Year 1

Fred Weasley remembers the first time he laid eyes on her. It was the first day of his Third Year at Hogwarts School and he was at Kings Cross Station in London. He has already said goodbye to his Mother and sister Ginny and was boarding the train with his twin brother, George. Fred had turned around to wave a final goodbye when he saw her.

She was given her mum a hug, while her mum just stood there, stiff and still. Her Dad was looking the other way, towards the exit of Kings Cross. After receiving no hug back, the tiny girl let go of her mother and took a step back. Without even saying goodbye, her father grabbed her mother's hand and rushed out of the station, as a group of students passed them carrying broomsticks, owls and cauldrons with books in. Some of them already had their uniform on, complete with their pointy hats.

She watched them go, disappear though the crowd. She brushed her wild hair behind her ears and slowly began to pick up her stuff, struggling with her truck. Her whole body seemed to be shacking. Fred rushed out of the train and stopped by her side.

"Hi" he smiled. She looked up at him, her eyes scared and wet with heavy tears.

"Do you want a hand?" Fred asked, bending down to pick up her heavy truck. He saw in the corner of his eye his mother give him a proud look.

"Thanks" she mumbled, wiping her face with her sleeve. She picked up her backpack and cauldron and followed Fred to the train.

"I'm Fred by the way, Fred Weasley" he told her, giving her a warm smile. She looked up at Fred, and a smile grew on across her face; it was so pretty.

"I'm Hermione Granger" she said. As they got on the train, Fred was attacked by George.

"Fred, you have to see what Lee brought, it's amazing! I can't wait to see Flinch's face!" he told Fred, a cheeky smile dominating his face.

"Ok, give me a sec" Fred told him, before realising that Hermione was looking from him to George, a slight bewildered look on her face.

"We're twins" George smiled, as always enjoying the look on people's faces when they think they're seeing double. A really scared looking boy got on the train at that moment, looking around. He spotted the twins and came over to them, dragging his things behind him.

"Hello" he said, his face nervous. A frog was peering over the edge of his cauldron.

"Hey, Neville" Fred and George smiled in unison.

"Do you know where Ron is? He said he'll sit with me on the train" he asked. Neville and his Grandmother had been a friend of the Weasley's family for as long as the twins could remember.

"No, he disappeared to one of the compartments" Fred told him "But you can sit with Hermione if you both want, she is in the first year as well" Hermione smiled shyly at Neville and held out her hand for Neville. Neville smiled back, shacking her hand. Fred and George helped them found a compartment and they found one with a few other first years already seating in there.

"Would you mind if we sit with you?" Hermione asked politely, sounding a lot more confident now. Fred and George put Neville and Hermione's trucks on the overhead self and waved goodbye.

"I think we're been more like a prefect then Percy has" George smiled, before dragging Fred off to see Lee's giant spider. Fred kept thinking about Hermione though. Her eyes which were so sad, and her heavy tears caused by her parents. He felt so sorry for her and he discovered that all he wanted to do was protect her. He didn't want to see her cry again. He tried to put it to the back of his mind, but her sad, pretty face kept floating in front of his face.

Fred was really glad when Hermione became friends with Ron, as that meant he could keep a closer on her without looking like a weirdo or a pervert. Fred noticed that Hermione always seemed so confident. She seemed so happy with her surroundings and herself. It made Fred doubt himself, thinking that what he saw the first day at Kings Cross was a mistake.

That was until after the Christmas holidays. Hermione had gone home for the holidays and had arrived back at Hogwarts quiet and pale. Fred didn't notice at first because she spent most of her time buried in books. It wasn't until a week back into the term. The teachers had piled on the homework and Fred was in the common room with George and their friends sitting round a table. Books and paper littered the table as they all tried to get on with a Charms essay.

Fred was struggling and found his eyes draft across the busy common room to the table were a quiet Hermione was sitting with Harry and Ron, who were engaged in a conversation. Hermione was surrounded by books and working hard. Fred had never seen a 1st year work as hard as she did. He hadn't even seen a 5th year work as hard as Hermione did.

As Fred sat there, watching her, Hermione took a brief break, stretching her arms above her head. The sleeves of her jumper fall down, revealing a white bandage wrapped tightly around her arm. Quick as lightening, Hermione pulled her sleeves down over her hands and quickly looked towards Harry and Ron. They were both busy with their conversation, obvious to everything else. Hermione thought she had gone unnoticed and continued with her working.

Sadly, Fred realised that his theories may be correct and he got up and made his way over to their table, putting on a big smile. He felt George follow him with his eyes.

"Hey guys" Fred smiled, sitting beside Hermione, who went slightly stiff but didn't look up from her work. Harry and Ron stopped their conversation and returned Fred's smile.

"You lot ok?" Fred asked, peering over Hermione's work. It seemed to be three sets of Transfiguration homework.

"Yeah, we were just discussing the Quidditch England Tournament" Ron told Fred, who wasn't really listening.

"Why do you have three sets of homework, Hermione?" Fred asked.

"I'm proof reading them for Harry and Ron" she told him without looking up.

"Guys!" Fred said, shocked, "Why can't you do that?" Ron shrugged.

"She offered" he told Fred. Harry did look guilty though and reached over to take his homework.

"Thanks, Hermione" he said. Hermione looked up and gave him a small smile.

"Why are you over here anyway?" Ron asked, "George said you had a big easy due in" Fred smiled his massive smile again.

"Can't I come and say hi to my favourite brother and his friends now?" Ron snorted.

"I'm not your favourite brother"

"Maybe not, but I like your friends the most out of all our brother's friends" Fred replied, winking at Harry.

"Just because we have Harry Potter" Ron replied, making Harry feel clearly uncomfortable.

"No actual, it's because George's friends are my friends, Percy's friends are stuck up snobs and I don't really know Bill and Charlie's friends" Fred told him, truthfully, "Not a lot of competition to be honest" Harry laughed, and Fred saw Hermione give a tiny smirk.

"You ok, Hermione?" he asked her softly. She looked at him, a slight questioning looking in her eyes, before nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she told Fred, her cheeks reddening slightly. Fred gave her a smiled, and went back to his table. He couldn't concentrate on his work after that, as his mind kept wondering to Hermione. Fred still had that feeling of wanting to protect her. It was a strange feeling, one he had only ever had over Ginny and his brothers. Fred barely knew this girl. All he knew was that she was hurting.