Chapter six – An unexpected night.

Dear mum and dad

I am loving it here! I don't think I've ever had such an interesting, fun week. I'm sorry I haven't written to you until now but I've just been so busy! We get Friday afternoon's off so I took the chance to write you this letter as I figured it may be quite long. I never found out how we got sorted into our houses until we got there, but you'll never guess how they do it. They have a talking hat! I'm not joking, it can talk and see inside your head when you put it on. We had to sit in front of the whole school and the hat would speak to us, but so only we could hear. It considered for a while putting me in Ravenclaw (the house of 'wit and learning') But in the end it chose Gryffindor (the house of 'bravery and chivalry'), which is the house I wanted most. It was the one that Dumbledore himself was in.

The castle is enormous, it has a hundred and forty two staircases (some of them move!), four towers and dungeons. I'm getting lost quite a lot but I'm slowly getting the hang of it, the prefects are helpful. I'm sharing a dormitory with four other girls named Lavender, Parvati, Julia and Lucy, they're all very nice and we get along quite well. The food here is amazing as well, we can have as much or as little as we want and it all tastes delicious.

Most amazing of all though, are the lessons, I'll go through each of them in turn. Defence against the dark arts is taught by Professor Quirell, who tells some good stories. The lessons are interesting but I would like to learn some more spells. Herbology is very interesting to, it's taught by a witch called Professor Sprout, who is very nice. I told you that the plants we learn about aren't the same as muggle plants when I read it didn't I? Well it's quite amazing to find out what all these different plants do. History of magic is taught by a ghost, can you believe that! His name is Professor Binns, the lessons can be quite boring but I make sure to take note of everything. I like potions quite a lot, although the teacher is not very kind, his name is Professor Snape and he's head of Slytherin house so favours them in lessons. But I do enjoy learning what all the different ingredients do then following the instructions on the board. I suppose it's a bit like cooking. Astronomy is taught by Professor Sinistra who is very nice. We have to go to the highest tower on Wednesday night at midnight for the lesson, it's very fun having a lesson that late, and I do like watching the sky and learning the names of all stars and planets. Transfiguration is brilliant, Professor McGonagall is very stern but I like her lessons a lot. In our first lesson she had us turn matchsticks into needles and I was the only one who made any difference to mine, it went all silver and pointy. Professor McGonagall did seem pleased with me. Charms has to be favourite lesson, it's taught by Professor Flitwick, who is a great teacher. I get the hang of whatever he's teaching us straight away. After our first lesson I showed him some of the spells I learnt at home and he was very surprised at how good I was, he said that he could tell I was going to be an extremely good student and that I have a good magical career ahead of me. We haven't been set too much homework but I spend the evenings practising new spells or reading books from the library, which is enormous!

I haven't had a flying lesson yet, but I know it's on Tuesday. I'm very nervous, I got a book out of the library with flying tips in and I hope that will help me, I really don't want to fall off.

There are more people who grew up with muggles than I thought there would be so I don't feel that different. Oh and do you remember me mentioning Harry Potter, the boy who defeated you-know-who when he was a baby? Well he's here at Hogwarts in my year and in Gryffindor, he's not like I expected, he's actually very quiet and shy and seems very eager to learn, he grew up with muggles as well.

I hope everything's alright at home, I'm missing you lots, especially now I'm writing this. I hope your not lonely, just the two of you on your own. Give my love to everyone and tell them I'm looking forward to seeing them at Christmas.

All my love

Hermione x

Hermione put down her quill and read through the letter, it was very long but her mother had wanted to know everything, and Hermione enjoyed telling someone about her exiting week. Right now Hermione was sat at a window seat in the Gryffindor common room where she had been sat for the near hour it had taken her to write the letter. Now she looked out over the beautiful grounds, she would like to explore them properly, but she didn't have anyone to go with. Although Hermione hadn't mentioned it in the letter she hadn't really made any close friends, Parvati and Lavender had become best friends almost immediately and had disappeared after lunch to who-knows-where. The same could be said for Lucy and Julie. Although all four girls were nice and Hermione didn't mind chatting to them in the evenings, Hermione could tell she was never going to be great friends with them, she got bored of there conversations quite quickly, which seemed to be the same every day. So instead Hermione went up to her dormitory and fetched the Standard book of spells grade one. There weren't many people in the common room so no-one minded when Hermione began to practise spell after spell.

OOO

'Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'up!'" Called Madam Hooch

"Up" everyone shouted, including Hermione

Instead of her broom jumping straight into her hand like Harry Potter and few other's had, Hermione's simply rolled over.

"Up" she said again, more firmly this time

The broom made a small jump, but fell back to the ground. Hermione felt annoyance grow inside of her, over half the class had hold of there brooms now.

"Up" Hermione called for the third time.

This time the broom did jump into her waiting hand, Hermione frowned at the broom, why had it taken so long? Once everyone had hold of there broom Madam Hooch taught them how to mount them and grip them correctly. Hermione watched how gleeful Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were when Draco Malfoy from Slytherin was told he had been doing it wrong for years. The three of them obviously already hated each other, they had been saying spiteful things all week. Hermione nerves intensified when Madam Hooch told them they were going to try hovering, Hermione hadn't been expecting to leave the ground for a while! As Madam Hooch began to count down, Hermione felt a wave of nausea rise up in her, she really wasn't ready for this, she already hated the idea of flying through the air on nothing but a branch with a few twigs stuck on the end. But then just as Madam Hooch had said two Neville began to rise up, he had kicked of to early from being so frightened. Hermione watched, quite terrified as Neville rose higher and higher, with Madam Hooch calling for him to come back down and the Slytherins laughing at his scared face. And suddenly when he was about thirty five feet off the ground he looked at the ground far below him, gasped in fright and fell with thump and a horrid cracking sound to the ground. Madam Hooch hurried towards him and Hermione heard her mutter,

"Broken wrist. Come on boy, it's all right, up you get."

Then she turned to the rest of the class who were all standing in slight shock at Neville's terrible fall.

"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those broomsticks where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."

And she put her arm around Neville's shoulders and slowly walked him inside. As soon as they were out of ear shot Draco Malfoy burst into peals of laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Hermione felt a surge anger jolt through her, how could someone be so cruel? The rest of the Slytherins had now joined in laughing at Malfoy. Hermione could feel Parvati bristling with anger beside her as she burst out,

"Shut up, Malfoy"

The Slytherins just laughed harder and Pansy Parkinson, a friend of Draco's with dark hair and a slightly squashed up face screeched,

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."

Hermione turned to see Parvati narrow her eyes and shoot Pansy a deathly glare just as Malfoy said.

"Look!" he darted forwards to pluck something from the ground "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

He held the Remembrall up for the class to see.

"Give that here Malfoy"

It was Harry Potter who had spoken up, in a quiet but still powerful voice, the whole class turned to watch him and Malfoy, who was smirking at Harry.

"I think we'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect – how about – up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, anger bursting out of him.

But Malfoy had already taken off on his broomstick and was so easily hovering level with the top of an oak tree, grinning at Harry.

"Come and get it, Potter!" he called down, laughing

To Hermione's amazement Harry grabbed his broom from the ground, ready to ignore Madam Hooch's warning and leave the ground, despite the fact he had never even flown before!

"No!" Hermione shouted, reaching out an arm to try and stop him "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble"

But Harry completely ignored her. He mounted his broom and kicked off hard from the ground. Hermione watched as he zoomed easily into the air as if he had been doing it for years, he shot sharply upwards and Hermione gasped at the same time as Ron Weasley whooped loudly in appreciation. Hermione felt another surge of anger.

"Don't encourage him" She shot at Ron.

He to ignored her as he watched Harry with fascination, Hermione turned her head upwards as well to catch parts of what Harry and Malfoy were saying.

"….Or I'll knock you off your broom"

"Oh yeah?"

Suddenly Harry shot at Malfoy with the speed of an arrow shot from a bow, Malfoy only managed to swerve out the way in time and Harry made a sharp turn to face him again and held the broom steady. Ron weasley, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had all begun to clap. Hermione rolled her eyes and moaned quietly

"Oh stop it, we're going to be in such trouble"

Yet Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away as Harry began to yell at Malfoy again.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up hear to save your neck, Malfoy."

Malfoy seemed to consider this for a moment, and Hermione could see even from the ground that he knew what Harry was saying was true.

"Catch it if you can, then!" He shouted, throwing the rememberall high into the air before shooting down to the ground into the waiting arms of the Slytherins. Then everyone watched in horror as Harry sped to the ground in a nose dive, chasing the little glass ball. Girls began to scream as Harry came nearer and nearer to the ground, Hermione was certain he was going to crash, then barley a foot from the ground he reached out his hand and caught the ball, straightened his broom and gently flopped onto the grass.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Everyone turned to see Professor McGonagall hurrying towards them.

OOO

Hermione could not believe her eyes when she saw Harry sitting quiet happily in the Great Hall at dinner, if he wasn't expelled Hermione thought he would have at least got months of detentions, but he was obviously not in trouble as he, Ron and Ron's twin brothers Fred and George were all happily discussing something. As Hermione began to approach the table Fred and George left, to be replaced by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. None of them saw as Hermione edged close enough to catch snippets of what they were saying to each other.

"…any time. Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only – no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizards duel before, I suppose? Malfoy was sneering

Hermione was shocked by what she was hearing, Malfoy wanted Harry to sneak out in the middle of the night and duel him! Surely Harry wouldn't be stupid enough to expect, Hermione had been so surprised she only caught the end of what Ron had answered back to Malfoy.

"…second, who's yours?"

Hermione almost yelled out NO right there and then, Ron was accepting Malfoy's idiotic challenge.

"Crabbe," Said Malfoy, still smirking at the boys "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked" Then he walked away.

Hermione watched, frozen in horror as Harry and Ron bent there heads together and began to talk, looking as if they hadn't just agreed to break over five school rules for no particular reason. Hermione realised what she had to do and marched over to the two boys.

"Excuse me," she said, hoping politeness would win the boys favour.

"Can't a person eat in this place?" said Ron, wheeling round to face her

Hermione ignored him as he was clearly just going to be rude and not listen to her. She spoke to Harry instead.

"I couldn't help hearing what you and Malfoy were saying…" She began

"Bet you could" Ron muttered, again Hermione ignored him

"…..and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of all the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

Harry looked at her for a moment and then shrugged.

"And it's really none of your business," he said

"Goodbye" Ron said, before both boys turned back to there dinner.

Hermione felt anger boil inside of her, at both their stupidity and their rudeness. She simply couldn't believe it, after a few seconds of standing and fuming, she turned on her heel and marched to the other end of the Gryffindor table, a new plan forming in her mind.

OOO

Hermione went up to bed that night with the other girls and acted as if everything were perfectly ordinary. She brushed her teeth and hair, washed her face and changed into her Pyjamas as she normally did, then sat up for a short while, chatting with the girls as they normally did. Then slowly the girls began to drift off and Hermione sat with her bedside lamp on reading her book. She did this for a lot longer than normal, until eleven O'clock in fact. Then instead of going to sleep she pulled on her pink dressing gown and slowly made her way downstairs, book still in hand in case anyone was in the common room. Just as she was approaching the armchair nearest the portrait hole and voice came from beside the fire.

"Hermione?"

Hermione turned round to see it was Percy Weasley who had spoken.

"What are you doing down here so late Hermione, you went to bed hours ago didn't you?" He asked, more gently than Hermione expected.

"Well, I couldn't sleep you see and I thought maybe if I got out my room for a bit and read down here I would feel more tired" She said, in a voice slightly higher pitched than normal.

She thought Percy would see through her lie, but he just nodded slowly, looking exhausted.

"probably a good idea, I was just heading up, I had a lot of work to do, you know with OWL's this year" he said standing up "Don't stay to long Hermione"

"I won't, thank you" she said, relieved

As Percy walked across the common room, Hermione had a thought

"Percy!" she called

He turned around and looked at her, and Hermione changed her mind. She was sure she could stop the boys herself, there was no need to get them into serious trouble if she could change their minds, but now Percy was waiting for her to speak.

"Never mind, it can wait, goodnight" she said quickly, deciding that she would make something up tomorrow.

"Goodnight" he said turning to climb the stairs

Hermione settled herself in an armchair and put her wand in her lap. It was too dark to read so she quietly waited, idly turning her wand in her hands. Barely half and hour had past when she heard quiet footsteps behind her, then the shadowy shapes of the two boys came into view, almost at the portrait hole.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." She said, pointing her wand at the lamp so it flickered on.

They both spun round startled and upon seeing who it was Ron said furiously

"You! Go back to bed"

Hermione glared at him "I almost told your brother, Percy – he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this." She said, placing her wand on the table where the lamp was.

Ron looked as if he were going to say something back but Harry just said quietly to Ron "Come on," and pushed open the portrait of the fat lady, both boys climbed though. Angry, Hermione leaped up from her seat and followed them.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves. I don't want Slytherin to win the House cup and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall about switching spells" She hissed

"Go away" Ron said, not even bothering to turn around.

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so….."

But Hermione stopped in shock before she could say 'idiotic'. The portrait of the Fat Lady was empty, meaning Hermione was locked out.

"Now what am I going to do?" She squealed

"That's your problem." Said Ron dismissively "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

Hermione watched as they began walking away from her, making her mind up on the spot and hurting after them.

"I'm coming with you." She said when she reached them.

"You are not." Said Ron, turning to face her

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to find me?" Hermione said "If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you and you can back me up"

"You've got some nerve…." Ron almost shouted

"Shut up the pair of you" Harry threw over his shoulder "I heard something"

And now Hermione could hear it to, it was a sort of snuffling sound. Hermione almost froze in horror, it was Mrs Norris, they were going to be caught. Ron seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Mrs Norris?" he breathed

But it wasn't Mrs Norris Hermione could see as she squinted through the darkness, it was Neville, curled up on the floor, fast asleep. As they crept closer he jerked awake.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours. I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed" He said, relieved

"Keep your voice down Neville. The password's 'Pig snout', but it won't help you now, the Fat lady's gone off somewhere….how's your arm?" Said Harry

"Fine," Said Neville, holding it out for them to see. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good – well look Neville we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later….."

"Don't leave me" Said Neville, quickly scrambling up "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked down at his watch in annoyance then glared at Hermione and Neville

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learnt the Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about and use it on you"

Hermione opened her mouth to say they had been just as likely to get caught without her and Neville here but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

OOO

Hermione had never felt terror quiet like this. She had felt terror at her magical career being over before it had begun when they were running from Filch moments ago, but this was an ice cold fear for her life as she looked into the eyes of the monstrous three headed dog. Yet her logical mind still seemed to be working, and it was asking why such a horrid creature was sitting in a school. So Hermione, despite her terror glanced down at the dog's feet and saw what she had been looking for, a trapdoor. The dog was guarding something. And then quite suddenly Hermione was falling backwards as the door they had been leaning on was opened. She managed to catch herself just as Harry slammed the door shut. And then they all ran as if devil's themselves were snapping at their heels. Hermione had never run so fast and they had soon reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Where on earth have you been?" she asked, looking down at them

"Never mind that – Pig snout, pig snout" gasped Harry, the portrait swung open and they all scrambled in and collapsed into armchairs, gasping for breath. After a while Ron said.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that looked up in a school? If any dog needs exercise, that one does"

Hermione felt a huge surge of annoyance that they had dragged her into this and answered hotly.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor" Harry suggested stupidly "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was to busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She said, standing up and glaring at them. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed – or worse expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed"

And with that Hermione marched across the common room and up the stairs to her dormitory, where she lay awake thinking about what she had seen for a long time.

Another long chapter but I've decided that that's what i prefer to do. The main reason why i put the night time bit in was because of Harry's line 'shut up the pair of you' which is basically what he says year after year to Ron and Hermione even when they are friends. I hope you're enjoying this so far and please please please review and give constructive critsim because i take it all on board and it really does help me improve.

Hannah x

P.s this is the re-uploaded version with the letter in italics so you can see the difference