More Carefree

Chapter 2

"Hermione? Is everything okay?" Harry asked me as we were on the train to go to our final year at Hogwarts. I was currently looking around with a manic grin, very excited to start the year. I "forgot" to mention to anyone about my "more carefree" idea. I figured it might be more fun that way. I've been happier than ever since I got this idea. I should have tried this years ago.

"Never better, Harry," I said still grinning. He nodded but still looked a little unsure. Right now, it was just Harry, Ron, and I in our compartment, but people have been coming in and out all the time. I smirked to myself as I got an idea. I dropped my crazy grin and put on a worried face instead.

"Do you guys think that Professor Snape likes me?" I got horrified looks all around.

Harry, who was the first to recover, asked, "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know!" I wailed and put my face in my hands, pretending to be embarrassed. Inside I was laughing hysterically, of course, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep this up. It was fun though and I wondered how far I could push them.

"It's just… I've always tried so hard in his class and I've always really… well, I've always really liked him," I finished dropping my voice and swinging my feet like I was 5. I made sure to blush and look everywhere but their faces. I immediately heard the disgusted groans from the boys.

"Hermione! You can't possibly be serious?" Ron asked looking as if he would be sick at any moment. Deciding I couldn't keep this up any more, I stood up angrily.

"Fine! I was hoping that my friends would understand but I guess I was wrong!" I covered my face with my hands and pretended to cry, but really I was laughing. I then left our compartment and slammed the door shut, causing the glass to rattle. I walked down a few compartments and burst out laughing. Now this was fun.

"Hermione?" Ginny stuck her head out of a compartment door nearby and was looking at me strangely. It must look weird that I'm standing in the middle of the hallway on the train just laughing hysterically to myself. I considered telling her my interesting choice of plans for the remainder of the year, but decided against it. The less people who know, the funnier it will be for me. Also, the more insane it will make me look. But I'm willing to deal with that. I settled for just waving merrily at Ginny and walking back to my own compartment.

Upon entering again, I could tell that I had just walked in on Harry and Ron discussing what to make of my Snape love confession. However, I just sat down and pretending that absolutely nothing had happened. They looked very unsure of what to make of this.

"Um, Hermione, listen," Harry started looking quite unsure of himself. "Ron and I aren't sure about this whole Snape thing, but if that's what makes you happy-"

"Harry, what are you talking about?" I asked looking at him like he was crazy. "What Snape thing?" Harry quickly looked at Ron who just shrugged back looking very confused.

"Didn't you- didn't you just say that you had a thing for Snape?" Harry said in a low voice as if somehow if he spoke louder, it might make it more true. I just looked at him blankly for a moment, then started laughing.

"Are you serious? Why would I have a thing for Snape?" I said still laughing. They looked like someone was playing hide-and-seek with them and really disappeared when their eyes were covered.

"But you just said-" Ron started to say.

"Why would I ever say that? Did you guys take something from Fred and George? How many times do I have to explain to you guys that you should never trust anything they give you no matter how much they insist there's nothing wrong with it?" They both looked horrified and I could see them trying to figure out if they had taken anything from the twins recently.

"Oh… You two are funny," I said while wiping the tears away from laughing so hard. "A thing for Professor Snape, ha!" Seriously, it was an amusing concept. I'm glad I thought of it, even if it does make one want to be sick.

The rest of the ride passed without much incident. My brain was working overtime to figure out how I could enjoy the rest of my year. I quickly realized that I do not have much experience in area, however. I might need an accomplice. Someone who's smart, has experience being goofy, someone I can trust, who wouldn't look down on me for this sort of thing. Someone like…

"Isaac!" I shouted. Harry and Ron looked at me strangely. Wait. I don't know an Isaac. Martin! Nope, don't know a Martin either. I wonder if I just keep coming up with random names, somewhere along the lines one of them will be of someone one I know. Seriously, how long could that take? Then it hit me.

"Derek!" I yelled again. Ah! I don't know a Derek either!

"Hermione! Why do you keep yelling random names?" Ron asked clearly annoyed.

"I'm hoping that by yelling randomly, my breath will cause a hurricane off the coast of Florida." They looked at me blankly. "The Chaos Theory? Butterfly Effect?" I said attempting to help. They still didn't get it. Oh well. I didn't feel like explaining it. They just shrugged and went back to whatever it was they were talking about before I randomly interrupted with my name yelling.

"…and then Sirius told him…" Harry was saying. That's it! How could I have been so dumb! I'll get Sirius to help me! I restrained myself from yelling out his name as well figuring that I had caused enough damage to Harry and Ron for this train ride.

Sirius would be a perfect candidate. The only problem is he's a professor now. Hm… Well he's good at not getting caught, right? My mind went back to the name who had the most detentions in Hogwarts history, other than the Weasley twins and of course it was: Sirius Black. Well, maybe with my help we won't get caught. I'll have to talk to him about it.

The train was almost to the station and Harry and Ron kicked me out so that they could change, almost literally. I huffed pretending to be offended, but I honestly didn't care. As I was walking down the hallway, it hit much how much I've changed already. Not too long ago, I was disapproving of the things Sirius did, and now I want to enlist his help with them.

I hope I'm not taking this whole thing too seriously. Well, that's an interesting way to put it. How do you taken lightening up too seriously? It's like an oxymoron or something. I guess I hope that I'm not taking it too far is what I'm getting at here. Eh, I'll worry about that after I'm expelled. I felt a sudden panic at the thought of being expelled and realized that I guess I haven't changed that much. I won't get expelled. It's only doing something wrong if you get caught. I just won't get caught.

…What am I not getting caught doing? Right, I'll need Sirius's help for that. Well, this certainly looks as if it will be an interesting year. I'll go out with a bang!

"Hermione?" Ginny had her head poking out of her compartment again. She was looking at me strangely again. What did I do this time? "Why are you yelling 'bang' in the hallway?" she asked. Had I? I couldn't remember.

"Um. Bang, like what you want to do to Snape," I said. I heard several gagging noises from people who overheard me.

"Hermione!" Ginny shrieked.

"What?" I said innocently. "Oh, you all have sick minds! I meant like how you want to shoot him." I smiled wittily to myself and took a stroll in the other direction.

The train soon stopped and I hopped off to find a carriage with Harry and Ron. This was going to make for an interesting year indeed. I hummed happily as we took the ride up to the castle, still planning out some things to make this year one people will not forget. Or at least I won't forget. Who knows what anyone else thinks these days?

AN: So that's the second chapter. Hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think! Comments really help! It doesn't even have to be in review form! Send me a message or an email or find me and tell me in person! I'll admit, I'd be a little creeped out if you really found me, but if you put the effort into it just to tell me what you think then I might attempt to appear a little less creeped out. Anyway, I finished my other story (Just A Stupid Crush) so I will now be fully devoted to this story. I've decided on a pairing for this story, but I won't give it away yet. I'm sure it's not difficult to guess but... like Hermione said, "who knows what anyone else thinks these days?". So true. Okay, right. Let me know what you think! Thanks!

PadfootBlack4Ever