A/N: Hello all! Sorry it's taken me so long to post. My life is insane due to school, cross-country, new seasons of all my favourite shows, and the like. My English teacher, being insane, gives way too much homework and I'm writing this instead of a long paper on The Iliad. Thanks to all who've given me reviews! Feel free to give any suggestions or compliments. Anything that makes me happy.
I have a request for anyone out there. Could someone please give me the exact place in the books where Rowling says that Hermione's birthday is September 19th? Someone told me it was in PoA, I reread PoA, and I never saw it. So: book title, page number, in a review/email. That'd be lovely and make me very cheery. Thankee! Oh, and if you find strange words or anything, I'm trying out thesauruses because I'm noticing a lack of a large vocabulary.

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I'd be off writing the next book in the series quickly.

[ _____________ ] = Hermione's thoughts

{_____________}= Lupin's thoughts

Chapter Six: December

The papers were full of the activities of the side of Voldermort and some parents chose to withdraw their children out of fear that Hogwarts would be targeted for its practice of teaching Muggle-borns and Purebloods side-by- side. Qudditch and Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled, and everyone was disappointed. Professor McGonagall wasn't too disappointed, as this meant that she got to keep the Quidditch cup in her office for another year.

Life at Hogwarts returned to its normal pattern. Harry was getting worse by the minute, but less and less people had sympathy for him. Ron, though, stuck by his side. Snape was getting gaunter every day and Hermione was about to worry about him then remembered who he was. Lupin was quickly becoming everyone's favourite teacher and Hermione lived for Fridays.

Outside of Hogwarts, life was anything but normal. The papers were full of the activities of the side of Voldermort and some parents chose to withdraw their children out of fear that Hogwarts would be targeted for its practice of teaching Muggleborns and Purebloods side-by-side. Qudditch and Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled, and everyone was disappointed. Professor McGonagall wasn't too disappointed, as this meant that she got to keep the Quidditch cup in her office for another year.

Days passed and began to blur together. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and soon it was December. At breakfast on December 1st, Dumbledore stood to make an announcement. A hush fell over the Great Hall; the students had quickly become used to bad news.

"Good morning. I hope that all of you are well. Our community has been plagued by darkness these past months, and I hope what I have to say will bring some light into our lives. Some of those assembled here will remember a Yule Ball that we held two years ago." Murmuring broke out among the students but stopped as Dumbledore raised his hand. "I am pleased to announce that on Christmas Eve, we will be holding an all-school ball. To allow all of you time to get whatever you need, we will be having a Hogsmeade trip the Sunday before that." Cheering met this announcement, but the students again stopped at a sign from Dumbledore. "However, this trip will only be open to student in 5th, 6th, or 7th year, so the rest of you will need to place orders with friends in those years.

"I have one other exciting announcement. Hogwarts normally doesn't do anything for the turn of the Christian year. However, this year the staff has decided to hold a talent show. On December 31st, we will be holding a school talent show that will last all night long. If you wish to participate, please sign up with your head-of-house by breakfast on the day of the talent show. The two of you, or more if you are performing with a group, will discuss what you wish to do and then your head-of-house will approve. Teachers are also welcome to participate. Lessons are due to start in several minutes, so you are all free to leave."

Harry and Ron hurried off to class, but Hermione remained for a moment before slowly leaving, lost in her thoughts. [I really wish I could perform something. I mean, I spent all summer listening to Muggle music. But what should I do? I mean, I'm bookworm-mudblood-Hermione-who-has-no-life-outside- the-library. It's not like I'll have a lot of people cheering for me.] Hermione's thoughts continued in this manner until she reached her classroom.

Lupin got up as soon as Dumbledore and headed to his office as he didn't have a morning class today. He glanced at the pile of work at his desk but walked by it to sit on his window-sill and watch the Care of Magical Creatures class work with Hagrid. Today was Hermione's class.

{How does she do it? She looks so delicate yet she's volunteering to do some of the dirtiest and dangerous things with those animals. Merlin, I wished she knew. If she only knew- well, if she knew, what's to say she would care? I'm an old werewolf who teaches her how to defend herself against dark wizards. She'll have to one day, I know. With him drawing closer and closer. I just wish she'd let me protect her. How can I ever let her know?} Shaking his head, Lupin moved to his seat and sat, unraveling the first paper of many.

Hermione saw movement from a window in the castle as they filed into the stables. She quickly recognized the window as the one in Lupin's office. {What's he doing in there? I wonder what he's thinking right now. Gods, I wish he knew how I feel. Doesn't matter, I suppose. I'm just his student, always buried in one book or another. He wouldn't care about me. He's more likely to fall for Snape.}

"Oi, Hermione!" Ron's voice ripped her out of her thoughts, which was a good thing owing to the pictures flooding her mind. She hurried after the class into the stable, drawing her robe tightly around her to block out the cold.

A/N: Short chapter, I know. I didn't want to tie in the Hogsmeade/Christmas things into this. Sorry! Next chapter is coming soon, don't have many classes this week. Please review and, if you can, give me the place that gives that exact date of Hermione's birth! I know there isn't a year, but day/month things would be much appreciated. Just for a bit of explanation: I know that a few chapters ago I said that Sundays would be free to allow for Quidditch. Parts of the story are taking of in different directions than anticipated and aside from that, I know that I can't write Quidditch games and Hermione's not much of a Qudditcher anyway.