"Knock Knock"

"Hermione—little Hermione? What's wrong with you, come out and let Daddy see—"

Outside there was a constant knock on the door, over and over again, and never tired of it. Hermione was sorry for this, she knew that her parents were genuinely worried about her.

But she really didn't want to move, not at all.

She lay on the bed that had been with her for nearly 12 years, and buried her face in the soft pillow with a pillow.

It must have been her mother, who must have washed her pillow again when she was not at home, and a smell of soap filled her nose.

The familiar scent made Hermione's mind drift away, and she thought a little dazed that the day she entered Hogwarts was September 1st, which was 18 days before her birthday.

Her first birthday at Hogwarts was definitely the least worth celebrating in her life. Because everyone is not too familiar with each other, and the attention of the new students is mostly attracted by the novelty of magic lessons.

Unfortunately, no one knew about her birthday, let alone someone came to celebrate her.

To be honest, as a sensible girl, Hermione didn't pay much attention to it. But what she couldn't bear was that the red-haired monkey named Ron Weasley actually ...... actually said that everyone couldn't stand her!

What's even worse is that he actually said that he was like a nightmare!

It's been half a month since my birthday, and the mood that was gradually recovering due to the passage of time suddenly dropped to the freezing point again.

Although she was a little embarrassed, she still had to admit that she was really angry and cried.

"Hmm-"

Hermione buried herself in her pillow and whispered her shame. After all, crying nose or something, it's embarrassing to think about it.

However, when she wiped her tears in the girls' bathroom in the basement, she never expected a troll to rush in.

She was really scared at the time!

She swore she had read it in a book, and remembered it at once—an average of twelve feet tall, weighing more than a ton, powerful but stupid, and smelling of foul odor.

But she didn't know what she should do when she faced such a huge monster.

She didn't know, she didn't know anything anymore - all she could do was scream loudly and incessantly.

She didn't even know what the point of screaming was, was it a cry for help? But at the time of the Halloween dinner, who would notice that there is a little girl screaming in the girls' bathroom in the basement?

At Hermione's screams, the troll raised its stick and was about to smash it on her. She was sure that even if she was hit, it would kill her.

She doesn't want to die!

But who knows, at that most critical moment, that white, strangely smart-looking Hufflepuff boy actually appeared!

Two spells! He used two powerful spells in a row to defeat the troll with ease!

And then...... Then she subconsciously threw herself into Maca's arms.

"Hmm-"

Hermione simply pressed her head with a pillow and kicked the mattress with a pair of feet. At this moment, the genius girl who has always been full of arrogance and big grin has really revealed the appearance of some girls.

After another vent, Hermione finally quieted down a bit, and she continued to reminisce about the days that followed.

What's next?

Yes, it was the time when Maca began to reveal his unparalleled magical talents.

He is active in almost every way, whether it is studying or Quidditch, he has become the object of everyone's admiration.

Maybe he himself hasn't noticed it yet, but everyone sees it, and from time to time someone is secretly talking about him.

But Hermione always felt that the distance between her and Maca was getting farther and farther away......

Although Maca hadn't changed much at the time, she was still so easy to get along with, often smiling, and occasionally playing a little humor.

But Hermione only saw the gap between him and herself, which was getting bigger and bigger.

Hermione knew that she was a person who would not admit defeat, but when she faced Maca, she only had admiration in her heart.

However, it wasn't until the final moment of the Philosopher's Stone incident that Maca's image in her mind shattered.

It turns out that he is just an ordinary person, and he will also show such a gloomy expression for some reason. In it, Hermin was touched by the fragility that Maca had hidden deep in her heart.

Although Maca's expression was very terrifying at that time, it made Hermione feel a little relieved inexplicably.

"Original...... He's just an ordinary person. ”

It was such a small realization that Hermione had always trusted Maca. Even if Maca suddenly became cold after that, even if Maca was often silent, she was secretly at ease with the gradually narrowing distance between herself and Maca.

It's just that she didn't even notice it, and she already secretly had some green feelings in her heart.

Not long ago, when she was still worried that Maca couldn't watch the Quidditch World Cup together, a surprise made her completely understand her heart.

No, that's totally a scare!

She didn't understand, really, really didn't understand why Maca was ......

He was put in jail by Fudge? Dumbledore will not be saved when he sees death? Maca became a fugitive from Azkaban?

She didn't believe it, she didn't believe it at all, even if the facts were already clear in front of her, she just wanted to choose to escape.

She wanted to think about it, there must be something wrong here! But she couldn't adjust her messy mind at all.

Oh, poor Maka, he must have suffered a lot in Azkaban! Those terrible dementors—

"Dementors?" Hermione sat up abruptly and tossed the pillow aside, "Maca is afraid of Dementors?" Will he 'shiver' in Azkaban? ”

Her eyes widened, she climbed out of bed menacingly, stood in the room with her waist crossed, and said angrily, "He...... How could he do that! He's actually lying! ”

Hermione paced back and forth in the room, stomping the floor with a "thump".

"Yes...... That's right! He must have some plans again! Hum! He always does! Hermione muttered angrily, "And, it looks like Professor Dumbledore is still acting with him!" I'm worried about ......."

She paused, a blush flashed across her face, and she immediately changed her words.

“…… Hum! I'm so angry! He must not be spared! ”

When a girl understands her own mind, the changes in her mood and behavior seem to become unpredictable.

Hermione ran to the door, slammed the lock and pulled it open, and walked briskly downstairs to the living room with her father's stunned expression - she had two meals to eat, and she was starving!

"This bad guy is still making me hungry!"

Hermione's list of "Maca's 100 Unforgivable Sins" seems to have an extra charge for no reason.

Just then, a crisp doorbell rang at the door......

"Oh-Hermione, you-are all right?"

It was Ron and Harry who had arrived, and while Harry was still politely greeting Hermione's father, Ron had already hurried to Hermione's side.

But Hermione was so focused on eating that she didn't even look at him.

After Hermione had gulped her stomach, she said hello to her father and went to the courtyard outside the door with Ron and Harry.

"I can roughly understand what's going on!" Before the two of them could speak, Hermione hurriedly explained, "I think Maca is lying!" He must have been planning something with Dumbledore......"

Under Hermione's sudden and passionate explanation, Harry and Ron both nodded their heads in surprise and a little strange.

Yes, very reasonable.

How could that Marca McClain, who could pinch the Dementor's face with his bare hands and drag it around, tremble in Azkaban? If that's the case, where are the faces of the "poor" Dementors they took as practice subjects?

Thinking about it this way, and thinking of the "weird" smile that Maca showed at them at that time, it seemed that things became clear.

Maca must have not changed, but he must have had something important to do—just like the previous times, and though he had always been mysterious in these things, he hadn't missed a single one.

Both Harry and Hermione believed in Maca, and even Ron was quick to accept Hermione's reasoning this time.

It's just that Ron's eyes are a little strange, he looks at Hermione with a wrinkled face, and he seems to have something on his mind. Harry and Hermione were so focused on the conversation that they didn't really have time to pay attention to Ron's thoughts.

“…… So, what exactly were Hermione, Machat, and Dumbledore planning? Harry hesitated, "It won't be ......"

"You also saw the symbols of those mysterious people who appeared that night!" Hermione immediately said, "I can't guess Maca's plan, but it must be the same as the ground-"

"Hey, don't say it here!" Ron snapped back from his musings and reminded in a whisper.

"I know what you mean, I just remembered when you said that." Harry followed, "My scars hurt again that night when those strange skulls appeared in the air! ”

"Oh-" "Are you alright?" ”

Harry waved his hand to signal that they didn't have to worry, and he continued, "Maca reminded me again before, saying that I should learn the 'Occlumency' notebook he gave me as soon as possible - remember?" A Christmas gift from Maca when we were in first grade! ”

"Yes, I remember that I received a lion puppet...... "Hermione said excitedly, but she immediately realized that something was wrong, and quickly suppressed her excitement.

"That's right, that's when it was ...... Did you know? I tried it and the scar didn't hurt anymore! ”