I dedicate this chapter to the imagination fairies that are no doubt lurking in the woods in the backyard of my new house. Just you wait, fairies, I'll be there soon enough.

Disclaimer: I own only the plot and crush accusations, along with a bloody nose.

Hermione scanned the pages of the book, waiting for the others to come down the stairs and go to Hogsmeade with her. She and the twins had gone to Dumbledore's office just the other day, and he'd said that there was no point in them sitting there in the school without having some fun and possibly finding a way to fix everything. And now she was there, sitting on the couch on a Saturday, waiting for her friends to wake up.

She groaned and closed the book, tapping her fingers against the cover before standing up and dropping it on the couch. She'd wait for them at breakfast, she decided before two arms hooked around hers, picking her up.

"Fred! George!" she screamed as she grinned at them, "Put me down!"

"Wotcher, Mione!" they said as they put her down, Marlene walking towards them and grinning.

"Hey guys – waiting for everyone else?" she asked.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"The other guys just remembered what day it was," Fred said.

"They'll be down in a minute," George continued.

At that moment, Lily and Alice decided to run down the stairs, both grabbing Marlene's wrists and tugging her, chanting, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Marlene laughed and ran with them, calling out a 'later!' to the Grangers.

"Don't you want to go with them?" George asked Hermione, tilting his head towards the portrait, where they had just disappeared.

"No – there's usually more excitement around the Marauders," she grinned before sighing, "And Alice said she would kidnap me and take me shopping. The longer I can evade her, the better."

They laughed as the other boys came running down the stairs, stopping when they nearly ran over Hermione, who squeaked and shrunk inside herself. Remus laughed and tugged her away from James and Sirius, who were flailing their arms to keep from running over her.

"Remy!" she gasped before throwing her arms around his neck, "My hero!"

"Remy!" Sirius grinned before hugging him as well, "Her hero!"

"Group hug!" James said as he slid in, hugging them and petting Remus' hair. He frowned at his friends as Hermione laughed against him, having been sandwiched between him and Sirius.

"Just another normal day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Frank said as he walked past them, waving his hand at them as he did.

"I feel so alone, Fred," George pouted, looking over at Hermione trying to escape, only having no luck as they kept her there.

"Hug yourself, Georgie," Fred said, patting his shoulder before walking forward and leaning down to face Hermione. "Oh yeah – you're totally hiding from Alice."

"Shut up!" she said, reaching forward and tugging him into their hug, petting his hair and singing to him, "Oh Freddie, our Freddie, you're taller than me, it's annoying."

George pouted even more, holding his arms out towards them, "I – I thought you loved me, Mione."

"Aww, poor George," she pouted as well, walking forward and hugging him, "I'm sorry. You know you're the bestest big brother ever."

"Ha!" he grinned, leaning her side to side, "In your face, Fred!"

"Noooo," he whined, walking towards them and hugging them as well.

Peter walked down the stairs, glancing at everybody before walking through the portrait, "What are you guys on?"

They laughed, pulling away from each other and following him out.

"Fred, put me down."

"No, you need to be carried."

"No, I don't, now put me down."

"No, I won't."

"Fredrick Gideon Granger – " George growled up at his brother from hanging over his shoulder.

"George Fabian Granger," he mimicked, grinning as Hermione and the Marauders laughed at them.

"Put – me – down!"

"No!"

"Fred!"

"Alright!" he then released him, making him land on his shoulders with his legs up in the air and kicking, trying to hit his twin.

"I'm killing you as soon as I get upright!" he vowed as Fred took off, laughing. Once he was on his feet, he took off after him, yelling curses at him as he laughed.

Sirius leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit next to Hermione, who had buried her face in her arms to laugh a while ago. Remus chuckled into the wall above them, trying to regain control of himself as James laughed harder, doubled over and watching them down the street.

"Well," James said, snapping his head up and smiling ahead of him, effectively creeping out a couple of third years before turning to Hermione, "I bet your house is a blast to be at."

"It's never quiet, you could say," she chuckled before standing up, "I didn't think he'd be able to pick him up though."

"I didn't think George would be able to bend like that," Remus grinned.

"Alright, so," Sirius clapped, shooting up and nearly knocking Hermione over, "We've been to Honeydukes and Zonko's and – "

"I'm going to take Hermione to the bookstore," Remus interjected before grabbing her hand and towing her away, having her laugh and wave back at them.

"Awww," James cooed, placing his hands over his heart as he watched them, "He grew up so fast."

Sirius nodded and chuckled, "Yup. Now how long do you think until he actually does something?"

James snorted, rolling his eyes and removing his hands, "Oh, that'll last 'till June – March, if we're lucky."

"Of what year?" Sirius prompted, making James chuckle again before he halted, staring down on across the street. Sirius frowned at him and looked between him and where he was looking at before he saw red hair and he sighed, waving him away. James shot him an appreciative glance before running off, jumping down next to Lily and startling her.

"Poe's work is great too," Remus said as he leaned against the bookshelf, looking down at the book in his hand even though he was angled towards Hermione, who was searching through some books.

"Have you ever read The Cask of Amontillado?" she asked, glancing over at him.

He hummed, "Yeah, I have. Fortunato wasn't exactly fortunate, was he?"

She chuckled, "No, he was not."

"Ever read The Raven?" he asked.

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'" she said, making him look up from the book and smile.

"This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!' Merely this and nothing more," he answered, making her look over and smile at him. He decided that this was much better than a creepy gargoyle trying to put the moves on him.

"So," she said, turning away from him and making him frown a little, "Any books you recommend here?"

He returned the book in his hand back to its place and walked towards her, leaning down and peering at the titles, "Well…Marvin Mongolio's Why Alice's Wonderland Doesn't Exist is absolutely boring, so don't try that…here." He plucked a book off the shelf, inspecting the first page and smiling as he did, "This is more you."

She took it from him and read the cover, snorting, "Harmonia Fairchild's Why the Bloody Hell Do You Need So Many Guy Friends? Seriously?" She arched an eyebrow at him, grinning back at him as he found little flecks of gold in her eyes.

"Well, you hang out with us more than you do with Lily and the girls," he shrugged.

"So you're kicking me out now?" she pouted at him, making him flinch before he realized she was teasing.

"No, we're not kicking you out," he chuckled before pulling her into a hug, "I'm just saying – most girls only hang out with guys they fancy."

They froze before pulling back to arch eyebrows at each other – Hermione's questioning and Remus' mischievous.

"Don't even," she said as he grinned.

"You've got a crush on a Marauder?" he chuckled, "Do tell, Mione."

"You know," she said, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes up at him, "You've been hugging me an awful lot, Mister Lupin."

He blinked and snorted, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She looked pointedly at his arms, which were wrapped carelessly around her, and he frowned down at them as if they were traitors. He pulled away from her a second later.

"I just like hugging people, alright?" he said, folding his arms and frowning at her.

"You never hug the other boys," she grinned.

"Duh," he rolled his eyes, "Blokes do not hug other blokes."

"You never hug Lily," she kept grinning.

"James would murder me."

"You never hug Alice."

"Frank would murder me."

"You never hug Marlene."

"Marlene would murder me."

She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his chest, grinning up at him, "So what makes you think I wouldn't hurt you?"

He grinned back at her, against his will, wrapping his arms around her again and bringing her closer, "I dunno."

She hummed, still smiling, dropping her gaze to the collar of his sweater, reaching a hand up to play with it. He surveyed her from his position, how small she actually was underneath her baggy sweater and jeans, how – despite how many times she had proclaimed it was bushy – her hair was actually curly, how she had very tiny freckles across her cheeks. He wondered if anybody had gotten close enough to see those as he twirled a curl around on his finger. He winced a little, knowing that if somebody had gotten that close to her, the intent would've been to kiss her. The idea of that didn't sit well with him, making a sour taste in his mouth, much like the aftertaste of a Warhead candy. He pushed the thought away as nothing more than being friendly overprotective thoughts.

"Hey, listen," she said, pulling away from him, "I need to run over to the pet shop and browse cats. See you later?"

"Yeah, see you," he smiled as she grinned at him and ran off, watching her through the window once she was out of the shop.

Hermione ducked into an alley, certain that she would pop out right in front of the pet shop, but instead she was facing a dead end. She frowned at it, wondering when they had changed it, and turned around upon hearing footsteps.

Regulus Black, Severus Snape, and another Slytherin whose name she didn't know were walking towards her.

"Well, if it isn't little Miss Granger?" Regulus sneered, "Get lost?"

"So what if I did?" she put her hands on her hips, frowning at them.

"See? She probably copies from Lupin," the nameless Slytherin smirked.

"Oh do shut up," she frowned.

"Maybe from Evans and Lupin," Snape said, frowning at her in distaste. "She's not smart enough to know how to tame her hair."

"That comment would really hurt if it didn't come from you," she huffed, "Now move."

"That is certainly no way to treat a superior," Regulus told her.

"I certainly hope you don't mean yourself!" Wait a minute, she thought, That sounds too familiar.

"How dare you, you filthy little Mudblood," he growled, taking a step towards her and raising his wand hand.

This was all stopped by Hermione's fist making direct contact to his nose, the crack heard from the impact as he stumbled backwards, clutching his bleeding nose.

"Bloody hell!" Regulus said as he gaped down at the blood in his hands, "She bloody hit me!"

Hermione gaped in horror before pushing past him, praying nobody would find out.

"Hermione?" Lily and James said, looking at her in shock as she ran out of the alley, clutching her hand as the Slytherins swore about Regulus's nose.

"Oh crap," she said.

"Oh my Merlin, what is wrong with you?"

"Stupidest thing you've ever done!"

"How could you?"

"You idiot!"

Hermione kept staring at the ground, determined not to cry as Lily and James yelled at her. She was absentmindedly massaging her hand as the twins, Marlene, Alice, Frank and the other Marauders walked up to them, eyebrows arched and confused glances exchanged.

"What's going on?" Sirius finally asked.

"Hermione – hit – someone," Lily hissed through her teeth, "But she won't say who or why."

"You hit someone?" the group seemed to say together before Fred and George pounced on her, shaking her hands and making her wince a little.

"Well done, Hermione!"

"Great job!"

"Did he bleed?"

"Guys!" James growled, making them freeze and glance at him, then Lily, then at each other before they frowned disapprovingly at her.

"Hermione Jean Granger," George chided, "How could you?"

"I thought we raised you better than that," Fred shook his head at her.

"Hermione…?" Remus asked, looking at her as if he was unsure to be upset too. Alice and Frank glanced between each other as well and took a few steps back, while Marlene and Sirius beamed at her.

"Hermione, if you don't tell me who or why, I'm going to have to go to McGonagall," Lily said, frowning down at her.

Hermione's bottom lip quivered and she curled up, letting a sob escape as she leaned into George, mumbled something.

Lily and James exchanged glances, as did everybody else, except Fred and George, who winced and reached forward to comfort her.

"Hermione, what was that?" Marlene asked.

"He called me a Mudblood," she whispered, louder.

That word seemed to make everybody freeze, looking at each other with shocked expressions.

"I didn't mean to!" she said, "He just reminded me of him and I – and I just – I hit him!"

"Who?" Remus asked, now pushing aside his disappointment and ready to defend her – something Sirius, James, Frank, Fred and George looked ready to do as well.

She just shook her head, putting her face in between her arms and sitting there, "What time is my detention?"

"What detention?" Lily asked.

"The one you're giving me," she muffled.

"I'm not giving you detention," she shrugged, "I didn't technically see you hit somebody, I only heard somebody screaming 'she bloody hit me' – and in all honesty, my hearing's not too great recently – and you running away. You know, for all I know, that could've been the name of a band that you don't like so you were running away from that topic."

Everybody seemed to gape at her, but she stood there and stared at the ground like it wasn't all that interesting but just interesting enough.

"Oh, Lily, thank you!" Hermione jumped up and tackled her, "Thank you, so much, I owe you big time!"

"Sure as hell you do," she muttered as she hugged her back.

"Hey," James stiffened, "You didn't get the okay from me. I might give you a detention."

Hermione yanked back and stared at him with huge eyes, only he laughed and pulled her closer to hug her.

"Relax, Mione," he said, rubbing her forearms, "Just giving you a hard time."

"Don't scare me," she lightly slapped his arm, frowning at him.

"So…how can we beat up the guy if you don't tell us who it was?" Sirius asked, furrowing his brow at her.

"I won't tell you," she frowned over at him, turning around as Alice and Frank walked off with Peter, Marlene shrugging and following soon enough.

"Why not?"

"Because you don't need to know that it was Reg – " she slapped her hands over her mouth, staring at him wide-eyed. But the darkened look on his face told her that he'd figured it out.

"Hermione," he walked towards her, "My brother is a prat and I apologize for him. If you're a – that word, then Voldemort's a fluffy bunny that loves to be cuddled."

"You said that to me once," Lily remarked, smirking at him, "And you said that was the only time you'd ever say that again."

"To you!"

"Hermione," Remus spoke up before it could escalate into a bigger fight, "You know that we're your friends and that we love you no matter what, right?"

She smiled back at him as Lily edged closer without her knowledge, "Yeah, I kno – OAH!" She laughed as Lily tackled her, swinging her back and forth on a leg, laughing harder with her as everybody else hugged them too, swinging back and forth.

"Why do I love you guys?" she laughed as she was in the middle of a swinging hug.

"Dunno," Fred shrugged, stroking her hair and singing to her, "Oh Hermione, our Hermione, you're shorter than us, it's funny as hell."

This spouted into a new round of laughs as Sirius swept his hair back away from his face, breaking apart the hug as he put an arm around Hermione's shoulder, then decided to put the other one around Remus'. They both looked at him warily, although still grinning.

"Well, I've had enough of this scene," he said, wheeling them around and steering them, "Three Broomsticks? On James?"

James frowned at him, "Why on me?"

"Because everybody else is too lazy," he shrugged, "And I'm making Hermione and Remus – the goody-goodies – stick with me so they can't do it."

"Lily is here," Fred reminded him.

Sirius paused before cursing, "Wish I had another arm."

"I feel like you're my pimp or something," Remus hummed, making the others laugh again as he shrugged, "Just saying."

"No," James said, "Your pimp is the gargoyle." Everybody else, aside from Fred, George and Hermione, laughed again, making Remus glare over at him.

"I don't think I want to know," George said, pulling Hermione away from Sirius and acting like he was protecting her from him.

"Hermione, I don't know why you chose this lot as our friends," Fred shook his head and sighed, "You've just completely lost your touch."

"I hung out with Harry and Ron," she said dully, "And you think I even had a touch to begin with? And don't even, Sirius."

He grinned over at her, "Love you!"

"Liar!"

"Mean it!"

"Screw you!"

"Mean it?"

"Sirius!" everybody either glared at him, or laughed at him, or did a combination of both.

Seventh year was, at the very least, going to be entertaining.

Merlin, I wish I could figure out a better ending line than 'seventh year was, (insert something here), going to be (insert word here.)' I mean, that's the only thing I can think up on a short notice. FFFFF. Hermione is frowning down upon me, I just know it. FORGIVE ME! *thunk*

Please review. I'm feeling crappy today. Reviews would make me feel much better. Oh, and I just realized I can't tell if you favorite anymore, so…yeeeaaah.

(Edgar Allen Poe also owns The Cask of Amontillado and The Raven. Look them both up if you're interested - very cool.)