Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, I'd be out writing real books, not
pathetic fanfiction.
A/N: um, not much to say. Just a piece I wrote thinking about tests and being perfect.
I was walking to the Great Hall when I saw the notice. It was pinned up next to the door.
SEVENTH YEARS! It read. AS YOU ARE AWARE, YOUR N.E.W.T.S ARE COMING UP IN TWO MONTHS. ONE THOUSAND GALLEONS WILL BE OFFERED TO THE HIGHEST SCORER.
Wow, I thought, that's new. They've never done that in previous years. I wonder why? I kept reading.
WE ARE OFFERING THIS REWARD IN HOPES THAT ALL OUR STUDENTS WILL STUDY HARDER, WHEN MOTIVATED, SO THAT WE CAN TURN OUT MORE QUALIFIED WIZARDS, AS THE NEED FOR THEM GROWS EACH DAY.
My eyes widened as I considered the possibilities. If I could win (and I had no doubts that I could) I could do anything! It suddenly occurred to me how many other students would be thinking the same thing. I laughed, realizing that almost everyone would start studying harder than ever. A million copies of me! Except, I wouldn't be studying like a maniac. After all, I've been preparing for my N.E.W.T.s the summer after fifth year.
I was right. For the next two months, I saw people I wasn't sure could even read studying in the library, day after day. Even Harry picked up a book occasionally and half-heartedly studied, although, "I know I'm not going to get it, so why bother?" as he put it.
But there was one person who amazed me with his studying. He never stopped, only to eat and attend classes. Everything else fell by the wayside as Ron Weasley went through book after book, notebook after notebook, cramming information into his brain.
"All for the galleons?" I asked him one afternoon. He looked at me and nodded.
"Yeah. Since Dad got fired for not supporting Fudge, we've been living off of what Charlie and Bill send home, but they've also got to support themselves. It's beginning to look like we won't have enough to send Ginny to school next year. I just can't let that happen, Hermione. Although," he said, attempting to shrug nonchalantly and failing miserably, "you'll probably win anyway, so I'm wasting my time." He tried to laugh, but it came out far too high-pitched. I was amazed. Ron actually cared that much about his family that he would sacrifice all this time and effort, when he knew he would lose to me?
The week of testing drew nearer, and my conversation with Ron stayed in my mind. I knew I would win those galleons, because I was the smartest in my year. I just knew, as I always have. But usually, I also think I deserve my status. Suddenly, I didn't, somehow. Why did I want to win? Because I had a drive, motivation, that was always pushing my farther and farther ahead, and a burning need to be the best. Ron needed that money. He needed it.
We were in the middle of our last test, Transfiguration. I knew for a fact that Ron and I had each gotten only one wrong on one test. We were tied. I stared at the last question on the page. It was a simple one: The incantation "Abrevious Tinetium" is used for what spell? The answer was a) the spell that transforms someone into a midget. I looked at Ron on my left.
He was squinting at his paper, straining to remember everything. He shut his eyes, then opened them, and stared at the last question. "One more," I could almost hear him thinking. I saw him mark down the correct answer.
Right then, I realized, Ron deserved those galleons more than I did. A lot more. He had worked much harder these past two months, and for a better cause than I ever had. And though it took a lot of willpower, I circled answer b, and, with one simple motion, forever lost my title of the smartest student at Hogwarts.
A/N: well, this was originally going to become Ron and Hermione fluff, but didn't exactly turn out. Please review, I need reviews, they are my life support. Don't cut me off!
A/N: um, not much to say. Just a piece I wrote thinking about tests and being perfect.
I was walking to the Great Hall when I saw the notice. It was pinned up next to the door.
SEVENTH YEARS! It read. AS YOU ARE AWARE, YOUR N.E.W.T.S ARE COMING UP IN TWO MONTHS. ONE THOUSAND GALLEONS WILL BE OFFERED TO THE HIGHEST SCORER.
Wow, I thought, that's new. They've never done that in previous years. I wonder why? I kept reading.
WE ARE OFFERING THIS REWARD IN HOPES THAT ALL OUR STUDENTS WILL STUDY HARDER, WHEN MOTIVATED, SO THAT WE CAN TURN OUT MORE QUALIFIED WIZARDS, AS THE NEED FOR THEM GROWS EACH DAY.
My eyes widened as I considered the possibilities. If I could win (and I had no doubts that I could) I could do anything! It suddenly occurred to me how many other students would be thinking the same thing. I laughed, realizing that almost everyone would start studying harder than ever. A million copies of me! Except, I wouldn't be studying like a maniac. After all, I've been preparing for my N.E.W.T.s the summer after fifth year.
I was right. For the next two months, I saw people I wasn't sure could even read studying in the library, day after day. Even Harry picked up a book occasionally and half-heartedly studied, although, "I know I'm not going to get it, so why bother?" as he put it.
But there was one person who amazed me with his studying. He never stopped, only to eat and attend classes. Everything else fell by the wayside as Ron Weasley went through book after book, notebook after notebook, cramming information into his brain.
"All for the galleons?" I asked him one afternoon. He looked at me and nodded.
"Yeah. Since Dad got fired for not supporting Fudge, we've been living off of what Charlie and Bill send home, but they've also got to support themselves. It's beginning to look like we won't have enough to send Ginny to school next year. I just can't let that happen, Hermione. Although," he said, attempting to shrug nonchalantly and failing miserably, "you'll probably win anyway, so I'm wasting my time." He tried to laugh, but it came out far too high-pitched. I was amazed. Ron actually cared that much about his family that he would sacrifice all this time and effort, when he knew he would lose to me?
The week of testing drew nearer, and my conversation with Ron stayed in my mind. I knew I would win those galleons, because I was the smartest in my year. I just knew, as I always have. But usually, I also think I deserve my status. Suddenly, I didn't, somehow. Why did I want to win? Because I had a drive, motivation, that was always pushing my farther and farther ahead, and a burning need to be the best. Ron needed that money. He needed it.
We were in the middle of our last test, Transfiguration. I knew for a fact that Ron and I had each gotten only one wrong on one test. We were tied. I stared at the last question on the page. It was a simple one: The incantation "Abrevious Tinetium" is used for what spell? The answer was a) the spell that transforms someone into a midget. I looked at Ron on my left.
He was squinting at his paper, straining to remember everything. He shut his eyes, then opened them, and stared at the last question. "One more," I could almost hear him thinking. I saw him mark down the correct answer.
Right then, I realized, Ron deserved those galleons more than I did. A lot more. He had worked much harder these past two months, and for a better cause than I ever had. And though it took a lot of willpower, I circled answer b, and, with one simple motion, forever lost my title of the smartest student at Hogwarts.
A/N: well, this was originally going to become Ron and Hermione fluff, but didn't exactly turn out. Please review, I need reviews, they are my life support. Don't cut me off!