Hermione was angry. She was furious. She was thinking of ways to get Professor Moody fired. And that was something that she had hardly ever even thought of about Professor Snape.

She walked next to Neville, who seemed caught up into his mind. She was fuming, and he was fearful. Not of her. Hermione was one of those people who once you managed to get on her good side, it was hard to be afraid of her.

And ever since that first day on the train, Neville had been on Hermione's good side. She was willing to protect him to the ends of the earth. And he knew that was why she was muttering about hexing a professor off the face of the school.

"Longbottom," Moody shouted down the stairs.

"Just keep walking," Neville told himself.

Hermione slowed down, keeping herself between the professor and her friend. She might have been anxious to get to the homework that Moody had assigned, being the first professor to do so, but she was mildly more nervous about Neville.

"Longbottom." Moody walked down the stairs. "Would you like some tea?"

"Do you want me to come with you?" Hermione whispered.

Neville nodded slightly. "Sir," he said to Professor Moody, "might Hermione come too?"

"Absolutely."

They headed back up the stairs to Moody's office. Hermione still positioned herself between the professor and Neville. She could tell that something was odd, but she wasn't sure what.

Moody poured some tea, setting it in front of the students. He stretched out his legs, real and fake, settling into the chair.

"How's class treating you two?" he asked.

Hermione swallowed her tea in a gulp. "Very well sir," she said. "Though I do fear you are the first to give us homework and I have yet to start on it."

Moody gave a hearty chuckle. "If I've heard about you correctly Miss Granger, you'll do just fine even if I do take up some of your time. And how about you Longbottom?"

"I'm not doing as well as Hermione," Neville said slowly. "I'm doing alright. Professor Snape still is as strict as ever. And I do have to work on your essay as well."

"Alright. I just wanted to apologize for frightening you in class today. And Sprout said that you were her best student, so I have this for you." He handed Neville a book of plants.

"Thank you, sir," Neville said.

Hermione swallowed the last of her tea, and heaved her book bag onto her shoulder. She had an essay to write, and she wanted to get to the library before all of the good books had been checked out. Even if Neville had assured her that most people wouldn't even start looking for a day or two.

They walked to the library, Neville more wanting Hermione's help getting some ideas than anything else. And Hermione was looking to compile some sources and notes so that she could outline her essay that evening.

She pulled books off the shelf, knowing the general layout of the library. She had spent so much time in it that she could almost walk around it blindfolded.

Neville sat down at the table, searching through the texts for anything regarding the unforgivable curses. He took detailed notes, even mentioning page numbers as Hermione piled enough books to build a fort onto the table.

She wrote as if there was a whirlwind was flowing through her veins. Ten books for her later, and three for Neville, it was time for dinner. She piled the books into one of the returns baskets, and tucked away her parchment and quills. Neville did the same.

At dinner, Hermione sat with Harry and Ron. She watched them as they talked about how awesome they thought the lesson with Professor Moody was. She sighed internally, grateful that the food managed to keep her silent.

"Did you spend all afternoon in the library?" Ron asked eventually.

Harry shot her a sympathetic glance. He knew how nosy Ron could be, and how condescending he was of her study habits. But Harry was more like Ron than Hermione when it came to schoolwork. He wanted to have fun. But Harry actually managed to get his work done, most of the time.

She shook her head. "No. Just most of it."

"What were you doing?" Harry asked. He was intrigued. He wasn't sure what she had been doing.

"I had tea with Neville and Professor Moody." She took a drink of pumpkin juice, attempting to calm herself down.

"You did what?" Ron nearly shouted. "That's so cool!"

Hermione had to stop herself from shielding her ears. Ron was sitting next to her, which stopped her from having to watch him eat, but meant that he was much closer and therefore louder.

"He wanted to have tea with Neville. Not me," Hermione protested.

"Still," Harry said, "it is pretty cool."

She finished her last bite, and scooped up her things. "If he actually wants to say something to me, it might be. Otherwise, I've got work to do."

She walked up to her dorm. Sitting at the desk next to her bed, she unfolded her notes. She started putting ideas together on scrap paper, trying to make some sense of how to put everything together. She thought she might have scrapped a decent outline together when she looked at her wrist.

Hello Darling.

She smiled at the words. Viktor somehow managed to make her feel nervous and calm at the same time.

Hello there, she wrote back. How are you?

Getting ready for the trip to Hogwarts. I think I get more excited by the day. We're going to be leaving soon. I know that magical travel is much faster than normal, but we still have quite a way to go.

Is there any way that I could get a hint as to where you're coming from? She knew the answer would be in the negative, but she couldn't help but hope.

If my headmaster found out, it would not be so pleasant. But, I think I might be able to let something slip once we get there.

A smile crossed Hermione's lips as she penned her words carefully. I can't wait. Don't do anything too crazy.

I won't.

She finished up her essay outline, even though she had to fight to concentrate. Lavender and Pavarti entered the dorm just a few minutes after that, and she knew that trying to write her essay would be a futile effort.

Instead she dressed for bed, and lay down. Looking at the word Darling still written on her wrist, she drifted off to sleep.