A/N: woah! Thanks for all the lovely reviews guys! Just by the way, I know that basically everyone was out of character (by a lot!) but I really felt I just needed to write something to get rid of my writer's block. I hope that it's better this chapter, and thanks for all the constructive criticism! It's much appreciated
Chapter 2
In the Great Hall – not sure what time it is exactly, but we're just about to have the feast and Dumbledore's talking
My golly gosh, the first years just keep getting smaller and smaller every year! We got a few likely looking young Gryffindors, but most of them looking terrified. But we've all been there, and I feel it my duty as prefect to help them out. Oh, I forgot to tell you! Professor McGonagall called me before the Sorting started and she said that she's talked to Dumbledore and some of the other teachers, and I get to take a whole lot of extra credit stuff this year! I still do all the normal subjects with everyone else but I get extra work for each subject too. I can continue it next year and the marks that I get from that go straight to my NEWTs so I have a better chance at getting into the career I want. I'm so excited!
I told Ron and Harry and they said they were really happy for me but I think they rolled their eyes when I turned around. Hmph! I actually don't care this time, and they'll regret it when I don't check their charms homework. Ron's pretty crap at charms. Tehehe. Right now I'm writing this under the table and I'm feeling rather content if you must know the truth. I mean I'm back at Hogwarts with everyone, and something about the promise of a new year and new books just gets me going, it's rather thrilling you know? Lordy lord, I better not let anyone read that, or they'll think me an even big nerd than they do already.
Ginny is so lucky. Her hair is so long! She was growing it out over the summer, and what's more is that it's straight (well, wavy actually) and so smooth! I don't know what she does. My hair is still a massive bush of frizz. Seriously, I think it might be possessed. Not fair! I mean, I don't really care about my looks that much because I think all that primping is seriously superficial and merely an act to attract guys, but you know? It was kind of fun at the Yule Ball when people were looking at me and for once not snickering. But I might save that just for special occasions. Ooh, Dumbledore's saying something rather interesting now . . . oh wait, it was just the usual out of bounds thing . . . hang on a sec, did he just say something about a ball? Wow, he did! He said that after the success of the first Yule Ball he's decided to hold another one! Oh my goodness. This is not good. This is so not good. It's not good because nobody will ask me, and besides everyone will get all obsessed over it and their twittering and mooning will be very distracting for when I'm trying to study!
Ginny's looking pleased. Well, why shouldn't she look pleased? Every guy with a pulse will be lining up to ask her. Haha, but Ron won't like that! That's one of things I like best about Ron, he's so caring and protective . . . come on Hermione. Don't even go there.
Speaking of Ron, he's actually being quite uncouth at the moment. See, the food has just materialised and now he's shoving it down his face like there's no tomorrow. Ew! Could this get any grosser?
Right now I'm writing this under the table, leaning on my lap so it's kind of hard eat and write at the same time. I'm going to stop write here because Nosy Ginny is peering over my shoulder, trying to read what I wrote.
Really late – in my warm, comfy, soft bed . . .
Mmm. This is really nice. I'm just sitting propped up in my bed and it's all cozy in here. Lav and Pav are flipping around generally being slightly irritating but also mildly amusing. I think it'd be an interesting experiment to be them for a day. I mean, they annoy me but to tell the truth they're really not that bad.
Ah, I'm so tired, my eyelids are drooping. I think I'm going to turn the light off now and get some beauty sleep (god knows I need it)
September 2nd – breakfast, the great hall
They just handed out our new timetables. Ron and Harry are still taking Divination. At first I was mildly annoyed that they hadn't taken my advice and dropped it, but now I think it's all their own fault if they get absolutely fed up with it. Well, they wont be getting my help with their stupid homework, that's for sure! And Lav and Pav aren't letting them copy either . . . Tehehe. Though they do let Dean and Seamus copy, and then Seamus and Dean take pity on Ron and Harry and let them copy theirs anyway, so it's all just a big unethical cycle of copying.
Anyway, first up today we have transfiguration, then charms, then double potions (and yes, we are still with the grotty little Slytherins), then Herbology and care of magical creatures. So it's quite a good day, regardless of potions – and even that should be very interesting, the Ravenclaw prefect in the year ahead of us told me we start to move into some quite difficult stuff. I can't wait!
Lunch time – the library
Finally, some peace and quiet! I am so glad to get away from the rest of that screaming rabble. But first let me fill you in on how everything went when class started. Ok, so in transfiguration, Professor McGonagall told us about what we'd be doing this year:
"Welcome back everyone, I trust you have all had an excellent holiday and that you are all recuperated and ready for a year of new magic. This year, as your NEWTs are not as far off as most of you assume, we will be focusing on particular spells that you will be examined on. I will warn you now that what you will be covering is far more challenging than anything you have been taught in previous years," at this, Ron, who was sitting next to me, looked a bit worried.
Anyway, the lesson was exceedingly interesting but I was disappointed that, while I was the only one who could get my badger to change from grey to purple, my purple was more lilac than lavender.
I was contemplating asking Professor McGonagall if she had any recommendations for books I could read to counteract that tendency, but before I got a chance to ask her she handed me a bulging parchment envelope – it was my extra credit stuff for transfiguration, about a week's worth of material I think. I just had a chance to open it and I'm so glad the teachers let me do it – the things she's getting me to do are wonderfully fascinating! There's all these spells, what they do and how to do them right.
I've also got a list of recommended reading for background knowledge, to build my understanding. So that's why I'm in the library now, looking up the books. I've also got a list for charms and potions, which I just had, and the enveloped for them are pretty good as well. For charms it's basically the same deal – spells I'm going to learn, how to perform them, and background reading. For potions, I'm actually doing more theory work than actual brewing of potions, but that's fine with me. I think that for the practical aspects of it, I'd need to have private lessons with Snape and while I have been learning well with him as my teacher in class, any more time with him and I'd go loco, if you know what I mean.
I got a bit peeved off with Ron again today. I was excited and was telling Harry and him about my extra work, and he (Ron) snickered at me! Not just a little chuckle, mind you, but a full on sniggering snicker! I turned around really fast and accidentally whipped Harry in the face with the brown bristles growing out of my scalp.
After apologising to Harry, I said to Ron really stiffly, "I wonder, what would happen if I didn't help you at all with my notes this year?"
He replied, "Well, I'd fail everything and my mum would be terribly disappointed in me, and would you want that hanging over your head for ever? Besides, you're just smarter and more organised than me, can I help that? To tell the truth, I don't think it particularly moral to gloat about it."
At this, I snorted and walked ahead, but I must admit I did feel slightly gratified.
A/N: how was it? I hope it was better and more in character! Personally, I think Hermione is far less OOC then she was last chapter, but that's just my opinion . . . and I would really love to hear yours! Thanks again to all the wonderful people who took time out of their day to write a comment – whether it was helpful or not, I still appreciate that you made an effort. However – Augurey Song: like I said, I am thankful you took the time to review but I thought that maybe you could have told me how to improve not just that Hermione was out of character. Perhaps you could have given examples of where I went wrong and how could I correct it, but thank you anyway again for your time.
Otherwise, cake for all these people!
Dragonstargirl: thanks so much for reviewing! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Mione-Rosenburg16: thank you, I'm glad you like it. I did try very hard to keep them in character!
Lingyeung-02: hehe, I love ditzy dorm girls! They're so funny to write! Thank you as well for reviewing!
Suzie: thanks very much for the lovely compliment, I am very glad you're liking it! Was this a quick update? I'll try and keep the chapters coming fast!
bookwormJ: thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Was this update quick enough?
SilentRaven987: thanks for the feedback, you're so right! I just watched an American TV show so it kind of rubbed off on me but I re-read some of Hermione's dialogues from the books and I do hope it corrected it! And I hope she's speaking more like herself now too.
Colin: thanks for reviewing. You're right, and I realise she was OOC, but I needed to just post something, so I could get the flow of writing from her point of view. I hope I got her more this chapter?
FaeriePrincess: thank you very much! I know, go Ron/Hermione! Who do those Harry/Hermione shippers think they're kidding? It's Ron/Hermione all the way baby!
Marissa: thanks. I was just reading the princess diaries books before I started typing this, so it's little wonder the tone rubbed off! I know the Hermione definitely wasn't right last chapter but I would love your feedback on how I wrote her this chapter.
Justanormalgirl357: thanks so much! I'm really glad you liked it. I'm glad you laughed I hope this chapter induced a similar reaction!
TicTacTurtle: thanks for your feedback.
Norbert-theduck: thanks for reviewing! I'm not sure of the books you're thinking of, it isn't princess diaries is it? Or maybe confessions of a Georgia Nicholson? Anyway thanks again!
Cole: hehe, thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it.
Nikki23: I totally agree with you – Hermione is definitely taking her time with this relationship. Serious hinting probably won't start to emerge until much later. Thanks for your review!
Sous La Lune: thanks so much! Seriously, you don't know how cool it is to be on someone's alert list, or maybe you do? Oh well, anyway, thank you for that, it really made me smile!
x-moon-beam-x: thank you. I know that it isn't what a lot of people expect, and I know a lot of people will think it rubbish but I think Hermione does have a different side to her and I was trying to explore that. Thanks again!
georgexXxalicia: thanks heaps!
Irish Lady Knight: yay! I'm so glad you agree with me that Hermione does have a sarcastic and biting side! I know there's more to her than what we see. And I'm glad you liked the R/H bit! I was worried I was moving too fast with her and Ron, I wanted it to be nice and slow. What do you think? Thank you for your review!
Iluvron: wow, thanks loads! That's really nice of you to say and I'm glad you like it!
StEpPiNg StOnEs: thank you! I'm glad it was funny. I tried to make Hermione more know-it-all-ish in this chapter but I hope it wasn't overkill!
Emuerz: thanks
Reviewer: thank you so, so, so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much! I'm writing the chapters fairly fast now, so I will hopefully update fairly frequently! Thank you again, it was a lovely review!
Fake-truth86: thanks. Were they more in character this time?
Thanks again everyone! Have a lovely day.
