Unexpected

Chapter One

Hermione Granger, Daphne Greengrass, and Susan Bones were all sitting in the Ancient Runes together working one a class project together. Their professor had set forth the task of calling forth friendly spirits through the use of runes as they had been used back in the days of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The three had agreed that the safest ghost to call forth were the spirits of unborn children

"Alright here we're all set to give it a go." Hermione said to the other two who both nodded. All three placed their hands on the rune circle in front of them then began to chant in Latin as they chanted the room started to darken a little then a glow shone in the middle of the circle making all three jump in surprise.

The three witches watched as four small balls of white light appeared in front of them "Mama." they cried out then as suddenly as they appeared they vanished.

The three didn't know what to make of it however they jumped again as the sound of applause hit their ears. "Well done girls. Very well done take fifty points each." They smiled at their professor as they realized that they had indeed been the first to pull off the task.

The bell signaling the end of class rang out, but the three girls decided to hang back for a moment to get their composer back. As they walked out of the class Hermione was the one that spotted her best friend Harry Potter standing nearby waiting for her. The sixteen year old boy smiled as she drew close

"Hey Hermione. I was beginning to grow worried when I didn't see you."

"I'm all right. Just finishing up a project with my team here."

Harry held out his hand to the two girls. "Nice to formally meet you both."

Susan was the first one to grasp his hand "Same here Harry." as she let go of his hand Susan couldn't help but notice that her hand felt warmer than normal almost like she had been holding it over an open flame.

Daphne shook his hand next "Potter."

"Harry please."

Daphne just nodded feeling a heat on her hand not realizing that Susan was experiencing the same thing.

"Come on Harry or we'll be late for Charms."

Hermione said grabbing his hand and almost dragging him away. Eventually they both realized that she still had his hand in her grasp and she released it "Sorry."

"It's okay."

Hermione almost stopped when she realized that even though she was no longer holding his hand she still felt the warmth it had brought her.

As they took their seats in Charms they both pulled out their books as waited for Professor Filtwick to begin the lesion.

"Now the Patronus Charm as may or may not know is one of the hardest for many to preform so don't feel bad it you can't perform it on your first go…"

The lesson was half way over when Hermione felt something in her abdomen. A sharp pain that she couldn't explain all that she knew was that she could stay here any longer luckily she wasn't the only one to think so.

"Professor? I think something is wrong with Hermione may I take her down to the Hospital Wing?"

Harry said everyone in the room could hear the worry in his voice Professor Filtwick took one look at Hermione seeing her clenching her stomach in pain and said

"Of course Mr. Potter take your things with you as well."

the boy nodded and packed up both of their things and lead her out the door.

"Harry please hurry this really hurts!" Hermione begged seeing that his friend was in terrible pain Harry lifted her off her feet and ran her towards the Hospital Wing as fast as his legs could carry them.

He burst through the doors shouting "Madam Pomfrey!" moving to a nearby bed.

The healer came running towards them "Oh my. Another one?"

Harry looked confused for a moment but shook it off. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know Mr. Potter, but she isn't the only one experiencing it."

"What…?" Harry started to ask but was interrupted but the sounds of two other young women in pain.

He turned to look at the room more carefully and noticed that the rooms only other occupants were Susan Bones, and Daphne Greengrass.

"What the hell?!" Susan all of a sudden turned away from them and made a sound of pain louder then the others and then stopped as she started panting, but it was clear that the pain had finally stopped.

Daphne wasn't far behind her as she too turned on her side facing away from them making the same sound then stopping.

"Harry hold my hand please?!"

Hermione's voice brought them both back to the young woman next to them. Harry reached forward as fast as he could and grabbed her hand "I'm here Hermione!"

he said trying to not let the panic he felt show in his voice. Hermione squeezed his hand as she made a final painful moan and then started breathing normally again.

"Harry please stay with me?"

"I'm not going anywhere Hermione."

He said squeezing her hand in comfort. He looked up at the healer as if to say "I dare you to try and make me leave."

Hermione gave a quiet "Thanks." as she rolled over on her side started to fall asleep still grasping his hand.

"Well I have other patents to attend to. I'll leave Miss. Granger in your hands Mr. Potter."

"Ron should be here to, but no he's too busy trying to eat Lavenders face."

Sixth year was not going so well for Hermione. Actually it wasn't going well for many of them, but Harry tried not to focus on that too much or the guilt would start to eat at him. Hermione has had a long standing crush on his other friend Ron Weasley and he thought the feeling was mutual until this year when started dating Lavender Brown.

The first time Hermione had seen the two of them making out in the Gryffindor common room Harry had been there to comfort his friend letting her cry on his shoulder. It had been months since then and things between Ron, and Lavender seemed to be going good after Christmas Harry was sure they would have problems because of the embarrassing gift she had gotten him spring was here and the final Quidditch match was coming up. The only thing that was making it worth it was the fact that everyone from his original team was back and ready to go. At the moment the only thing that was truly plaguing his mind was Voldemorts Horcruxes and the mission he had given to Malfoy before the school year had started.

However right now none of that seemed to matter as he held the hand of his best friend. Ron was the first friend he made that was his age, but Hermione had been the one over the years that had shown an unyielding loyalty although he still hung around with Ron a part of him still felt like any day now Ron would let his jealousy show again and a repeat of fourth year would come as a part of it. Harry knew it would all be a matter of time, and he didn't think he'd be able to forgive Ron a second time.

As Harry sat there for who knows how long he couldn't help think of all the times Hermione had been there for him and he started to feel ashamed that he rarely did anything to show his appreciation towards her. "That all changes today."

It wasn't until the doors to the wing opened again that Harry even bothered to look away from his friend he didn't know whether to be surprised or glad to see Professor McGonagall walking into the room. "Mr. Potter when I heard that you had missed your afternoon classes I thought I'd have to give you a stern lecture or a detention at least, however now I see that you had a legitimate reason to be absent from said lessons."

The normally stern faced woman said looking between sadness and admiration at the two friends. "She asked me to stay, and I made a promise that I would. Voldemort could be attacking right now and I would still be in here holding her hand until she sent me away."

Although he noticed her flinch at the name he looked to see the Transfiguration teacher misty eyed. "Mr. Potter I am awarding you one hundred points for such a show of loyalty, and compassion."

Harry looked surprised, but let it pass

"Indeed he would have made an excellent member of my house with such a feat."

came the voice of Professor Sprout the Herbology teacher, and Head of Hufflepuff house.

"I just came in here to check on Susan when I caught the end of you declaration Mr. Potter, and I dare say you would have been a welcome addition to my house."

"Thank you professor." Harry said looking out the window for the first time trying to get a grasp of the time when he saw how dark it was outside. "How long have we been in here?"

"Quite some time Mr. Potter dinner will be starting soon, however I can arrange for one of the house elves to bring you your meal."

"Thank you I'd like that." He said as he turned back to Hermione both Professors decided to leave without him noticing it.

"Pan it has been quite some time since we've seen such devotion from a male student here."

"I agree Minerva. Harry may look like his father, but he has his mother's heart which remains to be one of the kindest I've seen through these halls."

"From the way he seems to care for Mrs. Granger if I didn't know any different I'd say that was a man watching over the one he loved. I still find it hard to think otherwise especially after what he said about staying by her side."

"Indeed. If it wasn't for the feats he's pulled in the past I would swear he had been sorted into the wrong house. He has a Gryffindor's courage alright, but he has the loyalty of a Hufflepuff as well."

Minerva McGonagall nodded her head at her friends' words. "Perhaps I am wrong. Harry has been known to surprise even Albus at times maybe we were watching a man watching over the one he loves, but might not be aware of such things yet."

"Or he knows, but something is holding him back."

The two women fell into silence as they contemplated the words they had shared.

"Minnie I truly hope he can find happiness someday after all of this is said and done." "So do I Panoma. So do I."