"I thought you said" here Dean took a deep breath to steady himself and continued "Oh my gods, as in plural."

Hermione first looked shocked then confused then frightened and finally accepting "That's cuz I did."

"You did?" Dean asked shocked at her forwardness

"Yes, I did. It was a slip of the tongue." Hermione was nervous, the habit she had picked up at Camp Half-Blood had been noticed. Is he a monster in disguise or someone here to protect me… or neither? Keep cool till you find out what he is. She told herself "But, why do you ask, is it something you say?" trying to sound casual, happy to hear she sounded merely inquisitive.

Dean sensed he had said something wrong, something he should have kept to himself and drew his knees up to his chest and circled his arms around them looking back out the window. "It's just something I hear a lot at my-" He stopped short and cursed inwardly, Styx, why? I'm so stupid what if she wants to kill me. Come on, dude, really, you might as well tell her you a demi-god too.

Hermione didn't like how he closed up and slid her hand under her cloak to feel the celestial bronze hilt of her dagger resting against her hip. Then she saw a scared boy under the arms wrapped around his knees afraid of what he had just said, her maternal instincts activated. Hoping he wasn't a monster she slid her hand out from under her cloak and reached toward the boy.

Dean looked up at her movement worried she would slap him instead she sat and put her hand under his chin and lifted his face so he would meet her eyes "I'm not going to hurt you; do you believe me?" Hermione asked with tender care in her face.

Dean nodded and realized he felt safe something he hadn't felt in 4 years at least. Dean then realized he had tears in his eyes. He wiped his eyes quickly when Dean heard her talk to him with so much care "It's ok let it all out." Hermione coaxed waiting for the wall to break between them.

Dean didn't know when he started but he had started to sob and tell the girl all about his mom and how she once was a kind loving mother but now she reminisced over the past and drank until she couldn't control herself and she would beat him. He told her about how over the summer he had been to Camp Half-blood and been claimed by his dad Hephaestus. When he found, he was safe somewhere, he also had been told he had to go to Hogwarts after a good half hour of crying with his face buried in her shoulder telling her everything.

Hermione now held a broken boy in her arms carding her fingers through his hair and waiting for the tears to stop. "Dean," she said after he had stopped crying but was still in her arms "Dean, I'm never gonna let anyone or anything hurt you ever again. I will protect you in Hogwarts and outside of it, ok? We can be honorary siblings ok? I will watch your back alright, I swear on the river Styx." Hermione promised.

Dean nodded then realized what she had said "The river Styx? Are you a demi-god too?" Hermione nodded "I'm daughter of Athena. You are a son of Hephaestus, right?" "Yeah." Dean replied

They changed into their robes then Dean asked "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"You would take care of me? No matter what?"

Hermione looked Dean straight in the eyes "No matter what. I swore it on the river Styx, I wouldn't take back the oath if I could."

Dean looked the girl up and down and decided she was telling the truth, he hugged her tightly and to his surprise she hugged him back.

Heyo mayo,

Please let me know if you want Hermione to be second or third year. She is more mature than a normal girl her because of her demi-god status and she has gone to Camp Half-Blood. Dean is younger than her in this series he is a first year. I just want to get it out there thanks!

Forty Fandoms, saying see you later alligator :)