* Chapter 20! And we're at 28,132 words of fanfiction without my AN's. We're going to come to an end soon... In the coming weeks. Don't worry though. Anyway, enjoy numéro vingt! Número veinte, zahl zwanzig!

It was a miserable six days. John was definitely not having fun, or anything. He was glad though, that he didn't have to deal with all the trouble of Divination. Hermione seemed to be having a rough time, and exams were coming up…

A day before, Harry had caught by Snape with some stuff from Zonko's, and well… Harry didn't really want to talk about it. John muttered to himself as he walked to Care of Magical Creatures, which by the way, was not going well for him. John had expected Hagrid to cancel class today since the news of Buckbeak came out. He thought Hagrid was going to lock himself up and cry.

He was only partly wrong.

They didn't really do anything, so John sat on a rock and stared out into the forest. John had a killer headache, and he rubbed his temples slowly so that he was able to think. It wasn't really working, and John was feeling a bit dizzy. A slow, female laugh entered his mind. It was more of a cackle, really.

"And here we see the fluffy, pink, warm Gryffindor in it's natural habitat!" a voice drawled from behind him. "That'll be a true Care of Magical Creatures class!"

John wrinkled his nose. "I'm not pink, fluffy, or warm. And, I'm only a Gryffindor because I wanted to be."

Draco Malfoy laughed. "Was the hat going to sort you in Hufflepuff? No wonder you made your decision!"

John exhaled sharply. "First, I really don't care about what you think. Second, go away before I hex something off you."

"Oh, but it's so entertaining watching you squirm in those things you call robes. Honestly, are you as poor as the Weasleys? I didn't think it was possible!"

John snorted. He rolled his eyes and continued to ignore Malfoy. Because, it was true. John really didn't care what Malfoy had to say.

Malfoy was getting tired. "Are you just going to sit there like an idiot?"

John smiled triumphantly. "I win. You talked to me first." And with that, John walked away. He was surprised though, that no cuss word escaped his mouth. One day though, he was going to burst and probably get detention.

John walked back to where Hagrid was "teaching". Hagrid was still blubbering over the mammal chicken thing, and John really wanted to do something. Care of Magical Creatures actually wasn't a bad class. He enjoyed learning about new animals, it gave John a certain thrill.

After class though, John was straying a few feet behind Ron, Hermione and Harry, as they walked back to the castle. John sighed, as he saw Malfoy leaning against a column in the castle.

There was a distinct sort of sob coming from Hagrid, who was actually right next to Hermione.

"An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..."

John winced on the inside. Hagrid was such a large, scary man. Though, maybe his size contributed to the amount of tears he produced.

After reaching the castle, Hagrid blew into his handkerchief loudly. Mountain-Man bogies… John shuddered at the thought.

"Look at him blubber!" Malfoy taunted. John did his best to just stay out of the whole situation. He lingered a few feet away.

"Have you ever seen anything so pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!" John flinched, because a part of him actually agreed with Malfoy. But whatever that part was, he was going to burn it off.

Harry and Ron lunged forward, with their fists clenched. But then, something truly wonderful occurred. Hermione got there first.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil -"

"Hermione!" Both Harry and Ron cried. Hermione pulled her arm back for another blow and Ron had to grab it back.

"Get off Ron!" Hermione furiously pulled out her wand.

Malfoy stepped back immediately. "C'mon," he called to his cronies. John took it as his chance to enter into the scenario.

"Good job," John said, clapping. "Would've done it myself, except, no violence rule thing I've got."

"What?" Hermione panted.

"Nevermind!" Ron said. "We're due in charms"!

"Literally the first time Ron has tried to get Hermione into class," John said.

Harry chuckled from behind him. Hermione glared daggers.

As John walked to class, a little ahead of the other three, John couldn't help but feel like he lied. John never explicitly condemned violence… But, there was always the fact that he enjoyed watching the got being hurt, physically at that. John felt a lump form in his throat at his realization.

John sauntered into the class, and sat down. He laid out his things, and faintly noticed the fact that Hermione had not turned up. John didn't really care, though he was pretty sure he knew why.

They were studying Cheering Charms. Ron joked that John could've used a large dose of that, until Flitwick gently reminded him that this was done with a wand, not a cauldron.

John didn't really pay attention, as Cheering Charms were elementary. Well, technically he was failing Charm, but did John really care? No. He was 100% sure that he was the smartest person in all of Hogwarts.

John entered the Gryffindor common room after class, and because he dropped Divination class, he thankfully didn't have anything for the rest of the day.

Hermione was collapsed onto her Arithmancy book. Her hair flew all around, and it stuck up in odd places. The wild hair reminded John of someone… A blurry face popped up in John's thought, but he discarded it immediately.

Ron and Harry walked in moments after, and caught glance of Hermione. They poked her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

""Wh - what?"Hermione stood up, startled. Her eyes had major bags under them. "Is it time to go? W - which lesson have we got now?"

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," Harry replied. "Why didn't you come to Charms?"

John was pretty sure that the one thing that could make Hermione cuss was missing class, but she got herself under control. "What? No! I-I didn't! No! I forgot to go to Charms!" She seemed truly distraught.

"How could you forget? You right outside the classroom-"

"Oh! It was Malfoy! He distracted me!" Hermione waved her hands angrily, like she was punching an invisible Malfoy.

"You've been doing too much," Ron noted. "All this arithmancy is cracking you up."

"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry ... I'll see you in Divination!"

Harry and Ron looked skeptical, but they backed away. Honestly, john would've too, if he hadn't noticed the little hourglass Hermione pulled out of her shirt.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't," John warned.

Hermione looked up, surprised. "Wh-what did you think I was going to do?"

"I think that you were about to turn that little thing once, so that you could make it to class."

Hermione glared at the Time Turner. "But- I can't, I just can't fail!"

John actually felt a little bad for her. "Listen, it's just one class! Nothing that you need to use a silly little excuse for Time Travel for!"

"I'm sorry, I don't quite get-"

John sighed. "Missing Charms class isn't something that will ruin your report card."

"I missed a whole class! I didn't give any warning, or, or-"

John rolled his eyes. "Please, it was just one mistake! Do you seriously think that it will ruin your life?"

Hermione gave a strangled look. "I need to do it-"

"Hermione, right now I'm being kind. Put it away…"

"No," Hermione said stubbornly. She was about to turn it when-

"Hermione, you are literally going to shatter Time."

"I'm- what?"

John nearly died. "Did seriously nobody tell you? Listen, you can't change the future like that! If you go to your silly class, then Harry and Ron wouldn't have ever come here and asked you why you didn't go to class! Hence, you would have never actually used the Time Turner! Paradox!"

Hermione looked gobsmacked. "I'm sure that it's happened before!"

"I bet it has! Idiots never listen!"

"Time didn't shatter then," Hermione pointed.

"Are you going to take that chance now? Hermione, I'm almost 100% sure that what you're about to do is a Ministry offense."

Hermione seemed to literally shrink. "I-I didn't know that."

"I know you didn't know. That's why i'm stopping you."

Hermione looked on the verge of tears. "But I don't want to end up like you!"

"What?"

"You quit!" Hermione shrieked. "I-I can't just quit! I want to be the best! I have to be the best!"

John cracked a faint smile. "Well then, Hermione Granger, don't quit then."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to take it," hermione admitted quietly.

John put a tentative hand on her shoulder. "If you're going to die of stupidity, don't. Don't kill yourself in the process of becoming the 'best'. Quit the things you dislike, continue with what you love."

Hermione stared at him for a bit, which made him really uncomfortable. She sniffed. "You know what, John? You should really be a motivational speaker." She grimaced, grabbed her bag, and left quietly.

John stared at the closing portrait hole. She really was something.