Hello! Hope everyone had a nice Christmas!
Just to say, sorry for the late post of this chapter. Was rather a busy week; in between going to London, my birthday, my mums birthday, Christmas and being proposed to I wasn't able to upload it. So I'm sorry it's a short chapter as well.
Just a quick thanks to cosmoGirl666, Shorty653, Hollystream and Beautiful-Liar13 for your reviews. I was feeling a little down thinking that the story wasn't well liked but your reviews made me smile. So thanks. :)
Hope you enjoy.
Hermione walked down from the first year dorms, content that the first years were relatively calm for their first night away from home. They were slightly panicked but overall very excited to get to know one another. She only hoped that would last through the night.
She stepped into the common room, scanning the room for her two friends before she locked eyes with George. She frowned at his disgruntled state, automatically thinking something had occurred while she was sorting out the first years. She quickly scanned the room and sighed when she realised she couldn't see Harry and Ron. What had happened now she cursed internally as she walked over to the twins. She couldn't leave the boys for a few minutes before something happened. They hadn't even been here that long so she hoped that George and Fred's disgruntled expressions were for another reason.
She reached their side and smiled at the pair, "hey guys."
George and Fred turned to her and their faces instantly lit up with broad grins. "Hey Granger! Miss the action?" Fred Said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Hermione raised an eyebrow and searched the common room. Now that she truly looked, she could see the tension in most people. They were mumbling to their neighbours and quickly studying Seamus before continuing to talk to their friends. Everyone seemed so restless.
Hermione turned back to the twins with an enquiring look.
"There was a brief disagreement." George said, his grin faltering and dimming in brilliance. "They don't believe Harry's version of events of this summer." He briefly looked at Seamus before looking back into her eyes.
Hermione's mouth dropped open slightly in shock. She had known the wizarding world didn't believe Harry but she had always assumed his friends would believe him. When had they known him to lie. Her eyes narrowed, turning her head to glare at Seamus. However he seemed content in ignoring her, he had reached his goal in removing Harry from the common room so he was Happy.
"Imbeciles." She said in a huff, folding her arms over her chest. "I suppose they believe Cedric as well and the other disappearances are because of the Nargles or people tripping over their shoelaces into their wheelie bins."
Fred and George both raised an eyebrow, beaming brightly at their surrogate sister. They both leaned in, looking around with exaggerated actions before whispering loudly, "it's Sirius Black of course." Their eyes sparkling with mischief.
Hermione lifted her hand to her mouth, gasping loudly "as in the murderer who killed 12 muggles and the poor, poor Peter Pettigrew?" She lifted her hand to her brow and pretended to swoon, "Such a name should never be mentioned in the presence of a lady." She paused for moment before winking at the pair, causing a laugh from the two men. "See you two around." Hermione said with a small wave as she turned around, walking towards the stairwell of the girls dorms.
"Sleep well Granger." George shouted to her from across the common room, causing Hermione to look at him with a smile.
She opened her mouth to retort when Fred added, "try not to dream too much of us, you naughty Minx!" causing a few laughs from those who were listening.
Hermione glared at the pair, the heat rising in her cheeks as she walked up the stairs trying to remove her embarrassment. "Boys," She muttered as she finally reached her room.
She advanced across the room to her bed, where she released crooks from his cage.
He moved slowly out of his carry box, stretching out as he padded across her bed. His tail and bum moved upwards as he stretched out before straightening out and looked towards his human.
Hermione smiled at her companion, stroking him softly on the head before sitting down in front of her trunk, getting ready to sort it out.
She opened it slowly before setting out to tidy her books and clothes after they had become disorganised in transport. She had always believed that a tidy living space meant a tidy mind. She shuddered to think what Harry's and Ron's minds were like if it was as tidy as their dorm.
She neatly folded her school uniform for the next morning, placing it beside her trunk and put her wash bag on top of them.
She paused in her tidying as she looked at the inside of the lid, smiling as she saw the photos she had stuck in there over the years.
Most were wizarding photos of her, Harry and Ron grinning and laughing with one another. Her eyes flickered between all the photos. She was briefly surprised of how much they had aged over the years. It didn't seem that long ago since they were all first years and the Philosophers stone was just a simple adventure. Looking back now, she realised how different it could have been. Most of their school years had been dangerous. They were lucky the consequences had only reached them last summer.
She paused in her recollections. Poor Cedric, it was a shame he was caught up in a war that shouldn't have included him.
Her mind began to become uneasy, feeling emotions she was unsure she wanted to feel.
Her eyes strayed to one photo she had managed to avoid until now.
It was a photo taken just last year. It was a simple muggle photo but she loved it because of the happiness that seemed to be portrayed within it. Her parents stood side by side, barely touching but their smiles were broad showing the slight sparkle of their teeth. It was their eyes that she loved best though, they both seemed to be sparkling with happiness, holding some secret she was not allowed to know.
She got up suddenly, slamming shut her trunk while choking back a sob that threatened to escape. She jumped onto her bed and drew her curtains around her. She drew her knees to her chest, her fingers stroking through the thick hair of Crookshanks who lay next to her.
Tears fell down her cheeks as she thought of her parents. She didn't know how to feel. They weren't dead, they were safe thanks to Russ, they just didn't know she existed. A sob broke free as she rested her head on her knees, trying to reduce the hurt in her chest. She had never felt so alone in her life or so angry. That's what made it worse. Her parents had lied to her. They had never mentioned Russ to her or any of their history. Just dropped it upon her from a great height. They said it was because of the attack, they knew she was in danger and they had never mentioned it to her.
Her mind naturally progressed onto the following two attacks. And she finally allowed herself to cry. All her fears came tumbling out. Her cheeks were wet from her tears, her eyes red and puffy and her hair stuck to her warm, sticky face.
Soon her sobs subsided and her tears dried. She placed her weary head on her pillow, exhaustion rippling through her after all the emotions she had felt. As her eyes drooped and became heavy, she vaguely registered in her sleep hazed mind that she felt less scared. Maybe it was good she had grieved her parents, the lies and the attacks.
"Good afternoon students. I am professor Umbridge and I will be your Defence against the Dark Arts instructor this year." Umbridge said with a smug smile.
Hermione flicked quickly through the defence book. She had studied it in the summer but she was looking at it in a new light now. Now she knew who the instructor was, she couldn't help but panic a little bit.
"This year we will be studying for your Ordinary Wizarding Levels or as it often as O.W.L's."
Hermione looked up from the text book, her hair falling across her face as she watched the woman walk around the room.
"You have had a pathetically poor level of education in previous years so we at the Ministry are going to rectify that. You will learn in a clean and safe environment."
Hermione couldn't contain herself anymore and had opened her mouth before she could stop herself. "The text book doesn't imply we will be practising any spells this year?" Hermione blurted out, sitting taller, trying to ignore the look Ron was sending her at her rudeness.
"Miss Granger I believe?" Umbridge said looking the girl over before continuing when she saw Hermione nod. "It is correct you will be learning the theory of the spells. The ministry doesn't believe children your age need to learn such spells. Who would attack innocent children?" Umbridge said looking her straight in the eyes. "You may believe yourself above everyone here because of your connections but even he can't save you all the time." She said with a small sweet smile before turning and returning to the front of the class, leaving a gobsmacked Hermione behind.
She snapped out of her trance when she heard Harry say rather arrogantly she thought. "What about Voldemort then? Wouldn't he hurt people in this room?"
Hermione heard and saw the collected gasps and winces the taboo name did to the young witches and wizards in the room.
"You know as well as I do that he is dead Mr Potter," Umbridge said in sing song girly voice, though her eyes had taken on a hard glint.
"So Cedric Diggory just died of his own accord then? Tripped over a rock and accidently cast the Avada on himself? I hate it when that happens." Harry said sarcastically to Umbridge.
Hermione looked wide eyed towards Harry. When had he become so bitter towards the world? She knew he was angry but she thought after spending the summer with Sirius, he had begun to heal. Obviously not.
"Please Harry. Don't." She whispered, her fingers lightly holding onto his arm, eyes pleading with him to stop. The ministry didn't believe Voldemort was back, he couldn't fight Umbridge on this.
"Detention Mr Potter, Miss Granger. I will see you this evening." Umbridge said with a hiss before turning her attention to the class, determined to continue her lesson.
Hermione slumped in her seat slightly. She couldn't believe she had got a detention on the first day back. At least her parents wouldn't find out.
She froze in her seat. Her parents wouldn't know but Russ would. She hoped he couldn't be serious in being a 'father figure' or maybe he wouldn't find out. No one would think to tell him.
"Sorry Hermione" Harry whispered to her, a frown gracing his features at getting his friend into trouble with him.
Hermione smiled slightly at her friend, showing him she forgave him before whispering "not as much as I will be."
oooohh dear. What are the chances of Severus finding out? :D