Disclaimer- All characters, plots and setting belong to their respected owner, JK Rowling. I am just playing with the Harry Potter universe, and promise to return it back to normal when I'm done.

Chapter Two

By Ocher Eyes

With my back against the cold stone frame of the window, I sat with my best quill and a scroll of parchment at my feet. I idly looked out the window and only saw the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's deserted hut. I looked back longingly at my four-poster bed; I was chilled to the bone in my light pajamas.

Since Harry had finally given me his consent that he'd be willing to teach a small group how to properly defend themselves, I had to decide who to tell to come to our meetings. Obviously anyone in Slytherin was out of the question, but we couldn't just invite Gryffindors to join. I thought about what the Sorting Hat had mentioned at the beginning of term- "We must unite inside her [Hogwarts or we'll crumble from within." This club may be a good chance to unite three of the four Houses together, meet new people, and do something good for our education behind the Ministry's back.

I picked up the quill and parchment and rested them on my thighs. With a sigh, I looked around the dark dormitory. Crookshanks was huddled in a large ginger ball at the feet of my bed, and Lavender Brown's snores quietly echoed throughout the room.

In my best writing, I dipped my quill in the ink bottle and titled the paper Suitable Members for Defense Meeting. Automatically putting mine and Ron's name underneath, and added Lavender's. With another glance around the room, I also wrote Pavarti Patil's name on the list. And if we were lucky, Pavarti may be able to convince her sister Padma from Ravenclaw to come as well.

With a smile, I wrote down Ron's brother's names Fred and George Weasly. Anything that is close to breaking a rule or has a possibility for getting them in trouble would surely appeal to the twins.

I also remembered Ginny Weasly, and wrote her name with a flourish. Ginny will also probably have a small gang of people she will want to bring along as well… such as Michael Corner perhaps. I scandalously wrote his name under Ginny's on the yellowed parchment.

Who else in Gryffindor would be interested… I thought, lightly brushing the tip of the quill against my cheeks and over my lips. Dean and Neville would probably like to come, so I added their names to the list. Same with the Creevey brothers, Denis and Colin. Those two would most likely throw themselves off a cliff if Harry told them to.

A violent, cold shiver ran up my spine, and I quickly stood up. I walked over to my bed and ripped the top cover off the sheets, followed by an angry hiss from my cat. I rubbed Chrookshanks on his squashy head a couple of times before I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders like a cloak and settled myself back down by the window.

With the faint light from the moon, I could make out half of the Quidditch pitch far out on the grounds. I stared at the three golden hoops near the end of the pitch and remembered the three girls on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson. I wrote their names down at the end of the list as well, and knew that they would love to be part of this. As long as it didn't interfere with their Quidditch practices they'd probably like to come.

Harry, Ron and I also had classes with Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie MacMillan, and Hannah Abbot. We've always been pretty friendly with them, and it'd be good if they came.

An of course, I could guess that Cho Chang would be very interested to join our club. The way that Harry stares at her when she passes him in the halls is so obvious. I shook my head and smiled to myself. Poor Cho though, she still seems pretty shaken about Cedric's death. Lavender told me yesterday that she walked into the bathroom at dinner and found her crying her eyes out in one of the stalls. Maybe if she wanted to come to our meetings, it would take her mind off things… and put it on Harry. I politely wrote her name down.

I thought hard about if I had missed anyone for a moment, but couldn't think of any more names to add. I'll run this list by Ron tomorrow morning, I decided, and I'll see if he can think of anyone else that might be interested. I rolled up the piece of parchment and placed it carefully with the quill and ink bottle in the trunk at the end of my bed. I untangled myself from the blanket and threw it back across my bed. I crawled under the chilled sheets quietly- not wanting to wake any of the other girls up, and waited for drowsiness to settle in my eyes.

oOoOoOo

I conveniently found Ron sitting on his own in the Great Hall munching on a bowl of cereal, as I walked towards him. I had my bookbag slung over the shoulder of my robes, which I flung down to the ground as I sat myself down on the wooden bench beside Ron. He looked up at me with a smile.

"Gu-mornigd Hurmyonie," he said to me with a large mouthful of cereal.

"Good morning to you too, Ron… I guess."

With a great gulp, a quick look of pain crossed over his face as he swallowed. I reached down into my bag and pulled out the list of people's names I had made last night, and took out my quill.

"Here, look over this. I made it last night, and I was wondering if there was anyone I missed."

Ron put down his spoon and took the list from my hand with a look of interest on his features. I leaned over his shoulder to reread the list with him.

Suitable Members for Defense Meeting

Ronald Weasly

Hermione Granger

Lavender Brown

Pavarti Patil

Padma Patil

Fred Weasly

George Weasly

Ginny Weasly

Michael Corner

Dean Thomas

Neville Longbottom

Denis Creevey

Colin Creevey

Alicia Spinnet

Katie Bell

Angelina Johnson

Justin Finch-Fletchley

Ernie MacMillan

Hannah Abbot

Cho Chang

I watched his face carefully as he finished reading my list. He seemed to linger on some names, but considered them more carefully.

"Just one question, Hermione."

"Shoot."

"Why the bloody hell is that git Michael on here?" Ron asked and roughly poked the name.

I couldn't actually tell Ron why I had written his name down. I had promised Ginny that I would not to tell anyone over the summer. She was a smart girl, and knew that Ron would not take the news of her first boyfriend very well. So instead I said, "He just seems like a nice guy, Ron."

He dropped the subject then.

"I can think of a couple more." He said.

"Oh, alright. Hang on a sec." I said as I dug through my bag trying to find a bottle of ink. My hand finally found one and I pulled it out, and dipped my quill in it. "Who's next?"

"Well, Lee Jordan will definatly want to come. Especially if Angelina's going." Ron said, with an impish grin.

"Yes, you're right." I scribbled his name down

Lee Jordan

"Anyone else?"

"Well, not it would make that much of a difference or anything, but what about that wacko girl in Ravenclaw?

It took me a moment to understand who Ron was talking about, but then I realized he meant Luna Lovegood. "Do you really think she'd want to come?"

"Maybe, I dunno. Harry and Ginny sat with her all the way to Hogwarts on the train, remember?" Ron said, as he picked up his spoon again and dug back into his breakfast.

"Well, I'll add her, but you're asking her to join in person, not me."

"Fine." Ron said, but I got the impression that he wasn't really listening to me anymore. I quickly wrote down the last name.

Luna Lovegood

Carefully, I tucked the parchment back into my bag and packed up my quill and ink. I looked up at the ceiling; not a ray of sunshine today. But the weather didn't affect my mood, for I felt very happy knowing that we would soon have a real defense lesson.