Hermione rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," she
advised him as she stood to leave the room. She glanced at his face when he tensed as she
passed him. The way he showed fear pleased her, but when he sighed in relief as she moved
for the door, irritation took over, and she turned and glared at her supposed friend.
"Oppugno!" she snarled and watched with mild amusement as the canaries she had
summoned earlier turned and violently attacked him.
December 20th, 1996Hermione was grateful when, after her last early morning class let out, she was given
permission to go into Hogsmeade with a few other students to pick up clothing and other
last minute items for Christmas—as well as for Slughorn's Christmas party. Walking down
with the other girls, however, was a nightmare, and Hermione did her best to stay as far
ahead of the others as possible. She could still hear Lavender giggling and shrieking with
Parvati about her little Won-Won. Hermione did her best to hold in her breakfast as the
blonde behind her described, in detail, attributes of Ronald that she would have preferred
to remain in the dark about.
The sight of a familiar witch in the village brought a much-needed smile to
Hermione's face. "Tonks!"
"Wotcher, 'Mione."
Hermione smiled kindly, ignoring the detested nickname. "Harry mentioned that
you were stationed in Hogsmeade. How are you?" she asked, recalling Harry's theory over
Tonks's sudden lack of shine.
"I had a thought," Harry said tentatively. "You don't think she could have been, you know, in
love with Sirius?"
"What on earth makes you say that?" Hermione asked, feeling a strange discomfort trying to crawl
its way out of her.
"I dunno, but she was nearly crying when I mentioned his name. And her Patronus is a big four-
legged thing now. I wondered whether it hadn't become, you know, Padfoot."