They turned around. "Oh nothing sir. Just admiring the amount of fan mail there is. Do you have our schedules?"

"Yes I do Miss Weasley. Where are my manners. I'm Professor Schlange. Nice to meet you all." a tall man of about 25 years old, with ashy brown hair blue eyes and a chiseled face.

"He is handsome, but he looks sneaky. Harry pondered. Maybe I'm just paranoid of all defense against the dark arts teachers. The curse is gone."

"Cool. I have all my favorites! Arithmancy and Runes! Advanced Charms, Advanced Transfiguration!" Hermoine seemed excited. At least someone was. Harry still wasn't used to the normalcy after all that's happened.

"Alrght kids. Time to go to class." Professor Schlange was helping some first years by pointing them in the right direction. "Well Head Girl aren't you forgetting your duty? Isn't it you who should be helping everybody? Or are you just here for decoration?" Ginny flipped her long flaming hair back and pushed her with her shoulder as she walked away. "What the heck is wrong with her?!" Hermoine fumed. Harry wasn't in the mood to dissect Ginny's behavior. "C'mon Hermoine you don't want to be late. Neville, Hannah, c'mon we have Herbology." Harry sighed. He needed to talk to Ginny.

"Ginny, can i talk to you? Alone."

"Luna, it's okay. I'll catch up later." Ginny whipped around and she didn't look too friendly. "What do YOU want?"

"Well I want to know what you're deal is? Why are you being so, so..."
"So what?" Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"So different. Ginny what happened to the passionate, kind, courageous girl I know?"
"She died the day you dumped me. The day you started liking her."

"Ginny. I miss you. The REAL you. I think I made a mistake." Harry was lying and he didn't know why he was doing it. You don't love her. You love her. NO I DON'T. GINNY IS MY TRUE LOVE. As you wish.

"Really? I don't believe you. I'm tired Harry. Honestly. Piss off." She stalked away.

"Quite the temper."

Harry jumped. He turned around. Professor Schlange was standing behind him. Was he listening? How did he not feel his presence? Was he just being paranoid?

"Yeah. You have no idea Professor. Good Night." Harry rushed off. He looked back and the Professor was gone. A chill ran down Harry's back. He went up to his dormitory. "Hexe" the portrait swung open.

Hermoine was reading by the fire. "Oh hey Harry!" She closed the book. I've done some homework and was reading ahead on some classes. Do you need help with your homework? Why do you look so tired?" Harry was overwhelmed. He plunked on the chair and put his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do with Ginny." "Do with her? She has issues Harry. Stop trying to baby her! She doesn't need to be taken care of. We saw that much this morning. The one who needs to be taken care of is you." She put her arms around his neck. He felt warm instantly.

Could time stop right now. Harry hoped it could. If there was anything he wanted in the world was this. He had never felt as exhausted as he did right now. "Yeah, let's get started on that homework. What did you think of the new Professor?" he asked her. "Well he's handsome" she blushed. "I don't know yet. I'll tell you once he actually teaches us."

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know. I don't like him."
"Harry please don't start. Get to know him first!"

"You're just saying that cause he's handsome!" Harry was mad. He didn't know why but he was fuming.

"Harry! What the...what's wrong with you?"

Harry went to his room and locked the door. He went and got a pen and quill and wrote to Ron and Molly Weasley. Just to get them off his back. "Harry! HARRY! OPEN THIS DOOR!" He ignored her. She gave up after 20 minutes.

The stuff he wrote to Ron was mundane. And Molly's was shorter and blander. He would give them to the barn owls in the morning. He didn't know why he had acted like that. He laid down in his bed and stared at the ceiling. "You're just jealous." his voice was back. He imagined Hermoine with the Professor on a beach. She was scantily clad offering a drink with an umbrella to a stranger he realized it was Schlange. His fists balled up. He relaxed and imagined himself in the Professors place. He let his mind wander until he fell asleep.

Sorry I've been away. My life has been very sad. Much stress. :/