Y/N woke up the next morning and stretched, surprised to see light peeking through his curtains. He released the silencing charm around his bed and opened his curtains, looking at his clock. It read 7:00am. He had really slept in.

He got sweats and a tank top on, lifted Newt onto his shoulder and grabbed some casual clothes for the day. He headed down to the common room hopeful and nervous, but Hermione wasn't there. As he descended the stairs Neville looked up from his seat on a couch and smiled, wishing Y/N good morning.

"Hey Nev. You haven't seen Hermione have you?" Y/N asked concerned.

"No, not yet" Neville replied.

Y/N sighed.

"Ok no worries. Thanks bud"

Neville nodded at Y/N as Y/N headed out of the common room and towards the Room of Requirement.

Y/N felt extremely conflicted throughout his workout. He was trying his best to remain centred, remain stoic, unemotional- the way Jacob trained him to be.

The worry, the anxiety and the emotions wouldn't listen though, continuously pushing themselves up to the forefront of Y/N's mind.

It felt so natural the previous night. Leaning in to kiss Hermione, the way they were so close all the time, holding hands, her kisses on his cheeks. What if he had misread everything. She had ran away after all.

He tried again to push his doubts and worries down deep as he finished working out and headed to the shower.

-~-

Y/N entered the Great Hall for breakfast and was surprised to see his four friends already present. Harry and Ron sat at one end of the table, while Hermione and Lavender sat at the far end, right near the teachers' table.

Hermione caught sight of Y/N and briefly made eye contact before quickly looking away.

Y/N sighed to himself. He was right. He'd fucked up. She hated him now. Y/N felt his world crumble. A cold expression passed across his face. He felt the anger and bile rise up again from some deep, dark, primordial place within. Y/N pushed it down, sitting down silently across from Ron and Harry.

The two boys looked at each other, they could practically feel the emotional distress emanating from him. Harry said quietly:

"Everything ok Y/N?"

Y/N looked up from the eggs he had piled on his plate. Harry was shocked. Y/N was always so warm and friendly to his friends, yeah he could be downright scary, but to those close to him he was warm, caring, protective; Y/N didn't have any of those characteristics this morning. Harry looked at the cold blank expression on Y/N's face and could practically feel the ice in Y/N's veins as he replied:

"I'm fine Harry"

-~-

Y/N had been sat for about twenty minutes, eating his eggs slowly, not looking up from his plate. Harry and Ron sat silently as well, unsure what to do or even what was wrong with their friend. Katie Bell had came in about ten minutes after Y/N and had slowly ran her hand along his shoulders, saying in a tone of voice that sounded strange to Harry:

"Good morning Y/N"

Y/N had replied "Katie" coldly, not looking up from his plate. Harry looked at Katie confused before glancing down the table where he saw Hermione with her head in her hands and Lavender giving Katie a death glare. Harry had wondered why the two girls had sat away from them when they entered the Great Hall. He was completely confused now.

-~-

Y/N sat with his head down, almost finished with his breakfast when Barnaby entered the Hall, walking up to the three boys. He looked at Y/N concerned, asking:

"Y/N, I just spoke to Hagrid. Are you ok?"

"I shouldn't have made a move. I've just fucked things up with her" Y/N replied, intense pain audible in his voice.

Ron and Harry looked at Y/N confused, as did Barnaby, replying:

"I was talking about last night, fighting You-Know-Who. What are you talking about Y/N? You alright?"

Y/N looked up, seeing Barnaby and the two boys looking at his puzzled and realised his mistake. He looked at the others stunned as he answered:

"Nothing. I'm fine. Can I help you with something B?"

Y/N's voice had gone from cold to emotionless. Harry hoped that was a step in the right direction. He thought about Y/N's words. Had something happened with Hermione?

"Yeah, but first, Hagrid told me you went to the Reserve last night"

Y/N nodded.

"I had to check on Frumoasa. She's ok. I've got Charlie, Legs and Hargo looking after her. Best let me deal with Charlie for a while though B. He wanted to eat you for payment"

Barnaby laughed loudly.

"Yeah he does prefer you that's for sure. I wanted to ask though, did you notice anything strange last night when you were there?"

Y/N furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"No everything was fine. Why? Is there a problem? Are my creatures ok?" Y/N asked in a slight panic. Barnaby lifted his hands to try and reassure his young friend.

"The creatures are fine Y/N, but we might have a problem with Lake and Ocean enclosure biomes. You and me are gonna go see Flitwick now to teach you a spell for breathing underwater. Then you're coming with me to the reserve."

Y/N nodded.

"No worries. How long will it take?"

Barnaby chuckled and answered:

"About a week."

Y/N sighed and looked down, whispering to himself:

"Fuck"

Barnaby continued:

"We're camping in the reserve bud. Cooking all our meals. We've got the camping gear in our Ranger Station in the Reserve. Dumbledore said it's fine for you to miss classes because you're ahead in everything. Hope you're a good swimmer, it's gonna be hard work."

Y/N nodded.

"Yeah I'm a strong swimmer" he looked across at Harry:

"Can you let Wood know I won't be at training this week?"

"Yeah course I will mate" Harry replied with a nod. Y/N changed quickly, back to his previous cold demeanour and he pointed a finger at the pair:

"You two need to watch out for Hermione while I'm gone. Accompany her to and from the library, don't let her wander alone. The dumber members of the Snakes might try something while I'm not here!"

Ron nodded fearfully as Harry nodded:

"Yeah, of course we will mate"

Y/N nodded, wiping his mouth with his napkin before looking at his large older friend:

"Alright B, when do we go?"

"Right now" Barnaby smiled.

"Shit" Y/N sighed. "Alright, let me talk to a couple of people quickly."

"No problem, but make it quick bud. We've got a lot of work to do" Barnaby replied with a happy smile.

Y/N got up and walked over to the Hufflepuff table, taking a seat across from Beatrice and Cedric. They seemed really close, Y/N had noticed they both spent a lot of time together lately, but now wasn't the time.

"Morning Y/N" Beatrice smiled, her happy expression quickly fading as she noticed his cold expression.

"I need to talk to you guys quickly. I'm gonna be gone for the next week, some issue in the Reserve. I need you two to look out for Hermione while I'm gone. I'm about to remind the Snakes of their place in the pecking order, but I'd feel a lot better knowing she was being protected"

The pair looked at Y/N, concerned about his cold demeanour.

"Of course we will" Cedric smiled. Beatrice appeared to be studying Y/N before she asked:

"Is everything ok Y/N? Are you ok?"

Y/N nodded without his expression changing as he answered:

"I'm fine. Thank you for your help"

He stood and walked towards the end of the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked up briefly before looking down again, her face erupting with a crimson glaze. Y/N said emotionless:

"'Mione I...."

"Maybe leave it for a bit Y/N? Give Hermione some space? She's still upset about last night" Lavender said gently. She saw something pass across Y/N's face. Something she couldn't quite pinpoint. Y/N's face hardened as he replied:

"I'm sorry to have bothered you"

He turned and left quickly, heading over to the Slytherin table. He stood at the head of the table glaring down it with a sadistic smile. Almost all of the Slytherin students were in the hall for breakfast now. They all, without exception, looked down- far too afraid of the first year who had a reputation within the Slytherin common room of being psychotic.

Y/N snarled as he spoke:

"I'm going to be busy for the next week. You may not see me around but rest assured, the people under my protection will still be under my protection. Any moves against them will be paid in blood. Do I make myself clear?"

A few students mumbled. Y/N smashed his fist into the table, smashing a plate and getting the attention of the entire Great Hall as he roared:

"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

A lot more students nodded and mumbled as the rest of the hall observed in silence.

Y/N's lip curled as he shot around the table psychically, picked up three students, all upper yearsmen, thinking not too savoury thoughts about Y/N, Maisy and Hermione. Y/N chuckled, a few looked at him confused before they heard the screams.

The three students grabbed their heads with both hands, screaming in pain before quickly losing consciousness and collapsing to the floor as Y/N released the mental curses he had subjected them too. A number at the table started to tremble as Y/N roared again:

"A little reminder of who the FUCK I AM AND WHAT THE FUCK I CAN DO. They decided not to listen to my warning. Don't be the next one. DO NOT FUCKING TEST ME! This is your only FUCKING WARNING!"

Y/N glared along the table as he turned and left, walking back to the Gryffindor table. He felt the stares of the whole hall on him. He didn't give a shit.

Better to be feared than liked.

Y/N walked passed Lavender and Hermione, feeling Hermione look up at him, but he looked forward and kept walking. She was probably terrified of him now, just like the rest of the sheep.

If he couldn't be the friend she wanted anymore, he would damn well be the monster she needed. She would be safe and enjoy her time at Hogwarts, by whatever means necessary.

He arrived back at Barnaby, Ron and Harry as the two boys looked at him fearfully.

"You ready Barnaby?" Y/N asked emotionless, his eyes still ice cold. Barnaby nodded.

"You sure you're ok little Bro?" Barnaby asked, deeply concerned at what he'd just witnessed.

"I'm fine. Let's just get the fuck out of here"

-~-

The pair arrived at the Charms classroom and entered to be greeted by the diminutive Professor.

"Good morning Mr Lee, Mr L/N. I trust Barnaby has told you what we will be learning this morning?" Flitwick asked with a smile.

"More or less" Y/N replied coldly. The Professor nodded as he began instruction:

"Yes, well, I'm going to be teaching you the Bubble Head Spell, to allow you to breathe underwater and another spell Mr. Lee and I have been working on called Sonarus. It's different to the Sonorous charm which you have already mastered, but it will be essential with the work you have to do. Let's begin"

-~-

Hermione watched Y/N leave with Barnaby. She was deeply concerned by his outburst. She hadn't been able to hear what he had said to the Slytherins before the yelling started, why had he felt the need to attack them?

She was so embarrassed about the night before. She ran away like a little kid. She was a mess emotionally, completely confused over what had nearly happened, what did it mean? Was it real or was it just something that nearly happened after the emotions of the evening and didn't mean anything? Was he lashing out because of her? His eyes and face had been so cold, so devoid of their usual warmth. Why had he gone off with Barnaby? Hermione wrestled back and forth in her head, only emerging from her thoughts when Harry and Ron approached and sat across from the two girls.

"So you guys ok?" Harry asked, a look of concern on his face.

"We're ok Harry" Hermione replied sadly.

"So What was all that about with Y/N?" Lavender asked the boys. "Why did Y/N go off with that man? And why did he go off on the Slytherins?"

"Oh well we were having breakfast when Barnaby came up to get Y/N. Apparently there is a problem with the reserve and he has to go help Barnaby with it" Ron answered.

"What sort of problem?" Hermione asked panicking. "It's nothing to do with-?"

"No no no" Harry answered, momentarily reassuring Hermione before he continued:
"At least I don't think so. It's something to do with the underwater parts. Y/N has to learn a spell to breathe underwater and then they are going. They are camping there."

Lavender nodded as Hermione practically yelled at the boys:

"Why are they camping there? How long are they going to be gone?"

"Oh Right. Um... Barnaby said it would probably take them a week" Harry answered.

Hermione's eyes widened, tears threatening to break out of them. All she could stutter out was:

"A...a...week?"

She stood and ran. She ran out of the Great Hall and kept running until she finally made it to a girls bathroom. She leant down on the faucet in tears until she felt arms wrap around her from behind:

Hermione looked in the mirror and saw Lavender cuddling into her from behind. Beatrice stood a little back, looking at Hermione with a sad smile as she spoke reassuringly:

"It's ok Hermione. I know a week is a long time but Y/N asked Cedric and I to look after you. Plus Y/N just scared the crap out of the Slytherins. No one's gonna hurt you"

"It's not that." Hermione answered wiping her tears away:

"I hadn't even thought of that."

"It's what happened last night" Lavender said to Beatrice sadly.

"What happened last night?" Beatrice asked confused.

Hermione explained how she and Y/N had almost kissed, how Katie had interrupted them, how she had ran.

"I was still too embarrassed about running away. I didn't even get a chance to talk to him and now he's gone for a week. Last night he fought you know who in the Forbidden Forest and we couldn't even talk about that and he's gone for a week"

Beatrice smiled sadly again before her face turned serious:

"Wait he what?"

Hermione explained about detention and what happened. Beatrice looked on wide eyed and chuckled:

"Bloody Hell. I knew he had some balls on him but bloody hell. But hey look it's gonna be ok. I'm sorry that girl interrupted you and that you ran because you were embarrassed but I'm sure it will all be ok. When Y/N found out he was going what was the first thing he did. The very first thing?"

Hermione thought back.

"Um he tried to talk to me?"

"No" Bea answered smiling. "The first thing he did was come to me and Cedric and ask us to look after you. Even though he didn't know if you were mad at him or not, all he was worried about was keeping you safe."

"Exactly" Lavender smiled and nodded, hugging Hermione again.

"Not something you would expect if he was upset with you hey?" Beatrice smiled.

"Yeah and that bitch has no chance." Lavender said very angrily.

Bea was suddenly very confused again. She looked at Lavender and asked: "What bitch?"

"Katie Bell" Hermione answered. "The one who interrupted us. Lav thinks she is after Y/N"

Lavender fired back.

"I've seen her looking at him Hermione. Like all the time. And she kept kissing his cheek and touching him after the last Quidditch match"

"Oh" Hermione said sadly. "I never noticed. The bitch"

Lavender and Beatrice stopped dead, their mouths hanging wide open before they both laughed hysterically. Hermione looked at them puzzled:

"What could possibly be so funny?"

"Sorry Hermione, that's just the first time I've ever heard you swear" Lavender said as she wiped tears from her eyes and Hugged her best friend tightly.

"Likewise" Bea giggled. "I'll have a little talk with Ms. Bell. You just try to relax and try not to worry too much. You can talk to Y/N when he gets back and you can get this whole situation sorted."

Hermione nodded, hugging both the girls before the three headed back towards the Great Hall.