Happy New Year everyone. Hope 2012 is a fantastic year for you all!

Thank you to those who keep reviewing! Lovely, lovely people!

Finally...Sorry if the grammar isn't the best today, i just wanted to get it out. Oh! and anything you recognise isn't mine. :)

Hermione and Harry walked slowly down a corridor towards the Great Hall for lunch. Ron had already gone ahead, thinking only of his stomach as only the red headed teenager could. Hermione rolled her eyes at his supposed hunger, did the boy think only of his stomach and nothing else? She often surprised he hadn't turned into the size of a house though she suppose the amount of exercise seemed to kerb that.

She smiled softly to herself, he was awfully handsome though.

The hallways were emptying as they slowly walked towards their destination, the soft smell of the elf made lunch drifted towards them from the Great Hall. The silence comforting to them both as they thought through the previous class.

Hermione chewed her lip as she thought of the Professor and her pitiful excuse of a lesson. The woman had no intention of teaching them any defence. Even if the woman didn't believe in Voldemort, there were other dangers out there that they might need to defend themselves from. There were wizards and witches out there who weren't good, normal citizens and they didn't have a mark on their arms to show their evilness. Murderers, Rapists and other degenerates might want to cause them harm. They needed to practise their spell work and she felt a momentary panic as she didn't know how she could do it.

"I am sorry you got dragged into the detention Hermione. I was surprised you talked so disrespectful to a professor though, even if she did deserve it." Harry said with a grin, his eyes alright with laughter as he looked at his friend.

"I couldn't help it!" Hermione said with a laugh, shaking her head at their switched roles before sobering. "Having her as a teacher will only cause problems, I don't know what yet but it's only going to cause bad things to happen. We can't defend ourselves if we have a teacher who won't allow us to practise what we're being taught!"

Hermione glared at the floor, she didn't like her education being squandered by an idiot in pink who didn't believe that there were monsters in dark. The woman must know that things do go bump in the night and they all needed to be able to defend themselves. Idiot. She didn't know what it was but the woman just seemed to make her uneasy. It wasn't as though the woman didn't generally believe they didn't need to learn, her eyes showed the maliciousness she felt towards them and the subject.

A woman all in pink should never be trusted, she may act all sweetness and light but her eyes… Hermione paused in her thoughts, her eyes seemed to have a hardness that undermined her exterior.

Hermione was disturbed from her thoughts as Harry said with a small smile, "you have that look on your face which means you are thinking too deeply. What's a matter?"

Hermione looked over to the boy next to her and smiled slightly. The previous year had affected him more than the adults around him wanted to admit. He had matured greatly but she could tell he was still suffering.

"It's nothing Harry. I just think we should be careful of the woman is all." She said with a soft smile.

Harry nodded in agreement and opened his mouth to continue when they were both interrupted by the man Hermione hadn't expected to hear from for a few hours at least. 'The toad moved fast', Hermione thought, rolling her eyes. The woman was evil.

Both Harry and Hermione paused mid step and looked towards each other.

"MISS GRANGER!" bellowed a silky voice behind them, his northern accent tilting the edges of his speech.

"Ooooo your dead Hermione." Harry said in a whisper to her.

Hermione glared briefly at Harry before turning around to face the potions master who had quickly caught up with them. His eyes were flashing with anger and his breathing erratic as he looked between the two.

"I should have guessed you were involved Potter." He spat at the boy before turning his attention to Hermione. "Would you care to explain why I have just been informed by Umbridge, quite gleefully I might add, that you have a detention later?"

Hermione looked at Russ, her mouth tilting upwards as she shrugged her shoulders. "Well…" she looked him in the eye and frowned at the emotions that were present there. His face may have been blank as ever but his eyes showed a different story. He was clearly worried for her though she couldn't understand why, it was only a detention. "I answered back to her." She looked down to the floor, regret washing through her. "Telling Harry to stop was just the final straw. I'm sorry if it got you into trouble with her Russ."

She continued looking at her feet when she heard a frustrated sigh from Russ. She looked up to see him push his hand through his hair before his eyes registered Harry still watching, his mouth open at the interaction between the two of them. "Go to lunch Potter. I will escort the new jailbird to the great hall."

Harry opened his mouth to disagree before changing his mind at the look on his professors' face. He threw an apologetic look to Hermione before running off down the hall way to lunch.

Hermione looked towards Russ but closed her mouth at the expression on his face.

"Miss Granger." He said with a frown, trying to collect his thoughts. "You have to be careful of the enemies you gain. She might be one woman but she represents the Wizarding government." He paused as if deciding whether or not to continue.

Hermione watched as he struggled with his internal conflicts, she was quite worried to what could have unbalanced her potions professor so badly. His demeanour hadn't change as such so he still looked emotionless to those around him but his eyes, the worry in them didn't make sense. Such a stern and stable man to be upset by a detention? He gave out detentions like the headmaster and his lemon drops, so why was he so clearly upset by her own with Umbridge?

She jumped when he suddenly turned on his heel and walked back towards the Great Hall. Hermione rushed after him, confused by his actions. She couldn't understand what was going through his mind sometimes.

"I also didn't appreciate dealing with her smugly informing me my ward had gone against the rules and only as a favour to a 'fellow professor' that your punishment wasn't worse. I do not like having things held above me." He paused and looked her in the eye. "Things are changing at this school Feathers, you have to be careful with the battles that you choose. The woman may seem like a boar now but I don't trust her not to get worse if you keep fighting her. I know you're not one for trouble making but if you decide to be a hellion this year don't choose your conflicts with her, any other teacher but her. Let this be a one off and never let it happen again."

Hermione nodded, she could tell he was disappointed in her. He honestly thought she was doing this to show her independence. She couldn't understand why he was so…not afraid of Umbridge but anxious of her actions towards Hermione.

Hermione thought the woman may be a dimwit but she was a professor. What could she really do that was so bad? Surely the ministry doesn't take the woman's opinions that seriously? It was a big governing body.

She felt the heat of her guilt in her stomach as she thought of her actions affecting the man in front of her. She didn't think of how her previous actions may affect him. She didn't' want the newest professor making this more difficult for him, she had seen his mark on his arm last year so she didn't think a rogue Ward would make him more liked at the Ministry. She nodded slightly as these thoughts ran through her head. She really hadn't made the man's life easy since she had joined him in the summer.

She jumped slightly when he raised his hand and placed it lightly on her shoulder giving it a quick squeeze.

Hermione looked up to the dark foreboding man who towered above her and studied his face. She smiled slightly at the spark of warmth she saw in his eyes. He wasn't a man of many words but he could show Hermione he forgave her of her infraction. He cared for her even if he didn't say it out loud.

Hermione walked into the Great Hall to find Harry and Ron, when she heard a soft hum as she walked towards the table. She snorted in laughter when she finally sat down to hear it had been funeral march the twins had been humming loudly for her.

"Oh come on. He isn't that bad." Hermione said with a laugh as she looked at Harry shocked expression, before reaching out for a beef and horseradish sandwich. With her first bite she hummed in appreciation, she hadn't realised how hungry she was until the bitter taste of the sauce had hit her tongue. Delicious.

Harry let out a splutter of laughter before shaking his head. "He looked ready to chop your liver up for one of his potions."

Ron hummed his agreement, not looking up from his plate as she shovelled in more food to try fill his everlasting hunger. He hadn't even witnessed the event so Hermione was unsure he was truly listening to the conversation around him. She guessed he had to reach his second helping before he was able to interact with the people around him. She giggled softly to herself at snide remark in her head.

She happily started eating her second sandwich, not witnessing the light of happiness in Harry's eyes at the ease of which she was eating. It seemed she had finally gotten herself out the funk that she was trapped in. He guessed it was uncertainty or fear that had made her so skittish, so he was happy that she was finally content. The school had a way to make people feel safe like that.

Hermione looked at the red head after finishing her lunch, her face twisting into a grimace as she witnessed the amount of sausages and mash going into his mouth. Gagging a little when he chewed loudly with his mouth open, she couldn't take it no more. "For goodness sake. Chew with your mouth closed Ronald. I do not want to witness the chewed up remains of that poor pig."

Ron paused mid chew when he looked up to Hermione, a small smile on his lips before swallowing. "There was a train crash earlier today 'Mione." Ron said with a sad shake of the head, he seemed to have ignored her nag to tell her the grave news.

Hermione gasped, forgetting immediately about his bad manners and frowned deeply. "Where? Why have you waited so long to tell us?"

Ron seemed to ignore her as he continued to eat some more sausage before frowning deeply, "Want to see its victims?"

Before Hermione could answer the boy he opened his mouth and showed her the contents of a chewed up sausage before he closed his mouth and started laughing at her expression.

"Ronald!" Hermione said with a hiss, glaring at the young boy opposite her. She stared at him for a few moments in disbelief before shaking her head. "You're positively disgusting!" Her words didn't seem to affect him however as he just gave her a broad grin, his eyes bright with happiness and the little crinkles around his eyes and mouth made her sigh. He had done it to make her laugh. It was so disgusting but Hermione couldn't help the small giggle that escaped at the young man in front of her. Soon her laughter escalated and she was joined by those around her. Her friends were just happy to see her so…Happy.

Her laughter slowly died down, wiping the tears away from her eyes before beaming brightly at Ron who was smiling softly at her. "Thanks Ron." She paused before falsely frowning, "You're still disgusting though, just so you know." This caused more laughter from Harry and Ron.

She grinned at the pair, content to sit and talk with her friends before the afternoon's lessons continued.

Hermione and Harry walked side by side towards the Defence against the Dark Arts class room. Their stomach were full and both were content after their dinner. Detentions didn't cause the same fear as it once had in their first year so they were talking and laughing as they walked. They had left Ron in the common room moaning about the amount of homework they had been given on their first day, not really accepting O.W.L's would have an impact on their class work.

"Have you heard some of the rumours of what she does to kids in detention?" Harry said with a broad grin. "She's only been here a day and some of the stuff she has apparently done, you would think she's Snape."

Hermione pushed him in the shoulder in defence of her Godfather, causing Harry to stumble before he continued. "Apparently she has locked someone in a cupboard, used a cursed knife on a third year, gave someone kitten ears and turned someone into a cockroach. And that's all I've heard so there's bound to be more rumours."

Hermione shook her head and laughed, "It won't be that bad. Its only a detention, I imagine she will make us do two hundred lines and call it quits. Some people are so dramatic."

Harry nodded and they both stopped in front of the DADA door, breathed in deeply and Harry raised his hand, knocking on the wooden door.

"Come in!" tinkled the sickly voice in the room.

They both walked into the room, sitting quietly at the two desks that were already set up with a quill.

"I hope you both know why you're here?" Umbridge said with a sweet smile, slowly stirring her cup of tea. She stared intently at them both, her eyes cold and unfeeling, the total opposite to the sweet image she tried to portray to those around her. "Mr Potter you are here because of your compulsive lying you have been doing and its time you are punished for the panic you are trying to incite to the wizarding world. No one else seems to want to punish such a nasty little boy but I have decided it's time I take this role."

Harry remained silent through her monologue, his jaw tight and his teeth gritted but Hermione grinned internally at her friend. She was so proud at his lack of reaction, his head bent downwards so he wasn't looking at the evil toad and breathing in slowly and steadily to keep himself calm.

Hermione flinched ever so slightly when Umbridge turned to look at her, "And you Miss Granger. Everyone seems to only say nice things about you, so I don't understand why you would hang around with such a horrid little boy. Then I discovered why." She paused in her musings, standing up and walking around the class room, taking her cup of tea with her. "You know what I hate more than little liars or those who defy the ministry?" Umbridge said standing directly in front of Hermione.

Hermione silently shook her head and looked Umbridge in the eye as the older woman said with a giggle, "Half Breeds."

Hermione's mouth dropped open slightly before she quickly shut it and looked at the quill in front of her. "There is no need to get your ink well out, I have provided a special quill." Umbridge said with a nauseating smile before turning to Harry, "Mr Potter, you will write, I will not tell lies until you finally learn a lesson. And Miss Granger…" Umbridge paused, tapping her top lip with a finger before nodding to herself, "I will not question the adults around me. Same number as Mr Potter. Get on with it."

Hermione watched as Umbridge returned to her seat and sipped her cup.

She hesitantly picked up the quill and quickly wrote the sentence out. She paused in her writing as she looked at the parchment in front of her, the writing seemed to be in a dark red ink and Hermione mused about what kind of quill it was. Suddenly a flash of red hot pain erupted in her left hand. She breathed in suddenly, causing a hiss of pain to escape. She watched with morbid fascination as the words I will not question the adults around me etched itself in her hand.

"Is there a problem Mr Potter?" Hermione heard Umbridgesay with conceit before growling, "I thought so. I think its because you both believe you deserve to be punished."

Hermione breathed in deeply, hoping she wouldn't show her pain to the evil Cow in front of her. She assumed Harry's quill was the same as hers by his supposed reaction and she simply couldn't believe it.

The woman was strict, a rubbish teacher and in denial but she never thought Umbridge would torture her students. She had always believed that teachers could be trusted, that if you treated them with respect, they will respect you. It's what her parents had instilled in her. She supposed Professor Quirrell had put a stopper in that belief.

She flexed her left hand, hoping to remove some of the pain that the cut had inflicted upon her. She breathed in softly and put quill to parchment once more.

By the twentieth line, her hand was stinging and it felt as though it was on fire. Hermione's jaw was locked to stop any noises escaping and she was concentrating on writing the lines out. Heavens she wanted to itch the writing being carved into her skin but she assumed it would make it worse.

Hermione didn't look up when the door behind them opened up though it took a lot not to break her concentration when she heard, "I do apologise for interrupting Professor Umbridge." His silky voice cut through the silence of the classroom.

"Not a problem Severus." Simpered the toad in front of Hermione. "I am only teaching some unruly children that their behaviour will no longer be accepted while I'm at this school. So what can I help you with?"

Hermione felt Russ stand beside her as she continued to write the sentence, over and over again. 'Line 30' a quiet voice echoed in her mind, 'but how many lines does she expect it to take to learn this lesson' it sneered.

She felt him stiffen beside her, 'must have seen my hand' the voice said with triumph. 'Maybe he can get me and Harry out of the detention.'

She looked up to the man she had come to trust and looked him directly in the eye. Her eyes pleading for him to defend her and her friend against the woman who was meant to protect them from such situations as their professor. Her heart broke a little when she saw the same look in his eyes before he looked away, back towards the toad like woman at the front of the room. Her head fell forward slightly; her hair covered her face from the adults of the room as she resigned herself to continue the lines.

She should have known he couldn't help her. The man was a professor so one need to be seen aligning himself with the other professors of the school, even if they didn't believe in their ways. Look at how Professor McGonagall never visibly berated Russ for his favouritism to his Slytherin's but she imagined that it occurred in private.

It still hurt her though to see him turn away from her pain.

Russ quietly said, "I was just enquiring if there was any potion's you needed brewing? It is tradition I ask any new professors."

"Oh no, no there is nothing. Thank you Severus, I can understand why Lucius speaks so highly of you at the ministry. Maybe you and I can work together more closely in the future?" Umbridge said with a girlish giggle and smile.

She didn't hear him leave after his and Umbridges small conversation of her first day at the school, she just felt the betrayal of his friendliness towards the vile woman. There was silence in the classroom as the only noise was the scratching of quills against the parchment.

Hermione was only grateful that after a while, her hand became numb from the words being repeatedly written into her hand, she could no longer feel the pain of the carving. She only felt the heat of previous incisions that her hand had been subjected to. She hoped it was a clean cut with no chance of infection. She wondered how long the heated numbness would last before she felt the cursed writing.

"You may both leave now. I hope you have both learnt your lesson?" Umbridge said sternly as the pair had wrote their 150th line.

Hermione and Harry nodded silently and turned to leave, collecting their processions when she dismissed them.

Both were quiet as they walked down the DADA corridor, clutching their abused hand until they were away from the Toad's classroom before turning to one another. "You alright Harry?" Hermione said quietly, grabbing his hand to inspect his cursed writing. It didn't seem to be infected; the same could be said for hers as well thank goodness.

Hermione said with a quirk of a smile, "maybe the rumours aren't as wrong as we thought they were?"

This caused a pained laugh from Harry before they continued down the corridor, the portraits whispering in their wake at the unnerving silence that surrounded the pair.

"You know I hate the guy but he really didn't want to leave you in that state Hermione." Harry said out of the blue as they were reaching the common room. "The murderous look he gave Umbridge before correcting his visage…I honestly thought he was going to turn her to stone. There must be a reason why he couldn't help you."

Hermione looked at her friend, giving him a soft smile. "I don't know Harry." She said with a shrug before frowning deeply, "maybe he didn't see anything wrong with punishment she gave us?"

Harry nodded slowly, a confused expression on his face "I know we may joke about it Hermione but he's never hurt any of us."

Hermione simply shrugged once more as they spoke the password and entered the common room. "You should wash your hand Harry. Get rid of the bugs." Hermione said with a softly spoken voice, "I will see you tomorrow. I need a good nights rest." She gave Harry a quick hug before moving towards the stairs.

She was paused however and turned around to face Harry, "should we tell the Headmaster? He could stop the woman from doing this to other students."

She was shocked when she saw the thunderous expression on Harry face, "No we shouldn't." He said vehemently shaking his head. "He probably knows what the woman was like when he hired her. We were probably special cases. We just have to make sure we don't get into any more trouble with her this year."

Hermione nodded with a sad smile and turned back to go to her dorms, "Night Harry." She heard him softly return the sentiments as she went up the stairs and she entered her dorm.

As she lay heavily on the bed, she rolled over hugging Crookshanks tightly to her chest. "its going to be a difficult year Crooks."

I do hope she remembers what her mother said...Always Trust Sev.

Til the next time Folks...