Matthew had been gone no more than a week, and yet Hogwarts felt like an achingly empty place, despite how many other people were packed in the castle. During classes, Hermione would find herself looking to the desk beside her, almost expecting him to be sitting there, this entire nightmare showing itself as a mere fabrication. During their time in the common room, Harry would do his best to cheer her up but the fact that he was also suffering with the absence meant that his heart wasn't always in it.

It didn't help that they were still being forced to deal with Umbridge's continued presence. They'd wanted to believe that, following Matthew's dismissal, she would see her work as completed. It seemed to have had the opposite effect, increasing her desire to keep an eye on proceedings throughout the school. It came as no surprise then that most people were on edge, presumably fearing that they could be the next target. Whenever Hermione and Harry happened to be in the same vicinity as the Ministry employee, she would regard them with celebratory glee. It took a lot of effort on their part not to viciously attack her for her smugness, exactly the sort of thing she was hoping for: an excuse to kick them out just as quickly as she'd done to Matthew.

Hermione chose to have faith that Dumbledore would put up a stronger fight if it came to that. There didn't appear to be any pressure on his current position as headmaster, meaning he was still very much in control. Matthew had only left because there was a hidden purpose, as well as protecting Lupin from any undue attention. It was the only satisfaction she could garner from the present situation, that, as much as she wanted to, Umbridge wasn't getting her own way. If that had been the case, a whole host of rule changes would have been put in place, no doubt, and the likes of Lupin and Hagrid would have been on the street.

If there was anyone who seemed to have a more burning hatred of Hogwarts' latest arrival than Hermione and Harry, then it was perhaps Professor McGonagall. Following her involvement in the altercation in the courtyard, the Scottish matriarch had appeared to make it her personal mission to undermine everything that Umbridge did. If students were getting too close to one another in the corridors, Umbridge would tell them to separate, stating that there was no time for frivolous activity when they were needing to make themselves better witches and wizards for the upcoming strife. McGonagall would then somehow magically appear as if summoned, negating that advice the moment Umbridge walked away.

Hermione had always looked up to the Head of Gryffindor House since her arrival at Hogwarts and McGonagall's resistance to the Ministry's increasing involvement was yet another reason for that admiration to prosper. Yet she didn't feel as if she could truly enjoy it. There was an element of fear whenever the two women clashed, sometimes in the transfiguration classroom, sometimes in the public domain of the hallways. One step too far and McGonagall would be facing the chop as well. It wasn't fair that one woman could incite such nervousness, particularly when she wasn't supposed to have any real power.

It also wasn't fair that she was such a pressing distraction when all Hermione wanted to do was focus on her research revolving around horcruxes. Harry had practically become obsessed with the topic since it had been unveiled, meaning she felt it was her responsibility to do some of the heavy lifting, as if that would ease the burden on his already heavily laden shoulders. If there was no homework to do, she would spend the evening rifling through books that documented the history of the Riddle family, but that was a niche topic with frustratingly little work done on it. Even with Dumbledore's provisions of titles that wouldn't be found in Hogwarts' library, it was becoming increasingly apparent why Tom Riddle had gone to his professor for more information all those years ago.

It was one such evening that she found herself in the common room, pouring over one of those books that she must have read through at least twice already. Harry had elected to get an early night, heading to the dormitory at least an hour previous. She didn't want to worry about him. She knew how much he hated being seen as someone needing looking after. But the details of just how difficult it would be to kill Voldemort for good had hit him hard. What could she possibly say to lift his spirits about the impossible endeavour? And she didn't even have Matthew by her side to help with her efforts, someone who was normally so efficient at finding the positive outlook amidst the darkness.

Knowing that she wasn't going to find any worthwhile information in her latest research endeavours, Hermione's gaze drifted towards the closest window. The circumstances around them meant that she hadn't even been able to appreciate the picturesque scenery of the school as snow descended. The end of term was approaching. Christmas was just around the corner. If there was any merriment in the air, it had stubbornly refused to reach her. It was a strange mindset to have, one in which she was actively pleading for school to end, even for a few weeks.

She and Harry had both signed the list to inform the school that they'd be leaving for the winter break. They'd barely even stopped to consider the decision, knowing that it was the only option. Whilst Harry got to look forward to his first proper Christmas with Sirius, Hermione would be able to see her parents once again. They'd mentioned something about a skiing holiday, though she was worried that that would eat into the time she'd have available to spend with Matthew. How had it come to the point where she was now having to ration her free time, potentially splitting it between her family and her boyfriend? All because of the interference of the Ministry. Hermione wasn't one to think ill of adults, but Umbridge was the embodiment of a toad in human form.

The peace and solitude of the common room was broken by a familiar purring. Hermione smiled softly as she watched Crookshanks approach, his ginger fur illuminated by the flickering candlelight that had allowed her to read into the late hours. The Kneazle was evidently starved of attention, for he made a beeline for her chair. Where she expected her beloved pet to rest in her lap, he instead rested on the arm of the seat, staring at her with his bright gaze. She went to scratch him behind the ear, just the way he liked it, but Crookshanks prevented her from doing that by pawing at her arm incessantly. Maybe he was irritated that she'd stayed up so late, meaning his own sleep had been disturbed, but the Kneazle usually kept to his own, unconnected schedule.

"What is it, Crookshanks?" Hermioned asked, as if there was a chance that he could answer. He was an intelligent creature, but surely that was beyond even his capabilities. "Is something wrong?"

In response, her pet jumped back down to the floor with a surprising amount of grace. Rather than racing away, perhaps chasing after an unfortunate mouse that had made the mistake of wandering into view, Crookshanks turned his head slightly to keep looking at her. It was becoming increasingly apparent what he wanted from her. Hermione wasn't the sort of person who liked to blindly follow instructions without any explanation, particularly when the giver of said instructions was an animal. But she was definitely the sort of person who wouldn't be able to rest until her curiosity was dealt with, which was exactly the reason why she unfolded her legs from underneath her and stood up with a heavy huff.

Immediately, Crookshanks was happily walking away, leading her through the common room. His chosen route involved exploring under tables and climbing over chairs, causing Hermione to have to slalom her way across just to keep pace. When he began hopping up the steps, she was sure that her first hunch had been correct, and Crookshanks was simply looking out for her sleep schedule, forcing her to go to her dorm. Had she grown to be that predictable? Was she now requiring a Kneazle to look after her wellbeing just because certain things had gone woefully wrong in the recent past? She didn't wish to see it as a sorry indictment on her life…but all the signs were pointing in a troubling direction.

Yet, before they reached the comfort of their bed, Crookshanks came to an abrupt stop, sitting obediently on a window sill. Hermione's confusion only increased as she battled through the weariness of her sleep deprived body to reach him. Maybe he wanted her to see something. Was someone trying to break into Hogwarts? Had Voldemort chosen the dead of night to launch his vengeful attack? In the end, it was nothing remotely that serious. In fact, it produced a wave of emotions that were the polar opposite of what she'd momentarily been going through, making her feel slightly stupid for the overreaction. She couldn't be blamed for fearing the worst, given the circumstances.

It was the Tardis.

To be more accurate, it was the console room of the Tardis, bathing the spiralling staircase in a warm glow that made Hermione blink wearily. With its doors open, the magical box was floating in mid air, perfectly placed against the window so that it seemed as if it were a mere extension of the castle. A strange extension, to put it mildly, and one that any casual passerby would have gawked at. And Matthew was standing there in the middle of it all, apparently waiting for her arrival. Hermione considered being annoyed with his audacity, potentially risking the wrath of Umbridge and the Ministry, if they had any more to share. But she was simply too happy to see him to be remotely disgruntled.

Not knowing what she was expected to do, she tapped on the window a few times, as if she needed to get his attention. Upon her touch, the glass parted, slowly opening up from the centre. The freezing cold of the Scottish Highlands still couldn't reach her, with the warmth of the Tardis winning that particular battle. In truth, it hadn't been that long since she'd last experienced that sensation, so familiar that it now felt like a reassuring hug, but it almost felt like an eternity since its wonder had greeted her. Crookshanks was also apparently pleased with its presence, even if Hermione could tell that he'd known it would be there, for he casually jumped into the confines of the awaiting chamber, stretching lazily on the closest metal bannister.

"You should be asleep," Matthew said in greeting, wearing a heartfelt smile.

Hermione folded her arms in challenge. "How are you doing this?"

"That's really the first thing you say to me? Not 'how are you'? Or 'I've missed you so dearly'? 'My life has been a misery without you constantly by my side'."

Hermione could easily tell that he was messing with her, one of his favourite pastimes. It was obvious that he was making up for recently lost time, instilling a slight sense of fear within her as she considered just what he'd be like with this pent up energy waiting to be released. But she liked to think that she knew Matthew Mormont rather well. She was, after all, the first person who'd managed to get through his defences, unearthing his secret life. And now, staring at him, she could practically read him like a book. As much as he may have joked about her dismissive greeting, there was underlying nervousness behind his words, like he was truly worried that him being forced to leave had given her the space to completely move on. Even if barely a week had passed.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you," she assured him and she watched as his smile somehow grew wider. "But I haven't changed since you were last here. If there's something to learn about magic, I want the answers sooner rather than later."

Matthew laughed quietly. "As awkward as the Tardis can be at times to land, she can also work to a surprising level of accuracy when she wants to. All it took was parking her expertly by a window, after making sure that it was one that led into Gryffindor Tower. It would have raised a lot of questions if I'd inadvertently disturbed the peace over at Ravenclaw. They almost want answers as desperately as you."

"Are the windows supposed to open? That seems like a design flaw, seeing as we're extremely high up…"

"No. I suppose this is the first time they've opened."

"So…how did you do this?"

He just winked. "Are you going to stand there all night, asking questions, or do you actually want to come aboard?"

Matthew held out a hand and she couldn't resist, gratefully taking it as she was helped up onto the window sill, before eventually stepping inside. The console room hadn't changed, a reassuring constant in her life. It was still as vast and imposing as ever. Though, with the two of them alone, it could have simply been the small space they were occupying for all she cared. Hermione took the opportunity to do the one thing she'd truly been missing the past week and hugged him tightly. There was always that initial surprise in his body, a hesitancy that came with hardly doing this with anyone else, before he'd invariably melt into it, giving just as good as he got.

"How are you doing?" he asked, murmuring into her bushy hair, seemingly nonplussed by it completely occupying his senses.

"I should be asking you that," Hermione replied. "You're the one who's been left on your own."

"Time can be a strange thing in this place."

"Are you just saying that so I don't worry about you?"

"Even if I know that it definitely won't work."

She pulled away slightly, a smirk lighting up her lips. It felt like she hadn't smiled properly in a while. "What has Dumbledore had you doing since you left?"

"Do we really need to talk shop when we've just been reunited?" he asked. "Don't think I didn't notice that you failed to answer my original question…"

Hermione watched as he slowly wandered to the first set of steps, plonking himself on the bottom row. "I can't get anything past you."

"You should have learnt that by now."

She chose to sit next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I never thought that I'd dislike Hogwarts. In our first year, I never had to face being alone, which was what I was scared about the most heading into that particular unknown…"

"Which was all down to my unrelenting sense of gentlemanly bravado…"

"Oh, of course." Her smile was brief. "But Hogwarts isn't just the school, is it? It's us. It's me, you and Harry. That's always been the case throughout our time here."

"Overlooking that certain period with the basilisk, when my sense of gentlemanly bravado caught me in the line of fire."

"I think I'd rather face the basilisk again than spend another day knowing that Umbridge is somewhere nearby."

"You might not have to contend with that problem for much longer…"

Hermione's eyes lit up, despite the fact that she should have been in bed. "Have you got some insider information that you want to share with the rest of the class?"

"It's just talk at the moment. But my freedom does come with some perks, including having unprecedented access to Dumbledore's office. Fudge didn't even realise that I was in the room when he visited yesterday. He made it seem that dear Delores was acting with authority she hadn't been granted when she got rid of me, which is obviously the Minister just clearing his name. It's all a game of politics. But he knows that he desperately needs Dumbledore with what's coming, and he also has a vague idea that he's going to need Harry too."

"Therefore, he doesn't want to put that alliance to the test too much," Hermione reasoned. "He doesn't want something…or someone…undoing his constant schmoozing."

Matthew grinned as she put the final pieces together. "I don't see Umbridge lasting much longer past Christmas. Maybe that's just wishful thinking…"

"No, we've got to cling onto any hope we can find at the moment. She'll be forced to leave and you'll be able to come back."

"With my spare time, I've also been looking into Umbridge's record. Voting patterns on Ministry policies, that sort of thing."

She looked at him carefully. "And how did you stumble across those documents?"

"There's a whole stack of files on every employee. The thicker, the more important, obviously."

"I'm almost scared to ask…where are those files kept?"

"In a small room in the Ministry."

"You broke into the Ministry of Magic?!" Hermione hissed, hitting him on the chest.

"It's not exactly breaking and entering, is it? It's a short hop for the Tardis."

"Even so…if anyone saw you…they're already trying to piece together exactly who you are after everything that's happened…and if they caught a glimpse of the Tardis, they'd want her for themselves!"

"First of all, Dumbledore has been extremely careful with the documents he's let slip about my origins. Just enough to get them to bite, and distracting Umbridge from Lupin in the process. Secondly, there wasn't any chance of someone seeing me. I was in and out like a flash. Not to mention that I called in a favour with Arthur Weasley. All I told him to do was have a chat with the worker who normally mans the desk I was infiltrating. It was the perfect plan."

"Are you trying to live up some fantasy as a spy?"

"I think I'd look quite dashing in a tux. And I'd obviously be a good one, seeing as I got the documents I wanted. Umbridge has voted against any proposal in favour of magical creatures that aren't seen as sentient as wizards. Centaurs, giants, werewolves . She hates them all."

"It's no wonder that she took such an interest in Professor Lupin then."

"And Hagrid. I made sure to pay him a visit the other day, just to suggest that he keep his lessons as uneventful as possible so that Umbridge doesn't get any more ideas."

"He introduced us to Thestrals the other day…"

"Maybe I wasn't as successful as I would have liked."

"But don't you see, Matthew?" Hermione asked, her eyes flashing with an idea. "The Ministry has been working tirelessly since the summer to negotiate with the giants. And I'm fairly certain that they'll want the centaurs on their side too, especially since I've heard rumours that there's an entire herd in the Forbidden Forest. They desperately need those groups in the fight against Voldemort, meaning they need a copious amount of goodwill. If word reaches those creatures that one of the Minister's closest advisors is a bigot, there's no chance they'd side with us."

"Which is precisely the sort of ammunition we can use against Umbridge when the time is right, though it'll require a certain level of tact, rather than going head first into a fight with the Ministry."

"Why can't we do this as soon as possible? We could have it in the prophet by tomorrow morning if you get this ship going."

"You already know the positives of what's happened…"

"Sounds as if you're not missing us and Hogwarts."

"Hermione…you know that's not true."

"I understand the benefits. Trust me, that's all I've been able to console myself with for the past few days. But you should be with us, Matthew. Getting rid of Umbridge solves that. Does that make me a horrible person? Because I know how important it is that the horcruxes get found, and yet I don't want that to be our responsibility at times. We're still kids. All this pressure just keeps racking up…"

"Maybe it's a good thing that I'm doing this first part on my own then. That should keep the pressure off you for the time being."

"I don't exactly want you suffering to just save me any hardship. That's never been what our relationship is about. In an ideal world, it should be all of us or none of us who are going through this."

"Once we find the horcruxes, then we've got a great shot at creating that ideal world."

She smiled sadly. "Maybe."

"Do you know how tempting it is to just pull that lever and whisk us away somewhere else? Perhaps a tropical island on the other side of the world. Somewhere that Voldemort can't reach us."

"But you won't do that."

"And neither would you."

"Because, if there's a chance of saving people, you won't turn a blind eye."

"I was mainly thinking about how angry your parents would be if they found out that their underage daughter…their only daughter…had travelled across the globe without telling them first."

Hermione laughed, bordering on feeling carefree, before the short lived moment passed. "Harry wouldn't run away either. Even if I begged him to throw away any thought of that darned prophecy."

"Makes me think of how you wouldn't listen to your parents when they wanted you to run away from the wizarding world."

"Don't throw my actions back in my face."

"But it's just so satisfying."

"I am worried about Harry though."

Matthew tensed. "What is it? Has he been having strange dreams again? Has Voldemort been trying to get inside his head after he failed the first time?"

She shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Even so, I should be at Hogwarts every day so that he can focus on his occlumency."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," she said, nudging his shoulder with her own.

"Though I reckon you could do a pretty job good at that now…"

"What? Teach Harry?" Hermione gave him an incredulous look. "I think you're massively overestimating my abilities when it comes to accessing my inner magic."

"Am I? You've already shown that you can master your mental defences. That was a helpful byproduct of your initial training. You learned to control your mind. Not to mention that you've accessed mine before now."

"Because you let me, don't forget."

"Still counts."

"The last thing Harry needs is to be tutored by someone who's only a few steps ahead of him down the line in the process."

"I can't see anyone better suited whilst I'm not there."

"Dumbledore."

"Incredibly busy."

"I've heard that Snape is a registered legillimens."

"Harry wouldn't go near him with a ten-foot barge pole." Matthew pulled a face at the thought. "It only works if you trust the other person. He definitely has that level of faith in you. And I have faith that you can do it. That's double the amount of faith, which has to work in our favour."

"I haven't even been able to help him with whatever he's been struggling with recently," Hermione pointed out.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong…or are you worried that I'll come running back if he's having serious troubles?"

"If I thought that, I'd tell you straight away, mark my words. He's just…become a little distant. It'd be barely noticeable if I wasn't constantly looking out for him. We still spend most of the day together. I think the thought of horcruxes has occupied his every waking moment. I wouldn't go as far as calling it an obsession, but we're also quite close to reaching that point."

"He's been told that it's his duty to kill Voldemort. It's understandable that he'd then solely focus on the only way he can accomplish that."

"It doesn't help that he feels cooped up when there's something he could be doing. Schoolwork is growing to be an afterthought for him."

"I'm sure you'll keep him on track."

"It also isn't helpful that he's seen you have the freedom to dedicate your time to this mission. It wouldn't surprise me if he walked up to Dumbledore and asked for the same treatment."

"Forgetting the sacrifices I've made to go along with this…"

"I suppose you'll just have to come back soon, to ensure he doesn't do anything reckless out of sheer frustration."

Matthew grinned. "It keeps coming back to that, doesn't it? It's almost like you can't live without me."

"Don't let it go to your head."

"I promise that I'd much rather have Umbridge gone. I promise that I'd much rather be at Hogwarts twenty-four-seven. And, like I said, once the time is right, we'll force Fudge's hand. He wouldn't dare stand in our way. He's only shown a backbone in recent months because Dumbledore is propping him up."

"But we'll just have to suffer through a bit longer."

"Because, as much as the Ministry needs us, we also need the Ministry. And that's coming from me, who basically hates them with a passion." He paused as she smiled up at him, as if he were savouring that snapshot before moving on. "This whole process would be a million times more difficult if they turned a blind eye to Voldemort's return. We've seen how quickly the Prophet can turn against us, causing most of society to follow their every word. Whilst we've got them on our side, we shouldn't jeopardise that. Even if it means putting our morals to one side for a little bit."

"That's a hard thing for me to do."

"I know, I know. But isn't there a part of you that's enjoying this?"

"I'm intrigued as to how you're going to dig yourself out of this hole."

"Isn't it kind of…exciting, sneaking around to see one another?"

"Ah, so you enjoy the danger?"

"I'm surprised that you're surprised about that."

"Yeah, I should have known what I was getting myself into."

She leaned in slowly, perhaps the only person who could successfully put Matthew on the backfoot. Then again, he wasn't going to complain as they shared a tender kiss, ignoring the fact that, if any Gryffindor had fancied a late night walk, they would have been in full view. But, if that happened, it was more likely that they'd be distracted by the Tardis rather than focusing on catching them in the act. As it was, the only interruption they faced was Crookshanks, who chose that moment to jump on their laps, preventing the moment from getting away from them.

Hermione couldn't tell whether she was annoyed at or grateful for that uncalled for intervention. It took a few moments for their senses to return, which was understandable when they hadn't been able to do that for a while. Hermione had been lectured by her parents about how hormones could run wild in teenagers, a memory she didn't want to be reliving. She looked at Matthew, down to Crookshanks, then back to her boyfriend again…and began to chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Her, kissing a boy, in a floating wooden box that was bigger on the inside, only for her partly magical cat to ruin the growing tension. It was just a relief that Matthew laughed along with her, or she would have worried that she'd finally gone insane.

Matthew focused on stroking the kneazle, maybe to distract from his heaving chest. "Did you enjoy the use of my double agent, by the way?"

Hermione squinted her eyes. "Did you use my pet to summon me?"

"I may have done."

"How did you even train Crookshanks to do that? How have you spent enough time together to do that?"

"He's a very intelligent creature!" He looked down at the animal. "Aren't you, Crookshanks? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

"You could have just walked into the common room," Hermione argued.

"And risk being seen? I didn't know you'd be the last one awake. I couldn't take the chance. And…well, this is a lot more fun. And, dare I say, romantic? This is basically the definition of sweeping you off your feet."

"It's definitely working," she assured him, going back to leaning against his shoulder. "Even if I wish I could do this every day."

"Hey, at least Christmas is right around the corner! A few more days and you'll be on the train!"

"And off to the Alps with my parents."

"Perhaps…"

Hermione sat up straighter. "What do you mean, 'perhaps'?"

Matthew jumped up, running towards the console above them. "I can't say anything more."

" Matthew Mormont ."

"Using my full name won't scare me. I've been sworn to secrecy."

"Have you been talking to my mum and dad?"

He pulled down the largest lever. "Whoops."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "Matthew!"

"I said that it was incredibly tempting! And it's also the perfect distraction to stop you from getting the information out of me!"

"I can't be leaving! I've got a class at nine in the morning!"

"Which is exactly why we're not leaving…"

Hermione frowned. Now she came to think about it, the use of the lever hadn't been accompanied by the usual cacophony of sounds that came with the Tardis' engines. And the ship itself, though moving, wasn't being thrown from side to side like it normally was. It was like it was gliding through the air, a fact she was able to verify when she looked towards the double doors, watching as the castle moved away. It allowed the falling snow to enter the scene, painting the newly observable surroundings in a soothing coat of white.

"What are you up to?" she wondered, finding he was next to her again, taking her hand and leading her down the staircase.

"Roughly this time last year, I made a promise to you. A promise that I've failed miserably at keeping up until now, which I can only apologise for. I told you that, after the Yule Ball, I'd take you dancing more often. Well…" He clicked his fingers, and soft music hit her ears, the Tardis being used as a speaker system. "...this is my way of asking if you'd care to be my partner again."

Hermione smiled. He was good. Too good for his own good at times. "Only if I get to lead this time."

"If I ever say no to that, push me right out of those doors. I've always wanted to be dipped."