Thank you all soooo much! Here's some more, sorry it's taken a while. I'll be on vacation for a while, but I might be able to get on the computer for a few minutes. If not, here's a bunch for y'all!

Chapter 1-Part 3:

I remember sprinting down the corridor, hurdling the disappearing stair, and practically screaming the password to the Fat Lady.

"Harry! Ronald!" I dashed into the Coomon Room. No one acted as if this was anything unusual. Gryffindors seemed to realize that I wasn't as calm as I tried to act. Everyone has their weaknesses.

Anyway, Harry and Ron were lounging near the fireplace, working on their Divination homework, the one subject I wouldn't help them with. Without looking up, Ron mumbled, " What now, Hermione?"

"Ten members!" I exclaimed through gasps for air. Stupid asthma. "S.P.E.W. has--" gasp "-ten members!"

Well, that got their attention.

"Spew? Oh, Hermione! What did you threaten those poor souls with now?" Ron asked mockingly.

"S.P.E.W. has 10 members who all joined of their own accord, Mr. Weasly." I declared defiantly. Boys....

"Who?" Harry dared unbelievingly. I smacked the list down in front of them.

"You and you, Dean, Ginny, Neville, Seamus, Parvati and Padma, Me and --" I stopped. There was no way on earth that I was about to subject myself to the teasing that was sure to ensue if I told them about Viktor. No matter how much I loved my friends, I would not go through that torture.

"Some kid from Durmstrang." I finished, snatching up the list before they could see Viktor's signature. They eyed me suspiciously, and then returned to their homework.

"Maybe someone could poison my pumpkin juice on Tuesday...." Ron said as I climbed the stairs to my dorm.

"Sorry," I heard Harry reply, laughing. "A house elf is adding arsenic to my soup Sunday."

My retort of "Aaargh!" echoed all the way down the staircase.

~~~~~~~~~~

At supper later that night, as I sat, picking at my food, a strange feeling crept over me. I thought that it was hunger at first, since I hadn't eaten much lately. House elves, you know. But after hearing my stomach rumble, I succumbed and scooped an enormous helping of mashed potatoes on to my golden plate.

I ate a few spoonfuls and the strange feeling in my stomach dissolved, but an uncomfortable prickle lingered on my neck. I tried to ignore it, to shove it out of my head, but my senses seemed to be in hyperactive mode. Every voice, every clink of silverware, every obnoxious giggle of Lavender Brown seemed to aggravate me more than usual. A shiver ran through my body and I dropped my spoon.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron's voice tickled my brain and made me jump slightly, but I tried to smile as I replied, "Yeah, of course." Apparently I'm a pretty good actress because Ron just shrugged and kept eating.

The feeling was still there, but I didn't really mind now. There was something oddly pleasant about about it, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. But, of course, I needed to know what was going on, so I decided to go check the library for a book mentioning anything similar to what I was experiencing. And I'm glad I did.

As I stood to leave, I happened to glance at the other house tables. My gaze skimmed over the heads of the Ravenclaws to the Snakes. All of them were chuckling and smirking, as usual. Except one. Among the mass of Hogwarts and Durmstrang students seated there, one face stood out to me. Dark sparkling eyes stared right back at me. The eyes that had been watching me the whole meal.

So I ran.


I never understood what was so enchanting about Viktor's eyes, what was so intriguing about his gaze. I didn't really know anything that night, except that those eyes were haunting me. I couldn't concentrate on anything as I sat in the library, not even my book!

Dark curses, goblin rebellions, not even my all-time favorite, Hogwarts: A History could chase away the image stuck in my mind; Eyes with deep mahogany color and small flecks of gold became my constant companions. Finally I grew bored of sitting in the library, so I stood up, stacked my books carelessly on a random shelf, and marched up the long way to the tower in a feeble attempt to clear my head.

What is wrong with you, Hermione? They're just a pair of eyes.

But they weren't. That's when I realized that the reason he didn't talk much was because his eyes spoke for him. Just the slightest movement of his eyes could tell you everything he was thinking. Earlier in the library he was amused and respectful, but in the Great Hall they were intense and longing. But why towards me?
~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry for Hermione's ramblings, hopefully they will make more sense next time. I'll post sometime, hopefully soon and just a reminder that critique is welcome as well as comments!!


Adios!
~Noelle

P.S. I know it may not seem like it currently, but I am a loyal Ron/ Hermione lover too!!