Harry woke up early on the second day, freshened up and moved towards the kitchen to grab a bite before moving on to meet Hermione and heading towards the great hall and getting his daily schedule. It was only half past six when Harry returned to the gryffindor common room and it was as silent as one would expect. The older students would start to come down by eight as the classes for everyone above first years began at nine and first year classes began at ten.
Harry took a book on magical creatures from his collection had it miniaturized by the shop and always kept it on his person so in cases where he had to pass some time he could have a spare read on his hand. Harry read till nine when the first year gryffindors started pouring down the stairs increasing the commotion in an otherwise silent common room. Harry put away the book and proceeded towards Ron and his roomates to wish them morning and informing them that he would come to the great hall along with Hermione and that they should move along first.
Hermione came down the girls wing along with three other girls, they had known about harry being with them but had not much interaction with him as he had been constantly surrounded by the older boys during the opening banquet. When they saw him approaching their group with a smile on their face they thought that Harry had taken fancy to one of them and was coming to introduce himself to her but were shocked when Harry greeted Hermione and asked for her to travel with him for the rest of the day while they figure out their schedule.
Last night, unlike the boys who went off to sleep quickly the girls had stayed awake to introduce themselves and so every girl knew that Hermione was a muggle born witch and this was the reason why they were confused on her interaction with Potter. It almost seemed as if they had already known each other before attending Hogwarts, something they refused to believe as Harry was a star in the wizarding world and the exaggerated stories about him in the books, like him slaying a dragon etc., did not help Harry's case.
Without paying them much thought Harry proceeded towards the great hall along with Hermione. Harry had many plans for his stay in Hogwarts, he did not wish to study in the bounds of what the wizarding world had deemed enough. With the smartest witch of this age as his companion he had made up his mind to study for the topics that will help him improve his magic rather than just going through it for his exams.
Harry discussed it with Hermione that since they had almost completed the theory portion for the first year they should only pay attention in the class, stay low, and rest of the day can be spent with them studying odd subjects whose books can be found in the library. They can take out an hour before their sleep to complete any necessary homeworks. Hermione was happy to learn extra and to be with a friend while studying to her heart's content was a dream come true.
They reached the great hall and proceeded for breakfast. Unlike last night the great hall seemed a bit more normal, as normal as anything magical can be, with ample sunlight, children talking cheerfully, ghosts moving around and teachers discussing among themselves about the beginning of a new term. Harry was vividly reminded why he had been so happy at Hogwarts and why so many of the students considered it a home, one they could never have because this scene had both hope and love something most did not get.
Every house head came to their respective tables and distributed the timetables for the first years, Harry and Hermione left for the first class. Harry had already lived it once and did not have much anticipation for the classes but it was a first for Hermione and she was full of excitement to perform the spells that she had read for the last year. Harry just sat beside her and let her enjoy. The classes for the first day were Transfiguration, Charms and potions.
Transfiguration was a surprise start with professor McGonagall turning from a cat to a person to stun the late Ron and dean. The first class was to turn a matchstick into a pin. by the end of the class Hermione was the only one from Gryffindor to complete it. Hufflepuff had two boys who were able to complete the job. Charms was a fun class with dean literally blowing up the feather. Potions was totally different then last time with Harry being well read and Hermione not making it her job to annoy Snape by trying to answer everything. Snape was surely a bit frustrated in seeing such a polite Potter.
After the classes Harry and Hermione spent rest of the day roaming the corridors to curb Hermione's curiosity to live a normal school life with a friend. The day ended with desserts at dinner and them moving to their dorms to rest. Rest of the week went in the same way and both Harry and Hermione along with other first years had settled down in a routine and excited for the first weekend.
Harry had plans to spend most of the weekend with Daphne and Hermione had planned to hangout with her roommates and their friends. Harry had informed Daphne to meet him in the great hall early morning on sunday and that they would be spending most of the day together. The plan was to meet with Daphne everyday for one hour after this week and make it such that everyone was clear that Harry potter is going with Daphne greengrass so that no one else get the idea on her.
Daphne was dressed in a bright skirt and top looking stunning for a eleven year old. One look at her and anyone could know that she was set out to meet someone that she liked. It was good that they had set the meeting time at seven on a sunday because she looking like this would have caused quite a commotion on a lazy sunday breakfast in the great hall. Even if the first years would not know what attraction is, the seniors would be behind her in a matter of days.
Harry took Daphne's hands and they had their breakfast in the kitchen, Daphne quite liked the intimacy in which they were having their meals. Next they went towards the lake to have a picnic for which Harry had already prepared, they sat there speaking about how she had spent the last eight months when she did not meet him, what has harry been up to and why does she always see him with Hermione rather than the other boys. Harry went out to explain how they had become friends over the last year, her brilliance and how she was just a friend but also emphasize on how important she is to him.
Daphne knew that Harry was very upfront with her and had no reason to lie, her father had already explained that she would have to share Harry with at least one girl due to the two houses he was going to head, so even if he was seeing Hermione it was not wrong and he did not have to hide it so she did not discuss it further and they just enjoyed each other's company. When they reached the great hall for dinner, hand in hand, it is suffice to say that the whole school had something to gossip about for at least the next month.