'Knew you should have gotten rid of that thing,' said Ron bitterly, glaring at the diary on Harry's bed.

Harry had just finished telling Ron, Y/N, and the currently disillusioned Hermione about what he had seen in the diary. The dormitories were empty, but they didn't want to take the risk of Hermione being spotted by one of the other boys. This way, she could slip out without being noticed if any of them happened to walk in.

'He could've gotten the wrong person, couldn't he?' said Hermione's voice. 'It might not have been Hagrid.'

'We know Hagrid got expelled,' said Harry, he looked miserable, 'and the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid got kicked out, or Riddle wouldn't have gotten the award.'

'It just doesn't feel right though,' said Y/N, his eyes also on the diary. 'I get what it showed you, and I'm not discrediting that it happened, but if that's its purpose why does it feel so evil? Surely an enchantment like that would just be... well, an enchantment. No good, no evil.'

'Y/N's right,' said Ron 'Something just doesn't feel right. Hagrid goes nuts for those nutter animals he loves, but he wouldn't kill someone, and if he knew a creature could, he wouldn't keep it.'

'That one, I'm afraid, I can't agree with you on, Ron. If we hadn't talked him into getting rid of Norbert, he'd have kept it till it burnt down half the school,' said Y/N, 'but something's definitely not right. For one, if it was Hagrid, why this year? He's been here forever. He's one of Dumbledore's closest, Dumbledore trusts him. He could have done it any year or just permanently, and yet here we are.'

'Who else could it be?' asked Harry, looking frustrated.

'Literally anyone else in the castle, Harry,' said Y/N. 'We didn't think Hagrid was a suspect before.'

'We didn't really think anyone other than Malfoy was to be fair, Y/N,' said Hermione quietly.

Y/N got up and began pacing. The book made him uneasy. Lucius Malfoy had passed it onto Ginny, Ginny, against all better judgement, had kept it. This year, the Chamber had been opened and suddenly this book, this stupid little diary, had all the answers as to what was going on. And yet Malfoy had none, despite his father being the one with the book. It was all too convenient. He felt like the answer was right around the corner and he couldn't place it.

'None of us want to believe it's Hagrid either mate,' said Harry, watching Y/N pace, 'but I know what I saw.'

'I know Harry, but something's just not adding up for me. I can't help but feel like Hagrid's just another piece of the puzzle. Not the ending.'

'Should we speak to him?' asked Hermione.

'That'd be a cheerful visit,' said Ron 'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'

'It's been quiet since before Christmas now,' said Hermione. 'We don't need to speak to him unless it happens again, it might already be over. Come on, Y/N,' and he felt something grab his arm and start tugging him towards the door.

'Where are we going?'

'You need to make me visible again, and you can't really do it up here,' came Hermione's voice as she dragged him downstairs.

This had apparently been an attempt at something longer, however as Hermione dragged him subtly over to the portrait hole and took him out of it. He revealed her and she hooked her arm around his, leading the way off into the corridors of the castle.

'Where are we going now?' he asked, a little bemused.

'If we turn around and walk straight back in, that's going to look weird, you leave then 10 seconds later we both walk back in. Besides, curfew hasn't hit yet.' And with an amused smile, Y/N allowed himself to be lead around the castle.

Much as Hermione had already said, no attacks had taken place for months and the next few weeks proceeded much the same. Most people's tensions were leaving, the castle was going back to a state of semi-normality and even Y/N had felt himself relax a bit. Him and Hermione were spending increasing amounts of time alone, walks across the grounds, and he even managed to convince her to take another broomstick flight around them.

Then, during March, Professor Sprout announced happily that the Mandrakes had thrown a party inside of Greenhouse three and that once they started to climb into each other's pots, they were ready to be used for the restorative draught on those who had been petrified.

Before long, the Easter Holidays hit, and the second years were faced with a dilemma. They needed to pick their subjects for their third year. Subjects they would be stuck with until after their O.W.L.S in their fifth year.

'It could affect our whole future!' said Hermione to Harry and Ron, who didn't seem to be taking it seriously.

'I just want to give up Potions,' said Harry.

'We can't,' said Ron gloomily. 'I'd've ditched Defence against the Dark Arts otherwise.'

'The lesson is actually important Ron, even if Lockhart is incompetent,' said Y/N. 'But yeah, no dropping subjects till 5th year. At least not any of the ones we've been doing so far. All of these are optional. You technically don't have to take any, but I wouldn't recommend that.'

Many people had been trying to give advice on what to take over others, but Hermione had simply put herself down for everything.

'You sure you're gonna be alright with all that, 'Mione?' Y/N asked as he watched her ticking boxes.

'What do you mean?' she asked, looking up at him.

'Think of the workload. That's five extra subjects!'

'I'll see what happens. I won't know till I try them,' she said brightly, and whilst the tone of the conversation was friendly, he knew her mind was set.

'Fine,' he said, ticking all boxes bar Muggle Studies, 'but we'll see what happens.'

'Wait! You can't tell me off then do it yourself!'

'I wouldn't have had to if you didn't. Got to keep you company, don't I? Plus, all of these sound interesting anyway. Barring Divination, I just want to see Trelawney first hand. Mum talks about her a lot'

'Does Muggle Studies not?'

'I've got you; I don't need to learn about them in school, I can just come hang out with you and your parents. Why are you taking it? You are a muggle,' he said with a raised eyebrow.

'I just think it'll be fascinating to see how Wizard's see them. I know how Wizards see Muggles from the extreme end of the scale, but not normally.'

'You're an odd one,' he said smirking at her, she hit him playfully in the chest, but she was laughing.

Sadly, Y/N's time with Hermione was now being interrupted by Oliver Wood. The next match of the Quidditch season was fast approaching. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff. And whilst Y/N was still reserve, Wood was still insistent he attend to ensure he was ready should he be needed.

Whilst he wasn't getting it as bad as Harry, who was being dragged down daily, Wood was forcing him down about four out of seven of the practices a week, despite Y/N's protest attempts. And even when Y/N wasn't there, his broom was. Normally in the hands of Alicia.

'I need to get one,' she said with a hint of jealousy, handing it back to Y/N in the common room after the last practice before the match. 'It always feels weird going back to my broom afterwards.'

Harry trooped in not long afterwards. He looked tired but in high spirits and Y/N could tell why, the team were flying almost perfectly. Spurred on by their victory over the Slytherin's Nimbuses, they felt invincible. His face soon dropped as Neville came sprinting across the common room towards them, looking terrified.

'Harry, Y/N! I don't know who did it, but I just found-' he didn't finish his sentence, but instead lead them up towards their dormitory and gingerly opened the door for them.

Harry and Y/N's trunks had been turned upside down, their stuff was scattered around the room. Clothes ripped, bottles smashed, draws pulled out and emptied on mattresses. Y/N began waving his wand casting Reparo on his and Harry's robes and bottles whilst Harry began searching through his stuff.

Ron, Seamus, and Dean walked in a moment later and Dean swore loudly.

'What happened guys?' he asked, looking around.

'No idea,' said Harry. Ron had moved over and was examining the robes that Y/N was repairing.

'Someone's been looking for something,' he said. 'Look, the pockets are inside out, is anything missing?'

Harry began throwing his stuff back into his trunk as did Y/N. After a while, the other boys left once again, and Y/N turned to face them.

'Harry. Where's the diary?'

Harry clapped a hand to his forehead.

'Of course, I hid it under my mattress!'

'I could feel it wasn't here the moment we walked in. I was wondering why someone would have emptied our trunks but not Ron's. They know he's with us for everything, you especially, but they went for us. Which makes me think they checked my stuff, couldn't find it, then went for yours.'

'They thought you had it? But why? And how'd they know I had it?'

'I have some theories,' growled Y/N. He didn't want to be angry at Ginny. He really didn't, but this stunt had made it very hard not to be.

'Can you give us the basics?' asked Ron.

'Someone must know about my ability. They must have seen Harry with it and assumed Harry would give it to me if we knew it was dangerous. They checked my stuff first and after realising I didn't have it, they checked over Harry's, found it, and left.'

'That's a bit farfetched don't you think, Y/N?' asked Harry. 'How many people actually know about what you can do.'

'Not many,' Y/N responded, 'but that just makes my suspect list very small.'

They all made their way back downstairs where Harry told Hermione what had happened.

'But only a Gryffindor could have done it,' she said, looking shocked. 'Nobody else knows our password.'

'Exactly,' said Harry.

After some more theorising between the trio, Harry and Ron went off to bed. The moment they did, Hermione snapped her book closed and turned to face Y/N.

'It's not like you to skip out on the theories unless you already have one,' she said simply.

'It's not a theory. It was Ginny,' he said back.

'How do you know?'

'She went through my stuff too; Ginny knows about my ability. She had the diary before, and she saw that Harry had it on Valentine's Day. She must have thought I'd take it off Harry when I saw he had it. Which to be fair I would have done if I thought I needed to. She must have panicked. There's something up with that diary, and she isn't getting away with not answering me.'

Y/N stayed awake way past Hermione, who fell asleep on his shoulder whilst attempting to keep him company. He knew Ginny was already probably in bed, or avoiding him, but he didn't care. If there was even a chance he could catch her, he was doing it.

By one in the morning however, his patience ran out. He tapped Hermione awake and she looked at him through bleary eyes.

'Is it Quidditch time?' she asked groggily, causing Y/N to laugh.

'Not for another ten hours yet. Come on,' he pulled her to her feet by the hand and walked her over to the dormitories. 'Go get some sleep, I'll need to be up early because of Wood and I'd rather have you with me whilst the rest look like someone died.'

'Mmmmhmmm,' she said blearily, still clinging to his arm. 'Sleep time,' she added, dragging him over towards the sofa. Y/N laughed but did not argue, and the two of them settled downside by side and fell asleep.

The next morning however, a gentler voice than Oliver Wood's woke him.

'Hey, hey Y/N,' he felt a hand shaking him and his eyes fluttered open. Alicia's face swam into vision with Angelina and Katie behind her, dressed and looking like they were restraining from cooing over the two slumbering friends.

'Might want to wake up before the twins catch you,' she said, smirking at him. 'They won't let you forget this,' and her eyes travelled over to Hermione.

'Yeah, of course. Thanks Alicia. See you shortly.'

The three chasers left and just as the portrait hole went to swing closed, he heard them explode into giggling. Grimacing and slightly pink, Y/N poked Hermione awake again.

'IsQuidTime?' was all she managed this time.

'Actually yes this time,' said Y/N smirking at her. 'Come on, I need to go get changed.'

Hermione groaned but lifted herself up off his shoulder, stretching. She looked so adorable when she was half asleep

'Go get back to sleep. I'll see you down there,' said Y/N, stretching himself and turning to head up to the boys dormitory.

'See you in ten,' she said, clearly still half asleep.

Y/N was just opening the door to his dormitory room however when Oliver Wood appeared behind him.

'Oh, Y/N! Perfect! Good to know you're keen,' he said, beaming.

'Keens a strong word, Oliver,' said Y/N groggily. 'I fell asleep in the common room; the girls woke me.'

'Ah, so they're up too! Brilliant,' replied Oliver who clearly hadn't heard the first part of Y/N's sentence. 'Always a pain trying to wake them. Don't dare go up to the girls dormitory.'

'You can't anyway,' yawned Y/N, making his way over to his bed as Wood followed him in and walked towards Harry's four poster. 'Four founders didn't trust boys so the stairs to the girls dorms in every house are enchanted, they turn into a slide and send the person straight back to the bottom if a boy attempts to climb them.'

'Oh,' said Wood. 'I was never taught that one.'

'Neither was I,' said Y/N. ''Hogwarts: A History'. You should read it, genuinely quite interesting.'

Wood ignored this too and instead woke Harry as Y/N pulled the curtains around his four poster and began to get changed.

Together, he and Harry made their way downstairs to the Common Room where they met a very sleepy but otherwise dressed Hermione.

'I told you to go back to bed,' said Y/N as she moved over to join them.

'And I told you see you in ten,' she said, wrapping her arm around his.

He shook his head at her, but he was beaming.

'Buck up there boys!' said Wood, pushing plates of food toward Harry and Y/N almost the moment they arrived at the Gryffindor table.

Harry looked drearily down at his plate. Y/N tried to do the same. The pre-match jitters were creeping in, but apparently Hermione had different ideas as she kept swapping it out for other suggestions, desperate for him to eat something. Eventually he did it just to get the look of concern off her face, and to stop the three chasers from beaming at the two of them.

Y/N's eyes wandered the table as the Great Hall filled up, but there was still no sign of Ginny. He didn't care if he made a show of it, he was intending to ask her the moment he saw her. However, she didn't appear and eventually the team got to their feet followed by Hermione and Ron who had arrived a short while earlier and trooped out into the Entrance Hall.

Just as they left however, Harry let out a strangled sort of yell and span around. Luckily the rest of the team were too far off to hear, but Ron, Hermione, and Y/N tuned to face him.

'There it is again! The voice! Can't you hear it?'

Y/N cursed as Ron and Hermione shook their heads, but then Hermione's hand flew to her forehead.

'I think I've just understood something!' she said, 'I've got to go to the library!' she turned and kissed Y/N on the cheek with a 'Good luck!' before she went sprinting off.

Y/N moved to follow her, but Harry and Ron grabbed him.

'We still need you mate,' said Harry. 'We've got a match.'

'I'm only a reserve,' said Y/N. 'I'm not letting her run around without me when that damn beast is on the roam again.'

'It's Hermione,' said Ron. 'Nothing can put her in danger.'

Y/N snarled, but Ron and Harry were not letting go and eventually, he allowed them to lead him down towards the stadium. They tugged him into the changing rooms and Ron moved off to join the spectators in the stands. Y/N withdrew his diary and wrote.

'Please, stay safe.'

Wood began his pre-match pep talk, but Y/N wasn't listening. The dull pulse in his head was getting heavier and heavier, but he didn't care as he focused everything he had on the diary waiting for her response, all the while the anxiety was rising. Alicia placed a hand on his shoulder and said something to him that he was too far away to understand, all he could manage as a response was 'Good luck.'

And then he felt it. A ripple.

He tore the book out of his Quidditch Robes' pocket and read the response.

'Hospital Wing.'

That.... That wasn't Hermione's handwriting.

He snatched one of the spare school brooms off the wall of the changing room and ran out the back, ignoring the confused cries of his teammates. He mounted the broom and kicked off, speeding towards the doors of the castle, his fear threatening to overwhelm him.

He staggered as he hit the stairs and dropped the broom, he sprinted through the doors and almost ran straight into Professor McGonagall who seemed to be hurrying out of the castle with a megaphone.

'Y/N I-' she began, but Y/N sprinted on past her heading down towards the corridor of the Hospital Wing. He threw open the doors without even knocking and swept across the floor. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen, but he could hear clattering come from her office at the back. He looked around and his heart froze.

There, lying completely still, was Hermione. Her eyes glassy and unmoving, her body frozen.

And everything went black.

All Y/N could see was Hermione. He'd promised to defend her, promised to protect her. Swore that nothing would ever happen to her whilst he was there. He let her go, he took his eyes off her and she had gotten hurt. Whatever it was had gotten her.

He didn't know how long he stood there staring at her, each second seemed to drag. The minutes forcing themselves forward, his emotions rose higher and higher, it felt like his entire world was breaking, shaking.

Then, finally, after several centuries, a hand placed itself on his shoulder rather harshly. His vision clarified and he span to face the person drawing his wand, only to be met by his mother and a rather afraid looking Harry and Ron. The moment he realised, he took a breath, some of the frustration and anger at his own failure left him.

And as it did, several of the nearby trays, empty beds, and loose items clattered back down from where they had been hovering. He also heard what sounded like faint banging coming from Madam Pomfreys Office door at the back of the room.

'Let her out, Y/N,' said McGonagall. It wasn't harsh, but it was an instruction. Y/N turned his eyes on the door, he wasn't exactly sure how he was meant to. Madam Pomfrey was a witch, surely she could open it? No sooner had he thought this however, the door swung open and Madam Pomfrey almost toppled over before straightening up.

'What was that!' she cried, looking at him angrily. 'I have patients to look after, you can hardly-!' but she was cut off as a bottle on the shelf close to her exploded. McGonagall squeezed Y/N's shoulder forcefully before stepping between them.

'Poppy, enough. I don't know what happened to your office door but I assure you it was not Y/N's doing. And Y/N-' but she didn't look like she knew what to say. And that suited Y/N just fine, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the Hospital Wing, heading back towards the Common Room.

He stayed there all day, sitting in a chair, and staring into the fireplace. Ignoring all questions asked to