Dear Sir Comma Enter

February

Draco and Ginny have got to be the most revoltingly cute couple I have ever laid eyes on. Unfortunately, with Valentine's day just around the corner, it throws my own situation into sharp contrast. I'm not one to sit around and bemoan my lack of date to the Valentine's Ball, but it is rather irksome, I'll probably end up going with Harry, just so he has a chance to feel gallant.

I've managed to find someone who might just be perfect for Ron, her name is Vicky Frobisher, she's a year behind me, and Ginny says that she thinks Ron's pretty damn cute. Mission partially accomplished. I will have to spend the next week or so dropping hints. Of course, with Ron, dropping hints means being quite specific. I might just have to smack him over the head and leave him in a corner with her, that might work.

Do you think Professor Snape would be terribly angry if I brewed some sort of mild lust potion? Ron is an absolute dolt, he insists on yammering to me about Quidditch when Vicky's sitting, not two couches over, hanging on his every word. I had to resort to dragging her over and then leaving, last I heard from Harry they were still talking Quidditch almost three hours later, but no sign of him trying anything. How obvious does a girl have to be anyway?

I have enlisted Ginny's help for hooking up Vicky and Ron, she's working with Vicky, maybe Ginny can convince her to just ask Ron out to the dance. It would save us all the trouble of Ron actually having to pick up on the fact that some girl liked him.

I have decided to take the week off from studying. Now don't fret, I'm mostly working on my Voldemort book' instead of essays. I'm caught up for several weeks so I wont fall behind at all, I just need to decompress a little bit.

Ha! Success! That was far more complicated than brewing Polyjuice Potion. Ron's taking Vicky to the Quidditch match this weekend, it's as good as a date, all we have to do is get him to take her to Hogsmeade. Maybe Harry and I could fake dating for a week to get him pissed off so he has nothing to do except take her to Hogsmeade.

That's a terrible idea.

Just might be necessary, but only as a backup plan.

Saturday, February 7

I can honestly say that was the first time I've had a lot of fun at a Quidditch match. Lucius came to watch his Draco play, and invited Ginny and I to join him up in the staff box. It started out mildly intimidating, mostly due to the fact that I ended up sitting next to Professor Snape. It didn't help that I'm not exactly fond of heights either. I think eventually what won me over was the fact that Professor Snape was actually dressed up in large quantities of green and silver instead of his usual black.

Ginny was wearing Draco's scarf and I had charmed mine to Slytherin colors, I figured they could use the boost considering their team was still not at 100%. The game was Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff, and it was a damn close match. Professor Snape and I actually chatted', it was a pretty strange experience all things considered. Lucius spent most of his time, before and after the match, engaged in conversation with Professor Tonks and Ginny, so Professor Snape was somewhat left out of the loop.

We talked about the potions, waiting for the full moon in his labs. We talked about my career goals for after Hogwarts. We even spent a few words on the now infamous Weasley-Malfoy pairing which seems to have the entire school in an up-roar, it will probably be even worse tomorrow. Ginny, a Gryffindor Chaser, shouting herself hoarse cheering for Slytherin's Seeker, that was a sight to see. I'll admit I cheered when Draco caught the snitch.

After the game was finished, I got so caught up in discussing an Ars Alchemica article with Professor Snape that I hardly even notice Draco, Ginny, and Lucius wander off for a celebratory drink.

Fun game, great conversation, and a slightly less terrifying Potions Master, it's going to be an interesting week.

The full moon is tonight, full report tomorrow. No time for anything, Remus is arriving in just a few minutes, and Professor Snape is going to be angry if I'm late. Am I terribly strange for hoping my hair looks nice? Is it even worse that I'm not sure which one I'm hoping notices? Think lucky thoughts for my potion, sir.

Wednesday, February 11

I don't think I slept a wink all last night, and Professor Snape saw to it that I got excused from classes for the day. Somehow I think even my slightly snarky Potions Master recognizes that today is a day for massive quantities of butterbeer. I spent all night talking with Remus, and he spent the whole night staring up at the full moon, waiting for it to bring out his darkness. I think he eventually got sick of me asking how do you feel now?', and now?', but he was just too polite to say it. Probably also a little in awe.

Professor Snape and I spent the first several hours trying every known test for latent lycanthropy, eventually culminating in Remus cutting his own hand open with a silver knife. In retrospect, that was pretty gross. After a heated debate, and large quantities of blood samples for testing, Professor Snape eventually consenting to telling Remus out of the cage we had set up for him, and walked around the grounds some. I suppose being Head Girl has a few advantages, I get to wander around the grounds past curfew with an ex-werewolf.

After we got out of the classroom, Remus insisted on going to see the headmaster, which I was whole-heartedly in favor of. I admit, part of me wanted to brag a little. I think that was the first time I have ever actually seen Dumbledore cry.

So, for several hours, I wandered around outside, under a full moon, with Remus and just talked. I tried to explain how I'd created the potion, but Remus freely admitted to only being an average student in Potions and didn't have any idea what I was talking about. That was actually pretty disappointing. We talked about what he would do now, and what I would do now.

I reminded him that he still had to come back for the next few moons so that I could check on him, and that he had to watch out for recurring symptoms, but for the most part, we couldn't help but be excited. We sat up by the lake and watched the moon set, he wrapped an arm around me and just sat like that for a while. It was very comfortable.

We walked down to the dungeon to grab his things in the morning and I walked him out to the gates. He hugged me, looked me in the eye, touched my cheek, and whispered a thank you. He apparated before I could respond. My stomach was doing this fluttery thing that I can't say was either unpleasant or pleasant, just entirely unfamiliar. I'd say he wasn't being very brave, running away from me like that, but I can't exactly say that I was brave either.

I almost ran back to the dungeon, running over all of my notes, all of my samples, everything. Professor Snape came in while I was in the middle of running over everything. He said he had already checked everything over several times, and that it was highly unlikely that a mistake had been made, and that barring something entirely unforeseen and unforeseeable, I had succeeded. That's when he said it:

Most impressive, and congratulations, Hermione.' And he smiled.

I could barely mumble a thank you before I left. As I slowly climbed the stairs from the dungeon, the butterflies had returned in full force, and I practically ran back to my room and buried my head in my pillow. Life should not be this complicated.

Ignorance is bliss, I never thought I would say something like that. I've been working nonstop on class, schoolwork, and my Potions NEWT. The sooner I finish it, the sooner I will be able to ... I'll be honest I just don't want to think about what is going on in my head right now, at least once I'm finished with all my school work I can reasonably throw myself into more writing.

Ron and Vicky are dating. At least that's a weight off my mind. Harry's taking me to the Valentine's Ball, at least I don't have to worry about romance there. Note to self, make sure Harry knows this is a friend thing, now.

Saturday, February 14

Today was good, probably one of my better Valentine's Days in several years. Harry and I went to Hogsmeade together and- after realizing that hanging with Ginny, Draco, Ron, and Vicky involved watching them snog- ran off to the book store for a while, we also went to Honeyduke's. We just sort of wandered around for a while before getting back to the castle to get ready for the ball.

I decided to wear this really gorgeous emerald green dress, Ginny helped me do up my hair, it had all this silvery, pearly, sparkle to it. When Ginny and I came downstairs, Draco said that I looked like I should be on the arm of a Slytherin, not Potter, oops. I don't think I did that on purpose. Well I know I didn't do it on purpose, maybe I did it subconsciously.

I danced quite a bit with Harry, also Neville. Draco and I started off the Ball, being Head Boy and Girl, but he ran off to dance with Ginny right afterwards. I was quite surprised to see Lucius wandering around at the Ball, although I suppose as a school governor that's his prerogative. Is he here to see someone?

Late in the evening, I wandered outside to get some air. I ran into Professor Snape, he was deducting points from snogging couples. I decided to join him on his tirade against romanticism, hoping it would help make some of my awkward feelings evaporate. It didn't exactly backfire, but we did end up talking about my paper, and he ended up smiling again. I think that's the strangest part about the whole thing, seeing him smile. Maybe it's just because Voldemort is gone and he gets to move on with his life, maybe it's finally snapped and has gone a little crazy. He still hasn't smiled in class, only to me, I don't know whether to be disturbed or feel delighted.

Remus set me a large quantity of chocolate, which I had already started to enjoy when I got back after the dance. He also sent me a silver heart pendent, I cried when I realized that it was silver, I can't believe that he has a chance at normalcy, because of me. I also received another gift, a witch's ball, anonymously. Perhaps I have another admirer? Ars Alchemica and a real witch's ball, both wrapped in the same black paper. It's a real witch's ball, not one of those muggle knockoffs, it actually protects against some harmful spells, and it's absolutely gorgeous, colors floating all over the surface.

Sorry, sir, it seems that you aren't the only anonymous person in my life anymore.

Tuesday, February 17

I think it is truly a testament to exactly how much I'm avoiding thinking. I've all but finished my NEWT paper for Potions. I'll turn it in to Professor Snape tomorrow. I've gone around asking all my professors for assignments for the next few weeks. I've started writing even more furiously on my book. I've sorted my job offers almost daily.

This would be so much easier if I just had a nice simple crush on a boy my age. What on earth is it with me and crushes on my professors?

It was hang out with my little sister day' today. Cassandra has managed to organize some sort of art exhibition for next month. I think that's really wonderful, but I can't help but wonder what artists do when they leave school in the wizard world.

When I brought that up, she got slightly huffy and informed me that she positively loved Charms and Potions, so she was not entirely neglecting her career. A second year Gryffindor likes Professor Snape's class? I think he must be losing just a little bit of his bite.

I helped Cassandra study a little, but mostly we just sat around while I wrote and she read. It was nice to be able to sit back and relax. Cassandra could tell that something is wrong, and asked what was bothering me, but the whole situation was just to embarrassing to talk to my twelve year old sister about. Crushes on professors, and I can't talk to Ron and Harry, the last time they knew I had a crush on a professor they teased me terribly.

Friday, February 20

Professor Snape handed me back my NEWT essay, he has a few suggestions and I will be able to finish up all of my papers two months early. That will leave me time to help everyone else and free myself up for more Head Girl activities later in the year.

It would also be nice to finish up a first draft of my book before exams. Cassandra has officially declared me insane, I would be vaguely insulted if I had not already decided that I was insane months ago.

If I mange to earn an E' on all of my NEWTs I will have broken a rather long standing record. Probably has something to do with the fact that there are not enough class times in the week to take 11 NEWTs, and most students are happy with 5 NEWTs. My ability to nail 11 probably has a lot to do with me finishing 6 essays over the summer.

Ron got asked to join the Chudley Cannons next year! He asked me and Harry what we thought, and we told him to go for it. He'll have a contract in a few weeks, and it makes him the first seventh year Gryffindor with a job.

I charmed up the common room to be Cannon's colors (ugly, but it made Ron happy). We partied pretty late, and Vicky asked me to transfigure her some Cannon's robes. Maybe she's a keeper. Actually, Ron's a Keeper. Eww, bad joke.

What exactly is causing this? Professor Snape has withheld all semblance of approval for my academics since the first day of my first year at Hogwarts. Sometimes he would insult me for being a know-it-all, or one third of the Dream Team. He once even made fun of my teeth in front of the entire Gryffindor-Slytherin Potions class. How can a few months of civility erase that? Logically, it can't, but emotionally I find myself ready to forgive.

Perhaps I have a romanticized view of him. A daring spy who risked his life to bring the Order information on the movements of Voldemort and Death Eaters. A man who, in the first war, abandoned Voldemort, at the height of his power, because of conscience.

I've forgiven Lucius. Of course, I don't have a crush on Lucius Malfoy, maybe that makes this entire ordeal slightly less painful. The last thing I need is to be lusting after two ex-Death Eaters.

This morning Ron got some awful news. His brother Bill was attacked in Diagon Alley yesterday evening. He's in St. Mungo's now, thankfully he wasn't killed. It doesn't seem to have been a mugging, nothing was taken. He was hit with the same curse that killed Arthur Weasley. I suspect foul play, left over Death Eaters have finally come out to try to take down Harry.