I love you readers! You've reviewed my stories! hugs all My exams are finally finished! I've probably failed the French…I didn't know what to write! Hopefully I did well on Maths, Science and the Languages! Anyway, less of my useless blabbering! I can't believe all you people like my story! Anyway…oh, and I'm sorry it took so long, I wanted this to be longer!

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

On with the chapter! Woohoo! NEW NOTE I came top of my year in Maths! Yay! Celebrate! Longer chapter today!

Lucky for Hermione, it was Arithmancy, then Ancient Runes after break. No Harry. No Ron. No Draco. Just her and Elizabeth. Amber is more of the physical type. She does Care of Magical Creatures then Quidditch practise, although she has never tried for any matches.

"Too much bother," she would say.

Hermione pondered on Quidditch all the way through Arithmancy, ignoring the professor's teaching. The scrawny brat Ginny Weasley is going to try for Chaser, to be with Harry as well as all the glory when he catches the snitch. Ron remained as Keeper, and he had improved. Katie Bell was still Chaser, so that leaves two Chaser places. Hermione suddenly had a mad urge to try out, and edge Ginny out of her way as well as try her way at sports. After all, she did tennis and basketball when she was a Muggle, so why couldn't she try the wizarding sports?

Er…hello, Hermione? A voice in herself woke. Why the hell are you trying for sports? You've always hated flying, remember in first year?

She winced at the thought of Neville's cracked wrist.

But then little miss sucking-up will be slithering after Harry if I don't, she argued with herself. Both Ginny and Angelica are going to try to be with Harry.

So you're going out of your way just to be awkward with those two? asked the knowledgeable voice in her head. Just to get Harry away from those two when, according to you, you don't even fancy him? You're flying, when you hated it, just to keep the boy you don't fancy out of your best friend's and Angelica's reach?

She shook her head, and placed it on her palms on the table, as the professor showed them methods of solving different forms of Aritchmancy. Yawning, she ignored him, unbeknownst to the new teacher.

Professor Milford could really do with a new education booklet, she half-thought, half-dreamed.

So, are you going to try out for Chaser or not? the voice came back to her, almost as though it was another person, debating with her.

No. She stated clearly.

Why not?

What could I do? I'm as good as flying as Ron is at understanding people, and besides, I don't even have a broom!

So you're worrying about it, good, that means you want to go.

No.

Then why are you going on and on about it? Usually when people are denying the truth they just won't stop.

I'm not going and that's my final word. Hermione thought very stubbornly, as the bell rang. She hurriedly packed her bags and left with Amber, who noticed that her friend was specially quiet for the lesson, uninteresting as it may be.

They arrived at Ancient Runes with some Ravenclaws and some Hufflepuffs. None of the Slytherins made it to the pre-N.E.W.T. class.

None apart from Draco Malfoy.

Oh damn, thought Hermione, staring in a horrified way as the arrogant boy approached from the other side of the corridor. New classes. New arrangements. She had forgotten that. Oh this is going to be the worst lesson ever.

So Hermione sat there, next to Elizabeth, listening to the professor talking about the translation of the Runes. Draco sat at the table opposite her, and from the corner of her eye she could see his gaze on her face, very intent. She desperately looked the other way, pretending to be absorbed by the teacher's words.

The lunch bell rang and Hermione almost sprinted out, and bashed into Amber, knocking her off her feet.

"Whoa, Hermione!" cried the tall girl, getting up and massaging her side. "I'm not a rugby player, are you trying to murder me?"

Hermione smiled weakly and helped her up, looking apologetic.

"Where's Liz?"

"She's coming," Hermione answered. Then, out of nowhere, a question sprang out of her mouth. "When's Quidditch tryout?"

Amber raised her eyebrows at her, and knew what she was getting at.

"Oh I just want to see you try out!" Hermione quickly found an excuse. Amber obviously doubted her, but the girl answered anyway.

"I'm not going to try out, you know I never do…"

"Oh come on! You're brilliant at it and you know you are!" Hermione praised her. A small blush crept up Amber's pale face and she smiled.

"Alright," she agreed. Hermione wanted to shout 'Hurray' but then she added: "On one condition."

Hermione's face fell. She knew what Amber was getting at now.

"Say it," she said monotonously, looking down at her shoes and twisting her fingers behind her back. She could not see it but she was positive that a) Amber was going to ask her to ask Harry out, and b) Amber was smirking.

Well, she was right in one way, and wrong in the other.

When she finally looked up Amber was indeed smirking, but her comments threw Hermione off in surprise.

"The condition was that you try for it as well, and get in. I'll see you next Friday night at the Quidditch pitch."

"What?" said Hermione incredulously. "You know I suck at sports! Look at me in First Year! I can't even make a broom come up to my hand! 'Up!' and it rolls away, you saw me, Amber!" And she looked down at herself critically. "And look at me! I'm fat and I bet a broom can't even lift me up!"

Then a voice sneered behind her. A sickly marshmallow voice that made her insides bubble in anger.

"You said it, frizzle-head,"

Amber snapped her head round too, and her face twisted into one of the most grotesque faces Hermione had ever witnessed. It was as though she had been asked to both drink an entire bottle of skele-gro and marry Professor Snape.

"Look who's talking," Amber sneered back, anger flashing in her eyes at the blonde girl. Guess who? Yep.

Angelica Payne.

"Talking to a mirror again, Devil-ica?" Amber jeered, her eyes on fire. The she seemed to calm and put a hand to her mouth, as if in realization. "Oh no you can't, you'll crack the mirror."

"Talking to yourself?" Angelica screeched, glaring daggers at Amber. The girl tossed her head and raised her eyebrows.

"No, well, if I was, I'm not now. Whoa," Amber suddenly said, rather nastily, to the very, very, very annoying blonde in front of her. "You are having a seriously bad hair day, my girl."

"Talk to her about it," Angelica sneered, jerking her thumb at me.

"How dare you?" Amber's anger flared again and she whipped out her wand. Hermione hurriedly laid a cooling hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Amber," she said, her insides bubbling and as red as Amber's flashing eyes. "Just leave the sad people to their miserable thoughts."

"Who're you calling sad?" Angelica demanded, after five seconds' pause.

"Blondes really are dumb," Hermione remarked tartly, turning round and pulling Amber after her.

"One day," snarled Amber, breathing heavily through her nose. "I am going to teach that-" and here Amber said such a rude word a picture on the wall, an old lady in a skimpy frilly dress, gasp and cover her ears. "-what she really deserves."

Hermione smiled sympathetically at her friend. Elizabeth stormed through the portrait hole and straight to the two sitting lazily on the couch. Elizabeth began talking to Amber, and Hermione suddenly felt a hollow feeling in her tummy, so she told the other two she was going to get lunch. They nodded and Hermione stepped out of the common room on her own.

As if on its own accord, the rebellious thoughts floated back to her.

So, are you going to try out for Quidditch or not?

No way ho-say.

Why not? You wanted sucking-up Face-lift girl and Weaselbee to get off your Harry.

He's not my Harry. He's only my best friend Harry.

The voice did something like a disbelieving snort.

Right…you wanted Harry, and you wanted Angelica Payne and Ginny Weasley not to get onto the Quidditch team to be with Harry. You also wanted Amber to show off her talent, and she would only go if you are going. So, two cases, and your reluctance. Said the voice reasonably. Aren't you cutting off your nose to spite your face?

No. Hermione replied firmly, concentrating on the argument and not taking any notice of where she was heading.

You haven't got an excuse, dearie.

I don't care. I'm not going for the Quidditch team.

You're a know-it-all, top of the class. All but Quidditch? That's a bit lame, isn't it?

Shut up.

Oh come on, just try for it. You've never come across anything that's not do-able, have you?

With a wand, dimwit. Flying hasn't got anything to do with wands.

Well if it makes you feel any better than stow a wand up your sleeve, whatever. Just try. You want to keep Harry and let Amber show off her talents? Then go for the tryout.

Fine, fine. Hermione surrendered tiredly. This is getting really annoying. Fine I'll try, but I'm not guaranteeing that I'll get in.

Try your best, darling, then everything would be fine.

Then, at last, Hermione's conscience died away.

So now what? came Hermione's voice in the now deserted chatting room/head. I've got to tryout for Quidditch next Friday, and I've got to get a decent broom by then, plus get good enough to get on the team, otherwise both Ginny prat and Devil-ica would jeer at me, and Amber won't get in.

What a horrendously confusing situation.

Hermione shook her head, then something smashed into her head so hard that she was thrown off her feet and landed painfully onto her bottom. She looked up, and cursed herself. How stupid can one get? She smashed into a wall. Then she looked up.

There was a portrait, of a gigantic silver fruit bowl. The large red apple gleamed temptingly, but Hermione looked past it, to a large green pear. She sighed, thinking of someone trustworthy to consult to. Then something clicked in her mind.

She reached out and tickled the pear.

L.N.R.star: Was it really that sad? I'm not good at sad scenes, unfortunately. I would want to be!

LittleMissMeghan: Maybe it would get better, I've no idea at the moment, and I would try hard for the exams!

WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH: cries loudly I can't believe it! Everyone apart from English schools are on holiday already! My holidays don't start until the end of JULY! NOT FAIR!

Purplegabby123: Um…I didn't quite get what you mean but thanks anyway! (I think)

Kamal: OMG! You've no idea what that means to me! It's my first ever fanfic, EVER! I WILL try to update ASAP but it might take quite a while, and thanks!

Iluvgerardbutler: Okay, I admit it, I AM psychic, lol, joking! Don't know how it happens to clash with you, but wow! And thanks, I'm going to try hard this year!

Courtney: I'm still not sure how it would end yet, but hopefully it would be good, that's why I want constructive reviews! Love the other ones too, though!

Sarahrules336: Updating! Yay!