Chapter 9

Curious by Nature

Going out of the Library I'm momentarily surprised to see Ron and Harry leaning on the wall waiting for me.

Harry strolls up, places his arm about my shoulder, and with a cheerful smile says, "Hi Hermione!" Ron offered his own hello as he steps on my other side.

"What's up guys?" I say, giving them a suspicious look.

"Oh Hermione, you're no fun sometimes! Come with us if you want to find out." says Harry with a mischievous grin that is accompanied by Ron's. These two are obviously up to something. I have to find out what it is! I think, looking between Ron and Harry.

I have always been curious by nature. I have to say that it's one of my worst faults or my best quality. I guess it depends on how you see it, right? But for me, well, it has always been bad. Ever since my first year at Hogwarts I have had to fight against it.

If curiosity hadn't taken me over in our first year, well, Harry and Ron wouldn't have been able to pass the Devils Snare. The three of us have gotten into many a mess, but always seem to come out all right... well... except for that one time in my fourth year when I turned myself into a cat! Yes! You heard right! A cat! That didn't go as planned at all, now did it? For Merlin's Beard Hermione, quit rambling to yourself!

So, like I was saying, yeah, curiosity took the best of me and I went with my two best friends to God knows where.

I have always known that Harry has a knack for finding trouble. Oh please! Don't get me wrong here, I love Harry, he is one of my best friends, he's brave, noble, friendly (most of the times), he is a very good friend, loyal, he loves to do things that don't abide by rules among other things; but let's face it, Harry always seems to attract trouble.

After an hour since leaving the Library we reach our destination, The Shrieking Shack...

We go down through the shadowy hallway with its twisted passageway, and then, climbing the crumbling stairs, we reach a room covered with debris and dust. I can also see an old tattered piano in the corner of the room and a burned fireplace. I recognize it at once, this is the room were in my third year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and I met Sirius Black; a mass murdered convict who escaped from Azkaban and that happened to be Harry's godfather. Sirius was an animagus; he could transform himself into a dog. The same dog, that dragged Ron and his pet Scabbers, who later on we discovered was also an animagus and was no other than Peter Pettigrew. At that time, we found out that Peter was the one who betrayed Harry's parents to Voldermort and that Sirius was innocent.

I was so afraid for Ron at the time! He was hurt and I couldn't bear to see him like that. I had had a crush on him since that time... a crush that later turned into love... and love into hate. Did I say hate?, no, not really hate, it's resentment. Yes, that's what it is!

"Hermione," Harry says, but I don't hear him.

Harry looks at me intently and worried. He says, "Hermione, Are you all right?"

Ron and Harry notice that I am far away and both yell into my ear, "Hermione!"

I look at both of them confused but manage to say, "What?"

Ron and Harry look at each other for a few minutes. Harry finally breakes the silence and adds, "Are you ok Hermione?"

"Yes... Why do you ask?" I expect Harry to answer but instead Ron does: "Well, we were talking to you but you were not answering..."

"Oh, it's nothing," I reply, cursing myself for not paying attention.

"Ok, if you say so," Harry says while motioning me towards a small table with three chairs around it in the back of the room that I haven't noticed.

I sit down and wait for them to speak, all the while looking from Harry to Ron both of whom give a mischievous smile. Harry looked at Ron nodding his head beckoning him to begin but Ron stands still. Finally, Ron breaks the silence and says very serious: "Hermione, we are extremely worried for Ginny, I... I can't talk to her you see...." Ron is interrupted by Harry who continues "What we want you to do is for you to talk to her about it this Christmas. We know that you have plenty of time to make her spill the beans"

I look at both of them while thinking to myself how on earth I am going to make Ginny tell me what's going on with her. Yeah, sure... I have plenty of time but Ginny is especially stubborn if she wants to be, and if she doesn't want to tell me, how am I going to convince her otherwise? "Ok guys, I'll see what I can do about it ok?" I said honestly.

I think of telling them what I saw in the Great Hall with Ginny and her new friend but decide it's better not to.

We leave the Shrieking Shack and go back to the castle and head to the Gryffindor Tower. Once there, we go through the portrait hole and enter the Common Room.

Harry and Ron go straight to the boys' dorms while I go to my own. Grabbing my things, I go to Defence Against the Dark Arts with my inseparable friends, Harry and Ron.

After class we go to lunch and sit down in our usual spot at the Gryffindor table. I take a slice of roast beef, mashed potatoes and some beans from the plates in front of me and look around the table spotting Ginny sitting next to Alicia while Luna and another Ravenclaw girl that I don't know, are sitting next to them. Why are Luna and her friend sitting at our table? It's not usual at all for any student to eat in another house's table. Neville says hello to Luna and to the other Ravenclaw girl and then resumes eating. Luna spots Harry, Ron and me and waves hello. She looks at Harry and Ron briefly and then, she sets her gaze on me, giving me a mischievous smile. Her eyes have that dreamy expression so characteristic of her. Luna turned to look at Ginny momentarily and then back to me with a strange look that I am not able to identify. She then grabs the spoon full of pudding and takes it to her mouth. Luna drops the spoon on the plate and takes the Quibbler, opening it. Turning it upside down, she starts reading it. All the while, I can't help but to stare at Ginny, how beautiful she looks, with her hair into a ponytail. Her skin so pale and full of freckles and her sky-blue eyes filled with so many emotions.

I see her paying attention to Alicia and a surge of jealousy takes over me. I want her to notice me.... I hear myself saying, "Ginny" She looks at me with questioning eyes and a certain glint of curiosity. Then, I see a momentary flicker of fire in her eyes and before I can define whether it is real or not, it is gone. "Hermione" it's the only thing she says but her tone is cold. I can't help but to shiver at this new way of treating me.

I try to catch her attention again but apparently she chooses to ignore me for the remaining time that I stand in the Great Hall. I see her standing up from the table, taking Alicia's hand to help her to get up. Then, they leave the Great Hall, hand in hand, disappearing behind the doors.

Later that day, after classes, I go to see the boys practice and head to the Quidditch pitch. On my way there, I catch a glimpse of Ginny with Alicia sitting on a bench near the Great Lake. They are talking and suddenly Alicia starts crying. Ginny looks unsure as to what to do for a moment and then, she hugs her friend trying to comfort her.

I go closer to them and hide behind a tree to get a better look. Alicia hugs Ginny back and says something to her that I can't hear. Ginny separates a bit from Alicia while looking at her straight in the eyes and caresses Alicia's hand tenderly. Seeing Ginny caressing Alicia's hand makes my insides boil with anger. I can't think clearly but nonetheless, I stay at my place not daring to move a single muscle. Ginny is getting close to Alicia's face, she closes her eyes and Alicia does the same...Oh God, they are going to kiss! Just great!

I can't tell what happens next as at that precise moment, Neville appears in front of me startling me "Hello, Hermione"

"Hello Neville" I say in a harsher way than I intended as the anger of seeing Ginny and Alicia is still present. I am afraid that both girls had heard me but don't do anything about it.

"Are you going to go to the Quidditch Trials?" Neville asks, smiling shyly.

My eyes turn to look where Ginny and Alicia are. They don't seem to notice anything unusual as they are talking again. More to remind myself about what I was supposed to be doing than anything else, I say to Neville: "I was on my way to the pitch when..." I keep staring at them and find myself unable to say another word.

Neville looks to where I was looking and smiled as if a wave of understanding has come over him. "Ginny is going to participate in the trials, you know?" Neville says, and adds, "and so is Ron." This statement makes me feel extremely uncomfortable and sick. I haven't thought of Ron. Now that it comes to mind, I haven't thought of him for a long time. What's wrong with me? Why am I suddenly angry at Alicia?, Why am I noticing now, that Ginny is beautiful, Beautiful? Did I say that? Oh for Merlin's Beard I'm in deep trouble!

I finally look at Neville and answer him, "Yes, I know Neville. Thanks for the reminder" I said sarcastically.

Neville doesn't seem to notice it and adds, "Do you mind if I go with you to the pitch?" He then, offers me his arm in a very gentleman way and waits for me to take it. Before taking his arm, I glance at Ginny and Alicia briefly. We make our way to the Quidditch grounds and go toward the stands. We sit in the lower seats of the Stadium to have a better view. There are some scattered students in there but none payed attention to us.

Flying in on their brooms are Harry and all the students that were to trying to be in the team. Among those students are, Mclaggen who I happen to know because he was part of the Slughorn club, Dean Thomas, a guy named Mcornick, the Creavey brothers, Ron , Ginny and several other students as well, that I don't recognize.

The first to try for the Keepers position is a very uptight Mclaggen. Harry gives instructions as to what to do to. He saves several goals but fails the last one. Harry doesn't seem very pleased with the results but doesn't say a thing.

The next person to try was Ron, who flies to the center of the rings and waited for the first shot. He misses it; then, comes the second and the third one missing them too. Neville and the rest of the team are very angry with him and can't believe that he had missed so many goals thanks to his lack of self confidence. Nonetheless, Harry who is completely exasperated with Ron says, "Ok Ron, this is your last chance." Harry instructed the girl who was Chaser for this occasion to throw the Quaffle once more and to everyone's surprise Ron saves it.

Harry announces that there is no winner yet for the Keepers position as he wants to do another test before making his decision. Mclaggen pouts like a little kid that didn't have what he wants and says, "Come on Harry, you know I've won!, You don't need another test to know that it was fare and square while your mate was ridiculous by saving only a goal"

"MCLAGGEN!" Harry yells angry at him, "I'm the Captain and I decide what it's needed to become part of the team. If you're not satisfied with it, then I would suggest that you leave!" to which Mclaggen doesn't say anything but when Harry turned to talk to the rest of the people there, Mclaggen muttered something and spits at the air.

Harry continues to test the remaining students and rejects some of them. When he finally has olny a few people, he announces, "We'll play as if we were on a real game. Once the game is over, I'll announce who's made it into the team. Ok guys?"

Everyone agrees and Harry announces which positions everyone would be playing. "Ron, you're going to be Keeper. Mclaggen and Ginny, you are going to be Chasers, Mcornick and Dean will be Beaters and I will be Seeker."

The game starts immediately with a goal from Mclaggen. He looks at Ron and starts making cruel jokes about him. Even though Harry reprimands him, Mclaggen keeps doing it for almost the rest of the game.

Near the end of the game, Ginny takes Dean's club sending a bludger towards Mclaggen who was oblivious to it. The bludger hit its target making Mclaggen fell of his broom unconscious.

The game was over, Mclaggen is sent to the Hospital Wing and Harry says that after what happened he would announce the results the following morning. The players start to disperse towards the locker rooms.

What the Hell happened with Ginny! Why on earth did she do that? I have to have a word with her about it! I think and say to Neville, "I have to talk with Ginny about what she did to Mclaggen."

Neville looks at me and nods curtly "I know... " He said and then added, "but Mclaggen deserved it Hermione"

I don't hear the last part. I start walking towards the locker room in search for Ginny...