Author's note: WAHAHAHAHA! This is S.girl! No C.Kitsune butting into this one. WAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Okay.math comp. tomorrow.going a bit crazy. See you all, and remember to review!

Disclaimers: Hmm, now, if I were the richest lady in England, what would I do with my money? What? What's that? I'm not the richest lady in England? Oh! So you're saying I don't own these people. Okay, okay, I get you. I don't own these people.

***

Chapter 1: The Silvery-Golden-Haired Man

***

"Really, now, it's true! Legend has it that if you don't eat dinner on St. Augustine's Day, then at night, you'll be able to get a glimpse of the man you'll marry! Oh, Hermione, doesn't that sound lovely?"

Well, truth to be told, no. Hermione didn't find this idea at all enchanting. She loved her food dearly, and to ask her to give it up for some silly notion such as glimpsing at your future husband (which she didn't believe will happen anyway), well, let's just say, that isn't happening . For a young girl of twelve, a future husband really didn't seem all that interesting. At least, not so interesting that you'd have to sacrifice your food.

"But really, Ginny, is it necessary to not eat? I mean, if you're going to marry him, you'll do so eventually, so what's the point?"

"Oh, 'Mione, of course there's a point! What if you accidentally marry the wrong person?"

"Well then obviously, that person will be the one you see tonight, because he'll be your future husband."

"But I'm saying what if you were supposed to marry the person you see tonight, but because you didn't see him, you end up marrying someone else?"

"That won't happen. Whether you see who this person is or not, he'll be your future husband, so therefore, there can't be any mistake."

"Oh really, you're impossible! But please, won't you just sacrifice your dinner for a dear old friend?"

Hermione considered this. It didn't seem like a friendly notion. However, Ginny was gazing at her so pleadingly that to have said no would probably have Ginny end up in tears. That seemed even a less friendly notion. (Imagine a girl howling at the top of her lungs for hours until you agree to do what she says. Now double that.) So Hermione nodded.

"Very well, then."

"Oh, Hermione, you're the best friend ever! I'll see you in the morning, then."

"You're leaving now?"

"Quite! You see, my brothers are all waiting for me, so I'd best go."

"Good bye, then."

As Ginny skipped happily home, Hermione felt very much like sneaking into the pantry and getting something to eat. However, that would mean betraying her good old friend, and that would still get Ginny ending up in tears. She decided the smartest course was to just go to bed, and she did.

However, in the middle of the night, she woke up with a growling stomach. She really needed food.

"I wonder if Gin will mind if I just eat an apple. After all, it's not dinner. It's just a snack. I'm sure she won't mind at all."

And so, Hermione snuck out of bed and tiptoed through the corridor.

The candles hanging the ceiling made eerie shadows dance on the walls, and that scared her a bit, but being an advocate of science and logic, she decided not to pay heed. However, when a non-object like shadow made its appearance down the hall, Hermione began feeling truly nervous. The shadow almost resembled a person.

"Oh, 'Mione, you know it's nothing a 'toll," she told herself. "Must be my imagination. After all, I've never had to sneak up at this hour to snatch some food. It's just my imagination."

And so, on she walked, hoping very much that it was indeed her imagination. However, most unfortunately, it was not. The shadow was indeed not an object, but a person. A man to be exact. A silvery-blonde-haired man who seemed so very tall and straight to Hermione. And there in the candlelight, he looked so handsome and gentle.

Upon spotting the frozen young girl, the man promptly turned the other way. Not a 'hello', not a 'how do you do'. He just walked the other way. Hermione wasn't a bit disappointed. In fact, she giggled.

"Had I been Ginny," she thought, "I would have thought that was my future husband! And then I would swoon and faint and he would catch me. A~a, how thankful I'm not."

And at that moment, she realized she was still wearing her thin cotton night gown; not at all something to have a man see her in. Quickly, she ran back to her room and put on a shawl, vowing to herself that she would found out the identity of the man.

***

"Morning, mum. How's everything today?" Hermione asked as she made her appearance in the dining room.

"Beautiful," her mother replied with a pleasant smile.

"In fact," she thought to herself, "I have a little secret surprise for you. Ha. I wonder if I'll be able to keep it in for another four years!"

"That's good to hear. Say, I saw a man yesterday. Care to explain who he was?"

Her mother looked at her innocently.

"I've no idea which man you're talking about. Would that have been our butler, Dear Mr. James? No? How about Mr. Adams? Really, dear, you are so ambiguous."

"Oh, mother, you know perfectly well that I'm talking about the man who was here late last night. In fact, it was around midnight, I believe. He had pretty hair that was silver yet blonde. And he was quite tall. I believe him to be around the age of 20 or so-"

"Well, now, that wouldn't have been a man at all! That would be a boy!"

"Mother," Hermione said in exasperation.

"All right now, dearie. Ginny is coming over."

Her mother said that in quite the final voice, and Hermione gave up. Besides, Ginny arrived a few minutes afterwards, and there wasn't a chance to ask again.

"So, 'Mione, did you see your future husband?"

"Not at all."

Ginny looked at her skeptically.

"Oh really? And you didn't eat anything, now did you?"

"Ah-well-see-it-it-I-did-didn't-mean-to-but-uh-it's-uh-"

"HERMIONE GRANGER! YOU ATE!!!"

***

End of Chapter 1

***

End notes: Oooooooo!!!! Wasn't that interesting? WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS MAN?!?! Who could be so straight and handsome and cute and pretty and all nice and tall in the candle light? Well, read the next chapter to find out!

Oh, and do me a little favor, won't you? See that little button down there? One that says review? Yeah, yeah, that one. Submit a review. Uh huh. Quite right. Now, hold your mouse and gently move towards it. Don't frighten it away, now. Be gentle! And when you reach it, click it. This screen will pop up, and you'll click log in for signed review. Okay, okay, anonymous is okay too, give a name though! And then say:

"S.Girl, that was the best story I've read in my entire life and I'm going to read all later chapters, I promise."

Oh? You'll do that? Great! Great! I'll hold you to it!