Author's Notes: It's been awhile…hey, that's a song. Whaddya know. It's also 1:30 a.m. and I have to work at 8 a.m. tomorrow. But hey, this is important – I WROTE A CHAPTER! That's right, a chapter. And this is it. Huzzah.

I sometimes find myself running out of fresh and creative ways to approach Order of the Phoenix, but then something will happen to me in my day-to-day activities and for some reason I'll get a brilliant idea for this fic…but the idea is for something that occurs at the end of Order of the Phoenix. Ain't that always the way. We're still in September. This may take awhile.

I think the thing that is screwing me over is the Weekly Goals. I have to do an entry at least once per week, on a Monday just for Weekly Goals. What I may end up doing is, as the year wears on and Hermione becomes "busier", she may change it to Monthly Goals or just write her Weekly Goals and no entry every Monday. Hope this doesn't offend or upset anyone. It's for the sake of my sanity, and yours.

Congratulations are in order for crazzd pixie and LJ Fan (thanks for the song!), newest FU members. Anyone who requested FU membership in an Omelet of Desire review shall be granted said membership in the next chapter of Omelet of Desire, coming soon!

Man, my Author's Notes are longer than the chapter sometimes. vv

Monday, 25 September

12:19 a.m.

He agreed!

Harry finally agreed to maybe, possibly, perhaps consider simply "meeting up with" a few people who may be interested in what he has to say regarding Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Well, it's better than nothing.

Ron and I both think that once Harry sees how many people do not, in fact, think he is a nutter and show genuine interest in his knowledge and in what he has to say, he'll agree to teach us. This is so exciting! I know we can't be in the Order, and unlike Ron and Harry and the twins I don't have any false hopes of Dumbledore and Ron's parents randomly changing their minds and allowing us to join because in first year we managed to defeat a giant chess set. But by doing this it's as if we're fighting back against Voldemort and the Ministry in our own little way, by learning to defend ourselves, and by being prepared.

However, there is a huge problem with all of this, and its name is Umbridge.

I've checked the school rules, and there is nothing prohibiting study groups or homework groups. But I also don't think it's wise if we parade what we're doing. I'm sure Umbridge would pass some kind of ridiculous decree to stop us if she found out we were taking it upon ourselves to learn defensive magic outside her class. You never know, we could be building a grand army of Hogwarts students to overthrow the Ministry of Magic. (Sarcasm).

Tomorrow Ron and I are going to start talking to people who might be interested in coming. I already know Ginny will come, and possibly bring Michael with her, and I've already spoken to Parvati and Lavender…maybe even some of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws would be interested in hearing what Harry has to say…

However, there is no way I am approaching the Slytherins. There's striving for inter-house unity, and then there's just complete madness.

I've just written Viktor a letter about the meeting to see if he has any advice on how we should conduct it, or how to get people interested. Viktor seems very asocial but he really is quite good at this sort of thing. It's nice to talk to someone else besides Harry and Ron about all this, and seeing as Viktor's older it's good to get his opinion sometimes. I briefly dropped Viktor's name while we were talking to Harry about teaching us Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I never got to finish my sentence because Ron whipped his head around so fast it would have probably flown off his neck if it hadn't been attached to it.

"Yeah? What did Vicky say?" Ron practically snarled.

"He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in his final year at Durmstrang," I explained in the voice of one who doesn't particularly care that Ron cares about Viktor caring about me.

Ron stared at me suspiciously, and I felt my cheeks grow hot as his gaze slowly moved down to my wrist. I was wearing Viktor's watch. "You're not still in contact with him, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"So what if I am? I can have a pen-pal if I - "

"He didn't only want to be your pen-pal," Ron snapped.

Oh no, perhaps Ron's been writing Mum and Dad, who have informed him of my elicit affair with Viktor. (Sarcasm).

When we returned to the common room, Harry went up to his dormitory to grab Cookin' Up A Storm: Someone's In The Kitchen With Potions (we'd spent an hour looking for it at the library when Harry realized that he'd taken the book out a week ago and it was in his dorm, the dolt) so we could finally finish the Potions assignment. As soon as he disappeared up the stairs, Ron cornered me. Metaphorically speaking, of course. We were not actually in a corner. I feel it is important to state that.

"Nice watch," he said scathingly.

"Thank you," I said coolly.

"Birthday present?"

"Yes, it was."

"From a certain 'pen-pal' of yours, perhaps?" Ron sneered.

I turned red again, but stood my ground. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it was."

Ron seemed to deflate when I answered so frankly. "Oh." There was a bit of a silence.

"It's very useful," I said lamely.

"I bet," Ron said curtly. He looked meaningfully at my wrist again and then gave me the silent treatment for a few minutes. At first I was angry – what right does he have to criticize Viktor or his gift? – but then I figured out what was really wrong.

The bracelet. The horrible, horrible bracelet.

"Oh, you know, your bracelet," I blurted out suddenly. "It's really very nice too, and…just….well, it's so nice, I want to save it for a special occasion."

Ron blinked and looked slightly less peeved. "Oh. You do?"

"Yes," I said quickly.

"Oh."

"Yes."

"Well then," said Ron, and he looked rather pleased. I very much hope that there are no special occasions occurring this year.

Harry came hurrying down the steps, clutching the book and looking weary. "Okay, I've got it. Let's get this done so I can go to bed."

Ron stared at the book in Harry's arms for a few seconds and then suddenly burst out laughing. "Why did you take out this book?"

"For Potions!" Harry said defensively.

Ron snorted and sat down at a table, opening his books. "Someone's in the kitchen with Potions…" he muttered, shaking his head.

Then all was well, and everything went back to normal.

However, this exchange with Ron…well, to be honest, it bothered me somewhat…this, plus the gift itself…well, I was feeling confused and that feeling in my stomach was back and I did it only because I needed someone to talk to and I couldn't talk to Ginny about this, so…well…

I had a girl talk with Parvati and Lavender.

"So, when you mentioned Viktor the first time and he turned around, did his entire body turn, or was it just his head?" Lavender asked in her interrogation tone. She and Parvati were seated cross-legged across from me on Lavender's bed.

I threw up my hands in despair. "I really don't see why this is relevant!"

"Hermione, trust us," Parvati said with a sigh.

"Well…I suppose just his head turned," I said reluctantly, rolling my eyes.

"Hmm," said Parvati and Lavender simultaneously, nodding at one another.

"That's it, you're both ridiculous and I am going to bed," I announced, stomping over to my own four-poster bed.

Needless to say, girl talk was a complete disaster.

Weekly Goals

1. Recruit people who will be interested in learning from Harry and/or listening to what he has to say to meet on the first Hogsmeade weekend.

2. Find a place to meet.

3. Stop caring that Ron cares about…things.

4. Work on Arithmancy independent study assignment.