London, UK (CNS) - Life in the wizardry school isn't so magical for Emma Watson after all. The 17-year-old actress who plays Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films would just like to hang out with her friends like how a normal teenager would.

"Sometime[s] I miss the fact that I have never really been a teenager because I have been Hermione for such a long time," Watson confides to the Daily Telegraph.

The English actress has been playing Harry's girl best friend since she was nine, beating out thousands of girls to play the coveted role. And although winning the part is like winning the lottery, the growing up with all the media and public attention has been difficult.

"When I head I'd got the part of Hermione, my mother said to me it was very important to keep the friends I'd made already. She told me that in the future it would be important to know people liked me for myself and not because of my career. Now I know exactly what she means."

Part of growing up is also dating boys and Watson says she's having a hard time in that particular area. She says that her younger brother, Alexander, is the only guy she can go out with and not cause a stir as the others would be immediately branded as her boyfriend.

And her view of the press media is another thing she is unsure of. "I try not to read it, but it's hard. Who doesn't want to read about themselves? But it's always written with this tone - as if the person knows me. But they don't."

And while she is branching out as an actress, her education is also one of her top priorities. She is applying to Cambridge University to give herself options.

"I feel it's terribly important to continue with my education, in case acting doesn't work out for me."