Not So Innocent IV

by CuteDiva

A/N: Thank you for the awesome response to the first three parts. Here are a few matters I'd like to address:

1. Thanks to starre brooke who pointed out that Alicia and Katie are 7th years, and that they should still be at Hogwarts. I hadn't realized that, because I thought Alicia and Katie were the same age as Angelina, who was a seventh year in Book 4. I had thought about that, too, and I was so sure they had graduated! So, I'm sorry for my mistake. Alicia and Katie will be included in the plot as they rightfully should be, but they won't be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. *ducks tomatoes being thrown at her by angry reader.* Oh, c'mon, stop whining!

2. In Part III, I proposed to you, the reader, a challenge: Figure out who would make the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And the winner is *drumroll*......................................................

Corrina Flame! Yay! But this part won't tell you who made the team. But the next part will. Read on, and congratulations, CF!

Harry set off the next day to find Alicia and Katie. They had quit the team at the very start of the year because they said "they had too much to do in their last year at Hogwarts." Harry couldn't think of a better pair of Chasers. He just had to get them back. Or else picking their replacements would be very, VERY difficult.

"Katie, Alicia!" Harry said, coming up to them in the Great Hall. "I need to talk to you two."

"Sure, Harry," Alicia said. "Hey, congratulations, Captain!" she added.

"Wood would've been proud!" Katie piped in, grinning.

Harry smiled anxiously. "Listen, I want you two on the squad."

"Oh, Harry," Alicia said, looking grim all of a sudden. "We can't. It won't be as fun without Oliver and Angelina there, and we have so much to do, what with NEWT's coming up."

"And my parents don't want me near that pitch," Katie added. "What with what Dumbledore told us at the end of last year..." her voice trailed off.

Harry's stomach lurched. The year had just started, and there was no news about Voldemort, and already he was ruining Harry's life.

Harry tried to convince them, but though they were apologetic, they still refused. So Harry had no choice.

He went up to his room, pulled out a scroll, and started scribbling quickly on it. He found some Spellotape, then posted it in the common room, where everyone would see:

Attention:

Anyone interested in joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team, please sign up here and show up at the Quidditch field at 5 'o clock on Friday. We are desperate.

-Harry Potter

P.S.- BYOB: Bring Your Own Broomstick.

And, sure enough, that evening when Harry returned to the common room to do his homework, no less than 23 signatures were on the scroll. Harry laughed out loud when he saw that even Neville, who was afraid of being 10 inches above ground, let alone 10 feet, had also signed up. Harry wondered if anyone on this list could maneuver a broom. Silently, Harry wondered if this was a good idea after all.

***

It was late in the night. Hermione and Ron were in the common room, studying a particularly difficult potion recipe Snape had handed out to the class.

"Hair of griffin, feather of a fwooper, tooth of ghoul... What the fuck is this?" Ron asked.

"Ron!" Hermione said in shock, then giggled.

Oh, she looks so cute when she giggles, Ron thought, then shook himself, ruffling his bright red hair. Hermione bit her lip, smiling.

"Ron," she asked cautiously, looking down at the floor, blushing furiously. "Harry said something to me the other day that kinda made me think..."

"Yeah?" Ron asked, his pulse quickening. He was going to KILL Harry!

"Well, the thing is," Hermione breathed, realizing they were alone, and that their lips were edging closer and closer.

"What?" Ron asked, trembling slightly.

"It's just that..." Hermione whispered, her lips almost touching Ron's. She took a chance, closing her eyes, tilting her head, waiting. She could almost feel his lips on hers. Then...

"Um, Hermione, I'm tired, aren't you? I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight," Ron said abruptly, standing up and leaving before Hermione could even realize what hit her.

She had almost kissed Ron. She had almost kissed her best friend. What was she doing? Was Harry right? Could she possibly love Ron?

"Dammit!"

A/N: Not much there. R/R or I'll sick my pet fwooper on ya!