Author Note: Hermione's Halloween. It was not as bad as in canon. Canon which is owned, controlled, created and dominated y JK Rowling, not me. Anything you encounter that you recognize from someplace else belongs to the creator of that place. I disavow any knowledge, ownership or claim for anything you are about to read.
Begin Chapter 4
The night before Halloween Hermione was sitting on her bed with her knees drawn up. She had spent the last several days trying to feel the happiness she deserved but a gnawing guilt and regret had been eating at her. At dinner she only picked at her food causing Harry to ask if she was feeling well. He had noticed at least, Ron though merely asked if she wanted her desert.
Lavender had been talking with Parvati about the feast tomorrow, although she looked at Hermione several times during the meal. Finally Hermione had gone back to the dorms and got ready for bed.
Lavender and Parvati entered the dorm with Fay behind them. "There you are!" Lavender grinned. "We thought you'd run away."
Hermione looked up at the blonde who had come over. "No such luck."
Lavender sat on the end of Hermione's bed, "Hey. Its okay. We know what tomorrow is. Is there anything we can do?"
"No I'll be fine."
Lavender huffed, "Hey Parvati grab the box I got in the post and come here."
Parvati cheerfully picked a black box off of Lavender's nightstand. Coming over she sat on Hermione's other side.
"You know what. You need to get some self-care pampering eh?" Lavender said taking the box and opening it. It unfolded sideways, then again until there was an array of nail paints, files, hair brushes and other things Hermione wasn't certain about exposed.
"Let's try and forget about tomorrow and have some fun. What's your favorite color?" Lavender asked running her fingers over the small bottles.
"Blue. Like the sky." Hermione said.
"Cool. You've got the right skin tone for blue." Parvati declared pulling a nail file out before grinning at Hermione, "You ever have a pedicure?"
Hermione shook her head. She had only been taught the basic hygiene required to not cause the teacher to report the Smythes.
"Well then tonight's your lucky night." Parvati said setting the tools out.
"Manis and pedis. A good way to feel better." Lavender declared.
Hermione shook her head but tentatively extended her feet to let Lavender and Parvati start working on her.
"You know that nutrition potion has definitely been doing its job. You're even starting to get curves." Lavender observed as she pulled a copy of Teen Witch out of the box and started looking at nail and hair ideas.
"Yeah. Thanks for helping me with the. This is my first monthly." Hermione blushed.
"I still can't believe your aunt didn't tell you about those. Not to mention the public schools. What do they teach muggles in those places?" Parvati shivered.
Eventually the four girls were laughing about the way the boys had acted and wondering what tomorrow would bring. Hermione even managed to put her sadness back into the box for another day.
…...
The morning of Halloween Harry and Ron stood with Neville waiting to go to breakfast.
"Why did Lavender want us to wait?" Ron huffed again.
"I do not know. She stopped me from leaving and said we would have a very nice surprise." Harry replied with a shrug.
Neville leaned against the wall, "It won't kill you to wait a few minutes Ron."
"Maybe it will. Do you know? Do you?" Ron snarked then his mouth hung open as he noticed someone coming down the stairs. Harry and Neville followed his gaze.
Hermione was coming down the stairs wearing the normal school uniform under her robe but she looked different somehow. All three boys stared openly as she smiled bashfully at them.
She had a slight bit of blush on her cheeks and some gloss on her lips. Nothing beyond the basics as per the rules, as well as the bright blue fingernails she sported. Her hair had been brushed out and was wavy mane down to her shoulders. Lavender had said that she looked like a proper Gryffindor Princess should and Parvati agreed.
Ron was the first to speak, "Blimey. You look like a girl!"
"Well spotted Ron." Lavender huffed from behind Hermione.
"Well no. I mean she, she has, she is." Ron said getting flustered. His hands had been waving around in front of him in an attempt to describe or refer, or maybe wave away some sort of insect infestation. When he stopped talking he started rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what to do with his other hand so jammed it into his pocket.
Harry smiled bashfully as well, "You look very feminine. Nicely so."
Hermione's smile got slightly broader and more confident.
"Neville?" Parvati asked.
"She looks nice." Neville agreed simply.
Hermione reached the steps next to the boys, "Thanks guys. Uh it was Lavender's idea."
"I thought it was about time she looked the part if she's going to be the Girl-Who-Lived."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I told you I really don't like that title. I don't remember doing anything."
"No, but that still doesn't mean you shouldn't pamper yourself a little bit." Lavender countered.
"Now which gentleman is going to escort her to breakfast." Parvati asked changing the subject.
Harry quickly raised his arm as Ron was still trying to extract his hand from his pocket. Neville had not moved from his position leaning against the wall. Hermione smiled and took Harry's arm with a nod from Lavender and Parvati and walked with him out of the common room. Lavender and Parvati looked at the other two boys expectantly.
Neville stepped up to Parvati and offering his arm said, "Milady?"
Parvati curtsied and said, "Milord." And with a slight giggle they followed Harry and Hermione.
Lavender looked at Ron who was looking cluelessly at the previous two couples and sighed. "Fine c'mon." She declared grabbing his arm and hustling him down the corridor.
…...
Entering the great hall Malfoy sneered at Harry. "Well Granger. While you cleaned up nice you ruined it with a spot of mud on your arm."
Hermione closed her eyes briefly before with a cold smile said, "Really? I'd still rather have mud on my arm than slime." She then led Harry onwards.
Draco looked angrily at her, "You should watch yourself. Grangers don't have a very good time on Halloween."
Hermione let go of Harrys arm to spin on Draco, "Is that supposed to be a threat Malfoy?"
Draco smirked, "I don't need to threaten."
Hermione stepped close enough that Draco's minions felt the need to step forward, "I hate bullies Draco. I've had more than enough bullies in my life and I'm not going to take it anymore."
Draco stared back coolly, "You should watch yourself Granger. Just because you're a girl doesn't mean you're safe."
"Is there a problem?" Snape demanded stepping into the doorway.
"No sir. Granger and I were just contemplating the future."
"The only future you need to contemplate will be the one where you attend detention with me unless you get to your seat." He warned acerbicly.
Draco nodded in resignation but did not lower his head as he strode to the Slytherin table.
"And all of you should get to your table as well." Snape did. His hes lingering on Hermione's face for a brief moment before he blinked and went to the head table. For a brief moment Hermione thought he had looked sympathetically at her.
"Well that could have ended badly." Harry stated. "Its a good thing the professor showed up when he did."
Hermione just sighed and moved to the Gryffindor table. The self-confidence fading along with the anger to just leave an ambivalent mess.
…...
"Poppy do you have a moment?"
"Yes Headmaster."
"I noticed Miss Granger's appearance this morning." he said with a slight smile, "She seems to be developing her self-confidence, even if only in a flickering ember."
"Yes. I noticed that too. Her friends appear to be helping her greatly." Poppy nodded.
"Good. Now about the more permanent home for her?" he asked.
"I have spoken with several people I know and truth. Out of them I would recommend Amanda Brown and her husband Charles. She is a midwife at Saint Mungo's and Lavender's mother." Poppy clarified who she was referring to.
Albus nodded, "I believe I have met her once. They live in the Test valley near Romsey if I recall."
"Yes. A small estate as her husband is a gentleman farmer." Poppy agreed.
"Ahh that would be a most excellent place for her." Albus smiled, "Quiet, secluded and rather down to Earth."
"Yes. Although I am surprised you are not advocating for the Weasleys to take her in."
"Poppy as fond as I am of Arthur and his family they are rather loud and rambunctious. I do not wish to trade one chaotic and unpleasant lifestyle for another. She deserves better."
Poppy nodded, "Very well. I'll contact Amanda and suggest she invite Miss Granger for the Yule break "
"Excellent plan Poppy. Now is there anything else I need to be aware of?" Albus asked.
Poppy shook her head, "No not concerning Miss Granger or any of her friends. Quirrel is still avoiding my requests for an examination which lends credence to your theory. On another note one of the Hufflepuff seventh years missed her potion and caught a case of the Egyptian flu."
Albus looked darkly, "It was consensual?"
"Yes the young gentleman involved is taking responsibility."
"Well I'll speak to Pomona about reminding her badgers to pay attention to schedules better. Otherwise I'll leave you to the tasks at hand." Albus turned, paused at the door, "Be careful with Quirrel though. If I am correct we do not want to push him too hard."
Poppy nodded as the headmaster left.
…...
The rest of the day Hermione and her friends went through normal classes. Ron kept grumbling about how Snape seemed to treat Hermione nicer than he did everyone else. No one seemed to have an explanation for why he was doing that.
With nothing out of the ordinary happening during the day Hermione began to relax as people smiled at her and complimented her new look. She still felt a bit self conscience over her front teeth and wondered if the matron could help her with them, but otherwise she looked into some of the mirrors that were placed around the castle and admitted Lavender was right she did clean up very nicely.
The small voice in the back of her head that tried to say she was ugly, and worthless kept losing power as people smiled at her. She did not want to wind up as arrogant and egotistical as Brandy or Draco though so she simply smiled back politely.
By dinner time she had relaxed and accepted that hiding would have been a bad thing. Classes had ended early so those who wanted to could get into costume while everyone else got to take a few hours off.
The Great hall had been decorated and the ghosts were flitting about. Hermione met a young 14 year old ghost who had died in a tragic and horrible accident she declared. That it was absolutely ghastly and went on about it like that but never gave any real details. Hermione politely smiled and moved away quickly as the girl's moaning and wailing was a little bit unsettling. Dinner was a long buffet table along one side of the room while the other side had a long single table for those who did not want to mingle or dance as there was music floating above the room from an unknown source.
"So having fun?" Lavender asked as Hermione made her way to the table.
"I guess. This is kinda nice." Hermione confessed, "I am glad you talked me into coming."
"What are friends for eh?" Lavender said as they sat down.
Parvati and Neville were talking with her twin Padma and Ron was grazing along the buffet table, even with Myrtle the ghost hovering near him. Hermione didn't see Harry though.
"Did you see Harry?" Hermione asked.
Padma turned, "Oh yes. We were talking about some of his books and he offered to loan me one he had brought. So he went back up to the Gryffindor tower to get it."
Hermione had just nodded when the doors burst open and Quirrel came charging in, "TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS!" He screamed at the top of his voice. "I just thought you ought to know." Then he swooned.
There was a brief moment of silence then panic ensued as everyone started screaming and clustering around their houses.
There was a loud bang from the head table before Dumbledore's highly amplified voice said, "EVERYONE WILL PLEASE NOT PANIC. Prefects close and bar the doors. Heads of House take roll and see if anyone is missing."
Hermione realized Harry wouldn't know about the troll ran through the crowd and the doors before the prefects could close them. Running from Brandy and her friends had given her strong legs even before the nutrient potion had made her even healthier. She realized someone was running behind her as she hit the stairs.
"Hey wait up. What are you running for?" Ron called out.
"Harry, he went back to Gryffindor tower to get something. He doesn't know about the troll."
"Bugger." Ron declared as he took the steps two at a time with her.
They reached the first floor in time to find Harry coming towards them. He looked puzzled at their disheveled appearance running at him.
"Is there a problem?" he asked calmly.
"There's a troll loose in the castle." Ron declared.
Harry looked dismissively at Ron, "Not funny Ron. The castle's wards will not allow a hazardous creature inside the castle."
As soon as he said that a thumping shuffling noise came from the grand staircase. Ron and Hermione turned to see a tall grayish green moss covered troll coming up the stairs. It was wearing a tan loincloth and carrying a small tree. The smell from it hit them about the same time as they saw it.
"Maybe if we don't move it'll go someplace else." Ron suggested.
The troll sniffed the air then looked up to see the three of them. It gave a low growl and began to climb the stairs rapidly.
"Or maybe not. RUN!" Hermione commanded as she led the way up the stairs.
"We haven't studied trolls yet. I don't know how to deal with one of these things." Ron cried out.
Harry started lecturing at that point, "The common Forest Troll is an ambush predator, has weak eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and average hearing. They are slightly spell resistant and their skulls are heavily reinforced."
"Great. 5 points to you for reading ahead. Do they have a weakness?" Ron grumbled trying to do some of the spells they had learned but to no affect.
"They are not very coordinated, although they are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances." Harry stated.
The three of them turned and went down the fifth floor corridor in the south wing. Hermione was starting to formulate a plan, this reminded her a bit of running from Brandy's one friend Agatha. She even looked a bit like the troll.
Seeing the alcove she was looking for she grabbed Harry and Ron and pulled them behind the tapestry quickly. Holding her finger to her lips she shushed both boys as they heard the dull slapping of the troll's feet pass their hiding spot then slow. It had turned and come back to rip the tapestry down.
The trio screamed and ran away, again, back the way they came.
"This is not a good thing. Why is is chasing us?" Ron screamed as they reached the Grand Staircase. Hermione slid to a stop at the center of the railing looking down. She looked at the troll charging after them and nodded.
"Both of you split up!" She ordered them. Pointing down each side corridors.
"What're you going to do?" Ron demanded.
"I have an idea." She said drawing her wand. Running was not going to be a good thing if they were drawn to blood. What a time for her biology to become important she thought briefly. Neither Harry nor Ron had run away yet, stubbornly sticking near her which was annoying for her plan.
The troll was right on top of them, licking its lips, when Hermione cast a soap spell that Lavender had taught her all over the floor. Harry seemed to recognize it as he joined her doubling the area of slick floor. The troll hit that area and tried to stop but his feet began to slide and twist as he continued to slide forward.
Harry and Hermione dove to one side while Ron dove to the other. The troll spun through the railing and fell over the edge with a growling roar. Hermione carefully crawled to the edge and looked over. She saw the troll's body several stories below like one of Brandy's broken dolls. Fortunately the Grand Staircase ran the entire height of the castle from the dungeon to the top story so no one at the party should have witnessed its splatting on the floor.
"Did it die?" Ron asked not looking over the edge. He was too busy holding a support post for the railing that was now supporting him.
Harry, observing over Hermione's shoulder, said evenly, "Falling six stories into the dungeon does tend to be detrimental to one's health, even for a troll."
Ron slumped against the support post in relief, "Go to school mum said. It'll be fun she said. You'll be safe she said. I think I'd rather be tutored by a werewolf."
Hermione noticed Snape coming off of the third floor east landing to pause and speak with Professor McGonnagal and the Headmaster. The three of them continued upwards causing her to scramble to her feet followed by Harry and Ron.
"What sort of thrill seeking expedition was this?" Minerva demanded in a troubled tone of voice.
"I'm sorry ma'am. It was my fault. Harry wasn't aware of the troll so I went to warn him." Hermione explained gulping nervously.
"It would seem her intentions were not those of a thrill seeker but one of compassion." Snape stated evenly before Minerva could say anything else.
Quirrel by this point had joined them from the corridor to the east on the same floor. "Y-ye-yes indeed. Quite the G-Gryffindor eh?"
"Yes. She is." Minerva agreed looking at the headmaster who nodded.
"Very well then. 5 points each. For sheer dumb luck in not getting yourselves killed!" She declared shaking her head.
"Can we go back to the party? I'm hungry." Ron suddenly said with a hopeful grin. He seemed to be very happy now that he found out they were not in trouble.
The headmaster chuckled, "Ahh the imperturbability of youth. I shall escort you while the professors deal with this mess."
"Yes sir." the trio said in unison.
As they walked down the stairs Ron grumped, "Why couldn't we lose that thing?"
"I suppose it could smell us. The amount of fear scent you are exuding to it must have been overwhelming. Either that or." Harry stopped talking then blushed bright red as he looked at the floor.
"Or what? The only thing you said they were attracted to was blood." Ron said with a shrug.
"Yes Ron. Blood." Hermione firmly said. She was staring straight ahead and refused to look at either boy or the headmaster.
"Yeah but none of us got cut or.."He stopped in mid word as if he realized something. His eyebrows scrunched together before he said, "Eww gross. Girl stuff."
"As half of the population are girls Mr Weasley you might consider becoming less disturbed by girl stuff." The headmaster declared in amusement. "Especially those things that are a natural and normal process."
"Yeah I know. I walked in on my mum talking to my sister about that. She said the same thing. Still eww." Ron shivered.
Hermione laughed to herself as the stress of the fight evaporated and she realized she had survived, even better her friends had survived as well.
By the time they had returned to the Great Hall the story of the troll's plunge had spread like flames in a fireworks factory. Everyone surrounded Hermione and the boys to hear what happened from their point of view. Ron grinning described in horror how they had been chased and Hermione came up with the plan to save them all. She let him do most of the talking as she didn't want to be the center of attention. So she sat off to the side drinking some spiced cider.
The only people not impressed by her was Draco and his small cadre of associates he had collected. Hermione dismissed their scowls as jealousy and enjoyed the party as best she could.
She did notice Snape come limping into the room followed by Quirrel who was scowling at his back until he realized people here looking at him. She was not certain what was going on between them but she knew Snape was nice to her and had defended her from getting in trouble so there must be something with the odd Mr Quirrel. She would have to talk to her friends about it.
…...
"So when Ron figured out what was drawing the troll to you he got grossed out. THAT is what grossed him out?" Lavender laughed.
"Well he was bothered by the troll a bit." Hermione tried to defend him, a bit.
"Judging by his appetite when he wasn't trying to praise you guys, he seemed to recover quickly enough." Parvati observed.
Fay shook her head, "Boys can be as weird as trolls sometimes."
"Well at least Harry was decent about it. And not too weirded out." Hermione said with a warm smile.
"Ohh. So he wasn't squicked out?" Lavender said with a grin.
"No he wasn't. Why?" Hermione asked with a frown as she brushed her hair.
"Well. Finding a boy that isn't squicked out by girl stuff is not a bad thing." Lavender said cheerfully.
"Its actually quite a very good thing according to me mum." Fay said.
Parvati agreed, "Oh yeah. And he's smart. Which is a bonus. Even if he is a bit odd."
"But his cuteness makes up for that." Lavender declared.
Hermione set her brush down and looked at the other girls, "What are you saying that I should ask him to be my boyfriend?"
Lavender shook her head, "No, no, of course not."
Parvati smiled broadly, "We want you to marry him."
"Yeah we could even come up with a cute nickname for the two of you. Something like Harmony, Or Harmione." Lavender wiggled her eyebrows as she said it.
Hermione threw her pillow at Lavender causing the blonde to knock it into Fay who took the pillow and swung it overhand.
"Oh you're getting it now!" Lavender declared as she took her pillow and swung it sideways. Soon the four girls were involved in a laughing giggling pillow fight. By the time they had finished the room was filled with feathers and they were laying in the middle of the floor with their heads together.
"I'm glad I met you guys." Hermione declared as she blew a feather out of her face. She hoped her parents approved of how she had turned out, whatever happened though she had to live her life and was going to do it.
…...(End of Chapter 4: Review Responses:)
Laviolaviolarosa: Cool. I'll accept interesting as a compliment. Lol.
Ariandi: No. Henry Cavill is the one who played Superman. Henry Cavric is a person I know in the real world and put his name in as a gag. Your English is not that bad. I'm from Appalachia so I know people born here who speak English worse than you write it. As for the rest. Thank you. I try to write the characters as good, bad or neutral depending on the story. This time around I wanted to go a bit lighter and so the good guys are good. Anyhow thanks for reading and hope you keep enjoying.
Dennisud: Oh yeah. We are going to go down a parallel road to canon. As for the rest of the cast the focus will be on Hermione of course but the others will have screen time with her as well as some of their own. There might be at the very least references to other characters that have not already made an appearance. Glad you're enjoying it.
Minerdude: Why yes that is. John Hoyt was an excellent character actor and would have made an interesting ship's doctor if they had gone with that route. As much as I like the M'benga in Strange New Worlds I'm hoping to get a reference to Boyce in that show.
Timekeeper: Thank you. The way I envisioned Dumbledore in this story the moment he found out about the abuse he would not just ignore it or give a token attempt at changing them. He is going to be the leader of the light and the white hat that he should have been in canon, at least as much as I can. Plot points do sort of require Hermione as the Girl who lived to get dragged into things no matter how much the adults try to keep her out of trouble. As for who takes her in. I have not made my mind up entirely but have a few ideas.
