AN: I'm not dead! :D It's been a long time since I wrote something, but this was homework for the Hogwarts Online Forum, which I found to be much more enjoyable than regular homework :P. Anyway, enjoy!
Cassiope Torring, lifelong resident of Hogsmeade, was enjoying the comfort of a cup of tea, the Daily Prophet, and a lit fireplace. It was the week before Christmas, and the snowy view from her sitting room window was picturesque. No better way to spend a Saturday morning, she thought serenely, taking a sip of tea. Just as she was beginning to doze off, lulled by the gentle crackling of the fire, a shout shattered the quiet, making her drop her tea cup.
"But how do you think you're going to manage next year when we're doing N.E.W.T.s if you can't even keep up with the work now?" a girl's voice screeched.
A boy yelled back, "By copying you, of course. How I've managed every other year, right?"
"Ronald Weasley, if you think I'm going to just let you cheat-"
Cassiope scowled. Those same two obscenely loud teenagers passed her house every time Hogwarts students visited-
"Well you always have, haven't you? 'Sides, it's not technically cheating if you just tell me how to do it-"
"Of course it is!" the girl shouted.
Well, she was going to tell them this time. Cassiope stood, ignoring her upset tea, and thrust her door open.
"Don't you kids realize that some of us are trying to relax? You don't own, Hogsmeade, you know!" She probably would have said more, but then she noticed another boy, one with unruly black hair and a funny scar peeking out from underneath it, whose face she had just glimpsed on page 2 of the Daily Prophet. Surely it couldn't be…
"Sorry, ma'am," he said, giving the loud boy a look. "Won't happen again." He then grabbed both his friends and hurried off.
"That was…. Ha…. Harry…. Harry Po…" Cassiope Torring, for once in her life, was at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, one street down, Ron and Hermione had continued their argument.
"-I'm only saying, Ronald, that you should've done your essay last night when you were playing chess with Harry. It's not as though you had to really pay attention." Realizing what she had said, she quickly turned to Harry. "No offense."
"None taken."
"Well," said Ron sardonically, "let's just think about this. Would I rather have been writing about the dangers of the Gemino Curse or crushing Harry in an epic game of chess?"
But Hermione wasn't listening. Her gaze was fixed on a group of seventh years that were making their way towards them. More specifically, on a certain brawny Gryffindor with sandy hair and a rude smirk.
"Er… gotta go," muttered Hermione, darting into an alley before Harry and Ron had even looked up. Letting their confused protests fade into the distance, she hurried through the alley, finally bursting out on the other side on High Street. Quickly scanning the crowd and finding no trace of the boy, she sighed in relief and slipped in behind a group of Ravenclaws headed for the little bookshop.
But before she could trail them for so much as fifty feet, she heard a familiar, irritating laugh and caught a glimpse of wiry brown hair. Looking around frantically, she saw that the nearest store was Honeydukes. Just as she heard someone call, "Oi! Granger!", she darted in, nearly bowling over a group of giggling third years.
Ducking behind a chocolate frog display, Hermione caught her breath and waited for her infuriation to simmer down. The nerve of that Cormac McLaggen! Honestly, thinking he could just swagger up to her and charm her into going out with him…
As soon as she felt that he must be gone, she slowly stood, waving absently at Parvati when she said hello. Realizing that a few people were giving her funny looks, she grabbed a few chocolate frogs and hurried to the counter to ring them up.
By the time Hermione had paid and stepped outside, the sun was already high in the sky and her stomach was growling. She sat down on a bench under the awning of the store and pulled her gloves on. She supposed that she could try and find Harry and Ron, but she still wanted to stop by the bookstore, and she was sure that they wouldn't want to come. Yes, she would just find them later. She stood to go to the bookstore only to find herself looking at the front of Cormac McLaggen's jacket.
"Hello, McLaggen," she said as politely as she could while trying to inch away.
"Hello, Hermione," he said in what he seemed to think was a suave voice.
"Er… how are you?"
"Much better now, thanks." Here he winked, and Hermione had to work hard to keep the look of revulsion off her face.
"Well, it's been lovely talking to you, but I really have to go… I expect Harry and Ron are wondering where I've gone…"
"Oh, but Hermione, I'm afraid you can't go yet."
"Really, now why's that?" She allowed some of her frustration leak into her voice.
Cormac smirked and nodded at a point above her head. Craning back her neck, Hermione saw a little sprig of green plant with shiny white berries and couldn't keep the scowl off her face as she looked back down.
"Aw, c'mon, 'Mione, don't be like that-"
"DON'T call me Mione!"
"Just one kiss?" He pouted, making himself look like an overgrown toddler.
"…Fine," muttered Hermione. "Make it quick."
Smirking, Cormac closed his eyes and leaned towards her. Hermione's hand crept towards her pocket. His abnormally large nose loomed closer… closer…
And Hermione whipped out her wand. "CONFUNDUS!"
Cormac's eyes popped open and went blank. He blinked rapidly, staggering back a step. "What-" Hermione thought Stupefy as hard as she could, and sure enough he dropped like a stone. She caught him at the last second, staggering under his weight. With much pushing, pulling, and dragging, she managed to heave him onto the bench that she had just occupied. Glancing around hastily to ensure that no one had witnessed the ordeal, Hermione hurried away from Honeydukes with only the tiniest twinge of guilt squirming inside her.
Thanks for reading! Please review ;)