Popularity hadn't always been a real concern to me until I was about three years old. You see, that's when my mind started developing and started seeing the social labels. Popular- Middie- Nerd- Loser- Nobody. The complexity of it all troubled me, and for good reason.

I got stuck in the Nerd category.

Not as terrible as a Loser or a Nobody, but not even close to being a Middie. My life was a struggle from the very beginnings of time. But it all really started my very first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I thought I'd be able to pull off the New Kid thing, where I become ultimately cool since I'm new and everyone is drawn to new. But then I realized there was A LOT of new. My whole YEAR was new. So everyone was clawing and pushing and biting to get themselves to the very top of the totem pole of Popularity.

I had never been viscous. And that meant the end of me. I hadn't even made it to my second class when a boy, who'd already claimed a spot at the very top because of some talent/looks/anything else I didn't agree with, pointed at me with his bloody wand and yelled,

"Oy, redhead's got her knickers showing!"

Please laugh now.

…

Ok, laughing time is over.

Here's how I got to that horrible terrible unbelievably embarrassing moment of my life: I went to the bathroom. A seemingly harmless thing to do? Think again! I pulled up my underwear so innocently that I didn't notice a thing. No. I didn't notice that my robe had gotten caught on the elastic of my knickers. I didn't notice that as I walked to Herbology that I was walking a walk of shame, giving everyone a show. I didn't notice the people laughing at my puppy covered grandma-panties. For whatever reason, Merlin punished me that day. And I still have not forgiven him. It's now been five years since that dreadful day and I've come to start my sixth. Along with this new school year comes a promise to myself.

I promise myself that I will break the rules.

At least once, I mean, I need to increase my coolness a bit, I think. It's really quite down the drains, if I may say so myself. And the only way to fish it up is to do something unexpected. That's it! I'm going to dive into The Unexpected.

Wish me luck. I may not come back alive.

"Lily!"

I turned around from my daze and remembered that I was in the Gryffindor Common Room. Through the hustle and bustle of people that normally crowded around there on the first day, my friend Arissa came running. As her head popped through two embracing friends I saw her frizzy blonde hair sticking out all over the place from under her headband. She grinned wth big sparkling brown eyes and ran to sit next to me.

I smiled. "What's got you so excited?"

"I did it Lily! Remember what our plan was for me to start talking to him?" she said excitedly.

"Who? You mean-

"Yes of course I mean him!" she said and she clapped her hands.

I laughed. "You mean you talked to him?"

Suddenly she looked down. "Well I haven't gotten that far yet, you see."

"So what happened exactly?"

"Well, I thought that if I ran into him accidentally and pretended to fall on the floor that he'd try to help me up and then we'd start talking from there."

"So you ran into him, right?"

"Yeah, I did," she smiled. "And he smelled so good. And I fell and everything, but he didn't even look back. I think he mumbled something that sounded like an apology but he didn't turn around to see who had knocked into him. I was disappointed especially since I looked like a total twat."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

Arissa raised her hand and I saw a relatively deep gash. "Merlin! What happened?!" I said, grabbing her wrist and looking at it closer.

"When I fell someone dug their heel in between two of my knuckles. I think I may have broken it."

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

She sighed and looked at her wound. "Honestly, not being able to talk to him hurts more." She looked up and I saw that her eyes had lost their sparkle.

"Look, don't worry. I haven't talked to any cute boys either."

"But at least you've talked to boys. I can't even talk to the nerds."

"I wouldn't say that, since we're considered nerds."

Suddenly Arissa looked like she had an idea. "What if popular guys have the same problems as us and can't even talk to the nerdy girls. Like us!"

I looked at her as if she was thicker than I had ever imagined her to be. "You don't honestly believe that, do you?

"I'd like to, but I don't," she said, giving up on any hope.

"Hey, but don't panic, alright?" I said with a smile. "I've got a plan."

And as I was about to burst out the beautiful plan of mine, the same boy who had pointed out my knickers walked through the entrance laughing loudly with his...possee. That's right. The very same male who had caused my life to fall deeper into a pit of embarassment and loneliness was none other than James Potter. My fists tightened as I tried very hard not to go and punch him right there. That was another promise I made to myself:

I was going to get back at that Potter if it was the last thing I ever did.