Classes were set permanently with the houses you had the first year at Hogwarts, and for me that meant Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors, Potion and Transfiguration with Ravenclaws, And History of Magic and Charms with the Slytherins. This meant that what surprise awaited me was the entire third year classes of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor forgoing a class and having a welcome party in my honour. No one approached me, but they all cheered, and when I stepped in, I feigned delight, and slapped my cheeks with my hands, to give them a warm and pink glow. I smiled and when all had calmed I was given a package wrapped in brown paper, from someone as a myriad of people pleaded for me to open it.

I gently pulled the red bow that held the paper in place and it immediately reformed into a bow, shaking itself as if waking from a dream and fluttered around the greenhouse, before settling down on the table in a very elegant heap.

"That bit was Hermione," I could hear Neville call from somewhere I could not see him.

I searched the people, their faces once blurred now distinguishable but unimportant. Hermione was looking right at me, her brown eyes sure and sad. Her hair was tamed slightly, more waved than bushy, as it had been. Her teeth still stuck out a bit below her upper lip, but she was taller, more sure of herself. "It was nothing really, just a simple charm,"

"Thank you," I said before she could go on.

I unfurled the thick brown paper and was flabbergasted. It was a pile of parchment, but upon the top was written,

"Complete Notes of All Core Classes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Contributions by: Ivy Hartness, Justin Finch Fletchley, Hanna Abbot, Susan Bones, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Sue Li. Annotations by Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy. Jokes by Fred and George Weasley."

For the first time in a long time, I felt emotion well up in me. These houses were rivals at best, enemies and foes at worst and they had come together, every house from Hogwarts, to build me this set of notes. I started rubbing at my face, trying desperately to will the tears back into my body, but they would not go, and when they started making contact with the table, I could hardly mumble the thanks they deserved. I saw flashes of yellow under robes as people surrounded me, and I could hear Hanna whisper between tears of her own, "We missed you, so much," and I could hear right in my ear as more and more people moved in, "and more."

The rest of the day was very quiet for myself, as I listened to all the things everyone did in the last few weeks, and what was most exciting; evidently was the upcoming Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, mostly because we had a new seeker, Cedric Diggory. The girls went giggly when we passed him in the hall, his dark blond hair lopped on the top of his head elegantly. His collar was pressed, and his tie stiff like mine. He was from the upper classes as well. He noticed us, and after signalling to his friends that he was leaving he came over to us in the halls.

"Good afternoon Cedric! How's the flying?" Justin blurted out before Cedric could say anything, he nodded, "Its... going well... and so long as the weather is good, the game should be a good one." He responded with timed grace that implied an awkward question, but one he was willing to answer. Cedric turned to me, and I understood the girls' excitement. He was very handsome.

"I heard you went through some difficult things this summer. I'm sorry to hear it, but I'm glad you're back at school." He stuck out his hand, I shook it with the cool smile I was trained to.

"Thank you very much, it is good to be back. I hear you've taken over as Seeker?"

He readjusted his robes by pulling on the chest flaps, but his face showed a level of unease, "That's correct, I have some big shoes to fill."

I left no space for doubt and said, "I'm sure you'll do splendidly. I've heard nothing but praise about your skill," to which he looks around, "and even if you don't, there is always next time."

With that his unease seemed to lessen and he nodded, "Thank you, I should get back to my friends, but in any case, welcome back Miss Reed."

"And good luck to you Mr. Diggory."

He walked off and everyone turned to me, "You just spoke to Cedric as if he was a no one!"

Justin scoffed.

"I've never heard your politician voice before this," Ivy snorted, laughter on the top of her tongue.

"My aunt wants me to go into Politics, so she started grooming me at a young age, it comes in handy-"

"When chatting with handsome men!" Susan giggled and then took off towards the Great Hall for lunch. We followed behind, discussing the merits of a new seeker, and the undoubted fame he would get in his future.

Upon getting to the Great Hall there were only three things on my mind. Jacy. Mato. Fred. I put a hand on Ivy's shoulder and she nodded as I headed towards Ravenclaw table, where Jacy stood and began walking towards me. In two months he seemed to have changed even more. More stretched, his face was long and his arms as well, it was as if he was at least two inches taller. He hugged me tight as I felt someone come from behind me and hug me as well. I had felt the energy and knew it was Mato without looking. I smiled a genuine smile, one I rubbed into the chest of Jacy.

"You've gotten taller," I whispered.

"So have you," his braid fell to hit my shoulder, his face upon my head. When he let go I looked to his face and smiled weakly, before turning to Mato, who unlike his twin was getting broader more than long. He was by no means short, but Jacy was clearly taller than his brother now.

His shoulder seemed broader which made more sense that he could wrap around us both.

"You've grown as well, you are starting to look more and more like your brother's spirit animal!"

We all laughed, and vowed to meet after dinner. It was when I was turning away from them both that I saw him. He had changed as well. The platinum of his hair shone in the sun, and the grey of his eyes was piercing as ever they were. His cheekbones were higher, his face more slim, but he pulled it off. He was becoming handsome. He was standing, fingertips on the table, straining as Pansy pulled on his robes to get him to sit down. She was growing into her nose, making her far less pug-like and more womanly. I looked directly at Draco and I could feel my energy pierce him, and I nodded, on the dip of the chin blinking elegantly before opening my eyes and rising my head again, as trained. He nodded back before I turned to face one red headed part of a set.

"You're feeling better?" He asked shyly.

"It's good to see you Fred, I do feel better."

"Good, you look better anyways, happier, I mean." I smiled,

"I am."

"Good, I-"

"Ellie, you should come eat before class starts up." Ivy had come to collect me.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I'll be seeing you around, Fred." As Ivy drug me away by my robes.

The afternoon was filled with "So good to see you!"s and "Welcome Back!"s that I was exhausted from putting on my smile for strangers and friends alike. For the rest of the afternoon I was in Muggle Studies, Hermione was there but not many others that I knew. She looked tired and exhausted, while scrambling to get her notes down. While I was gone they had completed a brief history of muggles as compared to us, and then moved on to ancient tech. The Muggle Studies teacher was nothing if not intrigued by the ingenuity of Muggles to have gotten on without magic. What other choice was there for them really? It seemed silly to be constantly surprised at some new thing they made up around 300AD.

The last class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures, which Hermione had informed me had gotten dreadfully dull since Draco's incident. There was also to be a tribunal against Buckbeak. Apparently one Lucius Malfoy had it out not only for Hagrid but also the beast who so maimed his son. He was not, maimed, that is, and was walking around as if nothing had really happened at all. But every time Draco looked up from his textbook he was sneering at the Golden Trio. I began to resent that look, more and more whenever he made it.

By the time class was over I was ready to pack it in, and head to bed, never mind the dinner, but I was stopped. I had begun walking away with Hermione and gang when Pansy called out to me.

"Heard you've been having nightmares, wittle Ewwie," she pronounced my name with a child's tone but it did not irk me, I kept walking.

"Had to go all the way home after a fight with a bogart," now others were laughing with her, but I kept walking. She had no idea what she was talking about. She would never understand the pain I had suffered. She was not worth the time.

I could hear the crowd stifle and Pansy's voice become quiet, "Oh come on Draco, I was only kidding."

I smiled. So, his father has instructed him to continue being kind to me; that would come in handy.

I have so much more that is written guys, I am almost finished writing this year already! I'll try to upload some more soon!