Letters will now be in Italics! Someone left a review mentioning it and I had a total Homer Simpson 'D'oh!' moment. Like, yeah, why the hell haven't I been doing that? Went back and fixed that in the previous chapters already.

Pen Pals

Chapter 6 - Year 4

Hermione couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Her hand kept drifting up, a finger running over her lips over and over again in wonder. She was just leaving the infirmary after getting her teeth fixed from a spell gone wrong in Defense. She may have fibbed just the barest bit to the on-staff Medi Witch on what her teeth were supposed to look like. Hermione tried not to feel too guilty about it, after all her father had been right, she had mostly grown into her slightly too large front teeth. But there had been room for improvement, and now they were perfect!

Checking the time and seeing she had twenty minutes before classes let out, Hermione ducked into one of the study alcoves on the 5th floor instead of going back. She had a letter from Harry waiting for her, and she was just in too good a mood to wait any longer to read it.

Hermione,

My heart has been pierced by cupid's arrow. I never knew what love was before, and now, I am burdened by its heavy chains. I thought love was supposed to lift you up? I have been lied to, this feeling is wretched. Seeing her everyday, not being able to talk to her, its torture. (1)

Hermione's jaw was hanging open in shock. Well this was certainly unexpected. Dear lord, the boy was worse than all her dorm mates combined! Hermione read on about Harry's first crush. Apparently her name was Cho, and she was a year ahead of Harry.

Her hair is as black as a raven's wing, which is appropriate as she is a Ravenclaw. I don't have a chance with her, Hermione! Ravenclaws are so smart and she has top marks. And you should see her fly! She is a demon on a broom-"

Hermione couldn't help but feel as if the world had been turned upside down as she read through the missive. She had always thought the male half of the species was supposed to be less effusive and open about their romantic feelings. But here she had a scroll 2 feet in length, front and back, filled with words of praise and adoration for this black haired witch in Ravenclaw.

She couldn't help but laugh and shake her head. Harry was a complete sap and she couldn't help but find it a bit charming. Hermione also noticed her heart hurt the barest bit, as if someone had pinched it. Yes, the muggleborn had developed the tiniest of crushes on her Pen Pal after all. With a sad smile she shook it off. They lived an ocean apart from each other and he had become a dear friend to her. She had nothing to be sad about.

Once she had finished reading the letter she picked up their small leather pouch, eager to see what he had sent this time around. Last time it had been a small packet of photos. Pictures of Hogwarts, the ghosts that haunted the grounds, some of the professors, and his friends. It had been nice to have references to everything he talked about and mentioned in his letters the past year.

Upending the pouch over her hand, a large golden brooch of a bee fell into her hands as well as a folded piece of paper. Upon further inspection it was not just a bee though. Hermione pulled over the scroll and compared the brooch to the wax seal that bore the sigil of House Potter pressed into it. The bee was surrounded by a triangle and laurels, it matched perfectly.

Hermione quickly opened up the small folded note that had fallen out as well.

I stumbled upon this while visiting my vaults with my Da. Well, I was drawn to it really, and I don't know why, but I thought of you. Sirius has always told me to trust my magic, so that's what I am trying to do. My Uncle Remus took a look at it before he left for his trip, said it had some minor protections and wards spelled into it. I hope you don't need it, but just in case, I rather like the idea of being able to watch out for you in some small way. Even though we are oceans apart from each other.

Hermione's eyes teared up as she finished the note and looked back down at the brooch. Her hand reaching up to her mouth, thinking of the accident earlier in defense, and how she knew it wasn't truly an accident. She had always had a problem with bullies. In the Muggle world, and the Magical, though she had never mentioned it to Harry.

Wiping away the tears quickly, she pulled a small mirror out from her satchel. She spelled it larger and to hang in mid air as she carefully pinned the brooch to the front of her robes. Looking in the mirror she smiled in delight as she noticed the bee's wings fluttered prettily as it settled. She could feel the magic of the brooch as it got accustomed to her and her own magic.

Hermione marveled for a few moments longer at the piece, before shrinking her mirror back down and packing her satchel back up. A magical gift, one that belonged to his family for who knew how long. Her heart warmed at the thought. Feeling a bit lighter, the dark curly haired Witch checked the time, before deciding she had dallied long enough.

On her way back to her common room, she passed a group of girls giggling and whispering excitedly as they looked over the railing at something below. Hermione had meant to ignore them, really she had, but then she caught a few snippets of what they were saying.

"Handsome"

"Total Hottie."

"That accent, Oh my god!"

"English..."

Her pace slowed as her curiosity got the better of her. Chancing a glance over the railing had her stopping in her tracks. Well what do you know, she actually knew that English hottie. Picking up her pace, she made her way down the stairs to the entrance hall.

Never one to be intimidated Hermione was surprised to suddenly find herself in front of the Wizard, her mouth glued shut, no words coming out. She had not been prepared for this colliding of worlds. It seems no words were needed however. As the older Wizards light green eyes caught the golden brooch on her robe, his eyes widening in surprise then delight.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

1. Lol, I have mentioned this before in another story, but I adore writing Harry like his father. Making him gaga and over the top when he thinks he is in love.

Wow, it took me ages to update this and then I leave you on that cliff hanger. I'm kinda a jerk aren't I?

So, am I back? I don't know, I hope so. I recently moved, twice in fact. I moved from the Midwest, across the country to the Pacific North West. Then again, I moved when we finally bought a house after renting for a few months. So its been hectic.

Another reason writing has been so difficult for me is I have lost my notebook in all the moves. The one with all my story timelines and ideas in it. So that's been absolutely killing me lately and driving me mad. But I just got to remind myself that I am safe, have a wonderful husband and cat, and life is good. It's easy to get swept up in the little inconveniences of life and make them seem bigger than they are. It's good to sit back and really take stock of the wonderful things in your life.

I am forever grateful to everyone who has read my stories, commented, and also reached out to me. It honestly warms my heart, the outpouring of love I get from readers. I love hearing from you, I love reading when something I write has struck a chord with you. Its an amazing feeling to know there are people out there that connect with me and the feelings I write into my fics.

I am going to try my best to be more consistent. Happy Holidays, and I hope you are all safe and doing well, where ever you are in the world.