===September 2 1992===
Harry and Hermione walk hand in hand into the Great Hall. They see Ron already eating, and sit by him. Ron pauses when they do. "Where were you two last night?"
The two share a glance then Hermione speaks. "Some new details came up. We needed some time to process them."
"I'd say we still are." Harry says softly, still hurting.
"Anything I can do to help?" Ron asks.
Harry shakes his head. "Just be here for us."
"Once we've sorted everything we'll fill you in." Hermione says not sure how much to tell their friends, first they have to get through this.
Ron nods, and goes back to eating, knowing better to push either of them.
===September 3 1992===
Their first defense class had been an utter disaster. "Can you believe Lockhart?" Harry asks as he, Hermione, Ron and Neville walk from the class. 'I can't believe Dumbledore thought I'd learn a thing from him. He couldn't even wrangle Cornish Pixies!'
"I know." Hermione says with a disgusted sigh "I can't believe he did a pop quiz about himself."
"I can't believe you two got everything right!" Ron complains.
"We unfortunately read his books." Harry says.
"You mean I read them to you." Hermione says teasingly.
"I tried reading his books, I just couldn't do it." Harry says. "Besides this way I got to hear you read them to me while I cooked lunch and dinner. I also retained it better cause I love your voice."
Hermione blushes slightly. "You never told me that."
"We're getting off topic here." Ron says.
"Right, so Lockhart?" Hermione says.
"Have you two thought about talking to Dumbledore about Lockhart?" Neville asks. "In an official capacity?"
"Over a quiz about himself?" Harry asks.
"What about the pixies?" Neville asks. "He clearly didn't know what he was doing when he released them."
"We'd have been in serious trouble if Hermione hadn't immobilized them." Ron says.
"You two had better come with us then." Harry says as he pulls out the enchanted pin that has his heir robes.
#####
Dumbledore is sitting going over paperwork when Harry and Hermione enter his office with Ron and Neville behind them.
"Headmaster, we need to talk." Harry says coldly, still obviously hurt from the other day.
Dumbledore looks up and sees the two of them in their heir robes. "Is this an official visit?"
"It is." Hermione says, equally as cold as Harry. It was obvious that neither of them wanted to be in the room with Dumbledore, but felt they had no choice.
"What seems to be the matter?" Dumbledore says, the presence of Ron and Neville telling him that he'd better keep this strictly business.
"We strongly suspect Lockhart is a fraud." Harry says.
"We have both noticed that in his books he left out a lot of details like exactly what spells he used." Hermione says. "Normally I wouldn't be overly concerned with something like that, but he required every student to buy a complete set of his books as required reading for his class."
"In addition to that there seems to be inconsistencies with dates. Several of his books seem to have happened simultaneously. Then there is this!" She hands Dumbledore a copy of the pop quiz. "I would expect a first day quiz to be something to determine exactly where we are as a class. Since he's new, instead we get this drivel. A quiz to see if we read his books, and all the questions are about him, nothing that has anything to do with class."
"Add to that he decided to release Cornish Pixies into the class, then uttered some nonsense before running off to leave us to clean up his mess."
"I'd like to add that Professor Lockhart gave us no indication of HOW one would subdue the pixies before he set them free or before he left." Harry says. "Mister Weasley and Mister Longbottom here are here to serve as witnesses to the event."
Dumbledore sighs. "Thank you for this report. Please tell all the other students to report any more issues. Once there is sufficient documentation I will face him and see if I can get him to leave his post."
"As Headmaster can't you terminate him?" Hermione asks.
Dumbledore sighs. "I'm afraid I can't do that." He pulls out a stack of paperwork. "Mister Lockhart agreed to be a teacher if I signed a contract saying he could not be forcibly removed from the post. He either has to willingly leave or be declared physically unfit to teach."
"Why would you sign that?" Hermione asks.
"It's actually quite common for teachers to have written contracts to ensure employment." Dumbledore replies. "Also do you have any idea how hard it is to find a new teacher every year?" They shake their heads. "Many people believe that the post is cursed, so they are reluctant to take the post."
"Is that his contract?" Hermione asks, pointing to the stack of paperwork.
"It is a copy of it," Dumbledore admits.
"May I look through it?" Hermione asks.
"Of course." Dumbledore shrinks the stack down and hands it to Hermione who places it in her robes. "Let me know if you find anything I missed."
"Of course." Hermione says. Then they turn to leave tapping their pins to make the heir robes change back into their normal robes. Ron and Neville follow them out.
"What are we going to do now?" Ron asks.
"Let me read the contract." Hermione says.
"Maybe we should send a copy to Ted as well." Harry suggests.
Hermione nods and goes to do just that.
===September 5 1992===
Harry is sitting at a table with Hermione. She's going over Lockhart's contract. "I can't believe this, he has a clause in here stating that if he feels like pranks are being played on him in an effort to get him to vacate his position he can call on Hogwarts itself to identify the perpetrator. Then he can expel that perpetrator, have their wand snapped and all memories of magic erased."
Harry gasps. "We had better warn Fred and George."
Hermione nods. "It looks fairly ironclad. Maybe Ted will find something."
Much to their dismay Ted's reply told them exactly what they feared. They were stuck with Lockhart for the time being.
===September 7 1992===
Harry and Hermione are walking between classes hand in hand. When Harry suddenly stops.
"Harry?" Hermione asks.
"You don't hear that?" Harry asks.
Hermione listens. "What am I supposed to hear?"
"A voice, saying hunt, kill." Harry responds.
"I don't like that you're hearing something I'm not." Hermione says.
"You don't think I'm crazy?" Harry asks.
"I spent the summer with you. I know you're crazy." Hermione nods then replies. "But this isn't the kind of thing you'd joke about, and I don't think you're THAT kind of crazy."
===September 10 1992===
"Hey Neville." Harry says. "I notice you haven't been around the common room as much. Everything okay?"
Neville nods. "Yeah, I've been spending most of my free time in the greenhouses. I really enjoy spending time there."
"Oh, cool I had no idea." Harry says. "You really seem to be good at Herbology, so that makes sense you'd hang out there."
"By that argument you should be in the Defense classroom."
"Yeah, no thanks." Harry says. "I'll stick with what I'm doing."
"You and Hermione just sitting there snuggled into each other and reading right in the middle of the common room?"
"Exactly."
===September 19 1992===
Hermione comes down the stairs only to see Harry waiting for her. Harry gets up from the couch and kisses her cheek. "Happy birthday Mione." He hands her a small package.
Hermione blushes slightly. "I can't believe you remembered."
"I'm your boyfriend. I may not remember every date that's important, but I'm going to remember your birthday." Harry says.
Hermione nods and opens the package. Inside she finds a silver necklace with a silver charm in the shape of a book. "Harry, this is beautiful."
"Wait," Harry says as he reaches over and flips the charm over. Engraved on the back are their initials in a heart. Then he carefully opens it, inside the locket is their picture from their first date.
Hermione hugs him tight, then kisses him briefly. "Put it on me?" She asks as she turns around and holds her hair up.
Harry takes the necklace and puts it on her. He kisses her neck before letting her put hair done. "Sorry, couldn't resist." Harry says.
Hermione nods, a slight blush on her face. "It's fine, just as long as you're not letting magic push you."
"Oh no, that was all me. I was hoping you'd let me put on the necklace so I could." Harry admits.
Hermione chuckles slightly. "I have corrupted you, you're planning things out."
Harry grins, "now will you allow me to escort you to breakfast?"
===October 24 1992===
Harry comes down the stairs to see Hermione waiting for him. He goes and kisses her on the cheek. "Come on, we need to eat real quick, then I have Quidditch practice."
"It's pouring outside," Hermione says motioning to the window where you can barely see anything because the torrential rain. "Are you nuts?"
"I don't set the schedule Mione, I just go with it." Harry says.
Hermione sighs, she knows she can't ask him to quit Quidditch. Professor McGonagall didn't really give him a choice about joining the team. "Bring me your stuff, I'll put some charms on it to help."
Harry smiles. "You're the best !" He kisses her cheek again before running upstairs and getting his stuff. "Shouldn't we eat first?"
"You go eat since your practice is early. I'll come down once I'm done." Hermione says.
"But we always eat together." Harry says.
"That's sweet Harry, but I'd rather charm your clothes so there's less of a chance you get sick. I don't have time to do that and eat before your practice."
Harry nods. "Fair enough." He heads downstairs.
Hermione sighs as she carefully layers heating charms and impervious charms on all his Quidditch gear. Now he should stay warm and dry. She just finishes when he comes back up. "Done?"
"One more thing." Hermione says. "Hand me your glasses for a second." Harry hands her his glasses without question. He waits until she hands them back. "They're impervious to water, just like the rest of your gear. It should all last a couple hours."
"I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to wash them for a minute." Harry says.
Hermione chuckles as she gets up and kisses his cheek. "You be safe. I'm going to grab breakfast. Then I'll be nice and toasty by the fire waiting for you."
Harry grins. "Deal."
===October 31 1992===
"I can't believe Nearly Headless Nick invited us to his 500th deathday party." Harry says.
"I can't believe he celebrates his death." Hermione says.
"I bet at first he didn't, but after awhile he figured he wasn't going anywhere." Harry reasons.
Hermione nods. "That does make sense."
"Thanks for letting me tag along." Ron says. "I hope I'm not a… what's the muggle phrase? Spare tire?"
"The phrase you're looking for is third wheel." Hermione answers. "The phrase doesn't apply here as we aren't actually on a date." She turns to Harry. "Are we?"
"Hey, I consider our time just sitting in the common room together reading a date." Harry replies. "So don't ask me."
Hermione nods. "Even if it is a date, we're going to a party where there are other people."
"Or at least we hope." Harry says. "It'd be a little odd if we were the only living people invited."
"Neville said he was coming, and that he had a date." Hermione says.
"I'd forgotten about that." Harry says. "Getting a new wand has certainly helped his confidence."
They get to the party and see just a handful of other students and all the school's ghosts.
"Blimey!" Ron says. "There's a lot of ghosts here."
Harry nods. "You're not kidding."
"Look, that one isn't much older than us." Ron says as he points toward Moaning Myrtle.
"Don't be rude." Harry says as pushes Ron's arm down. He then looks at the ghost of the 14 year old girl floating there.
"That's Moaning Myrtle, she usually haunts the second floor girls bathroom."
"Why would she haunt a bathroom?"
"Rumor is that's where she died."
"So I guess Hogwarts wasn't safe before we got here." Harry says as he feels sorry for her. Here is this ghost forever stuck as a teenager. "I'm going to say hi to her."
"Harry…" Hermione starts but Harry has already walked off. She sighs knowing full well that stopping him here wasn't worth the effort.
"Come on Hermione, I'll stay with you until Harry comes back." Ron says.
"Thank you." Hermione says, then heads to the group of fellow students.
Harry walks over to Myrtle. "Good evening Miss Myrtle."
Myrtle glares at him. "You're here to mock me, aren't you?"
Harry shakes his head. "Why would I do that?"
"That's what most students do, they come into my lavatory and mock my glasses." Myrtle says then notices Harry's glasses. "I suppose you wouldn't do that since you have glasses as well."
"Of course not." Harry says. "I get plenty of that myself."
"Then why did you come over here?"
"You looked like you could use a friend." Harry answers.
"And you thought that would be you?"
"I figured I'd try."
"What's your name?" Myrtle asks
"Harry Potter, at your service." He bows to her.
"You're the legendary Harry Potter?" She says as she floats around him. "I thought you'd be taller."
"I'm only 12, give me a couple of years." Harry replies.
"I'll try to remember to check back on you." Myrtle says, then mumbles as she floats off. "If you remember to check back on me."
Harry turns and finds Hermione and Ron chatting with a blonde witch he doesn't recognize, who is wearing an odd pair of glasses. He walks over to them and puts his arm around Hermione's waist as she chats. She leans into him slightly. "Luna, this is my boyfriend Harry Potter. Harry meet Luna Lovegood."
"Hi." Luna says as she extends her hand.
Harry shakes her hand. "Pleased to meet you."
"You too."
"So what were you three talking about?"
"Turns out she's neighbors with the Weasley's." Hermione grins. "I was trying to wheddle out embarrassing stories to tell Ron's future girlfriend."
Ron blushes. "You're worse than my parents."
"I'm just teasing Ron." Hermione says. "You know I wouldn't actually do that."
"Or me." Harry says.
'I know you wouldn't Harry." Ron says. "You won't talk about yourself. As for Hermione, unless it was a learning experience I could see her keeping it to herself."
They both laugh. "You're probably right." Hermione says.
"Wait, did I hear that right?" Neville says as he jumps into the conversation a blonde haired girl by his side. "Did Hermione Granger say Ron Weasley was right?"
Hermione blushes heavily. Harry chuckles slightly. "You've gone and flustered her Neville."
"I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't mean to." Neville says.
"Oh, it's fine." Hermione says, then notices the girl at Neville's side. "And who is this?"
"Hannah Abbott, Hufflepuff." She says proudly.
Hermione nods. "I know you, we share Herbology and Transfiguration."
"That's right." Hannah says. "It turns out Neville and I both like spending our extra time in the greenhouse. So when I got invited to a party I knew who I wanted to be my date."
"Good for you, I hope it works out for both of you." Hermione says.
"I'm so relieved someone finally didn't say we were too young."
"Oh, we couldn't say that.' Harry says. "We started dating at the end of last year."
Harry and Hermione walk towards Gryffindor tower after the party. Neville was escorting Hannah back to the Hufflepuff dorms and Ron had insisted on escorting Luna to the Ravenclaw dorms since the other Ravenclaw's had gone earlier. "So what do you think about Ron and Luna?" Hermione asks
"To Ron she might as well be another sister, I bet she and Ginny hang out all the time." Harry replies. "You?"
"She eccentric, I've never heard of some of the creatures she was talking about." Hermione says. "I hope the other students don't pick on her, cause she's different."
Harry could tell she was talking about his own episodes of being bullied by Dudley and his friends. "Hopefully the new policy will be enough to subvert that." He says.
"Oh, subvert, I've got you to the point of using unusual words!" Hermione exclaims.
Harry smiles then stops and looks around. "There it is again." He whispers.
"The voice?" Hermione whispers listening.
Harry nods. "It sounds like it's coming from this way." He walks carefully looking around the corners, he doesn't realize at first when he steps into a puddle.
"Somebody must have something mean to Myrtle, she's flooded the bathroom again." Hermione says, looking at the water when Harry pulls on her hand and she looks up. "Is that Mrs Norris hanging in the air?" Then she notices the writing on the wall in blood: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
Harry nods as he calls out. "Mister Filch!"
Filch happens to be nearby when they call and comes around the corner. "What is it?" He gasps when he sees his cat. "What did you do?"
"We just found her like this, I swear." Harry says. "I was worried about you, hence the reason I called out your name."
Filch nods, finding it unlikely that they would call out to him if this had been something they did. "Very well. Miss Granger go and get the Headmaster, he needs to see this. Mister Potter. I need you to redirect any students away from here, you understand?"
"Yes sir!" They both say and go to their respective positions.
A short time later Hermione arrives with Dumbledore. "Argus my friend, I'm sorry to hear about your pet." Dumbledore says as he goes and looks at her. "Good news is she's alive, just petrified."
"Like someone cast the spell I used on Neville last year?" Hermione asks.
Dumbledore shakes his head. "This is something considerably stronger. I'm afraid she's going to be unconscious until we can get mandrake draught." Dumbledore takes the cat down with his wand, then erases the writing before heading to the hospital wing.
Hermione looks at Filch. "I'm truly sorry for your temporary loss, let me know if I can help you."
Filch looks at her. "Point your wand at the water." Hermione pulls out her wand and focuses on the water. "Now focus on the water evaporating. The spell is desicate, you say it as you draw your wand up."
"Desicate!" Hermione says, slowly drawing her wand up and the water quickly dries up. "Thank you for teaching me that. I promise to use it responsibly."
Filch nods. "You and Mister Potter should get on back to your common room. I'll let you know if I need anything else."
Hermione nods. "Of course." She quickly turns and gets Harry. The both of them go back to the common room.