I was furious. We had most definitely not met a vampire in Care of Magical Creatures. Instead we had focused on Care of Magical Silk Worms. I had enough silk to make a dress, and enough dignity to be disgusted at my totally lack of anything interesting in my life.

My day only got worse from there.

Kim was spending her every waking minute with Alan. Alice and Jeremy were having a "deep" make-up talk about society's emphasis on looks. I was more alone than ever. I scarfed some lunch and lunch and headed to the library. It wasn't like there was no one else I could talk to. Just, well… I don't know. After five years at Hogwarts we had all sort of fallen into our own little groups. And, although I talked to some other students in class and was friends with them, it was more like casual friends. It just wasn't the same.

I hid away in my favorite little section in the library. It consisted of three shelves and most students didn't even know it existed. Those that did tended to avoid it like the plague. Muggle books. Muggle fiction was my favorite. After all, there was really nothing like escapism, and it was a scare commodity in the wizarding world where all the imaginary creatures were real. It was like there was no fantasy, or maybe it was all fantasy. Anyways. I'll just say I was connecting with my heritage, my mum was a muggle after all.

I pulled out a little number I'd began a few days ago. I didn't know why the library had this book, nor did I care. I was ready to get lost in something. I sat down on a table where someone had left a stack of books, bad for the librarian, but good for me. I could hide mine behind them.

I was just starting to get to a good part. It was one of those guilty pleasure books, I admit. It was all about gossip and boys and drama in 19th century America, and I ate it up. I was hanging on the every word of the young, handsome socialite, when I heard a noise. Someone was clearing their throat.

I looked up. Sirius Black was standing right in front of me.

"Errrr…" I said, snapping my book shut and turning it over. "Hi."

Couldn't I get one minute's peace? Why was this so impossible? And speaking of impossible, why was Sirius Black in the library?

He grinned, ever sultry that boy. A real player. He pushed his perfectly messed up black hair back from his face.

"Hey…" He started. It was obvious didn't know my name. Whatever, not like he would.

"Jen." I supplied.

"Hey Jen."

"Hi." I noticed he didn't feel the need to introduce himself. He assumed, and rightly so, that I already knew who he was. "Studying are we?" He picked over the books on the table and I hid my actual book on my lap. "Magic and Myths, Dark Creatures, the Moon and its Magical Powers?"

I shrugged, not actually knowing what I would be using those books for.

He looked deep into my eyes, and I felt supremely uncomfortable. It was like he was trying to force a confession out of me. What exactly was I supposed to be confessing to? I was pretty sure he hadn't seen my muggle book under the table.

"Well," He said finally with a disarming smile, "have a good one."

And then he left. What the heck was going on?

Almost colliding with Sirius as he walked through the door was a lanky, greasy haired Slytherin. Severus, I thought his name was. He walked straight up to my table also.

"Hey." He growled, "Those books are mine." And with that he swept them rudely off the table and walked away. Huh. Boys. They've all got issues.

-

Two days later I had no answers. But at least I had…er…

Sitting with Kim, Jeremy and Alice, the old group, back together again, it shouldn't have been so hard to come up with something. Kim was sitting next to me, glancing over at Alan. Who had said he needed "space," and Alice and Jeremy were sitting across, their legs intertwined underneath the table.

We were having a pretty normal gripe session. There was too much homework, we had nothing to do, Jeremy's owl was starting to take liberties on its delivery trips.

"I mean," he continued, laughing now, "I put a tracking spell on her when I sent her out the next time, and she took a little trip to France after delivering my letter home. With a package of cookies and another owl strapped to her! No wonder those cookies tasted awful. Well, worse than usual anyway."

I laughed with everyone else. We had all been to Jeremy's. His dad was on a cooking without magic kick, and things were not turning out well. I smiled, long after the joke was over.

These little moments were nice. More than nice. I felt happy, like we had traveled back in time. Before all the drama.

At least I had my friends back, I thought, smiling.

"Check this out." Said Alice, pulling something out of her pocket. It was a little toy mouse.

"Er," said Jeremy, "Neat."

"Shut up," she laughed, "now look what I can do with it."

She whispered a few words and waved her wand over the toy. The mouse's tail extended, creeping down the table. Its ears perked up. Little tidbits of conversation started coming through the ears. We were totally eavesdropping.

"Alice!" I chided, eyes widening.

"I know; it's bad. But come on, it's interesting."

The tail kept creeping down the table.

"You want to hear what Alan's talking about?" She asked Kim coyly.

Kim made a noncommittal sound, but her eyes were sparkling. The tail kept creeping, finally stopping between Alan and his friends, and…James Potter's group.

"Do you think she knows?" James whispered.

"I told you what she was reading. Why else why she be looking into all that?"

"Maybe we should just drop it guys." Remus's voice.

"No way. If she knows…well, it's not something you want getting out mate."

"We just have to figure out—"

Alice retracted the tail a little.

"Sorry," she grinned, "wrong conversation."

Suddenly, Alan's voice came through the mouse's ears, loud and clear.

"Yeah, the snogging was great."

Kim glowed and I tried not to remember the (unsolicited) kissing advice she had once given me. His tongue is like a lollypop. You want the lollypop.

"But," he continued, "she's been…around. You know?"

"Oh boy do I know." Joked one of his stupid friends.

"I just…I dunno."

"I do. Why would you want to play with an old, used toy when there are so many new ones that haven't been touched? Nice, pretty, clean toys. Why don't you play with some of those?"

What an ass. I looked up in horror to see who it was. Some nobody, I wished I could say, but it was Jake, who I had crushed on from second to third year. He had never paid me any attention of course. Now, I was glad.

Next I looked over at Kim, she was not taking it well. Her eyes were glassy.

"I thought…" she managed, before her voice failed her and she began blinking furiously. "I have to go." She stood up shakily and walked, quickly, towards the dormitory.

I stood up furious, and with a wave of Alice's wand the mouse lit up with a crack. The fire followed the tail all the way down to Alan. He looked up guiltily and, seeing us, immediately scanned the crowd for Kim. She was long gone. I, on the other hand, had some business to finish.

Picking up my glass of water I strutted up to Alan and, perhaps more importantly, Jake.

"Boys." I said with an icy grin, and then I threw my water in Jake's face. "Don't talk about my best friend that way. Don't talk about her ever."

I picked up another cup of something off the table and threw it on Alan.

"You don't deserve her. At least Kim is honest about herself." And with that I was off. I would regret the scene later, I knew, but hey, I was a Gryffindor. If I was going to regret something, I'd take too bold over too meek any day.

And with that, and a sea of staring faces, I headed off to the common room.

-

A/n: Hello, hello. If you got to this I hope you are liking my story =). I'd love to hear from you. I'm trying to improve so I'd really appreciate constructive criticism, or just comments in general. Thanks!