So I am a little sad about the amount of reviews I've been getting... I keep getting several thousand hits per chapter, but no where near that in reviews... So leave me some reviews so I know if there is anything I need to change, or if I'm doing a good job. I'll also take requests for what you want to see; I've got a timeline of events that I want to happen in the story, but it can always be added to.

My beta is awesome- as always. The Rita Skeeter article is basically all her(with a little tiny tiny bit from me).

Hermione stared at the window where Fawkes had disappeared. It was several minutes before she remembered the item he had left her. Reaching down to her toes, she was surprised that when she grabbed the cloth to inspect it, it started talking.

"Ah, yes the Gryffindor girl…" She gasped as she realized it was the Sorting Hat. "So the truth has finally come out… It would have been much sooner if Professor Dumbledore had let me reveal what I saw in your mind. It's so much like his, so very much like his. If I had been a duller hat, I would have thought I had been returned to my old owner."

"I- I…"

"So why are you hiding? You should be celebrating. It's not everyone who is blessed by being part of such a noble bloodline."

"Because, I don't care about blood! And I don't care about people who care about blood. I never wanted this and now I'll never know if people like me for me or because of my blood. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't understand… You only get one moment a year to shine; you aren't forced into the spotlight against your will."

"Blood is a very powerful thing… Your blood, for instance, built this castle. Your blood built this school. It made a better life for Wizards, 'Pureblood' and 'Muggle Born' alike. Blood is a very powerful thing…" The Sorting Hat disappeared from her hands in a puff of smoke.

"It's right you know…" Hermione spun around to find Ron standing a few meters away. "Sorry I startled you…" He sat beside her. "I figured I'd find you here when you weren't in your room."

"Why did you think I'd be here?"

"Because, this is where you found me every time Harry and I would fight. You'd come find me and wait until I was ready to face the world again." He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I've been a right git, Hermione. You've always, always been there for me and I abandoned you. I'm so sorry."

Hermione couldn't hold back the tears as they sat there. "I trusted him, Ron. I actually trusted him!"

"I know and I'm going to make sure that's never again necessary. I promise I'll never treat you like that ever, ever again! You deserve friends who are there for you no matter what. I was really stupid, stupid and jealous."

"I'm not mad at you anymore. I know you were just upset and didn't mean it."

"Thanks."

"You can say it Ron."

"Say what?"

"'I told you so.' Everyone told me not to trust him and I just wouldn't listen."

"Hermione… I'm not going to say that, now or ever; you don't need or deserve it. All I'm concerned about is taking care of you."

She sighed. "So what do I- we do now?"

"I don't know… probably wait to see what happens and react from there. Right now, though, we should be getting inside. McGonagall let us into your room and Harry and Ginny are waiting for us." She stiffened, not wanting to see him. "He's not there. We made sure of it, just for you."

"Thanks."


Hermione Granger: Heir of Gryffindor or Fame Seeker? –Rita Skeeter

We are all aware of Hermione Granger, 17, the brilliant Muggle-born member of the 'Golden Trio,' but is there a deep, dark secret hidden below her surface? After an abrupt outburst yesterday evening at Hogwarts and several owls sent home to parents, wizards and witches everywhere are wondering just WHO Hermione Granger really is.

As many readers will remember, fifteen years ago Dannon Gryffindor, 47, potion entrepreneur and last known descendant of Hogwarts Founder Godric Gryffindor, and his wife, Mildred Kendall Gryffindor, 41, were killed during an unfortunate cauldron explosion at their labs in Bristol. Amongst other fatalities (Anthony Mason, 23; Joanna Nightshade, 38; and Leigh Stanley, 52), it was believed the Gryffindor's young daughter, Mackenzie, then two, had died that day as well, bringing with her death the end of Honorable and Most Sovereign House of Godric Gryffindor, Prince of Mercia.

Naturally, however, rumors soon floated to the surface that the young Princess of Mercia had been hidden away for her safety, much like Miss Granger's close friend and sometime beau Harry Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived. Most of those rumors centered around Miss Gryffindor being raised in Ireland, with her mother's kin, or else by the women of St. Godric's nunnery in Wales.

But could it be that something far more mundane happened to the lost Heiress, around whom several popular novels – includingThe Gryffindor Prophesy by Stephan Bottle and The Last Princess of Mercia by Anna Anderson – have been spun in the last decade? Could it be, that like her on-again, off-again boyfriend Mr. Potter, Miss Gryffindor was raised by Muggles as well?

After last night, there is now much speculation that Miss Granger is, in actuality, Mackenzie Gryffindor – a rumor which the Executrix of the Gryffindor's will has yet to deny.

And yet, this reporter feels that, this rumor, like all others involving Miss Granger, must be taken with a grain of salt, starting with Miss Granger's actions during the Tri-wizard Tournament of 1994-5, held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Miss Granger is now Head Girl. Though reported by reliable sources to have been the long term girlfriend of Mr. Potter, she was seen on multiple occasions with Viktor Krum, now 20, star Seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team, going so far as to attend the Yule Ball with Mr. Krum. When it became apparent that Bulgaria would not continue on to the Quidditch Cup of 1995, held in Johannesburg, Miss Granger was seen "as if attached to the hip" of Mr. Potter once more... It seems like Miss Granger's thirst for attention cannot be satisfied by the arm of The Boy-Who-Lived alone these days, if she is using her influence as Head Girl to have this year's Head Boy, Draco Malfoy, 17, spread tales of her supposed 'Pureblood' status... Though this reporter will let her readers form their own conclusions, it must be said in parting that, with the majority of the Malfoy family wealth still tied up in litigation for the crimes of young Mr. Malfoy's father, the late Lucius Malfoy, during The Second War, regardless as to the validity of this rumor, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger both stand to gain much in the way of gold...

Harry threw down the paper he had been reading. "Shit!" Students throughout the Great Hall jumped and stared at him in response to his exclamation. A glare from him sent them back to their business. Ron and Ginny, who had both been reading their own papers, looked at him. "I suppose it's a good thing that Hermione refused to come down for breakfast…"

Ginny frowned. "Do you think she'll go to class? I'd hate to think of her holed up in her room for another two weeks!"

Ron snorted. "Are you joking? It's Hermione! She's already freaking out about exams because she missed two weeks, there's no way she's going to skip another class even if people stare at her."

"I suppose…"

"What I want to know is what we're going to do about Malfoy."

"Ron!" Ginny was sick of Ron talking about Malfoy, especially since he had kept them up for half the night over it by trying to think of the best part of his anatomy to threaten with painful curses.

He ignored his sister. "I'm serious! She's in practically every class with him AND he's her Potions partner!"

"Ron…"

"No, Harry, listen…"

"No, Ron, you listen! We aren't going to do anything to him, although he rightly deserves it. We are going to let Hermione deal with him and support whatever decision she makes."

He folded his arms across his chest and pouted childishly. "Fine."

Harry sighed. "Alright, let's go to class. It's early enough that, if Hermione isn't there, we'll still have time to go get her."

They arrived to Transfiguration to find Hermione in her usual seat at the front of the class. She didn't bother to acknowledge their presence and continued to start at the blank board. The only reaction she gave that let them know she was alive was when her body stiffened at Malfoy's arrival. After that, she went back to her staring. Not long after, Professor McGonagall approached them, a concerned look on her face. "Miss Granger, I- I didn't expect for you to… You- you do know that you are excused for today…?" Hermione just ignored her, causing Harry and Ron to shrug their shoulders and give McGonagall a questioning look. Not used to such behavior from her top student, McGonagall quickly retreated to begin class. She passed out hamsters to everyone, except Hermione, and instructed them to transfigure them into armchairs. Hermione snatched Ron's hamster and began her work, still in her zombie-like state. When this happened, Professor McGonagall looked as if she would pass out from shock and worry. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, please take Miss Granger to the Hospital Wing…"


Awe, poor Hermione... just to take away any confusion(because I figure there will be a little about the ending) Hermione isn't physically ill, but she's obviously having a mental breakdown, which is why McGonagall had Ron and Harry take her to the Hospital Wing.

Let me know what you think! God, bad, neutral: TELL ME!

FYI: Next chapter is the Halloween Ball (at least part of it because it might become two chapters, but don't quote me on that because I'm not done writing it so I don't know). And I hate when people do this but I'm going to do it anyways: The more reviews I get, the quicker the next chapter will be posted. Yeah, sorry, I hate to say that, but reviews really motivate me to write more, soooo yeah.