The ride to Hogwarts was fairly uninteresting after the event with Draco. Of course, that incident was so short it probably wasn't even actually an event - just a moment in the day. Yet for the life of her, Hermione can not stop thinking about it. Today is her first day of lessons and yet all day her head has been in the gutters and she hasn't answered one question without fumbling over her words and needing Ginny's help one way or another.

As luck would have it, she didn't see Malfoy until dinner that night. When she arrived Ginny waved her over to sit with her. She walks over and sits down with her back to the Slytherin table in hopes that it will keep her from looking for the light haired menace plaguing her thoughts. 

"So, how was Arithmancy?" Ginny asked her. Hermione had Charms and Transfiguration with Ginny and then Arithmancy without her so she wasn't there to see the big fail Hermione had with mixing up one of the easiest problems.

"It was alright. Not as entertaining as charms was though!" she joked to her good friend in hopes of making light of the day.

"Oh, I doubt it. What was it again? Auggie-menty?" Ginny says with a mocking face before laughing with an embarrassed Hermione.

"Okay, so I'm a little rusty. It has been a while since I've been in a class room" the red-faced girl says with a smile.

"Yeah, but that never stopped you from preforming spells before!" Granger knows she has a point. Being in a class room for the first time in only a year and a half shouldn't keep her from not being able to do spells. If anything it should be the homework and schedule that get to her.

The conversation seems to come to a quick end but the silence doesn't last for long either as the red-headed friend announces a letter dropping in front of her brown haired friend. "You've got a letter? At this time of day?"

Hermione picks it up and gives the owl a treat for it's work before looking at the all black envelope. "The seal on the back of it is a red heart with a - hold on let me look closer - well, it appears to be the outline of a...Romanian Longhorn? Yes, I'm almost certain that's what it is. Ronald had shown me a picture of one Charlie was working with not too long ago. Maybe it was from one of them?" Hermione says to Ginny after looking up at her curious friend.

Ginny shakes her head and says, "No, they wouldn't put a seal - and even if there was a chance they did, it wouldn't look that fancy or medieval" she waves her hand and makes a face that causes Hermione to chuckle. 

Ginny smiles and then urges her on, "Well, are you going to open it or what?" her friend urges impatiently.

After shooting a quick nervous smile to her friend, Hermione breaks the beautiful seal off of the envelope and pulls out a letter. Once the letter is out, she can still feel the weight of something inside so she tips the envelope and pulls out a necklace. The necklace has a sleek black chain and a clockwork heart locket to match at the bottom. She opens the heart and sees a tiny jewel shaped like a Romanian Longhorn inside. It came to life once she had open all the way and walked around in the necklace as if it were the dragon but just shrunk.

"Oh wow" she says under her breath.

Ginny leans eagerly across the table and says, "What is it?" Hermione almost doesn't hand it over but then decides she can trust Ginny to not let anything happen to the precious gift.

As her friend inspects the necklace, Hermione picks up the letter and begins to read it.

My Dearest Love,

If you are reading this it means that the Owl found you - which is good because I wasn't sure it would. I sent this to you because if anyone deserves such a beautiful necklace, it's the witch who saved my life in more ways and more times than she can know.

Please take this token of my appreciation and wear gingerly. Wear it not as a war hero, or one-third of the famous trio, but as Hermione Granger, the woman I couldn't help but fall in love with.

Yours Truly,

RL