(Y/N)'s POV

The coming weeks were a rush of exam preparation and Magical Creature cases, I even read about them in lessons, I was pulled out of the case I was reading about by Ron "We're due in Charms," he said, "We'd better go." Said Hermione.

We hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom. "You're late, boys!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs "

Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags, I followed. Ron looked behind him. I just sat there awkwardly, Hermione was usually who I paired up with, but she was nowhere to be seen, so Professor Flitwick just allowed us to be a three

"Where's Hermione gone?" Ron asked "No idea, but she was just with us" I said. "That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something?" But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson. "She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron.

Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time we scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room, we found her. Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. It was honestly adorable to see.

I prodded her awake. "Wh...what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W...which lesson have we got now?" "Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?" "What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. 

"I forgot to go to Charms!" This brought me out of my own head, I realised I had been staring at her and smiling, but really could you blame me? I cleared my throat, "Hermione how did you forget? You were right beside us, the trek through the door of the classroom shouldn't have taken this much out of you."

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry?" "Nah, I doubt he even noticed, cheering charms were wicked though" she groaned. "Hermione I'd hate to say it, but I think you're spread a bit too thin" I pointed out, gesturing to her mountain of books.

Ron agreed "He's right, I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much." "No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!", I started to chase after her, and for once I finally caught her.

"Hermione, I'm serious, you don't have to do this much, it's damn near killing you-" "I'm fine!" she insisted, "No you're not, your just too proud to admit it" she frowned at me.

"It's not a bad thing to want to learn everything you can, but please, slow down, there is only so much time in the day, you cant spend it all in a book" she sighed "Everyone knows you're the smartest person at Hogwarts, you don't have to work yourself to death to prove it."

She nodded sadly, I didn't want to leave her on a sad note so I added, "Besides, if your too tired, who's going to do my potions homework?" she smiled and left. "Weird, I didn't know she wore jewellery" I thought, as I saw her prodding a necklace that looked eerily familiar.

Hermione joined us at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed "I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!" 

"Did he? Guess I should have paid more attention, sort of dozed off near the end." I teased; she just gave me a look. Together we climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. "I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby. 

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "Thank god, your palms are always all sweaty" I nudged Ron, he just huffed at me, "Whatever, at least mine aren't giant." I stuck my tongue out at him.

Trelawney announced herself "Good day to you!" "I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Hermione snorted. "Well, honestly... 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. We all choked back laughs.

Trelawney continued to ramble on, honestly, I mostly just drowned her out, "Hermione, wake me when it's over" I teased, she elbowed me. "This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practising something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms" Professor Trelawney rustled past.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?"

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight." Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, I was trying hard to stifle laughter, but clearly failed because Parvati was turning her nose up at me.

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in our direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" "There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses.

 "Something moving... but what is it?" I nudged Ron, "I'll give you three guesses, but I bet you three sickles it rhymes with Jim" he let out a chortle. "My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. 

"It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr-" "Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!" Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too.

Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger. "I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane." There was a moment's silence. Then...

"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair and knocking over a crystal ball. "I give up! I'm leaving!" 

And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight. It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. "Well, looks like I'm failing, because I did NOT see that coming" I laughed. Lavender and Parvati glared at me.

Then out of nowhere "Ooooo!" said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!" 

Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile. "Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs... The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know..." Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.

"Around Easter, bloody hell, you'd think the all-seeing eye, would be a bit more specific" I said after a few minutes of chatter, "The Inner Eye" Trelawney corrected, "Who cares?" I mumbled, for a second I thought she might suddenly decide that I wasn't a match for this class too, but she moved on.

As we descended from the tower, Harry turned back to return a crystal ball to Trelawney, despite our protests. When he got back, he seemed spooked, he told us a wild story about Trelawney, how she had recited a prophecy to him.

"How many times is that this week?" I said, but he still looked unconvinced, he was clearly shaken by it this time. "Don't worry about it mate, like McGonagall said, it's an iffy discipline" he gave a short nod." I doubt it will mean anything."

In the coming weeks we were all swamped with tests and revision, Harry also had Quidditch practice for the finals, but I think he enjoyed the distraction. But nobody had as much to do as Hermione.

Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes and seemed constantly close to tears.

I had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal, luckily, Ron was a big help. Like me when he wasn't doing his own work, he was helping by poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks

Because of the Quidditch cup being put on Harry's shoulders he was having a particularly bad time of it, so Oliver Wood had regulated me "seeker protection duty", it was honestly quite dull, there were a few cases of Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up.

Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw me behind him, honestly I think they were scared of me, not that I'm complaining, but nothing exciting happened.

I think it was getting to him, the night before the match he woke us up and insisted he had seen something in the window, but there was nothing there. He wasn't much better the next day, nerves were biting at him because it was the day of the match. That was until a certain someone said hello.

We were running off to the pitch when Cho Chang called out "Good luck, Harry!" I had to stop myself from laughing when I saw Harry shyly wave and blush, grinning madly, I nudged him, he panicked but spoke anyway, "Yeah um, you too"

I lost it, bursting into uproarious laughter, she even gave a giggle, but Harry himself sprinted off to avoid awkwardness. "That was adorable, but mate, she's not even playing" I said as I caught up, he raked his fingers over his face, then muttered a curse word. 

"She thought it was funny, you made her laugh, that's good" he shrugged, "Don't worry, you got this, just go win, give her something to swoon over" I winked, he did a determined nod and stepped into the locker room.

Hermione's POV

We found our seats in the stands when (Y/N) finally arrived, smirking as he did, "You will never guess what just happened!" he said excitedly, Ron shushed him much to his disappointment, Ron was too transfixed on Madam Hooch starting the match to notice.

"Oh, whatever, I can tell you later, if you're done drooling over the Firebolt" he playfully shoved Ron and sat down next to me. "Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..." The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air.

Ron smirked, "Hey look, Alicia Spinnet's playing first, want to blow her a kiss for good luck?" "Shut up" (Y/N) said defensively, crossing his arms. The match was very exciting, there were so many tense moments.

While cheering on Harry was brilliant, but it wasn't the only thing that was catching my attention, it was (Y/N), I had been with him for almost every Quidditch match since Harry started playing, but he was a bit different this time.

I had never seen him so engaged in a Quidditch match, normally he was nervous and jumpy, which meant most of the time he ended up holding my hand for support, not that I really minded.

Now, he was cheering as loud as he could, his head was bobbing and weaving with the players actions, he cheered and booed anyone who needed it. It was like an entirely different person, I guess it was the finals, even he was excited.

After what felt like hours of screaming our hearts out in support of Gryffindor, the game finally reached a dramatic peak, Gryffindor were fifty points up, and Harry was rocketing after the snitch if he caught it, we would win the house cup.

"GO GO GO!" we all shouted, spurring Harry on as he was chasing after the Snitch, Malfoy was hot on his trail, then Malfoy did something ridiculous, he grabbed the back of Harry's Firebolt and pulled it.

Of course everyone was in outrage, (Y/N) was letting out a long string of curse words, he turned to me "Did you bloody see that! PENALTY!" he cursed some more, jumping up and down out of frustration.

After Malfoys foul, we were finally up by fifty points again, all eyes were on Harry, suddenly he let out a burst of speed, "He's seen it, he's seen it!" shouted (Y/N) pointing to him and grabbing my hand out of nervousness. Unfortunately, Malfoy saw it too.

"Cmon mate, you've got it, you've got it" he chanted, squeezing my hand a bit harder, we watched in amazement as Harry caught up with Malfoy, He flattened himself so he was more streamlined, then he threw himself forward, knocking Malfoy aside, and snatched the Snitch.

"YES!" Harry screamed as he pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, we all screamed in joy. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers. (Y/N) pulled me into an excited hug, jumping up and down like a maniac, a huge smile on his face.

The whole team rushed Harry, screaming "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth. After Dumbledore presented them the house cup, we all rushed the pitch, all of us surrounding the Quidditch team (Y/N) hoisted Harry onto his shoulders and paraded him around, cheering and laughing along with everyone.

Hagrid cheered along with us, "Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!" There was Percy, jumping up and down all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag, Oliver Wood had collapsed to his knees and was sobbing tears of his own. We were all ecstatic, all our troubles forgotten.

(Y/N)'s POV

We were all on cloud nine, still on a high after our Quidditch cup win, but unfortunately, exams had taken their toll, and then something even worse made us crash back down to earth. We received a letter from Hagrid.

"Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it." "Hagrid." "We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!" "Of course we are going!" I said.

"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window in a worried sort of way. "We'd never be allowed... 'specially you, Harry..." Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking. "If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..."

"Where is it?" said Hermione. Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch. "... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished. "That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you... How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But..." Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight. "She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.

She came back a bit later, holding the cloak with a smirk on her face. "Hermione, I don't say this enough, but you are brilliant" I said, "Yeah" spluttered Ron in disbelief. Hermione looked rather flattered. We made our way outside and down the path to Hagrid's hut. Until we were met with some unwanted visitors, we threw the cloak off.

Malfoy, along with Crabbe and Goyle, was lurking on the path to Hagrid's, chuckling and joking, binoculars in hand, spying on Hagrid, who was stood in the pumpkin patch, tossing dead ferrets to Buckbeak.

I heard him as we approached, every syllable out of his mouth angered me more "-Did you see the big, fat blubbering oaf?! Oh, this is going to be rich. Did I tell you, Father said I can keep the head?" He looked up and saw us approaching, a smirk on his face. "Ah. Come to see the show?"

Hermione stormed up to him, wand drawn "You... foul... loathsome... evil... little cockroach..." Malfoy stumbled back against a tree, cross-eyed with fear as Hermione jabbed the tip of her wand under his nose, I was blown away, I had never seen her like this, but I wasn't going to stop her.

"Hermione! No!" She turned; clearly surprised Ron of all people had tried to stop her "He's not worth it." She nodded, then "SMACK!" quick as lightning, she landed a looping right hand to Malfoy's jaw, putting him flat on his back. Stunned, he leapt to his feet and ran, Crabbe and Goyle huffing and puffing behind.

"Hermione, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen you do!" I said, "That felt good." She beamed. We made our way to Hagrid's. When we got there, Hermione made tea. "Look at 'em. Loves the smell o' the trees when the wind blows..."

"I say we set him free" I offered, Hagrid shook his head "They'd know I did it. And tha' would only get Dumbledore in trouble. Gonna come down, yeh know. Says he wants ter be with me when it... when it happens. Great man, Dumbledore."

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid." I said. "Yeh will not! Think I wan' yeh seein' a thing like this!" I tried to protest, "Yeh'll drink yer tea an' be off." We drank the rest of our tea in silence, until Hagrid spoke up.

"Good. Now then. Ron, I wan' ter see you give Hermione a hug." "What!" Ron and Hermione said, I was in a bit of a shock too. "Go on! You two've been at it all year. An' I'm sick o' it." Hermione and Ron stepped forward and perform perhaps the most awkward hug Hogwarts has ever seen.

I couldn't help but laugh "Where's Colin when you need him eh?" I smirked "Tha's jus' abou' the most pathetic hug I e'er seen. But yeh did it, an' tha's wha' matters."

"I feel left out" I commented, pulling Hermione into a hug, she just called me a prat, Ron whispered something to Harry, and they laughed. "Now it's our turn," I said, hugging Ron, picking him up and swinging his legs around. "Ge'off" he said, everyone laughed. "There's jus' one other thing..." Hagrid said.

"I'm not kissing Fang if that's what you're thinking..." Said Ron, hearing his name, Hagrid's giant boarhound thumped his tail happily on the floor, "Nah, It's Harry's turn I think" I commented, with a laugh Hagrid turned, took the lid from a flour tin and out popped the tiny head and ears of Scabbers, flecked with flour, looking a lot better than the last time I saw him.

"Scabbers! You're alive!" Ron shouted happily, scooping Scabbers up and running a thumb up the rats back affectionately. "Wow, I don't believe it, I thought he'd have kicked the bucket by now" I whispered, Hermione gave me a look. "Yeh should keep a closer eye on yer pets, Ron." Hagrid commented.

"I think you owe someone an apology." Hermione said, Ron smirked "Right. Next time I see Crookshanks or Bones, I'll let them know." he smirked. I scoffed, "Good, because she's about ready to claw your eyes out, and I'm not going to stop her" I mused. 

Hermione frowned at me "I meant me." I laughed again, "Who do you think I was talking about?" she frowned at me again. "Here we go again..." said Hagrid and suddenly "SMASH!" a glass jar on Hagrids counter smashed. 

As Hermione scooped up a stone, a second one flew into the widow, hitting Harry in the back of the head. "Ow!" Harry turned to look out the window, I did the same, a pebble the size of a penny hit me directly in the eye. "ARGH" I grunted out, clutching my eye, cursing. Hagrid saw them first, with his two good eyes.

"They're comin'..." We all whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.

"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here... Go now..." Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.

We followed him to the door into his back garden. Harry was shifting uncomfortably and started to even more so when he saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. 

I knew how he felt, I wanted to protest, but I couldn't risk getting all of us in trouble, Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously. 

"It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay..." He turned to us. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'." But we didn't move. "Hagrid, we can't-" "We'll tell them what really happened-" "They can't kill him-" "Please just let us-"

"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!" we had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and Ron, I heard voices at the front of the cabin, she pulled me inside the cloak too and we reluctantly left. "Go quick," Hagrid said hoarsely. "Don' listen..." And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.