Alright! I'm back with another chapter of SPIKED for you guys to enjoy and enjoy I hope you do. ENJOY!

To the guest reviewer that called me sick… I did warn you.

Hermione bustled around her home happily, getting everything ready for when her parents returned home. They had gone out on a 'mysterious' dinner invitation that Hermione had so graciously 'found' in the mail. Now, she was cleaning the house and setting up a romantic setting.

Lighting candles, the underage witch scattered a trail of flower petals to her parents' bedroom and turned on a bit of soothing romantic music. She flipped through the songs before finding a violin instrumental. Grinning, Hermione headed back out to make certain that the jars that she had in the formation of a heart right in front of the front door were positioned correctly before tapping each of the jars. The fireflies within them awoke and lit up, flying around their jars and lighting the heart.

Hearing a car pulling up in the driveway, the brunette grinned and hid behind the front door, waiting until her parents were laughing at the front door. Opening the door before her father could, she heard her parents gasp and smiled at her job well done.

"John look." Jean breathed, kneeling to pick up a rose petal. "They're fresh!"

John nodded, taking her hand and following the rose petals to their bedroom where the music became louder. Jean stared around at the decorations in wonder and turned to her husband, smiling softly. The pair moved closer together and Jean leaned up, pressing her lips to those of her husband, John pulling her closer so she didn't have to lean as far.

Hermione followed them slowly, making certain they made it to the bedroom. When the door shut, she pumped a fist in the air and hurried to her bedroom. Slipping into her jacket, the young witch opened her window and waited until she heard her mother's first moan before slipping from the house and moving out into the night.

Her parents had barely let her out of their sight since she had woken up from her blackout a few days ago. It took quite a bit of convincing for them to even go out on the date she had planned for them tonight. Now that they were busy with each other, she was free to wander wherever she wanted. After all, she was leaving the next day to head to the Leaky Cauldron to see the Weasleys and Harry. She wanted her parents to have a night to themselves without worrying about her.

Exploring the neighborhood, Hermione came across a stray dog that barked at her when it heard her coming closer. Still walking forward, Hermione moved slowly closer so as to try and soothe it. However, when she was within a few feet, the dog began whimpering, its tail between its legs as it turned and ran for cover. Hermione glanced behind her, wondering if there was someone else there, but she couldn't see anyone. Shrugging, she stayed out for a while longer, enjoying being alone for the first time in days.

Sitting on a bench in the park, the brunette leaned her head back and stared up at the stars, smiling as they twinkled down at her. Before she knew what was happening, Hermione awoke to the dawn. Sitting up and stretching, she yawned. "Mum and Dad are going to kill me." She sighed to herself, knowing her parents wouldn't be happy about her staying out all night. Sneaking back in through her window, she grabbed some clothing and jumped into the shower, getting cleaned up after sleeping outside and heading back to her room to finish packing her trunk.

Her door opened just as she was locking the lid and there was a shriek as she was engulfed in a hug.

"Hermione!" Jean shouted in relief, hugging her daughter close. "We came in to check on you and found your bed empty. Where did you go?"

"Don't worry, Mum, I only went out for a little bit of time to myself. I'm fine, honest." Hermione snuggled into her mother's embrace as Jean held her. Jean motioned John forward and they sat with their daughter, hugging her.

"We just get worried about you." Jean sighed, pulling back slightly to stroke Hermione's hair behind her ears. "Next time tell us when you want to be left alone instead of going through the trouble of sending us out and planning a romantic evening."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Mum… yesterday was your anniversary."

Jean and John both looked at each other with expressions of shock upon their faces before bursting into laughter. "I suppose we've been so focused on you that we forgot." John snickered, leaning over to peck Jean's lips.

Just then there was a knock at the door. Hermione perked up and stood to go answer it, finding Mrs. Weasley and Ginny waiting for her. "Hey Ginny, hi Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled and moved aside, motioning for them to come in.

"Mum, Dad, this is Mrs. Weasley and my friend, Ginny. They're part of Ron's family."

Jean stepped forward and pulled Mrs. Weasley into a hug before pulling back with a stern expression. "Please make certain our little girl stays safe." She almost pleaded.

"Of course, dear. She'll make it on the train without a hitch." Mrs. Weasley grinned as John examined Ginny's wand. "Come along, Hermione dear. Ron and Harry are very anxious to see you."

Hermione cocked her head before nodding in understanding. Heading upstairs, she grabbed her trunk and hefted it down the stairs, before hugging her parents goodbye. "Now remember, poppet," John told her. "Be good, stay safe, and don't let the comments of the other students get to you."

"Yes, from what you've told us about these Gryffindors, you should hold your head up high and ignore their ignorance." Jean agreed.

"Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad." Hermione waved to them as she followed Mrs. Weasley from the house.

"They seem nice." Ginny murmured. "A bit strange, but nice. Why do they keep touching you so much?"

"The same reason your brothers always touch you." Hermione told her, ducking her head for a moment to look at the youngest witch. "They stopped with me a few days ago, but they're still getting used to not being that close with me."

Ginny looked up at her. "They stopped?" she inquired curiously.

"Yeah." Hermione smiled.

Ginny looked up at her mother pleadingly. Mrs. Weasley sighed. "When you're finally dating someone, then I will tell your brothers to back off from you."

Ginny grinned, placated for the time being. Hermione chuckled and looked forward to her time with her friends for the next month and a half. The rest of the summer passed quickly for the trio, Hermione buying a new cat because she knew her parents wouldn't like the smell an owl brings. Crookshanks looked at her with interest when he met her, going between sniffing her curiously and glaring at Ron's rat.

Hermione ignored Ron's threats to her cat, knowing that if Crookshanks were to eat Scabbers then it would be a part of nature because Scabbers was a rat and Crookshanks was a cat. Soon, the day to leave had arrived and all of the students filed onto the train, the twins going off with Lee Jordan, Ginny heading off to a compartment with some of her friends and the trio were left to find a ompartment for themselves. Coming to one with a man in it, they settled themselves down and tried to keep quiet so as not to wake their new teacher.

When the train began slowing down, the trio all got bad feelings in their stomach, especially when the cloaked… thing showed up. Hermione felt herself go weak and she wondered what was going on. Glancing to Ron, she found tears streaming down his face and she knew he wasn't alright. Looking to Harry, she saw him sinking to the ground and wanted to call out to him, but then the strangest thing happened.

Hermione heard the screams of her parents ringing in her ears, begging… begging her to stop hurting them. What? She wondered softly. But… I never hurt them… did I? Remembering back to the summer before, she recalled the way her father looked up when she said she didn't remember what happened to them. Come to think of it, why would she remember if she had 'passed out' and they had left the house?

Hermione's confusion was overshadowing her grief and the dementor was getting hungry, so he moved over to Harry and continued sucking the happiness from him as Hermione was left to ponder her thoughts, even after the dementor had been shooed off. Why would my parents beg me to stop hurting them? She mused. Did I do something I couldn't remember? Perhaps I fell into a vicious rage at some point? No, I would remember blacking out for that. That day is the only blackout I can remember, but… there's nothing in my memory about hurting my parents that day.

The new school year started out simple for the three. Harry was convinced he was meant to die, thanks to Professor Trelawney, Ron kept accusing Crookshanks of trying to eat Scabbers, and Hermione had several more classes than a person could reasonably take in a school year, but they all coped with what they could. Hermione thought the prediction was completely ridiculous and constantly pointed out to Ron that Crookshanks was Scabbers' natural predator.

However, things grew bumpy through the year with the boys continually refusing to talk to her over things she had done, like telling Professor McGonagall about Harry's Firebolt broom. Hermione felt sick the entire few weeks that Ron wouldn't talk to her. She wouldn't get rid of Crookshanks just because he did what was natural to him, which meant Ron continued to not talk to her. It wasn't so much that fact that made her so upset, but Harry took Ron's side just because she had told Professor McGonagall about his Firebolt. She fought not to burst into tears each night because they were being idiots. Instead, she went to Ginny and ranted about their stupidity and somehow managed to end the night crying on the redhead's shoulder and spending the night with her.

The dementors didn't help any. Even after Dumbledore had frightened them out of coming onto the grounds, a stray dementor would occasionally come onto the grounds to do a quick patrol and Hermione would wake up screaming for her parents to stop begging for mercy. Ginny would always hold her once more and Hermione was thankful to her friend for being there for her.

Things got better though, once she started speaking to Hagrid once she realized that she was keeping Ginny awake at night. Whenever she needed someone to talk to, regardless of curfew, she would sneak from the castle and down to Hagrid's hut to cry in his fur coat. He would always tell her to keep her chin high, but even she could only do so much.

At last, the trio finally got together again, though Ron was still sore about the loss of his rat and wouldn't let Hermione have any peace for it either. However, some good came the day Hagrid announced Buckbeak's execution. Hagrid gave Ron Scabbers and Hermione released some of her energy on Malfoy. Of course, things went from bad to worse.

Hermione gasped for air as she raced through the forest. He just had to reminisce on thinking he saw his father, didn't he? She thought bitterly, racing after Harry as they hurried through the Forbidden Forest and away from Professor Lupin. Just because it was closer to dawn did not mean it was safer. What was I thinking?

Glancing back, she saw the werewolf racing closer and couldn't help but feel like she should pet it. Looking back up, she noticed that Harry was no longer with her and Hermione felt fear chill her blood. She was alone in the Forbidden Forest being chased by a werewolf intent upon eating her. Bloody hell!

Up ahead were the castle gates and if she were to leave those, she would be suspended or expelled or punished beyond all wild dreams. Pressing her back to the gate, Hermione turned to face the werewolf, who had slowed down as if he knew he'd trapped her. Gripping her wand tightly in her hand, the young witch tried to call to mind any spell that could possibly help her, but nothing came to mind.

As Professor Lupin stalked forward and prepared to jump, Hermione felt her fear hit a peak and suddenly, everything was pitch black.

The werewolf stared in horror and turned tail to run, not wanting to be caught by the girl making her way toward him. Even as a werewolf, Professor Lupin knew that he wasn't invincible. He may have been stronger than a lot of other magical creatures, but even wolves knew when to back down. Racing through the trees, the werewolf could hear his prized student chasing him, the crashes and snaps of wildlife clueing him into just how fast she was gaining on him.

Rushing from the treeline, the werewolf made a mad dash for the school, his animal mind not comprehending the safety of the students and only understanding the danger he himself was in. Hermione was gaining on him, he could hear her only a few paces behind him now. With a mad burst of speed, the werewolf leaped for the school doors just as pain raced through his entire body and he passed out from the intensity of it.

…

Hermione awoke in the hospital wing with Harry, Ron and Professor Lupin surrounding her on their own beds. The boys were still fast asleep, but Professor Lupin was awake and looking at her with a decidedly perplexed expression upon his face. "P-Professor?" Hermione called, feeling a pang go through her head at the sound of her own voice.

"Hermione, are you feeling well?" Professor Lupin inquired calmly.

"Yes, sir. I don't understand why I'm in a hospital bed though… and where are my clothes from last night?"

Professor Lupin shifted slightly and sighed. "Hermione, can you tell me all you remember from last night?"

The brunette groaned as she put a hand to her head. She remembered… she remembered… no, that can't be right. She was running through the Forbidden Forest, but Harry wasn't at her side. She was running at Professor Lupin in his werewolf form… and he was running away looking frightened. That can't be right at all. She thought to herself.

"My nightmare… I was… I was chasing you in your wolf form, sir. We… we were running toward the castle and you tried to reach the doors. All of a sudden, you started bleeding. Is that why you're in the hospital bed? Did I… Did I hurt you sir?"

Professor Lupin stared at the frightened brown eyes and felt almost compelled to tell her- "No. No, you must be sensing the thoughts of the thing that did attack me. Your minds might have been temporarily synchronized because of it saving you. Don't worry though, I'm fine."

Hermione relaxed in relief and glanced down at herself in confusion. "But what of my clothes?" she inquired.

"The creature that saved you must have torn them. Madame Pomfrey said that they found you naked next to me during the full moon. But Hermione, what of Sirius?"

"Harry and I set him free." Hermione whispered. "We were actually heading back to the hospital wing, but Harry wanted to imagine seeing his dad again, so we headed back into the Forbidden Forest. I should have known better, but he looked so hopeful, Professor."

"No need to apologize, dear girl. So long as the both of you are safe, that's all that matters." Hermione smiled softly at that and whirled her head around when the Hospital Wing doors burst open and a frantic Ginny rushed in, throwing her arms around Hermione.

"Mione, you're alright!" the redhead cried in relief, waking Ron and Harry. "I thought… I mean, I knew you weren't dead, but they came and told us that you all were hurt… I'm so glad you're okay."

"Us?" Hermione asked in confusion. Ginny moved aside so she could see the twins greeting Ron with jokes about his leg. She smiled at that and grimaced at Harry, who looked to her apologetically.

"Sorry about last night, Hermione." He told her. "Had I known Professor Lupin would still be lurking around, I wouldn't have suggested going back."

Hermione shook her head with a soft sigh. "It's alright, Harry. Besides, it's just as much my fault for agreeing to go with you. Though, had I attempted to talk you out of it, I'm certain you would have simply gone on your own, so there's not much point in apologizing, is there?"

"No, suppose not." The Boy Who Lived snickered. "Though, it is nice to know we're all okay. Even if Ron's leg is broken."

Hermione chuckled at the joke and relaxed back into the bed to try getting some more sleep. The rest of the year was open and shut from there. The trio bid their favorite professor goodbye and saw him off before preparing their own, less permanent, departure from Hogwarts. Hermione sighed at the thought of leaving the school once more, but tried not to seem too depressed when Harry got the permission slip from Sirius and Ron gained his owl.

Stepping from the train, Hermione made her way out into King's Cross station and looked around for her parents. Jean waved her over as John grinned at her and Hermione hurried to them, getting swept up in a hug from both.

"Mum, Dad, what's wrong?" she inquired. Jean shook her head and led her to the car before saying anything. When they were safely in the car and driving away from the station, Hermione raised an eyebrow and Jean sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Hermione dear, we're still… not used to having you close. We tend to miss the contact during the year while you're gone. Yes, you came home for Christmas the first year, but that didn't stop us from missing you, especially since you didn't come home this year either. Even if we're not doing our usual sessions, it doesn't stop us from missing the feel of you in our arms."

Hermione cocked her head slightly before lowering it. Mind thinking quickly, she swallowed the bile she felt rising at the question she was about to ask. "Do you… would you like me to leave Hogwarts and come back home?"

John nearly ran the car off the road when she said that, whipping his head around to stare at her incredulously as Jean did the same a second sooner. "Darling, you know we'd never make you do that!" he gasped, turning around to pull the car back onto the road as Hermione paled in fright.

"Hermione dear, we love you very much." Jean told her. "But being a witch with prowess such as yours is something unique to you. You don't have to give that up just for us."

"Prowess?" Hermione inquired, cocking her head to the side.

Jean grinned at her with a secretive smile and Hermione blushed, coughing slightly. "I would come home for Christmas more often…" Hermione sighed. "It's just that, Harry always has a problem that requires for me to stay at the school for Christmas break otherwise he and Ron wouldn't be able to fulfill it completely. We're a team."

Jean nodded. "Well, we've got good news." She clapped her hands together with excitement. "Your father and I have decided that you needed a break. So, guess where we're going?"

"Where?" Hermione asked curiously.

"France!" Jean squealed. "It's going to be so exciting, Hermione. You'll be able to learn a bit of the language, see some interesting attractions and relax, maybe meet a nice boy while you're there."

"Oh Mum, a relationship like that wouldn't work." The younger brunette chuckled. "We'd be in two different countries."

"There's no reason you can't have a pen pal." The older brunette shrugged. "Now, we want you packed and ready to go by tomorrow night, alright?"

"Yes, Mum." Hermione grinned, relaxing back into her seat as she thought of the vacation trip she was going on.

Ah, I have to keep it somewhat canon, at least until the part it diverges anyway. Regardless, why don't you guys send me a review and tell me what you think, alright?