Still looking for a beta reader, any volunteers are asked to please PM me.

During breakfast on Wednesday morning, Harry got a letter inviting him and his friend(s) to come down to Hagrid's hut in the afternoon. And with their essays done for the next week, they figured it couldn't hurt to be social. They'd just make sure to leave plenty of time to complete any homework Professor Binns assigned in History of Magic.

Five minutes into class, two students were still awake. The first was Hermione Granger, alert and taking notes, the other was one Harry Potter, who was only awake because he couldn't slump over to sleep without his side causing him pain. So he was taking notes as well, up until he noticed something curious about the ghostly professor. 'Hermione,' Harry scribbled on a scrape piece of parchment, 'He's just reading it from the book, isn't he?'

Hermione looked at the note briefly, and during a pause while Binns settled down to appear sitting on his desk. A confused look crossed Hermione's face for a moment before she looked at her book, and blinked slowly. She wrote down a few more notes, her eyes glued to the book, before answering Harry's question. 'Yes he is... and I can see why the twins are able to skip without too much trouble...'

Harry blinked slowly as he read those words, wondering just when the temperature in Hell hit zero and kept plummeting. Was that Hermione Granger, whom he'd learned to be one of the most straight-laced students ever, admitting that the twins ditching class was justified?

One glare from the corner of Hermione's eye had Harry ready to lay on his back, presenting her his tender underbelly in submission. The twins were not justified, skipping classes was bad, this would be on the test. Please don't kill me ma'am.

Deciding that it would be easier to stay awake if he focused on taking notes from the book, instead of trying to stay awake through the dull, flat, voice of the ghost reading the entire textbook from memory. If he was going to be forced to sit through this class for the next six years he'd have to learn to either smuggle in some of those novels from the common room, a deck of muggle cards, or plot out some pranks. The rest of the three hours was filled with the snoring of classmates, scribbling of two people taking notes, and the driest, flattest, and most boring voice ever conceived.

"And for your homework, please do an essay of no less than ten inches on a prominent figure during the Goblin wars," Binns concluded, writing it on the board as he went, before disappearing out the classroom walls.

Hermione and Harry packed up their supplies, waking the nearest classmates politely with a firm, yet not too hard shake of their shoulders. As the others gathered their supplies and woke their neighbors, Harry and Hermione exited, and went for lunch. They didn't have long to wait for the twins, who were smiling widely. Almost as if they expected victory to be handed to them upon a polished silver platter, Hermione just sat there smiling warmly at the twins. Harry ordered the roast chicken meal that Madam Pomfrey had suggested he try when he was up to it.

"Well Harry, Hermione... shall we start making Christmas plans? What would be appropriate to get your father and mother?" Fred asked, while he claimed the seat opposite Harry, George taking the one across from Hermione.

Hermione smiled and shook her head slowly, sending a loose strand of hair rippling through the air, almost like that one gymnast event with the ribbons. Some dark, undeveloped part of Harry's brain perked up for a moment, sending an image of Hermione in one of those skin tight uniforms before curling up to go back to sleep for another few years. Hey, what did you expect from a ten-year-old shut-in boy with an entire world he knows nothing about expecting him to be some sort of great hero?

. . . Your should be ashamed for thinking that! Seriously, I should write to your mother and tell her what you're thinking. In the corner with you!

"No you two," Hermione answered, cutting through Harry's daydreams like Gryffindor's sword through a basilisk's mind. "You have lost. I have no intentions of missing a single day of History of Magic."

Harry looked at the twins, and saw their jaws hanging open, while their eyes were nearly bugging out of their skulls. "But... but... that means..."

"Perfect attendance, and double homework from Binns for the rest of the year," Hermione confirmed with a winning smirk. Harry couldn't help but join in the feeling of winning, since he suspected there was more to this than what Hermione was saying right now.

Sure enough, her smirk turned downright devious as she leaned in against the table. "After all, what better alibi then being in the class that you're supposed to be in?"

If Harry had a year free of the Dursley's when he was younger, he would have traded the entire year for this one day. Seeing Hermione's devious smirk, while the twins looked at her aghast. And then the logic began sinking in. If they set up pranks, and triggered them while they were in class, much the same way as Harry did with the wooden coin, they could pull any number of pranks without getting caught. "But of course, we will need to keep up some outside of our class times, to keep up the Rebel's reputation."

"Fred mate..." George started while bowing his head. "We have been out maneuvered by a natural prankster..."

"Indeed George..." Fred agreed, also bowing his head in submission to Hermione's genius. "Harmony, Herry, we are humbled by your addition."

Harry looked around, just to be sure no one was listening, before leaning in to the table. He was mentally trying to figure out which of one was which, instead of asking, he spoke in a soft voice, so as to not let it carry. "Guys, he reads from the text book, if you take notes from that beforehand, couldn't we use the class-time to plot as well as trigger? And should we really be talking about this while we're in public?"

"Good point mate... too exposed, but if we use a silencing hex, someone'll know we're plotting something," Fred answered between bites of his sandwich. "So, while we're suffering in History of Magic this afternoon, what do you two have planned?"

"Visiting Hagrid, and doing our homework..." Harry answered, to which Hermione nodded just a bit too fast for it to be just that.

"Right, gotcha..." George replied with a knowing look. "We'll catch up with you in the common rooms later today then."

After some more light conversation that had nothing to do at all with pranks, but rather a fascinating device in the muggle world they'd heard of called a television. After explaining that it in a manner similar to the talking portraits, but in fictional scenes, a multitude of characters, a muggle version of the wizarding camera which captured sound as well, and multiple viewing areas, the twins were thoroughly and utterly enthralled. That wasn't to say they weren't still confused about some parts, but they were very much curious about the nature of the television.

The Rebels parted company about the same time as the resident Gryffindor glutton arrived. In fact, they were among the first students done with their meals. And as such, enjoyed the benefit of a nearly empty hall while eating. Harry and Hermione made their way outside, and down to the hut Hagrid had indicated as his.

Kind of easy to spot as it was the only hut on the grounds, but let's leave that for another time. Instead, we'll follow Harry and Hermione into the wonderful house of exposi... err I mean Hagrid's hut. Before they got to the door, a mammoth dog looked up at them and yawned tiredly. "That's Fang, best little pup I ever raised. How are you Harry, and who's yer friend?"

"This is Hermione... we met on the train, and got into Ravenclaw together..." Harry explained with a wave to indicate his friend. Looking around the hut, he had to admit that he liked the look of the hut. It had a cozy, and comfortable feel to it. After a moment he noticed a curious paper placed on the table where Hagrid had been sitting. It mentioned that Gringotts had been robbed on the same day that he had visited, and Hagrid had removed whatever it was from that vault 513.

"Oh yeah, I remember you sittin' next to 'er on the boats... funny I thought youda been wit' Ms. Prewitt's son..." Hagrid mused while filling a couple cups of tea. "Nice lady that Ms. Prewitt, has Dumbledore's ear on important matters she does... but let's talk about you two, I've heard about you Hermione. Brightest witch of yer age so far, and Harry's not far behind in grades thanks to yer."

"Oh," Hermione exclaimed while a blush darkened her cheeks, "umm... thank you... I didn't know I was being noticed..."

Harry for his part, smiled and patted her on the shoulder gently. "I told you I'd have never gotten the Wingadium Leviosa charm without your help, remember?" he offered, trying to point out just how much of a help she'd been for this first week. "And just think, if they're saying that in the first week, imagine what they'd do by your seventh year. Why I bet you'd have people begging for you to consider working for them."

"Yer a good one Hermione, remember that," Hagrid answered while setting out the cups of tea. I take it yer settlin' in well?" At their nods he sipped some tea and sighed. "Look Harry, I wanted ter apologize fer takin' you to those Dursley's... but they were the only ones that would work on account of that thar blood protection of yers..."

"That's... fine Hagrid..." Harry answered nervously, trying desperately not to look at Hermione, as she watched him with worry evident in her eyes. "It's fine Hagrid... nothing you could have done..."

"Aye, and to think that Prewitt said they were perfectly lovely muggles... makes me sick it does," Hagrid grumbled while pulling out a tin of crumpets, offering some to Harry and Hermione. Both of which politely declined. "But enough about the past, ave ye two begun making plans fer yer free days? If'n yer free, I dunna mind yer stoppin' by."

"We'd be glad to Hagrid, it's nice to get out of the castle once in a while..." Hermione answered for them with a bright smile. "I'm afraid I have to be going... I want to get my essay done as soon as possible, so I don't have to rush through it..."

"I should join her, it's better to get these things done early you know..." Harry added, picking up on the subtle hint that Hermione was making for them to talk privately. "When we want to visit, we'll talk to Professor Flitwick first, just so we don't get you into trouble..."

"Right, good thinking yer two," Hagrid agreed with a big grin on his face. "I'll also be lettin' him know when I go inter Hogsmeade, just so you don't come when I'm away."

After an exchange of pleasantries, the two first years made their way out of the hut, and began to slowly walk the path back to the castle. About halfway there, Hermione spoke up. "This Prewitt woman... she's the one that put you with those horrid Dursley's..."

"I'm sure she didn't look much beyond that blood protection Hermione, let's just see if we can find her son, and see what type of kid he is before we decide she's evil incarnate..." Harry offered as a compromise, while running through the list of kids he'd met or heard the last names of. With everyone being called Mr. or Miss whatever, the list was rather extensive. But to his knowledge he'd never heard of the Prewitt family. "Maybe we could check with the twins about them... it could be a kid older than us..."

"Yeah... but they have a few hours to class, let's get started on that essay, and we can discuss it while we work."

Harry couldn't fault her logic, and together they made their winding way up to the Ravenclaw entrance. Curiously enough, the common room was completely empty of life, even Rowena's portrait was empty save for a sign saying "Back in a Minute"

"Well... looks like we'll be able to do our work in peace at least..." Harry offered as he claimed on of the seats at the table nearest the window. Pulling out his quill, parchment, and tome, he sighed and dug around for an inkwell. "Why couldn't we just use pens and paper?"

"And lose the mystical charm of writing with quills?" Hermione asked in a miffed tone as she sharpened the tip of her quill that had broken off in the bag. "I'm starting to wonder if that Pureblood conspiracy thing isn't real..."

"It would explain a lot of things... " Harry muttered as he popped open his inkwell and set it down next to a blotter and scrap parchment. He also placed the rag he used to clean up the ink tip next to the well, for easy use between the two of them. "I mean, sure we've seen it with the brooms, the class lists, the exchange rate between the galleon and the pound, the quills..."

"The tricks to even get to the school in the first place, the changing stairs, the restriction on muggle technology used, even a lot of the terms used..." Hermione countered as she flipped open a book. "I mean, it does give the Wizarding World a mystical, magical feel to it... but it also alienates muggles."

"So, who do you think you'll do your essay on? I was thinking Ugnot the Unruly..." Harry switched conversation tracks when they heard noises coming down the stairs. "Or maybe Urg the Unclean..." he continued, actually picking a goblin from his book. "Or maybe Wanko the Wizarding Wonder..."

Silently he mouthed, 'What's with the names?' to Hermione, drawing a smile from his friend. But she kept the mirth from her voice as she looked through her book, actually sounding mystified. "I don't know Harry... I'm sure that everyone will take those famous ones... We could get bonus credit for looking up some of the rarer ones..."

"How about us founders?" Rowena asked curiously as she tossed the sign out of her painting, and straightened up her dress. "We were in the goblin wars... in fact we fought them before we founded Hogwarts..."

Their quills seemed to fly over the page after that, with Rowena filling in on little facts to support those in the books, and just telling the two young students many stories that they probably shouldn't be hearing about the founders of the school. For example, Slytherin's famous cunning, was made all the more apparent when he was gallivanting around, womanizing the country-side. Or that the fierce, brave, and courageous Godric Gryffindor couldn't even sip something as alcoholic as Butter Beer, without passing out, or possibly that he was afraid of spiders.

After the essays were finished, and left to dry in the sunshine, Harry and Hermione switched over to the more comfortable stuffed chairs by the fireplace, and Rowena looked down at them with a warm smile. "You little dears... thank you for letting me relive some happier times..."

"It was our pleasure Lady Rowena," Hermione answered with a smile on her face. "So much to know... I hope my essay on you will get a good grade..."

"I just hope that the Hufflepuff house doesn't mind me doing an essay on their founder..." Harry mused while looking out the window. After a minute, his eyes turned serious as something struck him. "Ya know Hermione... we should should say thank you to those house elves more..."

"What do you mean Harry?" Rowena asked before Hermione could, though both women seemed to have the same curious look to their faces.

"I mean we're polite when they do us special favors like the book retrieving, and at lunch... but I'm sure they do much more... and I just think it would be nice to let them know we're thinking of them. Maybe get them some flowers for Christmas... rare ones that don't grow around here..." Harry explained quietly, his eyes distant, yet reflecting something internal instead of the distant sunset he appeared to be gazing at.

"That's a good idea Harry," Hermione agreed, her eyes focused on the boy she'd knew had the beginnings of a crush on her, and couldn't exactly claim she didn't feel similarly. "I mean I'm sure they do our laundry, and clean up for us... And it couldn't hurt to be nice to them if they're doing so much for us. I think that the Wizards will pay for how they treat the House Elves... let's set a better example."

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Rowena gushed down at them with a beaming smile and twinkling eyes. "Oh, but dear Helga would have simply adored the two of you. She always felt that the house elves needed our respect."

Hermione and Harry blushed slightly, and settled back into their silent musings. This time Harry's face was much more simple and relaxed, while Hermione's turned more curious as she sat there thinking. The crackling of the fire was the only noise, as the others probably spent the free afternoon recovering from History of Magic by playing outside, or researching in the library. The silence was broken finally by Hermione asking, "Harry... would you like to come over for Christmas if my parents okay it? I mean I know the twins would like to come... but..."

"I'd love it Hermione... if... if they'd have me..." Harry answered, going from startled and pleased, to shy and insecure in the matter of a heartbeat. "And I suppose we would have to check with Professor Dumbledore..."

"Oh, I'm sure it would be fine Harry..." Hermione reassured her friend while she levered herself out of the chair she'd been in and settled in next to Harry. Her arm looped gently over his shoulders and she squeezed ever so softly. At first he stiffened, almost as though fearing it would hurt, before his entire body relaxed and his head drooped down onto Hermione's shoulder.

For Harry this was something new. Human contact without pain and suffering, but contact that just made him feel warm, wanted, and safe. His eyes slid close slowly in the tender hold, letting a happy, peaceful smile spread across his face. It was safe here. This was what was called a hug.

Hermione on her part was blushing furiously as she realized that she was hugging a boy. Sure she'd hugged a lot of people. Her mom, her dad, her cousins that drove her insane during family holidays, her oddball aunt Emily, and all her other aunts and uncles. But this was the first time she'd ever done anything with a male friend, for this was in fact her first male friend ever.

It was nice. It was perfect. It was over too shortly. "We should talk to Professor Dumbledore soon Harry..."

"Yeah... let's go..." Harry agreed, before they rolled up their essays and stashed them into their bags, and went to find one of the Professors to get guided to his office. Little did they know that Rowena was watching them with a knowing smirk as they walked out the door. The next time Harry was looking for a book, she'd have to make sure there was a special one waiting for him on the shelves.

Oh, it was going to be so nice to help young love along...