The next week passed quickly as there was nothing to focus on but classes. All the teachers were extremely impressed with Hermione and Y/N, and most were quite vocal in suggesting to the other students that they should try and emulate the couple's work ethic.

When Draco made a crass comment about going to Azkaban in Potions, speaking louder than he thought he had, it backfired for him badly:

"L/N and Granger have by far the best work ethic in this school, not just this year level. It saddens me no end that they were sorted into Gryffindor. You Slytherins could learn quite a bit from them" Snape spoke with almost distain as he glared at the students from his house.

"What like how to be sent to Azkaban?" Malfoy snickered to Parkinson and his two goons, Pansy giggling next to him. His face dropped when Y/N yelled out to him:

"Best you avoid that place Malfuck. Bubba would have you bent over taking it up the arse ten minutes after you got off the carriage!"

Some students like Ron chuckled, some like Dean Thomas and Seamus gasped. Hermione squeezed Y/N's inner thigh, where her hand had been resting tightly, knowing the horrors he had been exposed to. Snape roared at the platinum blonde:

"Ten points from Slytherin. Do not interrupt my lesson again Malfoy!"

"But Y/N yelled out too sir" Pansy yelled in a nasally and whiny tone. Severus's nostrils flared at the girls insolence:

"Another 20 points from Slytherin. Any of you want to push for 50?"

The Gryffindors in the room had sat with stunned expressions on their faces. All but three.

"They never learn" Lavender whispered in Hermione's ear causing the two girls to giggle.

—~—

Sam had been even more impressed at the large stack of rolled up parchments placed on his desk, and spent Sunday's Ghoul Studies lesson teaching Y/N wards, spells and weapons against a variety of supernatural forces. He promised Y/N a fun lesson the following week as a reward for his hard work.

—~—

It was now Wednesday, Y/N and Harry were trudging back to the common room after a long training session. It was pouring down- thunder, lightning, hail and torrential rain had hammered the Gryffindors for the past few hours.

"Are you both ok? You two look terrible!" Lavender called out with concern, being the first to spot the pair walk in.

"Oh baby" Hermione gasped as she rushed over, kissing her boyfriend before feeling his forehead:

"I hope you don't get sick."

"Yeah if we do I'm so knocking Wood out. We couldn't even see each other but still had to practice his drills. It was mayhem" Y/N chuckled as he flopped down onto his usual spot on the couch. He was grateful for the roaring fire just to his left. Hermione instantly jumped on his lap and pulled his arms round her waist as she nuzzled back into his torso.

Harry sat down next to Ron, across from the couple and Lavender. Ron turned to Harry, staying:

"You're pretty dry though"

"Yeah thanks to Y/N. He dried us off as soon as we got back to the castle" Harry smiled at his friend and teammate gratefully.

It was at that precise moment Crookshanks came bounding into the common room, a large dead black spider hanging out of his mouth. He jumped up next to Y/N and Hermione and laid the spider next to them, meowing proudly.

"Oh well done Crookshanks. Did you catch that spider all by yourself? Did you want to show mummy and daddy?" Hermione stroked and gushed over the cat who meowed happily at his parents.

"Ugh does it have to eat that in here?" Ron whined with a disgusted look on his face.

Y/N grew angry at Ron calling their cat 'it', before his face suddenly grew a devilish grin. He looked down at the orange fluff ball next to him:

"Hey Crooky, why don't you drop that spider on Weasley?"

The cat looked at his 'father' and seemed to grow an evil grin matching Y/N's, before he jumped up from the couch he was on and jumped on Ron's lap, spitting the spider on him before jumping off.

Ron jumped and howled in fear, causing Y/N to laugh deeply. Hermione scowled.

"Crookshanks! That wasn't very nice. You shouldn't listen to daddy when he suggests mean things."

She turned to look at Y/N but winked at him instead of scowling.

You tricky little minx Y/N thought to Hermione, smirking back at his girlfriend.

"Keep that furball away from me" Ron yelped. "It's just lucky I've got Scabbers in my bag over there."

As soon as he said that Crookshanks dove on his bag trying to tear it open.

"Aahhhh" Ron screamed, running over to his bag and lifting it over his head.

Hermione jumped off Y/N's lap, picking up Crookshanks and hugging him tightly to her chest.

"He heard me. He understood me. He did it on purpose" Ron squealed.

"Don't be ridiculous Ronald. He's a cat, he just smelt Scabbers" Hermione said as she defended her pet.

Ron instantly got in her face raging: "You better keep that furball in your dorm or-"

He never got to finish his sentence. Y/N was on his feet in a second and shoved Ron to the floor hard. The room seemed to get colder and darker and the flames and lights flickered as Y/N roared:

"FIRST OF ALL DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING TALK TO HERMIONE LIKE THAT. EVER. SECONDLY, CROOKSHANKS GOES WHERE HE WANTS TO GO. HE'S NOT STAYING IN THE DORM JUST BECAUSE THAT THING'S ASLEEP OUT HERE."

Y/N breathed deeply and composed himself. He spoke next with a strained calm tone.

"It's not hard Ronald. All he does is sleep. Leave him in the dorm if you don't want to hold him all the bloody time. But if you so much as think about disrespecting Hermione like that again..."

Y/N's lip and cheek contorted as his voice trailed off. His fists clenched. Lavender quickly stepped in, placing a hand on Y/N's chest and easing him backwards.

"It's ok, Y/N. Ron gets it. Don't you Ron."

Ron simply huffed and walked off towards the boys dorm.

"C'mon Harry!" he called as he walked off.
Harry looked at Y/N and back to Ron, unsure what to do. Y/N instantly spoke to the bespectacled boy through legilimency:

It's fine Harry, follow him. I know you don't like being stuck in the middle of arguments.

Harry nodded and gave Y/N a small smile of gratitude before following Ron up the stairs and into their dorm.

Y/N looked up at the ceiling and swore under his breath before looking back down. It was at this time he looked around and noticed how crowded the common room was. Almost every face was looking at him in fear. He sighed, knowing he would be the gossip of the school again in the morning. He spoke with a strained tone:

"You all don't need to be afraid of me. It's simple, just don't disrespect my girlfriend. Other than doing that you have no reason to be afraid of me"

Y/N spoke out loud to no one in particular before he sat back down, Hermione sitting next to him, nursing Crookshanks and leaning against his side. Lavender sat across from the pair as Y/N spoke again:

"I'm sorry if I scared you girls. I just won't
tolerate anyone being rude to you, Hermione."

Hermione gave her boyfriend a cute smile.

"Y/N dear, you've never scared me once in your life. You certainly didn't start tonight. In fact... I kind of like it when you go all white knight for me" Hermione grinned, giving Y/N a knowing look.

"Likewise, you don't scare me Y/N. I know who you are in here."

Lavender held her hand to her chest, over her heart.

"I just hope I'll have someone love me one day the way you love Hermione." She smiled sweetly at the couple.

"You will, Lav, you will" Hermione said smiling back at her best friend.

"Do you want to go, you know, tonight love? Take the kids and just crash there?" Y/N asked.

It wasn't that he was afraid of having an argument with Ron it he went to his dorm, he was afraid that Ron would piss him off enough to lash out. Ron had a way of pushing Y/N's buttons second only to Malfoy and his cronies.

"That might be a good idea" Hermione smiled. "Cover for us?" She asked Lavender who smiled and answered:

"Of course"

"Alright give me one sec" Y/N said as he momentarily closed his eyes before opening them again:

"They're on their way."

Two seconds later Na-Hath came flying out of the upstairs boys dorm with Newt riding on his shoulders. He instantly landed on Y/N's shoulder and nuzzled into his neck. Newt clambered on top of Y/N's head and sat there smiling.

"Oh my god you are so adorable with those two, Y/N" Lavender chuckled. At that moment Crookshanks jumped out of Hermione's arms and laid on Y/N's lap.

"Traitor" Hermione giggled.

"Oh was poor little Crookshanks jealous and wanted some love off daddy?" Y/N asked in a baby voice, stroking the part Kneazle behind the ear causing the two girls to awwweee...

"Wait a moment. Babe, did you speak to Na-Hath from down here?" Hermione asked with a shocked tone of voice.

"Yeah. Normally I have to be face to face with a creature to whisper, but Na-Hath and I have a really special bond. We can hear each other think" Y/N smiled, reaching up to stroke the Phoenix who cooed in pleasure and agreement.

"Like whispering legilimency?" Hermione asked.

"No. It's closer than that, it's like our minds are.... permanently linking" Y/N said, struggling to get the right words out to describe the experience. He quickly continued:

"We sit and meditate together for an hour each night before bed, and it's yeah, it's like we are linking... together. I'm still not explaining this well" Y/N chuckled.

"It's ok love I think we get it. It's cute, you both love each other very much."

Na-Hath squawked in agreement making Y/N smile. The couple hugged Lavender and wished her good night before setting off to the Room of Requirement. They arrived to see a large four poster bed and a fireplace with a cozy pet area with bedding for each of their magical pets.

Y/N transfigured Hermione's clothes before stripping to his boxers as they cuddled and kissed goodnight. The last thing Hermione remembered was seeing Newt riding Crookshanks as he ran around the room. She smiled as she drifted off to sleep, hearing her boyfriend's quiet snores right next to her ear.