On one cold November evening, most of the Gryffindor fifth years were warm and cozy in their common room. Many were talking or laughing while a few studied quietly. At half past ten, the common room started to empty as most retired to bed. Dean Thomas promised he would see Seamus Finnegan the next day in history class. Seamus agreed and continued to sit at a small wooden table. He was thinking very hard. He had forgotten something. His face blanched. He thought he could do without his missing notebook full of assignments, but he just remembered the history essay that was due the next day. Once he came to this realization, he slammed his fist on the table with a loud curse, making a few younger students, cringe. He bolted up to his dormitory and back to his table with ink, a quill, fresh parchment, and his reference book. He began writing furiously about a five-year house elf rebellion from the nineteenth century.
Almost done with his essay at half past eleven, he sat back and stretched his arms and legs. He glanced around the room. Hermione Ganger and Neville Longbottom were still up at this hour. One was reading a tome on a couch by the fireplace and the other was skimming through The Daily Prophet in an armchair against the wall. Hermione had a slight frown on her face from concentrating on her heavy book. Seamus decided it was worth interrupting her. He needed some assurance that the two-week assignment that he had written in the past hour was deemed acceptable by the hardest working fifth year at Hogwarts. He took his parchment and sat in the middle of the couch. He turned and said, "Hermione, would mind looking over my essay? I'm still writing it and it's due tomorrow".
"For Professor Binns?" She asked. Hermione also had that class during the same hour. He nodded as he handed her the paper and they both began to read it over. As he was reading one of the last sentences, his eyes slid to her chest. She had changed in to her pajamas for sleeping and her cleavage was slightly visible. They were larger then he expected and he was surprised he held any expectations at all. He never recalled gazing at her breasts before. Seamus chided himself and looked back at the essay. He really felt he only needed a few more concluding sentences. This was a blessing because he very much wanted to fall asleep before twelve o'clock if possible.
After rereading the last paragraph Hermione looked up and said, "I think its okay. I mean, I think it is written well enough that Binns won't know it only took you an hour. I wrote mine more about the beginning of the rebellion, than the end; Binns will have some variation."
"Right. Okay, thanks Hermione. I'll just finish it up."
"No problem. See you in history tomorrow", she replied, returning to her book. Seamus felt better. He started to get up from the couch but stopped mid-way, the color draining from his face at the possibility of another forgotten homework assignment.
"Wait, are you studying for something?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Hermione flipped the book so he could see the cover. "This is for my defense against the dark arts test at the end of the month". Seamus flooded with relief. His class was behind and they just started a new topic.
"Oh, okay. Good night," he said, collecting his things and leaving the common room. Hermione only gave a small hum of agreement. She had already gone back to reading. Seamus walked up the stairs and climbed into bed. Her test isn't for another two weeks. It's only the tenth of November, he thought to himself. He feel asleep hoping his essay was good enough not to stand out in a bad way.