Dermiany

Dermiany

A slow smile spread across Ron's face as Harry drew a little notebook out of his trunk.

"What is that?" asked Hermione innocently, shifting position so she could sit Indian style on the bed.

Ron and Hermione them were lounging in Harry and Ron's room at the Burrow, watching Harry unpack his things. Harry had arrived that morning, and Hermione had come the day before. She, of course, was already unpacked and neatly moved into her half of Ginny's room.

Ron grinned evilly at Harry. "Oh, you have no idea, Hermione," he said expansively.

"Dudley Dursley's--" began Harry.

"Diary," finished Ron with a triumphant smirk.

"Oh, honestly, you're acting just like Fred and George--" Hermione began; then their words sank in. "Really, now, Harry," she said, raising her voice, "don't tell me you stole your cousin's diary--that's some sick entertainment, let me tell you--"

"All right, we won't tell you," Ron said.

"It's more like borrowing than really stealing," Harry began. "I plan to give it back... someday."

He and Ron shared a hysterical laugh.

Hermione made as if to stand and leave.

"Aw, don't go, Hermione," Ron cajoled. "It's just some fun. It's not hurting anyone."

"You can leave if it's that bad," Harry agreed.

Hermione sighed huffily, but stayed where she was.

"Ready?" asked Harry.

"Right," Ron replied. He took the black leather notebook in his hands and opened it to its first page.

"Mum says I ought to keep a diary," Ron began...

June 1

Mum says I ot to keep a diary. Dad keeps one to she says. Today I beet up Jamie Perkins becos he wuddnt give me his money, cos he owes me. Lucky thing Potter isn't back frum school yet becos I relly wanted to beet him up to.

June 8

Potter is home but Mum had a row with Dad last nite and she is crying all over the place, so I went out with the gang instead. Princeton wants to quite becos of some girl he met at a party it was prolly at a bar becos his dad gets us in sometimes. Hes dumb. Girls ar for losers.

June 24

Today is my birthday. Mum gave me a lot of muney and Dad gave me a new bike. Potter gave me an old sock. Dad locked him in his room good and well this time.

July 1

Potter got a scolding today so I went into his room to steel his stuff and bug him becos I couldn't beet him up. Hes got a lot of werd stuff in ther.

July 2

Potter has a girlfriend. What a loser. He's got her picture, and it's not a moving one. Mum says I shouldn't listen when he says hes got moving pictures, but I seen them. This one doesn't move. I'm gonna keep it even tho hes mad becos I took his stuff. I forgot how scary he is when hes got his magic stuff. Maybe the gang wil just be nasty to him instead. Dad always says "if thumps don't work try threts."

July 3

I put Potters girlfriend on my wall but he doesnt now becos he never comes in here. I think it's a laff. Shes not that bad looking relly.

July 4

Shes relly not bad looking at all.

July 5

I think its that girl Potter always talks about, Dermiany or something. Well. Not even Angelica Pike can hold a candl to her. Sins her picture doesnt move I bet shes not a magic one. Prolly isn't Dermiany then. Wonder wot her name is.

July 6

Potter thinks its dumb that I asked when any not... you know.... Girls went to his school and he called me a dunderhed but I socked him one good and hard and Mum just had a cow becos he mite beet me up with his magic or something but Dad said he got wot was coming to him so Im not worried.

July 10

Havent been out with the gang in a lot of days becos Ive been staring at Dermiany or whoever it is. I bet its Dermiany, and I bet she cant relly do magic becos her picture doesnt move.

"Let me see that," demanded Hermione sharply. She yanked the book out of Ron's hands and scanned the pained handwriting angrily. "Oooh!" she screamed, and stomped out of the room. Ron and Harry could hear her slam into Ginny's room, and could hear her muffled screams of frustration through the walls. They looked at each other and laughed.

"You know," said Ron thoughtfully as he riffled through the blank pages of the book. "It wouldn't be nearly so funny if we hadn't made it up."

They laughed until their sides hurt. Soon Mrs. Weasley's voice wound up the stairs, calling them for lunch, and they tumbled over one another for the first seat at the table.

**

Dudley Dursley lay on his bed, staring at a picture he'd tacked on the wall. It was really a pretty girl, he rationalized. Soon the mantra "girls are stupid" eased out of his memory, and he just lay there, staring at the photograph. He had originally been watching for it to move (he swore he'd seen one of Potter's pictures move before), but so far no luck.

He wondered, to himself, what her name was. Maybe it was that girl Potter always talked about--what was her name? Dermiany...

Dudley may have been too stupid to write in a diary, but that didn't mean that his diary wasn't true...