(Y/N)'s POV

After my disaster in potions I was sure Care of Magical Creatures would cheer me up, Hagrid was always a calming influence to be around, I was excited to say the least, but as I walked down the path to Hagrid's I noticed I my walk down was very lonesome.

Nobody else was here. I checked my watch against my new timetable and it was definitely time for Care of Magical Creatures but looking down the path not a single person was in sight.

Finding this rather odd I knocked on Hagrid's door with two sharp raps of my knuckles to check if he was sick or something.

He opened it forcefully and beamed at me "(Y/N), I 'new ye'd come!" He pulled me into such a tight hug I was afraid I'd cough up my lungs.

He looked outside the door and his expression faltered. "You wer' the only one to come I s'pose" I shrugged, "Dunno, should we give it a few minutes?" he turned back to me and nodded hopefully as I scratched Fang behind the ears.

After a few minutes of waiting he sighed heavily, "I think yer the only one comin' (Y/N)" he said sadly, I was a little disappointed but tried not to show it. It was even wore when I had to break the news to him that the others hadn't gone on to N.E.W.T. level with this class.

He held back something that sounded like a sob and said "Yeh want some tea?" I nodded but said, "Well, yeah but I'd also like my Care of Magical Creatures teacher" "Oh, righ'...you sure?" he said, I looked at him strangely. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, its just the two of us so there's no point in you stayin' an' wasting yer time" I chortled, "Well, I would quite like my Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T. I wouldn't call that a waste."

He went to argue again but I stopped him "I'm staying, plus, you and Fang are excellent company" I said as Fang drooled all over my legs.

Hagrid smiled and went to get ready, disappearing into the forest. He arrived back in about ten minutes calling out to see if I was ready. "Well, let's get to it then!" I said enthusiastically, the lesson started off with a bang.

"HAGRID WHERE THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU GET AN ERUMPENT!" I found myself yelling several times, specifically as we all scattered into the forest.

I watched in horror as a dead weasel that Hagrid had used for bait exploded into many pieces. It was kinda cool in a way, but still horrifying. It took us twenty minutes to contain the creature.

After that was sorted, Hagrid promised me this was just and overenthusiastic taster of the year to come and next lesson we would move on to Fwoopers.

I nodded, "Looking forward to going insane with you Hagrid" He beamed at me and we spent the rest of our 'lesson' eating rock cakes and chatting.

An hour later we all met up again for the Defence Against the Dark Arts. Hermione was already queuing outside, carrying an armful of heavy books and looking put-upon, I sighed and did my duty, lightening her burden and adding to my own.

"We got so much homework for Runes," she said anxiously when we joined her. "A fifteen-inch essay, two translations, and I've got to read these by Wednesday!"

"Shame," yawned Ron. "You wait," she said resentfully. "I bet Snape gives us loads." he groaned, "Speak of the devil" I murmured, Snape stepped into the corridor, silence fell over the queue immediately.

"Inside," he said. Nobody spoke as we settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures. "I have not asked you to take out your books," said Snape, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk.

Hermione hastily dropped her copy of Confronting the Faceless back into her bag and stowed it under her chair. Snape cleared his throat "I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention." He scowled in my direction.

"You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe." "Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject."

"I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be more advanced." With that, Snape set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view.

"The Dark Arts," said Snape, "are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."

"Your defences," said Snape, a little louder, "must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo." "These pictures" he indicated a few of them as he swept past "give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse"

He waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony "feel the Dementor's Kiss" a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall "or provoke the aggression of the Inferius" a bloody mass upon ground.

This was ten times more gruesome then Care of Magical Creature, it was awesome. "Has an Inferius been seen, then?" said Parvati Patil in a high pitched voice.

"Is it definite, is he using them?" "The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past," said Snape, "which means you would be well advised to assume he might use them again. Now..."

He set off again around the other side of the classroom toward his desk "...you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?" Hermione's hand shot into the air.

Snape took his time looking around at everybody else, making sure he had no choice, before saying curtly, "Very well - Miss Granger?" "Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform," said Hermione, "which gives you a split-second advantage."

"An answer copied almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six," said Snape dismissively "but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress in using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spellcasting."

"Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some" his gaze lingered maliciously upon Harry "lack."

"Word for word?" I said in a mere whisper to Hermione, it was very impressive. She weakly smiled. "You will now divide," Snape went on, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."

Naturally, me and Hermione paired, she was in a mood because I had an 'advantage' due to the fact I accidentally did it last year, which to be honest, I didn't even realise I had done.

Apparently she didn't need the same advantage, ten minutes into the lesson Hermione managed to repel my Jinx without uttering a single word, she knocked me off my feet and I bashed the back of my head on a nearby desk.

"She's killed me" I said woozily as she ran to my side and I checked the side of my head for blood. It was a feat that would surely have earned her twenty points for Gryffindor from any reasonable teacher, but Snape ignored it.

After she got more practice, I spent more time getting up off the floor then I did standing. I got a little better as well, managing to jinx her a few times, as I got the hang of it I was able to pull off most simple spells without much trouble.

Snape swept between the class as they practised, lingering to watch Harry and Ron struggling with the task. Ron, "Here — let me show you —" He turned his wand on Harry so fast that Harry reacted instinctively; he yelled, "Protego!"

His Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. I clapped a hand to my laugh to stop a fit of shocked giggles, we watched in horror as Snape righted himself, scowling.

"Do you remember me telling you we are practising nonverbal spells, Potter?" "Yes," said Harry stiffly. "Yes, sir." Snape demanded, "There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor." Harry countered. I couldn't hold it in and a small consistent chuckle escaped me.

Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively. "Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter...not even 'the Chosen One.'"

As we left, he looked to me for a second, I paled and he let out an expression that was as close to a smirk as I've ever seen him get, "What was it (L/N)? The closest you will ever get to teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts is covering it?" he said with a triumphant note in his voice.

I stuttered for a second then thought of the right words. "To paraphrase an old man, that just goes to show, even the best of us can eat our words." With that, I stepped out of the room with a small wave.

"That was brilliant, Harry!" chortled Ron, once we were safely on our way to break a short while later. "It was great, almost as good as third year" I smiled, remembering Harry attacking him in the Shrieking Shack.

"You really shouldn't have said it," said Hermione, frowning at me and Ron as we mimed the face Snape made. "What made you?" She asked "He tried to jinx me, in case you didn't notice!" fumed Harry.

"I had enough of that during those Occlumency lessons! Why doesn't he use another guinea pig for a change?" "What's Dumbledore playing at, anyway, letting him teach Defence? Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that unfixed, indestructible stuff —"

"Well," said Hermione, "I thought he sounded a bit like you." "Like me?" "Yes, when you were telling us what it's like to face Voldemort. You said it wasn't just memorising a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts"

She explained, "well, wasn't that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?" Harry did not like this observation apparently, but I agreed.

I nodded, "I liked it, he's not sugar coating it and he's showing us what happens if we mess up, like you did in the DA" They did not like that comment and both Harry and Ron sulked for ages.

That was until Harry received a letter from Dumbledore. "Dear Harry, I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at 8 P.M. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school. Yours sincerely, Albus Dumbledore P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops."

"He enjoys Acid Pops?" said Ron, who had read the message over Harry's shoulder and was looking perplexed. "It's the password to get past the gargoyle outside his study," said Harry in a low voice. I nodded, "Yeah, nobody enjoys acid pops. He always uses sweets for the password."

"Ha! Snape's not going to be pleased...I won't be able to do his detention!" We spent the whole of break speculating on what Dumbledore would teach Harry.

Ron thought it most likely to be spectacular jinxes and hexes of the type the Death Eaters would not know. Hermione said such things were illegal and thought it much more likely that Dumbledore wanted to teach Harry advanced Defensive magic. Personally, my money was on Legilimency, based on last year.

After break, I kissed Hermione before she went off to Arithmancy while Harry and Ron returned to the common room where they grudgingly started Snape's homework. I had to talk to Sprout about Herbology.

As I made my way through the greenhouse I was stepping gingerly, avoiding making much noise if I could, for all I knew half of these plants could explode if they saw me. Eventually I found her dealing with one of those mumbly things Neville has.

I cleared my throat and she turned to me, "Ahhh yes, (L/N)" she watched me as I shuffled over through the plants, her eyes widening for a second as I did, "Careful that's-" I ducked under the vines that tried to ensnare my face, "Venomous Tentacula" I said.

She nodded proudly, then sighed, "See (L/N), you are good at Herbology in theory, just not the more delicate practical aspects" I lowered my eyes sadly, "I know." She had a conflicted expression on her face.

"I know you received the O.W.L. grade to continue onto N.E.W.T. but I'd just like to check that you feel you would be able to continue" I thought for a second, a small part of me wishing to drop the subject to focus on others, but Healers need it as a requirement.

After a second of debate, the studious part of me won out and I promise her I could, she nodded and said "Very well, I shall see you in the greenhouse tomorrow."

I was celebrating and smiling like a madman, until a Venomous Tentacula nearly choked me out. Which me and Proffessor Sprout had a great laugh about after. My struggle didn't end with Herbology though.

Snape's homework turned out to be so complex that Harry and Ron still hadn't finished when Hermione and I joined them for their after-lunch free period, though not to brag, but, we considerably sped up the process.

They had only just finished when the bell rang for the afternoon's double Potions, Harry immediately keeping a tight grip on his new book.

For the rest of the week's Potions lessons Harry continued to follow the books instructions, with the result that by our fourth lesson Slughorn was raving about Harry's abilities, saying that he had rarely taught anyone so talented.

None of us were delighted by this. Although Harry had offered to share his book with us, but that just annoyed me more, like he was looking down on me. "Harry if you use that book to beat me in Charms, I'm making you eat it."

I avoided that book like it was dragon pox, as did Hermione, resolutely ploughing on with what she called the "official" instructions, but becoming increasingly bad tempered which I then had to deal with, I wanted nothing more then to set the book on fire but Harry practically slept with it.

It was like he was emotionally linked with it like a pet or something. Wait, is this what everyone else felt like when they saw me with Bones? Surely not, Bones is cute, the books an inanimate object.

Harry continued to revel in the book, constantly updating us about it. He explained that there were directions for what looked like spells that had been written in his special book. "Or herself," said Hermione irritably, overhearing Harry pointing some of these out to Ron in the common room on Saturday evening.

"It might have been a girl. I think the handwriting looks more like a girl's than a boy's." "The Half-Blood Prince, he was called," Harry said. "How many girls have been Princes?" After a few more minutes of bragging he said, "It's five to eight, I'd better go, I'll be late for Dumbledore."

"Ooooh!" gasped Hermione, looking up at once. "Good luck! We'll wait up, we want to hear what he teaches you!" I smirked "Hope he teaches you how to overcome evil books" Hermione frowned at me as Ron said, "Hope it goes okay," we watched Harry leave through the portrait hole.

"So...we're burning that book, right?" Ron scoffed, "Over Harry's dead body" I shrugged, "Probably" To fill the time, I started to mess around with the Gobstones I got from Fred and George.

I had an idea of how to turn their mistake with the charm into its designed purpose, taking a break to help a panicking first year. After I dealt with the problem Hermione was having right now.

Hermione's POV

As I was reading the notice board in the common room for any news a tall seventh year approached me, at first I thought he was simply trying to read the board so I tried to scoot away, but he stood behind me, leaning over my shoulder, as I turned to leave he cleared his throat and started to make conversation.

He seemed nice enough, but he spent an awfully long time bragging and thought very highly of himself, I was just going to make an excuse to leave when (Y/N) arrived.

"Who are you?" (Y/N) interrupted rather abruptly, "Cormac McLaggen" was the answer he got as McLaggen seemed to brush him off and turn back to me. (Y/N) was oddly persistent for some reason, "So...are you like, new here?" Mclaggen looked confused.

"What?" (Y/N) elaborated, "Well, I've been at this school for six years, we are apparently in the same house, but I have never seen you before in my life and literally have only just learnt your name." "We've met before..." Cormac said slowly, as if talking to someone incredibly stupid.

"Oh yeah... you're the train bloke, your uncle hunts pheasants or something" He said proudly, extending an arm for a handshake, McLaggen sighed and greeted him, asking (Y/N) what he was doing here. "I live here" there was another sigh.

"What year are you in? Are you like...A really tall first year?-" he didn't wait for an answer and wiped a fake tear from his eye "Ahhh, been there..." he trailed off.

"I'm in my final year" McLaggen stammered, still dumbfounded. "Huh" (Y/N) looked around the room, "You must be pretty boring then, I've never heard of you before"

Cormac didn't like that and took a step closer to (Y/N), who just smiled wider, there were a few murmurs around the room from people hoping for a fight. (Y/N) held up his hands, "Chill, didn't mean anything by it."

"But seriously, it's like you just appeared out of nowhere" I sighed "Like, I don't even know someone who knows you-" "We get the picture (Y/N)" I grumbled.

"Fine, I was just wondering when they teach us to conceal our presence for six years." He held his hands up in defeat and strolled off muttering something about being seventh year and learning better invisibility spells.

"Yes..." He gathered himself again but still seemed put off, "oh, yes. I was just wondering if you were busy this weekend?" I looked over to (Y/N), who was helping the first years with Transfiguration homework and playing a game he called 'topple the tower' with the cats.

Just looking at it made me smile "Yes, I am very busy...sorry" I said, darting off to avoid any awkwardness. Trying to act busy by completing a few homework assignments.

After finishing my essay, double checking it and then skim reading it, only stopping when two first years came in with Butterbeer, I immediately stood up to stop them, only to find (Y/N) was already confiscating them, I was so proud.

After that quick distraction every so often I would hear a clatter and some mumbled swearing from (Y/N), I stretched my neck as I finished writing, looking up to see Ron lazily poking his quill against some paper trying to look busy.

I looked around beside me to see (Y/N) sat on the floor of the common room, Crookshanks and Bones circling him curiously. Waiting to attack.

Peeking over at him I saw him holding his wand over four pieces of glass and mumbling some incantations, he seemed to be trying to fit a stone inside the two pieces as they were pressed together, he was clearly having trouble with whatever he was doing.

I couldn't quite see it from where I was, but he frowned at whatever it was, "Reducio" I stretched again and strode over to him, he didn't even seem to notice. "What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing special" he said quickly, I watched as he bonded two bases of what I assumed were the glass bottles together. "Where did you even get those?" He didn't even look at me, pointing an arm out to four butterbeer bottles which had been carved to pieces by a wand leaving small shards of glass on the floor.

I scolded him for being careless and making a mess, he looked up at me for the first time in about an hour and sighed, he raised a tired hand in their direction "Evanesco" He said without looking and the pieces vanished.

It took me a second but from what I could tell he was trying his hand at making a small glass cylinder that resembled a compass and fit in his palm, he muttered, "That'll do" and put it down, making another almost identical. Then he took them apart again, pulling something out of a pouch. "Let's try this again."

They were two pinhead sized stones, I think they were the Gobstones he told me about from Fred and George, that must be what he shrunk down earlier, I was just about to tell him to be careful when he put one in the glass case he had created.

As soon as it was separated from its pair, it shot back to it at lightning speed, shattering a small hole in the glass meant to contain it. With another grunt of frustration, he looked at the glass and tapped it with his wand.

"Reparo" but the spell didn't work as intended, instead I sent the glass back to its original form, the butterbeer bottles were apparently willed back into existence between two clashing spells. He took a deep breath, knowing him, to stop from smashing the bottles again.

He got to work again, eventually managing to get back to the point he was at before, It was honestly fascinating to watch, and a little entertaining.

The main difference this time was the Unbreakable Glass charm he used before he fused the two pieces together. Trapping the pin sized stones into one container each, neither having enough weight or speed to break the glass.

He leapt up in elation, smiling like a madman, he passed one to me. "Hold this and close your eyes" I did so, hearing some shuffling and he instructed, "Now open them and look down, tell me what happens"

I looked down to see the stone pressed to its glass casing facing left, that's when I understood. It didn't look like a compass, it was a compass, even if it was very makeshift. Meant to always find its pair.

He seemed to get too excited to wait for an answer and walked over to me, checking for himself and marvelling at his own 'genius' I went to give it back, but he shook his head, "A gift for you my dear" he said with a smile, pressing one into my palm.

I smiled, "And here I was expecting more flowers" He smiled, quickly kissed me and flourished his wand, muttered something and a blue rose appeared at the tip and he winked at me.

He looked down at the compass "I'm not as good as Dad with the whole tinkering thing but It will do for now" he smiled, passing me one. I held it but I was still fairly confused as to why I was receiving this 'gift.'

"I made one for each of us, just in case..." he trailed off. "If you're ever lost...I can find you in no time" He smiled at me, I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes as he did, but nodded and didn't comment, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Although, lets be honest, if anyone's getting lost its me." He said, regaining some composure and kissing me quickly again, the second we separated Ron sighed "Could you not?" he said suddenly.

I reluctantly pulled away, (Y/N) did not, instead pulling me into a deeper kiss, so much so there were a few whistles from around the room, out of the corner of my eyes I saw Ron bury his head into his arms to avoid looking.

As (Y/N) pulled away from me I smacked his arm with my book, trying my best to look angry, he just smiled. God, he's so embarrassing sometimes! (Y/N) turned back to Ron "If you insist" letting go and smiling at me appreciatively. It was then that the cats decided to pounce.

Bones landed harshly on his chest, he stumbled as Crookshanks did the same from just under his knees, I wasn't sure if they knocked him down, or he was humouring them. Either way he collapsed, "I have been...defeated..." he said dramatically as they both sat on his chest and mewled to declare victory.

(Y/N)'s POV

Harry came back looking worn out, he immediately sat us down and broke down everything that Dumbledore had showed him, about the Gaunt's and Voldemort's parents, how she used a love potion, that their love was never real.

To top it off he explained about a ring that Dumbledore wore, seemingly the ring in the story and the reason his hand was messed up. "Well, I would say that explains a lot, but it doesn't...cool story though" I said tiredly.

But I couldn't sleep that night, no matter how much I tossed and turned, something about the story stuck with me, leaving a lump in my throat when I thought of it. For the first time in my life, I empathised with him, for the first time in my life, I didn't hate Lord Voldemort, I pitied Tom Riddle.

He wasn't a monster anymore; he was a boy with extraordinary gifts put into a world that rejected him. With a sigh I sat up in bed and shook my head "He's still a git."

Later in the week Harry slumped down onto the table at breakfast, sighing, Ginny next to him, I swallowed and said, "What's wrong?" Ginny answered, "Looking at the new team recruits, we're in trouble" I looked at her confused, "But there are more applications then ever" She nodded, "That's the problem"

"Quidditch try-outs start soon, but judging by these lot" she pointed to a stack of applications in front of Harry, "We've got no chance of the cup, they have the attention spans of bowtruckles." "Well, they take after their leader" I smiled.

"If you really and I mean really need help, then I'll come, not to play, I'll just try to shut them up" I said, almost losing my nerve just saying the words, Ginny smiled widely and slammed an excited fist on the table.

"Excellent, what can you help with?" "Anything really, I've done it all before, plus I know basic drills and stuff, from helping (B/N) practice" I smiled. Ginny and Harry shared a look.

"Are you sure, I mean you're not exactly...in practice" I was oddly offended, "I'll have you know Potter, I'm great on a broom, and I know Quidditch better than most, (B/N) drilled it in my head, and I've watched you lot play for years" he sighed.

"But still..." "Wasn't that a while ago?" Ginny asked in a quiet voice, nodding with Harry. "How very observant of you Gin, glad to know you've been paying attention to my sob story" I chuckled again.

"I still play around every now and then, so I'm not quite out of practice yet, you know, in case I have to chase some flying keys or something" I smirked. But as I soon came to learn, even if I wanted to, I couldn't focus on Quidditch.

As Hermione had predicted, the sixth years' free periods were not the hours of blissful relaxation Ron had anticipated, but times in which to attempt to keep up with the vast amount of homework we were being set.

Not only were we studying as though we had exams every day, but the lessons themselves had become more demanding than ever before. Much to my disgust, Harry's best subject had suddenly become Potions, thanks to the Half-Blood Prince.

Nonverbal spells were now expected, not only in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but in Charms and Transfiguration too. Much to my surprise, it was a relief to get outside into the greenhouses.

We were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology, but at least we were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized us unexpectedly from behind. A rule that I abused quite a bit.

One result of their enormous workload and the frantic hours of practising nonverbal spells was that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had so far been unable to find time to go and visit Hagrid. I still had lesson with him, but he seemed to be losing steam.

He had stopped coming to meals at the staff table, an ominous sign, and on the few occasions when they had passed him in the corridors or out in the grounds, he had mysteriously failed to notice them or hear their greetings.

"We've got to go and explain," said Hermione, looking up at Hagrid's huge empty chair at the staff table the following Saturday at breakfast. "We've got Quidditch tryouts this morning!" said Ron.

"And we're supposed to be practising that Aguamenti Charm from Flitwick! Anyway, explain what? How are we going to tell him we hated his stupid subject?" "We didn't hate it!" said Hermione.

"Speak for yourself, I haven't forgotten the skrewts," said Ron darkly. "And I'm telling you now, we've had a narrow escape. You didn't hear him going on about his gormless brother" "He's not gormless!" I defended.

Ron just scoffed and turned to the others "We'd have been teaching Grawp how to tie his shoelaces if we'd stayed." "Nah, we're starting with buttoning up shirts first" I mused, "I hate not talking to Hagrid," said Hermione, looking upset.

"We'll go down after Quidditch," Harry assured her. "But trials might take all morning, the number of people who have applied." "I dunno why the team's this popular all of a sudden."

"Oh, come on, Harry," said Hermione, suddenly impatient. "It's not Quidditch that's popular, it's you! You've never been more interesting, and frankly, you've never been more fanciable." Then she looked to me quickly and took my hand under the table, smiling as if reassuring me.

I will admit, a tiny pit of nerves opened in my chest so I decided to distract myself and not think of it. I pulled my arms around him "Oh Harry...She's right...I can't contain myself" I said, making kissing noises, he groaned and shoved me off.

I was just trying to take his mind off Quidditch. Hermione spared me one look of disdain before turning back to Harry. "Everyone knows you've been telling the truth now, don't they?"

"The whole Wizarding world has had to admit that you were right about Voldemort being back and that you really have fought him twice in the last two years and escaped both times. And now they're calling you 'the Chosen One' — well, come on, can't you see why people are fascinated by you?"

"And you've been through all that persecution from the Ministry when they were trying to make out you were unstable and a liar. You can still see the marks on the back of your hand where that evil woman made you write with your own blood, but you stuck to your story anyway..."

"You can still see where those brains got hold of me in the Ministry, look," said Ron, shaking back his sleeves. "Ron what are you on about?" I said, rubbing my eyes and squinting at the scar, comparing them to my own scar from Umbridge, which a mangled gouge that was focused on one hand, they looked like slight irritation.

"And it doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer either," Hermione finished, ignoring Ron. "I'm tall," said Ron inconsequentially. I just shook my head "Oh please...now it's just sad"

Enjoying our competition, I stood up, looking down my nose at him, still a few inches taller than him, he frowned at me. "It's not all it's cracked up to be." He frowned and slumped into his chair, mumbling about being alone.

I pat him on the shoulder as he sulked. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will find someone soon, someone has to see past the prat" I said, with a not so subtle turn to Lavender Brown. He sighed, shrugged and put his head down. "And how thick you can be..." I muttered.