AN: Not JK Rowling.

We had Herbology first thing the next morning and both Harry and Ron walked with me. All three of us knew there would be a huge blow out the first time I would be called on during class. I was too nervous to eat so I had completely skipped breakfast but I sat with them. Harry seemed distracted all through breakfast and kept fidgeting. Once we finally made our way to Herbology Harry told us about Voldemort and what he had been like as a child. It gave me chills the child he described.

"Wow, scary thought, the boy You-Know-Who," Ron said quietly, as we took our places around one of the gnarled Snargaluff stumps that formed this terms project, and we began pulling on our protective gloves. "But I still don't get why Dumbledore's showing you all this. I mean, it's really interesting and everything, but what's the point?"

"Dunno," Harry said, inserting a gum shield. "But he says it's all important and it'll help me survive."

"I think it's fascinating," I said earnestly. "It makes absolute sense to know as much about Voldemort as possible. How else will you find out his weaknesses?"

"Quite enough chat over here!" Professor Sprout said briskly, bustling over and looking stern. "You're lagging behind, everybody else has started, and Neville's already got his first pod!"

We looked around; sure enough, there sat Neville with a bloody lip and several nasty scratches along the side of his face, but clutching an unpleasantly pulsating green object about the size of a grapefruit.

"Okay, Professor, we're starting now!" Ron said, adding quietly, when she had turned away again, "should've used Muffliato, Harry."

"No, we shouldn't!" I said at once making a face. That stupid Half-Blood Prince book was quickly becoming an obsession for Harry. "Well, come on… we'd better get going…"

It sprang to life at once; long, prickly, bramblelike vines flew out of the top and whipped through the air. One tangled itself in my hair, and Ron beat it back with a pair of secateurs; Harry succeeded in trapping a couple of vines and knotting them together; a hole opened in the middle of all the tentaclelike branches; I plunged my arm bravely into the hole, which closed like a trap around my elbow; Harry and Ron tugged and wrenched at the vines, forcing the hole to open again, and I snatched my arm free, clutching in my fingers a pod just like Neville's. At once, the prickly vines shot back inside, and the gnarled stump sat there looking like an innocently dead lump of wood.

"You know, I don't think I'll be having any of these in my garden when I've got my own place," Ron said, pushing his goggles up onto his forehead and wiping sweat from his face.

"Pass me a bowl," I said, holding the pulsating pod at arm's length; Harry handed one over and I dropped the pod into it disgusted.

"Don't be squeamish, squeeze it out, they're best when they're fresh!" Professor Sprout called.

"Anyway," I said, continuing our interrupted conversation as though a lump of wood had not just attacked us, "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Harry, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come."

Harry groaned and Ron rolled his eyes. We tried a few different things but nothing seemed to work. I finally pulled out my book and looked it up.

"Hand that over, Harry," I said hurriedly. "It says we're supposed to puncture them with something sharp…"

Harry passed me the pod in the bowl; he and Ron both snapped their goggles back over their eyes and dived, once more, for the stump.

"Gotcha!" Ron yelled, pulling a second pod from the stump just as I managed to burst the first one open, so that the bowl was full of tubers wriggling like pale green worms.

The rest of class passed quickly and I was rather sore from wrestling that stupid plant once we left. Ron and Harry walked next to me and we sat down at the table for lunch. It passed faster than I would have liked and made my way to Charms with Neville. We took our usual seats in the front row. Harry and Ron ran in at the last second and sat down next to us.

"Where were you guys you were behind us a minute ago." I whispered when they sat down next to us.

"Following Malfoy." Harry said a gleam in his eyes. Oh no he was going to start in on another Malfoy is a death eater tangent.

Professor Flitwick called the class to order a moment later. He talked to us about our charms for changing vinegar into water. Everyone was talking loudly and Harry was about to go on another tangent when Flitwick came over.

"Lets see it Mrs Black." I flicked my wand muttering the incantation in my head not only the words but the idea behind them.

"Very good," he squeaked excitedly. "Now lets see you boys do it."

Harry and Ron started to flick their wands but nothing happened. Ron was red in the face thinking as hard as he could and Harry wasn't concentrating. The rest of class passed with us talking about mundane things.

"Oh Harry, Molly wanted me to invite you to the Burrow for Christmas. You left before she could ask you after the wedding."

"Will you be there?" Harry asked his eyes bright.

"Yes Sirius and I will be there. Molly said we could use Fred and George's old room. Apparently they won't be able to come over till Christmas morning." I said shrugging.

"How is it you know more about my family than I do?" Ron asked looking up from his vinegar.

"Because she took the time to talk to me and I listened." I said softly. Ron twitched but didn't say anything. "My parents were also invited."

"I'm glad." Harry said a small smile on his face. He knew how alone I felt sometimes in the wizarding world. Sirius knew too but Harry was with me almost every day. He was my brother in every way.

The next two days passed without incident. I hadn't raised my hand in class so my married name wouldn't be heard. No one knew I was married except the people who had been invited. This period of bliss wouldn't last forever. I made my way to breakfast with Ginny talking about Remus and Tonks' wedding plans. We sat at the table and I pulled a cup of coffee towards me and opened the daily prophet. I screeched in horror when I saw the cover not even paying attention to the cup of coffee I had dropped.

Most Eligible Bachelor Marries Plain Muggleborn in Secret!

By Rita Skeeter

AN: Please Review!