Hidden Moments

Chapter 3 - What Friends Are For

October come thick and fast, and the breeze creating a shiver when you were caught in it, but as it was coming to the end of the month, one thing was on everyone's minds. Halloween.

Luckily enough, that day happened to be the 30th. Everyone were buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the Halloween Feast. No-one had barely realised that they were in lessons, well, except for Hermione Granger.

Hermione's day had started great, she had actually had a proper conversation with Lavender Brown, and the morning couldn't have gotten better... until Charms lesson started. They were all put into pairs, and to Hermione's delight, she had been paired with Ron Weasley. That was when it went down hill.

"Everyone, the incantation is; Wingardium Leviosa!" Professor Flitwick chirped.

Hermione stared at Ron as he failed to make his feather float into the air, but Hermione couldn't help but smile, it made her heart race when he concentrated.

"It's Levio-sa, not Levio-sar!" Hermione said, helpfully, but Ron didn't look pleased.

"You do it if your so smart!" Ron hissed, pushing the feather towards her in a rage. "Go on!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione beamed as the feather rose into the air. She turned happily to Ron, who frowned and turned his back to her.

After the lesson, Hermione dropped back to try and listen into what the boys - who she knew to be Ron, Harry, Seamus, Dean and Neville - were saying. She instantly regretted it.

"So, what was Hermione like?" Harry asked Ron as they turned the corner of the second floor, Hermione still behind them.

"I thought she was going to be alright, but she was a nightmare!" Ron huffed.

Hermione felt her eyes begin to water, her hands shaking with a mix of rage and hurt. She couldn't believe what she had heard. Was she really that bad?

Hermione couldn't take it as Ron imitated her and the others laughed. She felt warm tears flood down her face. Hoping that they wouldn't notice, she put her face down and pushed passed them. Not until she reached the toilets did she lift her head up.

She looked directly into a mirror and saw her face glittering in the sunlight, her face blotchy and pale. She had so desperately wanted to make an impression that she didn't realise that people's portrayal of her would be so painful.

She opened a cubicle door and sat alone, her mind forcing her to forget what she had heard, but her heart wouldn't let her. For over two hours she sat in the cubicle, and when she did decide to leave, she wasn't expecting what was about to come...

"Hermione move!" Harry shouted, as a foul, horrific Mountain Troll stood staring at her dumbly and without warning, swung its foot long club at her.

Hermione ran into a cubicle, but had to duck almost immediately when the wood came crashing down onto her. She crawled as far as she could without drawing attention to herself, and sped towards a sink in the corner of the room.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed. He had been lifted off his feet by the troll's enormous and fleshy hand.

"Ron, do something!" Harry cried, dodging the club.

"Like what?" Ron asked desperately, looking around the room.

Hermione looked at Ron, who was now looking back at her. Ron smiled, and looked back at Harry and bellowed:

"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"

The club that was being swung by the troll lifted out of it's hand, and dropped with a loud CLUNK onto it's head, causing it to drop to the floor.

They walked slowly towards it, their eyes not meeting each others until footsteps came running into the room.

"What the-" McGonagall stood in horror at the scene in front of her. "Explain!"

"Well er- w-what it is-" Ron began, but stopped as Hermione began to speak.

"It was my fault, Professor." Hermione started, staring at the ground in fear of what was to happen. "I let the troll in, I read about them and thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. If they hadn't have come and found me, I'd probably be dead."

Hermione dared to look up. McGonagall and several other teachers were staring at her in shock, and Harry and Ron had a small smile on their face. She had got them out of trouble... but at what price?

"That was foolish of you, Miss Granger!" McGonagall took a breath. "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

Hermione sighed, It was better than she thought.

"As for you two" Hermione gasped. "Five points to both of you, for sheer dumb luck!"

Hermione left the room and began to run towards the Gryffindor common room when a voice called her back, she turned and saw that it was Ron and Harry.

"Good of you to get us out of trouble like that." Harry smiled.

"Mind you, we did save her life." Ron reminded him.

"Mind you, she wouldn't have needed saving if YOU hadn't insulted her." Harry snapped.

"Well... what are friends for?"

Hermione turned to look at Ron in disbelief, and to her surprise he was smiling at her. She smiled back.

From that moment on, Hermione Granger became friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.