been stressed."

He smiled at her, his arms still around her. "I know, you have more classes in two days than most have in a week." She hugged him again. He had said the right thing; she didn't know how he did it.

What between the firebolt being from Sirius Black, supposedly, and Professor Lupin being a werewolf, most likely, and all of her classes and work load, Hermione was to say the very least busy. On top of that Ron, the great idiot, had to come down to the common room, embarrassing her and yelling at her right when she thought things were going to be okay again.

"Please don't take this too personally, but you look terrible," he said one day when he was sitting next to her.

She turned to him with a quizzical look. Apparently she hadn't had the time to even look in a mirror lately. "What do you mean? Why?"

He took her face in his hand turning it this way and that under the preface of examining it. "Well," he began, "We can start with your eyes, they are not sparkling anymore, and a lot of the times they look very red. Also you are developing dark circles under your eyes. You need to sleep more."

Hermione scoffed, "I sleep plenty, actually sometimes too much."

Draco just shook his head, not believing her in the slightest. "Your forehead has a crease that seems ever growing and your hair is bushier that usual." She didn't like the snipe taken at her hair, but allowed him to continue anyway. "Your cheeks are less full and that tinge of rose is gone." He stopped, but still held her face.

"Thank you for minding Draco," she said with a small smile, "but I'm really ok, just a little tired. It's nothing." He had heard that too many times to believe her. But of course he let it go.

"If you say so Granger." He let go of her face.

The Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor match was a memorable one. Harry played well as did the rest of the team. She had been sitting next to Neville for this one. Ron was still being a cod. At first she couldn't believe that dementors had come to this match too, and then she couldn't believe people could be that stupid.

He had dragged her into a secluded hallway, his face blank, but once he turned to her he looked hopeless. "Please, I know it was bad-"

"No, it was worse than bad. You are a complete idiot sometimes Draco." And she left without looking back. Her footsteps were very heavy.

He was sorry, only for her sake though, and even through her anger she had called him Draco. It would be ok he thought as he walked off as well.

It had become increasingly lonely, not having friends, that she could talk to in public at least. Either way she was still a bit upset with the stunt Malfoy tried to talk to him about anything. She had taken to going down to Hagrid's a lot. He was a comfort really, especially when she ended the visits crying.

Ron could have died. He knew it and she knew it. She didn't want to believe that Sirius Black could get into the dormitories, but she did feel a little better that it was Neville's mistake rather than a secret passage he had used to get in.

"I don't want to have to drag you around like this every time I want to talk to you." Draco said somewhat coldly. He had dragged her into an empty classroom, door locked and everything. "You know I am sorry, will you just forgive me already!"

Hermione could tell he was exasperated. Her voice was small when she spoke. "Yes, I forgive you. I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry about?"

"I didn't mean to make you so mad."

This girl! Thought Draco as he softened his voice to address her, "Don't be sorry. Let's just forget about this." Then she started crying. What? His eyes widened. She had never cried in front of him like this. "W-what happened?" he asked confused.

She may have been crying, but she was still able to keep her dignity. Her words were clear as she spoke. "I've just felt lonely for a while, ever since Ron and Harry started acting so stupid." Another reason for Draco to not like those two. "And I guess it was my own fault for not being able to talk to you too. So I've been down at Hagrid's a lot, but that just reminds me about Buckbeak's trial and I get worried. I don't know if I could find enough to help him with the trial and then-," she was interrupted.

"I can help you." Draco's face was serious. He elaborated, "I assume Potter and Weasel aren't doing any good for you, and since it is somewhat my fault, I could help with this trial stuff." Then as an after thought, "Just don't tell anyone."

Hermione laughed a little and smiled very broadly. "Thank You Draco. You are wonderful." He was just glad to see her even a little happier.

She didn't think it was a good idea at all for Harry to go to Hogmeade anymore. Though when she got that letter she forgot about Harry for the moment: Buckbeak was going to be executed. After all the work Draco and she did to help Buckbeak with the trial. It didn't matter.

Malfoy may have been her friend, but outside of their relationship he still had the ability to get mad. When she had hit him, she was in a right rage having heard what he said about Hagrid. He deserved it. It was hypocritical of him after all.

She'd missed Cheering Charms, but her work load was going to be that much lighter without Divination taking up precious time. It was a worthless subject anyway.

He was mad. She was irritated. They were in the empty eighth floor corridor. "Well it was aggravating. You helped me try to save Buckbeak and then you go on and insult Hagrid!" She wasn't yelling, just whispering very loudly.

"I didn't do that for him! I only offered to help because of you!"

"What?" she asked a little bemused.

"You looked so tired and upset; I didn't like seeing you so upset."

"Oh," was all she said.

Hermione didn't bother talking to Draco anytime before the quidditch finals. It would have been pointless. Even she was affected by the tension that could be felt throughout the entire school. It was actually amusing to see Harry and Draco playing against each other and fighting for the snitch, that under all the nervous anxiety. And then Harry did it, he caught the snitch and everyone was going crazy.

Soon Exams were here and Hermione was doing fine with just the right amount of anxiety affecting her, but when she came to the boggart in Defense Against the Dark Arts she was completely caught off guard and couldn't handle it. "P-P-Professor McGonagall!" she had gasped and pointed at the trunk the boggart was in. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!" It actually took a while for her to calm down.

They found out Buckbeak was going to be killed. Ron was dragged down a hole near the Whomping Willow. Sirius Black and Professor Lupin were friends. Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew! Pettigrew betrayed Harry's parents. Snape proved again that he always seemed to arrive at the worst possible moment.

Professor Lupin transformed…into a werewolf and then, there were dementors EVERYWHERE.

The time-turner was not a secret anymore. Buckbeak and Sirius were free, together and Snape was furious.

"Well, I'll see you next year," he said sheepishly, finding her on the train, right in front of an empty compartment.

"Definitely," she said as she gave him a hug. That was the last they saw of each other that year.

A/N: Hope that wasn't too confusing, the Draco/Hermione parts i mean. Do comment if I got anything out of order. I tried very hard to stay chronological with the book though.
Let me know what you think :)
Thank you so much my two first reviewers. You helped me a lot whether you know it or not!
Next update is very unknown. The forth book is much longer as you all know, so expect it to take a bit. :P

Thanks for reading :D