This chapter is dedicated to my reviewers, especially ronhermione4eva2314 who prompted me shamelessly to finish the chapter, and TVsweetheart2 who prompted me to finish the final details after I reviewed her first chapter (a promising tale).

Chapter 5: A Hogsmead Visit

Early Saturday Morning: the Boys' Dormitory

Dear Maria,

Thanks for your letter! I didn't know you and your boyfriend broke up…you can talk to me about it, you know, as a friend.

We just finished the first week of school. The new girl…I'm not sure if I should tell you her name or not…well, she's the most know-it-all bookworm I have ever met! Even more than my git of a brother. The first day of classes she showed me over and good. Then she did the same to everyone – in every class. It was really getting annoying, until today. I found out her weakness! I thought it would make me feel good, but it didn't. Instead I offered to help her. Does that mean I'm – gasp – maturing? You know about these things better than I do. And you don't show off…not like she does. Well, she's not that bad. In fact, Harry invited her to Hogsmead with us tomorrow. We're going to show her around.

My sister has been acting weird lately. You're a girl, right? What kinds of things should I ask her to see what's going on? I mean, she's my sister. Even if she's a pest half the time.

Harry met with Dumbledore the other night. Said something about uniting the power of three. I'm sure Harry explained it better in his letter. What I was wondering, Maria, are you our third? You know Harry and I couldn't have gotten through half the messes, and more of what we've done, without you. But how can you be our third when you're not even here? I know I should have done this ages ago, but…would you like to visit the Burrow for winter holiday? (here Ron thinks about the invitation he's just given. He flusters, then does a quick spell to erase the invitation). Hopefully we can meet soon…the three of us, that is. We need you.

Love,

Ron

In the Head Girl's room

Hermione was just trying to figure what to wear when she heard a quiet knock on her door. It was coming from the door that magically connected her to the Gryffindor girl's dormitory.

"Who is it?" She called out.

"Ginny." She heard a soft reply.

Hermione dropped the clothes she was going to wear and went to open the door for Ginny. To her relief, the younger Weasley sibling was alone. She wasn't ready for Harry or Ron to see her private quarters yet, and she didn't want, or think, any of the other Gryffindor girls would tag along.

"I thought maybe I could hang out here for awhile before you head off to Hogsmead with the boys."

Hermione smiled at her. She liked Ginny, but knew there was probably another reason the attractive red-head was there. Harry.

"That's all right, we don't leave for another hour. Can I get you anything? I have some treats from home, although they are more the healthy kind. My parents are dentists and are very selective in what they send me."

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not really used to muggle treats. What kind are they?"

"Well, I have some dried fruit, no sugar of course, some lightly salted cashews, and some veggie chips."

"Dried fruit? This I've got to see. My father would be so curious…he's fascinated by the muggle world."

Hermione handed Ginny a sealed container. "Here you are…there's apple, mango, pineapple, and apricots. I also have some raisins and dried cranberries."

"I've never even heard of some of those fruits." Ginny opened the container and selected a few pieces. She sat herself down on Hermione's bed. "So, do you know what you're going to wear today? Hey, these are good! Which one is this?"

"Mango. They're my favorite. Help yourself. I wasn't really sure, I mean it's not like a fancy occasion or anything. It's just, well, hanging with the guys I suppose."

"Or a date?"

Hermione smiled. She decided to just confront Ginny. "You like Harry, don't you."

Ginny looked down. "I'm sorry…it's just…for so long, and he's never really even noticed me. I'm just Ron's pesky younger sister."

"I wouldn't say that…not from my perspective or Harry's. In fact, I think he likes you."

Ginny beamed. "You really think so? I mean, I know he likes you, too, but…"

"Just as a friend. Ginny, can I tell you something? I've been forbidden to tell this secret to either of the boys, but I never was made to promise not to tell someone else…like you."

Ginny looked at her strangely. "What kind of secret?"

"Well…have you ever noticed…I mean, have Harry and Ron ever mentioned Maria, a pen-pal?

Ginny gasped, her hand flew to her mouth. "Don't tell me…you're…you're…"

Hermione smiled. "Yes, it's me. But I promised Dumbledore that I would not reveal myself until the time is right.

As Ron sealed his letter his was thankful that Maria had figured out and taught them a muggle code to use writing their letters. After writing each letter they only had to say a simple spell and the letters transferred themselves. This way they could communicate what was going on, especially now with Voldemort holding so much power.

As Ron sent the owl off he suddenly felt himself go stiff. His letter mostly talked about Hermione! What would Maria think? He felt himself go red in the face. What was he going to do?

Of course, I should have told her about what Harry saw. Ron thought to himself.

It was Friday night, Ron and Harry had made a late night trip to the kitchens. Dobby and the other house elves always welcomed them, despite it being after curfew.

"So…about tomorrow." Harry started hesitantly as he bit into his sandwich. "I hope you don't mind that I invited Hermione."

Ron blushed, and tried to hide it behind his own, double-decker sandwich. "No. Don't mind. She's really all not that bad." He said trying to sound nonchalant.

Harry grinned. "Yeah…I happened to see the two of you riding your broom earlier. Did she somehow forget hers and you offered her a ride?"

For a second, Ron turned even redder than possible. Then he turned to Harry more serious. "Harry, she can't fly."

"What!" Harry almost shouted.

"Keep it down! I promised not to tell anyone. She can't fly! Even (gulp) when we were up there, she was absolutely terrified!"

"Yes, and I'm sure you didn't mind at all…tightening your hold on her." Harry managed to say without laughing.

"She's still a nightmare, well, at times I suppose. The way she was waving her wand around in D.A.D.A. class…well, she's scary, Harry!"

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, she is pretty amazing. Oh! That reminds me. I forgot to tell you what happened the other night, when I came back from flying."

Ron turned to his friend. "Yeah? Go on."

"Well, I had the Maurader's Map out, and saw that someone else was nearby. It was Hermione! Luckily I had my cloak, but when she walked by…I think she had some nighttime vision spell. Her eyes were, like, glowing."

"Bloody weird if you ask me. Where do you think she was going?"

Harry leaned toward his friend and lowered his voice. "That's just it. I followed her, Ron. She went straight to Dumbledore's office and he must have been waiting for her, because the hidden door opened right for her."

Ron let out a low whistle. "Seems there's more to the new girl than we thought."

Ron snapped out his trance and noticed that Hedwig was now out of sight. He shrugged his shoulders. Maybe there would be more to tell Maria next time. He skipped down the stairs of the boy's dormitory and found Harry and Hermione waiting for him.

Hermione had seen Hedwig through the window. She knew Hedwig would wait until nighttime to deliver her letter, but she couldn't help wonder what Ron wrote.

As Ron came down the stairs he looked a bit flustered, his shirt hanging out of his pants rather sloppily. Hermione frowned a bit, but wondered if maybe that was the way he normally dressed. She, on the other hand, was wearing new jeans (hip huggers), a black cami with a red zip-up sweater.

Ron took one look at Hermione and immediately straightened out his clothes. Unfortunately, at that same moment Lavender happened to walk by decided to help out – by brushing off the seat of his pants. And not abruptly.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Ron yelled as he turned around.

"You're such a git, Ron Weasley!" She yelled and ran back up to the girl's dormitory (a/n: where she belongs).

Harry in the meantime had whispered something in Hermione's ear, which Ron missed. He turned around and looked at Hermione. "Sorry about that."

Hermione shrugged. She hadn't exactly warmed up to the blonde, not after hearing from Neville and Seamus how the girl compared her looks to Crookshanks. Even though she adored her cat, she knew he wasn't exactly adorable.

Harry and Ron decided to take Hermione through one of the secret passages to Hogsmead. Although Hermione was able to act surprised, she already knew about the passage from their letters in past years. As they exited the Shrieking Shack, she couldn't help but glance up the stairs to where she knew one of the boys adventure had taken place.

Not long afterward the trio were walking down the main road in Hogsmead. The wind was blowing that day, enough to blow Hermione's hair across her face despite several attempts to brush it behind her ears.

Ron watched the new girl with a strange urge brush her hair back for her. He shook his head of the thought as Harry spoke up.

"So Hermione, what would you like to do first? Honeydukes? The bookstore? Or perhaps a butterbeer?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Let's see…how about we shop around first? I know you guys probably want to hit the Quidditch shop at some point. I can use that time to pick up a book I've been wanting. Ron, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Ron turned to the two in surprise. "Um…I'm hungry. How about some food first?"

Harry smiled at his best mate before turning to his new friend. "Hermione, there's one thing to learn about Ron if you haven't observed already. His stomach is a bottomless pit."

Hermione laughed with Harry while Ron's ears turned red. She nudged him and smiled.

Lunch turned out to be better than Hermione could hope. She found Ron to be funny, and Harry the nicest guy she'd ever met. The three didn't stop talking, even when they disagreed on topics. Well, especially when they disagreed as the boys found that Hermione had plenty to say when voicing her opinion.

It was later that afternoon, once the trio had separated to have a look at their preferred shops, that Hermione saw something – or rather someone - that seemed out of place. Deciding to follow, she held her wand in her pocket as she followed the figure with its hood covering his or her face out the back door of the bookstore.

The back alley wasn't empty, as wizards and witches were greeting their shipped goods and ridding of useless items. Easily spotting the masked figure making its way to her right, Hermione jumped over a small crate and continued her pursuit.

Several twists and turns later, Hermione cautiously opened the door to an abandoned building. A sign fallen to the ground read "Itsu's House of Potions". Hermione grimaced to herself. I.H.O.P.?

Cautiously she opened the door, taking a quick look around before proceeding inside. There was no light inside, but there was enough light coming through the windows and various cracks through the walls for Hermione to see with out any problem. She listened, and heard voices coming from the next room. Looking for a dark corner, Hermione waited for voices to raise enough to a level where her footsteps might not be heard, and sprinted over to it. When she finally calmed herself, she could make out the words.

"And you're telling me it will happen in only three days?" A deep voice asked.

"Yes, his Lord is anxious to make sure that all is in place." Another replied. "He needs the locket and the boy for our next meeting."

"I'll make sure of it."

Hermione heard a crack as someone disapperated. She noiselessly crouched down in her hiding place, behind an empty crate, as the sound of robes glided along the flow closer. The figure in black then opened the door she had come through herself. She peered up out from the darkness and saw the hooded man's face as he smirked then left.

It was Professor Snape.