In our previous story, a young Harry had save Hermione from a potentially terrible fate.

Their story continues after the first three books.

Chapter 1 - Trial by Rumor

It was the night when the champions were to be chosen. An infallible magical artifact would select the best representative from each school and they would be their school champion. Harry Potter sat right next to Hermione, looking a bit irritated at his friend Ron still trying to wave at Victor Krum, but otherwise content at having nothing to do with this fame and fortune stuff. The three champions had already been selected and Harry was beginning to relax, nothing bizarre was going to happen this Halloween. He still felt a slight pang of dread of the unknown. Another piece of paper flew from the goblet at the back of the headmaster and only the reaction of the students saw him look back and catch the offending slip of paper.

"Harry Potter," Headmaster Dumbledore said fiercely scanning the room. The goblet of fire still burned in the background as everyone in the Great Hall also looked around. The person in question was just staring, trying to hide under the table a bit. Hermione said something like 'go,' but he had that sick feeling again. Someone was out to get him. He gave a deep sigh, it was going to be another interesting year for 'Harry the idiot who lived Potter,' he thought.

He glanced back to friends. He saw disgust and an expression of almost hatred from Ron. He glanced at Hermione's face where soft brown eyes sparkling with tears met green eyes going hard, each looking for something that wasn't there. She was looking for that spark of something extra in his eyes. Something that spoke of more life than she normally saw from him, something she just knew was missing. She knew that a piece of Harry Potter was dead or dying. He was looking back, expecting to see the disappointment in her eyes that he could hear in the voices of his fellow tablemates, the Gryffindor house. That righteous anger Gryffindor's were noted for when they saw something they believed to be a wrong. What he saw was compassion, concern, friendship with no judgments or rejections attached. She still believed in him. That was enough for him and he resolved to always be the man she was looking up to. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a brief flare of magic that overrode a spell placed on him by one of the most powerful wizards in the world.

With renewed strength, he turned. His foot stepped harder into the stone floor than intended and the entire hall echoed as if with power. "Headmaster, I neither put my name in the goblet nor have done anything related to putting my name nor did I ask anyone else to put my name in the goblet or try to enter me in this tournament. I will give any proofs you require as evidence of this."

"Harry, we should discuss this inside."

Harry's voice was tightly controlled. On the inside the adrenaline enhanced his magic again for just a moment and a tiny part of his brain realized that something had been covered up. His mind had been tampered with and a few small confusion spells were burned out.

He scanned the room again, seeing hostility with only a few exceptions, none of which he really knew well. He noted these and then nodded to the entire room of hostiles, a remote expression fixed on his face.

"I am willing to take any truth potion capable of demonstrating my innocence. It is clear that my word and integrity mean nothing to any of the adults here. I have been accused of cheating in public and outsmarting your own enchantments, Headmaster." He looked at the disappointed faces from all at the head table. "I mean people have died in this thing, right?"

"Harry, my boy, we can talk about this in private."

"Ah, the guilty verdict regardless, and I would guess trial by rumor. Very well, professor, Harry's voice held more resignation than anger." A few Slytherin's took a deep breath and reevaluated their understanding of Harry Potter, not missing some of the points he was making. Clearly the Headmaster had his own agenda here.

After returning from the meeting where he was told he had to compete, Harry walked numbly around the halls until he found an empty classroom and just sat. He returned many hours later just before curfew. Hermione was still up, but no one else. She put her book down and took a few steps toward him. He felt that slight push he usually did when she approached, but he pushed back and managed to walk right up to her.

"Hermione, you alright?" her expression was priceless.

"What do you mean me? I am not the one who was illegally entered into a dangerous tournament meant for more experienced students. Judging by your expression, you have been told you had to compete."

"Yes," he said simply, but his hands were shaking with anger. He looked at her again pushing against some invisible barrier and reached out and sought how he really felt about his friend.

"Hermione, you have been my friend for years. I don't deserve a someone as nice as you are to me. I just want to say," he looked her straight in the eye, "friends for life." It hadn't come out as a question, but an offer.

She noticed the tension and seriousness, usually missing from Harry Potter, when she replied, "friends for life." She kissed his cheek and was surprised when he returned the gesture. But neither was prepared for the circle of flame surrounded them for a second that moved from green through yellow and orange hues before fading away.

"What was that?" Hermione gasped.

"No idea," he answered truthfully. He felt different, though. Something he had struggled with since the troll incident in first year seemed to be gone. "The push is gone too."

"What?"

"I always had to apply pressure to, well, be your friend. Now it is gone." Harry looked puzzled.

"You mean you didn't want to but did anyway?" Hermione's voice took on a sharper edge.

"No, just the opposite. I wanted to but there was always something trying to stop me, but I did anyway." He sounded just as stubborn as she knew him to be. "I actually thought that you were magically shielded against me somehow."

She laughed. "Maybe someone put a repelling charm on me just for you, sounds like something Ron would do… or maybe Ginny." They both knew that those students would not be able to do a spell that complex. The implications of someone manipulating students like that made her very unsettled.

"But it happened even before that, now that I think about it. I noticed it on the train first year. It was the reason I didn't ask you to sit next to me." He looked stunned at his own recollection for a minute, realizing that he had wanted to befriend her. Then he just shrugged.

"Well it isn't there anymore and I am tired. Thanks again for being here when I came back. It cheered me up a lot." He had one hand on her shoulder as he said it.

"Always," she answered. He walked to his room and she reflected on her answer. It had felt right, like the declaration of friendship. I mean they were good friends, but this was the first time they had actually made a spoken commitment out of it. She wondered whether they had just completed some sort of vow and that was what caused the ring of light.

Meanwhile Harry was heading for slumber.

Harry's dream

"Troll," Professor Quirrel shouted, managing to seem both excited and scared at the same time. "Troll in the dungeon. I thought you ought to know." He promptly collapsed from the stress.

Instantly there was screaming from the houses as the students panicked. Harry, still not used to the environment immediately moved toward the head table, ignoring the rest of his house as the headmaster stood.

"Silence," Dumbledore yelled as he tracked the troll with the castle wards. It was currently moving through the hallways away from the dungeons, but was not in the path of the students returning to their common rooms.

"Students will follow their prefects to their common rooms and the teachers will come with me to the dungeons."

"Professor," Harry managed to catch his eye. "Miss Granger is missing, Headmaster, I was told she is still in the second floor girls bathroom."

"I am aware of the location of anything that will cause harm to a student in the castle, Harry. You will go with your prefect and leave the girl's fate to me." The headmaster leaned over in a clearly threatening manner.

Wordlessly, Harry went back to his classmates.

"Ron, you need to…" he looked over at fear evident in Ron's face and changed his mind.

"Neville," the look the boy gave him was better than Ron's but it was still not supportive enough as he was dragged away by his classmates. Harry thought for a moment, following the crowd before he ducked around the corner and raced toward the stairs. He took the steps as fast as he could, not pausing even when he was out of breath.

He entered the bathroom as quietly as possible with his labored breathing, "Miss Granger?"

"Go away," her voiced sounded of tears.

"Hey, there is a dangerous situation here and…"

She peeked out from her stall. This was Harry Potter, she had already seen him enough to be sure he wasn't a liar. She knew she could trust him.

"Sorry," she started to hide a letter behind her, but he grabbed it instinctively and she froze.

Dear mom and dad,

You have been the best of parents. It is with regret that I had to leave you. You know that I did not belong anywhere but with you. I was so excited when I left to see the wizarding world where I thought I could find a place for myself, one that I could possibly fit in. I have found nothing of the sort.

The girls here treat me like garbage, mocking and the usual harassment. When I decided to come here I knew that I would find someone to share with, be a friend with, so I just had to try. I now know there is no place for me in this world.

Please collect me when you can.

"Miss Granger," he said politely to her, but his eyes were raging. "Why haven't you told anyone of the abuse by your housemates?" He glanced again at the confused tone of the letter and the clear cry of despair it showed as she was trying to get her parents to understand that this witch thing was a mistake. The girl was practically suicidal and was attempting to withdraw from school.

"I don't mean to sound chauvinistic, but I will protect you. It is the right thing to do." He glanced apprehensively at her, worried that she would be another in a long line of people who had rejected him as not worth their time.

"You can't protect me, Harry." He smiled at her use of his first name gently rolling off her tongue. "Besides, I am not sure how I could pay you back."

"First and foremost, I would like a friend." He held up a hand as she immediately started to say yes. "Don't accept if you don't think you can do it or are not sure, though. If you aren't sure then I will take something that only you possess. You are pretty Hermione." He noticed the blush and charged on. "The one thing a pretty woman can give me that I want only from you is one kiss freely given per year of protection." He smiled to himself and tried to still the butterflies in his stomach at his daring offer. He 'liked' her, but he knew anything serious would take a long time, but he would be patient.

Suddenly she jumped over grabbed his shoulders and kissed him quickly. "I will give both, unreservedly." He froze at the sudden contact. "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend," she quoted.

"I guess that means we are permanent friends then, Hermione." The intimate tone of his voice made her blush. A ring of fire surrounded them for a few seconds, causing the water in the sink to hiss slightly.

"Yeesh, what is…" the rest of her commentary about the sudden stench was lost to them as the door burst open and a troll entered the lavatory.

"You will remove the girl," a voice came from behind the troll.

"Winduarium leviosa," Harry called out, leaving the troll without his club.

"Hermione, you go left and I will go right. I have an idea. If you put as much power as you can into that transformation spell, and turn this club into a something sharp like a giant needle." He didn't finish the sentence but she got the idea. He heard her call out in a calm clear voice the spell while he jumped on the sink and yelled at the confused troll.

"Hey stink brain."

Harry dodged right and the troll saw them both going different directions as well as him losing his club. The combination was difficult to handle. Harry heard the spell Hermione used and was astounded at how powerful it was as he watched a heavy club become a long steel rod. His glasses fell off and he barely managed to dodge a blow before he found them and put them back on.

The troll tried to grab the agile boy but missed. On the second attempt Harry jumped to the ground and grabbed the club that was now in the shape of a triangular 18 inch needle and was a half inch on a side. The troll had turned and demolished several stalls with his fists and was getting to the one Hermione was by when the boy jumped on a sink then launched himself onto its back. It turned and he was swung halfway around, it turned its head now facing him. With a furious cry he plunged the newly formed weapon deep into the troll's eye and it immediately collapsed under him. The needle back pushed deeply into his palm leaving a triangular puncture wound.

The faculty member whose voice they had barely heard earlier was aghast at the strength in this slip of a girl. If he didn't do something she would outstrip all the student except perhaps Harry.

Hermione stood, proud and defiant, the power nearly radiating from her wand as she raised it to defend Harry if needed.

"Constrictus dynamum." Came that voice they heard earlier. Immediately the glow left Hermione's wand and she looked sickly and green.

"Why," was all she managed to say as her power was restricted and caged within.

"Obliviate."

Harry looked over at the door just to see the headmaster raise his wand again, this time pointing at him.

"Obliviate."

Harry woke up sweating. That wasn't how he remembered the troll incident at all. He certainly didn't remember the headmaster hiding Hermione's power and memories. He looked at his right palm and saw that there was a triangular scar where you would push something hard. It was about a half in on a side.

"That meddling…" he paused, reflecting on what he now considered a memory. His mind went back to the words of the headmaster. He said he would know if anything was a danger in the castle, and where it was. If the headmaster knew of any threat to students in the castle, it would show who had set him up in this tournament. If he didn't then he was far too overconfident for Harry to trust him. The inconsistencies were significant. They were either being completely set up or

End nightmare

Back to Hogwarts year four:

The next day Hermione was waiting when Harry came slowly down the stairs into the common room. His face was set in a tight grimace. He just nodded toward the door as he saw her and she followed him out toward the great hall.

Coming in, they were greeted with cold shoulders and mutterings of 'cheater,' everywhere. They sat somewhat apart from the group. Ron just glared at them both and the rest of the table was full of hostile whispers.

"I am just glad you are here," he said under his breath. "You would do best not to be seen with me; much too dangerous. Everyone is going to be after me and you would become a target too." Hermione actually

"If being your friend is dangerous then that is what I have decided. I don't turn my back on my friends Harry." She put her hand in his, "remember, friends for life." Her voice was steady and sure and he felt better for it.

"Me either. Friends for life," he responded, clutching her hand tighter. Suddenly there was a loud chime resounding through the great hall. Everyone winced as it carried for a several seconds before it faded.

Feeling their entire bodies echoing with the vibration that was the chime, Hermione and Harry quickly stood, ignoring the rest of their food and hurried from the hall, still holding tightly to each other's hands. While everyone else was trying to still the echoing in their heads, Fleur was staring at the two Gryffindors with a dreamy smile on her face and a tear in her eye. Within the minute the headmaster entered the hall asking questions about what happened. Other than Luna Lovegood, no other Hogwarts students had evidently noticed the couple's odd behavior, so there was no one to question, and each time the headmaster had tried to get information about Harry Potter from Luna he had gotten a headache for three days thereafter.

They came down to lunch together and the table was full so Alicia Spinnet stepped in beside Hermione who was next to Harry on the end. When she sat down she shoved the much smaller girl aside, knocking Harry off the end of the bench and onto the floor, his plate throwing the food down his front.

Harry carefully stood, letting the food fall to the floor. This wasn't the first time someone from Gryffindor had expressed their displeasure that he was a 'cheater' with something more than words. He glanced at Hermione and could feel the rage coming from his friend even as she stared down Alicia. Harry quietly put a hand on her shoulder and after a few tense seconds she relaxed just a bit.

"Just learning to eat, Potty?" Draco's voice carried easily from the Slytherin table. "Maybe you and that mudblood should eat off the floor like you do at home. Don't they keep it in a trough for you?"

"Potter, detention for making a pig of yourself in front of our guests," Professor Snape barked.

Harry didn't respond to the taunts, but he did glance to the head table where the headmaster had his hand on McGonagall's arm to prevent her from doing anything. Without a word he placed his plate and flatware on the table and walked out of the great hall. Hermione immediately followed in support.

At Thursday, dinner Harry and Hermione walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down without a word to anyone from Gryffindor. The Beautaton students looked warily at the newcomers. Fleur even went so far as to nod at Hermione. She nodded back very slightly at the stoic girl. She was surprised that Harry did not react significantly to her allure, treating her like any other student, which right now was with complete indifference. He still met her eyes briefly and she found herself looking away quickly. Soon the ridicule and hostility from Roger Davies and the rest of the table drove them away, but at least they managed most of their meal. Later Harry spent a delightful evening rebottling the most disgusting potion ingredients he had ever heard about. In classes both students just kept their heads down and did their work, ignoring the professors' point taking.

In their attempt to find a table where they could eat, the shunning was repeated at the Hufflepuff table and Friday evening, when Harry walked near the Slytherin table, Professor Snape made it quite clear to stay away and Harry just stared at the table for a second and turned to go. Finally he spoke, "Headmaster," Harry had stopped at the hall door so suddenly that Hermione bumped into him. Everyone watched, expecting Harry to ask for intervention. "Is my presence required for anything that isn't schoolwork related before my class on Monday?"

"No Harry," Professor Dumbledore wondered at the request but answered too quickly. Shortly thereafter, Harry and Hermione disappeared. No one from Hogwarts managed to find them, not even the twin Weasleys, although a diligent search was made by at least three different groups. No one figured out even where they were sleeping, let alone where they were during the day, and without students to ask, the Headmaster could find out nothing.

Deep inside the chamber of secrets, Harry made himself more comfortable. Hermione and he had managed to get some blankets and pillows from the house elves and also to make arrangements for them to deliver food. None of the elves ever went into the chamber, however, and all the material was passed through Myrtle's bathroom.

"Hermione," Harry asked as his friend used his shoulder for a pillow while searching some obscure tome for spells that could help him in the tournament.

"Yes, Harry?" she turned and her nose was almost touching his.

"Why are you so good to me?" he had wanted to ask her if she would like to go on a date, but he was so involved in the tournament that he didn't think it would be safe, especially with how the students had been acting lately.

"Because you are my best friend, Harry, and you do the exact same thing for me." The both continued reading until late before they fell asleep leaning into each other slightly. Again Harry slept fitfully.

Harry's dream

"Harry, you have been studying too much lately, you are going to turn out just like Hermione. With that heir of Slytherin thing going on, you don't need more bad gossip." Ron, the second year student, sounded slightly peeved.

"She is the best student in the school Ron. We should be trying to be more like her rather than trying to make her like us." Harry sounded more tired than upset. This was well worn ground with Ron.

"I don't want to become a bookworm that is too boring to have friends or too ugly…" Ron stopped at the sudden hiss from Harry. "Sorry." He didn't sound that sorry, but he knew Harry would make him regret it if he didn't stop and at least attempt to apologize. He was quiet for a long minute then decided to change tactics. He knew Harry would do anything for his friends and he was counting on him still believing that following him around made them friends. It was hard sometimes pretending to like Hermione, but maybe when she grew up he would have a girl to do things to, if she would only stop being such a nag.

"Harry, you never spend any time with me, your best friend, other than school work. Can we play exploding snap." Ron didn't particularly care for the game, but Harry could be talked into it and it wasn't the school work that he could just get from Hermione anyway.

Harry paused a long while, reviewing where he was in his classes. He had everything caught up, but wanted to revise part of his transfiguration essay again. He would still get a good grade though. Hermione had told him she had another idea and had run off to the library before dinner saying she would catch up with him there.

"Alright Ron, set it up." He was thinking that it was only half an hour before dinner and Ron would in no wise miss it.

They played for fifteen minutes before Harry suddenly felt like he was dipped in ice.

"Ron, I don't want to play anymore. I need to check on Hermione."

"Harry, all you do is study," Ron began, but Harry was already heading for the door. Exasperated, Ron followed, ignoring the anxious frown on Harry's face. After checking the library they checked the halls for a few minutes.

"Mister Potter, Mister Weasley," Professor McGonagal looked extra stern as she stopped them. Minerva was slightly shocked by the look of pure panic on Harry's face before she even managed to give them any news.

"You better come with me." She deliberately did not give them any more information but observed them as they walked briskly toward the hospital wing. Ron was unconcerned but Harry looked as if he was heading for his doom.

"This may come as a bit of a shock," the professor said before opening the door to the hospital wing. Without the slightest hesitation Harry walked past three curtained beds and to a third one before stepping inside and seeing Hermione there petrified. He immediately took her frozen hand.

"Blimey, Hermione, what did you get yourself into?" Ron sounded concerned.

In the back of his mind Harry heard the professor explaining to Ron that Hermione had a mirror in one hand and she was petrified while holding on to it.

'She is trying to see something before it sees her,' Harry deduced about the mirror holding. 'That may mean that it is something you don't dare look directly at and she was taking precautions, which means that the direct gaze could potentially be more deadly than with a mirror.'

His hyper thoughts were stopped when Ron made some mention of her not hearing them and he was going to dinner. Harry didn't respond aloud.

After another twenty minutes of Professor McGonagal and the nurse trying to console him, he thought he was alone. In Poppy's office the stern teacher was listening to the nurse's concern about the health of her charges before a low moan interrupted their discussion. The sheer agony conveyed by Harry's quiet cry immediately brought tears to both stern ladies. It was weeks before Professor McGonagal could look at Harry again without hearing the echo of his grief. Finally they heard a very low voice talking. Harry was pouring out his life to his frozen friend.

"Hermione, I know they say you can't hear me, but I need to talk to you and you are the only one who can understand me. No one else even comes close. First I want to say how much I love you. I think in every possible way, yes even the romantic ways, I love you. I also appreciate what you have done for me, how you have helped me when I was fighting with my desire to hide my gifts and not study. When I was angry because someone said something that brought back bad memories."

"Speaking of bad memories, I guess I should tell you that things at the Dursley's were far worse than you know. I sent the headmaster a note or two but he either doesn't care or doesn't believe me.

"Hey, you know how I don't like Halloween, right. Well it may have started when my parents were killed, but I remember every Halloween I ever had after that too. The second one I was rolled up in a small rug and they used me to wipe their feet on. They had a party that night too and I was supposed to be a monster under the stairs that took everyone's shoes. It was really funny to them, but at least I didn't get any broken bones that time, unlike my fourth helliversary. I coined that phrase by crossing the curse with Halloween and anniversary, of course.

My fourth year was pretty much when the really bad stuff started. I was five and still didn't even know my own name. That was the day I get my first big scar on my back. It was Vernon who cornered me and said something about how today was freak day. I didn't know how a day could be mine, still thinking maybe my name was freak, but he insisted it was the day I should be celebrated. I was taken upstairs to the bathroom and tied to the shower curtain rod. It held me, surprisingly, and then the beating started. It was surprising that I didn't scream, but I had already learned that you got hurt more if you complained about it. By the time he was done I had passed out and had multiple injuries. I still think my magic saved me that day, because I wasn't as hurt the next morning as I had been when thrown into my cupboard.

"So let's see. Let me tell you how I felt when I finally got to Hogwarts. Hagrid brought me to the station, but didn't really help me much; in fact if he hadn't even told me how to get onto the platform. Now here is the funny thing, the Weasley's were coming in and, having so many kids they were hard to miss, but for some reason they were almost advertising that they were a wizarding family. Well I ignored them except for just watching.

"I watched when you came in and I thought you were pretty, but normal. I don't particularly like girls who think they are too pretty. It isn't that you couldn't be by trying to act like a stuck up princess like they are, but you look good just as you. Well, I am glad you don't really get to hear me make a fool of myself. I have no idea how to talk to a girl I actually like, which is why when I talk to you I keep away from that subject.

"Sometimes I wished that I was in an arranged marriage. Then I would just give all my love to a nice girl like you and we wouldn't have to dance around each other and worry if there would be a commitment or if we were just going to have our hearts broken. It is even worse for the girls since all the guys want to sleep with them but not have any commitment. I think if I loved someone as much as I love you and we slept together… well it would kill me if we broke up. I guess I can't take the chance. You will probably never know.

"Well, back to life. I remember just about everything you told me. I just love bringing up one of the facts in Hogwarts as History incorrectly so you can jump in a show me you have practically memorized the book. It's not a bad book and I have only read it a couple of times, but it isn't my favorite.

"I wish I had met you earlier in life. I am sure we could have quickly become friends. I can't tell what keeps hounding me, but there is something different about life when you are around. It just seems so much more hopeful.

"I will come in later tonight, but I have to finish checking over my homework."

Harry went back to his dorm room and put the finishing touches on his homework.

First thing the next morning he was knocking on Professor McGonagal's office.

"Mister Potter," the stern witch looked carefully at him. He looked dreadful. "What can I do for you?"

"I would like to get access to some of Hermione's things and get permission to get an extra copy of all the assignments she misses so I can help her catch back up."

That night Harry was back, reading his lessons to her and doing is homework while talking through it as if she were awake. Later he shared more of his life, leaving out no details. He came back every evening.

Every few days he brought in some fresh flowers, replacing the ones in a small jar next to her hospital bed.

End dream