Last minute update is last minute. I wrote almost the entire chapter today. Sorry it's short. I'm really not feeling up to writing lately, but as a good Ravenclaw I said I was going to do this so here I am, forcing myself through. It's short, but I did it. Everything is awful. Tada.

I didn't end up editing, so if you notice anything, feel free to hit me up. Thanks.

Lately everyone seems to think that I take myself too seriously. And in fact, I do take myself too seriously. Isn't that what being an adult is all about? Fred and George, for instance, made fun of me when I say that I spent Christmas break studying.

"It's important to be prepared!" I argue.

"For what? It's not like you're not going to pass your exams with flying colors," Fred disagrees.

"You can never be too prepared. What if there's a pop quiz?"

"I doubt you would need to study to pass that either," George adds.

They make surprisingly good points.

"Have you ever thought of maybe taking a break?" Fred suggests.

With your lives on the line?

"Not a chance."

"Never?"

"The moment I take a break is the moment something bad happens."

Lee and the twins don't say anything for a few moment and I realize with horror that I didn't say that in my head.

"I don't think there's anything for you to be worried about," Fred says surprisingly soothingly.

"I umm, I just mean-"

"Have you seen the new Nimbus 2000 yet?" Lee jumps in suddenly. The twins and I latch on to this new conversation and I couldn't be more relieved. Why do I have to be so awkward all the time?

….

Being back at school means back to having my full mental shields up. Just because Tom hasn't made a new frontal assault since the beginning of the semester doesn't mean I should assume that he won't again. Sometimes I wonder if I just imagined that happening. Maybe I was so freaked out that I just made up the whole incident? There's no way… Maybe Tom realized I was on to him and decided to lay low to make me think I made it up? Geez now I just sound like a crazy conspiracy theorist.

Theo and I meet up a few days after we get back from break and have a great time laughing about his gifts to me. I tell him how excited I am to read them, despite the content not being of my usual taste.

I feel like my holiday break helped me chill out a bit, but now that I'm more relaxed I feel more driven by the insatiable need to study. I can't wait to read all my new books (even the etiquette one, out of morbid curiosity) so I find myself spending a lot more time in the library.

A few weeks go by in which I've taken a liking to the library's atmosphere. The start of term hasn't thrown any major curveballs at me, so I've been taking it easy and enjoying myself. The weather is still far too cold to be outside, so when I'm not making potions with Nott I'm curled up in the library or practicing spellwork in The Room of Requirement.

Today has been much the same as the ones before and I've been enjoying it immensely. In fact, I'm so calm I'm not nearly as startled as I would have been before the start of term when Hermione pops into my field of vision.

"Hello, I'm really sorry to bother you and normally I wouldn't, but are you going to be reading that book for much longer?"

Ah, I should have seen this coming. I didn't know when Norbert would be born, but I was right to assume it's soon. I've been eyeing Hagrid's hut for a while now. Memory only served to tell me that Norbert was born after Christmas, but there was no way I was going to miss out on meeting a baby Norwegian Ridgeback!

The book currently in my hand is about dragon breeding. I figured if I went to Hagrid with some basic dragon knowledge he would be less likely to shoo me away.

"Do you mind if I get it to you by the end of the day? I'm nearly done with it."

"Oh, of course. That's fine." She pauses awkwardly for a moment before continuing, "What's got you interested in studying dragons?"

"I'm considering it as a career option." Not a lie. "And you?"

"Oh I umm-" Ah, Hermione, you're always a terrible liar.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I cut her off to save us both the trouble.

"No, it's not that, I just-" Don't incriminate yourself, silly girl!

"I'll be finished tonight. It'll be back on the shelf tomorrow."

"R-right." Hermione is blushing fiercely as she speeds away, too embarrassed to bother with a thank you. Poor thing. I'm glad Harry and Ron will take care of her.

I'm about to settle back down with my book when I realize how well that conversation went. I sounded like a real adult! I took charge, steered things where I wanted/needed them to go, and didn't get overly emotional. Why can't I be like that when I talk to everyone?

What made this discussion different from the ones I've had before? Well it felt like there was a lot less at stake. My life wasn't on the line nor was hers. I knew what she wanted and why she wanted it so I could manipulate her as needed and didn't have to question her motives. That puts me more on the offensive than the defensive, which wasn't the case almost every other important talk I've had. I usually have no idea what the other person is thinking and have to assume the worst because there is so much on the line.

That being said, I think the real issue is my emotions- if I'm panicked I make bad decisions. I need to learn to keep calm, even with a lot at stake. I may be an adult, but whoever I was in my past life, I didn't deal with a lot of high stakes work. I'm clearly a very relaxed person but I don't handle being threatened very well. Not surprising, considering most adults don't live that way.

What I clearly need to spend more time working on is calming down. I wonder if there's a potion for that! I should ask Theo later…

…

Now that I know Norbert is going to be born soon, I make an effort to catch Hagrid around the school more frequently. I like Hagrid but due to how much time he spends with the golden trio, I decided at the outset that it was best not to associate with him too often. Despite how nervous it's making me about possibly changing the future, I refuse to miss out on meeting a baby dragon.

"Hagrid! Do you need any help today? I'm ahead in my classes and thought I would ask you." I find him out near his hut.

"Little Charlotte! I' barely seen ya since ya started school! How are things?" We start walking as he continues whatever he was working on and I have to run to keep up.

"Really good! I'm finally getting used to how things work around here. I realized I've never come to visit you and I feel pretty bad so I thought I'd finally see what your house looks like!"

"Oh, don' worry 'bou tha'! My house is a mess! Jus' seein' your smilin' face is enough." I smirk inwardly. Hagrid is clearly trying to keep me away, meaning Norbert is already there. He's trying to slow his steps towards his house now, but I keep going at a steady pace towards it.

"Oh but Hagrid I've been looking forward to seeing your house all year! I still haven't met Fang!"

"Maybe I can bring 'em out to see ya!" Hagrid continues to try to fend me off as I steer him ever nearer to his hut.

"Oh it's so cold out here though! I'm sure he would rather stay inside." When we get to his hut I open the door despite his protests. Fang tries to barrell into me, but I deftly side step him (having expected the assault) and lunge inside before he can knock me over. Once I'm inside Fang does knock me down and I'm covered in slobbery kisses.

"Now that you two 'ave met I've really gotta get back ta work," Hagrid says not unkindly.

"But Hagrid, I've heard your rock cakes are legendary! Can't I try just one?" Fang and I are sitting on the floor giving Hagrid puppy-dog eyes. After a few moments of this, he relents.

"Well, alrigh'." He finally acquiesces and shuts the door behind us.

"Oh, what are you cooking?" I get right to the chase, picking myself up and going over to the boiling pot.

"Oh erm, it's-" Before he can stop me, I pull out my wand and lift the boiling lid with a whispered "wingardium leviosa". "Wait!" He says far too late.

"An egg?"

"It's uhh-"

"I've seen pictures of eggs like this! But there's no way... I must be wrong! It couldn't be a dragon egg, could it?" I doubt I'm selling this very well, but Hagrid is so trusting I don't have to put a ton of work into my acting right now.

"You sound just li' Hermione."

"How do you mean?"

"You two are so smart!" Hagrid laughs merrily. That shouldn't be much of a compliment, Hermione being eleven years old and me being a grown adult, but I'm glowing at the praise. "Ya' caught me! But please don' tell anyone, alrigh'?"

"Oh of course! Dragons are highly illegal. But I've always wanted to meet a dragon! I've thought about working with them. Fred and George told me they have a brother in Romania that works with dragons and I'm so jealous! I would love to go see them some day. You're going to keep him, right?" I gesture towards the egg.

"Well he's gonna get mighty big…" Hagrid looks sad.

"Oh, right. I didn't think of that. Well at least you can enjoy him for a little while!"

"Yeah!" Hagrid perks up again.

"Can I come visit him sometime?"

"I think he'll be hatchin' in a week or so, so as long as you're careful I don' see why no'."

"Hooray!"

Being able to see a baby dragon in a week makes suffering through Hagrid's rock cake so worth it.

….

Alright, now I just have to carefully plan when I'm going to meet Norbert. I should stay away the day he actually hatches; if memory serves- which it might not- Draco catches Harry and the gang with Norbert on the day he's born. Wait...is that right? Damn my memory!

Well, for safety's sake I'll avoid that day. I also vaguely remember them visiting Hagrid after hours when they should have been in bed. If I visit during the day look a sane person not looking to get caught or followed it should be much easier to not get noticed.

That's it! I'll wait for Draco to make a big stink about his detention- because of course he will- and after that I should be free to go without worry of him noticing that I'm there. Perfect!

…

Things end up playing out exactly like I plan. I don't hear anything about the golden trio going to meet Hagrid, which is unsurprising considering I'm not in their house and I don't sit anywhere near them in classes. They're conspiratorially whispering a lot, but knowing them as well as I do, there are a million things they could be talking about. I've yet to see one of Harry's famous "my scar hurts" moments, but I'll just give that time. That shouldn't start until the end of the year anyway, when Tom really starts trying to make a move.

What I do hear about is Draco telling anyone within screaming distance that he is going to be telling his father about this detention that he has. I start hearing about it as Draco is walking to DADA with his posse and he gets even louder when they enter the classroom. I follow behind them and head to my own seat, not having to try hard to listen to their overly loud conversation.

"I can't believe this!" Draco howls for the umpteenth time in the last two minutes.

"The forbidden forest? But isn't it forbidden?" Crabbe asks in what is probably the longest sentence I've ever heard come out of his mouth. I throw a hand over my mouth to smother my laughter at the stupidity of his statement. Draco rolls his eyes in his usual childish way but reluctantly agrees.

"Yes, Crabbe, it is forbidden. Which is why they can't be sending me there!" Draco is back to shouting at the end of his statement, with Pansy all over him.

"You're right, Draco, dear! They can't do this!"

"This is all Potter's fault! I'm going to prove that he's hiding something! And I know what it is." I am violently reminded of Harry himself with that statement. This is Harry's go-to conversation over the years about Draco, except he usually has no idea what Draco is up to. The irony that the two mirror each other behind closed doors is staggering.

The two of us haven't spoken since he tried to get me to study with him (and failed miserably). He's pretty much just ignored me, which is nice, but I think it'll be fun to rile him while he's throwing his tantrum.

"Detention, Malfoy? I didn't know Slytherin's first year golden boy could get detention. What did you do? Cry too loudly for your dad?" Draco's face turns bright red at my prodding and Pansy immediately jumps up to defend him, but I've chosen my moment to prod wisely, as Professor Quirrell calls for quiet and class begins. Pansy gives me a dirty glare but reluctantly takes her seat. Good to know they're slightly respectful of Quirrell, though I guess they really shouldn't be.

DADA passes by slowly with Tom being as quiet as usual. I really expected another appearance from him this term, but he hasn't made another move. I highly doubt he's just given up on me, even just being a natural occlumens would be an interesting finding for him, but the only reason I can think of him not bothering me is that he is too focused on his resurrection. I know I'm a bit self-centered but I know I'm not that important in the grand scheme of things. I mean, not as far as Tom knows. Realistically I'm more important than he could even dream.

…

After class, I'm not surprised when I'm cornered by Draco and his crew. What I am surprised by, is Theo getting grabbed by Goyle and being cornered with me. He and I exchange quick glances of confusion, but don't say anything to each other.

"So, when were you two going to tell us about your secret little love affair?" Draco starts. Ironically, Theo and I both quirk a brow at him.

"Malfoy, we're eleven," I remind him.

"Twelve," Theo is quick to correct.

"Which makes your love even more of a story," Draco grins.

"We barely know each other," I argue.

"Oh really? So you haven't been sneaking off to the dungeons together?" The fake sweetness in Pansy's voice is completely offset by the ugliness of her question.

"No, we've haven't!" I'm surprised that Theo has yet to say anything. I don't want to say too much, since I don't know how Theo wants to play this. Do I say he's tutoring me? I've already said we don't know each other, but I also don't know how much they know. Clearly something, or they wouldn't have grabbed Theo of all people.

"So you're not in love…" Draco seems to mull the idea over, which for some reason is making me even more nervous. "You know, I was pretty impressed last term that you managed to pass potions, Charlotte. You were pretty worthless in that class."

Oh shit. I think I know where this is going. How did he find us out?

"Nott's pretty good at potions," Pansy points out. Do they have something against him too or just me?

"What are you implying?" Theo finally says something, his eyes narrowed. He's pretty intimidating, for a twelve year old.

"Have you been helping the blood-traitor?" Draco lives up to his family name, bringing himself up haughtily to look down on the two of us. I can almost see the older versions of themselves having this conversation, and I suppress the shiver that tries to run through me.

"I've yet to see how this is any of your business, Malfoy," Theo answers.

"So you are."

"You can't prove that Theo and I are doing any-" I stop myself short, realizing with horror what an idiot I am.

"Theo?" Pansy asks with such glee you'd think it was Christmas all over again.

"I take it back," Draco says, smirking. "It sounds like you two are in love." Theo pulls a disgusted face.

"You would insinuate that I could love a half-breed?" Theo doesn't even bother to look at me as he makes such a scathing remark.

"Ouch…" I let out a quiet, barking laugh. The others are laughing too, but obviously not in a self-deprecating way. "Well Malfoy, now that I know my standing with Nott, I'd like to get on with my life, if you please." I talk so awkwardly when I'm upset.

I barrel past Draco, who is now laughing all the louder. Theo continues to look disgusted, and I don't know what's real anymore. I should trust my friend, but I can't completely brush off that comment right now. I just...need to get away from all this.

I end up running to Hagrid's hut, embarrassed that I'm skipping Professor McGonagall's class, but I can't bring myself to go back. I want to see Norbert and forget about what just happened. Maybe Norbert will be my only friend, until he leaves me too. With unbidden tears streaming down from my eyes, I knock on Hagrid's door.

"I'm busy today! Come back 'nother time."

"Hagrid, it's me, Charlotte!" I try the door, but it doesn't budge. There's a long pause.

"Coming!"

The huge door finally creaks open, and Hagrid hurries me inside before closing it quickly. Fortunately Hagrid is a bit too busy with his baby dragon to notice that I've been crying.

"How's Norbert been?" I ask.

"Oh 'e's good. Really good. I forgot I told ya his name already."

"Oh, yeah! Yeah you did!" Geez can I have one conversation not go awry today?

Norbert is everywhere at once, trying to set things ablaze and learn to fly. Hagrid is barely managing to keep everything together.

"He's amazing! Look at him go!" I exclaim.

"Isn't he wonderful?"

"A bit of a handful, but I'm sure he's worth it." We're both grinning ear to ear, watching the magical creature before us.

"I'm glad you're feelin' better," Hagrid says after a few minutes. I look over to him, surprised. "Oh ya don' think I wouldn' notice did ya? O' course I did. You were cryin' 'fore ya came to see us."

"I just had a bit of a fight with some of my classmates. My friend said something really mean about me, right in front of me! I think he said it so he wouldn't have to worry about his reputation, but it still hurt me a lot." The words start spilling out of my mouth, a simplified, childish-sounding version of what happened.

"Well tha's not righ'. He shoulda been more worried about ya instead a' what the other kids though'."

"Well that's not really fair," I reach for Norbert and pet under his chin as I contemplate my words. "He has to worry about what other people think about him."

"Why? Seems silly ta me. Friends are more important than anythin' else."

"I wish we could all think that way, Hagrid, but Slytherins have to worry about more than just what their hearts say."

"Sometimes Slytherins confuse me. Who would want to a say mean things about a sweet girl like ya jus' ta impress their classmates?"

"Someone who has more on the line than just a friendship," I answer quietly.

"Now you're soundin' more like Harry. You're too young ta sound so serious. Ya should be focused on your studies, not on grown-up stuff."

"Thanks, Hagrid, you're right," I sigh. I get up to leave. "Thanks so much for letting me meet Norbert. I should head back."

"An' don' be skippin' anymore classes, alrigh'? Don' let the other kids get ya down. Come visit us again!"

"Thanks, Hagrid. I'll stop by again." I give Norbert another careful pat and head out. I've got a lot to think about. Hagrid means well, but the stakes are high, for me, Harry, and Theo. If there's anything that Hagrid made me realize, it's that Theo was right to try to get rid of me, I'm nothing but a nuisance to him- a dangerous nuisance at that. Whether Theo said that to get Draco off our backs or to make me feel bad, I've finally realized that I need to let Theo go. We shouldn't be friends anymore.