Cecilia Orechio- Thanks for your constant support! Yes, well, maybe one day he'll fix things with his two best friends. Yes, Harry is influencing Ginny and doesn't even know it. I'm trying to make her naïve but at the same time mature. Ah, the note. You'll see very soon.

potts- No, nobody knows Harry's writing to Sirius except Dumbledore. Thanks for reviewing!

uNoeWho- Thanks for reviewing!

FoREvEr ends- Aww, I want everyone to like Ginny! In your review or in an email, let me know what I can do to make Ginny more likable, okay? I really didn't intend for her to turn out that way, but I can see where you're coming from…

Chapter 7

January 23

Sirius,

It's one a.m., but I can't sleep. Ginny and I just got back from our… outing? I'm not going to call it a 'date', because it wasn't.

The evening started off technically in the Common Room. She was waiting for me when I got there. She was wearing a short dress and her hair was down and curled.

"Friends, right?" I asked when I came down.

"What?" she asked, startled and confused.

"We're doing this as friends, right?"

She looked down and then back up at me again.

"Right," she said softly. "Friends.

"Where do you want to go? She asked after we had descended. I shrugged. "Well, it's wherever you want to go," she said.

I had never had this kind of freedom before. "Whatever," I said. Her eyes narrowed.

"Harry James Potter, I invited you here to have a good time, so don't give me any of that. Now choose where we're going."

I had never seen Ginny like that, and it kind of shocked me.

"Um, isn't the woman supposed to choose?" I asked. Ginny did that thing where she looked at the floor and then back at me again.

"She does," she said quietly. "On a date."

I wasn't getting these mood swings (maybe you could help me, Sirius—you're an expert on women) but I suggested we go to the Three Broomsticks and she cheered up a bit. We ordered butterbeers and talked.

"So how is seventh year, Harry?" she asked. "Fred and George told me how stressful fifth year is with O.W.L.s, but with N.E.W.T.s I imagine seventh year is harder."

I shrugged. Then because I knew she didn't like that, I said, "I don't know. I haven't been doing all that much work… the only class I'm passing is Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Ginny gasped softly. "But Harry! That's terrible… you do want to graduate, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I snapped. This girl was becoming like Hermione. "I want to get out of this place… and become an Auror."

"Well, I think it's good you're doing well in Defense Against the Dark Arts then, Harry," she said hesitantly.

I didn't bother to correct her that I had said "passing", and barely, Sirius. Remus says he's worried about me, but I don't see why. I'm Dumbledore's 'favorite boy', as Malfoy would put it, the idiot. Honestly, what is it with this world?

We talked for a little while, had a few butterbeers (I had to stop her from having a fourth) and headed back to the Common Room and said our goodnights around twelve-thirtyn.

It sounds like a boring evening, Sirius, but it actually wasn't, surprisingly. As I'm writing this I must say that I actually enjoyed this evening.

I've got a Potions essay on temporary Animagus potions (which I'm sure you'd know), an essay on "How To Concoct Successful Potions" (courtesy of Ron catching Snape's greasy hair on fire), a Transfiguration essay, and a project to work on for Care of Magical Creatures. I also have an essay for History of Magic, fifty-three pages of reading in my Defense Against the Dark Arts book, and once I've finished observing my niffler for Care of Magical Creatures, I have to write an observation that has to be six inches long.

Maybe I'll do it all tomorrow. They are really loading us down to "prepare" us for N.E.W.T.s. I don't need this anyway. I'm going to be an Auror and work for the Ministry of Magic. The government—Sirius, when I was a little kid, maybe around eight, I used to dream of working for the government; leaving the Dursleys and being a spy or something. Maybe this is me now, fulfilling my childhood dream of then.

Oops—sorry there's a smudge right above there, but some ash fell onto the parchment and I brushed it off really quickly.

All of a sudden now I'm really tired. I guess we'll call it a night then, Sirius.

Still the same bloody day, only now I've had a bit of breakfast and I'm skipping Potions. At least now Snape can't drill me for not turning in the essays.

At breakfast today Hermione asked me about grades and N.E.W.T.s and stuff (you know that's all Hermione ever thinks about) and I told her I don't know, and told her my grades. She nearly fainted from shock, I swear. She started lecturing me (quietly, thank Merlin) about how I need to bring my grades up.

"Hermione, I'm going to be an Auror. I already know what I'm going to be; who cares?" I had said.

"But Harry! To become an Auror you have to graduate first! How do you expect to do that with the grades you've currently got?"

"Dumbledore'll let me," I mumbled. "He knows I'm smart."

"Smart? But Harry, you've got to prove it!" she said.

"Oh yeah? Who defeated Voldemort in first and second year? Who got through the TriWizard Tournament, solved the riddle and escaped from Voldemort again? I think that's enough credits," I said hotly.

"Harry…" Hermione rubbed her forehead. "Let's go, we'd better get to Potions."

"I'll catch up with you guys in a little while," I said, and Hermione and Ron headed to the dungeons.

Ginny just came into the dorm. I swear that girl won't leave me alone.

"Harry?" she had asked shyly. "I know you're having trouble in school, but… I was wondering if… you needed my help at all…?"

"No, Ginny… don't you have to be in class?"

"Don't you?"

"Well yes, but-"

"Look Harry, if you can skip class then I can too! So leave me the hell alone—I'm not a baby anymore! And it's not like my grades are in jeopardy, anyway!" She stormed out.

A letter just got dropped on my desk—I think it was by a school owl because I think I recognize it. The letter says:

Mr. Potter,

I saw you at the Three Broomsticks when you were supposed to have been meeting me. I was a little shocked—I thought you would have liked to meet me.

I shall give you another chance, but only one more. Tonight by the witch's hump.

I had forgotten about that meeting! I suppose I'll go tonight—maybe I'll even do an essay first.

Harry

A/N: There you go guys, Chapter 7! I'm sorry it completely sucked and was painfully short, but next chapter will be more interesting—I promise. New people, fights… it's all good. J