August 17

Dear Tom,

Just be my diary for a little while and don't answer me, please, I don't know what to do. I just sneaked upstairs to listen and see what Harry and Ron are doing. I know I deserved what I got for spying, Mum says never to eavesdrop if you don't want to hear something horrible about yourself, but I did it anyway. I just wanted to know Harry better and he hardly talks in front of me and I CAN'T talk in front of him and

Oh Tom they were making fun of me up there. Ron and Fred and George were. Harry didn't really say anything back but they all - they said-

I can't.

What just… sank into the page? It was not ink.

I'm sorry Tom.

Are you…are these… You're crying.

Only a little. I'll stop doing it on you.

NO - Do not stifle yourself… You are entitled to cry.

It's just they - oh Tom, they wouldn't do it if - if they knew how much I feel.

Wouldn't they?

If they knew I - really love him - then they'd stop.

Would they.

Yes but - they don't believe - I can feel - big things. They think it's just - a joke. Oh sorry - I'll lean the other way -

No. Cry here. It helps me.

Helps you?

To… know you.

I can't see how.

Tell me what they said, Virginia, and don't lean away. It's all right.

I can't repeat it. I'm so embarrassed. I hope I'm in Hufflepuff and I never have to look Harry in the face. I'd rather be a Slytherin than live in the same tower with Fred and George and Ron. I don't even want to go to Hogwarts anymore. I wish Mum would make them stop -

She hasn't. So talk to me.

All right. I took off my shoes and stepped over the creaky stair and brought my wand because I learned a little silencing charm in case the ghoul got started, and I got to the door of Ron's room without making a noise. I heard them all laughing. Except for Harry. They were just talking about Charlie - at first. They were talking about his letter to Mum and Dad, where he said no, he hasn't got a steady girlfriend, he's just having unsteady fun at the minute. And Mum had kittens about it because she says it's positively indecent the way he refuses to treat the matter with any dignity. Fred and George were saying he's probably got a different girlfriend every day of the week, and then they started talking about Bill, and then Percy, who's never even noticed girls exist, and then themselves - and then Fred said George fancies a girl called Katie on the Quidditch team. George said it was a lie, but Ron and Harry started snorting, and Ron told Harry to keep an eye on them at Quidditch practice, and they started laughing harder.

And then George said, "Like you can talk, Harry. Got yourself a bit of a girlfriend, don't you?"

I froze to the wall. I knew what he meant. I wanted to run but I couldn't stop listening and then Fred said, "Ah yes, he's got a little sweetheart downstairs." Ron snickered and said, "She's never watched US play Quidditch so much," and Fred said, "I notice she always fills your glass the fullest at supper," and George said, "Bet she's got that picture from the newspaper pinned to her wall," and they all started in laughing. Harry said, "Shut up. You're worse than Malfoy," and then Ron and the twins got insulted but I didn't stay to hear the row. I ran down here.

How could they, Tom?

Perhaps they do not love you as much as they should.

Mum says they love me no matter what. But sometimes I really don't think that they do.

It was malicious of them.

Yes.

You would never do that, would you?

No. But Tom, your writing is coming up through the page so quickly!

Yes. I feel stronger when you speak to me. You must always tell me your stories, Virginia; perhaps your brothers do not appreciate you, but I do.

Oh Tom. Thank you for listening to me. No one else will.

Would it be too painful if I were to ask a few questions? I so want to understand your life.

Ask me anything.

You've mentioned Malfoy twice. Tell me more.

What, about the Malfoys? Well they're despicable. Draco Malfoy is in Harry and Ron's year at school, but he's a big fat Slytherin. He was in Diagon Alley with his nasty father when we were there to get books and robes. He was being horrible to Harry, saying things like "Oh, Potter, you're so famous," and I told him to sod off.

Did you.

Well no. But I told him to leave Harry alone, so he said "Oh Potter, you've got a GIRLfriend." That's why Harry just told Ron and the twins that they sounded like Malfoy, because they DID. And then Malfoy's dad and mine got into a fistfight and knocked down a bookshelf at Flourish and Blotts, and they wouldn't stop until Hagrid made them.

Hagrid.

He's the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts.

Ground maintenance.

Yes.

Excellent. Go on.

And he's HUGE. No one can fight if he breaks them up, and even though I wish Dad had been able to knock out a few of Malfoy's teeth, Mum was already wound up so it's better that they stopped. The Malfoys think they're so special just because they can buy things and make people do what they want, but they're just awful. They're mean to us in public for being poor. I don't like being poor, but I don't see why anyone else should care if we are.

I don't think Harry wants me to like him. He wanted them to shut up, upstairs. I don't want to like him anymore, Tom. There's no point. I'm going to stop talking about him and talk about something else. But I'll have to do it later, because it's past my bedtime.

I'm glad you're feeling stronger, Tom.

Goodnight.