Chapter Three: Third Year Part 1

Harry, it seems, killed the basilisk, and destroyed Riddle's diary which was corrupting Ginny Weasley. I was awoken from my petrified state by the mandrake potion that was made for Justin, Colin, Penelope, Mrs. Norris and Nearly Headless Nick, don't ask me how he took it, I don't even know. When I got out of the hospital wing and entered the Great Hall, I found myself being crushed by hugs from Astoria, Draco and Harry. Ron was nowhere to be seen, he was possibly comforting his sister. But there wasn't much of a chance of that, he's a stupid thick-headed git. And he doesn't even mind when I call him that to his face.

The feast was delicious, and then Dumbledore canceled the exams, you have no earthly idea how furious I was with him! He can't just go around canceling exams like that! Summer came and went unbelievably fast, and I bought a cat named Crookshanks, he's such a darling! Harry and Draco found some place to sit on the Hogwarts Express before I even arrived, we were so late today, and I couldn't find them, so I took an empty compartment, it's rather surprising to find one those these days. I was reading a book on Transfiguration when I heard someone enter, and I looked up surprised.

"Charlie Weasley, right?" I noticed he had the Head-boy badge on his chest. "And congratulations."

"Yes and thank you." He smiled, sitting across from me. "Oh um, you don't mind if I sit here do you?"

I laughed before responding. "No, not at all, its actually quite nice to have company."

"Really? Ron keeps telling me you hate company." Charlie raised his eyebrows.

"He would say that, its just that I love the library, sometimes a bit to much." I chuckled softly, rolling my eyes, the youngest male Weasley was always rather delusional.

"Ah, I totally understand, my brothers think I've lost my marbles, I really enjoy reading about dragons." Charlie nodded.

And that sparked up the whole conversation about dragons between us, it was quite interesting for our taste, but I won't bore you with the details of the tiniest differences in their scale shapes and things like that, part way through the trip, everything went dark and cold as the train stopped, but it stopped far to soon, next thing I knew dark hood creatures were entering our compartment, I shrieked in fear, by the time Charlie had pulled his wand out I had realized what the creatures were.

"Expecto Patronum!" A silver almost dragon-like shape burst out of his wand and the dementors immediately fled, Charlie then turned towards me. "Are you alright?" He asked with genuine worry, nodding, I pulled myself out of the curled up position I was in, even though it was insanely brief, the flashes of the train crash had been pulled out of the wall that I had locked them in, they were still fresh in my mind, and before I knew it I was starting to cry hysterically. I had done all I could not to see my parent's faces anymore, knowing what it would do to me.

Stupid, typical me, crying and not paying attention to my surroundings, before I knew it there were like fifty-million people around me, and someone was offering me chocolate.

"Hermioneeeeeeeeeee!" Draco called in a whiny voice, as I sniffled slightly, and then hiccuped. "What's wrong?"

And the usual, oh so tactful Ron spoke up. "What could have happened to you that affected you so badly? You've had a pretty perfect life."

"Oh, brilliant one Ronald." Astoria snapped at him. "Hermione, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, and it's none of your business Ron." I didn't mean for my tone to sound really harsh, but I couldn't really have stopped myself.

"Calm down Mimi." Astoria laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and I smiled weakly at her in response. "She just had a traumatic experience when she was younger, and I suggest you accept the chocolate from Professor Lupin."

"Oh, thanks..." Clearly that was the new DADA professor, Lockhart wasn't much good, but he was extremely handsome.

Thankfully, the rest of the trip to Hogwarts was unhindered and then McGonagall wanted to speak with me, I was given a time-turner so that I could attend all the classes I had signed up for. I didn't even realize how little I payed attention to my friends since the dementor attack on the train, which was two months ago, the dementors had scared me so much I couldn't help but avoid going outside as much as I could, I didn't want my memories pulled out, ever again. I know how childish that must seem of me, when I don't want to face something, I hide it from myself.

I had been reading in the library in my rare free time when I suddenly heard someone say something. "Hermione Granger!" I haven't been called that in a long time, whirling around, wand drawn, I am surprised at who I see. My old muggle friend, Darren Grate. "Wow! You are the last person I expected to see here in Hogwarts."

"I.. Darren!" I was in a total state of shock. "Why are you here?"

"Hermione wake up..." Darren suddenly shouted. And I blinked at him confused.

"Darren, I am awake." I mumbled, what was he going on about.

"HERMIONE!" I thought I heard several people shout that, and next thing I knew I had my face in my textbook and everything was really cold and dark. Looking up, I thought I saw something silhouetted against the window, when the thing moved in to the moonlight, I could see their face clearly.

"SIRIUS BLACK! IN THE CASTLE!" I shrieked, grabbing the closest thing I could find and I threw it at the person before running, like a mad person. In my frenzy I ran straight in to Charlie Weasley. "Black, library, knife!" I said, near hysterics. "Sirius Black, in the library, with a knife!"

"Let's get a teacher." He said immediately, taking me gently by the arm and leading me towards the closest classroom, Transfiguration, which I was supposed to be.

"Miss Greengrass I hope you have an excellent reason for not-Mr Weasley, what is going on here?" McGonagall interrupted herself, looking at the two of us for an explanation.

"I had fallen asleep in the library reading and when I woke up, I... I saw Sirius Black!" I was still mortified and extremely frightened.

"This is grave news indeed, Mr Weasley, please lead the rest of these students to the Great Hall at once!" McGonagall ordered, and Charlie began to usher everyone out of the class.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Draco and Harry asked at the same time.

"I'm.. Rather freaked out." I answered shakily.

"They'll find Black, don't worry, everything will be fine." Draco said reassuringly, putting an arm around my shoulders.

"I... I hope so." I smiled weakly at him.

We had all sat down in our fluffy purple sleeping bags that Dumbledore made appear, Draco had fallen asleep whining about purple, and Harry fell asleep muttering threats to whoever would listen, but I just couldn't find it in me to sleep. So in my half awake daze I began to head towards the library so that I could read something, something that would possibly ease my mind. "Hey Hermione, were are you going?" I heard the rather familiar voice of Charlie behind me.

"Oh um, I'm not sure, I was just really tired and I had nothing to read." I stumbled across my words, confused, waking up more now.

"Ah, I was worried you were sleep walking." Charlie nodded in understanding.

"Well, in a way I was." I said, seeing him clearly now, I went over and sat down next to him. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to read, would you?"

"Yea, Quidditch Through The Ages, I meant to return it today, but with all the events..." He trailed off, but his tone wasn't accusing in the slightest. "But if you want, you can borrow it."

"Thanks Charlie." I smiled at him and accepted the book. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, sorry for disturbing you."

"It was nothing, really truly." He laughed softly.

"If you say so." I left to go back to sleep...