I had never, in my entire life, seen such a beautiful girl. Of course, Hermione claims they're all beautiful but that they all look the same. I totally disagree.
"I think I'm in love," Ron says as we enter the Gryfindor common room.
"More like in lust, Ronald," Hermione quipped, throwing herself down on the couch next to me. She nudged me with her elbow a little, getting my attention. "You know, Nic, we're never going to get dates with the walking super models here."
"Why are you so rude?"
"Because they're only distracting from what we're here for, to learn."
"You're here to learn."
"Knock it off," I said. "Hermione, I think it's time we leave the boys to it and get to bed huh?"
"Americans and their stupid sleeping habits."
"I heard that Ron."
Once we were upstairs Hermione went straight to grilling me.
"You didn't write," she huffed as she sat next to me on my bed.
"I know, and I'm sorry," I pleaded. "It was a very long summer. Percy can't seem to stay out of trouble for five minutes. Not to mention that Dad required a full report. I don't know why, Dumbledore tells him everything. And, when I wasn't bailing Percy out of trouble or amusing my father with my school tales, I was spending time with Sally."
"I still think that it's a little strange that you are so close with your half-brother's mom."
"Well, I have none of my own, and she raised me until I came here. Two years after he left my father shows up on her doorstep with an infant, saying that my mother is in prison and I'm not a part of their world and that if the wrong people found me, I'd be dead."
"Have we figured out who your mother is yet?"
"I wish. I tried talking to my dad about it but every time I'd bring it up, he'd shut me down. I think maybe it's true, that she's in prison. If it is, that would explain why he won't tell me. He's ashamed. Sometimes, I'm surprised he claimed me at all."
"Maybe he's just trying to protect you?"
"Maybe."
"Dumbledore!"
"What about him?"
"If she's really in prison, and you're a wizard so she must be a wizard, I'll bet she's in Azkaban. And if she's in Azkaban, Dumbledore may be able to help us."
"Hermione, you're a genious!"