Can Hogwarts Make a Mistake?

Chapter 3

My magical abilites so far have not gone much farther than spontaneous combustion. The only place this comes in slight handy is when I can light a fire in Potions a few seconds before everyone else so I can get a few seconds' head start. James is not talking to me, even though Madam Pomfrey grew back his luscious locks in a matter of seconds. He'll see me and completely avoid me, though now I think it's not out of fear for his silky mop's life, but just to see how long he can keep this stupid joke going.

I've begun thinking, his hair is really nice. It just sticks up, so it looks like he's just gotten off his broom, which, actually, is normally the case. Even if he hasn't been for a ride, it still is messy. Cute, though.  And when he's concentrating really hard on something, like in Potions, where we're partners, (he got held back a year, and I got moved up a year, so we're both in second-year Potions)  he'll be magically chopping away at bubotuber roots and his jet-black hair will fall in his face. It's so cute! But he's Albus's older brother, which really makes things quite awkward. I don't think Albus, or James, for that matter, realizes it yet. Rose has caught on, though. Rose knows everything, so I don't know how I thought I could have kept it from her for very long.

"Does he know?" she asked me one night in the dormitory.

"Does who know what?" I asked in return, though I had a pretty good inkling of who and what she was talking about.

"Does James know you like him??" she prompted, vaguely irritated, by the sound of her voice.

"I do not!" I protested, though I knew it was futile.

"You don't know...?"

"I do not like James Potter!"

"Oh, Lord, Hermione. Yes, you do! And don't," she added, as I began to speak up. "Don't even think about denying it. I can tell!" Rose sounded so excited to be right, as always.

"Okay, okay. Rose!" I fiercely added as she began to squeal with excitement, "You may not tell anyone!"

"Fine, whatever! How are you going to get him to like you back?"

"I'm not."

"What? You can't just ignore it, Hermione!"

"Yes I can! I can and I will. I can't like James Potter! He's Albus's brother!"

"Oh, you can't let little old Albus get in the way! And do you expect these feelings to just disappear?"

"If I ignore them, they will. That's the plan."

"Oh, Hermione! I-" her voice faltered. Now I was interested.

"You..." I trusted Rose with my life, but was she annoying sometimes!

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. I told you I liked James, now you tell me."

"I figured out you liked James, you just confirmed it. You have to figure it out."

I turned over in my bed, now facing the wall and not Rose. If she was going to be that way, fine. I might just get her cousin on my side.