Y/N and Hermione sat in the common room staring at Harry and Ron. Mainly Harry. They had just arrived back from the train and were catching up with their two friends:

"So you got caught with my cloak, by the Headmaster, staring into a mirror?"

Harry nodded at Y/N, replying:

"Yeah but it was a special mirror. I saw my parents. Ron saw himself, but as Head Boy, and Quidditch Captain"

Y/N knew now what Harry was talking about.

"Did the mirror have writing around it Harry?"

Harry nodded happily.

"That's the Mirror of Erised. It's a cursed object. You need to keep away from it"

Harry sighed and replied:

"The Headmaster told me the same, that he was going to move it and-"

"Good" Y/N answered with a relieved sigh.

"How is it cursed? Harry saw his parents! I was-"

Y/N interrupted Ron's petulant whining with a fierce tone:

"Because it's not real Ron! It causes people to waste away on dreams instead of living their lives!"

"I still think it's cool" Ron answered with a huff, crossing his arms.

"For fucks... back me up here 'Mione"

Y/N turned his head to look at Hermione who was miles away, staring into space with a giant smile on her face.

-~-

Hermione sat on the couch in a happy daydream. She couldn't help but dwell on Newt's note. She smiled every time she thought about it.

"You ok?" Y/N asked puzzled. "You're smiling to yourself again"

Hermione looked at Y/N, then at the boys who were staring at her puzzled. She quickly nodded and blushed.

"What's with you today?" Y/N asked with a chuckle.

-~-

Classes started back and Hermione had become very clingy. She enjoyed being with Y/N every moment she could. She also seemed more confident in herself which Y/N adored. He hated it when she doubted herself.

The Gryffindors were sat in charms. Y/N was reading an advanced book Flitwick had given him to study as Hermione was sat with Lavender, talking happily while practicing spells.

Y/N didn't look up from his book but smiled to himself happily. Lavender and Hermione had been getting closer and were really good friends now. This made Y/N extremely happy. It's good she's got a female friend he thought to himself.

The students fell back into the routine of classes without much fanfare. That is until Y/N's first Care of Magical Creatures class since second term had started.

Y/N stood looking down at the giant worm like creatures in front of him. Despite the fact they were worms, Y/N still felt a sense of care for them. A need to protect them.

Cedric smiled next to him, attempting to look as interested as possible when Y/N was suddenly seized from the side. Maisy had wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face into his neck. Y/N and Cedric shared a worried glance as Y/N rubbed Maisy's back and whispered:

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yes I'm fine" Maisy replied emotionless. It was obvious she was lying, she has tear marks down her cheeks, Y/N felt her tears wet his neck. She was trying her best to keep the pureblood resolve that had been drilled into her since birth but was failing.

He knew she was lying. She had tear marks down her cheeks, and clutched him tighter when he asked. He didn't want to push it though. Instead he chuckled:

"Ok. It's alright. I'm cold too. Don't think about hugging me though Cedric."

The two third years laughed, as Y/N said to Maisy:

If you need to talk, I'm here

She lifted her head from his shoulder and smiled in appreciation, hugging tighter into Y/N. The three stood there in silence, kind of awkwardly, before Cedric tried to break the tension:

"So you can talk to Flubberworms as well Y/N?"

"Sort of" Y/N chuckled.

"What do you mean sort of?" Cedric asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah" Maisy asked as she stood upright and wiped her eyes.

"Are you a beast whisperer? or aren't you as good as you think you are?"

Maisy had asked in a dry tone hidden with an arrogance that seemed almost natural to pure bloods. Y/N though saw straight through it.

Cedric looked, anxiously waiting for Y/N to respond. Y/N stared blankly for a few moments before a large smirk grew on his lips, followed by laughter. Cedric sighed in relief as a large smile broke out on Maisy's face and she giggled.

Y/N pointed to the small wriggling darlings on the ground in front of them and spoke calmly:

"I can hear the little guys, and I can talk to them, but I can't have a conversation with them".

"Why not?" Cedric asked, full of intrigue.

"The level of conversation possible is determined by the intelligence of the creature. Flubberworms think nothing but dirt."

"What do you mean dirt?" Maisy chuckled

"Literally dirt. They just say dirt dirt dirt over and over again. It's like trying to have a conversation with a Malfoy. My father will hear about this..."

Y/N finished his sneering impression of the platinum haired idiot. Maisy completely broke down laughing at the accuracy of it.

"Oh Y/N, that was...haha..that was too perfect...haha"

"What about the ones that are sort of jumping?" Cedric asked with interest.

"They say the same thing, they're just really excited about it" Y/N answered. The trio all laughed again.

-~-

After History of Magic and a little library session spent hidden in a corner, Hermione snuggling tightly into Y/N as they read the same book, the two best friends headed towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"So Snape is going to continue give you one on one sessions on weekends?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Yeah. I'm telling you, he's a really good guy one you get past the you know, Snape-ness" Y/N replied with a smirk.

Hermione giggled. Y/N smiled at her beautiful laugh before his face turned serious.

"Hermione, I've got to tell you... someone is gonna be sitting with us at dinner and I need you to be nice."

"Who?" Hermione asked as she looked at Y/N and narrowed her eyes.

"Maisy Parkinson" Y/N replied, counting in his head:

3...2...1...

"Y/N!" Hermione snapped loudly in shock.

"No please listen to me 'Mione" Y/N said gently. Hermione huffed before sighing and slowly nodding her head. Y/N smiled sadly.

"She is having a really hard time and I think something happened during the break with her family. Her sister is a bitch and she doesn't have any real friends in Slytherin. She's not like most of them. She's similar to Dean. If you follow me."

Hermione looked at Y/N momentarily, absorbing his words before replying:

"So she's not prejudiced?"

Y/N smiled again:

"No, she's not. And I don't think she likes me like that. But even if she did it wouldn't matter because I don't like her back that way. But she does need some friends though. We both know what it's like to be lonely."

Hermione thought back to primary school, to how she felt, before she met... him. She sighed:

"Ok. I'll be nice."

-~-

Dinner had been quite pleasant. Maisy had been quite shy at the start and Ron had needed to be told in no uncertain terms to be pleasant. As they were about to start dessert Y/N yelled out suddenly across the crowded hall:

"Higgins, get over here.... NOW!"

The whole hall seemed to quiet and simmer down. Students from four houses whispered to each other, watching on as the fifth year Syltherin approached the Gryffindor table slowly, looking down at his feet. He arrived and spoke barely above a whisper, still terrified of the first year Gryffindor:

"Y-Y-Yes s-sir"

Y/N chuckled before slamming his fist on the table causing everyone around to him to jump, especially Higgins. Y/N spoke with a forceful and domineering tone:

"You have been, quite frankly, disgusting in your treatment of Ms. Parkinson here haven't you boy?"

Silence answered his question as Higgins began to tremble. Y/N snarled:

"I asked you a question boy. SPEAK WHEN YOU'RE SPOKEN TO!"

The whole hall was now in complete silence. Everyone, even the Professors, were watching... just...watching.

"Y-y-y-Yes s-s-sir" Higgins whimpered back.

"I think you owe Ms. Parkinson an apology. And it better be genuine or..." click click

Y/N made a clicking noise with his tongue. Higgins shook more, the clicks referring to his previously suffered broken limbs. He replied with tears leaking down his cheeks:

"I'm a-sorry I was rude and mean and I didn't treat you with re-respect Ms.Parkinson"

Maisy looked at the older student with disgust as she answered:

"Don't ever let it happen again."

Higgins nodded forcefully as Y/N spoke again:

"Now I have another message for you boy. My protection extents to Ms. Parkinson as well. You will tell every snake she is protected. By me. And there will be dreadful outcomes for anyone who fails to heed them. Understood?"

"Yes sir" Higgins replied, quiet as a mouse. Y/N smirked menacingly:

"One last thing. I have a job for you. Ms Parkinson's bitch of a sister. You are responsible for her. You will keep her in line and away from Maisy. Understood?"

"Yes sir" Higgins replied with barely a whisper. Y/N chuckled:

"Don't disappoint me boy. You don't want to disappoint me do you boy?"

Click click click

Maisy gently touched Y/N's arm. He turned to look her in the eye and nodded. He turned back to Higgins:

"Go on boy!"

He shooed the elder student away with his hand.

Y/N turned to his friends. The darkness that had been present in his eyes a moment ago was gone. Hermione hugged into him tightly. He returned it as Maisy spoke:

"Y/N..I..thank you."

Maisy started to tear up as Harry put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Y/N smiled.

"You don't have to thank me Maisy. We're friends. All of us. I protect my friends".

Harry, Lavender and Hermione nodded and smiled at his words. A voice called out loudly from further down the table:

"You can be bloody terrifying L/N!"

Y/N looked with a chuckle to see Fred and George smirking at him. Y/N got an idea:

"Fred. George. Have you met Maisy?"

"No properly hey George... George... George!"

Fred tried to get his twin's attention but George and Maisy had locked eyes and neither of them was responding. Hermione heard her best friend's voice in her head:

Don't think you need to worry about that little crush anymore.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around Y/N's waist, squeezing him tightly.