I had a lot of unanswered questions by the time we were returning to school: What was it that Voldemort was after, what could he possibly want from a locket and how bad this Umbridge would be at teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, these kind of things. But there was one thing I found myself thinking about the most, although I just had begun pondering about it on the last few days of my holidays: Could one like his best friend on a romantic level?

It wasn't just Sirius sheer suffocating amount of teasing remarks that had me thinking about the possibility, no, my own heart directed me to this topic as well.

When we hugged, when she kissed my cheeks, when I held her close as she rested her head on my shoulder or when I had these wonderful, hot dreams about us, it all were moments where I felt like I was fooling myself, denying a truth that all but me seemed to know.

But then, at the same time, I felt like my hormones were just going crazy and I only felt the way I felt because I was a pubescent teenage boy. Who knew how I would see the world in one or two years from now?

"Harry, what are you thinking about?" Hermione asked me as she looked up from the charms book she was currently reading and I chuckled.

"About how cryptic my life seems to be." I told her the truth without telling her the truth and she nodded, her eyes again focused on the letters in front of her.

"You're thinking about your dream again, aren't you?" She asked as I continued petting Crookshanks, who had curled up in my lap ever since the start of our journey with the Hogwarts Express.

"Yep, I thought about that as well. A pity we're not any closer to know what I'm actually dreaming about." I sighed and Hermione snorted.

"Well, I can tell you it's a hall that's probably underground and decorated with seven sculptures and seven coffins." She dryly remarked and I rolled my eyes.

"Ha ha, Hermione. Goddess of comedy you are." I responded before inwardly smirking at a thought that popped up in my mind.

"More the goddess of beauty.."

"As kind as always." Her pretty lips curled upwards in a light grin and I felt my gaze intensifying when the slight movement of her lips made the monster inside of me growling.

"Oh, how badly I want to taste her lips.." I thought as my hormonal side took advantage of the provocation she had kindly delivered.

I remained silent after that, not really eager to impulsively reply and complicate things even more than they already were. Although that didn't stop me from glancing.

Ever since that fateful evening on the football pitch in Surrey my eyes had drifted off to dangerous places more often with each day, and by now it was quite frequent. Glancing was exciting, nerve-thrilling and it sated my curiosity.

Her body was like a book to me, and I was intent to read it from cover to cover. I just had to be careful not to read too much in one session.

At one point I pulled out my still relatively new Walkman from my bag and listened to some music. Well, I at least tried to do so.

"Hermione, you don't coincidentally know how to make electronics immune to magic?" I asked my brilliant best friend with a hopeful voice and she quickly drew her wand as I handed her the device, my eyes glued to the way her hand elegantly performed a beautiful piece of magic.

"Oh, you're wonderful, did I ever tell you that?" I asked her, maybe with a bit too much sighing, and the brunette giggled.

"What a flatterer you sometimes are, Harry Potter." She stated with sparkling eyes as she handed me back my Walkman before continuing to read her charms book.

"Maybe I just know how to get on people's good side?" I returned with a playful tone and watched her flipping a page. And even THAT I found interesting.

"If we're taking a look at your appearances in the newspapers than I think you're quite bad at that." Her cunning tongue retorted without a second of hesitance, making me chuckle heartily.

"Never believe a statistic you haven't rigged yourself." I countered and my words earned me a proud look from the brunette.

"Sometimes I wonder where the innocent and childish boy went that I've met in the autumn of 1991.." Hermione sighed and I gave her a genuine smile.

"He went to become the biggest threat of Lord Voldemort and a thorn in the eye of the ministry. And also a prefect." I couldn't help but add at the end and my best friend giggled.

"Remind me that we have to meet with the other prefects and the head boy and girl at two o'clock." She instructed and I nodded.

"Any guesses who the other prefects might be?"

"I bet Malfoy is one, despite how illogical it is. And that Parkinson bit.., uh brat as well. In Slytherin you probably get the badge when you're causing the most trouble and not vice versa." Hermione stated and I snickered.

"Did you just want to call Parkinson a bitch?" I asked her with a smirk and watched as the brunette blushed in front of me.

"NO! I did not!" She feebly defended herself, which only made me cackle even harder.

"You're the worst liar I ever met, Hermione." I sincerely told her and my best friend hid her face behind her book.

"Now let me read my book in silence if you don't want to get kicked out of the compartment." She "threatened" me and I raised a brow.

"Why exactly did you kick out our other friends anyway?" I asked when I remembered the reason we were alone in the first place.

"I can't concentrate on my book if there are too many voices around me." She responded but it only made me even more curious.

"So you kicked out everybody minus me just so you could read?"

"Yes, precisely."

"Damn, since when are you this egocentric?" I teased and of course she snapped at me the way I knew she would.

"You should be glad that I allowed you to stay." She remarked and I laughed heartily, which startled the poor cat in my lap a bit.

"Yeah, why didn't you kick me out with the others?" I asked and Hermione sighed.

"You're different, Harry. I think this summer has proven why.."

"So you admit that you've got a soft spot for me?" I cockily grinned at her and she snorted.

"You're an arse, Potter." She stated without a hint of remorse for using a swear word and I grinned from ear to ear.

"That's the best compliment she's given me in quite a while.." I thought to myself, knowing exactly what the real message behind her words was…

The meeting with the head boy and girl was rather short, more like a reminder of our rights and responsibilities that came along with the status of being a prefect.

"Great, now we have to patrol the corridor for two hours!" I groaned shortly afterwards when I was faced with the first two of what I assumed were many, additional hours spent with something that wasn't free time.

"You can still give back your badge if it's too much trouble for you.", Hermione was smirking evilly, "Ron would be delighted for sure."

She knew how it made my blood boil, in the bad way of course, when she confronted me with the prospect of having to bear Ronanld Weasley as a prefect. That was a straight hit to my ego.

"Oh, now you've got me motivated." I hissed through gritted teeth and Hermione giggled.

"That's exactly why I've said it."

We then began patrolling the corridor, making sure that especially the younger students didn't cause trouble, and soon I continued our conversation. It was always so easy to talk with Hermione, something I liked so much about her.

"Can you tell me why we opted to patrol the corridor again? Nobody wanted to do it, and with any luck we would not have been chosen to do it at all." I asked and the brunette chuckled.

"The train will arrive at the station in maybe four hours, which means that two prefect duos have to do it anyway. BUT doing it now gives us the first impression bonus. It can't hurt being on the good side with the head boy and head girl." She explained with a small wicked grin plastered on her face.

"That's quite Slytherin to say." I remarked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Slytherin itself isn't bad. Just it's students make it bad." Hermione's eyes narrowed on the blonde boy she spotted a few metres down the corridor.

"If it isn't scarface and his favourite pet." Malfoy "greeted" us and I immediately felt my jaw tightening as anger spread through my body.

"Coming from the human ferret." Hermione cooly countered and the Slytherin gave her a look of pure disdain.

"It's a pity I can't take points from you, mudblood. But of course you had to be a prefect, you, the oh so great prodigy of our year. You're just an ugly bitch." His eyes were cold with hatred and I stepped in front of her protectively.

"And I really wonder how you got your badge, Malfoy. Average skills, a slow mind.. you don't strike me as a prefect exactly." I dangerously growled with clenched fists, making him turn his attention to me.

"Don't punch him, don't punch him." I repeatedly told myself in order to not beat him up until he couldn't walk any more.

"And you? Think you're clever and gifted, St. Potter?" He almost whispered to me and I laughed at his perfect cue.

"Let's see: I killed a basilisk in my second year, defeated a hundred dementors in my third and survived a battle with Voldemort.. oh, are you afraid of the name?", I rejoiced in his flinch at the mentioning of the dark lord, "Your daddy was just as much of a coward on the graveyard as you are now."

"I think it's time I teach you two creatures a lesson." Malfoy declared with a hurt expression on his face and as he was about to draw his wand, a sneaky redhead girl reacted faster.

"And what lesson would that be?" Ginny asked with a snicker as she held Malfoy's wand in her hand, making the blonde boy even angrier.

"You little slut dare.." He was about to punch the girl when Hermione caught his fist and smiled mockingly.

"Trying to hit a younger girl and not even succeeding.. You really are pathetic, Malfoy. I pity the girl that has to see the proof of your immasculinity one day." She stated and it took me a second before I realized that Hermione Granger just had made a very suggestivereference.

My best friend let go of the Slytherin's hand and stepped back towards me as her hand inched closer to her wand.

"Now, don't do something stupid again or you'll regret it." Hermione threatened and Ginny smirked at Malfoy mockingly.

"What's all the pretence about anyway? Always playing the cool and superior one, but every time somebody stands up to you, all there's left is a little boy that can't even hit a girl." The Weasley hurt him where he was the most vulnerable and his face turned so red that I feared he might explode.

"He's gonna get you all in the end. You might be laughing now, but soon you'll rot under the earth." Malfoy tried to sound intimidating and I laughed, his attempt nothing but pathetic.

"Oh no, I'm gonna kill VOLDEMORT and then I'll make sure your family goes to Azkaban for their alliance with the dark lord." I proclaimed and again enjoyed his expression of fear at the mentioning of the forbidden name.

"Go to hell, Potter." Malfoy growled before snatching his wand from Ginny's hand and escaping from our trio, probably in search for Crabbe and Goyle.

"Yeah, where are they anyway?", I asked myself mentally as the Slytherin walked down the corridor, "Well, then it must have been an accidental meeting. If Malfoy had planned to annoy me, then he would have brought his minions along."

"I think I'll tell Fred and George to give him hell this year. Those joke products could be just the right thing for this task." Ginny snickered and to my surprise, Hermione's eyes lit up.

"I think I'm starting to really like that plan of theirs.", She grinned and looked at me, "Do you think that makes me a bad prefect?"

She was joking and I knew it, but that didn't make it any less entertaining.

"Nah, I think you're actually enforcing school rules by shutting up that twat." I told her and she rolled her eyes because of the swear word I used.

"Hey, you called Parkinson a bitch earlier this.."

"I DID NOT!" Hermione again lied and her cheeks took on a cute, rosy shade.

"Wow, I never thought she'd use that word." Ginny exclaimed with a wide grin and the brunette put her hands on her hips.

"Didn't you listen to what I just said?" My best friend asked and I snickered.

"You have to say "Sorry mum." now." I teased and Ginny covered her mouth with a hand to hide her obvious expression of amusement.

"Harry James Potter, did you just backstab your best friend?!", Hermione inquired to know with a voice that left no room for any discussion, "As my best friend I expect you to be on my side, no matter how stupid my reasoning."

"Oh my, what did I get myself into?" I asked with a smirk and already felt her fingers gently slapping my forearm before they actually touched my skin…

Hermione and I were the last to leave the Hogwarts Express as it was the prefect's duty to make sure all the students had made it out of the train, and when we stepped onto the crowded station, I couldn't see the familiar sight of Rubeus Hagrid calling for the first years attention.

"I can't see Hagrid." I stated when me and my best friend began pulling our trolleys towards the exit of the train station.

"What? Surely you haven't looked closely enough." Hermione doubted and I craned and crooked my neck in search for the half-giant, but never found him.

"I swear it, Hagrid is not here." I repeated after an extensive search and Hermione groaned in frustration.

"I'd love to prove you wrong, but I'm not particularly tall." She stated and gestured towards the masses of taller people around her.

"Uh yeah, and your petiteness only makes you hotter." I thought to myself with a dirty grin as I glanced towards the top of her head, noticing that it wouldn't even touch my lips if she stood in front of me.

"How tall are you exactly?" I asked, my curiosity too powerful to resist and the brunette shot me her it's-not-the-right-time-for-this look.

"Nevermind." I mumbled with a sheepish blush and I suddenly was thankful for the semi-darkness that surrounded us.

"Anyway, where do you think Hagrid is if he isn't here?" I asked a few seconds later to distract from my previous stupid question.

"I guess he'll be sick if he can't guide the first years over the lake.", My best friend assumed, "That is IF he isn't here."

Hermione Granger was proven wrong when a woman called Professor Grubby-Plank instead gathered the new students around her.

"How do you know everybody's name?", I asked after she had told me who the woman was that waved with a large, yellow lantern to make herself conspicuous, "This time there isn't a suitcase around you could use to get her name."

"You remember that?" Hermione's eyes glimmered with a mixture of amusement and joy, something that made me chuckle.

"I'll never forget the day I met Remus for the first time.", My face fell when I remembered the other memory connected to the this first meeting, "And neither will I forget the day where I saw a dementor for the first time. How I hate these things.."

"Oh right.. sorry, I shouldn't have been so ecstatic about that." My best friend squeezed my hand for a second and I shot her a grateful smile.

"Thanks, 'Mione." I gently thanked her and was it just me or did she blush at my words?

"Harry, Harry!" A voice then called my name behind me and I spun around to see that it was Neville who was pushing his way towards me.

"Hey Neville, what's up?" I asked when he came to a halt in front of me, completely out of breath.

"I forgot my Mimbulus Mimbletonia in the train compartment!", He looked absolutely horrified at the prospect of losing his spiky cactus, "Can you remember if my compartment was at the front or at the back of the train?"

I had already met Neville during our train ride to Hogwarts, and thus I also had the "pleasure" of encountering his new and aggressive plant. Whose name I probably would never manage to learn.

"C'mon, I'll help you find it." I told him, vaguely remembering that his compartment had been at the rear of the train, but before I could leave I felt a hand firmly gripping mine.

"And what about me, Mr. Potter? Should I wait here and guard your luggage?" Hermione asked with a stern gaze and I scratched the back of my head with my free hand.

"Alright, that wasn't very tactful of me. Just come along if you don't want to wait. I can understand that." I told her and with that the three of us quickly made our way back to the train…

A short while later Hermione, Neville and I were back on the train station, hurrying towards the place where the magical carriages always waited for the students. Except this time they weren't pulled by magic.

In front of the carriage stood a black, leathery horse with wings. It's eyes were as white as the bones that visibly pressed against the layers of flesh and muscles underneath. It's appearance was quite eerie.

Instead of heading to the entrance of the carriage, I went closer to the mysterious creature, despite the way it unsettled my nerves.

"If they pull a carriage for students, how harmful can they be?" I asked myself as a way to calm myself when the "horse" turned it's attention towards me, it's gaze piercing yet not intimidating.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked me from behind and I glimpsed in confusion.

"I'm just staring at thin air because it's so interesting." I countered with a small chuckle. Wasn't it obvious?

"Have you lost your mind? We're already late and now you just stand here and gaze at nothing?!" My best friend retorted as she grabbed my free arm and dragged me into the carriage.

"What the hell, 'Mione, I'm of course talking about this.. creature that's pulling the carriage!" I exclaimed as she shut the door and like on cue, the carriage began moving.

"Harry, I think the carriages are being pulled by magic." Neville nervously told me and my eyes widened.

"Have I lost my mind?!" I thought to myself but then a finger touched my shoulder, startling me quite a bit.

"You haven't lost your mind, Harry. I can see them too." A new and eccentric voice belonging to a white-blonde witch with crystal-blue eyes told me and I wrinkled my forehead.

"Do I know you?" I asked, not remembering her face the slightest.

"No, not until now at least. I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw." The young woman introduced herself with a kind smile.

"She's in Ginny's year." Neville added and I hummed.

"I heard you aren't friends with her brother any more." She boldly stated and I nodded hesitantly, the memory still painful to relive.

"Yes, he said some really bad things about me and Hermione. Actually more about Hermione than me." I truthfully told her as I glanced towards my best friend, knowing that she as well didn't like to discuss the topic.

"It's a good thing that you've stood up for your friend. You know, not many people are brave enough to say the truth when it comes with a price.", Luna gave me a praising look, "Me and daddy believe you, by the way. About the dark lord's return."

"Uh, thanks?" I was a bit torn between thinking that Luna only looked a bit special and thinking that Luna really was a bit bonkers.

"Who is your father if I may ask?" I asked, not liking the uncomfortable silence in the carriage.

"My father is Xenophilius Lovegood. He's the editor and publisher of the Quibbler." She answered and Hermione snorted.

"That conspiracy theory paper?" The brunette had raised her brow and Luna crossed her arms in front of her chests.

"That's quite mean to say. I bet you've just heard what everybody says about the Quibbler. If you would have read it yourself, then you'd know that it's not a bad newspaper." She defended her father's work and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Maybe there's a reason everybody talks about the Quibbler in a bad way?" She countered and before Luna could retort I put an end to the fuss.

"Everybody is allowed to have his or her own opinion on that matter, okay?" I stated, which seemed to appease both witches.

"Neville, can you see the thing that's pulling the carriages?" I quickly asked my fellow Gryffindor who shook his head.

"No, Harry. Seems you and Luna are the only people in the carriage that can.", He shrugged his shoulders, "Though why can't Hermione and I see them? I'm sure you two aren't mental."

"Thestrals can only seen by those who have seen death." Luna explained, her gaze absent, and Hermione gasped.

"Of course! Why didn't I think about that before? That makes perfect sense." She exclaimed and Luna smiled, probably proud of herself for noticing something that Hermione Granger didn't notice on her own.

"Uh, it's not like I've seen death before. Except Voldemort counts." I outed myself to be of limited intelligence and Hermione, as always, was more than willing to enlighten me.

"It's a metaphor. Seeing death means watching somebody die in front of you. And well, you saw Cedric dying in front of your eyes.. and your parents." She explained, making my guts twist unpleasantly.

"They all didn't deserve to die.", I growled gloomily, "And what was it the ministry called Cedric's murder? A tragic accident. Idiots, all of them."

My mood lightened however when I stepped out of the carriage a few minutes later, gazing at the towers and battlements of the one place that felt like a home to me: Hogwarts.

Light erupted from every window, colour from every stone and brick, making my body tingle subtly like it was telling me that I was back, back to a place I treasured and that was dear to me.

"Welcome home, Harry." Hermione gently whispered into my ear and I felt her hand brushing mine for a second, a genuine smile appearing on my face.

"Home." I confirmed in a whisper of my own before we marched up the hill with big steps, the castle becoming bigger and more inviting with every second that passed.

Soon enough we were at the main portal of Hogwarts, the crowds of students already piling up in front of the huge oak doors, and Luna bade us a quick farewell before hurrying over to what I assumed were her Ravenclaw friends.

It didn't take long for people to notice that I was around, and when they did, so did the whispering start. Once again.

Some looked at me with fear in their eyes, some with disdain, some with a mixture of both. And I felt the rage boiling inside of me.

"Oh, how great. See how many people seem to hate me right now?" I hissed in the direction of my best friend.

"Don't think about them. Their opinion means nothing." Hermione soothed me as she returned the nasty glares directed at me and I felt my jaw tightening. Those idiots didn't know anything about me, my life or my destiny and yet they dared to judge me like that.

"I could rip their fucking heads off right now." I snarled.

"DON'T. Think about them." She repeated more forceful and I clenched my fists in aggravation.

"I'd like to see you in my situation right now. Half the school, no, half the world seems to hate me for saying the truth and then I also have to kill the wanker THEY say isn't back." I snapped at her far more rude than I intended to sound, but the brunette wasn't taken aback the slightest.

"You're strong, Harry. Nothing in this world will be able to tear you apart, always remember that. Don't spend your power on such irrelevant things as the opinion of the stupid masses." She build me up and her words hit me like somebody had touched my very essence.

"Thank god I have you.", I sighed and gave my most loyal friend a smile of pure gratitude, "I don't know how to do it, but some things you say just make me calm down."

"I'm glad I can be of assistance." Hermione responded in a way that was so typical for her, and I chuckled lightly.

"How can she change my mood in a matter of seconds?" I asked myself, my amazement for the witch next to me growing with every day.

"It's good to know that I can count on you this year as well." I mused and felt a bit more confident that this year would be better than the last…

The great hall of Hogwarts quieted down when Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet as the last of the newly sorted students took their seats amidst their new class mates. All eyes in the hall gradually wandered over to the man who had served this school for many, many decades.

"Good evening to you all. To the new students I say: Welcome! To the older students I say: Welcome back!" The headmaster stretched out his arms, eyes twinkling merrily.

"Now, first things first. As the older students might remember, Professor Moody unfortunately resigned from his post as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Sadly, I myself couldn't find a fitting candidate to replace him, so the ministry of magic kindly nominated somebody of their own. It is my delight to announce that the former undersecretary of the minister, Dolores Umbridge, will from now on commit herself to the task. Good luck, professor." His words might fool those who didn't pay too much attention, but it was apparent to me that Dumbledore wasn't genuinely delighted. Not that I was surprised.

"That toad is looking far too smug for my liking." I whispered to Hermione next to me when I noticed Umbridge's carcinogenic smile.

"Shush. I wanna listen." She replied, not taking her eyes of Dumbledore.

"I also want to address, that we for now have to go without the expertise of Professor Hagrid, as he is unable to teach for the time being. Luckily for you, there is no need to worry. Professor Grubby-Plank has kindly accepted to take over the post until our beloved Gamekeeper can resume his job." Dumbledore explained and I furrowed my brows.

"Where in the world is Hagrid if he can't even teach? Or is he sick?" I asked myself and sank into my thoughts until a very unexpected event caught my attention: My nemesis was on her feet, walking towards Dumbledore.

"It is such a joy for me to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends." Umbridge stated and I couldn't suppress a snort.

"That's likely." I heard the twins mumbling and smirked inwardly at the fact that they just said out loud what I thought as well.

"As the headmaster already told you, I am a professor appointed by the Ministry of Magic. But don't worry, this will not decrease the quality of my lessons in any way. Quite contrary, actually. The ministry has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each and every headmaster has brought something new and innovative to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." Her overly sweet voice made me want to puke and I instinctively gripped the wood of the bench I was sitting on as a means to keep my rage at bay.

"We live in dark times, my dear children. Lies and conspiracies course through the magical world, all with the aim to destabilize the foundation of our fine society and corrupt the basis for law and order: The Ministry of Magic. But be assured, you have nothing to fear. You are all.. in good hands." As she disseminated her propaganda, her eyes found mine and I clenched my jaw when I saw the joy in her eyes to denounce me in front of the school.

"Thank you, professor. For these truly.. enlightening words." Dumbledore regained control of the situation and politely applauded, the student body soon following his example. Well, not all, fortunately.

"What the bloody hell did she just talk about?" I heard Ron's voice a few metres down the table and Seamus, who was sitting next to him, just shrugged his shoulders.

The feast then began soon afterwards, and with it the whispering and glancing continued.

I was used to people staring at me and saying all kinds of things about my persona, but even I had to admit that this was a new level of annoying. No, annoying was the wrong word. Enraging.

Knowing that distracting myself was the best option to escape my feelings for some time, I turned towards my best friend and started a conversation with her while eating.

Again we discussed the topic of Hagrid and his whereabouts, but didn't come to a satisfying conclusion. All we had were assumptions and guesses – although we were quite certain that it was business for the Order of the Phoenix.

"Sirius, you poor bloke.." I thought as the mentioning of the order reminded me of my godfather, who neither could leave the house nor find some peace in his now tranquil home.

"The world is burning and all you can do is watching it collapse."

I really pitied him, despite the fact that I knew it didn't change his situation. And suddenly I felt like my life wasn't too bad after all.

"At least I CAN change something. Everyday I have the possibility to prepare, to plan, to act. All you can do is sit around in an empty house that reminds you of a dark time in your life.." I silently mused, "I wish you were here with me now."

"Always remember you've got your mirror." Hermione reminded me, and only then did I realize that I had spoken out the last part of my thoughts aloud.

"Yeah, you're right. Should I need him, all I have to do is call him." I said and gave the brunette a small smile.

"Oh by the way, you've got a bit of icing there." I remarked when I noticed a thin line of white sugar mass gracing the corner of her mouth.

Not realizing what I was doing, I reached out my hand and gently brushed the icing away, my finger now partially covered with it.

"Her face is so beautiful." I mentally sighed as my eyes drank in her appearance, from her cute little nose to her inviting lips to her tawny and loose hair that framed her entire face so perfectly, drawing attention to her stunning features.

My finger felt like it was on fire, my heart began pounding inside my ribcage and I didn't give a damn about all the possible spectators any more. This was ungraspable, unbelievably exotic. Incredibly enjoyable.

Her eyes remained fixed on mine as she then licked the icing off of my finger, her tongue almost teasingly moving against my skin.

"God, is she doing that on purpose?!" I mentally groaned, her most probably innocently motivated action sending all the blood in my body southwards. Hermione's blood however, seemed to concentrate in her cheeks for the moment.

"Um.. sorry?!" She said with a high-pitched voice not two seconds after her naughty tongue had touched my finger for what felt a fraction of a second. Her reaction perfectly showed me that this had not been her intention either.

She then averted her gaze from me, quickly grabbing her goblet and emptying it in one large swig, most likely hoping to drown herself in the process.

I didn't say anything at all and just followed her lead by digging into my dinner again, the painful bulge in my trousers making me shift uncomfortably in my seat.

"The school uniform really is the worst piece of clothing to get sexually teased in.." I mentally hissed, my eyes looking up and down the tables to assure that nobody had seen this.. scene?

I didn't catch anybody staring at me or Hermione, but what I did notice was that a few boys shifted in their seats just as I had previously done, their cheeks flushed and their eyes directed everywhere but near me.

"Wait a minute, what's happening here?" I thought to myself with narrowed eyes, finding it highly convenient that multiple, male teenagers would literally move like that in sync without a good justification.

"Seems like some blokes lust after my best friend." I told myself silently and my body tensed, not liking it the slightest that certain students simply viewed the brunette as an object of their desire.

"Or you're just imagining things, you paranoid and overprotective dunderhead." Another voice in my head countered.

"Whatever. Just make sure that boner of yours is gone until the end of the feast.." I concluded, and with that I continued thinking about much more unpleasant things again…

The unfortunate escapade was all forgotten when Hermione and I lead the first years towards their new home during the school term.

In stark contrast to the older students, the young students didn't look at me with any fear or disdain in their eyes, something that raised my spirits a bit. At least some people weren't against me.

I listened to Hermione telling and teaching the new Gryffindors everything she knew about the places and locations we passed on the way, and I as well listened to her wonderful voice with a small smile on my face: There really was something intriguing about the way she talked.

"Is it really true what they write about you in the newspaper?" A small, brown-haired boy suddenly asked me and I glimpsed, his words pulling me out of my trance-like state.

"No, it isn't. If it was, then I wouldn't have this." I gestured towards the prefects badge on my robe and the boy awed the crest for a second.

"But everybody says that you are, y'know.. evil." He almost whispered and I offered the first year a sad smile.

"Alright, this might be hard to understand, but.. Just because a lot of people say something doesn't mean that it's the truth." I gently explained but the boy knitted his brows in confusion.

"And how do I know what is true and what isn't?" He asked and I chuckled.

"That's the hard part. Sometimes it's up to you to decide what you believe and what not. Like the ministry saying I'm a dark wizard and me saying that I'm not." I concluded as the portrait of the Fat Lady came in sight.

"What's your name, by the way?" I then spontaneously asked.

"Harry. My parents named me after you, but that was before they began saying bad things about you." Harry told me and my eyes widened.

"Ah, so you probably felt bad for being named after a bad person and now you wanted to know if I really was evil." I said and the first year nodded shyly.

"Look, even if I was a bad person, which I'm not, then a name shouldn't be the reason you feel shame. Like Tom, for example. Just because that's Voldemorts name doesn't mean that every person named Tom is bad." Harry flinched at the mentioning of the name and I put a hand on his shoulder as the portrait swung open when Hermione told her the password.

"Listen. Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself. Always remember that, young Harry." I advised before leaving the young student with his new classmates, making my way back to the front of the crowd.

I then quickly showed the first year boys their new dormitory before heading towards my own, the rest of the boys already busy with unpacking.

The atmosphere was a bit strange, since Ron hated me, Seamus disliked me because he believed the ministry, Dean was kind of neutral and Neville was on my side. Their was a divide between the five of us, and everyone could feel it.

At least those, who disliked me were smart enough to not confront me and so things didn't escalate. Luckily.

When I was done with unpacking the essential stuff, I headed back down to the common room in search for my best friend.

When I didn't spot her I assumed that she was still unpacking, vaguely remembering that women always took longer with such things, and sat down next to Crookshanks on the scarlet couch in front of the fireplace. And I had the feeling the cat was occupying the seat next to me so that Hermione could use it when she came down from her dorm.

"Hey you." I heard her voice a few minutes later to my right and I tore my eyes away from the fire I had stared into quite intensely.

"Hi, 'Mione." I greeted her and indeed watched as Crookshanks moved into my lap so that his owner could sit down next to me.

"He really seems to like you." Hermione remarked with a small giggle as I raked my hand through the half-kneazel's fluffy fur.

"Who knows, maybe I can speak with cats as well." I joked and my best friend rolled her eyes.

"No, I think it has more something to do with the fact that you and I are friends.", She corrected me before taking a breath, "Anyway, I actually wanted to ask you a few things."

"Alright, what's on your mind?" I asked and locked eyes with her, the usual hue of hazel sparkling in the light of the fireplace.

"First of all, did the boys cause any trouble because of your "lying"?" She asked and I shook my head as I continued to stroke Crookshanks fur.

"I could feel Seamus really wanted to snap at me, but he luckily kept his mouth shut. The rest of them isn't mad at me anyway, save for Ron of course. Though HE at least is convinced that Voldemort is back." I told her and Hermione hummed.

"Okay, that actually sounds better than I have expected." She admitted.

"Secondly, how do you think we can resume our defence lessons here at Hogwarts? I know that we'll have a lot of work in front of us just because of the OWL's itself, but I think it's crucial we also continue working on our duelling skills for example. And we have to stay fit as well." She shared her thoughts and I remained silent for a second to think about a possible solution.

"Isn't there an unused classroom we could use to spar and practice?" I asked and Hermione slowly nodded.

"There are quite a few of them, actually. We just have to make sure nobody gets wind of it. If Umbridge finds out.."

"We're screwed, I know." I completed her sentence before an idea struck me.

"As prefects we are allowed to wander the corridors a bit longer than the rest of the students, aren't we?" I asked her and the brunette agreed with a hum.

"One hour longer than the normal students." She told me and I grinned.

"Then I think it's settled: We'll use the additional hour we've got to practice our defence skills. We can sneak off under my cloak, go to this classroom unnoticed and return to the Gryffindor tower shortly before curfew." I explained and Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"It's perfectly legal at least. And even if we get caught sneaking off, we can always say that we have to patrol the corridors." She agreed and I nodded.

"Though what about our sports?" I asked when I remembered that there was a second part to her initial question.

"We can jog outside the castle in the morning. We're allowed to be out of the common rooms by six, so we could meet here and then go outside for an hour. After that we'd still have plenty of time to shower and have breakfast." She suggested and I mildly groaned.

"If I meet you here at six a.m. each day, that means I'll have to get up at a quarter to six!" I complained and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We don't have to do it every day, silly. Just twice or thrice a week. I also think we won't be able to practice our defence skills everyday, I have a feeling we'll have quite a busy time ahead of us." She stated and I sighed with relief.

"I'd be completely sleep-deprived if I got up so early every day." I thought to myself.

"But in general, do you like the plan we just came up with?" My best friend asked and I nodded firmly.

"That way I can see her in sports clothes again.." I mentally smirked, now having a good motivation to get out of bed very early.

"Good. Then I suggest we meet each other here at six a.m. tomorrow?" She had a small smirk plastered on her face and I chuckled mildly.

"If you're so eager to have a short first night." I stated.

"Yes, I am." She countered before watching the flames in the fireplace.

"I quoted you earlier, by the way." I told her when I remembered the conversation I had with my small namesake.

"How comes that?" She asked with a gentle voice, her eyes not leaving the fire.

"I had a conversation with a first year when we lead them here. The boy was named after me." I explained with a small smile and I saw Hermione's eyes lighting up.

"What did you two talk about?" She asked, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Little Harry asked me if I really was the person the ministry always says I am. One thing lead to the other and I mentioned Voldemort. And when he flinched because I used the name, I told him what you've said in Diagon Alley before our second year."

"Ha, you mean "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."?" She asked and directed her gaze towards me, her hazel orbs shimmering brightly.

"Yes, exactly."

"I really find it so.. heart-warming to see how much you pay attention to me as a person. It gives me a sense of security, knowing that you are there for me should I need you." She admitted with shy eyes.

I closely observed her face, the way her cheeks had reddened lightly and how her eyes were intentionally avoiding mine. And a question popped up in my mind.

"Isn't such a confession more usual between a boyfriend and his girlfriend?" I asked myself mentally and realized that I had found my answer to the ultimate question.

"Yes, I think best friends can develop romantic feelings for one another.", I concluded as my eyes wandered over her face, "And maybe we're such an example. But that's not to be decided today.."


Author's note:

Today there isn't too much for me to say, so let's just go through the list:

First off, the last time I forgot to mention that I'm back to school, which explains the "late" update.

Then I also wanted to clarify that I have no intention to give Draco Malfoy a redemption. I hope you came to the same conclusion with this chapter.

With the next chapter I'm trying to cover a bigger time span than just a day again, so be prepared that it might take longer than a week to write, correct and edit. Maybe even two weeks, but let's see about that.

And last but not least, I wanted to remind you that my offer still stands: If you have any ideas for the story, write a review and I'll decide if I find a possibility to include your idea. Don't be shy and 'til the next time!

NewOrderFan05