Hermione's first week of classes went horribly. Not only had many of the students realised they wouldn't be disciplined by teachers for bullying muggle-borns, half-bloods, and supposed "blood traitors", but the Carrows seemed to already be out for blood. She spent much of her first day ducking from hexes of throwing a well-aimed protego at unsuspecting younger students so they wouldn't get a nasty surprise. By the time she was sitting down for dinner on Friday night, Hermione was dreading the rest of the school year.

"Hey, 'Mione," Ginny grumbled as she slumped onto the bench beside her. Luna sat on Ginny's other side, much to Hermione's surprise, and Neville plopped down in front of her.

"Don't you all look happy," Hermione said, serving herself some food then staring down at it. She wasn't particularly hungry, but she knew she needed the food.

"The Carrows are horrid and I have enough homework for the next month," Ginny told her. Neville nodded along with her and Luna just looked at them all silently.

"Are you okay, Luna?" Hermione asked. It wasn't out of character for Luna to stare at them silently, but she did want to make sure no one had given her a hard time.

"Oh, yes," Luna replied, reaching for a bread roll. "I've just thought I'd rather not complain about class. It draws Wrigglyspurts and they're just wretched to get out of your ears."

Hermione nodded at her then glanced back to Neville who was trying to say something with a mouth full of food. Once he'd finally chewed and swallowed, he started again.

"Are you here to start the DA again, Hermione?" he said, looking around suspiciously at anyone who could be listening. "I learned loads with you and Harry and since the Carrows aren't actually going to teach us anything, it would be a great idea."

"I don't think so, Neville," Hermione sighed. As much as she had enjoyed the DA and teaching younger students how to defend themselves, she wasn't sure running such a club was a good idea with Death Eaters running through the castle. "The Carrows are much worse than Umbridge. If we got caught, I'd hate to think what would happen."

"What about charms and spells again?" Ginny suggested. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her and she rolled her eyes before clarifying, "You charmed the parchment last time. You could do it again, but with more targeted spells to prevent the Carrows or other Death Eaters from even seeing it."

Hermione considered it. The DA would certainly be a good idea. Defense Against the Dark Arts had been changed to simply Dark Arts and Alecto Carrow didn't seem too intent on teaching them anything that could be even sort of considered defense. She dreaded to think what the younger students were learning.

"I'll think about it," Hermione promised. Neville just smiled and they quickly finished their dinner.

As Hermione hurried back to the head's dormitory, she ran through various spells and charms she could use on the flyer. They'd have to be failproof as she refused to run the DA with any chance they could be discovered, but she couldn't very well ask the teachers for such peculiar spells.

With a little luck, Professor McGonagall would be willing and able to discreetly help her. She had to know at least something about the DA and what had gone on in fifth year, but Hermione would still refrain from saying anything directly. Even though she trusted the older witch, she didn't want any possible rumours to get out and cause problems.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't see someone coming around the corner and ran right into them. Panic jolted through her body as she stumbled and hit the ground before she could fully process what had happened. Her books fell to the ground beside her but as she reached out to gather them back up, a dragonhide shoe struck out and kicked her hand away. She pulled her hand back quickly, cradling it close, and looked up to see who she'd run into.

Adrian Pucey loomed over her with Graham Montague beside him. Her eyes widened and she scrambled for her wand. Montague casually kicked it away from her and she scowled at him.

"Don't look at me," he hissed, whipping his wand out and aiming it at her face. Her scowl wavered slightly and when she tried to reach for her wand again, Pucey kicked her hand harder than before.

Her wrist burned as the toe of his dragonhide shoe connected with her wrist for the second time, but she didn't cry out of in pain.

"You don't deserve that wand, Mudblood," Pucey snarled at her. Pulling her hurting wrist into her lap protectively, Hermione looked down the empty corridor and hoped just about anyone would come into view.

"Don't look so hopeful," Montague taunted, crouching down in front of her, his wand still aiming towards her. "We've been here for a while and there's no one around to come help you."

Hermione wanted to tell him to fuck off and leave her alone, but seeing as she was completely alone with both Montague and Pucey, it didn't seem like the best time. Instead, she remained on the ground, books scattered around her and her wrist aching painfully.

"Can I please just go to my dorm?" she asked as politely as she could manage. The last thing she needed was them to think she was being cheeky and then curse her right there in the middle of the corridor.

"Hmm, I think not," Montague said, poking her cheek with the tip of his wand. "You belong outside with the rats, filth, not bundled up somewhere cozy like a dorm."

"And you belong in the dungeons with the rest of your kind," Hermione snapped. Montague glared at her and stood up abruptly, leveling his wand with her forehead.

"Don't get smart with me, Mudblood," he snarled, his lip curled back. Spit hit her face as he spoke and she grimaced slightly. As his mouth twisted into a cruel grin and he spit right in her face, she flinched again and wished she hadn't the first time.

As she reached up to wipe Montague's spit off her cheek, he grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled her up towards him slightly.

"I should kill you where you sit, Mudblood," he sneered. Hermione tried to pull her hand free, but he only grabbed tighter and she knew it would leave bruises. "I'd get rewarded for it to. I could crucio you and get nothing but praise."

She could see in his eyes he was seriously debating it. Beginning to panic more, she tugged harder to escape his hold and nearly toppled over when her arm slid out of his grip. Montague snarled and lunged towards her, but a voice down the hall stopped him in his tracks.

"What the fuck are you doing, Graham?"

Hermione turned to see who had appeared in the corridor and breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes locked on Blaise's. Montague looked less thrilled to see him walking towards them, but didn't step away from Hermione.

"Get lost, Zabini," Montague demanded. Blaise just raised an eyebrow at him and stopped beside Hermione who was still on the floor.

"I'm sure you have better things than make empty threats to our local Gryffindor princess," Blaise said. Montague sneered at him but as Blaise twirled his wand idly and glared at him in return, Montague stepped back. "Good boy. Now get lost before Draco comes out and curses you both."

Hermione didn't miss the flicker of irritation at the mention of Draco, but she was grateful that it seemed to send both Pucey and Montague away. As they turned their backs on her and disappeared around the corner, Hermione reached for her books with her uninjured hand and struggled to her feet.

"Thanks, Blaise," she murmured, taking her wand from him with her only free hand and grimacing at the pain that shot through it. Blaise noticed and immediately levitated her books so he could look over her hand.

"What happened?" he asked. Hermione recognised the basic diagnostic spell he cast on her wrist and watched as the sign of a fracture appeared before them.

"Pucey kicked me," she answered. She knew the spell to fix her wrist and performed it quickly, grimacing at the feeling of her bone fusing back together before settling down.

"Are you alright?" Blaise asked. She nodded and took her books out of the air.

"I'll be fine," she promised. He nodded, though he looked skeptical. She thanked him again before hurrying down the corridor to the head's dormitory.

Even though Montague and Pucey had distracted her for a moment, she still had a lot of work to get done if she wanted to figure out the flyer for the DA and complete all her homework on time.

Thankfully, luck seemed to be on her side as Draco sat down with her to complete his homework that night as well and the two stayed up until early in the morning working on all the extra assignments Hermione had been given. When she did finally manage to fall asleep, however, her dreams were plagued with nightmares about the DA being discovered and the Carrows cursing her for turning in her homework too late.