Hermione Granger was the only one in the dimly lit library that evening, completely absorbed in a book titled "Arithmancy as a Career". She was wearing her Gryffindor robes and her wavy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail so it wouldn't fall in her face.
The library was empty, and she had it all to herself. She wasn't expecting anyone else to be in there- not on the second night back from summer holidays. Not even seventh-years, she thought, who really need to study to get good grades this term. So naturally she was surprised when someone walked silently up and sat down across the table from her. She hadn't seen them through the bookshelves that enclosed the front and back of the table, neither had she heard them, she was so absorbed in what she was reading. So when she heard them sit down, she looked up with a startled expression on her face.
"Hiya." It was Harry Potter, her best friend since they were both first years. He looked different this year, Hermione noticed. He'd grown his dark hair a bit more, and it had more of a modern look to it. On top of that, it looked a lot tamer than it used to.
"Hey, Harry," Hermione said, smiling. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the common room celebrating with all the other Gryffindors."
"I was," Harry said, returning her smile. "But then Ron and I noticed you weren't, and I knew exactly where I'd find you." He laughed, and so did Hermione. "Why, please tell me, are you in the library on the second day back from summer holidays? Don't tell me you're studying already, classes have barely even begun!"
"No, not studying..." Hermione said uneasily. She slid her book closer to her so that the sleeve of her robe hid the title. "Just doing some reading."
"Some reading?" Harry said, with a twinkle of amusement in his green eyes. "Well, can't you do it some other time? Everyone misses you!"
Hermione smiled. "All right, but only since you dragged yourself away from the party to get me."
"Great!" Harry said. As they both got up and Hermione grabbed her book bag, Harry asked another question. "So, what could be so completely important that you had to read it tonight, if it wasn't schoolwork?"
"Well..." Hermione said, not wanting to reveal to Harry her thoughts of a job in the field of Arithmancy, as she wasn't sure she wanted to do it yet. "It's nothing, Harry."
Harry just smiled and she hoped that he'd forget about it, but she had no such luck. As they left the library he made a quick move and swiped the book from her hands, which she hadn't put in her book bag yet.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, in shock. "That's mine!"
But it was too late. Harry looked at the book and read aloud, "Arithmancy as a Career". He gave her an odd sort of look and then said, "What's so bad about that? Arithmancy is cool- if you're not bored by it and actually know how to do it. You didn't have to hide that, you know."
Hermione sighed. "I know, and I wasn't exactly... hiding... it. It's just that I'm not even sure what I want to do when I get out of Hogwarts, so I don't want to start telling people and then have to change my mind."
Harry smiled kindly. "Join the club, Hermione! Ron and I don't know for sure what we want to do either. I mean, an Auror would be cool, but I haven't decided anything yet. I know a lot of kids who haven't." He looked at her and his smile turned to a frown of worry. "Hermione, I know that you get stressed out easily by this type of thing. But don't let it get to you. I know you'll always devote a lot of time to your studies, but try to have fun this year too. I don't want you to worry yourself sick."
Hermione was touched that Harry was so protective over her. "Thanks for being such a good friend, Harry. I'll try not to let it stress me out. I'm kind of deciding between three or four things now, so I'll probably have made my decision by the end of this year."
Harry nodded. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. Promise me you won't worry about it enough to drive yourself mad?"
"Harry, I don't do that-" Hermione began. One knowing look from Harry stopped her protest. "Oh, alright. I won't worry about it... much." She smiled. "Now, are we going to join the party or not?" They had reached the portrait hole, and with a friendly smile at Harry and a recitation of the new password (tangerine swirl) she entered the common room.
The library was empty, and she had it all to herself. She wasn't expecting anyone else to be in there- not on the second night back from summer holidays. Not even seventh-years, she thought, who really need to study to get good grades this term. So naturally she was surprised when someone walked silently up and sat down across the table from her. She hadn't seen them through the bookshelves that enclosed the front and back of the table, neither had she heard them, she was so absorbed in what she was reading. So when she heard them sit down, she looked up with a startled expression on her face.
"Hiya." It was Harry Potter, her best friend since they were both first years. He looked different this year, Hermione noticed. He'd grown his dark hair a bit more, and it had more of a modern look to it. On top of that, it looked a lot tamer than it used to.
"Hey, Harry," Hermione said, smiling. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the common room celebrating with all the other Gryffindors."
"I was," Harry said, returning her smile. "But then Ron and I noticed you weren't, and I knew exactly where I'd find you." He laughed, and so did Hermione. "Why, please tell me, are you in the library on the second day back from summer holidays? Don't tell me you're studying already, classes have barely even begun!"
"No, not studying..." Hermione said uneasily. She slid her book closer to her so that the sleeve of her robe hid the title. "Just doing some reading."
"Some reading?" Harry said, with a twinkle of amusement in his green eyes. "Well, can't you do it some other time? Everyone misses you!"
Hermione smiled. "All right, but only since you dragged yourself away from the party to get me."
"Great!" Harry said. As they both got up and Hermione grabbed her book bag, Harry asked another question. "So, what could be so completely important that you had to read it tonight, if it wasn't schoolwork?"
"Well..." Hermione said, not wanting to reveal to Harry her thoughts of a job in the field of Arithmancy, as she wasn't sure she wanted to do it yet. "It's nothing, Harry."
Harry just smiled and she hoped that he'd forget about it, but she had no such luck. As they left the library he made a quick move and swiped the book from her hands, which she hadn't put in her book bag yet.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, in shock. "That's mine!"
But it was too late. Harry looked at the book and read aloud, "Arithmancy as a Career". He gave her an odd sort of look and then said, "What's so bad about that? Arithmancy is cool- if you're not bored by it and actually know how to do it. You didn't have to hide that, you know."
Hermione sighed. "I know, and I wasn't exactly... hiding... it. It's just that I'm not even sure what I want to do when I get out of Hogwarts, so I don't want to start telling people and then have to change my mind."
Harry smiled kindly. "Join the club, Hermione! Ron and I don't know for sure what we want to do either. I mean, an Auror would be cool, but I haven't decided anything yet. I know a lot of kids who haven't." He looked at her and his smile turned to a frown of worry. "Hermione, I know that you get stressed out easily by this type of thing. But don't let it get to you. I know you'll always devote a lot of time to your studies, but try to have fun this year too. I don't want you to worry yourself sick."
Hermione was touched that Harry was so protective over her. "Thanks for being such a good friend, Harry. I'll try not to let it stress me out. I'm kind of deciding between three or four things now, so I'll probably have made my decision by the end of this year."
Harry nodded. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. Promise me you won't worry about it enough to drive yourself mad?"
"Harry, I don't do that-" Hermione began. One knowing look from Harry stopped her protest. "Oh, alright. I won't worry about it... much." She smiled. "Now, are we going to join the party or not?" They had reached the portrait hole, and with a friendly smile at Harry and a recitation of the new password (tangerine swirl) she entered the common room.