The end of October had come and everyone was getting ready for Halloween. Ron was trying to choose what he would do for his annual prank. So far he had come up with two possible choices:
Put a worm in someone's food at the feast.
Walk into one of the dormitories dressed like a ghost.
While Ron was trying to decide, Hermione and Riley were decorating their room. Orange and black streamers were hung up around their beds and Crookshanks, the poor cat, was dressed up like a pumpkin.
"What are you doing to that poor animal Hermione," Harry asked as he looked at Crookshanks.
"Crookshanks is going to be the best looking cat in Hogwarts. Even Lina Black's cat won't be better dressed," Hermione said proudly, smiling down at her cat. Lina Black always dressed up her cat, named Firefly, every Halloween and bragged about it. Hermione had always hated the way Lina Black bragged every year. So this Halloween she decided to get Lina back for what she had done. Ron who had been standing next to Harry ran out of the room.
The Great Hall on Halloween night was a flash of Orange and Black. Fake bats flew in the air and all the ghosts were dressed up for the occasion. Everyone in the Gryffindor house were looking at Ron hoping not to be the person who had to suffer through his joke. Hermione kept glaring at Lina as she ate her pumpkin pie and Riley was talking to Kylie Carragan, one of the first years. Fred Weasley was flicking mashed potatoes at George and George was flicking them at Katie Bell. Harry could hear Lina talking to Margo Jarastie.
"Firefly is dressed up as a bat this year. She is once again the best looking cat that Hogwarts has ever seen," Lina said laughing. Hermione clenched her jaw and started to stand up when Lina screamed in horror.
"Look at that worm! Help someone!" she screamed. Hermione, Harry, and Riley looked at Ron. Riley and Hermione started laughing to the point where they almost fell of their chairs. Harry patted Ron as he helped himself to more potatoes, grinning widely.
"Thanks Ron! That was the best trick you pulled yet," Hermione cried through her giggles.
"Don't mention it, it's all in a days work," Ron replied.
When twelve-o'clock hit, the Gryffindor common room was empty, except for Riley, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Did you see Lina's face? She was terrified," Hermione choked. Ron smiled happily, clearly very proud of himself. Harry realized that Riley hadn't said much to him all day.
"Riley are you all right?" Harry asked, worried. She looked up and reassured him that she was fine.
"I was just thinking about something," she said smiling. After ten minutes Riley went to bed.
"Hermione what is up with her," Ron asked. Hermione looked down at her feet.
"Well she-she likes someone," Hermione said looking instantly at Ron. Ron smiled.
"She likes a Slytherin," she finished. Ron's smiled faded.
"You don't mean…" Harry said, not even believing what he was saying.
"Yes she likes Malfoy."
The room went quiet. Ron finally got up and walked out of the room. Hermione followed him. Harry sat there for a moment, thinking. His cousin liked his worst enemy.
The middle of November came quickly and people were getting more irritable. Christmas was coming and that was all anyone could think about. As usual, Professor Trelawney was predicting Harry's horrible death and that many horrible things would happen to Harry. "Your death is not the only one", she kept saying. Harry didn't pay much attention to her though, for the last two years it had always been the same thing. Ron was less chatty as the days went by. Especially on November seventeenth. Everyone went to Care for Magical Creatures, where they were learning about the long tail muzzle. This creature was horrible looking. It looked like it was half frog, half rabbit. Its nose was huge and its eyes were small. After that class, as Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Riley were walking to transfiguration, Draco Malfoy approached them.
"Hey Riley," he said. Riley smiled at him and said hi back.
"Well I just wanted to ask you a question," he looked over at Harry, "In private." Ron frowned and Hermione winced. As Riley and Malfoy began to talk Harry started to get worried. When Malfoy left Riley and she walked over, Harry's worst fears were confirmed.
"Malfoy asked me out and I said yes," Riley said sounding way too perky. She walked away and went to join Malfoy. Everyone looked at each other but didn't say a word. Ron ran away from Hermione and Harry, so they walked on together.
"I pretty much expected that," Hermione said. Harry looked at her.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well ever since they met Malfoy and Riley were just so nice to each other," she answered. Harry knew what she meant.
Harry and Ron entered Hogsmeade together, and Riley and Hermione followed. People were everywhere buying Christmas presents. December third was cold and cloudy, which were not good shopping conditions. Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Riley went to get a butter beer and Riley told them she had to go meet Draco. Ron frowned at her and walked out of the store with his butter beer. They all went to the bookstore and looked around. Ron picked up a book and he flew backward right into Neville Longbottom, who screamed pathetically. Harry and Ron both started to laugh and Harry could tell that Ron was starting to face the facts. All three of them went to almost every shop before going back to Hogwarts. Bags filled their hands and people laughing filled their ears.
That night Ron and Harry decided to go see Hermione and Riley. They crept down the hall quietly so no one would know they were in the girl's dormitories. When they got to the door they decided to listen before going into the room.
"So what do you think Draco is going to get me?" Riley said giggling. There was a pause and then Hermione answered.
"I don't know."
"Well what about Harry and Ron," Riley asked once more.
"Well, with Harry you can never tell and Ron…" Hermione paused.
"Do you think he will really get me an owl?"
"No I don't."
"Why?" Riley said. Ron and Harry crept closer to the door.
"As I said before, Ron doesn't have a lot of money so I don't think any of us should expect anything. He needs to realize how poor his family is." Hermione told her. Harry breathed in deep and Ron stood up straight obviously surprised. Harry couldn't believe Hermione would say that again. After what happened the last time she said that he never would have thought. Ron was in shock, he was just standing still. That was the last straw; Harry was going to have to confront Hermione.
"That was a bad thing to say Hermione," Harry said angrily as he stepped into the doorway. Hermione went ghostly white and Riley sat down on her bed. Ron stepped next to him. Riley put her face in her hands and Hermione gasped.
"Well, good night," Ron whispered before running out of the room. Harry frowned at Hermione.
"I hate to say this Hermione," he started, "But you deserve every minute of the silent treatment that he gives you." He walked out, still thinking about all that had happened. Was his life ever going to change for the better? Obviously not...
