A/N: Wow, nearly 5,000 views!!! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! That means everyone who has reviewed or not (although I would love it if you would review), and all members and non-members of Fan Fiction.

Disclaimer: Nope, Harry Potter ain't mine.

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"Miss Granger! It is ten minutes past the time I have told you to arrive." Was the first thing out of Professor McGonagall's mouth when I entered the Transfiguration classroom.

"Sorry Professor, got a little held up." I answered. This was partly true as I was busy jumping up and down in joy just outside the common room. Lavender didn't know that Ron was leaving the hospital wing, which was great, no fantastic news to me!

"Well, we should get to your detention now." Professor McGonagall said, raising an eyebrow at me. I gave her a nervous smile in return.

"Come along, Miss Granger. We shall be collecting the rats and raccoons outside." With a swish of her cloak, she turned and marched out into the hallway with me at her heels.

"Er, Professor, do you always collect specimens this way?" I asked "Wouldn't it be a bother?"

"Yes, it would be which is why I rarely collect creatures this way. Normally Hagrid collects them or we have them delivered by special ministry people." Professor McGonagall did not even glance at me as she answered. I had a feeling that she was still upset over what had happened yesterday.

"Professor, I am deeply sorry about my actions yesterday. I simply wasn't thinking about what I was doing. It was very unlike me and I promise you that it won't happen again." I looked up at Professor McGonagall.

She was silent for a while but later answered me "It's good that you have owned up to your mistake Miss Granger, it is very mature of you. But," Professor McGonagall stopped so abruptly that I nearly ran into her. "I must ask you, why did you do it?"

I hesitated before answering. "I don't, really, remember. I think that Lavender and I just got into a disagreement and handled it wrong."

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't push the matter further. We continued our walk until we were outside. There she stopped and turned to face me.

"We shall collect the animals here." She pointed to a small garden nearby. "I daresay that rats and raccoons enjoy the plants over there as they are our only muggle plants."

I nodded to show that I understood. Professor McGonagall signaled me to head over to the garden and start searching.

"And while you are searching, Miss Granger, I will check on Miss Brown to see if she is doing well with Mr. Filch." She said as I got down to my hands and knees.

After a short reply of "Yes, professor," she turned and left.

I examined the small garden I was in. I could recognize most of the plants growing there, carrots, potatoes, basil, and such. There were also a few small apple and orange trees, some vines holding grapes and two plants that may have been ferns (why ferns are growing there I do not know or understand). I saw all these plants but not a single rat or raccoon.

Granted it was dark out so it was a little hard to see, but they must be making some sort of noise if they were moving around. After ten minutes of searching I threw my hands up in exasperation. It was way too dark out. What I needed was some sort of light source…

"How could I have been such an idiot?" I asked myself, reaching into my robes. "I can use my wand!" But when I stuck my hand in my pocket, all I felt was lint.

I gave a small squeal of fright. My wand wasn't there! I frantically checked my other pockets, but it wasn't there either. I groaned into my hand. How could I lose my wand? Did someone take it or did I drop it somewhere?

"There's only one way to find out." I said to myself. I got up from the ground, brushed the dirt off my skirt, and began looking. I started by tracing my steps; if I had dropped my wand it had to be somewhere close by. If I couldn't find it here, I'd have to look in the school.

I strained my eyes to let more light in. Eventually I found my wand near the entrance to the school.

"Thank goodness," I said to myself. "Lumos," the tip of my wand lit up instantly. Glad that my wand was finally back in my hand, I waved it around and around so that it created a trail of light swirling around me.

When the light shined near a window above me, I saw something white flutter down onto the ground. I stopped mid-twirl. I was curious, what was that? Without thinking I walked over to where it was. It was a single piece of parchment with two sets of messy writing scrawled onto it. It read:

Are you going to visit your boyfriend tomorrow?

Of course! He would be so disappointed if I didn't!

How long are you going to visit him?

Long enough for him to wake up and see the apple of his eye.

Can you hang out after?

I don't know, maybe…

Oh come on! Ever since you started seeing him we haven't been hanging out as much.

If you get a boyfriend, then you'll understand.

Why do you like him anyway? My sister thought that he was a boring git.

He is not a boring git. He's cute, funny, and athletic.

I strongly disagree.

And that bookworm absolutely hates us being together! Can't she accept that he's with me now?

It's just jealousy.

Obviously, did you see how she reacted at the Quidditch match? She got me in to so much trouble.

Maybe if you guys stop snogging in public so much she wouldn't be so mad.

I can't see why that bothers people so much, I mean, we're just showing affection.

All I'm asking is for an afternoon of best friend time. I've heard some really juicy gossip!

Sorry, I've got plans with my man.

Whatever.

The writing ended there. I re-read it all just to make sure what I thought was true. Obviously this was a note passed between two people. And what was even more obvious those two people were Lavender and Parvati. They must've passed this parchment back and forth during one of their classes.

Being the logical person I am, I looked for hidden information in the note. "Visiting in the hospital wing…not hanging out as much…bookworm…best friend time…" My eyes instantly lit up. "Best friend! Why, Parvati must be…"

Before I could finish I felt a cold hand grasp my shoulder.

"Talking to yourself Miss Granger?" wheezed a voice. I gulped. "Don't you have something better to do, like a detention?"

My eyes shut, I turned around to see the person whose hand was still firmly gripping my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, a small gasp escaped my lips when I saw who it was.

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A/N: A cliff hanger, oh my!