A/n: Another good long chapter. I was going to make it longer, but I kind of ran out of time. Anyways, thank you so much to ALL my reviewers. You guys are the greatest, and are literally what keeps me going (and forcing some fanfic into my overly busy post-grad, pre-diploma schedule). By the way, just so everyone knows, I have this weird fascination with Cedric Diggory... Imagine him as a mix between a young Hugh Dancy (Char from Ella Enchanted) and a young Ethan Zohn (Survivor Africa Winner). That should give you an idea of the hair, smile, and personality. Anyways, read on and leave a great long review! ;)

Chapter 9

Tuesday morning came and went.

Hermione concentrated on classes, including Charms, where she had to concentrate extra hard on the task at hand (color changing charms on rocks) and not on Cedric making her laugh by turning his nose different colors.

By the end of Charms, she had managed to color her rock correctly, but her eyes were watering from laughter and she couldn't wait until her and Cedric's study session, tonight!

The big damper on her day occurred before double Charms, which also happened to be last class of the day. Graham Pritchard caught Hermione in the hall.

"Oy! We have to move Quiddicth practice to tonight!" he said.

"What? Oh no, Graham! I have a… study g-group!" Hermione protested, quite sure two people did not make it a study group, but also knowing she had no other explanation to give. "What was wrong with tomorrow night?"

Graham grit his teeth. "Slytherin has it 'booked' apparently. McGonagall wrote them a ruddy permission note, and because – " his face was turning red with anger and frustration " – we didn't have one from Snape first, they get it." He punched the wall. "I hate Slytherin! We practice every Wednesday after class – always have – and now they come in here and take it away from us!"

Hermione was surprised by the magnitude of his anger – it was only one night – but she understood his frustration.

"I hate them!" Graham repeated, for no apparent reason.

Hermione sighed. "Join the club. Alright then. Thanks for telling me. I'll be there."

Graham's face began returning to its normal color. He sighed as well, the anger seeming to drain him a little. "Pass it on."

Hermione slowly nodded, said goodbye and headed to Charms with her head hanging. She'd really been looking forward to her study session with Cedric. She sighed and thought they could move the session to tomorrow night, where her Quidditch practice was supposed to be, and decided to ask Cedric about it. That helped her feel a little better, but not by much.

There was a tap on her shoulder.

"You okay?" Cedric asked, his face full of concern as he fell into step beside her.

Hermione was about to nod, but stopped and shook her head instead. "Nope."

"Care to talk about it?" Cedric offered politely.

"Actually, you're just the person I need to talk to."

"Uh oh, what'd I do?"

Hermione half-smiled. "Nothing. Its just – " And she explained what Graham had told her.

"Oh. That stinks." Cedric nodded understandingly.

"Tomorrow all right then?" Hermione suggested hopefully.

Cedric shook his head. "Can't. I have a detention with Flitwick." He smiled ruefully.

"For making you nose blue and orange and purple?" Hermione giggled.

Cedric grinned. "You bet. It was hard to hear him yelling at me after class, when I could tell my nose was still purple."

They both laughed.

"Okay, how about Thursday, then?" Hermione tried again.

Cedric shook his head again. "Ravenclaw Quidditch practice. Friday?"

Hermione chuckled. "Then I have Quidditch!"

"Twice a week?"

Hermione shrugged. "Graham's obsessive. He's like Oliver Wood."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

Cedric flopped his arm to his side. "Okay, then! When you're free after that, then let me know and maybe I can pencil you in!"

Hermione laughed. "Yes, really!"

From there the two walked and talked comfortably all the way to Charms, where a six-foot booming and grumpy Flitwick so "kindly reminded" Cedric of his detention tomorrow after class. Flitwick handed out their homework: an essay outlining what a color changing charm is, how does it work, what are its uses, when should be used, etc.

It was quite obvious why they were getting this specific essay, and it was hard to not laugh when Cedric caught Hermione's eye and made a stupid face indicating himself having a purple nose. They narrowly missed getting points docked as they smirked and snorted during a quiz, and Flitwick looked up.

Hermione briefly considered not doing to essay, or saying something out loud during the quiz, knowing she would be given a detention so she could be with Cedric. There were no guarantees that she would get a Wednesday detention the same time as Cedric though, and she was rather appalled at herself for even thinking of such a thing. She quickly dismissed the thought and continued on with the quiz.

That evening, after Quidditch practice, as Hermione was working on her homework, Pansy quietly approached her with tears in her eyes. She came over, sat down on the chair, and Hermione barely noticed until Pansy made one of those choking sobbing noises one makes when you have been crying and are now trying to hold it in.

Hermione dropped her quill. "Pansy! What's wrong?"

"You!" Pansy blurted and covered her mouth with her hand.

Hermione quirked her eyebrows and shook her head slightly. "What? Me? Pansy, I don't understand."

Pansy nodded her head vigorously, stopped, made a small gasp-like noise, and then in an emotional voice she said, "Y-you never talk to us anymore! You n-never hang out with us, or s-sit with us except at meals… Us! Draco, Ally, Crabbe, Goyle, Vinny, me – you used to hang out – we'd d-do everything together!" she paused and gasped some air before tearfully continuing. "We'd tell each other everything – we were inseperable! But now… now its all changed! You're like a completely different person! You're either by your-self, or with… Cedric Diggory!"

Hermione sighed, quite unsure of how to handle the situation. "I'm sorry I'm different to you, Pansy. But this is the way I've always been. I used to have other friends, who are now my enemies. You guys used to be my enemies, and now you're my friends. I accept that I'm here, but I can't just erase all the memories I have from before. Do you understand that?"

"But you always say that! That – that you can't forget… Try! Please try! I miss my friend!" Pansy pleaded, almost desperately.

Hermione was ever so slightly annoyed, but mostly she was sympathetic. How would she feel in Pansy's shoes? "It's just been so hard. I will try to be with you guys more, alright? I'll try."

Pansy's red tear-stained face broken into a watery grin. "Thank you Hermione."

"Thank you for telling me. I didn't realize – " Hermione was cut off as Pansy suddenly lunged out of her seat and caught Hermione in a back-crushing hug. Hermione awkwardly patted Pansy's back until Pansy let go and headed out of the Common Room without another word.

Hermione sat back in her chair, rather surprised by the hug, and a little sore. It was nearly a full minute before Hermione picked up her quill and continued on her work.

Wednesday dawned cold, wet and very windy.

Hermione was thankful she had no Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures classes to attend, and was even more thankful that the Gryffindor had been last night instead. It was greatly pleasing to imagine the Slytherins on their brooms in such icy wet air.

As she ate her breakfast and the morning post came in, Hermione looked up immediately, hoping for a reply from Sirius. A small gray owl landed roughly in front her, nearly toppling her glass and spilling all her orange juice. It wasn't Sirius, but she was pleasantly surprised anyway.

"Hey Hermione!

I've got great news and bad news. The great news is that Grubbly-Planks told Flitwick I needed to study with my 'study group' and so she got him to move my detention. So we can study tonight, if its ok with you. The bad news is that I have to miss Quidditch practice tomorrow, because there where Grubbly-planks and Flitwick decided to move it. They figure it'll be more of a punishment if I'm missing something extra-curricular.

Anyways, I'll talk to you in Charms.

From, C.D."

Hermione smiled. She wasn't exactly sure why he didn't just come from the Ravenclaw table to the Gryffindor table, but it didn't matter. It was cute to get the note from him.

She snatched up a napkin and her quill from her book bag and scrawled a quick note. Before she'd finished, the owl was already holding out its leg.

"Sure thing. Tonight, 7 p.m.? Library. See you then! "

She attached it to the owl and sent it back over Cedric.

Cedric received the owl immediately, read the quick, then gave her the thumbs up. She smiled and nodded, then returned to her fast soggy-ing cereal.

A/n: Well? Don't worry if its not exciting. I have LOTS of stuff to come for our dear heroine. And yes, JakKat, if she reverses the spell, then Sirius will be once again dead (sad!). Ryushi Nigami, thank you very much for the idea to explain no Hagrid. It is excellent and it will most surely be sued. :)

Oh! And also: I believe I just found out that Graham Pritchard and Theodore Nott are young? (like first years when the Trio are like fifth years or something). A small oversight, but I hope it won't wreck the story. For clarification, I imagine those boys to be older (like sixth or seventh years) in this story.