I have made progress finally thanks to Ron. It was Halloween morning. We were in our Charms class, and Professor Flitwick taught us about "Wingardium Leviosa". Ron and Hermione were paired together, and I was with Harry. Hermione and Ron got into an argument about how the spell worked, and Hermione showed Ron it was to be done. After class, while we were talking about Halloween,
"I can't wait for Halloween dinner!" I said.
"Neither can I, the decorations are already looking so wonderful." Harry added.
"No wonder she doesn't have any friends, she's a nightmare!" Ron said so loudly, that it almost seemed he wanted Hermione to hear.
"I think she heard you!" Harry said, looking back at Hermione. I had a brief glimpse at her face and found she was in tears. I left the conversation there and went after her.
"Hermione… HERMIONE… wait up!" She didn't seem to have heard me. I ran after her and caught up with her pretty soon.
"Hermione, are you alright?"
"Leave me alone!"
"You shouldn't be upset over what Ron said."
"It isn't just Ron. You said it weeks back. I hear almost every single day, someone make a similar remark" said Hermione, while her eyes welled up.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said those things. I was pissed off at Professor Snape, and when you cornered me over losing the house points, I lost it." I replied. There was silence for a good half a minute, and I decided to seize the opportunity.
"You're the smartest witch in our year, probably smarter than me. You shouldn't really care about what others think about you."
"Did you just..." she stopped midway and started walking again.
"Did I just, what?"
"Never mind! What part of leave me alone did you not understand?"
"First accept my apology, I won't let you go without that"
"Has anyone told you that you're annoying?"
"It's funny, that's exactly what I was going to ask you!" I burst out laughing as the moment I uttered those words, Hermione's face went red with anger. "I am sorry, ok? If you want people to like you, you have to put some effort into it, Hermione. They won't like you if you try to boss them around. Wizards don't go to school till they are 11, we on the other hand started when we were 5 or 6."
"You are a muggle-born?"
"Technically, No. But I grew up a muggle."
Hermione looked better than earlier, and I decided that the best course of action would be to go to the library with her. We read some interesting books, books about ancient creatures in the magical world. We talked about muggle school and the subjects that they have. Hours went by, and it was time for dinner.
"I'm famished, we should go to the great hall. Dinner must have started." I said.
"Yeah sure..." As we were leaving the library, Hermione spoke again,
"Apology accepted! You're not half as bad as I thought you were."
"Thank You!"
"And what you said about Ron, is that true?"
"Oh yeah! You know what? You should try the spell right now. Let's take a seat a few meters away from him, and you can try the spell I told you about"
"That's not a good idea"
"Only if he finds out it was us" I replied. We walked to the Great Hall, and as planned took our seat at the table a few meters behind Ron who was sitting beside Harry. The fest began and we were all devouring our food. And then after a few minutes, I said to her,
"Now or Never!" She gave a slight nod and pulled out her wand and murmured under her breath, "Procidat Incipio" pointing her wand at Ron under the table. And then we waited for a few seconds.
"Harry, pass me the..." Ron stopped midway and looked at his leg horrified and shrieked.
"Ron, what happened?" Harry asked, alarmed.
"Get off, Argh, stop" Ron got up and started dancing around as if trying to get something off his leg.
"Ron, what's the matter?"
"Spider, I hate Spiders!"
"What Spider? I can't see any spider, where is it?"
"It's there on my knee, can't you..." And then Ron's face went from horrified to confused. "It was right here"
"Ron, I still can't see it. Are you sure you didn't imagine it?"
"No, it was right here."
Few tables away, Hermione and I burst out laughing.
"Ron's face was worth it."
"I'm impressed, Hermione. You got that spell right the very first time."
"It was wonderful, thank you for that! That felt good. Who taught you that?" she asked. But before I could answer, Quirrell came sprinting into the hall,
"Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. Professor Dumbledore asked the Prefects to take the students to our house dormitories, and that was that. I thought I should owl you all of this right away.
With Lots of Love,
21815
"How did the troll get in last night?" Harry asked Ron.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid, maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke." Harry and Ron went down for breakfast. The owls flooded into the Great hall as they usually did, and a letter dropped in front of John, who was sitting beside Harry. John opened the letter and immediately got up from his seat and went away.
"John, what happened?" asked Harry, but he didn't seem to have listened.
"Wonder what's up with him!" Harry remarked.
"He's a bit weird, don't you think? I mean he sends his Aunt a letter almost every week, what's with that?"
"So do I, what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, but I don't know, he seems a bit weird to me." replied Ron.