Hogwarts- England's prestigious school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sun glistened over its lake and ground and dazzled the eyes of anyone to behold its glory. And it was glorious on the Saturday before the N.E.W.T.s began. However, the weather belied the clouds of gloom and tension hanging in every corner of the ancient castle.
N.E.W.T.s. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. Only a month ago, they seemed to be a far off nightmare in the distance. However, with only two days left to go, the very weight of their futures clung to the shoulders of each seventh year student. It was only a matter of time before the staunchest studier at Hogwarts cracked under the stress of striving for perfection and joined Susan Bones in the infirmary for daily sedatives.
At least, that was the belief of the Head Girl's friends and professors. For the past week, Hermione Granger, golden girl of Gryffindor, had been muttering under her breath walking through the hallways. After Christmas break, she had made up the customary study schedules for herself and her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. As the N.E.W.T.s came closer into view, her frizzy hair became uncontrollable and she made up schedules for the entire seventh year. Slytherins included. The illustrious Miss Granger, in her pursuit of perfection, had even created a study schedule for a somewhat bewildered Dobby.
Back to that glorious Saturday. As we join the Dream Team breaking their fast, Hermione fills her plate with scrambled eggs. Harry glances over and raises an eyebrow as she begins to cube a stack of toast and adds it to her eggs. Ron and Harry exchange bewildered looks over the counter-clockwise stirring of Hermione's breakfast potion.
"Uh, Hermione?" Ron taps her shoulder while Harry gazes in morbid fascination at Hermione's breakfast plate.
The Head Girl snaps her head up in irritation and ceases to stir. She drops her spoon and dives into her bag for a stack of parchment, glancing at her watch.
"Ronald Weasley. You have exactly 2.35 minutes to finish eating before our study group today. I suggest you cease interrupting me and finish refueling."
With that, Hermione turned back to her plate, mixing in equal amounts of porridge and kippers into the egg toast mess and began to eat. Harry caught Ron's eyes and nodded, while mouthing "Plan A". Ron nodded in understanding and began distracting Hermione with questions on the various potions they were to discuss later. Meanwhile, Harry tapped his wand on the pile of schedules and knocked them back into the bag of his verging-on-the-edge-of-madness friend.
"No, Ron, it's EYE of NEWT, not THIGH of POOT. And what the hell is a poot anyways? Honestly." Hermione once again glanced at her watch. "I think it's just about time for our study group."
"Are you sure, Hermione?" Harry asked, all wide-eyed innocence. "I could swear you scheduled breaks for everyone today..."
"Well, I created the schedules and I highly doubt..." Hermione trailed off as she read over the schedule she had referenced only moments ago, "Huh. That doesn't seem right. I don't recall scheduling any breaks..."
"See how hard you've been working, `Mione?" Ron jumped in; "it's a good thing you scheduled a break ahead of time! You'd have worked yourself to death in the cloud of academia you've been in lately!"
"That's right" added Harry, as he helped the bewildered girl out of the Great Hall. "Now you just go to the Prefect's bathroom and take a nice bubble bath like your schedule says. Ron and me'll be out on the Quidditch pitch."
"See you to study tomorrow!" Ron threw over his shoulder as the boys raced out the door.
Hermione stood in front of the doors to the Great Hall and blinked. As soon as the boys were out of sight, she dropped the glazed and bewildered look and grinned wickedly (startling several second year Hufflepuffs). She then proceeded toward her rooms near Gryffindor tower. Once she had moderately "tamed" her hair into a ball of frizz on the top of her head, she stripped completely. After rummaging through the false bottom of her trunk, the secretly devious Miss Granger donned a sexy silk bathrobe and tugged her school robes back on.
As she checked the hall outside her room, our herione thanked the gods for her private Head Girl quarters. With that happy thought, Hermione Ann Granger tucked her want up her sleeve and strutted through the empty halls toward the dungeons.