The Romance
By: Paige Collins
Harry Potter felt as though that day he was living out right then had to be the most worst and boring day of his entire life. Besides the fact that Snape was being extra evil (Harry promised he saw his eyes go red when Neville made a mistake) and besides the fact that Professor McGonagall had told him off for goofing off with Ron instead of paying and besides the fact that the day wasn't as pleasurable and enjoyable as he had planned it to be,
it was averge day and no really exciting-lets-kill-Harry-Potter-I'm-a-former-Death-Eater adventures. That made the day veeery boring indeed.
Harry sat back in the comfy armchair in the common room and the visions of homework swirled before his eyes. He put his hands over his face. He felt the whole day had been hopeless.
"Tons of homework," complained Ron suddenly, plopping down in an armchair beside Harry. "I don't think I'll ever be done...how about you, Hermione?"
Hermione, Harry had noticed, was seated a seat down from Ron. She grunted, but she didn't look up and continued to write furiously.
Ron sighed. "Best get on it, like Hermione over."
Hermione grunted again, not in response to Ron's comment, but a grunt of anger and he heard her quill hit the parchment hard and she grunted again. "I'll have to start over," she muttered to herself. "Messed up..."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "And we haven't even started...hey, Hermione? Can I have yours to start off?"
Hermione frowned. "It's messed up."
"I don't care...I'll fix it," said Ron.
Hermione looked at him for a moment, then handed it to him. "I left something really important out," she said, as though it was a warning.
Ron ignored her as he examined the parchment. He frowned like Hermione had. "Hermione...you left out a word. A word. Well, gee, that's a huge mess up."
"Hahaha," said Hermione sarcastically. "At least I've started it. You haven't even taken anything out yet. When will you learn to do things for yourself and stop depending on me for everything?"
"I don't depend on you for everything," Ron said angrily.
Hermione pointed at the parchment in Ron's hand. "Um, what do you call that, Ron, then?"
Ron looked down at it, and tossed it aside. "Better now? I'm working on it myself now, seeing as it would so deeply please you."
Hermione shrugged. "It doesn't please me, but you shouldn't depend on someone else for everything. What if you were doing something important and you depended on Harry to bring something and he forgot it?"
Ron didn't say anything, but turned to Harry and said, "You'd do that?"
Hermione groaned. "Ron, that isn't the point. The point is that you should take repsonsiblity for some things and not shove everything on someone else."
"But you didn't say shove everything off on someone else," said Ron. "You said not to depend on everyone."
"It's basically the same point," said Hermione.
"Is not."
"It is too, Ron, you're being childish."
"I'm not being childish. And it is not."
"See? You are too being childish."
"And you are confusing things."
"I am not confusing things!"
Harry cleared his throat suddenly and very loudly. Neither Ron nor Hermione heard him or they pretended they didn't.
"Well, at least I don't go nosing around in other people's business and at least I keep to my own business, unlike some people and I won't say any names, Hermione."
"I am not nosing around in other people's business, Ron."
"Oh, I supposed you're just curious all those times before we were friends? Face it, you're a bossy little know-it-all."
Hermione suddenly looked very serious. "Is that the way you want it, Ron Weasley? Well, two can play at that game." And then she whirled around and walked up to the girls' dormitories.
"Gee, what's gotten into her?"
Harry shrugged.
As Harry had suspeted, things hadn't cleared up by that night. Ron, after they'd gone into their dorm, kept cursing about Hermione under his breath where Harry couldn't hear, but he said it a little loud.
"Stupid know-it-all," he muttered, punching the nearest object: a pillow. He punched it very hard.
"What's wrong?" asked Seamus. "Is he mad or something?"
"...right I'm mad..." muttered Ron quite angrily. "I mean, who does she think she is? She isn't any better than I am, that's for sure. She's nothing but a little..." (the next things he said caused Neville to automatically say "Ron!")
And then Ron stormed out of the dorm and down into the dark common room.
"Gee...I've never seen him so mad," said Neville.
Harry had never seen Ron so mad either.
"Must of gotten into a fight with someone," observed Dean. "Wonder who, though."
"He's mad at Hermione," said Harry with a slight sigh. "He called her a name..."
"Not any worse than what he just called," Seamus muttered. "Nothing could be worse than what he just called her."
"What happened?" asked Dean.
"Well, like I just said, he called her name and all this and she goes, 'Ron Weasley, is that how you want it?' Or something like that."
"That's not so bad," said Neville. "Not something he should really be mad about."
"But she looked really, really mad at him, though. She said he shouldn't depend on other people for things. He wanted to copy her report," he added, explaining why he had said that. "And he got mad about everything. Kinda silly, if you ask me."
"And we didn't ask you," said a voice.
Harry looked up to see that Ron had come back. "Guess what Hermione has done? Just guess what Hermione has done?"
"We could never guess," said Harry.
Ron ignored him. "I'll tell you what she did! I came down and there she was, burnign some parchment. I asked what she was burning and she told me none of my business. So I grabbed it from her and even though it was burned, I could make out what it was." He closed his eyes. "Turns out I left my report in the common room."
"You mean..."
"All that work was burned. So I burned a couple of things of hers."
"Ron! You didn't!" Harry was horrified at how far Ron was carrying things.
"I did. Her report, all her homework. I guess her perfect little grades will be ruined...I'll show her I don't have to depend on her for everything."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Ron, is that what this is all about? Aren't you carrying this a bit far?"
Ron was silent, perhaps thinking. "No," he said shortly. "No, I don't think I'm carrying things a bit far, but she deserves it. I'm sick of her annoying little attitude." His fists clenched. "This is it..."
"You aren't going to kill her, are you?!" cried Neville wildy.
Ron unclenched his fist. "No, Neville, don't be stupid."
Neville looked down, hurt. "You are carrying things a bit far," he said quietly, brave. "Why don't you apologize?"
"I will when she does," he answered.
"That's stupid, Ron," said Seamus bluntly. (He was always blunt.)
"It is not," said Ron. "She also hit me."
"Did you hit her back?" asked Dean eagerly.
"No," said Ron miserably. "She was too quick."
And things didn't improve that following morning. Hermione arrived at breakfast with a very aggravated look on her face. She sat by Harry, across from Ron and was silent.
"So," said Ron.
"So? So what?"
Ron frowned angrily at her. "So nothing."
"So why'd you say 'so'?"
"Cause I felt like it, that's why! Do you have to have a logical explaination for everything, Hermione, is it because you're such a little know-it-all, is that it?"
"Don't forget Mudblood, Weasley," said a drawling, cold voice behind them. They all whipped around to see that Draco Malfoy, who had been passing the Gryffindor table, was standing there. He was wearing an evil grin.
"You watch that hole in your ugly face you call a mouth!" barked Ron, standing up. Then he blushed. "I mean...I mean, I totally agree. I did forget Mudblood."
But he looked uncomfortable.
"Standing up for Granger, are you? Got yourself a girlfriend?" he said, looking down at him as though he was a thing stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"I most certainly do not have a girlfriend," spat Ron. "She is not my girlfriend, hear me, Malfoy?"
But Malfoy merely waved his hand idly in front of his face. "Whatever you say, Weasley, whatever you say."
And then he swept around and walked back to the Slytherin table, beckoning some to pull in closer and he began to whisper furiously. He was looking directly at Ron.
And Ron sat down. "The nerve of him," he muttered. "The nerve." Then he looked around furiously. "Where is Hermione, anyway?"
Harry jerked his head. Ron caught a glimpse of Hermione, running out with her face buried in her hands, tears falling through her fingers.
"She keeps looking at me as though I'm going to kill her or something," Ron whispered, as Hermione eyed him evilly across the room. She kept shaking her head, her eyes glittering evilly.
"You called her a Mudblood," said Harry. "No wonder she's upset, Ron. That was a bit too far, too."
"She deserves it," said Ron bitterly. "She is too a Mudblood."
Harry shot Ron a furious look, but he didn't notice it. Snape was moving closer to them now, examing their potions that they had made earlier. Harry knew he and Ron would be told off, for Ron had spent most of the time looking at Hermione or not paying attention.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," said a cold voice suddenly. Harry looked up to see Snape was right there. He'd never heard him come over. "This is the wrong color." Then he looked at Ron. Ron was looking at Hermione, mouthing rude words at her.
"Weasley!" he barked.
Ron jumped and blushed. "Yes, Professor?"
"Is there something the class should know?" he said softly, looking evilly at Hermione, who was trying hard to catch Ron's eye again. "Granger! Keep your eyes to yourself...and you too, Weasley."
Ron looked angrily at Snape, who glided away as silent as he came.
Things never cleared up all day long. Harry felt like the whole situation was hopeless. Ron suddenly, in the last hour, expected Ron to take his side and Hermione had tried to meet with Harry after class a few times, and once she caught him, all she said was really rude and mean things about Ron.
He thought about all this as he said the password to the Fat Lady. ("Fairy dust.") He thought maybe he'd meet Hermione and Ron in the common room and try to somehow make them make up.
But his thoughts were shattered as piercing, evil yell reached his ears.
"You stupid little...little..."
"Words fail, you dear?"
The first voice had belonged to Ron, the second Hermione. Harry didn't like the sound of either of them.
"Well, you don't just hit people, Hermione for no good reason! Man! I need this cheek you do notice that, don't you?"
"You want it again, Weasley?"
"Oh, so we're on last names, are we, Granger?"
There was a loud sound.
"My book! Get that out of the fire right now, Weasley! Right now...stop! Stop, what the...what do you think you're doing? Fine then, just run away! Someone please get my book...please..."
Harry entered the common room too late. There was Ron, running furiously up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Hermione was standing there, trying to get her book out of the fire. It was only slighlty burned, but she looked extremely angry. And she was muttering, "I'll kill him...I'll kill him...I'll kill him..."
Harry quickly walked past her and she didn't even notice him standing there. She was trying to pick up a large mess, more than likely made by Ron and the crowd that had been around them was breaking up, people very quiet.
Harry hurried up the dorm, but he paused at the door and listened.
WHAM!
Something slammed against the door very loud and very suddenly and it caused Harry to jump back. "Ron?"
"Harry? Come in... you'll never guess what Hermione did," he said bitterly as Harry entered. Harry closed the door quietly behind and noticed a large mark on the door.
"I saw it all," he said, sitting down on his bed. "Everything. I'm sorry you're taking this so far."
"She's started this all," he said quietly, staring off in space. "Ugh..." he let his voice out very slowly.
"It's okay," said Harry awkwardly. "You'll make up, though, I know it. This whole thing will blow over by tomorrow morning, I know it."
Ron nodded, although Harry thought he didn't look as though he meant it.
Harry lay awake, staring at the top of his bed, his eyes wide and not in the least bit sleepy. He could hear Ron muttering in his sleep. ("Yeah...Hermione...stupid...") and he could hear the breathing of Seamus, Dean and Neville and he knew they were asleep. Only Harry wasn't sleepy.
He sighed loudly. He heard Seamus move around a bit and he sat up and looked at him. Seamus was asleep still; he'd only rolled over.
Harry lay back again.
This is too far, he thought. Wonder what time it is...can't be late, I remember everyone being kind of sleepy.
He looked over. Ron had flung his watch across the room and Harry squinted and made out "11:00."
It wasn't too late.
He wondered if Hagrid was still awake. More than likely. If he didn't visit him, he'd just take a loooong walk outside. Maybe it would help him sort things out...help him find out what he should do.
I'll do that.
Harry quietly got out of bed and groped around to find his trunk. He fished around in it for a minute or so and pulled out something: the Invisiblity Cloak.
He slipped it on and looked back at everyone. Dean was sleeping with his mouth slightly open and Seamus was restlessly rustling around. Ron was still muttered and Neville was snoring quite loudly.
"Good," he muttered quietly and slipped out of the room and made his way through the common room.
He never really looked up till he was outside Hogwarts.
The first thing he noticed as he stepped out was the way the cold, dark air from somewhere cold and dark hit his skin and the way and cold grass felt under his slippered feet. (His slippers were thin; he could feel the grass.)
The second thing Harry noticed was how still and how quiet everything was. The only sound to be heard was the loud wind rustling the grass. Harry felt a shiver go up his spine and he made his way to Hagrid's.
As he neared Hagrid's little, er, house, he thought about what he'd say to Hagrid. Would mention anything? Would Hagrid be mad that Harry had sneaked out in the middle of night to see him?
Harry knocked on the door.
There was a sound inside and then the door swung open. Hagrid stood there and his large face split into a grin. Harry felt his knees weaken from relief. "C'mon in, Harry."
And in Harry went.
"What are ya' doin' out at late at night?" he asked, sitting down at the table and Harry did the same. "Ya' shouldn' be wanderin' around the school this late. Might get in trouble."
"I couldn't sleep," Harry said miserably. "I've been kind of having some, er...problems."
"Problems?" Hagrid sounded alarmed and Harry felt relief oddly like he had felt when Hagrid had opened the door. "Is it somethin' bad?"
"Really bad," muttered Harry. "It's Ron and Hermione. They're fighting...a lot. It happened...gee, I don't remember when it happened. But Hermione said something to Ron and Ron and got mad and so on and so forth. But it's gotten so out of hand...so out of hand Ron burned Hermione's homework and then Hermione slapped him." He sighed. "I've never seen Ron so mad."
Hagrid nodded, listening. He sighed too. "Well, Harry, it sounds pretty bad to me. Have ya' tried talkin' to them?"
Harry nodded. "Everything. I tried to talk to Ron, but all he wants to do is complain all the time. It's getting really quite annoying."
"How 'bout Hermione?"
"Same."
Hagrid nodded again. "They'll make up, I'm sure they will. Now get back to bed, Harry and don' wander round the school all night thinkin'. Things'll be better, I'm sure." And Harry left.
As Harry entered the common room about an hour later than he'd planned to, he heard the most horrible sound: the sound of a book hitting what sounded like a head.
Harry paused and hid behind an armchair and watched.
Ron was standing there, frozen, rubbing his head and a large book lay beside his feet. A very red-faced Hermione was standing there, her arm still in a throwing positon. Harry knew right off what had happened.
"You stupid...stupid little..." Ron said, his fist clenched. He clenched and unclenched them and breathed very deep and fast.
"Shut up!" screamed Hermione, her face growing even redder. "Just be quiet!" She threw another book at him and got him in the stomach. Ron, clutching his stomach, grabbed the book from the floor and flung it at Hermione.
It hit her in the arm and she picked it up and swung her arm around a few good times and let it go.
It missed Ron and skidded across the floor. It hit the chair Harry was hiding behind and Harry hoped that they didn't see him.
"Things have gone too far," he muttered.
To be continued...
Authors Note: Sorry about it being so rushed and all. It's 11:09 right now and I'm really, really tired. I know this isn't romance, but trust me, the next part will be.
By: Paige Collins
Harry Potter felt as though that day he was living out right then had to be the most worst and boring day of his entire life. Besides the fact that Snape was being extra evil (Harry promised he saw his eyes go red when Neville made a mistake) and besides the fact that Professor McGonagall had told him off for goofing off with Ron instead of paying and besides the fact that the day wasn't as pleasurable and enjoyable as he had planned it to be,
it was averge day and no really exciting-lets-kill-Harry-Potter-I'm-a-former-Death-Eater adventures. That made the day veeery boring indeed.
Harry sat back in the comfy armchair in the common room and the visions of homework swirled before his eyes. He put his hands over his face. He felt the whole day had been hopeless.
"Tons of homework," complained Ron suddenly, plopping down in an armchair beside Harry. "I don't think I'll ever be done...how about you, Hermione?"
Hermione, Harry had noticed, was seated a seat down from Ron. She grunted, but she didn't look up and continued to write furiously.
Ron sighed. "Best get on it, like Hermione over."
Hermione grunted again, not in response to Ron's comment, but a grunt of anger and he heard her quill hit the parchment hard and she grunted again. "I'll have to start over," she muttered to herself. "Messed up..."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "And we haven't even started...hey, Hermione? Can I have yours to start off?"
Hermione frowned. "It's messed up."
"I don't care...I'll fix it," said Ron.
Hermione looked at him for a moment, then handed it to him. "I left something really important out," she said, as though it was a warning.
Ron ignored her as he examined the parchment. He frowned like Hermione had. "Hermione...you left out a word. A word. Well, gee, that's a huge mess up."
"Hahaha," said Hermione sarcastically. "At least I've started it. You haven't even taken anything out yet. When will you learn to do things for yourself and stop depending on me for everything?"
"I don't depend on you for everything," Ron said angrily.
Hermione pointed at the parchment in Ron's hand. "Um, what do you call that, Ron, then?"
Ron looked down at it, and tossed it aside. "Better now? I'm working on it myself now, seeing as it would so deeply please you."
Hermione shrugged. "It doesn't please me, but you shouldn't depend on someone else for everything. What if you were doing something important and you depended on Harry to bring something and he forgot it?"
Ron didn't say anything, but turned to Harry and said, "You'd do that?"
Hermione groaned. "Ron, that isn't the point. The point is that you should take repsonsiblity for some things and not shove everything on someone else."
"But you didn't say shove everything off on someone else," said Ron. "You said not to depend on everyone."
"It's basically the same point," said Hermione.
"Is not."
"It is too, Ron, you're being childish."
"I'm not being childish. And it is not."
"See? You are too being childish."
"And you are confusing things."
"I am not confusing things!"
Harry cleared his throat suddenly and very loudly. Neither Ron nor Hermione heard him or they pretended they didn't.
"Well, at least I don't go nosing around in other people's business and at least I keep to my own business, unlike some people and I won't say any names, Hermione."
"I am not nosing around in other people's business, Ron."
"Oh, I supposed you're just curious all those times before we were friends? Face it, you're a bossy little know-it-all."
Hermione suddenly looked very serious. "Is that the way you want it, Ron Weasley? Well, two can play at that game." And then she whirled around and walked up to the girls' dormitories.
"Gee, what's gotten into her?"
Harry shrugged.
As Harry had suspeted, things hadn't cleared up by that night. Ron, after they'd gone into their dorm, kept cursing about Hermione under his breath where Harry couldn't hear, but he said it a little loud.
"Stupid know-it-all," he muttered, punching the nearest object: a pillow. He punched it very hard.
"What's wrong?" asked Seamus. "Is he mad or something?"
"...right I'm mad..." muttered Ron quite angrily. "I mean, who does she think she is? She isn't any better than I am, that's for sure. She's nothing but a little..." (the next things he said caused Neville to automatically say "Ron!")
And then Ron stormed out of the dorm and down into the dark common room.
"Gee...I've never seen him so mad," said Neville.
Harry had never seen Ron so mad either.
"Must of gotten into a fight with someone," observed Dean. "Wonder who, though."
"He's mad at Hermione," said Harry with a slight sigh. "He called her a name..."
"Not any worse than what he just called," Seamus muttered. "Nothing could be worse than what he just called her."
"What happened?" asked Dean.
"Well, like I just said, he called her name and all this and she goes, 'Ron Weasley, is that how you want it?' Or something like that."
"That's not so bad," said Neville. "Not something he should really be mad about."
"But she looked really, really mad at him, though. She said he shouldn't depend on other people for things. He wanted to copy her report," he added, explaining why he had said that. "And he got mad about everything. Kinda silly, if you ask me."
"And we didn't ask you," said a voice.
Harry looked up to see that Ron had come back. "Guess what Hermione has done? Just guess what Hermione has done?"
"We could never guess," said Harry.
Ron ignored him. "I'll tell you what she did! I came down and there she was, burnign some parchment. I asked what she was burning and she told me none of my business. So I grabbed it from her and even though it was burned, I could make out what it was." He closed his eyes. "Turns out I left my report in the common room."
"You mean..."
"All that work was burned. So I burned a couple of things of hers."
"Ron! You didn't!" Harry was horrified at how far Ron was carrying things.
"I did. Her report, all her homework. I guess her perfect little grades will be ruined...I'll show her I don't have to depend on her for everything."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Ron, is that what this is all about? Aren't you carrying this a bit far?"
Ron was silent, perhaps thinking. "No," he said shortly. "No, I don't think I'm carrying things a bit far, but she deserves it. I'm sick of her annoying little attitude." His fists clenched. "This is it..."
"You aren't going to kill her, are you?!" cried Neville wildy.
Ron unclenched his fist. "No, Neville, don't be stupid."
Neville looked down, hurt. "You are carrying things a bit far," he said quietly, brave. "Why don't you apologize?"
"I will when she does," he answered.
"That's stupid, Ron," said Seamus bluntly. (He was always blunt.)
"It is not," said Ron. "She also hit me."
"Did you hit her back?" asked Dean eagerly.
"No," said Ron miserably. "She was too quick."
And things didn't improve that following morning. Hermione arrived at breakfast with a very aggravated look on her face. She sat by Harry, across from Ron and was silent.
"So," said Ron.
"So? So what?"
Ron frowned angrily at her. "So nothing."
"So why'd you say 'so'?"
"Cause I felt like it, that's why! Do you have to have a logical explaination for everything, Hermione, is it because you're such a little know-it-all, is that it?"
"Don't forget Mudblood, Weasley," said a drawling, cold voice behind them. They all whipped around to see that Draco Malfoy, who had been passing the Gryffindor table, was standing there. He was wearing an evil grin.
"You watch that hole in your ugly face you call a mouth!" barked Ron, standing up. Then he blushed. "I mean...I mean, I totally agree. I did forget Mudblood."
But he looked uncomfortable.
"Standing up for Granger, are you? Got yourself a girlfriend?" he said, looking down at him as though he was a thing stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"I most certainly do not have a girlfriend," spat Ron. "She is not my girlfriend, hear me, Malfoy?"
But Malfoy merely waved his hand idly in front of his face. "Whatever you say, Weasley, whatever you say."
And then he swept around and walked back to the Slytherin table, beckoning some to pull in closer and he began to whisper furiously. He was looking directly at Ron.
And Ron sat down. "The nerve of him," he muttered. "The nerve." Then he looked around furiously. "Where is Hermione, anyway?"
Harry jerked his head. Ron caught a glimpse of Hermione, running out with her face buried in her hands, tears falling through her fingers.
"She keeps looking at me as though I'm going to kill her or something," Ron whispered, as Hermione eyed him evilly across the room. She kept shaking her head, her eyes glittering evilly.
"You called her a Mudblood," said Harry. "No wonder she's upset, Ron. That was a bit too far, too."
"She deserves it," said Ron bitterly. "She is too a Mudblood."
Harry shot Ron a furious look, but he didn't notice it. Snape was moving closer to them now, examing their potions that they had made earlier. Harry knew he and Ron would be told off, for Ron had spent most of the time looking at Hermione or not paying attention.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," said a cold voice suddenly. Harry looked up to see Snape was right there. He'd never heard him come over. "This is the wrong color." Then he looked at Ron. Ron was looking at Hermione, mouthing rude words at her.
"Weasley!" he barked.
Ron jumped and blushed. "Yes, Professor?"
"Is there something the class should know?" he said softly, looking evilly at Hermione, who was trying hard to catch Ron's eye again. "Granger! Keep your eyes to yourself...and you too, Weasley."
Ron looked angrily at Snape, who glided away as silent as he came.
Things never cleared up all day long. Harry felt like the whole situation was hopeless. Ron suddenly, in the last hour, expected Ron to take his side and Hermione had tried to meet with Harry after class a few times, and once she caught him, all she said was really rude and mean things about Ron.
He thought about all this as he said the password to the Fat Lady. ("Fairy dust.") He thought maybe he'd meet Hermione and Ron in the common room and try to somehow make them make up.
But his thoughts were shattered as piercing, evil yell reached his ears.
"You stupid little...little..."
"Words fail, you dear?"
The first voice had belonged to Ron, the second Hermione. Harry didn't like the sound of either of them.
"Well, you don't just hit people, Hermione for no good reason! Man! I need this cheek you do notice that, don't you?"
"You want it again, Weasley?"
"Oh, so we're on last names, are we, Granger?"
There was a loud sound.
"My book! Get that out of the fire right now, Weasley! Right now...stop! Stop, what the...what do you think you're doing? Fine then, just run away! Someone please get my book...please..."
Harry entered the common room too late. There was Ron, running furiously up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Hermione was standing there, trying to get her book out of the fire. It was only slighlty burned, but she looked extremely angry. And she was muttering, "I'll kill him...I'll kill him...I'll kill him..."
Harry quickly walked past her and she didn't even notice him standing there. She was trying to pick up a large mess, more than likely made by Ron and the crowd that had been around them was breaking up, people very quiet.
Harry hurried up the dorm, but he paused at the door and listened.
WHAM!
Something slammed against the door very loud and very suddenly and it caused Harry to jump back. "Ron?"
"Harry? Come in... you'll never guess what Hermione did," he said bitterly as Harry entered. Harry closed the door quietly behind and noticed a large mark on the door.
"I saw it all," he said, sitting down on his bed. "Everything. I'm sorry you're taking this so far."
"She's started this all," he said quietly, staring off in space. "Ugh..." he let his voice out very slowly.
"It's okay," said Harry awkwardly. "You'll make up, though, I know it. This whole thing will blow over by tomorrow morning, I know it."
Ron nodded, although Harry thought he didn't look as though he meant it.
Harry lay awake, staring at the top of his bed, his eyes wide and not in the least bit sleepy. He could hear Ron muttering in his sleep. ("Yeah...Hermione...stupid...") and he could hear the breathing of Seamus, Dean and Neville and he knew they were asleep. Only Harry wasn't sleepy.
He sighed loudly. He heard Seamus move around a bit and he sat up and looked at him. Seamus was asleep still; he'd only rolled over.
Harry lay back again.
This is too far, he thought. Wonder what time it is...can't be late, I remember everyone being kind of sleepy.
He looked over. Ron had flung his watch across the room and Harry squinted and made out "11:00."
It wasn't too late.
He wondered if Hagrid was still awake. More than likely. If he didn't visit him, he'd just take a loooong walk outside. Maybe it would help him sort things out...help him find out what he should do.
I'll do that.
Harry quietly got out of bed and groped around to find his trunk. He fished around in it for a minute or so and pulled out something: the Invisiblity Cloak.
He slipped it on and looked back at everyone. Dean was sleeping with his mouth slightly open and Seamus was restlessly rustling around. Ron was still muttered and Neville was snoring quite loudly.
"Good," he muttered quietly and slipped out of the room and made his way through the common room.
He never really looked up till he was outside Hogwarts.
The first thing he noticed as he stepped out was the way the cold, dark air from somewhere cold and dark hit his skin and the way and cold grass felt under his slippered feet. (His slippers were thin; he could feel the grass.)
The second thing Harry noticed was how still and how quiet everything was. The only sound to be heard was the loud wind rustling the grass. Harry felt a shiver go up his spine and he made his way to Hagrid's.
As he neared Hagrid's little, er, house, he thought about what he'd say to Hagrid. Would mention anything? Would Hagrid be mad that Harry had sneaked out in the middle of night to see him?
Harry knocked on the door.
There was a sound inside and then the door swung open. Hagrid stood there and his large face split into a grin. Harry felt his knees weaken from relief. "C'mon in, Harry."
And in Harry went.
"What are ya' doin' out at late at night?" he asked, sitting down at the table and Harry did the same. "Ya' shouldn' be wanderin' around the school this late. Might get in trouble."
"I couldn't sleep," Harry said miserably. "I've been kind of having some, er...problems."
"Problems?" Hagrid sounded alarmed and Harry felt relief oddly like he had felt when Hagrid had opened the door. "Is it somethin' bad?"
"Really bad," muttered Harry. "It's Ron and Hermione. They're fighting...a lot. It happened...gee, I don't remember when it happened. But Hermione said something to Ron and Ron and got mad and so on and so forth. But it's gotten so out of hand...so out of hand Ron burned Hermione's homework and then Hermione slapped him." He sighed. "I've never seen Ron so mad."
Hagrid nodded, listening. He sighed too. "Well, Harry, it sounds pretty bad to me. Have ya' tried talkin' to them?"
Harry nodded. "Everything. I tried to talk to Ron, but all he wants to do is complain all the time. It's getting really quite annoying."
"How 'bout Hermione?"
"Same."
Hagrid nodded again. "They'll make up, I'm sure they will. Now get back to bed, Harry and don' wander round the school all night thinkin'. Things'll be better, I'm sure." And Harry left.
As Harry entered the common room about an hour later than he'd planned to, he heard the most horrible sound: the sound of a book hitting what sounded like a head.
Harry paused and hid behind an armchair and watched.
Ron was standing there, frozen, rubbing his head and a large book lay beside his feet. A very red-faced Hermione was standing there, her arm still in a throwing positon. Harry knew right off what had happened.
"You stupid...stupid little..." Ron said, his fist clenched. He clenched and unclenched them and breathed very deep and fast.
"Shut up!" screamed Hermione, her face growing even redder. "Just be quiet!" She threw another book at him and got him in the stomach. Ron, clutching his stomach, grabbed the book from the floor and flung it at Hermione.
It hit her in the arm and she picked it up and swung her arm around a few good times and let it go.
It missed Ron and skidded across the floor. It hit the chair Harry was hiding behind and Harry hoped that they didn't see him.
"Things have gone too far," he muttered.
To be continued...
Authors Note: Sorry about it being so rushed and all. It's 11:09 right now and I'm really, really tired. I know this isn't romance, but trust me, the next part will be.