Author's Notes: Haha, I have an exam tomorrow (or rather, today, seeing as its now midnight) and here I am writing TSD. Consequently, much of Hermione's school-related frustration and procrastination in this chapter is a direct result of my own.

Wow, at this rate I might actually get Book 2 done...gasp...BEFORE THE NEW YEAR! I can't wait for Book 3. I'm totally going to up the ante mush-wise (is a sucker for mushy stuff this time of year). I realize there's little R/H evidence in the book, but I plan on capitalizing on the fact that Harry is a bit too distracted in the new year to focus on the subtle nuances of Ron and Hermione's relationship. Any feedback on this plan would be much appreciated.


Tuesday, 14 November

8:30 a.m.

There was a terrible snowstorm last night, so double Herbology is canceled this morning on account of the entrance to the greenhouses being completely submerged in four feet of snow. Apparently Hagrid's been working on melting it since 7:00 this morning, but it seems the greenhouses won't be accessible until this afternoon. I find this a bit hard to believe (a simple melting charm would probably do the trick), but its so bitterly cold outside that Professor Sprout probably just didn't want us trekking out to the greenhouses at all in this weather. Its a bit disappointing because we were going to start a new unit on flowering plants with healing properties today, but on the other hand, it gives me some time to put the finishing touches on my Potions essay. I'm still not one hundred percent sure if I'm using WLA (Wizard's Language Association) citation properly and Snape refuses to help anyone. And I just know he's going to dock marks if I forget to put a comma after the author's name, or put a period in the wrong place, or use the wrong sort of brackets, or something trivial like that.

I was going to ask to look at Ron's and Harry's essays to see how they cited their primary sources, but a) they went straight back to bed after they found out Herbology was cancelled and b) I have a bad feeling that they haven't even started their essays yet.

9:12 a.m.

Excellent. I have secured the Official WLA Handbook from the library. I only managed to get the condensed version though, because the full version evidently weighs over one hundred pounds and is kept in its own study carrel in the library where students can peruse it without actually attempting to move it (Madam Pince, 1995).

Oh wait, according to the handbook I just have to write the author's last name. So (Pince, 1995).

Hang on, since its not a work of literature and the information was instead obtained through personal dialogue, I have to put "personal communication" in there. So (Pince, personal communication, 14 November, 1995).

Oh, but if I'm doing a personal communication citation I do need the author's first initial in there. So (M. Pince, personal communication, 14 November, 1995).

Wait. Madam Pince's first name is not Madam.

Oh forget it, this is ridiculous. I should be working on the essay.

12:30 p.m.

"Hermione, the three of us are skiving off History of Magic," Ron announced as he and Harry plopped down to eat at lunch. They looked particularly well-rested, probably from sleeping in this morning. But since I didn't sleep in and worked on my essay instead, I won't be the one up until four a.m. frantically working on it in the common room tonight, ha.

"I most certainly am not, and neither are you two," I admonished them. "You are a prefect, Ronald, and the last thing we need is Harry skipping classes and getting into more trouble with Umbridge."

"But have you seen how much snow there is outside?" Ron said pleadingly. "We may not have snowball fight conditions of this caliber for the rest of the year!"

"You are a prefect!" I hissed again.

Hm. Ron and Harry have never invited me to skive off classes with them. Or engage in snowball fights with them. Have I become so undisciplined and relaxed about rule-breaking that they think pretty soon I will throw caution to the wind and start breaking school rules left, right, and centre?

Oh, speaking of prefects and breaking rules, Malfoy got a fantastic telling-off at the prefect's meeting on Saturday. Rob did not approve of school prefects engaging in taunting and poor sportsmanship at Quidditch games. At first I thought Ron would be embarrassed, but I think he thoroughly enjoyed watching Malfoy get reamed out. In fact, Ron was in quite a cheerful mood after the meeting, until I started saying how great it was that Rob let Malfoy have it, and that he was doing a fantastic job keeping everyone in line. Then Ron got all irritable for some reason and told me that if I didn't shut up about Rob he'd change the password, lock me out of Gryffindor tower for the night, and make it look like an accident (R. Weasley, personal communication, 11 November, 1995).

We were also told at the meeting that our prefect duties are going to increase as Christmas gets closer, and that yes, we will be the lucky ones helping Filch and Hagrid put up Christmas decorations at the end of the month (R. Brooks, personal communication, 11 November, 1995).

Argh! I am a terrible procrastinator! I left lunch early to work on the Potions essay and I am going to work on it!

1:03 p.m.

History of Magic is going to start any second now and Ron and Harry aren't here yet. If they actually skipped class to have a snowball fight I'm going to kill them. Honestly, that sort of behaviour might be expected in first year, but we are fifteen years old and should be mature enough to resist the urge to start snowball fights every time it snows. Well, most of us should be, anyway. Most of the Gryffindor boys cannot yet be classified as "mature", especially Ron. This could explain some of his self-esteem issues, actually; it has been proven that early-maturing boys feel more self-confident and display better social adjustment than late-maturing boys (V. Crick, personal communication, during one of many lectures on the psychological effects of emotional and mental maturation, given at various points during my adolescence).

Oh good, they're here. Though late. And covered in snow. Honestly.

5:47 p.m.

All right. Classes are over, and now I can settle in and finally get some serious work done on this Potions essay. At least Umbridge didn't show up again in Care of Magical Creatures today; I don't think Hagrid's received the results of his "evaluation" yet but there's no doubt that they'll be bad. What a detestable woman…that first Thestrals lesson was really good, too! I mean, sure Thestrals aren't cuddly bunny rabbits, but they're not that dangerous…

Okay, to work now…

Oh no. "WLA format?" Ron just exclaimed on the other side of the common room, obviously reading the instructions for the essay for the first time. "What the bloody hell?!"

7:30 p.m.

All right, now that I have explained WLA documentation to Ron and have gotten him on his way with the essay, I can finally finish mine up and get to bed early…oh no, here comes Neville…

8:56 p.m.

All right, no need to panic. There are at least two hours of solid working time left before I should head to bed. Now…argh Not the Serpent String again!!!

9:03 p.m.

"Fred, George! I don't care if you're testing those things on yourselves or not; they're dangerous and they can cut off your circulation if you're not careful and I am not going to allow anyone to cut off their blood flow while I'm a prefect!" I hollered.

"Wow, Hermione," George said, touched. "We had no idea how much you cared…"

I slammed my books shut and stomped up to my dormitory.

Okay, finally some peace and quiet.

10:00 p.m.

Lavender's in her bed sobbing hysterically. Anthony Goldstein chucked her and Parvati's still not speaking to her because she agreed to go out with Anthony Goldstein in the first place. Consequently, Lavender has decided she needs neither a best friend nor true love. However, this gritty resolution has not stopped her from weeping inconsolably.

10:55 p.m.

The inconsolable weeping has dwindled to sniffles, and I'm sure I've seen her poke her head out from behind the curtains of her bed a few times to look at me expectantly. I suppose I should go over and talk to her.

11:58 p.m.

After a tearful apology and a long-winded monologue on Parvati's part about love and loss, Parvati and Lavender are reunited. This is a very good thing for me, and a very bad thing for Anthony Goldstein, who is currently the subject of excessive ridicule and slander.

I'm far too tired to even think about finishing the essay right now…but its not due until Friday, so technically I still have plenty of time…

No! That's the sort of attitude that leads to procrastination! It is due on Friday! As in three days from today! Wait…its past midnight now, so its technically Wednesday…two days from today! Argh! How did I get so distracted today?

Oh, wait a moment, I didn't do my Weekly Goals yesterday…

Weekly Goals

1) Finish Potions essay before Thursday night! I refuse to be working on it the night before its due.

2) Make certain Ron and Harry finish their Potions essays before Thursday night as well.

3) Neville, too.

4) Try to find time to knit a few elf scarves and mittens (its officially freezing cold outside now).

5) Arithmancy checkpoint #6.