CHAPTER 2: Agreed

"Hermione!" the bushy haired girl just ignored the calls that were directed to her and walked towards the transfiguration classroom. She knew that she was a bit early but she wanted to get away from Ron.

"Herm…" She narrowed her eyes and turned around. She saw that Ronald Weasely was running towards her as fast as he could. Seeing her turn around he stopped running and looked into the brown eyes of Hermione. He smiled at her, "I thought you were never gonna talk to me." He than started taking big step towards her.

"I am not talking to you Ronald." She said firmly.

"But come on, just listen to me." He stopped in front of her and placed a hand over her shoulder. "I did want to come yesterday but you see…"

"Oh forget it Ron. You have missed three of our meetings in a row." She pointed out, "And you always come to me the next day with an excuse." She moved his hand from above her shoulder.

Ron and Hermione were in their last year at Hogwarts and Hermione had decided that to get good marks in their NEWT`s this year, to get good jobs after they leave the school, they should arrange a day on which Harry, Ron and she would go down to the lake and study the whole day. As the school has recently been started so, Ron and Harry thought that it was a burden for them to study this much. Hermione always reminded them a day before that they had to come but Harry and Ron had never showed up.

"You see, Harry was feeling a bit sick so we had to go the hospital wing."

"Harry was what?" Hermione asked again. Then she looked around and saw that Harry wasn't with them, "How is he?"

"He's fine now." Ron smiled inwardly seeing that she was buying his lame excuse. Seeing a worried look on her face he ran a hand through his red hair, "really, he's fine now."

She looked at him suspiciously for a moment, "He's not admitted in the hospital wing, is he?"

Ron smiled at her, "No Hermione, he just had a little pain in his head." He stopped then took a deep breath, "You know, like he used to have when you-know-who was alive. So um… we thought it was better to show it to someone."

"Why didn't you go straight to Dumbledore?" She questioned.

"He was away, might have returned by now." Ron answered then looked at her dubiously, "Am I forgiven?"

Hermione shook her head lightly and turned around but not before saying, "Not that easily." Ron caught a glimpse of a smile forming on her face.

Ron looked at her leaving back for a minute before deciding to follow her and walking by her side, "Why?" he complained. "What do I have to do to claim your forgiveness?"

Half of what Ron had told Hermione was a lie but the other half was true, Harry did have pain in his forehead and they did went to Dumbledore but not to the hospital wing.

They took a turn and after taking a few steps were standing in front of Transfiguration classroom. There were a few Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, they had a class with them. Ron looked around and after seeing that not many people were there said to Hermione, "I'll be back in a second with my bag." And left her, running towards the corridor from where they had come from.

Hermione waited for the two of her friends for a minute even after the teacher had called them inside. Deciding that they were going to show up late, she walked inside. McGonagall looked at her and asked, "Where are to other two?" Hermione looked embarrassedly down at the ground and said sofly, "I don't know."

The teacher nodded and gestured for her to sit down on her seat. She took their usual seat in the middle of the line.

After whole five minutes the door of the classroom opened and a panting Ron and Harry appeared from behind it. McGonagall glared at them for a few seconds but said nothing other then telling them to sit on their seats.

The lecture was rather boring for Ron and Harry but Hermione was somehow engulfed in it, listening to everything the teacher was saying and answering every question that she was asking. It seemed as though she was the only one listening to her.

"So, any questions related to the topic?" McGonagall asked and looked around. When nobody raised a hand she continued, "Good. Now, as you may have read notice on the notice board that two students from the school are going to travel some places for probably research on something. And you may also know that once the students have been selected, there is no going back. You have to make the decision thoughtfully." She paused, "Anyone from my house who wants to give his/her name please tell me about it after the classes. I will come to your common room." She took a breath before continuing, "Your House teacher will also come to your common room." She said to the Hufflepuffs. Her eyes then fell upon Ron and Harry, "You three, meet me after class."

Soon the class was over and the students started to leave the class until Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only ones standing there alone. They walked up to the headmistress, she looked up from the book that she was holding, "I am sorry but due to your late arrival I have to take five points from your house." She nodded at Hermione, "And I was just thinking that maybe anyone of you was interested in going." She looked at their faces, "The decision of choosing the students will be on the head master but as you three are the most active ones in my house I thought I better suggest it." The three looked at each other, "Take your time, I am not forcing you. You may leave now." She said and returned to the book.

Seeing that they were not going to get their teacher's attention anytime soon, they turned around and left the class room.

Once outside, Harry took a breath "I am going to give my name."

"Me too." Ron agreed, the two then looked at Hermione who was lost in her thoughts, "What about you Herms?" he asked.

"I am not quite sure." She said honestly.

Harry grabbed Hermione's arm, "Come on Hermione, if you get selected… its going to be so much fun."

"And you can do your research or whatever. Don't you want to know about other schools history and about muggles?" Ron asked.

"I know all about their history." She said, "I have to think about it." She said hesitantly, looking into space.

Harry let go of her arm, "Wouldn't it be fun?" he asked once again.

"I'll miss the exams."

"Oh for marlin's sake, can't you forget about them?" Harry asked.

"Ok, ok. I'll also give my name." Hermione said and the two smiled.

"Now we're talking." Ron slapped her back, encouragingly.