Hermione was sitting outside on a bench, with Ron and Harry, despite the fact that it happened to be September. They sat in their winter robes, the boys discussing Quidditch; Hermione engrossed in a book.
�Hermione, put the book down at least once this decade,� said Ron, though there was a trace of fondness in his joking voice.
�I need to catch up...� mumbled Hermione.
�Hermione, spending one weekend in the hospital wing for a cold does not qualify as a reason to catch up.�
He jerked the book out of her hands.
�Ron!�
Hermione leaned over Harry, trying to grab the book out of Ron�s grip.
�A standard lifetime for a witch,� said Ron. �What do you need this for?�
�I am choosing a career, Ron,� Hermione said, taking the book from him. �And you should be too.�
�Hmm, hey Hermione, you might actually be right.�
Ron leaned back, a look of thought all over his freckled face.
�What do you want to do, Harry?� Hermione asked him.
�Quidditch,� he grunted. Seeing the look on her face, he quickly added, �What do you suggest for me then?�
�Well, possibly the ministry would employ you-�
�What does Harry want to be in the Ministry for? He�s the youngest player in over a century, Hermione!� Ron interrupted.
�Yes, but his Quidditch days won�t hold out forever-� she began hotly.
�What do you want to do as a career, Hermione?� said Harry quickly, averting an argument.
Hermione regained her composure.
�Well,� she started, �I was thinking that maybe I would go and work in the ministry.�
�What department?� asked Ron.
�Either The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office, with your Dad, seeing as I am Muggle-born or else The International Magic Co-operation as you get sent abroad sometimes.�
�So let me get this straight,� said Ron, �You want either to work for my Dad, or to work for my brother,� as he said this, his face lit up. �If you are accustomed to working for the Weasleys, perhaps you can work for me.�
Hermione blushed. Harry couldn�t help laughing suddenly. Was this Ron�s way of asking her out?
�I�m going back inside,� said Harry. �See you later.�
�I�ll go too,� said Hermione.
�That�s okay, Hermione,� Harry mused, trying hide the laughter in his voice, �You can stay here.�
And with that, he walked up towards the castle.
�Look Hermione,� Ron muttered recklessly, �I...�
Hermione waited. This needed to be said.
�I... I... I don�t know which career I should choose!�
Hermione sighed.
�You said you liked Quidditch. I have a feeling you�d be good at Keeper. You won�t let anything go past you.�
Hermione stood up and started to walk back up to the castle.
�Hermione, wait!�
Hermione carried on walking, her book under her arm.
�Look - why are you so annoyed all of a sudden?� Ron said, looking slightly bewildered. She ignored him. Ron grabbed Hermione�s book once again to make her answer.
�You should know!� she muttered angrily.
�Tell me,� he pleaded, in a rather exasperated voice, �or I won�t know.�
�It�s because - Oh Ron! It�s because we have feelings for each other and you�re never going to say anything about it to me!�
Ron�s jaw dropped in shock. Hermione ran up to the castle, forgetting about her book.
*
Harry was in the library, choosing some books to be as help for his Charms homework, when Hermione burst in, looking very distressed.
�Hermione!� he called.
She came hurrying over to him, breathing heavily.
�What�s the matter? Where�s Ron?�
To his surprise, Hermione started to cry.
�Hermione?�
�It�s just,� she wailed, �I just said to Ron - I said - I said...�
She sobbed into her hands, stifling the sound.
�Hey,� said Harry softly, pulling her hands away from her face. �What�s wrong?�
Hermione, calming herself down, told him what she had just said.
�Why did he look so shocked?� asked Harry. �Half of Gryffindor know anyway so it�s obvious that you would.�
�I know, I know. I just... I have just ruined a friendship, haven�t I?� mumbled Hermione.
Harry took hold of her shoulders.
�No, you haven�t. Ron�ll come around, he always does.�
�Oh Harry, I wish I hadn�t said that.�
Harry pulled Hermione into his arms.
�Thanks,� said Hermione, her voice slightly muffled.
*
Hermione was walking around outside. It was seven o�clock, and she was avoiding Ron. As it was winter, the grounds of Hogwarts were dark, and looked to Hermione, gloomy.
The idea of visiting Hagrid, Hermione proceeded across the grass. She heard a yelping sort of noise come from the Forbidden Forest. Was it possibly a unicorn? She couldn�t help it, she moved in another direction towards the outskirts of the forest.
�Stop!� she commanded herself. She couldn�t actually go into the forest; no one knew where she was, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid would be very annoyed, she was going in there alone, it was all dark, she didn�t know what she might find in there...
However, she kept on walking. Someone must be controlling me, she thought, but this isn�t like the Imperius Curse. I�m just drawn to whatever it is in there...
Hermione suddenly stopped. �Run!� she told herself, but her person wouldn�t move.
It was all too quick for her to be shocked; she was standing in a panic, then it came out at her; it was so fast, she couldn�t have run even if she had free will; there was no mistaking what it was: a vampire. The vampire pushed her to the floor as it tore away the unexposed skin from her shoulder. She let out a piercing scream, and knew no more.
To be continued...