Disclaimer: I own nothing ... the law doesn't need to get involved.

A/N: Well, this is my first fanfic...I can't believe that I am doing this! Oh well, hope you guys like it!

Chapter 1: Potions Essay

"Where is it? I know it was right there on the table and then..." scanning the Gryffindor common room Hermione Granger began to fret.

"It was on the table and then I turned around and then I walked over here and then I sat here next to Harry and helped Harry with his essay and then..." frantically retracing her every move, Hermione looked about in a dazed stupor.

"It's not here. I didn't put it anywhere else." Hermione's eyes darted from one side to the next. With her hair askew and her wild eyes, Hermione was beginning to look almost insane. In reality, she probably was very near to being insane.

With lightning quick speed Hermione took out her wand and began to point it at all the pieces of furniture in the room. "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA! WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA! WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA! "

"Bloody hell, Hermione what happened?" Hermione whirled around to see a shocked Ron who had just come into the common room through the portrait hole. Her feverish eyes locked with Ron's and caused him to take a tentative step back. The two couches and the overstuffed armchair came crashing down to the ground.

"Hermione, what's wrong? I walk into a room with furniture flying everywhere and you gone all crazy."

"It's gone I tell you and I can't find it and I have no clue where I put it and I am almost sure it was right there on that table and now..."

"Whoa, just slow down...take it easy. What happened?"

Hermione grabbed Ron in desperation. "You're telling me to take it easy? How can I take it easy! My potions essay has been...stolen!"

Ron visibly relaxed. "This is all over a potions essay? Hey, don't worry about it. Just copy mine and use your big words here and there and Snape won't notice the difference."

"But I will notice the difference! I spent hours on that essay. It was perfect. I worked so hard and now..." Hermione's spirit seemed to be crumpling before Ron's eyes.

"Here, let's sit down for a while." Guiding Hermione to couch, he pushed her down and sat down beside her.

"Now, where did you last see it?"

"No! No! No! I have searched everywhere! I have already been through this whole logical conversation in my head! There can only be one reason why it's missing...it's been stolen!" Hermione sat dejectedly next to Ron, sniffling.

"Now Hermione, isn't that going a little overboard?" said Ron, awkwardly patting her shoulder, "Someone could have accidentally picked it up or seen it lying there and put it somewhere else or someone could have been cold and might have thrown it in the fire..." Hermione buried her face in her hands and her sniffles turned to wails. That was definitely the wrong thing to say.

"Aw, come on now Hermione, I was just playing with you. I'll bet its up in your room and you plumb forgot that it was right there next to your bed or something."

Hermione lifted her tearstained face to look up at Ron. All of a sudden, the tearful Hermione was replaced with the determined and confident Hermione. "You're probably right. I was just so overcome that I didn't even think to look in my room." Taking in a shaky breath, Hermione ran up the stairs to her room.

Within moment, Ron heard a wild shriek and the sound of someone running down the stairs in a mad frenzy. Sure enough, it was Hermione, looking as wild as when he had seen her with the floating furniture. "Its not there!" she wailed and, with an amount of force that surprised Ron, Hermione clung to him and began to sob uncontrollably.

It took the better part of an hour to finally calm Hermione down. Her sobs turned to the occasional sniffles as she sat on the couch in a dejected stupor.

"There there 'Mione," said Ron awkwardly, patting her shoulder once again. He wasn't use to girls overcome with teenage hormones to break down and cry around him. And he hoped that there wouldn't be any chance of him having to experience it again!

"Feeling a bit better," Ron asked tentatively

"Yeah...I suppose some work at this point would be better then turning in nothing. Snape would never give me an extension to find my real essay." With a sigh, Hermione got up from the couch and started to walk towards the girl's dormitory staircase. As she reached the foot of the stairs, Hermione turned back to give Ron a small smile.

"Thanks Ron, I'm not exactly sure what came over me. I wasn't really myself. Thanks for being there for me."

Ron grinned back at her, his ears turning scarlet, "Sure 'Mione. What are friends for?"

Then, all of a sudden, they heard tapping noises come from the window. Surprised, Ron got up and opened the window to let in a scrawny Hogwarts owl. It flew towards Hermione, settling on the banister next to her. Curious, Hermione untied the parchment from around the owl's foot. The owl stood there expectedly as Hermione read the note and it soon realized it wouldn't get any treats for the delivery. Miffed, it took off.

Hermione had finished reading the note and stood there, ashen faced, as she looked up at Ron.

"What is it 'Mione?" Ron asked as he closed the window behind the owl. A distinctive shriek could be heard through the glass as Ron accidentally closed the window on the owl's tail feathers. Apologetic, he opened it once more to let the owl go free and was surprised when the owl, instead of going out, came back inside.

The owl glared at Ron, obviously expecting something. Confused, Ron shifted his weight to his other foot, not exactly sure what to say to the owl. "Erm, I'm sorry?" Still a bit ruffled, the owl continued to glare at Ron. Realizing that he wasn't going to get any more then that, he flew out of the window in a huff.

Ron shuddered as he securely closed the window, "I swear, those Hogwarts owls are beginning to scare me. That one had the look of revenge about him."

"Ron, come look at this." Hermione said, still standing there with the note clutched in her hands. Ron came up beside her and took the note from her, silently reading it.

Looking for something important, I see.

What you search for is with me.

Come alone to the highest tower that can be.

And I will tell you what I want...eventually!

Ron sighed, handing the note back to Hermione, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Well, that definitely is the most horrid rhyme scheme I have ever read," Ron said "I mean, it's not like I read poetry or anything," Ron quickly added in. Glancing over Hermione's shoulder he said offhandedly, "And oh, it looks like your potions essay was stolen."

Hermione whirled around to glare at Ron. "That's what I have been trying to tell you! You just didn't believe me! You should have believed me...I was right!"

"So how are you going to get it back?"

"Don't change the subject. I was right!"

"So?"

"First admit that I was right."

"Geez, you were right! Happy now?"

"Yes."

"But who would steal your essay?"

"I don't know! I'm going to go up to the Astronomy tower to find out!"

"No! Wait, you can't go alone." Ron grabbed Hermione's arm but she wrenched away from his grip.

"The note said to come alone. Who knows what they are going to do to my essay if I don't come alone! They might alter it or burn it or transfigure it into some random article of clothing! I can't take the chance," and with that Hermione stalked out of the portrait hole in a huff.

Ron stood there shaking his head. "I feel sorry for those bad poets. Hermione is going to get them good...but it was their fault! Those rhymes were just so bad..." Ron gave a little shudder. Looking out at the dark sky outside, Ron gave a sigh.

"Why did her essay have to get stolen this late at night?" And with that, Ron bounded out of the portrait hole, heading for the Astronomy tower.

A/N: Well there is the first chapter of my first story! Please review and tell me what you think. Anything you would like to see? I know I haven't really developed the plot that much yet but I wanted to get a good start!