First off, thanks for all the reviews… I lurve you all! Also, I just wanna say that my friend and I were taking care of some kittens named James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus. Sirius lived up to his name and died tragically. It was very, very, very sad. I miss him and wanted my kind readers to know. This chapter is dedicated to the kitten Sirius Black.

Lily Crane

Chapter 5: Sad Mistake

Journal

Hermione Granger

September 19th

Yay! Today is my 17th birthday! Could it be better so far? The first thing that happened when I got to the common room was that Harry kissed me. What a gift! Anyway, he gave me the most beautiful necklace. It has two golden "H"s entwined with two hearts. I had little diamonds all over it. I love it. I have decided to wear it everywhere. He is the best guy. I wonder if we're technically "going out". I will ask Neville. Hold on…

Neville says that if Harry asks me out again then we are definitely going out. I hope he's right… Don't want to embarrass myself. I showed Neville the necklace. He said that it is a good sign. After all, it has two "H"s for Harry and Hermione. It has two hearts. Mine and his. Obvious enough. I think I am totally in love. Pinch me. Ow… I didn't mean that literally, Crookshanks. Crookshanks is such a clever cat. He knew Sirius was an Animagus and knew the filthy little bag of rat droppings, aka Peter Pettigrew, was Scabbers that whole time. He is so smart. Ron practically worships him and says that he wished Crookshanks HAD eaten Scabbers. I do too, Ron. I do too. Anyway, Neville and I are planning my dress. We are going to ask Dumbledore if we can go to a Muggle dress shop that I know of in London. The owner is friends with my parents so he'll basically give me a dress for free. Ahh… the joys of connections. I sincerely hope that Dumbledore will let us. I know exactly what my dress will look like. It will be… well, you will have to wait and see. I guess I should go and plot, I mean, plan with Neville.

Journal

Harry Potter

September 19th

Hey journal, guess who? Ok, I'm better now. Have been having small bouts of temporary insanity since I asked Hermione to the dance a few days ago. I am on top of the world! See what I mean? Insanity. I can't wait for the first of October. I am wearing a white suit and a light blue tie. It was Ron's idea. He said that he would look good next to Hermione. Anyway, they could change plans last second if needed. I am so excited! And I just can't hide it! Stupid Muggle song! Get out of my head! I am frustrated enough without you! I am going to ask Hermione on a date in a few minutes. It is her birthday and I want to go up to the Room of Requirement. It always delivers exactly what I need. Good old reliable RofR. I am so glad Dobby showed it to me in the first place. It has made life so much easier. I guess I should ask someone for advice about Hermione. I haven't really had many girlfriends. I could have, but all this time the only people I have liked are Cho and Hermione. They are hated now by most of the females in this school. I feel sorry for them, even though Cho and I aren't very compatible. Besides, she has graduated and moved on and I was over her ages ago.

I am sitting here waiting for Hermione to come out of her dorm. She needs to hurry up! I am anxious to take her to the RofR. I hear someone coming. It's her. More later, journal.

Journal

Draco Malfoy

September 19th (again)

I am pissed off. Potter gave Granger a necklace and she's wearing everywhere. Earlier I had to think of an excuse to go talk to her. I walked over and decided t omake fun of the Weasel. I winked at Hermione as I walked away. I saw her response. It wasn't very pleasant. I guess it's hopeless. I am pacing the Slytherin common room wracking my brain for ideas. I've got it! I will tell Dumbledore my case and he will come to my rescue. He knows I want to be in the Order but won't let me. It's frustrating but he says I should wait until the end of the year. It's not fair. Potter, Weasley, and Granger get to be in it. But I don't. How dothey figure that? I am a good person.Big deal if I used to be mean to Granger and everyone else. I have changed.Dumbledore knows it too. But he is being stubborn as a mule. I guess I will just have to wait. This plan will be perfect if he'll let me tale this toher dorm. I will go ask him. Be back in a minute.

Later

I went to talk to Dumbledore and he said no. He said that even if I got into the griffindor common room, I wouldn't be able to get into the girls' dorms. He has a point. But I have another idea. I will tie the gift I bought Hermione to her dorm using one of the school owls. This plan will work. I willput a notein case she has nosy roommates. Or I could tell the owl to stay there and peck anyonewho tries to openit other than Hermione. I will not tell her it's from me, just that I like her and hope she likes her gift.That's what I'll do. I'm off to the Owlery. More later.

Draco Malfoy, changed man

Journal

Hermione Granger

September 20th

Dearest journal, I have a problem. Someone sent me a totally awesome gift last night. It was sent with one of the school's owls. The owl was sitting on my bed with a package tied to it's leg. I opened it and found a note. The note read:

Dear Hermione,

If you are reading this, then you have gotten my gift. I hope you enjoy it. I really like you and hope to get to know you better at some time. Please don't try to figure out who this is. I only hope for your happiness. Enjoy your date with Harry. Send this owl back with a response if you wish to talk to me. We cannot meet in person yet. I am not ready for you to know who I am. I am sorry to not tell you who I am. I truly am.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

Do you see the problem, journal? I am totally head over heels for Harry. But I want to find out who my secret admirer is. Should I ask Neville? I think I will. I am walking up to Neville as I write this. I have to close you now.

Several long minutes later

Neville said that it's ok to find out who it is. As long as I don't go out on a date with him... right? I mean, if I just see who it is... I am in trouble though... I really want to find out who it is and soon... Just saw Draco in the hall... he looked unusually glum... I wonder why...Might be something serious... Like he would want to tell me... I guess it's worth a try though.. First I will respond to Secret Admirer. I am walking up the steps to my dorm... Ahh! I just ran into Lavender.. literally! My books went all over the place... Luckily I had a good hold on you. She couldn't have gotten you, journal. I would die if she read this... I just wrote my response. This is what it says:

Dear Secret Admirer,

You sound so sweet. I can't wait to meet you someday. Thank you for the gift. It's great. Can I have a clue to who you are?

Sincerely,

Hermione

Well, I'm off to the Owlery to find the owl that brought the gift.

Hermione

Journal

Draco Malfoy

September 20th

I am in the Library. I knew that not many people who know me well would be here. I am sitting at a table alone. I am jus tsitting here writing and gazing out the window. Ocassionally someone will look at me like I'm crazy, coming to the library to sit and look out a window. I needed somewhere to think. So I came here. There's one thing that I didn't consider when I decided to come here. Hermione practically lives in here. Oh no, she's coming over here. I am gonna put you up fora bit.

Later

Hermione came over and sat next to me. I looked at her.

"What do you want?", I ask her.

"Well, Draco, you seem sad. I want to know what's wrong. Will you tell me?" She asks. She smiles and looks at me expectantly.

"It's complicated. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," she says. "I understand Ancient Runes. Surely it's not that bad."

"I am having problems with telling the girl I like how I feel. Do you know what I can do?" I ask. I am hoping she won't and hoping she will at the same time.

"Who is she? Do I know her?", she is being genuinely sweet. I appreciate her concern. I can't tell her that's it's her. Not just yet.

"Yeah, but I can't tell you," I say. I am telling myself to be as vague as possible the whole time.

"OK, well, the most I can say is to tell her openly when you are alone with her," she says. I can tell she really wants t oknow who it is. But I couldn't tell her.So I kissed her. And she returned it. So I don't know what to think now. When I pulled away she looked puzzled.

"I've got somewhere to be," I managed to squeeze out an excuse. I ran out of the library and down to the Slytherin common room. I charged past all of my friends and dove into my dorm. I have the curtains on my bed pulled. I can't face the outside world right now. My life might have just ended. Or it might have just begun.

This chapter was fun to write. I'm so mean, enjoying people's sadness.Oh well, it makes for a good fanfic doesn't it?

Lily-Crane