Adrift in Time

Admirable

September 1, 1995

She loved children. She really did. However, the eleven year olds were already driving her mental. Half of them were terribly scared. And those who weren't anxious were teasing the ones who were. Telling them all about the Hippogryph that supposedly lived in the common room. Hermione had restrained the urge to reprimand them and roll her eyes. Getting ready to ask them if they'd even bothered to read Hogwarts: A History before arriving. However, she didn't have to, as a seemingly timid boy had told them that exact same thing.

"Seriously, are you guys that daft? There's no creature living in the common room other than you trolls," the small boy said in a tone that reminded her so much of herself. "Honestly, have you ever read Hogwarts: A History?" He muttered under his breath. Ron was staring at Hermione; red in the face, trying to hold in his laughter. Hermione gaped at the boy before shaking her head and grinning to herself. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Her train of thought was interrupted by a small yelp and a bout of laughter. Turning around, she saw a black haired little girl whose leg had fallen through the vanishing step and was struggling to get up. Just Maybe.

After guiding all the first years to bed and telling them that she'd be here in case they had any questions, she turned to Ron. Her best friend was clearly exhausted and ready for bed. He yawned and exaggeratedly stretched his arms above his head.

"Hey, I'm going to go check on Harry," he told her directing a worried glance at the fifth year boy dormitory. She nodded and gave a small yawn herself. She'd also heard the rumors traveling throughout the hallways as fast as wildfire. She knew that Harry hated being the center of attention. Especially when it concerned He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She also knew that he would take this all to heart. And Harry would not listen to her nor her advice on blocking people out.

"That might be for the best." She joined his gaze up the boy's dorm staircase. "Goodnight, Ron." He gave her a crooked grin and a small wave.

"'Night, 'Mione."

She couldn't sleep after that. In the end, she gave up and grabbed her yarn and needles from her trunk. She made her way down the stairs, a long sigh escaping through her lips. She sat upon her favorite armchair in the Gryffindor Common Room. A patched and worn crimson one that sat perfectly in front of the fire. Being a prefect wasn't terribly hard. The first years were the most difficult factor of her duties.

She was steadily working on her latest project, some hats for the house elves. No matter if the one she was currently working on looked like a deformed rubbish liner. She enjoyed the tranquility of knitting in front of the fireplace. The dying but still glowing embers were starting to help with her slight insomnia problem. Another stifled yawn escaped her and she put down the needles. Hermione held up the project. It wasn't good by any means but she had to admit it looked much better than the ones sitting at the very bottom of her trunk from earlier that summer. Anyways, it was the intention that counted. She just wanted to free the house elves.

She grabbed hold of the yarn and kept working on the hat; her thoughts drifting back to earlier that evening at the feast. The Sorting Hat's song would not depart from her mind. Who was the threat? Who was here to help? And most importantly, how does one unite the houses?

That last question was the one that plagued her the most. The four houses were rarely ever together. In fact, the most she'd seen of them interacting outside their own was during combined lessons. Either that or studying in the library. Not that they could study much anyways thanks to an always shushing Madame Pince, the Hogwarts librarian who loved the quiet of her library and would make sure to cease every noise. Because of this, many students avoided working together with other houses in the library and often opted to work in their own common rooms.