Author Note: An alternate story postulating the death of Ron at the attack of the troll. Just an idea right now.
Minerva McGonnegal ran into the girl's bathroom where she had heard screaming while Filius and Hagrid dealt with the troll. It was staggering away from the girl's bathroom dripping blood from its head. She found three of her lions in the room, scattered across the floor. The red hair of Ronald Weasley was all that allowed her to recognize the chunky red smear on the wall. The messy black hair of Harry Potter had blood running down the side of his head but he was wrapped protectively around the brown haired body of Hermione Granger.
Minerva checked and the two of them were both alive, although weak. They had been hit hard enough to drive their small bodies across the floor breaking several bones in each of them. Somehow they had managed to drive the troll off before being injured themselves.
Turning to the two cubs she carefully levitated them to the hospital wing. She had no idea what happened but she would get to the bottom of this or else the castle would fall.
...
Hermione woke up looking around, she was in the hospital wing and seemed to be uninjured as she did a quick self examination. Pale watery sunlight was streaming in from the east, indicating it was early. She looked at the next bed over when she was done to see Harry Potter. She remembered how he and Ron Weasley had came into the toilet trying to help rescue her. Only Ron had been smashed against a wall so hard that he practically exploded. Harry had tried very hard to subdue the troll but was not powerful enough so he grabbed her and ducked under the club, trying to protect her until they got hit and slid across the floor.
She tentatively got out of bed and moved to Harry's side. Seeing that he was breathing and only had a few bruises she relaxed and was glad magical healing was so powerful. She went back to her bed to wait, an hour or so later Harry woke up with a groan.
"Your glasses are on the table to your right." Hermione said.
"Oh thank you." Harry moaned reaching out to find them. He slowly sat up and looking at her with a concerned bashfulness asked, "Are you okay?"
"I believe so. I suppose the healing magic involved worked very well. The matron did a very good job." Hermione admitted.
The matron walked up at this point smiling, "Well thank you for the compliment and yes. The magic did work quite well. Although I have a feeling that a great deal of luck was involved as well."
Harry and Hermione both looked timidly at the floor.
"It took a great deal of bravery for you to attempt to protect the young lady Mr Potter. Most first years would have run screaming from a troll. Some adults as well." She said examining him.
"Ma'am, how could a troll have gotten into the castle in the first place?" Hermione asked as the matron moved to examine her. Harry had said nothing but blushed.
"I'm not certain. The other professors are working on that." The matron said. "It is rather curious though."
Hermione frowned but nodded, Harry though was looking around the room, "Uh ma'am what happened to Ron?"
The matron paused before turning to face Harry, "What is the last thing you recall about him."
"He was trying to get the troll's club to levitate away from him while I was on his arm. The last thing I remember was getting tossed onto the floor and diving on Hermione to try and protect her."
The matron sighed causing Harry to get a bad feeling, "I'm sorry but your friend didn't make it."
"I see." Harry said swallowing softly.
"Its alright to cry." Hermione said softly.
Harry sighed, "I'm not sure how I feel."
"That is understandable as well." The matron said sympathetically. "Do you need anything else? To speak with anyone?"
Harry shook his head. "I just need to think about things."
The matron looked at Hermione, "And you? Are you alright? Do you need to speak with anyone or need anything?"
Hermione took a deep breath, "I believe I'm alright ma'am."
"Very well I will leave the door to my office open should you need me." She said then moved off.
Hermione swung her legs off the bed so she could look at Harry while talking to him, "I'm sorry for your loss."
Harry nodded, "Thank you."
"You and he were good friends?" Hermione asked politely. She knew her mother had wanted her to learn how to interact with people better. She really had not liked Ron Weasley and thought he was a rude pest but it had seemed he and Harry were close friends.
Harry shrugged, "I think so. I guess. I didn't have any friends my age before him."
Hermione frowned sharply, "Why wouldn't you have any friends? You seem like a normal sort of nice guy."
Harry looked at her suddenly with a surprised expression, "I look normal?"
Hermione studied him, "Well no, you look a bit malnourished and short for your age. The average." She stopped and bit her lip. "I'm sorry I was going to lecture you and that's what got us into this in the first place."
Harry sighed, he didn't reply even if he felt she was correct.
She continued though in a softer voice, "That's why I don't have many friends my age. I have trouble thinking slow enough it feels like to interact with my peers properly mum says. Dad worries I am trying to be an adult too quickly."
Harry shrugged again. She was prattling on but at least listening to her talk kept him from dwelling on how it could have been himself, or her, that had died. He hoped Ron had not suffered. The Dursleys had constantly reminded him that his parents had been drunken wastrels who had managed to get themselves killed in a car crash and suffered. They seemed to enjoy doing that. Which fortunately had turned out to be a lie, but they were still dead. It seemed like death had a fondness for him.
Harry looked up as he realized Hermione had stopped talking. "I'm sorry. I was lost in thought."
She gave him a brief smile, "So I noticed. You didn't miss much. I should be quiet as you probably are rather angry at me right now." She turned back onto her bed.
Harry turned towards her, "Uh no. Please. I'm not angry with anyone right now. Except maybe myself. Ron had no right to say those things to you and I should have spoken up. I should have said it was rude of him to say that. I just. He was my first friend my age and I didn't want to make him angry so I just said nothing. Maybe if I had said something you wouldn't have been upset and in the bathroom." He said that in a rush and his voice broke with pain a couple of times but he managed to get it all out before he started feeling tears leaving his eyes.
Hermione didn't seem to know what to say but she moved over to sit beside him.
...
While Harry and Hermione were recovering in the hospital Albus was having his own troubles.
"And the wards failing on that specific entrance, on that specific night, at that specific time does not seem to be anything suspicious at all Albus?" Minerva was asking as she paced across his office. Filius and Snape watching her.
"No of course it is highly suspicious. However it does not excuse the fact that a troll was no doubt led into this school by an agent unknown." Albus stated in defense.
Snape snorted "I believe we all know who the agent is."
Minerva frowned, "Quirell has been acting incredibly odd since his return from Albania. Further he goes to extraordinary lengths to prevent his turban being removed."
"Plus his aura has been altered in some manor I do not recognize." Flitwick stated.
Dumbledore took a deep breath, "We shall have to deal with whatever Quirrell has become at a later time. Right now I am going to have to tell Arthur and Molly something that we have found as a result of our investigation. The board of regents is also quite concerned about this. So forgoing any further concrete evidence we are going to have to say this was a tragic accident." Albus said shaking his head.
The three professors reacted by sitting silently with expressions of displeasure. Albus was about to continue when a mirror sitting on his desk made a chiming sound. He turned and tapped the gem that was glowing along the frame.
The face of the matron appeared, "Headmaster, I have good news."
"Please Poppy, we could use some." Albus sighed wearily.
"Mr Potter and Miss Granger are awake. There doesn't seem to be any lasting consequences for them physically at least." She said with a sigh.
Albus nodded, "Only emotionally I presume."
"Yes. Both are attempting to process the situation and what occurred. They of course withdrew from talking to myself. They are speaking with each other." She said looking to her left which the headmaster knew was out into the recovery room.
"Very well. I will send Minerva along in a few to collect them." Albus said nodding to the professor who grimly nodded back.
"I will keep on eye on them until then." She said.
"Thank you Poppy. We are almost finished here." He said before closing the connection. Turning back to the other professors he said, "Well as I was saying this was officially a tragic accident that resulted in the death of Mr Weasley. The troll managed to find a weak spot in the wards and wandered in. Mr Weasley and Harry tried to protect and save the life of one of their fellow students and Mr Weasley paid the ultimate price for that effort."
The other three professors frowned or looked at the Headmaster unhappily but they did not argue. Flitwick sighed, "Perhaps we could give Mr Weasley a posthumous award for services to the school?"
"Oh such a warm and wonderful comfort to the Weasley parents for the loss of their child." Snape sardonically sneered.
"That is an excellent idea Filius." Albus said ignoring his potions master. "Arthur will at least appreciate the gesture."
"What about Quirrel?" Snape asked.
Albus sighed, "I do not have definitive proof that he bypassed the wards. We cannot act without proof so all we can do is watch, and remain prepared for him to act more directly."
"If he does." Snape pessimistically stated. "And what if another student suffers due to that action?"
"Then we will have to be careful to ensure they do not suffer." Dumbledore firmly stated. The twinkle in his eyes had turned into a fiery glare. "Now. Unless any of you have something pertinent to say in regards to proving Quirrell's status perhaps we should return to our duties. I will go to the Weasleys and speak with them." He said rising wearily. "Minerva I place our two broken birds into your hands. Take care of them."
Minerva did not trust her own voice but nodded as she turned to leave. Filius left behind her with a curt nod.
Snape huffed, "I do not envy you dealing with the Weasleys. They will not take this very well."
"I will do my best to ensure that they do Severus. Please work to encourage the usual suspects within your house to refrain from using this tragedy to cause further suffering." Albus declared grimly.
Snape rose, "I will endeavor to do my best."
...
The matron came back out to find the two youth sitting on the bed beside each other quietly staring at the floor with damp eyes.
She smiled sympathetically at them as she ran a few more checks over them, "Professor McGonnegal is coming to take you back to your common room. So she'll be here soon." The matron handed each a small handkerchief to clean up with.
"How are you feeling?" She asked softly.
Harry shrugged while Hermione looked like she wanted to say something but wasn't sure what.
Professor McGonnegal came in at that point, "I'll take them from here Poppy."
"Okay." She gave the two students a polite squeeze on the arm as she left them with their head of house.
"Mr Potter. Miss Granger." She said calmly.
"Yes Ma'am?" Hermione replied.
"Shall we go?" She said gesturing to the door.
Harry stood up and began to walk out, Hermione beside him and Professor McGonnegal behind them.
Once in the corridor the professor said, "Losing a friend can be quite difficult. I am sorry that you have experienced this."
Harry nodded but did not reply. Minerva knew this was something to be expected, also something to be watched as withdrawing too far would not be healthy.
Hermione though said, "Do you think Ron will come back as a ghost?"
Minerva sighed inwardly as Miss Granger was far too inquisitive sometimes and had not developed the skill of when to remain silent yet. "Ghosts form when the soul of the person has tasks that are not complete, is emotionally or spiritually unable to cross over or their rest is disturbed through various means. I doubt Mr Weasley would qualify for any of those."
Hermione looked disappointed, "Oh. So its doubtful he will come back then?"
Minerva nodded, gently saying, "It is probably for the best as ghosts are but a pale echo of the person. A certain vital spark is missing. Would you really ask that your friend be condemned to that?"
"No. I suppose he would miss eating dinner rather much." Hermione said. Harry did make a brief hollow chuckle.
Minerva made an agreeable nod, "Yes, he was rather fond of the chicken legs as I recall."
Harry smiled, "Yeah. He was."
"Hold fast to the happy memories. That is the best advice I can give you right now." Minerva said.
"Yes ma'am." Hermione agreed. Harry made a noise that might have been an agreement.
"As it is still before breakfast you have time to prepare yourselves for the day, should you wish to."
Both students nodded their agreement. Neither seemed overly enthusiastic about the idea though. Harry was trying very hard to conceal whatever he was feeling behind a mask, while Hermione was looking at the world with a blank stare it seemed like. Minerva was concerned but if they refused to open to her then there was little she could do. They were walking close together, and had been sitting beside each other so they had apparently formed a bond of sorts over this. Maybe with the support of each other they would be alright.
...
Harry and Hermione had cleaned up and changed into fresh uniforms. The other students did not know what to say to them so just gave them a sympathetic smile or some polite platitudes. Neville looked like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to say it so just wound up waving his hands randomly as he stammered then with an awkward frown turned and walked away.
Entering the Great Hall Harry was stopped by Draco and his cronies.
"Well congratulations Potter on doing the school a favor."
"Malfoy back off." Harry said as his eyes narrowed and lip curled at the blonde Slytherin.
"Oh? Going to get me crushed by a troll like you did your best mate eh? That is what he called himself isn't it?" Draco sneered. "All to save a dirty mudblood that the troll was probably just going to take home and mate with."
Harry's fist clenched as Draco stood smugly glaring at Harry and Hermione. The other students stood clear of them either curious to see which student would react first or reluctant to interfere due to Malfoy the elder's power and reputation.
"What's wrong Potter? Too traumatized still? Or just admitting that I'm correct." Draco had stepped closer getting in Harry's face. "Maybe you're not as brave as people thought you were eh Potter?"
Harry's first punch landed just under Draco's left eye, his second one was a left hook that caught the Slytherin in his stomach doubling him over. A third blow hit Draco in the middle of his back between his shoulders. Harry had learned from Dudley and his cohorts first hand the effects of this combination.
Draco fell to his knees at which point Harry kicked him in the stomach. That was the last blow Harry managed to land before Goyle jumped him and the two began to throw punches back and forth.
Crabbe had started to jump Harry as well before Hermione drew her wand hitting him with a stunning spell. She turned and saw Goyle had Harry down which earned him a stinging as well. Draco was still on his knees vomiting and cradling his stomach.
The entire conflict was over within a matter of a few brief moments. Far too quickly for any professor to reach them to intercede. By the time McGonnegal had arrived, followed closely by Snape, Goyle, Crabbe, and Draco were laying on the floor while Hermione was helping Harry stand up. She had fixed his glasses once again, handing them to him with a smile.
"What is the meaning of this?" Snape thundered.
"Draco was bullying Harry about Ron's death." Hermione explained.
"Mr Malfoy?" Snape inquired to the boy who was still laying on the floor clutching his midsection.
"Get up, you are not a wailing bush." Snape declared dragging Malfoy to his feet.
"My father is going to hear about this."
"Yes, perhaps it is time I should inform him of your dishonorable behavior dragging his family name down. You are better than that Malfoy. Brawling like a common Knockturn thug." Snape growled. Everyone froze in confusion to hear Snape berate a Slytherin.
Draco stared in shock at Snape, his mind tried to process that way he had been spoken to by the head of his house.
"Now take your companions and settle at your table Malfoy, without causing any further disturbances." Snape commanded.
"But they're still unconscious."
A pair of rennervates and the Malfoy minions were awake and grumbling their way with their boss to the Slytherin tables. Snape merely glanced at Harry who was rubbing his knuckles but otherwise unharmed then with a snort headed for the main table.
...
Albus Dumbledore walked the lane to the Burrow with a heavy heart. He was coming to speak with parents who had lost a child. He also had the belongings of Ronald Weasley with him. He was not looking forward to this visit. Their pain when he had informed them of what happened last night had been extreme. He had no doubts they would be any better today.
Molly had collapsed and almost wound up in Saint Mungo's due to her breakdown. Arthur had been able to keep his composure but only barely.
Knocking on the door he waited patiently until it was opened. Arthur stood on the other side with a black garter around his upper arm. He cleared his throat before simply saying, "Albus."
"Ah. Yes Arthur. I hope everyone is doing as well as can be, given the circumstances."
Arthur looked at the ground for a moment before saying, "Yes. We are about as can be expected."
Albus stood silently for a moment before saying, "I have brought Ronald's belongings. I thought you should know we are considering giving him an award for services to the school for trying to rescue Miss Granger."
Arthur nodded, "Thank you. The honor is a small comfort but we appreciate the gesture."
"May I come in and give my condolences to the rest of the family?" Albus politely asked.
Arthur frowned, "Uh I suppose."
Albus came in and placed Ron's trunk on the floor before returning it to its proper size. The cage with Scabbers in it sitting on top.
There was a pile of various Harry Potter books, memorabilia, and newspaper articles by the fireplace. "Ahh what is all of this?"
"Ginny put it there. She is a bit upset with Harry right now." Arthur said quietly. The entire house had an air of sadness and mourning in it.
"Ahh. Understandable. Do you want me to take them for safe keeping in case she changes her mind?"
Arthur shrugged. "I suppose if you want to."
Albus gathered the items up and shrunk them into a travel size. Molly had come out by this time and thanked him for bringing Ron's things to them. She apologized but the children just were not in a visiting mood right now and Ginny had locked herself in her room. Albus understood and left.
After Albus was gone Arthur held up Scabbers cage, "I wonder if we give Scabbers to Ginny if that would make her feel better?"
Molly nodded, "She might be happy to have some of Ron's things. To remember him by."
...
Harry and Hermione had been called into the Headmaster's office in the afternoon of November 3rd. The two came glumly looking as if they were going to be executed.
"Ahh. Harry, Hermione. Please relax, this is not a trial. Neither of you are in trouble." Albus said gently. Minerva standing behind him.
Hermione nodded, "Oh. Then why were we called here sir?"
Albus took a deep breath before saying, "The funeral for your friend Ronald is tomorrow and the Weasleys have asked if you wanted to attend. They wanted to make certain you understood that they do not blame either of you and are quite glad you are unharmed."
"Even after what happened to Ron?" Hermione asked as Harry frowned.
"Yes, even after what happened to Ron."
Hermione looked at Harry who slowly nodded, "We would be honored to attend." Hermione replied.
"I shall inform them." Albus said gently, "How are the two of you holding up?"
Hermione took a deep breath before saying tiredly, "I feel guilty sometimes sir. Ron died trying to save me. I don't know if I understand why."
Dumbledore nodded, "I'm sorry if you hoped I could tell you. Why one person lives and another dies. All I can say is there must be some reason and purpose for that."
Hermione nodded while Harry stared fixedly at a small glass globe on Dumbledore's desk.
"Harry? How are you doing?" Dumbledore prompted.
Hermione poked Harry on the arm causing him to look at her in startlement. She jerked her head towards Dumbledore and Harry turned to the Headmaster before saying slowly, "I'm not sure sir. I think I'm okay."
Dumbledore considered the comment before saying, "I feel there is a conditional modifier involved in your comment Harry."
Harry slumped in his seat, "Maybe. I just don't know how to feel. One minute I think I feel normal then I see the empty space where his bed was in the dorm, or I go to tell him something and he's not there. Then I feel sad."
"You did not know him long but he made a major impression upon you Harry. This is to be expected." Dumbledore sighed, "Grief does not follow a pattern, and while we have spells and potions that could help you mask it, it is better to learn to come to terms with grief in your own natural way."
"Yes sir." Harry flatly said.
Dumbledore sat quietly watching the two students sit quietly across from him. Harry had resumed staring at the glass globe like it held the secrets of the universe, which it might for him Dumbledore thought. Hermione looked over his shoulder at the window which was filled with the blue of a beautiful afternoon.
"Well Minerva will inform you of when you need to be ready and such. She will escort you there and back. So unless there is anything further you wish to discus it is a rather nice afternoon. Perhaps the two of you should go take some air. Eh?" Albus said lightly.
Hermione nodded and with a touch to Harry's shoulder the two of them departed.
Minerva was looking worriedly at the door, "Albus. They are bottling their pain inside."
Albus sighed deeply, "Yes and like a fizzy drink they will blow at some point. Let us hope that young Mr Malfoy will survive it."
"Do you think he will be the cause?"
"Mr Malfoy tasks even the saints. Fawkes my friend could you make certain that our young friends do not cause or receive any further harm?"
The large red bird seemed to nod as it trilled then vanished in a brief explosion of flame.
"Minerva, there is not much we can do to force them to process the pain any quicker than they can. They appear to be sharing the pain with each other and that will help, at least they are not alone." Dumbledore's voice had taken a very strange melancholic tone Minerva thought.
"As you say. I will return to my tasks Albus."
Dumbledore stood to watch out the window, a single tear trailing down his cheek, "Thank you Minerva."
The deputy headmistress left more worried than ever about the future.
…...
Harry and Hermione had left the castle and were walking towards the lake when Hagrid intercepted them.
"Ere now, Harry, Hermione." He said uncertainly.
"Hello Hagrid." Hermione said politely. She had not dealt very much with the large man but as he as Harry's friend did not want to be impolite.
"What er the two of you up to now?" Hagrid's mellow booming voice did not sound angry or judgmental so Harry looked up at him, "Taking some air like the headmaster suggested."
"Ahh. I see." Hagrid said nodding sagely, "Er, well no I don't."
Hermione stated, "I believe the headmaster wanted us to try and consider the loss of Ron."
"Ahh. Now that I can understand. I've lost many a friend meself." The big man said glumly.
"How did you deal with it?" Harry asked.
"Well now. I suppose since some of em were lost during the war, we just mourned them when we could as we had a fight and then by the time the fighting was done we realized that we had gotten used to it." Hagrid sat on a nearby rock, "I canna tell ye how to deal wit this Harry. I wish I could. I really do. You've had enough pain in yer life as it is."
Harry and Hermione found rocks of their own to sit on. Harry sighed glumly as he put his chin in his hands.
"Did they ever determine how the troll entered the school?" Hermione softly asked.
Hagrid frowned, "They think it got in through a weak spot and wit everyone distracted it managed to get inside. Fortunately Ol Quirrel. He noticed it and. Well the rest is history eh?" Hagrid said stopping himself from saying anythign painful.
Harry swallowed, "So it was just a fluke accident?"
Hagrid shrugged, "I suppose."
Hermione frowned, "I did not think trolls were that intelligent."
Hagrid shook his head, "They aren't. This un musta been hungry or an outcast and wandered in knowing that. Well uh. Knowing that he could."
"He could find fresh meat here." Harry said flatly.
Hagrid nodded, "Aye. Now look. I know this may be hard ta hear but the three o ye. Ye drove him out of the room and made him think twice. Yer friend Ron. He gave ye a chance ta live. He was a hero."
Harry shook his head, "No he wasn't. He was the reason Hermione was in the bathroom in the first place. I had to drag him with me to find her. And when we got into the bathroom he froze and the troll. It." Harry closed his eyes and began to tremble.
Hermione quickly moved to the rock beside him putting her arm around him.
Hagrid sighed, "He uh. Well ye still acquitted yerselves well enough. First years driving off a full grown Mountain Troll is something to be proud of."
Hermione shook her head, "But we don't remember how."
"That's the way a fight goes sometimes. Ye don't know what happened, ye just know you got into ti and ye got out of it and the middle bits all gone fuzzy." Hagrid said sympathetically. "In my case there are several times like that. And several things I wish would get all fuzzy."
Hermione nodded, "You fought in the first war."
"Aye that I did." Hagrid admitted then sat looking into the gloomy forest. Even though it was late afternoon the canopy was thick enough to keep the interior of the forest a dark gloomy shadow.
Hermione was rubbing Harry's back when she gasped. "What's that?"
Hagrid and Harry both looked where she was pointing and saw a large, gaunt, winged horse-like creature casually walking along the boundary of the forest.
"Oh. That's Gary." Hagrid said casually.
"Gary?" Harry asked I disbelief.
"Well he sorta reminds me of this fellow I went to school with. Ye wanna meet him?" Hagrid asked with a grin.
"What is he?" Hermione asked, "Is he safe?"
"Aye. He's a Thestral. They are an old species that got created and then bred true. Carrion eaters so yer not on the menu." Hagrid explained.
Hermione looked at harry who shrugged and followed Hagrid over there. The Thestral had a velvet like skin that was over very sinewy muscles that gave it a skeletal appearance. The head was like someone had combined a horse with a wolf. Hagrid petted the creature which fluttered its large leathery wings.
"Right sad story bout these fellows. People think they're bad luck or cursed." Hagrid casually said.
"Why is that?" Hermione asked.
"Because to anyone who hasn't seen death. They're invisible. No one rightly knows why they are that way but its just the way it is." Hagrid sadly said, "Don mean nuttin o course. Not their fault about that."
Harry looked at the giant, "You can see them?"
"Course I can Harry. Be kinda hard ta take care o the herd if I couldn't see them." Hagrid said with a wry shrug, "like I said. I've lost people too. You just. Ye jus go on and live. Its all ye can do."
Harry gently rubbed the side of the creature. It felt warm and real, sort of tense like it was holding itself ready to run at a moment's notice.
Harry nodded after a few moments, "Thanks Hagrid. I think we've had enough air for today."
Hagrid made a sympathetic grunt, "Aye. Anytime ye need ta get out and think."
"I know." Harry said as he and Hermione made their way back to the castle.
Review Responses
SolarSolstice: When I do bash Ron I will point that out. Bashing is unfairly or inaccurately portraying a character as bad or evil. In the books Ronald Weasley is a casual bigot, rude, annoying, and fair weather friend. In the epilogue he confesses to having committed a crime against a muggle to fraudulently obtain a driver's license. I see him as a slightly less unpleasant version of Draco Malfoy. I accept he does have positive aspects to his personality and behavior that do show through occasionally. That is why I portray him neutrally in most of my stories. Plus I am not very big on giving warnings in general. I am one of those people who would be perfectly fine if we just stopped putting warning labels on everything and let nature sort it out. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Bookivore: I am not entirely certain what story you read but that does not seem to be the one I was trying to write. This is a first draft if you will of the first chapter for the story. I thought I had made it clear harry will be assisting Hermione in this and they will have the help of Luna (although I doubt it will become a Lunar Harmony but who knows.) As for the subject of Hermione's breasts. I asked my wife who has had breasts since she was 10 about the description and she approved it. As she is normally a 44DD and when she was lactating with our children reached 44H I will tend to trust her opinion on breasts and breast related descriptions as well as matters of the feminine. Thank you for the constructive criticisms and good day.
DennisUD: Thank you. I also had a Lost in Space story on that Jump Drive but it is needing a lot more work to get cleared up and brought up to my modern standards. The pacing and plot were horrible as was some of my typing. When I get it rectified I will put it on here. And oh yeah. Strange New Worlds is in a second place tie in my Trek Heart. (DS9 will always be #1 with TOS and SNW in #2 TOS movies 2-4 & 6 #3, TNG #4 TOS movie 1 & 5 #5, Lower Decks #5 Enterprise #6 TNG movies #7, Voyager #8 and the STD dead last.)
OfficerDonNZ: Don't feel bad. Not a lot of plot to miss other than everyone acting drunk, Wesley is a super smart kid, and Data and Tasha get it on. Lol. They were still finding their feet and it was a funny way to establish some of the characters. And not a problem. My wife finds the show okay but can't tell a Klingon from a Cardassian without a cuesheet. Lol.