Authors note: Yay! A new story! First of all, I know that I'm not through with my other story, About Bloody Time, but to be honest, I needed a little change, and I will finish it! So sit back and enjoy this story! It (hopefully) has just a little more plot than my other one!-Lunastella

She yawned and put down her book, glancing at the clock at her bedside. The gold numbers shone in the candlelight. Twelve midnight. She shivered involuntarily. Her gaze snapped to the window when the shutter banged open, the curtains billowing in a slight breeze she was sure hadn't been there earlier. She froze when the breeze tousled her hair. It seemed almost alive. And then there was a voice.

"Hermione…" It whispered. Strangely enough, the voice soothed her. It was a girls voice, soft and calming, but urgent. And as swiftly as the entire thing had begun, it stopped, so quickly that Hermione wondered whether it had happened at all. But just as she had almost convinced herself she had imagined it, she felt a sharp piercing pain over her heart. When the pain had dulled, she carefully pulled back the neckline of her nightgown. The glowing flame of her candle revealed a small cut. She bit back her lip to keep back a gasp at the sight of the blood. She touched it gently with the tip of her wand, then frowned. Her trusty healing spell wasn't having its usual effect. True, the blood disappeared and the skin closed up, but unlike other times, it left a scar, raised and red. Puzzled, Hermione tried again, but to no avail. She became worried. She knew from experience with Harry what a scar could mean. But there was no use fretting about it now. Hermione reasoned that if it had been Voldemort, he most likely would have inflicted a lot more pain on her. Besides, while the events had been unnerving, they had been rather pointless. After a third try at the healing spell, Hermione was resigned to the fact that the scar was there to stay. Exhausted, she fell into sleep, resolving to tell Harry in the morning; thanking god it was Christmas break. But in the morning, when Hermione traipsed down the staircase with the intention of telling Harry about her night, she realised she could not burden Harry with her petty problems. His amazing emerald green eyes were downcast as he stared into the fire, as if he thought all his problems would be solved if only he stared long enough. Hermione sat beside him on the couch. Harry didn't look up. Hermione could gauge his mood by his expression, usually, but today his face was unusually blank and devoid of emotion. So she kept her mouth shut. The five minutes before he spoke seemed like years to her.

"What's the point of it all, Hermione?" he asked. Hermione shifted, wondering how he'd known it was her.

"I don't…"

"If I kill him, a death eater inevitably takes his place, and I spend the rest of my life being fawned over and hunting bad guys. If I die, everyone is disappointed and the world comes to an end. It sounds obvious which is best, doesn't it?" he looked at her finally, his brilliant eyes filled with pain.

"It must be so difficult." Hermione whispered. Harry set his jaw and turned back to the fire, but he didn't object when she moved closer on the couch and put her arms around his shoulders. There was suddenly a big commotion on the stairwells as the entire gang came down for breakfast. Lavender, Parvati, ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, and ron had all decide d to stay with Harry and Hermione over the break, the only upper-class Gryffindors to do so. They would meet Luna in the Great Hall. Hermione quickly detached herself from Harry as their friends bounded down the stairs. Laughing and shouting, they tripped over each other in their haste to get out of the portrait hole. Dean ran up behind Lavender and picked her up in a precarious bride hold, causing her to shriek. Grinning, Parvati scrambled onto Seamus' back for a piggyback ride. Neville shouted back to them, "Coming Harry, Hermione?"

"Yeah. Coming Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry didn't look back.

"Ill catch you later." He said. Hermione gave him one last glance before following the others out and on to the great hall. She watched her friends shrieking and falling all over each other, Lavender and Parvati still taking full advantage of their boyfriends willingness to carry them to breakfast. She shook her head in mirth.

"Was there some firewhiskey up in the dorms, or did you just wake up this morning and decide to act crazy?" She asked. Ginny skipped up to her and slipped her arm through Hermiones.

"Were just having fun, Hermione. Come on, it's the first full day of Christmas break!" ginny said happily as they entered the great hall.

"I suppose you're right." Hermione said half-heartedly. Ginny looked at her face and whispered, "Don't worry about Harry, Hermione. He's a big boy." She pulled Hermione down on the bench next to her. Hermione shook her head, then proceeded to fill her breakfast plate.

"So ginny, what did you want to do today? Scout for boys in Hogsmeade? Get sloshed in the Room of Requirement?" When ginny didn't respond, Hermione looked up at her. "ginny?" she still didn't answer. Hermione followed her gaze to the Slytherin table, where Malfoy sat alone.

"Out of all the places he could have stayed, he had to stay here, the stupid ferret boy." Hermione complained.

"What? Oh, yes." Ginny said, snapping out of her trance.

"So?" Hermione prompted.

"What?"
"I asked what you wanted to do today."
"I don't know. Why don't you ask Lavender or Parvaati?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Because I really would rather not spend all of today holed up in some broom closet watching our horny friends snog each other senseless. I figured since you and I and both currently proud members of the singles club, you might want to do something together."

"Good point." Ginny looked around the table. "Where are ron and Luna?" she asked. "Getting an early start, are they?" she asked with raised eyebrows. Dean shook his head.

"Nah. Getting potions for their hangovers at the Hospital Wing."

Hermione and ginny groaned.

"Hermione, I need to get away from these psychos. How about a muggle day?"
"With me? I thought you said you needed to get away from all psychos."
"Haha, very funny." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Come on, please? I want to watch one of those muggle films."

"Oh all right. Its not like I have anything better to do."

"I think that was an insult."
"But of course." Hermione said, and stood. She walked up to Dean and Lavender, who already had their tongues down each others throats, and pulled them apart. "No romancing at breakfast." The couple blushed. "Any more of that and I might have to put you in detention together." The pair brightened considerably. "On second thought, maybe that's not the beat idea." Hermione said. They shrugged and resumed snogging. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Its hopeless. Come on gin." They walked out of the great hall, planning a lazy day that consisted mainly of eating, watching movies, reading trash mags, and…. More eating. They bumped into Harry at the portrait hole. He looked a little better. He embraced Hermione for the quickest moment, and whispered in her ear. "Thank you." Then he darted down the stairs, Firebolt in hand. Ginny raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

"What?" Hermione walked past her and up the stairs to the girls dorm. Ginny shook her head and followed.

"Ok gin, for the next five minutes, use magic to get anything you can think of for today, cuz there is no such thing as magic after that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill." Ginny raised her wand and zapped an entertainment system into the room. Smiling, Hermione followed her lead. At the end of five minutes, the room was outfitted with the entertainment system, a hundred junk mags, junk food, and other mindless forms of entertainment. Hermione and ginny smiled, then locked their wands in a drawer.

"So, ginny, what first?"
"A movie!"
"Alright, well watch this one." Hermione picked up a disc and slid it into the DVD player.

"What's it called?" ginny asked, as they got comfortable.

"Pirates of the Caribbean." Hermione answered. The movie began, with Captain Jack Sparrow. Ginny whistled. "I wouldn't mind being held hostage by him!"

Hermione laughed. "I prefer the blacksmith."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

Ginny loved the movie, clapping loudly at the end.

"Still like Jack?" Hermione asked.

"Of course! I love guys that are kind of evil, brash, and really fun like that! I cant see how you would prefer Will."

Hermione shrugged. "I just like that kind of guy. Loyal, sweet, smart, brave…I wish I could find a guy like that in real life. But all the best guys are in movies, aren't they? Or books."

"Yeah, I guess…just one more way were different, isn't it?"

"Yes…But you know the old saying: Opposites attract."

"you know, I never actually agreed with that. I mean, to a certain extent, I guess, but, to me, people have to have a few things in common, to build their relationship on. Complete and total opposites? I don't think that would work."

"Nor do I."

"Amazing. We agree." Ginny said dryly.

"Funny."

"But you know you love me."
"OK. So now what?"
"Um, oh, lets make collages! We didn't get to do that last time."
"OK"

Okay, I know this sucks, but it will get better! Review me some suggestions! Thanx! Toodles!