A/N:

Enjoy this cute little story!

Summary: Running from Ron's taunts on Halloween, Hermione runs into the dungeons, and somehow being unofficially adopted by a Slytherin.

Words: 553

Prompts:

Ministry of Magic Discord Group: Easter Egg Hunt

Polka Dot- (Setting) (Setting) Common Room

Ministry of Magic Discord Group: April Monthly (The Odds are in Your Favour)

[song] Safe & Sound by Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars (You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now)

"Safe and Sound"

Through tears, Hermione stumbled down into the dungeons, ignoring her classmates as they wandered back upstairs from either their dorm or Potions class. Ronald Weasley had to be the biggest git in class today, even though she was just trying to help!

"Oi, fellas, look what we got here," a voice said from in front of her and she stopped short. "Looks like a lost little firstie. I–shit, Granger? What happened?" Looking up, Hermione saw Marcus Flint, a Slytherin fifth year, surrounded by several of his friends. She and him had struck up a tentative friendship when he was struggling in the library and she had forced him to accept her help. She didn't understand all of the material yet, but she knew what books it was in, and even helped him learn the material even as she learned it herself. She liked him because even though he knew she was a Gryffindor and a Muggleborn, he didn't mock her for things out of her control.

"Granger?" Marcus was suddenly right in front of her, and Hermione burst out into a fresh batch of tears.

"R-r-ron is r-r-right. I'm just an insufferable know-it-all with no f-f-friends!" she cried. Flint scowled, looking back at his friends, probably agreeing with her, already sick of her whining. But when he looked back at her, he pulled her into a hug.

"Let's get you somewhere safe," he said before pulling her with him. His friends flanked them as they walked. "And Weasley is wrong. You're not insufferable. I'm surprised he even knows that word, let alone how to hold his wand! And you're not friendless. You have me." His voice was hesitant, delicate even, and it just made Hermione hug him again.

They reached a stretch of wall, and in her distress she missed his next action, but suddenly the wall moved in front of them, and Marcus led her into the Slytherin Common Room, much to the curious stares–but no hostile ones–from Slytherins still milling about before their next class.

Her tears were slowing now, surrounded by strangers,, and she bunched up next to Marcus, unconsciously using his size to hide herself with.

Hermione was suddenly pulled down onto a plush couch and a cashmere blanket was dropped onto her lap. Marcus and his friends settled in around her, and Hermione found it was hard to meet their gaze, especially as a lost lion in the den of snakes.

"What happened?"

Hermione was glad for the blanket that she could hide under, her fingers clenching the material tightly as the words spilled from her lips. She recounted every bit of bullying by her house and the upper years, and how she just wanted to go home and leave all of it behind.

"You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now," Marcus murmured to her in another hug.

"Yeah, with how Marcus has taken you under his wing, no one will dare annoy you now. Congratulations, Granger!" Adrien Pucey stated. "You've been adopted by a Slytherin. Resistance is futile."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she scrubbed away fresh tears, these ones hopeful. Her heart felt lighter, and she felt like she could breathe again.

Adopted by a few Slytherins, huh? Well, so long as Malfoy didn't annoy her, Hermione figured she could live with that.