Sorry for the delay with this chapter, I got a bit busy and was lacking a little muse as I decided how things were going to turn out next. Alas, I couldn't stay away from here for too long so here's another chapter to keep things going. The names that Hermione used in the previous chapter were indeed from House of Anubis, so kudos to anyone who figured that out.


Talking… or writing to her mysterious sender actually seemed to be very therapeutic for Hermione. It was far too easy for Hermione to just get lost in the letters that she would send to Anonymous, and she found herself becoming quite engrossed with their replies. As much as Hermione knew that she could simply divulge her innermost feelings in an ordinary journal, it just wasn't the same as actually having someone to talk to. Hermione appreciated the fact that there was someone at the end of this who might not necessarily care about who she was, but they at least cared enough to read and reply to her lengthy entries.

It was hard not to notice that Anonymous didn't seem as keen as she was to talk about their problems. Most of the time, Hermione found herself writing the most and it wouldn't be long before her words covered both pages before she had even given Anonymous the chance to reply. Their responses were always short and to the point, and no matter how many times Hermione had analysed their responses once she had them memorised, there was nothing that gave away who their identity could possibly be.

Whenever Anonymous did speak about themselves, it was always after some insistence on Hermione's part. There was never a time when they instigated their communication, it was always Hermione who made the first move. With that in mind, Hermione purposefully delayed her response time in the hopes that it would prompt Anonymous to write to her first. It was agonising waiting for them to take the plunge, mostly because there was already so much that Hermione wanted to vent about. Finally, after almost two weeks of waiting, Hermione got a response.

You still there?

Yes, I am.

I was beginning to think that perhaps you'd moved on from your teenage angst.

Oh, I still have my teenage angst to deal with. I just got tired of always being the one to instigate our conversations so I figured that I'd wait for you to make the first move this time.

And what would you have done if I just kept waiting?

I suppose that I would've eventually lost my resolve and wrote to you first.

You just can't get enough of me, huh?

Absolutely not. I just quite like having the company of someone to talk to, especially when that person can offer me advice.

In other words, you can't get enough of me.

That was most certainly not true. The only reason why Hermione was still communicating with this person was so that she could figure out who they were. It had nothing to do with her genuinely wanting to talk to this person. She didn't even know who they were for Merlin's sake, so how could she want more from them? It didn't help that Hermione's clues to go on were quite miniscule, but whoever this was certainly seemed to have a bit of an ego.

If that's what helps you sleep at night, then sure. I can't get enough of you.

I can read your sarcasm.

Well, it's nice to know that you're not delusional then.

Not anymore, at least.

What's that supposed to mean?

Never mind that. So, how did your little Christmas gathering turn out? Did you take my advice for your friend?

Sometimes it was hard for Hermione to remember that she wasn't supposed to be talking about herself, since she had described things in a way that made her an outside perspective to her own problems. In the lead-up to Slughorn's Christmas party, Hermione had been left at a loss as she tried to figure out how to approach this situation. Initially, Hermione had wanted to invite Ron to the party but given how he had been treating her lately and his relationship with Lavender, that unfortunately wasn't an option.

So, with no idea of what to do, Hermione had asked Anonymous for some advice. Of course Hermione had left out the fact that she would be attending Slughorn's Christmas party and phrased it so that Nina would be going to a party with friends to Hogsmeade. Anonymous had suggested that Nina dolled herself up to make Ron (or Fabian) ogle over her, but since Ron wasn't actually going to the party, she couldn't really take that advice. Instead Hermione had come up with her own plan of inviting Cormac McLaggen as her date, a decision that she had ended up profoundly regretting.

No, I did not offer your advice to Nina. Though I ended up wishing that I did since my own plan ended up backfiring for her.

And what was that plan?

Since Nina couldn't go with Fabian like she had initially planned, I ended up suggesting that perhaps she should invite someone who would surely annoy Fabian. She took that advice, though she ended up regretting it since who she invited basically ruined her night.

So it would seem as though your plan to help your stupid friend ended up annoying your other stupid friend. Ironic.

I suppose it is.

Though I suppose I should give you bonus points for coming up with some kind of plan. Perhaps if your friend had chosen another alternative companion then the situation would have turned out better for her.

You're probably right. Nina didn't have to chose anyone that would simply annoy Fabian, she could've have just gone with anyone else to make him jealous. Alfie even suggested that they went together since he couldn't go with who he wanted to. Even going with Alfie probably would've been enough to make Fabian jealous since he has always been easily jealous. But since Nina had already made arrangements with someone else, she couldn't just back out of them.

Did she even like the guy that she went with?

No, she most certainly did not. But Nina was desperate to make Fabian jealous that she was willing to test her patience like that. She should've just asked Alfie instead. He would've been more pleasant company.

Your friends sound like idiots.

That wouldn't be far from the truth. But they're still my friends, and I'm always going to be there for them.

Wish I could say the same in regards to mine.

That was yet another subtle clue from Anonymous. They rarely ever spoke about themselves and whatever issues they might be going through, and whenever they did, they never mentioned anything that could help Hermione figure out who they were. Perhaps this was her chance to change that.

I'd be there for you if you would tell me what is bothering you.

As if. You'd probably want nothing to do with me if you knew who I was and what I was doing.

Okay, maybe this really wasn't something that Hermione should be messing with if Anonymous was so adamant that their problems could not be helped. It was difficult not knowing who this person was, since maybe then it would be easier for her to help them. After the advice that Anonymous had given her, it only seemed fair to Hermione that she repaid the favour. If only they would let her.

It can't be that bad.

It can be. My issues really can't be compared to teenage angst.

Yet you have read all about my friends and their petty drama while offering me advice. You've been a great help. Maybe I could be the same to you if you would just open up to me.

I'll admit that at first I didn't really care about your stupid drama, but I suppose it was refreshing to talk to a normal person about normal stuff. I'd take your teenage angst over my issues any day.

Whatever you're going through must be difficult if you'd be willing to put up with my friends and their idiocy.

True, your friends are idiots and you really shouldn't be wasting your time on their drama but you shouldn't be wasting your time with my problems anyways.

I'm just offering my help.

Well, I don't want your help. So why don't you quit trying while you still can and shove it up Merlin's ass.

I don't think that Merlin would appreciate that.

Whatever.

Look, just know that whatever it is you're going through, you don't have to go through it on your own. Remember our agreement, we don't have to mention names. You could even give fake names like I did. Just let me help you.

I'm trying to do the right thing here and not waste your time, or mine for that matter. You couldn't help me no matter what you came up with.

Have it your way then.

That seemed to be the last that Hermione would hear from Anonymous now, and she was beginning to think that perhaps she had been a bit too pushy in trying to get them to open up to her. Hermione understood that it might not be so easy to trust people, especially a stranger that you're communicating with through a book, but Hermione had trusted Anonymous enough to confess her secrets. And although it might be too much to ask, Hermione expected them same sentiment in return.

But Anonymous' hesitation wasn't going to discourage Hermione. She didn't know why, but she felt the strangest pull to help this person. Hermione didn't know if whether or not it was her bleeding heart or her own agenda, but she would not let whoever it was go through their problems on their own when they didn't have to.

~*•°•*~

In the weeks that followed, Hermione found herself adding a new problem to her list as Harry was becoming increasingly obsessed with Draco Malfoy. His obsession had started before they even arrived at school with Harry being convinced that the blonde Slytherin was now a Death Eater. That was something that Hermione did not believe, simply because although Malfoy might be a horrible person, Hermione did not think that he had the ability to partake in such activities, like cursing Katie Bell with a necklace.

With Christmas fast approaching, Hermione found herself planning what she would be doing in her time alone. In the past, Hermione had gone to the Burrow for the Christmas holidays, but since things between her and Ron only seemed to be going form bad to worse these days, Hermione did not think that it would be a good idea for her to go there for Christmas. Instead, Hermione planned on spending the holidays with her parents while doing some more research on her book. She had already decided that she would visit the same store that she got the book from to hopefully find more clues. But if she didn't find anything, Hermione had no problems with carrying out her own research.

On her way back to London, Hermione sat by herself on the Hogwarts Express since she certainly didn't have the patience to sit with Harry and Ron right now. These days they were both getting on her nerves, with Harry's never-ending theories about Malfoy and Ron's exhibitionist relationship with Lavender. Some time alone was doing her some good, though Hermione wished that things weren't like the way that they were. With a sigh, Hermione picked up her red notebook and began writing on the magic pages.

I'd like to apologise if I came across too strong or imposing. As I have said multiple times, I only want to help you.

And I do not want your help. What is so difficult to understand about that?

And what is so difficult to understand that I just want to help?

Hm, smart comeback. But you won't get anything from me with your witty words. I prefer to keep my problems to myself, thank you very much.

That's not very healthy.

Like I'd care what you, or anyone else for that matter, thinks about me.

Then it should be no problem for you to tell me what is troubling you so much. You might not have explicitly told me what is going on, but I have read through enough of the lines to know that whatever it is must be distressing.

Way to state the obvious. And if you really wanna get to know me, then you should know that I've never been too blindly trusting.

Yet I trust you.

And even I can admit that doing so is a foolish move.

Well, I still do. Besides, it's not like I've given you my name so it's not like you can do anything with what I'm telling you.

Fair point, but I'd rather not talk about my problems with somebody that I don't know.

And why not?

Because I refuse to tell my personal problems with somebody that I don't even know.

What would it take for you to let me tell you?

Why do you even care so much? You don't even know who I am.

Like I said, you're obviously going through something and I only want to help. I want to help anyone who needs it or will accept it.

Even if that person ended up being your worst enemy? Would you just turn a blind eye if that person was holding their last breath?

I wouldn't. No matter how badly someone might have treated me, I would want to help them. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I knew that I could've helped someone and turned my back on them.

That much was true. There was no way that Hermione would be able to live with herself if she didn't help someone, no matter who that was. Hermione liked to see the good in anyone, even Malfoy. Though she'd have to draw the line at Voldemort for obvious reasons. All Hermione wanted to do was help this person, and she was going to do her best to get them to accept her offer.

You're not going to give this up easily, aren't you?

No I won't. You have listened to me and offered advice, it's only fair that I do the same for you. What am I going to have to do to get you to open up to me?

If you are sure that you wish to know more about me, then you are going to have to earn my trust.

And how am I going to have to do that?

Figure it out.

So there it was. It almost felt like Anonymous was challenging Hermione to earn their trust, something that she doubted that they would be willing to give easily. But Hermione had already committed herself to helping them, so if she was going to have to earn their trust then Hermione was going to do whatever she could to achieve that. Who knows, she might even be able to figure out who this is along the way.


Another chapter down, only a couple more dozen chapters to go since I expect this story to be close to twenty chapters long. Hopefully updates won't be too delayed, but if you really want more then just leave more reviews and that'll make it easier for me to motivate myself to give you guys something good.