"Please Harry?" She begged giving him large wide eyes. "Please can I see your common room?"

He wasn't even fazed, just continued walking down the hall. She trotted beside him giving him a pleading look and hugging a book to her chest. Hermione had been hanging around him ever since the troll incident. No one knew what had happened, just thought the teachers had handled it. Hermione nor Harry nor the teachers saw fit to say anything else. But he and Hermione had become friends on a certain level. They read together and studied together. Harry found it nice to speak with her as she was intelligent but not the completely Ravenclaw intelligence which drove him mad. They had to study everything over and over.

He shook the thoughts off and sighed turning down an extra hall. Hermione followed not even saying anything about how this was the wrong hall towards the Gryffindor tower he had been walking her too. She seemed to brighten though. As they reached the Man In The Moon painting she gave a happy squeal and hugged him. He rolled his eyes. At least he had a friend now. It felt… nice.

.--.

Harry stroked Ne softly as he gazed out at the snowing sky. The sky was a deep grey and the grounds were being blanketed in white. He had always hated snow before because it had started to become to cold for Harry when he was forced outside by his relatives. It had also meant Christmas. It had always been one of the worst times of the year. Christmas day had always been horrible for Harry. Marge would come over and belittle him all the time, hit him with her cane, and sick Ripper on him. Then as they ate the huge meal (which he had cooked most of) he would have to sit in the corner and just watch. Then as they opened presents he would be kicked outside in a thin jacket to freeze to death....At least he wasn't going home for the holidays this year.

.--.

Harry looked at the small pile of presents in front of the fire and felt a sad smile stretch his face. He could even feel tears prick his eyes. There was a total of four presents. It seemed like so many. His hands shook slightly as he gripped the first one. It was from Neville. Harry opened the parcel as if it were the most delicate thing in the world. Inside was a small plant with large purple flowers and flat forest green leaves. He set it aside delicately, in view. The second present was from Hermione. It was two books. A muggle fairy tale book and a magical fairy tale book. He gently slid them onto the chair to read. The third present was D surprisingly. It was a book on rare animals. Harry smiled softly and set it with the other two books. He opened the last present to find a fancy colored cloak. He let the silk slid through his fingers as he saw the energy weaved into the cloth. He stood and pulled it around himself. He looked down and found his lower half had vanished.

"An invisibility cloak." He whispered in appreciation.

He looked for a small tag and found one.

"Your father left this in my care years ago. It's time it was returned to you. Use it well." He read.

He clutched it even closer and sank into a chair by the fire. Ne slid from the carpet wrapping gently around him in comforting manner. He hugged the cloak to himself taking in the warmth of the fire and his snake. His first real Christmas.

.--.

Harry followed Ne down the halls towards the third floor.

:You know thisss isss the floor we aren't sssupposssed to be on.: Harry said to his snake.

:I know. But you have to sssee thisss. It isss interesssting.: It said with a hissing laugh.

Harry sighed and followed his snake through a room to small wooden door. Ne pointed to it and with the wave of his hand the lock sprung open. Harry peered in and was startled to see a large black three headed dog.

"A Cerberus." He breathed as the three heads growled at him.

He brought his violin to his chin, which he had been playing when Ne had bothered him. He started to play a soothing tune and the three heads calmed before nodding. They hit the floor softly as it started to snore. He continued to play as he gazed around. What was a Cerberus doing in here? Then he spotted it. It was a trap door under one of the paws. He looked at it in interest. Slowly he backed from the room shutting the door. He lowered his violin and looked thoughtful as Ne coiled around him.

"What was it guarding" He asked.

Then he remembered something.

"The Cerberus was what gave Snape the injury at Halloween. That would mean the troll was a distraction. The first one to find it was Quirell…. That raises the question as to what was Quirell doing in the dungeon when everyone else was in the great hall….Letting the troll in. So Quirell is after what the Cerberus is guarding, and Snape is suspicious. Interesting." He deducted.

Then he smirked at Ne.

"That was interesting."

.--.

Harry thrummed his fingers on the table in confusion. He looked the page over again. The philosopher stone was said to let someone live forever. But how? Did you drink something it gave out? Did you just have the stone nearby? He growled in frustration and stood. Hermione in the second chair in his common room looked up at him.

"I'm going to the library." He said.

She was immediately up.

"I'll come! I've been meaning to get a few books." She said.

He shrugged his shoulders and headed for the common room door. Hermione followed. It only took then five minutes of navigating halls to get to the library. Hermione followed him, always curious to what books he choose. He headed straight down the isles to a large warded door. Hermione stopped beside him, eyes wide.

"The restricted section." She whispered in a sort of awe.

"Yes, the restricted section. The book I want is in there."

"And how do you suggest we enter?" She asked.

He gave a small smirk and turned to the door. Usually the librarian or a teacher had to open it with a password and a wave of the wand. Harry just smirked at the door.

"Open please."

The door swung open. Hermione stood gaping. Then she was hanging off his arm on her knees.

"You have access to the restricted section?"

He nodded. It was one of the advantages to being in the 'Hogwarts Apprentice' 'house'. He had access to almost all parts of the castle, mostly just not private rooms.

"I'll be your slave. I'll lick your shoes. I'll do anything if you let me take books out."

Harry looked at the girl and saw she meant it. He made a thoughtful face and she looked hopeful.

"No."

Her face fell.

"You can just take the books out. I don't need anything from you."

Her face lit up so it almost shined. She got a dreamy look as she stood and practically skipped into the room. Harry just rolled his eyes and set off to find the book on the philosopher stone and Nicholas Flammel.

.--.

Harry's long fingers elegantly picked up the quills and parchment off the floor. He held it out to Blaise Zabini who gave him a thankful look stuffing it in his bag which Hermione had fixed while Harry had grabbed the things. Some Gryffindors had hit him with a bag ripping curse.

"Thanks." Blaise said smoothly eyeing both of them.

Harry was pretty much on neutral terms with all the students, but Gryffindor and Slytherin were always at odds. But everyone seemed to puzzle over Hermione. She was the only one to actually become more then just passing acquaintances with Harry. Many others had tried. He could distinctly remember a few older females even try to seduce him. It was utterly useless. Some, like one Draco Malfoy, had tried to threaten him and bribe him so they could make a better image. Some had tried to become his friend for his advantages, like Theodore Nott, who wanted his knowledge which he showed in all his classes. But almost everyone had wanted to be his friend just because of his title as the Boy-Who-Lived. No one had seen him as just Harry. That was there mistake.

Neville had seen him as Harry and for that reason he was kinder to the boy, though they weren't quite friends. Hermione saw him as Harry for many reasons, no matter what people said about her just after him for his knowledge. She had and did see him as a hero like most, but only because he saved her life, not because of something he didn't remember. He had also found he liked Hermione because she did not expect anything of him, nor did she use his name like a ticket to anything. He had found having the title 'The Boy-Who-Lived' could get a lot of things. Harry shook the thoughts away though and peered at Blaise warily as he eyed Hermione.

"That wouldn't happen to be a book I heard is only in the restricted section of Hogwarts would it?" he asked slyly.

She blushed slightly trying to cover the book cover in her arms.

"And if it is?" She asked easily feigning innocence.

He gave a wide grin.

"Naughty, naughty…sneaking into the restricted section." He said giving a 'cat-ate-the-canary' grin. "What would everyone say if they knew goody-two-shoes-know-it-all Granger snuck into the restricted section?"

She sniffed at him. Harry waited for a threat to follow. Instead the grin widened in a mischievous way.

"Can I join you on you thievery next time?"

Hermione blinked in surprise. Harry let out a small chuckle. He liked the kid.

"I'm Harry Potter." Harry said holding his hand out.

Blaise looked him straight in the eyes. Harry could see the truth. Blaise wouldn't use him or his name.

"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said also introducing herself again.

"I'm Blaise Zabini, nice to meet you Harry, Hermione." He said shaking both their hands at the same time.

Harry gave a sly smirk.

"Shall we head to class Blaise, Hermione?"

"Must you ask?" Hermione sniffed.

Blaise just gave a smirk and threw his arm around her shoulder.

"Come on love! Be a bit more adventurous. We could skip class and have a grand adventure!"

Harry really liked the kid. Hermione sniffed again, showing her obvious distain about the idea… or maybe the nickname. They headed off towards transfiguration.

"You never did say if I could come with you on you next…borrowing trip." Blaise remarked.

Harry smirked. Time to explain some things about being his 'friend' and the advantages that came with it.

.--.

End of Chapter 7.