Abigail "Abbey" Cramer and Hermione Granger were entering their seventh and final year at Hogwarts as the best of friends. Abbey was in Gryffindor with Hermione, but she was a quiet and shy girl, so she kept to herself. Hermione only noticed her when she was leaving a prefect meeting the previous year. Abbey was actually about as tall, if not taller, than most of the students at Hogwarts. She was just trying to be out of sight. Hermione had caught up with her, and they had talked for a while. When they reached Kings Cross Station for everyone to go home for the holidays, Hermione and Abbey had exchanged addresses so they could keep in touch. All during the summer Hermione had put off going to Ron's so she could spend more time with Abbey. Hermione thought that it was silly that she was in her seventh year and her only real friends were Ron and Harry.

On September first, Hermione and Abbey arrived at Kings Cross Station at about the same time. They both headed for the prefects section of the train to get an empty compartment. When they stowed their trunks, and put away their animals, they went back to the platform, to say goodbye to Abbey's father.

"Hello Mr. Cramer," Hermione said cheerfully.

"'Morning Hermione," Mr. Cramer said. He hugged his daughter, who was nearly as tall as him, and kissed her forehead gently. "Be good sweetie," he said to her, smiling.

"See ya dad," Abbey said, smiling. But Hermione knew that she was on the verge of tears. Not because she was sad about leaving her father, but because her mother wasn't around to say goodbye to. Abbey's mother had been murdered before her eyes, when she was five. She had been living in America with her mother because her parents had been separated since she was born. Then one night, a hooded figure knocked on their door after the sun went down. Abbey's mother had warned her to stay out of sight. Just before she opened the door, her mother looked around the room; to make sure Abbey wasn't visible. Then she gently opened the door. The two people exchanged a few words, and before Abbey knew what was going on, there was a flash of bright green light, and her mother was lying on the ground, lifeless, with a lightning blot cut on her forehead. Then the stranger left, and a few hours later, Abbey was knocking on the door of her father's house, with her aunt. Abbey was a pureblood, and she understood everything about the magical world, but she didn't know much about the cloaked stranger that killed her mother because her father had avoided the subject.

The whistle for the train blew, and the two girls made their way to their compartments.

"Love you dad! Miss you!" Abbey called over her shoulder, sprinting the length of the train to get to their compartment. She was faster than she looked, and Hermione had a hard time keeping up with her regular gate. A few minutes later the compartment door was snapping shut.

"Good we didn't see Ron or Harry," Hermione said breathlessly. Abbey looked at her.

"Why? You didn't want to see them?" she asked in her childish voice, letting her cat, Genevieve out of her basket. She was smiling a little, and she stroked Genevieve's black and white fur gently. Hermione looked at her a little annoyed, but smiled, letting Crookshanks out of his basket.

"You know I didn't want to see them. I avoided them all summer!" Hermione exclaimed. Abbey rolled her eyes. Just then there was a quiet knock on the door, and the new Head Boy entered the compartment. Hermione smiled to see the Ravenclaw, and she stood up to hug him. "Hello, James. I missed you terribly!" Hermione said to her boyfriend.

"I missed you too," he said hugging her back. They sat down across from Abbey together.

"Please, all I ask is that you two keep the lovey-dovey tendencies to a minimum," Abbey said, laughing. Hermione and James smiled.

The ride to Hogwarts was the usual in the Prefect section of the train. There was a quick meeting to introduce the new Head Girl and Boy, which were Hermione and James. Then Professor McGonagall would give them all their duties for the year, before she apparated back to the castle to prepare for the welcoming feast.

"Jeez we have a lot to do this year. Make all the passwords, prepare for the N.E.W.T.'s, and, make preparations for graduation!" Abbey exclaimed, as she joined Hermione and James, sneaking out of the larger room. They were doing their best to sneak off to their compartment, unnoticed.

"You think you have it bad!" Hermione said, not even wanting to think about what being Head Girl meant. It wasn't going to be as easy as being a Prefect, like she thought. She and James were now responsible for all the different clubs that were made, they were to help with class schedules, and help decorate the Great Hall for Christmas and the end of the year Ball, along with a number of other things. The thought of all of this, with her new class schedule, gave her a headache.

When the train finally came to a stop, the students piled out, onto the platform. Like it always seemed to on the night the students arrived, it was pouring. Hermione felt a small amount of grief for the first years, who had to cross the lake in the rain, with the giant squid. When the students arrived at the carriages, Hermione shivered, looking at the Thestrals, for the first time all summer. Abbey quietly hid her eyes from them, shivering. James didn't know what was wrong with the two girls, because he couldn't see the ugly, horse-like monsters. They clamored into the carriage, and the door snapped shut.

Hermione laid her head on James's shoulder. Soon the carriage was making it's way up the long drive to Hogwarts. The magnificent castle came into view, but was hard to see through the rain. The candles in the windows looked like dots of yellow in a sea of black. Then they entered the Great Hall together and took their seats at Gryffindor table.

"That was defiantly the most interesting Welcoming Feast I've ever had at Hogwarts!" Abbey announced, tumbling out of the Great Hall. "I thought we were done for when Hagrid 'accidentally' got drunk," she said. Hermione was laughing as well, leaning on Abbey for support. They ambled up the stairs, to Gryffindor Tower, laughing all the way. When they got to the portrait of the lady in the pink gown, Hermione kissed James goodnight. Then she said the password, and Abbey and Hermione made their way to their dorms. Harry and Ron staggered in after them.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled after them. Hermione cringed, but couldn't bring herself to walk away from them.

"Want me to stay?" Abbey asked quietly as Ron and Harry closed in on them. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and said, "If you want to."

"Hermione, what's been going on?" Harry inquired. He looked hurt, angry, and nervous at the same time. Hermione just stared them both in the eyes.

"Why did you avoid us this summer?" Ron asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. Hermione shivered at his touch.

"I don't know if you've noticed her, but I have made other friends," Hermione said, putting an arm around Abbey.

"Hello boys," Abbey said. She just laughed. "I'm Abbey Cramer. How are you doing on a beautiful night like this?"

"Um, we're fine, thanks. Anyway Hermione, hanging out with a different friend doesn't mean you should just forget about us," Harry said, looking hard at her.

"Well I had other things I was doing. And besides, my parents said I couldn't go to Ron's," Hermione said, trying to defend herself. Then she saw the way Abbey was looking at Harry and smiled. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have to go to our dorms," she added, turning on her heel, and heading in the opposite direction. She took hold of Abbey's hand, and led her to their dorm.

After she closed the door, Hermione turned to face her friend. "Abigail Elizabeth Cramer. You have a crush on Harry don't you?" Hermione said, looking suspiciously at her. Abbey smiled innocently.

"Yeah. A little. But so what? It's not like he'd ever pay any attention to me," Abbey said sadly, getting out her diary. Hermione sat on her bed.

"How about we fix you up. Your beautiful Abbey, you just need to know how to take care of yourself." Hermione suggested. Abbey looked at her and slowly started to smile. "So what do you want to fix up first? You hair? Your skin? What?" Hermione asked, turning to get a better look at her. Abbey thought for a moment.

"My hair. I never know what to do with it," she said, fingering her black, messy curls.

"Ok, this is what I was thinking...-" Hermione went on explaining, while she pulled out her wand.
The next morning, Abbey woke up with the sun, because she was so anxious to get to classes. And then she remembered what she and Hermione had gone through the previous night. Hermione had cut Abbey's hair, cleared her acne, and had helped with posture. There wasn't much more she could do. But Abbey was still happy all the same. She got ready for school the way she usually did, and straightened her hair the way Hermione had showed her with her wand. With a pinkish lip-gloss and a brown eye shadow, Abbey looked stunning.

Who knew a person could look so great with the smallest amount of effort, she thought looking at herself in the mirror. Then she grabbed her bag, and set off for the Great Hall to get an early breakfast.

As the door closed, Hermione opened her eyes. She smiled, and got out of bed to get ready for school herself.

Abbey walked, straight and tall into the Great Hall, and she couldn't keep from smiling. She had a good feeling that this was going to be the greatest day of school all year. First days always made her confident, and it helped that she didn't look as messy and unorganized as she usually did. Abbey took her seat at the Gryffindor table, and took out her Arithmancy book. As she read, she reached for random things to eat.

"So, how's your morning?" Hermione asked cheerfully, sitting down next to her. Abbey nodded, obviously trying not to bring attention to herself. When the Great Hall was filled with students, the Heads of Houses handed out the class schedules. They both looked them over, as Ron and Harry joined them.

"What have you got first?" Hermione asked. She rested her chin on the top of her hands.

"Um...I've got...Transfiguration," Harry said, consulting his schedule.

"And I've got...Transfiguration as well," said Ron, consulting his schedule. "What about you?"

"I have Defense Against the Dark Arts first," Abbey said, putting her book and papers back in her bag.

"And I have Charms," Hermione said. Just as she was saying that Abbey got up, and started jogging out of the Hall. "Where're you going?!" Hermione called after her.

"I brought the wrong books! See you at lunch!" Abbey called behind her shoulder, waving at them. Hermione rolled her eyes, and turned to face Ron and Harry again. "What?" she asked at their faces.

"Are you sure that was Abbey?" Ron said, staring after her.

"I've had my doubts all morning!" Harry said, staring after her too.

"Oh come on. Of course it is!" Hermione said, laughing at the two of them. Harry was shocked.

That can't be her! The Abbey I met last night had messy hair, and a face full of spots. This Abbey is just...wow! She looks beautiful, with ivory white skin, and black hair. And her eyes! The perfect color of blue! Harry thought, with a dreamy look on his face. But I can't think about my love life. I have Defense Against the Dark Arts training, and Quidditch season coming up!

The first week of school went lazily. Classes day in and day out, and homework. The seventh years were already being drilled for the N.E.W.T.'s. And the fifth and sixth years were being warned about the upcoming O.W.L.'s.

"Finally, the weekend!" Abbey said, falling onto one of the couches in the Common room. She, Hermione, Ron and Harry had been hanging out a lot over the past week, trying to make up for the lost time. They were all sitting in front of the fire, talking about what they wanted to do when they left Hogwarts.

"Well I know what I want to do," said Ron, crossing his arms.

"And what's that?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to train to be an auror," Ron said, looking seriously at them all. Hermione nodded at him, smiling. Abbey half smiled, pulling her knees to her chest. Harry nodded.

"That's probably what I'm going to get into," Harry said, staring off into space.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. Probably get a job at the ministry," Abbey said, laughing at herself.

"Yeah," Hermione said, nodding slowly.

"You know what. This is getting us all depressed. Let's go for a walk. It's really nice out," Abbey said, standing up from the couch. "Meet you at the front doors!" she called to Ron and Harry as she dragged Hermione up to their dorm.

Both girls changed into sweaters, and got on jackets. They made sure they wouldn't need anything. Just as they were walking out the door, they grabbed their wands and put them in their coat pockets.
The four of them went for a walk around the grounds. Hermione and Ron went ahead of Harry and Abbey, who were walking together at a slow pace.

"So, how was your week?" Abbey asked, trying to break the awkward silence. Harry nodded.

"It was good," he said, watching Ron and Hermione throw handfuls of red, orange, brown, and yellow leaves at each other. "You like your classes?" Harry asked.

"They're okay," Abbey said shrugging. "You know, I've been thinking about how I feel about you. I think I should just come out and tell you," Abbey confessed, looking over at Harry. He looked down a little, and nodded, urging her to go on. "Well, I dunno if you feel the same way, but I think I like you. Not just like a friend either. I dunno, it's hard to explain. I just feel like I have a thousand snitches in my stomach when you look at me and-"

Abbey stopped talking because Harry had leaned in and kissed her. They were unaware that they had stopped walking. The sensation of the kiss washed over them both. When Abbey started to pull away from him, Harry looked at her softly. They were both silent for a moment.

"Well that answers a lot," Abbey finally said, looking at him. They both started to smile. Then they started walking again, trying to catch up with Hermione and Ron. When they did, they acted like nothing had happened.