Chapter 4: An Awkward Day
The four of them sat around a table silently eating their ice cream. Hermione looked around the table as she spooned her vanilla sundae into her mouth. Ron was busy lapping up his giant cone of almond chocolate. Harry dug his spoon into a banana. Cho cheerfully and neatly ate her blueberry ice cream. "So," she said, taking a break from her cone, "are all of you excited about your fifth year?"
Harry had just shoved a spoonful of ice cream covered in caramel into his mouth, so Hermione answered first. "Not particularly."
Cho looked a bit dejected. "Oh. Well, why's that?"
"Seeing as how You-Know-Who has risen again, I don't see this year as being a very pleasant one," Hermione said, coldly.
"This banana split is making me a bit thirsty," Harry said, getting up. "Does anyone want anything?"
They all shook their heads. "No, I'm fine, thanks," said Cho.
"Hermione, I'm sure you're thirsty, too. Why don't you come with me?"
Hermione looked up at him. Harry gave her a look that said if she didn't get up, he'd drag her. She followed him into the shop. Harry took her to a corner. "What is the matter with you? Why are you being so rude to her?"
"I'm not being rude to anybody!" Hermione exclaimed, defiantly.
Harry kept his own voice down. "Yes, you are. Do you have a problem with her?"
"I just thought that was a stupid question. She of all people shouldn't be looking forward to this year. And what are you doing anyway? Her boyfriend was killed only a couple months ago. Are you crazy?"
"I'm being nice. I think you are the one who is crazy. I know exactly when Cedric died. I would think you would be a little nicer because of it. Do you expect her to just curl up into a ball for the whole year?"
Hermione crossed her arms and looked away. Harry bore his eyes into her head. "I'll try to be nicer," she said to the wall.
They returned outside. "Where's your drink?" Cho asked as Harry sat down.
"Oh. I already drank it. I was really thirsty."
The rest of the day went on without any conflict. Hermione just chose not to say anything. With their arms full of bags and packages, they went into the Leaky Cauldron to exit through its fireplace. "I will see you on September first!" Cho said, and she started walking to the door.
"You didn't come here by floo powder?" Harry asked her. She turned around.
"No. My mother dropped me off here on her way to work. She's a muggle. I'm halfblood."
"Oh, okay then. See you on the Hogwarts Express!"
Cho smiled and left.
"I'll see you two later then," said Hermione. She headed out the door as though she was in a hurry.
"What's with her?" asked Ron. Harry shrugged and grabbed a handful of floo powder.
The four of them sat around a table silently eating their ice cream. Hermione looked around the table as she spooned her vanilla sundae into her mouth. Ron was busy lapping up his giant cone of almond chocolate. Harry dug his spoon into a banana. Cho cheerfully and neatly ate her blueberry ice cream. "So," she said, taking a break from her cone, "are all of you excited about your fifth year?"
Harry had just shoved a spoonful of ice cream covered in caramel into his mouth, so Hermione answered first. "Not particularly."
Cho looked a bit dejected. "Oh. Well, why's that?"
"Seeing as how You-Know-Who has risen again, I don't see this year as being a very pleasant one," Hermione said, coldly.
"This banana split is making me a bit thirsty," Harry said, getting up. "Does anyone want anything?"
They all shook their heads. "No, I'm fine, thanks," said Cho.
"Hermione, I'm sure you're thirsty, too. Why don't you come with me?"
Hermione looked up at him. Harry gave her a look that said if she didn't get up, he'd drag her. She followed him into the shop. Harry took her to a corner. "What is the matter with you? Why are you being so rude to her?"
"I'm not being rude to anybody!" Hermione exclaimed, defiantly.
Harry kept his own voice down. "Yes, you are. Do you have a problem with her?"
"I just thought that was a stupid question. She of all people shouldn't be looking forward to this year. And what are you doing anyway? Her boyfriend was killed only a couple months ago. Are you crazy?"
"I'm being nice. I think you are the one who is crazy. I know exactly when Cedric died. I would think you would be a little nicer because of it. Do you expect her to just curl up into a ball for the whole year?"
Hermione crossed her arms and looked away. Harry bore his eyes into her head. "I'll try to be nicer," she said to the wall.
They returned outside. "Where's your drink?" Cho asked as Harry sat down.
"Oh. I already drank it. I was really thirsty."
The rest of the day went on without any conflict. Hermione just chose not to say anything. With their arms full of bags and packages, they went into the Leaky Cauldron to exit through its fireplace. "I will see you on September first!" Cho said, and she started walking to the door.
"You didn't come here by floo powder?" Harry asked her. She turned around.
"No. My mother dropped me off here on her way to work. She's a muggle. I'm halfblood."
"Oh, okay then. See you on the Hogwarts Express!"
Cho smiled and left.
"I'll see you two later then," said Hermione. She headed out the door as though she was in a hurry.
"What's with her?" asked Ron. Harry shrugged and grabbed a handful of floo powder.