It's Hermione's seventh year at Hogwarts, and initially she couldn't wait for her last year to begin.

But now it has started and it was not a good one.

Can sharing work and living space with the resident strange lone wolf be enough to turn her year around?

--‐--

Chapter 1. 7 years in one ride.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT GIT!"

The heated high pitch words rang through the dark sky at the Hogsmade station on the first of September.

Most Hogwarts students that were already standing on the platform, turned around, and then had to leap aside very quickly.

Before the Queen of Gryffindor could barrel them over.

Her brown bushy hair cackling with such magic that even her friends keep a distance, waiting for her to calm down.

Or, at least most of them were.

"Well, can't say I didn't I told you so, Hermione. I told you that dating a Malfoy was a bad idea." Said a gangly ginger haired teenager with his arm around a small platinum blond girl.

Not noticing the glare coming from the girl under his arm, nor the ones from the others around him as the oblivious ginger teen went on; "To be fair, that he dumped you on the train ride is even lower then I expected of the slimy git, but I am even more surprised you believed him that he would actually break off his betrothal to Parkinson-" He cuts himself off as Hermione turns around and glares at him. And this is one he definitely noticed.

"Yes, Ron! You're right, Ron! That good

enough for you Ronald!? I already feel foolish enough without your petty desire to rub it into my face!" Hermione took a step forward and everyone around collectively took a step back.

Ron looks down and mutters a apology, which typically for him, isn't much.

Hermione huffed, turned around and sped off to the carriages as Ron gets smacked on the back of his head by the blond and kicked in his ankle by his ginger haired sister, before they and the rest of Hermione's friends followed her. At a more sedate pace of course.

Hermione power walked straight at the first carriage in her sight. In her anger clouded mind, Hermione didn't see the raven haired teenager already sitting in it.

She climbed in and closed the carriage door behind her. Signaling the Carriage to start riding, Hermione sighed and sat down, and only then did she finally noticed her

companion, looking at her.

It was her year and housemate, Harry Potter.

"Potter! What are you doing here!" Hermione frowned at her poor choice of words, but ignored it for the moment.

Potter raised an eyebrow, before he answered dryly

"Last time I checked, Granger, I was still a wizard, as you are a witch. And as this is Hogwarts, a school for wizards, like me, and witches, like you." Potter shrugged and looked out the window. "So I give you one wild guess."

Hermione was a bit surprised by the response. While it was by no means nice, and his tone was as if one was talking to a child.

But it was a step upward from the response Hermione was used to from a fellow Gryffindor, which would usually be, loud and,

most of the time, made no logical sense whatsoever or was explained with "magic?" And a shrug.

Hermione would take it to the grave before telling any soul, but Potter's response made him look good in her books, and everyone in Hogwarts knows how Hermione loves books.

Potter wasn't bad looking either, quite the opposite in fact, he looks pretty dashing in his robes. A very dark green, with a red and golden trim and the Gryffindor Crest at the clasp.

Hermione saw he was also wearing trousers and sneakers.

Which meant that Potter wore mundane clothing under his robes, like she did.

Hermione didn't consider herself a prude much, but wearing only pyjamas or even just a birthday suit under her robes was a step too much for her.

Still, with his attire Potter made a good example for a fine human specimen.

He also had grown taller, Hermione noticed. As Potter was a bit hunched over a bit so he wouldn't hit his head if the cart hit a bump, and Hermione had at least two hands of space above her head.

' When did that happen?' Hermione wondered as the light of a street lantern highlighted the dark circles under Potter's eyes.

' He had those dark circles since fourth year, and it seemed they still haven't left.' Hermione thought concerned. It almost looked like Potter was trying to transform into a racoon.

Apparently, they also were a big turn off for the female Hogwarts population as Hermione had heard in the toilets.

Hermione wondered if Potter had ever slept enough at night.

Potter had first gotten his lone wolf status, back in their second year, and people pretty much stayed out his way after fourth year.

Though a lone wolf in a den full of lions? Not something you would think is a good idea, but, here he is.

She looked at Potter, trying to remember what she knew about him.

Potter was muggle raised, like her. He lived with relatives after his parents were murdered, if Hermione remembered correctly.

There was a bit of hype about him in first year.

Potter was supposed to be some rumored prodigy, as his parents were when they attended.

It instantly gained him some popularity in Hogwarts.

She knew Ron had been 'friends' with him back then. Though the ginger never talked about it as far as Hermione knew.

Potter was quite gifted with the magic arts.

Better then herself in the practicals Hermione begrudgingly admitted, and Potter had been nipping at her heels in theory throughout their

whole first year. As Hermione herself had the top spot of course.

Potter got a spot as Seeker at the Quidditch team after their flying lesson, standing up against Malfoy and his cronies when Madame Hooch had been distracted.

Potter had caught Neville that Malfoy had knocked from his broom.

But something happened, either at the end of the year or in the summer holidays, which made Potter resign from the team at the start of second year.

Potter's 'so called friends' and popularity disappeared quickly after that.

Potter still had a few left, for a while. Ron broke away after the first week, Seamus and Dean soon after. Neville hung around the longest, up till end of second year if Hermione recollect correctly, and she usually was.

Second year was also when the first really

bad rumours started popping up, saying that Potter went Dark.

That all started after Potter started talking to a snake Malfoy conjured during a duel in DaDA.

Still, it was something that came in very handy with the discovery of a Basilisk, in the pipes of Hogwarts at Easter that same year.

Potter regained a bit popularity for it, after saving a group of Ravenclaw firsties by talking the Basilisk away from eating them. After getting Hagrid to feed it, it was a pretty lazy snake. As she hadn't eaten for 50 years, fierce hunger had made her come out Sazalars Chambers.

Potter was then often called upon as translator between the snake, the board of members, the Headmaster, the deputy Headmistress and Hagrid.

Potter eventually even went on his own and apparently had conversations with the giant queen snake. Nobody really know what about,

those who had asked got anwered; "Just stuff, she's pretty lonely."

Which only gave room for more rumours that he went dark. Which made him eventually spend even more time in either the library or the Chamber of Secrets.

When the students went home that year, the Basilisk had entered the Dark Forrest, and as far as Hermione knew, it was never seen again.

The Chamber had been sealed off, according to the Headmaster, and that was that.

Third year was when those prisoners escaped from Azkaban, which had the ministry stationing those foul Dementors around the school. Because the ministry believed those prisoners would be coming to Hogwarts for some reason. Some say it was because of Neville, some say it was because of Dumbledore. Others say they wanted Potter as their new Dark lord.

It was also the year where the school saw again a glimpse of Potter's magical power.

Potter conjured a corporal Patronus at the dozens of Dementors attacking the students coming back from a Hogsmeade village weekend.

Hermione was brought out of her memories when Potter coughed in his hand, and Hermione realized that she had been staring.

She could feel her face warming up and cleared her troath. "Potter. I, uh, I apologise. I was just... distracted."

Potter smiled a tight smile. "No problem Granger, I understand."

Hermione blinked at him. "You, do?" She asked surprised.

Potter shrugged, and smiled with a little twinkle in his eye. "Your voice has quite a range Granger, even I could hear that something was wrong at that distance. And Without knowing the context either."

Hermione flushed, and muttered that she was not that loud, and chose to look outside so she hide her blush behind her hair.

As it was mentioned, Hermione's thoughts went back to her recent breakup, well, being dumped is a better description.

But before Hermione got down that particular lane, she got thrown back to the present as Potter started talking.

"Do, uh do you want to talk about it?"

Hermione looks in surprise at her companion, and, according to Potter's own face, he was surprised about his own offer as well.

It made Hermione smile a little for his attempt, but she shakes her head.

"No thanks, it's pretty raw right now. I'd rather not talk about it."

Potter closed his mouth and nodded to show he understood, before looking outside his own window again.

As Potter turned his head, Hermione saw something that looked like a bruise, on the back of his neck, peeking from behind his collar.

Hermione gasped, which made her Potter look back at her with a concerned look. "Are you alright?!" She asked.

"Erm... yeah?" He answered while looking confused.

He looks quite adorable like that, she thought fleetingly.

"Er.. are you alright?" Potter asked in return.

"But doesn't it hurt?" Hermione pressed, while ignoring his question.

Potter looked completely lost. "Hurt? I'm not hurt. I feel fine." Potter laughed slightly.

"But, your neck," Hermione tried again, noticing Potter's eyes went instantly colder, though he kept smiling. It gave Hermione the shivers. And not the good kind.

"I'm sure it was just a shadow you saw, honest, I am fine." Potter said as he avoids her gaze by looking outside. His voice has changed as wel. It lacked any warmth and sounded clipped, almost like a robot as lifeless as Potter sounded.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Potter, as was sure she saw a bruise, and she was not fond of being lied at.

But, she reminded herself, it wasn't her

business.

Hermione gave Potter a fake smile back. "I'm sorry, I suppose you're right. It must have been a trick of the light."

Hermione could believe she was mistaken, it didn't happen often, but it does happen. Hermione didn't really liked unsolved mysteries, or questions without answers. It was one of her bigger flaws, Hermione admitted. She just had to have an answer to anything. Logical, Hermione knew not everything could be explained, or answered. But sometimes, not always, she just couldn't let things go.

She looked at Potter's face, while he was looking outside. She could see the faraway look in his eyes, the fake smile still frozen on his lips.

Hermione tried to find the spot on his neck again, but Potter had popped up his collar when she wasn't looking! Making it for Hermione nearly impossible to know for certain.

Hermione sighed internally as she leant back

in her seat, and soon her thoughts went back about her companion that was interrupted before.

Hermione rememberd Potter fought off those Dementors, back in third year, with a actual corporal Patronus no less. There even was that rumour Potter got his soul sucked out, right before school started, on the train. But others speculated he has a special connection with them. But those were mostly the same ones who accused him being Dark. She always rolled her eyes whenever that was brought up. Even in second year that wasn't something she could believe, the shy skinny guy? Going Dark? Honestly.

Hermione doesn't believe someone can be Dark, and be able to produce a Patronus strong enough to force all the Dementors in Hogwarts to flee the grounds.

Fourth year, was possibly the worst year for him, Hermione reckoned.

Being drafted in that barbarian competition

for adults, and forced to compete against wizards and witches 4 years his senior.

He also changed that year, she realised. Potter went from a shy skinny, small kid, to a quiet confident teenager, even gained some visible muscles. Potter changed personality wise as well, standing up more for himself, and others sometimes.

Hermione remembers from her internship with Madamme Pomfrey in that same year and fifth, when known bullies came in with magical and mundane injuries, but they always obviously lied about what really happened to them.

That same fourth year Potter had actually given an oath in the great hall, stating that he did not entered his name in the Goblet of Fire, and did not want to compete in the competition, in a attempt to prove his innocence. Hermione still thinks it was one of the bravest things she had ever seen.

Still, Potter got hounded by the press, or

baited by his peers. But he would either ignore it, or cause retribution if it got pushed too far.

One example when that happend was when Potter had bought out the Dailey Prophet, sacking everyone in it, then donating the building with everything in it to the Quibbler.

The reason being that The Prophet had started to slander, not just him, but his Yule Ball date Luna as well.

When Luna got those hate-owls one morning, and then injured with undiluted Bubotuber pus, Potter had apparently walked to the owl tower, after bringing Luna to the Hospital wing.

The next day, several families in Britain woke up at dawn as they were being lifted out of bed by aurors. Apparently the DLME had gotten some anonymous tip.

Nobody could prove it was Potter, and those arrested never stepped forward to point fingers.

But after that morning, the hatemail just, stopped.

Even with all that, students still tried to get Potter into trouble or prank him because they either thought as him as a cheat and a liar, a dark wizard or just plain didn't like him.

Tried, being the operative word here. Potter was somehow always one step ahead, and either responded equally, or brutally.

Though Potter hardly got punished, only when the staff thought he went too far.

Potter had also started using what Hermione would call his Lord Potter voice. His voice would go soft but as cool as ice. It gave him another dash of popularity with some traditional Purebloods, especially with the witches.

Not that last one it lasted very long, as he also began behaving aloof and was very adamant in being left alone. Which made the mystery of why he had taken Luna 'Loony' Lovegood to that years Yule ball, even bigger.

Something even Luna never really shared when asked about. She would either totally

ignore the question, and start talking about something else. Or if Luna was being pestered about it, she would give them a 'look' with her grey eyes and then tell them to mind their own business.

Hermione would never forget how quickly Lavender and Pavarati went to sit somewhere else for the rest of the semester after being subjected to Luna's gaze when they tried.

But then, just when everything seemed over after Potter had won. Potter got kidnapped at the Tri-Wiz award Ceremony. With the trophy being a portkey, given by the Minister of Magic himself.

Nobody really knew why or who had taken him.

It took the Headmaster and the ministry almost a week to track Potter down and arrange a rescue to bring him back.

Nobody knows what really happened after Potter got taken, and the Quibbler never spoke about it.

Well, nobody except the gossips, of course.

They would say all sorts of things. From a plaything to the escaped Deatheaters, or being constantly tortured. Or even that he was leading those Deatheaters now, and that having Potter back here was dangerous.

Not that any of the student population actually saw Potter before fifth year started.

As far as Hermione knew at least.

But Potter was there at the starting feast of fifth year, and his distance between him and student population seemed even greater. At first Potter was a shadow, sitting in back of every class, first to leave the classroom, ignoring teachers when called upon, and even rebuffed Luna multiple times that same year before she eventually gave up.

Which strangely enough gave Hermione an opportunity to befriend the young Ravenclaw.

As Luna had been crying in the Library at her table.

It had taken some effort on Hermione's part to earn to Luna's trust. For Hermione never

bullied Luna, she had never stopped anyone from her house either, before that day.

And while still a bit strange, Hermione now sees Luna as a younger sister she never had. Which almost got the life squeezed out of her when Hermione told Luna that on a sleepover in the summer between sixth and seventh year.

Hermione could remember that at some point in sixth year Potter stopped being like a ghost, and while he was still sitting at the back and apart from everyone else, Potter answered questions from teachers again, turned in homework and soon had his grades nearing hers again.

But there was no clear indication what had happened to the change as far as Hermione could tell.

Potter still rebuffed any contact outside school or schoolwork he couldn't get out off.

He also started using what Hermione started privately calling his Dark Lord voice, a voice as hard and cool as steel, and meaning business. Potter seemed to use it only when

he was angered and got pushed too far.

Most people never dared to cross it, not even Professor Snape had dared to try more then once after when he went a step too far in class.

Hermione brow furrowed, too deep in her thoughts to notice she was still staring at Potter.

While Potter had noticed, he decided to ignore it, and kept his gaze on the window, with some colour in his cheeks.

Hermione kept frowning as she realises she can't recall him or anything interesting about him, based on facts, from her own memories of her fifth and sixth year, besides Potter being distant to the student population and that he had not been a prefect, even though Potter still nipped at her heels in grades.

Hermione can't even recall if Potter had succeeded in the fifth years Animagus transformation or not.

Though she was pretty busy with her own life at the time.

With prefect duties, OWLS, and Malfoy trying to court her, Potter was noticed less and less.

Even as ridiculous as it sounded at the time, it did took Hermione a while before she was willing to believe Malfoy was genuinely trying to court her.

At the start Hermione felt sceptical, but all the flowers, poems, notes, letters and that one Hogsmeade date, had conquered slowly, but surely, Hermione's heart.

It all came to a point with Malfoy finally succeeding after saving her from a nasty rogue spell in the Dueling Club in sixth year.

Hermione had swooned with how Malfoy had grabbed her and pulled her aside while producing a powerful shield, with his magic crackling in arcs around her. It made her last bit of resolve crumble, and so Hermione's biggest mistake was made and she started dating the vain aristocrat.

With all that on her plate, Hermione hadn't

really noticed the last Potter. Not that it would have made a real difference now. Hermione wished it would, as she mentally sighed. Maybe, just maybe, then she would have been spared from the heartache. Hermione could feel her emotions bubbling to the surface again.

The anger at Malfoy and herself, the hurt when she got told it was all a prank. The, betrayal as the Slytherins laughed as her world crashed down.

Hermione could feel her eyes burning with tears, but her anger burned quickly through that feeling. With feelings of shame following quickly behind for being played like a fool, as her friends had warned her about.

Hermione closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, which she slowly let out while trying to contain the emotions bubbling to the surface. She could let it out in her bed under a silence and privacy charms.

"Here."

Startled, Hermione opened her eyes, having forgotten about her companion for the moment. Hermione saw Potter's hand, held out to her, a piece of Honeydukes chocolate in it.

Hermione looked up at his face, idly noticing that his eyes had lost their ice.

As Hermione's mind still hadn't caught up, after being in a small internal emotional rollercoaster, she just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Is that for me?" Hermione asked confused.

Which made Potter smile slightly and that lit up his eyes for a second, in a way she had never seen before.

"Yes Granger," Potter spoke with a chuckle, "this is for you. I uh..could see you were upset, and uh.. chocolate always helps me when I'm upset." Potter shrugs and motions again with the chocolate.

While Hermione never had indulged much in

sweets, with her parents being dentists and all, her biggest weakness was indeed the dark chocolate being held in front of her.

Shyly, Hermione takes the chocolate and takes a bite. Potter wasn't wrong, as soon as the chocolate hits her tongue, she felt better. It wasn't like she felt instantly happy, but she didn't feel like breaking down either.

Hermione looked up at her companion, trying to convey her thanks with a look, because talking with food in your mouth is just not proper, as her parents taught her.

It seems he understood, as he shrugs his shoulder and scratches his neck.

Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing, she would swear Potter had a blush, al into his neck...

His neck! With that shrug, Potter's collar had fallen down and exposed his neck.

Hermione's eyes widened at seeing the bruise, now clearly in his neck, for it was hard to mistake it for something else other then a bruise. Her shock made Hermione forget about manners and again blurted out the first

thing that came to her mind.

"Merlin Potter! Have you seen that bruise?! Have you had somebody taken a look at that?" Hermione had pulled her wand to cast diagnostic charms on him and had even half risen from her seat, before her brain caught up with what she was doing. This was exactly the reason why she didn't had many friends growing up, acting without thinking about others, helping without asking if the help is wanted or needed. While berating herself, Hermione froze for a second, remembering her companion again.

Expecting she'd see Potter wearing the same anoyed expression Hermione had gotten from her peers in her early years, shyly she looked through her lashes at Potter, also expecting the ice to have come back.

Which saddens Hermione, for some reason, and makes the relief she feels even stranger when Potter just looks at her confused.

Hermione noted that Potter also had his wand in hand and was pointing towards her heart. She didn't even notice him pull it from somewhere.

Hermione cleared her throat and sat back down while ignoring the heat on her face.

"Sorry, it's a bit of a bad habit."

Potter raised an eyebrow which makes his face a bit weird with that adorable confused face. Wait, wat? Hermione mentally slaps herself and gives a vocal sigh.

"I- sometimes I stick my nose into business it has no reason to be and act without thinking."

Hermione crossed her arms and looks at the floor. It was a bad habit, one that cost her a lot of trouble with making friends. Even when Hermione was younger.

At Hogwarts she learned to curb that impulse. Somewhat.

Hermione looks up when Potter moves to put his own wand away.

"It's fine." Potter shrugs. "You were only trying to help, right?"

Hermione smiles back at him. "Of course, I was just about to cast some diagnostic charms as to see how bad it was."

Hermione now raises her own eyebrow. "You didn't think I would attack you would you?" She laughs at the absurd thought.

Then Hermione notices it.

She's the only one laughing.

With a open mouth and raised eyebrows Hermione points an accusing finger at him, as Potter flinched away with a wide eyed look.

"You did!" Hermione accuses Potter in suprise. "You actually thought that I was going to attack you! Why!?" She asked in dismay.

Potter shifts uncomfortably in his seat, but stays silent. And is actually saved from answering, as at that moment, the carriage halts. Signaling that they have arrived at Hogwarts.

Potter jumps out the carriage before Hermione can do anything, then he turns around to face Hermione with the same ice in his eyes as before. And he says. "I would kindly ask you to forget everything you've seen just now." Then Potter turns around before she can answer and walks away briskly to the castle.

Hermione, still surprised at Potter expecting her to attack him, jumps up and yells at his retreating back. "This conversation isn't finished Potter! I will have my answer."

She could have sworn she heard him mutter something in the distance as he walked away from her.