Author's note: Hi, hello. I had surgery yesterday so this is not edited in the slightest. I do hope you enjoy! Xx

Hermione Granger sighed softly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror over the basin. It had been three weeks since she had been back at school and for the most part, she was doing as normally as possible. Yes, the deaths of her parents certainly hurt her – and Parvati and Lavender heard her crying into her pillow on more than one occasion. But she was healing. Her best friend was making sure of that.

Then there was Ron. He was staying by her other side, making it known that he was there for her too. Even Ginny was a good friend. And she knew how much she had had a crush on Harry in the past. She thought Ginny might be aggrieved by all the attention Harry was giving Hermione, but the redhead had sat her down and told her the crush was in the past. So that made Hermione breathe a bit easier.

Turning away from the basin, she straightened her Gryffindor tie and pushed her bushy hair behind her ears. She had breakfast to get to. And then it was practice for the Quidditch team. Hermione had told both Harry and Ron she'd be there to watch them. They had both asked her to and she knew they didn't want her on her own. Not only because they didn't want her to grieve on her own but they had both promised Kingsley they would keep an eye on her.

Who were the Death Eaters that had killed her parents and was it a warning meant for Harry? God, Hermione hoped not. She wouldn't know how to handle that. Sure, she understood in layman's terms that Voldemort wanted to send a warning to Harry Potter about what he was capable of; that he could kill anyone Harry had known. But it was hard to understand that her parents had fallen into that category. As muggles, they had usually tended to themselves.

Certainly, they knew of the dangerous nature of the Wizarding world. Hermione, after all, had been attacked by Dolohov the previous year and spent the remainder of term in the Hospital Wing. She had to tell her parents about that – so the Grangers weren't completely blind when it came to the happenings of her world. But did that mean they deserved to be murdered for it? Certainly not.

Hermione's eyes were dry as she headed out of the girl's dormitory and down the stairs to the Common Room. Harry and Ron, who was massaging his stomach, were waiting for her, and she drew up short. "I thought you two would have already gone down to the Great Hall."

"Wanted to walk together," Harry replied in an offhand voice that Hermione saw right through. If the Malfoys were behind the deaths of her parents, Harry and Ron weren't going to want her by herself while Draco roamed the corridors. She nodded her head, pressing her lips together. She didn't much fancy bodyguards but she had to admit, if it was the Malfoys who murdered her parents, she didn't want to be alone with Draco.

"That sounds wonderful," she replied. "Thanks."

Ron and Harry smiled at her and the three of them headed out of the portrait. Ron started speaking once they passed the Fat Lady. "Have you thought anymore about what you're going to about the Prince's book?"

Eyes flickering in Hermione's direction for a brief moment, Harry nodded. "I'm going to keep it. I've realized I'm just following the directions of a student before me. It can't be a dark and dangerous book."

Hermione resisted the temptation to sigh. She liked it better when he showed a bit of guilt at his actions but had to admit, she had bigger things to worry about than her best friend following a book's guidance. It seemed like whoever the Prince was, was a bit dodgy. But she knew better than to pester Harry about it right then. She could ask him at a later date. She turned to Ron. "You guys ready for Quidditch practice?"

Ron turned a shade greener but Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll be fine. Just need some breakfast and then we'll be good to go."

Hermione nodded but didn't say anything; Malfoy and his cronies were walking across the corridor just then. Malfoy looked at her, glaring at her malevolently, and she leveled a cool glare back to him in kind. He spoke up in his malicious voice. "Pity, that whoever killed your muggle parents didn't finish you off either, Granger."

Her breath hitched and Ron and Harry both drew their wands, ready for a fight. Hermione shook her head and pulled their arms back down to their sides. "Honestly, I'm surprised its taken you this long to say something, Malfoy."

Malfoy smirked at her and pushed pas them, heading towards the stairs. Hermione frowned and Ron rounded on her. "Why did you stop us, Hermione? The slimy git would have deserved what he got."

"The last thing we need is for more Death Eaters to start committing more murders," Hermione murmured, swallowing the lump in her throat. Her eyes were dry and she was pleased that Malfoy hadn't made her cry. He had never made her cry before; she wasn't going to start now.

The three of them continued on their way and soon reached the Great Hall. Since Hagrid had forgiven them for dropping his class, Hermione was pleased to see a cheery wave from the friendly giant. Then he was pulling on his moleskin coat and heading outside onto the grounds. Hermione watched him disappear for a moment before sitting down at the Gryffindor table and pulling a bowl of porridge towards her. She wasn't particularly hungry but knew she needed to eat something. Even though they were gone, her parents wouldn't want her to stop looking after herself. She tucked in, partially listening to the conversation Harry and Ron were having. They were excited about Quidditch practice, and Ginny made her way down the table from where Dean was sitting to join them. She smiled at Hermione, and Hermione returned it. Then she was returning to her breakfast, lost in thought.

Whoever had killed her parents were clearly sending a message. Either to her or Harry. Or both. It wasn't so unknown that she was best friends with Harry Potter. Perhaps Voldemort had figured out who she was. All she knew was this: she was going to do whatever it took to protect the rest of her friends, her family. She wouldn't see any more harm come to them. Jaw set, she finished eating her breakfast and waited for her two friends to do so too. Her heart was feeling a bit lighter than it had in weeks. It was progress.