Chapter One: The Experienced One
"I can't eat," Ron Weasley said in disgust, pushing his plate away at breakfast
for the first time at Hogwarts.
"Nonsense, Ron, you have to eat something," Hermione replied, looking up
fromher Arithmancy textbook.
"Stuff it, 'Mione," Ron retorted, ignoring the smile that always seemed to
stretch across her face when he called her by his newly-adopted nickname even though her
liking of it usually pleased him.
Hermione continued to read, but occasionally her shoulders gave a slight lurch
as she tried to hold back her amusement. Beside Ron, Harry absently pushed his half-eaten
pancakes across his plate, amazed that so much of the strawberry syrup he had poured on
had been absorbed. He cut himself another piece, raised it to his mouth, and felt violently
sick at the prospect of eating it. Two seconds later he pushed his plate as far away from him
as Ron had and sat staring off into space. Arms folded, Ron looked from Harry's abandoned
plate to Hermione, still happily reading and nibbling on a muffin, and burst out,
"Harry's not eating either."
"That doesn't matter. You still should eat," Hermione answered carelessly, for
all the world seeming completely engrossed in her book.
Mouth dropping open, Ron looked briefly at Harry who was already cringing
in anticipation and asked,
"What's the difference?"
"Harry's the experienced one," Hermione answered in the same careless tone.
All the color drained from Ron's face and he simply stared at her, a muscle in his
cheek twitching constantly. Realizing too late what she had said, Hermione's cheeks turned
as red as Ron's hair and she set her book aside as she said,
"Ron, I didn't mean..."
"Don't even bother. It's the truth, isn't it?" Ron replied in a voice that was not his
own.
Looking very much like she was going to burst into tears, Hermione tried to speak
to him again but Harry quickly shook his head and she fell silent. Rising from his seat, Ron
left the Great Hall without even looking at the two of them, his eyes narrowed and his hands
clenched at his sides. Lips trembling, Hermione stared after him long after he had left and
quickly buried her face in her book again. Sighing, Harry unthinkingly took a bite of his
syrup-soaked pancakce and almost spit it out, it was so sweet. Ron took things too
personally sometimes...but Harry understood how he felt. The morning of his first Quidditch
match had not been easy; nor had the night before and from the mutterings he had periodically
heard throughout the night, he suspected that Ron had gotten little, if any, sleep. And now
Hermione had...turning to look at the girl sitting beside him, Harry smiled grimly to see that
she was still on the page...and her book was upside down and said quietly,
"I know you didn't mean that the way it sounded, Herm."
"I still shouldn't have said it. He's nervous enough without me saying he's
inexperienced," Hermione moaned, closing her book and burying her face in her arms. Shaking
his head, Harry debated whether or not to put a hand on her shoulder, spared from the decision
when she continued, "But he's good, he really is. I've seen him practice and Wood...why didn't
I think?"
Hermione let out a cry of frustration and leapt to her feet, taking up her Arithmancy
book and scurrying out of the Great Hall. Left alone, Harry shook his head at his friends and
rose to leave when a familiar voice spoke from behind him,
"Good luck today, Harry. Where was Hermione going in such a hurry? We were
going to get seats together."
Smiling, Harry turned around to see Ginny Weasley, a smile on her freckled face,
standing behind him. Lately Ginny had strated hanging out with the three of them(Ron had
grumbled good-naturedly about her being a tag-along for a day and then forgot it completely),
partially due to her growing friendship with Hermione, who was more than grateful to have
another girl around when harry and Ron were behaving too much like the boys they were.
Looking in the directoin that both Hermione and Ron had exited in, Harry's smile became grim
as he answered,
"Thanks, Ginny. I don't know where Hermione went."
"Something wrong."
"Your brother, what else?" Harry joked.
"Oh," Ginny said, her eyes lighting up for an instant and then dying out.
Studying her for a moment, Harry watched as she began to chew on her lip, certain
that there was something about Ron and Hermione that she understood and he did not. Oh he
knew why Ron hated Krum so much, he knew even better than Ron why his friend was able
to so perfectly mimic the Bulgarian's accent that the entire Gryffindor table was in stitches
listen to it, but this...this was something else altogether. Sighing, Ginny sat down next to Harry
and asked,
"Who set who off?"
"Hermione said something she shouldn't have."
"What?"
"Something about Ron not being experienced at Quidditch."
"Oh."
There it was again. Harry found himself staring at her, still wondering what it was
she seemed to know that he didn't. Springing to her feet, Ginny threw him a lop-sided smile, so
similar to Ron's that it was eerie and said,
"I know she didn't mean it. I'd better find her or all the good seats will be taken. Bye,
Harry."
She was gone before he could say anything more and Harry was briefly reminded of
the little girl who had let out a shriek and disappeared every time she saw him during his first
visit at the Burrow. There was really very little left of that girl now. And what was it with
everyone leaving him in a hurry today? Rising to leave himself, Harry flashed a thumbs up at
the Weasley twins and left the Great Hall. He only hoped Ron wouldn't let what Hermione said
interfere with his playing ability.
'Harry's the experienced one," Hermione's voice echoed in Ron's head despite all
his efforts to drown it out. He knew that she hadn't meant it that way...he had seen the look on
her face, but he still couldn't get it out of his head. He hadn't had an easy night either and after
one bite of his toast, he had known that anything else entering his stomach had no chance of
staying there. It was just a game of Quidditch and yet it wasn't. This time it wouldn't just be his
fellow Gryffindors who were watchign, but all of Hogwarts, including Dumbledore and the
Slytherins. His own desperate need to prove himself was going to be his downfall.
"Weasley's going to fall off his broom the moment he sees a Hufflepuff coming.
His broom's a disgrace to the sport, I don't even know why they're letting him fly..."
Malfoy's voice drifted towards him and Ron quickly ducked out of the main
corridor. The last thing he needed right now was a confrontation with Malfoy.
Draco and his goons passed and Ron cautiously poked his head out into the
hallway before emerging. Fall off his broom?! Disgrace to the sport?! Clenching his fists, Ron
bit back a cry of frustration and resumed his path to the locker rooms. Why did everyone
expect him to fail?! From Malfoy it was to be expected, but Hermione, too?! You'll just have
to show them, Weasley. Gritting his teeth, Ron ignored the voice asking, what if you can't, and
quickened his pace. Wood was the only one besides his brother and Harry who had complete
faith in his capabilites as Keeper.
Unable to stay away, the former Keeper and Captain had paid Hogwarts a visit two
weeks ago to find out who had replaced him. Finding another Weasley on the team had shocked
him at first, though Ron believed it had been pleasantly, and his eyes had bulged when Katie
told him about his try-out. *see Quidditch, Questions, and Quips* Wood hadn't been able
to believe in it completely, however, until he saw Ron fly. Ron performed well in practice and
immediately upon landing, had found himself being enthusiastically dragged by Wood to
Hogsmeade for a drink at the Three Broomsticks. Three hours later he had still been sitting there
when a laughing Fred and George came to rescue him...there was no doubt in his mind even now
that Wood could have gone on for three hours more had he not been stopped. Ron sincerely
hoped that Wood wouldn't be there today...if he played well, he'd never have a moment's peace.
No 'if's,' Weasley. You've wanted to play Quidditch in a real field and not against
Fred or George or Charlie foir you entire life. You can't blow your first chance. Charlie had
written him a letter of congratulations after hearing he was Keeper. Ron would would have
liked to have Charlie come today, even if he failed. I'm not going to fail. He repeated the words
under his breath as he started to change into his Quidditch robes. A somber Fred and George
arrived a few minutes later, Harry hot on their heels. The nerves fluttering in Ron's stomach
only intensified at the sight of their confidence and then diminished as he gripped his broom
tightly. Strangely, the closer it came to the time of the match, the less nervous he became. He
knew the moves of the Hufflepuff chasers as well as he knew Alicia, Katie, and Angelina's,
though it was certain that they were going to be harder on him because he was green...and
inexperienced. Would her voice never get out of his head?!
Not inexperienced, just untried...that was really what Hermione had meant. It was
one thing to be good in practice where your own teammates were the ones bearing down on
you, and another thing entirely when it was another team who wanted to win just as badly as
yours did. A presence at his side jerked Ron out of his thoughts and he looked over to find
Harry grinning at him.
"You're going to break that broom, Weasley, if you keep gripping it that way,"
Harry muttered as Ron sheepishly loosened his hold on the item in question.
"More likely it'll break when I use it on your head," Ron retorted.
Shaking his head, Harry studied Ron for a moment, clearly checking ot see if he
was still upset over breakfast and Ron gave him a reassuring lop-sided smile.
"I'm fine, you dolt. I know she didn't mean it," Ron muttered as he and Harry
joined the others for Katie's pre-game pep talk.
Harry gave him yet another penetrating stare and Ron poked him in the ribs with
his broom. Harry promptly kicked him in the shins and Ron was about to retaliate when a
stern look from Katie prevented him. He didn't listen much to her speech--it was short,
however, unlike Wood's lengthy orations--instead thinking of the the crowd that was
accumulating in the stands. He was going to show them...he was going to show them all that
he was more than just another Weasley...more than Harry Potter's best friend. The team smiled
grimly at one another upon the conclusion of Katie's talk and went out onto the field.
"I can't eat," Ron Weasley said in disgust, pushing his plate away at breakfast
for the first time at Hogwarts.
"Nonsense, Ron, you have to eat something," Hermione replied, looking up
fromher Arithmancy textbook.
"Stuff it, 'Mione," Ron retorted, ignoring the smile that always seemed to
stretch across her face when he called her by his newly-adopted nickname even though her
liking of it usually pleased him.
Hermione continued to read, but occasionally her shoulders gave a slight lurch
as she tried to hold back her amusement. Beside Ron, Harry absently pushed his half-eaten
pancakes across his plate, amazed that so much of the strawberry syrup he had poured on
had been absorbed. He cut himself another piece, raised it to his mouth, and felt violently
sick at the prospect of eating it. Two seconds later he pushed his plate as far away from him
as Ron had and sat staring off into space. Arms folded, Ron looked from Harry's abandoned
plate to Hermione, still happily reading and nibbling on a muffin, and burst out,
"Harry's not eating either."
"That doesn't matter. You still should eat," Hermione answered carelessly, for
all the world seeming completely engrossed in her book.
Mouth dropping open, Ron looked briefly at Harry who was already cringing
in anticipation and asked,
"What's the difference?"
"Harry's the experienced one," Hermione answered in the same careless tone.
All the color drained from Ron's face and he simply stared at her, a muscle in his
cheek twitching constantly. Realizing too late what she had said, Hermione's cheeks turned
as red as Ron's hair and she set her book aside as she said,
"Ron, I didn't mean..."
"Don't even bother. It's the truth, isn't it?" Ron replied in a voice that was not his
own.
Looking very much like she was going to burst into tears, Hermione tried to speak
to him again but Harry quickly shook his head and she fell silent. Rising from his seat, Ron
left the Great Hall without even looking at the two of them, his eyes narrowed and his hands
clenched at his sides. Lips trembling, Hermione stared after him long after he had left and
quickly buried her face in her book again. Sighing, Harry unthinkingly took a bite of his
syrup-soaked pancakce and almost spit it out, it was so sweet. Ron took things too
personally sometimes...but Harry understood how he felt. The morning of his first Quidditch
match had not been easy; nor had the night before and from the mutterings he had periodically
heard throughout the night, he suspected that Ron had gotten little, if any, sleep. And now
Hermione had...turning to look at the girl sitting beside him, Harry smiled grimly to see that
she was still on the page...and her book was upside down and said quietly,
"I know you didn't mean that the way it sounded, Herm."
"I still shouldn't have said it. He's nervous enough without me saying he's
inexperienced," Hermione moaned, closing her book and burying her face in her arms. Shaking
his head, Harry debated whether or not to put a hand on her shoulder, spared from the decision
when she continued, "But he's good, he really is. I've seen him practice and Wood...why didn't
I think?"
Hermione let out a cry of frustration and leapt to her feet, taking up her Arithmancy
book and scurrying out of the Great Hall. Left alone, Harry shook his head at his friends and
rose to leave when a familiar voice spoke from behind him,
"Good luck today, Harry. Where was Hermione going in such a hurry? We were
going to get seats together."
Smiling, Harry turned around to see Ginny Weasley, a smile on her freckled face,
standing behind him. Lately Ginny had strated hanging out with the three of them(Ron had
grumbled good-naturedly about her being a tag-along for a day and then forgot it completely),
partially due to her growing friendship with Hermione, who was more than grateful to have
another girl around when harry and Ron were behaving too much like the boys they were.
Looking in the directoin that both Hermione and Ron had exited in, Harry's smile became grim
as he answered,
"Thanks, Ginny. I don't know where Hermione went."
"Something wrong."
"Your brother, what else?" Harry joked.
"Oh," Ginny said, her eyes lighting up for an instant and then dying out.
Studying her for a moment, Harry watched as she began to chew on her lip, certain
that there was something about Ron and Hermione that she understood and he did not. Oh he
knew why Ron hated Krum so much, he knew even better than Ron why his friend was able
to so perfectly mimic the Bulgarian's accent that the entire Gryffindor table was in stitches
listen to it, but this...this was something else altogether. Sighing, Ginny sat down next to Harry
and asked,
"Who set who off?"
"Hermione said something she shouldn't have."
"What?"
"Something about Ron not being experienced at Quidditch."
"Oh."
There it was again. Harry found himself staring at her, still wondering what it was
she seemed to know that he didn't. Springing to her feet, Ginny threw him a lop-sided smile, so
similar to Ron's that it was eerie and said,
"I know she didn't mean it. I'd better find her or all the good seats will be taken. Bye,
Harry."
She was gone before he could say anything more and Harry was briefly reminded of
the little girl who had let out a shriek and disappeared every time she saw him during his first
visit at the Burrow. There was really very little left of that girl now. And what was it with
everyone leaving him in a hurry today? Rising to leave himself, Harry flashed a thumbs up at
the Weasley twins and left the Great Hall. He only hoped Ron wouldn't let what Hermione said
interfere with his playing ability.
'Harry's the experienced one," Hermione's voice echoed in Ron's head despite all
his efforts to drown it out. He knew that she hadn't meant it that way...he had seen the look on
her face, but he still couldn't get it out of his head. He hadn't had an easy night either and after
one bite of his toast, he had known that anything else entering his stomach had no chance of
staying there. It was just a game of Quidditch and yet it wasn't. This time it wouldn't just be his
fellow Gryffindors who were watchign, but all of Hogwarts, including Dumbledore and the
Slytherins. His own desperate need to prove himself was going to be his downfall.
"Weasley's going to fall off his broom the moment he sees a Hufflepuff coming.
His broom's a disgrace to the sport, I don't even know why they're letting him fly..."
Malfoy's voice drifted towards him and Ron quickly ducked out of the main
corridor. The last thing he needed right now was a confrontation with Malfoy.
Draco and his goons passed and Ron cautiously poked his head out into the
hallway before emerging. Fall off his broom?! Disgrace to the sport?! Clenching his fists, Ron
bit back a cry of frustration and resumed his path to the locker rooms. Why did everyone
expect him to fail?! From Malfoy it was to be expected, but Hermione, too?! You'll just have
to show them, Weasley. Gritting his teeth, Ron ignored the voice asking, what if you can't, and
quickened his pace. Wood was the only one besides his brother and Harry who had complete
faith in his capabilites as Keeper.
Unable to stay away, the former Keeper and Captain had paid Hogwarts a visit two
weeks ago to find out who had replaced him. Finding another Weasley on the team had shocked
him at first, though Ron believed it had been pleasantly, and his eyes had bulged when Katie
told him about his try-out. *see Quidditch, Questions, and Quips* Wood hadn't been able
to believe in it completely, however, until he saw Ron fly. Ron performed well in practice and
immediately upon landing, had found himself being enthusiastically dragged by Wood to
Hogsmeade for a drink at the Three Broomsticks. Three hours later he had still been sitting there
when a laughing Fred and George came to rescue him...there was no doubt in his mind even now
that Wood could have gone on for three hours more had he not been stopped. Ron sincerely
hoped that Wood wouldn't be there today...if he played well, he'd never have a moment's peace.
No 'if's,' Weasley. You've wanted to play Quidditch in a real field and not against
Fred or George or Charlie foir you entire life. You can't blow your first chance. Charlie had
written him a letter of congratulations after hearing he was Keeper. Ron would would have
liked to have Charlie come today, even if he failed. I'm not going to fail. He repeated the words
under his breath as he started to change into his Quidditch robes. A somber Fred and George
arrived a few minutes later, Harry hot on their heels. The nerves fluttering in Ron's stomach
only intensified at the sight of their confidence and then diminished as he gripped his broom
tightly. Strangely, the closer it came to the time of the match, the less nervous he became. He
knew the moves of the Hufflepuff chasers as well as he knew Alicia, Katie, and Angelina's,
though it was certain that they were going to be harder on him because he was green...and
inexperienced. Would her voice never get out of his head?!
Not inexperienced, just untried...that was really what Hermione had meant. It was
one thing to be good in practice where your own teammates were the ones bearing down on
you, and another thing entirely when it was another team who wanted to win just as badly as
yours did. A presence at his side jerked Ron out of his thoughts and he looked over to find
Harry grinning at him.
"You're going to break that broom, Weasley, if you keep gripping it that way,"
Harry muttered as Ron sheepishly loosened his hold on the item in question.
"More likely it'll break when I use it on your head," Ron retorted.
Shaking his head, Harry studied Ron for a moment, clearly checking ot see if he
was still upset over breakfast and Ron gave him a reassuring lop-sided smile.
"I'm fine, you dolt. I know she didn't mean it," Ron muttered as he and Harry
joined the others for Katie's pre-game pep talk.
Harry gave him yet another penetrating stare and Ron poked him in the ribs with
his broom. Harry promptly kicked him in the shins and Ron was about to retaliate when a
stern look from Katie prevented him. He didn't listen much to her speech--it was short,
however, unlike Wood's lengthy orations--instead thinking of the the crowd that was
accumulating in the stands. He was going to show them...he was going to show them all that
he was more than just another Weasley...more than Harry Potter's best friend. The team smiled
grimly at one another upon the conclusion of Katie's talk and went out onto the field.