[A/N: I'm a Hufflepuff through and through. What house do you belong in? Also – I'm going to try to start responding to reviews from now on – especially the really good ones so keep 'em coming]

"So, I have to finish all of this work by mid-November?" I asked, looking at the daunting stack of papers and books in front of me.

"Yes," McGonagall replied.

I laughed. "Oh, my God! I'm going to die."

"Anyone else would. Not you," McGonagall said. "You don't have any classes. You only have one final exam in each of you classes in the third week of November."

"And then I have the rest of the term to mentally prepare myself for seventh year course work and NEWTs, that is assuming I haven't destroyed myself," I said.

"Correct," she said. "Just remember everyday you'll have to go to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor's DADA and potions classes. We've put them together in both classes just for you."

"Thank you," I said. "And also, I'm free to sit in on any classes I like, correct?"

"Correct. And I know about your interest in continuing your astronomy studies even though you don't need to," McGonagall said. "Midnight is your assigned time meet for that class which you'll continue only for your sixth year studies."

"Got it," I said.

"For today, Professor Snape and Slughorn request that you let them have their fifth year students to themselves for the day and you'll begin your student teacher duties tomorrow," McGonagall said.

"Excellent," I said.

"Might I ask how you'll be spending your first day?" she asked.

"I'll be around definitely to potions and defense against the dark arts. Probably your class as well and Hagrid's. Other than that, I'll be in my room, crying over all of these books," I said.

McGonagall shook her head. "Good luck, Potter. I believe you can do this." She tapped the books. "They'll be in your old room. I expect you won't want to do all that work distracted by a bunch teenage girls."

"You know me so well, Professor," I said. "Oh, and I was just wondering, about Lee's old position commentating Quidditch, might I be able to step in for that?"

"Well, Zacharias Smith has also asked for the position, but we'll set you both up on the first match and see how you fair," she said.

"Excellent. In the meanwhile, I'm starving. I'll head to be heading to breakfast," I said.

I walked out of her office and headed downstairs to the Great Hall.

I found my friends sitting with Kaitlin at the nearly deserted table.

"You seem to be making friend easily," I said to her

"Well, you guys are just so likable," Kaitlin said.

"She doesn't eat meat," Ron said. "I offered the last piece of bacon, because she's new and all, but she doesn't eat meat!"

"Unusual trait for Gryffindor. We're carnivores," I said.

"Yeah most of the pansies are in Hufflepuff," Ron said.

"Tonks was a Hufflepuff and she's the person who's qualified to be an auror in four years," Harry said. "She's my own personal hero."

"Pansy," Ron said.

"Ignore, Ron. He is a loser," Hermione said.

"Who's the bigger loser? The loser who calls the vegetarian a pansy or the loser who makes out with him?" Ron asked.

Harry, Kaitlin and I laughed as Hermione blushed.

"Excuse me, Hannah," someone said. I watched Kaitlin's face dissolve into a smile and I turned to see who was behind me.

It was Marius. Somehow I contained my swoon.

"Hi, Marius," I said. "Oh, let me introduce you. This is Ron, Hermione, my brother Harry and you've met Kaitlin."

"Nice to meet you," he said.

Hermione looked over to me and giggled.

"Hannah, I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble, could you show me to the arithmancy classroom again. I, how you say. . . Forgot where it was," he said.

"Of course, no trouble at all," I said.

"Fantastico! Gracias, Hannah," he said. "Your sister is too kind."

"Yeah, she's pretty great," Harry said.

"She reminds me of my sister in that way. I bet she gets followed by all the boys," Marius said.

"Yeah, that's I keep an eye on her," he replied.

Marius chuckled. "As beautiful as she is, I'd keep two eyes on her."

Hermione, Kaitlin and I giggled.

"Shall we go, Hannah?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I'll see you guys in DADA."

I got up from the table and walked out the great hall with Marius.

"So, you speak Spanish, right?" I asked.

"Si, otherwise it would be pretty difficult to live in Spain," he said.

"Right," I said, feeling sheepish. "Here's a better question, what are you planning to do after you graduate?"

"I love animals. All kinds of them. So, I'm looking into magizoology," he said.

"Be still my beating heart," I said. "A magizoologist. That requires work with animals. I bet you're taking care of magical creatures."

He nodded. "So far most other students aren't taking it though."

"That's because Hagrid likes to bring dangerous creatures to class and everyone is too terrified to take the class anymore," I said. "Hagrid's a good friend of mine, but because of the ALTAP I'm not taking it anymore."

"So I am taking the class by myself?" he asked.

"Technically, but I love Hagrid so I'll drop by when I'm not being buried in schoolwork," I said.

"What are you going to study?" he asked.

"Potions," I said. "Yes. I love potions. When I make potions I am in a completely different world."

"So you want to make potions because it's fun?" he asked.

"Potions is the only thing I've ever always enjoyed doing and well. . . I mean to help someone," I said.

"Who? You can tell me. I won't tell a soul," Marius said.

"Well. . . Someone very special to me is a werewolf. He has been since he was a child. He was one of my parents' best friends and all he's done since he met me was take care of me and I feel like if I can find a cure, or at least try, I'll have returned the favor," I said.

"He must be very kind to take care of you," Marius said.

"He is. He used to teach defense against the dark arts here in my third year. It's how I met him. My friends and I weren't so friendly that year and I was alone a lot of the time, but I talked to him and the feeling of loneliness went away," I said.

"So you always help people in this way?" Marius asked.

I chuckled. "Actually, I'm pretty selfish to be honest. I love myself and I tend to forget about other people. But every once in a while, someone comes along and they make me realize that the world does not revolve around me. That I'm just one person."

"Well, to the world, you may just be one person, but to one person, you can be the world," Marius said.

"That's so sweet," I said, smiling.

"No. It's just good to have a sense of celebration about yourself like you do. Someone else out there is probably celebrating about you as well," he said.

*Maybe he was last week but he certainly isn't today.*

"Well this is your classroom," I said.

"I've enjoyed this chat," he said. "I hope I'll get to continue it with you soon."

"Well, if you need more directions, I could always show you around. I mean, you probably haven't seen where care of magical creatures is, have you?" I asked.

"I haven't," he said. "I have it after lunch."

"Then I'll find you," I said.

"I look forward to it," he said.

"Interesting fellow that Marius," Harry said as I walked with him to DADA.

"Isn't he?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think I actually managed to have an intelligent conversation with him without getting confused, though that could have something to do with the fact that he's from Spain and he's still not clear on a lot of English," he said. "And, fun fact, his English teacher in Spain was actually from Japan. Talk about confusing."

We walked into Snape's classroom which was set up almost identical to his potions room.

I skipped up to his desk.

"Hello, Professor," I said.

"Potter. Didn't expect to be seeing you today," he said.

"Aw, now you know you can't get rid of me that easily," I said.

"What are you planning to do here?" he asked.

"Observe or just be annoying as possible – whichever you prefer," I said. "Going away is not on your list of options."

"Lucky me," he said.

"You are," I said. "Professor Slughorn is the only other person in the whole school who gets to have me looking over their shoulder and asking a thousand questions. So what can I do for you today? I'm here to help you and remember, go away is not an option."

"How about, refrain from being annoying until class is over and then I wish to speak to you," he said.

I sighed. "Okay. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Wordless magic?" he asked.

"Yes! I can. I mean I knew it was going to be one of the first things we were going to learn this year so when I found out I only had a limited amount of time left to actually learn it I took some initiative," I said.

"Good for you," he said. "There's an odd number of students, you'll be someone's partner and it looks as if your old friend Malfoy is going to be late to class."

"Oh, you're evil," I said.

Draco did not want to speak to me and after yesterday, I didn't feel very much like speaking to him either.

Snape began class by explaining that today they would be learning wordless magic. One of the pair would be using expelliarmus and the other would be using protego.

For the longest time there was just a bunch of people standing around looking constipated. It was painful to watch.

The classroom door opened and Draco dragged himself into the room.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence Mister Malfoy. Please note the five points from Slytherin," Snape said.

Draco rolled his eyes and tossed his stuff down at the back of the room.

"Because of your tardiness you do not have a partner for this assignment and therefore you will have to work with Miss Potter," Snape said.

"How grand," Draco replied.

I walked over to Draco and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm no happier about this than you. Luckily, we're learning wordless magic today so all you have to is attempt to disarm me and you don't even have to speak," I said.

Draco pulled out his wand and stared me down for a moment. Then, much to my surprise he managed to shoot out his expelliarmus. I almost didn't have time to deflect it.

". . . I think you've got it," I said. He said nothing. "This isn't going to work, you know."

"What?" he asked.

"The not talking thing. As much I'd like to not speak to you it isn't going to happen. We have some of the same friends and we're in the same school. We're bound to-.

"That doesn't mean we have to speak," he said.

"Why don't you want to speak to me?" I asked.

"Why do you want to speak to me?" he asked.

"Because unlike you, apparently I can't cut someone out of my life once they're a part of it," I said.

"Well congratulations. I was out of your life when you broke up with me," Draco said.

"But I was still in yours wasn't I?" I asked. "You were so determined for me to still be a part of your life and all of a sudden I'm out? Why?"

"Because believe it or not I can get hurt just like you can," Draco said. "It hurt that I'm not able to be with you anymore and if cutting you out is the best way to prevent myself from being hurt anymore then so be it."

"And what about me?" I asked.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I'm hurt not being able to speak," I said.

"I sat my feelings aside for you before, Hannah, because I loved. . . Because I love you. But I do have to look out for myself," he said. "When I wanted your attention, when I wanted to work things out you wouldn't listen. I'm doing the exact same thing."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," I said.

"Too bad," he said.