Meeting Harry Potter must've of been the most dangerous things she could have ever done, no that was incorrect, befriending Harry Potter seemed to be more dangerous but once more she wouldn't change that.
He was a good friend, a bit daft at times and rather lazy, but a good friend none the less. The two years they spent together was probably the most danger she'd ever face in her life if she had been a normal muggle.
The first year Ron said something particularly nasty and she nearly found herself bludgeoned to death by a stinking troll, yes while she knew she shouldn't have felt anything when he made his comments she did. She couldn't help it she was human, she honestly had been trying to help him instead he treated her as if she'd been doing it upstage him. It wasn't her fault he was absolute shite at magic, it wasn't her fault he'd been pronouncing the charm incorrectly. It wasn't her fault he was visited constantly by the green eyed monster and it definitely wasn't her fault that the boy was insecure.
Even then she logically knew those things she once more found herself stuck. Logically she knew, but her emotions and logic rarely coincided whenever she wanted. Something she loathed and hated but there was nothing much she could do— she was hurt and in being hurt locked herself away in a bathroom which resulted in her nearly dying.
Something she never wished to repeat again, especially with a troll. She thanked Harry profusely for coming to help her even though she did most of the legwork and barely gave Ron a glance, a simple nod in acknowledgment.
After all it was his fault for making such rude comments about her hair and teeth.
Regardless that evening was only the beginning. There were plenty of misadventures between the trio, one where Harry convinced them all that Severus snape was out for his blood, a bold assumption to make even though the greasy haired potions master seemed to despise Harry simply for breathing but leaping and saying he was capable of killing an eleven year old? seemed to be a bit of a reach.
Regardless of her feelings she indulged Harry's slight obsession. She helped him spy on the potions master against rational thought , listening to his outrageous theories night after night and when they found that it wasn't professor Snape she didn't even tell him ' I told you so' she simply shook her head sadly and told him to use his head more instead of his gut because as often as it was right it was often wrong as well.
The year ended and with the threat of Voldemort still looming over their heads. She only then realized the true danger associated with Harry. When she reached home, she knew she had to be honest and tell her parents of the year she experienced. She sat them down, the somewhat weary expressions they wore made her doubt her honesty. Instead she regaled them with tales of her spell work, classes, the forbidden forest. The magical creatures she met.. a silent sigh escaped her as she saw the plain relief written on their faces.Guilt gnawed at her for lying but instead of drowning in the guilt she comforted herself with the knowledge that if her parents were aware of the danger there was no way they would allow her back for the second year.
Once more her logical side warred with her emotions.. logically she knew Harry Potter was dangerous. Not bad news, but everything that came attached to him was. That much she knew, her emotions told her there was no possible way she could leave Harry and Ron to their own devices, if this year said anything, it told her those boys were somewhat clumsy. Harry excelled in quidditch but when it came down to the knowledge, strategies he left much to be desired.
She closed her eyes with a weary sigh. Her rational mind told her to stop associating with the boy but her heart protested screaming , urging her to be there for him. To be there for him more than anyone has ever been. He was an orphan, his uncle and aunt despised him, his cousin taunted and bullied him. He had nothing, nothing good at least — his parents long gone, he was an orphan — he didn't come home to a welcoming hugs and kisses. He came home to indifference.. her heart lurched and she fixed herself, mentally preparing herself for another year at Hogwarts. "Hopefully a peaceful one"
••••••••••
The second year, nothing she wished to ever relive. Being petrified, being called awful slurs, being in danger for associating with the trouble making Harry Potter..
The chamber of secrets, a vile, dark place housing one of the most dangerous creatures she had ever met. Meeting a troll seemed less dangerous now, it seemed almost ridiculous to compare the danger to that of a basilisk. A creature that could petrify you with a single glance.. for half of the year she had been petrified, solely depending on Harry and Ron's combined wits to save them.
Thankfully it seemed that luck was on Harry's side this time, she was un-petrified but not without consequence. The summer that followed she found herself gasping and reaching for her sheets, knuckles white trying to calm her raging heart. Nightmares a terrible thing..
When she woke she would try to convince herself she was alive, she was alive, she was no longer frozen in time , no longer still to the world.
Her parents smiled as she lied to them once more, her heart getting heavier each time she barely gave them anything, she loathed her silver tongue, perhaps Slytherin would've been a better fit.
The lies seemed to fall from her lips, she found it became easier the more she lied— it scared her— terrified her.
"I don't usually do this" she paused clenching her fists tightly, she screwed her eyes shut stopping the incessant burn as tears threatened them "I don't know whether there is a god or gods.. if you're listening..tomorrow I go back, for the past two years my life has been anything but normal, being introduced into a world of magic and wonder.. I believed .. now those two years passed with danger.. coming into an inch of my life.." she bit back the sob "please let this next year be normal, please allow Harry to live a normal life, please give him a chance to experience the wonder of childhood without looking over his shoulder.. and maybe if you could get Ron to stop being such a prat that would be excellent as well." She laughed softly "amen .. or whichever works.. thank you for listening."
•••••••••••
Her first thoughts as she watched moony attack Sirius in his animagus form 'so much for religion' she thought acidly.
Sirius was in no way to defend himself as the werewolf growled and snarled in the black dogs direction, Sirius's went limp, her heart stilled. She couldn't believe it, only hours after finding Harry's godfather was innocent of all charges and Ron's sniveling rat was truly the reason Voldemort found James and Lily Potter had her heart clenching. She looked at Harry, despair clearly written his face, his normally bright green eyes dulled with horror..
"Harry" she called softly "listen to me, I don't want you to argue if you do you'll be wasting time. Time that Sirius does not have. Take him, take your godfather and run."
His eyes widened "No! I can't leave —"
She gritted her teeth, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
She never truly believed she was meant for Gryffindor but now more than ever she wished to save him, save her best friend and his chance at happiness. She tried smiling but it came off as a grimace instead "Harry James Potter you are my best friend.. Sirius is important to you.. that means his important to me.." she paused gathering her thoughts "I need you to once in your life listen to me and not argue.. take him and run.. he needs to heal and if he stays here he'll.." she trailed off but the implication was clear , Sirius Black would die, Harry would most likely be next considering his abysmal spell work. She gripped her wand tightly steeling her resolve "leave" his eyes fixed on hers for a moment — tears glistening behind his round glasses.
"Do ..you have a plan?" He asked choking on a sob.
She smiled before turning back to moony, her third year defense against the dark arts professor "Don't you know?" She asked smugly "they call me the brightest witch of my age.." her false bravado did nothing to lessen her worries nor Harry's but they shared a smile.
"That you are, come back to me alive Mia." He whispered desperately. Hermione didn't promise, she couldn't, her wand gripped tightly she turned to moony — the moon above provided light, as she glanced at the dark forest ahead of them.
"I'll be seeing you Potter" she whispered — she threw a stupefy at Moony's feet, gaining the ravenous beasts attention.
She turned on her heel running into the dense forest. The crunching branches beneath her feet, followed by the sound of Moony made her heart calm slightly it meant Harry and Sirius was safe.
'Outrun a werewolf? Granger you are utterly ridiculous!' She screamed internally. With her athletic build she jumped and leaped over the thick underbrush.
'you'll die...'
'I know..'
'You'll die and your parents will know you've been lying to them'
Her heart ached 'I know.. but Harry will live'
'Harry will live, what about your own life?'Warm tears rolled down her cheeks.
'It's okay.. it's okay..' she chanted willing herself to believe those empty words, throughout her pointless run she hadn't realized she wasn't just talking to herself. She fell to the ground tripping over a particularly thick root, knees and palms bleeding, but she ignored it in favor of running until a growl echoed in her ears Hermione reflexively dodged a swipe of a claw.
"Fuck." She muttered staring up at the dripping maw of her lupin.
"Petrificus totalus!" She screamed the spell uselessly bounced off the predator. She fired a range of spells each bouncing off the creature. Cuts and abrasions layering her body as she crawled back from the creature. Her mind whirred with possible spells each useless as the next.
'Calm, your mind is one of your strongest weapons. You are my descendant. Use what you learned'
An unfamiliar voice echoed in her ears, she screwed her eyes shut not bothering to question the regal voice in her head. She remembered a book she read. At first simply for curiosity but then she realized the vast potential the book held. But her thoughts were quickly dampened by the fact that the author of that book was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart— a simpleton at best, he used other witches and wizards discoveries as his own then obliviated the victims. A poor excuse for a wizard in her opinion.
'Not like I have much to lose' she thought, the moment Moony leaped into the air ready to maul her sending the young witch to an early grave. She raised her wand doing the necessary movement before screaming the spell with absolute conviction "Homorphus!" A yellow light sparked from her wand shooting through Moony's furry chest sending him crashing to the ground writhing in pain.
Shakily standing to her feet, not daring to approach the werewolf instead kept her wand poised readying to launch another spell if need be.
The werewolf let out a piteous moan, fur slowly vanishing underneath the pale light of the moon, his fangs receding, shrinking, steadily returning once more to man, a very naked, filthy man but a man nonetheless. She couldn't help but let go of sound crossed between a laugh and sob, not believing her sheer luck.
"Merlin's saggy balls" she muttered relieved and then she felt it, an uncomfortable warmth seeping from her side.
"Oh.." she murmured dumbly seeing her white shite redden with her blood.
"Hermione!"
"Miss Granger!"
She heard her name being called just as she was about to fall to her knees when concerned green eyes stared into her brown.
"Where you bitten ?" She shook her head negatively.
"Where you scratched?" She couldn't answer, not entirely knowing whether Moony managed to claw at her, she was too focused on ridding herself of the threat that she wasn't paying attention to whether he clawed her or not.
"I'm... not sure professor."
•••••••••••••