Hermione sighed, glancing around the library before back to the stacks of notes she was making ahead of her NEWT examinations, Exams which would not take place for another 7 months. She rubbed her eyes, checking her watch for the time – 5 past 10. It was dark, of course, but it wasn't really late. Hermione threw her quill down in frustration, none of the information she desperately needed to remember would come to the surface. She stood, the library was deserted, and Madame Pince had left her the spare keys to let herself in and out as she wished. She stepped around her chair and ran her fingers along the spines of the books in the large library, pausing as her finger stopped against a small red book that looked like a diary. Curious, she pulled it out, and her eyebrows rose as she flicked through the empty pages. Only one had anything write on it, the very first, and it simply said December 1978, Property of R.M.L, Keep Out.

She frowned, noting that the diary was very similar to that of Tom Riddle… Like that Harry had rescued Ginny Weasley from in his second year… Hermione shuddered, but didn't put the notebook down. Instead she sat down and debated what she should do with it. Shaking her head, she packed her bag and leisurely strolled back to the Gryffindor common room to sit in front of the fire, but all the chairs were taken… many people, like her, seemed to think getting a head-start on NEWT's revision was a good way to spend the Christmas holidays. She spotted Harry and Ron on a sofa with notes scattered around them and both looking on the verge of sleep. She grinned before stalking up to them and practically throwing herself over their legs and let out a long groan, her head resting on Harry's knees as she closed her eyes.

"Mioneeee…" Ron whined, but didn't do anything to move her. Harry jumped, and she heard him laugh before the two hoisted her into a sitting position.

"Thank you for the distraction… now can you please explain the reason you just did that?" Harry asked, and Hermione shrugged.

"You were asleep. Now you're not. End of reason." Ron blinked, and then looked at his notes, which were covered in drool. "Ronald Weasley that is disgusting."

"You could have just waved one of those singing diaries in our faces." Ron grumbled before stacking up his notes again. "Right, so Erwin the Bald destroyed the castle of Mering the Strong which started the troll wars…"

"No, Ron, that's wrong, totally backwards with the goblin rebellion of 1892…" She sighed and made a copy of her own notes on the troll wars and handed them to Ron, who grinned at her. "Harry, let's have a look at yours then… oh these are good… yes you even remembered about the truffles… no you forgot this though, here … you need to explain about the river crossing, that was important…"

The trio sat around the fire, continuing the notes on History of Magic, and for a while Hermione forgot about the small red diary that resided in her school bag until the next morning, when she emptied her bag to start her Arithmancy notes.

"Right then, you. I want to know exactly what you do." She sat with her legs crossed on her bed, leafing through the empty pages once again. She picked up a highlighter that would detect invisible ink… instead some glowing blue writing appeared off the page

I won't be read that way.

Hermione gaped, and then picked up her quill, writing on the page.

Who are you?

Remus Lupin was laid on his stomach in his room, contemplating what to write in his diary. He had already described his latest transformation and recent escapades with the Marauders, and was at a loss as to what he should write next. He jumped as flowering ink appeared on the page in a neat hand, and he pushed his sandy brown hair out of his eyes to read it.

Who are you? It said.

He blinked, and picked up his quill.

What?

I said, well, wrote, 'who are you?' if you didn't catch it, read over.

He grinned, and wrote a reply, but still wary of this person

You can call me… Michael... you? And are you at Hogwarts? If so, what year are you in?

At the other side of the conversation, Hermione froze. She didn't want to tell this person her real name, so settled for her middle name instead.

I'm Athena... I am indeed, and I'm in my 7th year. Well, you're obviously at Hogwarts as you so kindly asked me about it, so what year are you in, and your house?

Its not 7th year, goddess of wisdom, its 'throw yourself off a cliff year' and I'm under McGonagall's whip, so to speak. Care to share?

Hermione frowned, and then her smile lightened. This person was at Hogwarts in 1978… she was speaking to someone from the past! 20 years ago, in fact… she stopped suddenly. This person was at school with Lily and James… in their House!

A Gryffindor! I just realised something, You're in 1978, right?

Remus frowned, but shrugged it off and replied to her comment.

Right… what's that got to do with the price of butterbeer? And why don't I know you?

Oh My Gosh… Well you see I'm writing from 1998! OMG!

Remus laughed at her, but couldn't help but wonder how she had got hold of his diary… he knew she couldn't read it though.

OMG?

Saying. Means Oh My God

Aaah I see. Any others you're likely to confuse me with in the mean time?

WTF… it means, well, what the… you can guess the last word I think, LOL

LOL? Nicely put

Laugh Out Loud, thank you, I have a way with words

Remus rolled his eyes

A little big headed I see.

Oh yes, I'm a wonderful person and smartest in the year

Not as smart as me, and hey, lets face it, I am a walking god

Hermione's eyebrows rose at this last sentence, and she giggled. Remus was shocked, however, at his boldness.

Who is calling whom big-headed now, huh?

Ah, see, then we're both just the best people in the world

Of course, why would we be anything else?

My thoughts exactly, Goddess of Wisdom, your name is truly earned

Aw, I don't know what I can say about your name…at least you don't have my full name; Michael…Athena Hermione Granger… how disgusting is that? Ick

I think is beautiful! And what I say rules

Flatterer

Indeed

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

And so Hermione became obsessed with the mystery person at the other end of the Diary. Day after day when her revision was done they would talk. They would discuss everything… and it eventually came round to recent events… the death of Dumbledore.

He was an amazing man Hermione quoted to the diary

He still is… many people I know will miss him… especially Lily… she worships the ground Dumbledore walks on, so to speak

Hermione felt a lump in her throat, desperate to tell this person that she would barely live another three years… but she couldn't, mustn't say anything about people's futures.

Depressing topic Remus mused to the diary, trying not to think about anything she had just said. And it's a full moon tonight

Hermione blinked. Full moon? Why would he be talking about a full moon?

What? Why would that be important?

Full moons are pretty… Remus was mentally kicking himself… 'Idiot Remus, you arse!'

Oh, yes they are… I jut thought, y'know; it might have been something more important…

No, no it's not. Honestly, it isn't. Why would it be? Of course it's not important.

Ok, I just thought…

Well its not!

CALM DOWN! BREATHE! Hermione wrote into the paper with humour, and watched as it disappeared.

I am calm! Remus's palms were sweating as he tried to hide it in his writing.

Ok. Well, I have to go, there's a meeting I need to go to, Head girl stuff for the Christmas ball…

Glad I'm not head boy. I'll just stick to being a prefect, thanks. Get to control the Marauders … hey does the map still exist? Just out of curiosity.

Hermione smirked, thinking about the many times her, Harry and Ron had snuck down into Hogsmead when in desperate need of party food… Hermione had become much more relaxed over the last year

Oh yes… Harry is obsessed with it… As is Ron too but hey who cares really?

Who're Harry and Ron?

Oh, just my friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter…

Remus nearly dropped the book in surprise? Potter… He glanced over the common room to James and Lily who were thoroughly engrossed in each other, and smiled ruefully, wishing he had that happiness.

Hey, something wrong, you haven't replied!

Oh, sorry. Well, I'd better let you get off, don't want you to be late for your meeting, after all.

Ok, bye, Michael

See you later, Athena.

Hermione left the diary with a feeling of regret in her stomach; she already missed talking to the diary.