"Nevermind," said Hermione feeling herself going
pink.
"You said you loved someone, Hermione. Who is it?"
said Harry putting his hands in his robes and crossing his fingers hoping
it was him.
"Promise you won't laugh."
"I won't," said Harry, from the way this was sounding
it wasn't him.
"You," Hermione whispered so softly that Harry didn't
hear her.
"What? I didn't hear you."
"You, Harry, you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you Harry."
"We've got to go inside," said Harry a plan forming
in his head.
"Sure," said Hermione she was confused about what
Harry's reaction was. Harry helped Hermione out of the carriage, and placed
a kiss on her cheek.
"I love you too, 'Mione," Harry whispered in her
ear.
"You do?"
"I sure do, since third year."
"Harry," Hermione sighed.
"Come on, we are going to be late I can see the
first years coming across the lake."
"Sure Harry, but what are we going to tell Ron?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure. I've got an idea! You
know that it's been bugging him that we like each other, you can tell by
the way he's been acting. Anyway, lets play with this, you know, make him
think that we don't know, and see if he tries to tell us about each other.
Kind of thing that he'd do isn't it? Especially
now that Lavender is his girlfriend."
"True that he'll try to get us together, but do
we really want to lie to Ron?"
"It wouldn't be lying it would just be a joke."
"I don't know Harry," said Hermione as they opened
up the great oak doors to get inside the castle.
"Well, let's just not tell him yet ok?"
"Why not?"
"Don't get me wrong, I like you and everything,
and I would tell Ron, but I want to annoy him first."
"But why Harry?"
"I don't really know, and the way you are talking
you sound like a four year old. Why this? Why that?"
"Harry!" Hermione said, and hit him.
"Ouch! Sorry, I was just kidding!"
"Well stop it!"
"Miss Granger over here please! Potter you can go
to the feast," Professor McGonagall called.
"See you," Hermione and Harry said to each other.
Professor McGonagall was standing with Ron and other fifth years from houses
that Hermione recognized, to Hermione's great pleasure none of the Slytherins
were Draco Malfoy or any of his blundering idiots.
"You eight students are the new prefects this year,"
Hermione looked at Ron in astonishment, Ron a prefect, there's something
wrong with the system! Ron himself was thinking the same thing, me? Huh?
What? How am I a prefect? But I'm not like Percy! "We did not send out
letters and badges this year on purpose, because we did not want them intercepted
by Dark Wizards, I trust that you all remember that He-who-must-not-be-named,
is rising in power once again. You all may take a badge out of this box,"
Professor McGonagall was holding a cardboard box, "and all of your parents
will be notified of this honor. You may go to the feast, go on now."
So Ron and Hermione grabbed themselves prefect badges,
and at this, "Hermione? How did I manage this?"
"You must be smart Ron," Hermione answered, "and
I'm sorry about earlier."
"Me too. C'mon, lets go catch up with Harry." The
two went in and sat down on either side of Harry, even though he was late
he managed to get good seats to see the sorting, he was sitting on the
right side of the table.
"Harry, how'd you manage to get prime seats?" Ron
asked.
"Well, uh, people kind of just gave them to me,"
Harry whispered to them, "they still seem to act like I just saw Voldemort.
Remember how it was first year, after we went through the trap door? Well
it seems just like that, just it lasted over summer." Ron looked down the
table, he was indeed right, the Gryffindor table seemed much quieter and
so did the rest of the Great Hall for that matter.
"You'd think they'd get over it!" Hermione snapped
noticing the same things Ron had.
"You two are prefects?" Harry said looking at the
identical badges pinned to his two friend's robes.
"I don't know how I'm one, but Hermione, that was
a no brainier," Ron said.
"Well yeah, we all saw that one coming," Hermione
went pink at these words. "What? We did," Harry continued.
Professor McGonagall walked into the hall with the
Sorting Hat and it's stool, followed by the new first year students. As
they passed the Gryffindor table many pointed at Harry and whispered to
themselves.
"Here we go again," Harry said to Ron and Hermione.
"Shh!" Ron snapped at Harry "the sorting is about
to begin!"
"Alright Percy."
"Hey!" Ron said and kicked Harry under the table.
"What is this 'Hurt Harry Day'? Seesh!"
"Shut up alright!"
"Okay, okay."
"When I call your name you will come sit on the
stool and place the hat on your head, what ever house it says you sit at
the corresponding table," Professor McGonagall was giving instructions
to the first years.
"Thank you Professor McGonagall," the sorting hat
said to Professor McGonagall and thus began singing.
For Hogwarts at that.
I can see what's in your head,
To tell you what house dormitory will keep your bed.
I've not yet been wrong,
That's why they keep having me sing these songs.
Are you a Hufflepuff?
They are loyal and just.
To be a Hufflepuff these are a must.
Or is it Gryffindor for you?
They have chivalry, and are daring too.
They are the bravest of us all.
Not one of those, eh?
Maybe Ravenclaw?
Where there are the smartest, they always get an A.
Don't feel like you fit one yet?
Then Slytherin's your best bet.
These cunning folk will be your friends,
You use all your means to achieve your ends.
Don't be scared, I know you best.
I'm the Sorting hat I'll put you in the right spot,
Like I did with the rest!
"Abash, Jessica," Professor McGonagall called out the first name on her scroll of parchment.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Anderson, Steven."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Aranloe, Richard."
"SLYTHERIN!" Harry looked at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy greet Aranloe as a brother, Harry figured that their father's must know each other somehow. Probably through Voldemort, but as Hermione says you can't judge someone.
"Belgains, Leah."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Blawrt, William."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"When's a Gryffindor coming up, eh?" Harry asked Ron as "Croudly, Jared" became a Ravenclaw.
"Hopefully soon, and I hope they finish fast, I'm starving."
Finally Harry got what he wanted, a new Gryffindor student, Scott Finnigan, Seamus's little brother. Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor table clapped loudly as Scott came to take a seat next to his brother.
"Way to go, best house there is," Harry heard Seamus tell Scott. Nicole Gander also joined the Gryffindor table shortly afterward. As students were being sorted with a Gryffindor every now and again, Harry found himself in the same position as Ron, starving.
And finally as "Walker, Kimberly" became a Slytherin, the sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and stool and carried them away.
Harry looked down at his golden plate expectantly and whispered to it, "Hurry up, hurry up!" Harry had to look up again because Professor Dumbledore was standing and the Great Hall went quiet.
"I am sure that you all are hungry," Professor Dumbledore said, "so eat up!" Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands and food magically appeared on the plates in the center of each table. And with that Professor Dumbledore sat down.
After everyone was quite full Professor Dumbledore stood up again. Harry scanned the head table and sure enough there were all the teachers present and accounted for, no empty chairs this year, and Harry was glad for that. He really hoped that this year would be more exciting than the last, but positively happy. Not gloomy or sad like last year, being thrown in to the Triwizard Tournament, as a fourth champion was not one of Harry's favorite things to happen to him.
Harry didn't like thinking about the end of last year, he quickly glanced the Ravenclaw table to seen how Cho was coping with Cedric's death. But he couldn't find her fast enough, Dumbledore was clearing his throat implying that he was about to start talking. So Harry quickly turned around to look at the head table.
"Due to fairly recent events, namely the rise of Lord Voldemort," as Dumbledore said this he looked right at Harry, and so did everyone else in the Great Hall, "extra precautions will be taken to prevent the death of anymore students. Cedric Diggory will always have a place in our hearts, and that is why there is a memorial now in the Trophy Room. But that's a sad topic and let's move on to a much happier one, such as that of Quidditch, which the Quidditch cup will be held this year."
"YES!" Harry heard Fred or George Weasley say.
"I very happy to hear your enthusiasm Mr. Weasley. I do expect this year's Cup to be one to remember, there are many talented players at this school. Anyway back to the extra precautions, the rules will go back to like they were two years ago, when we were hosts to the Dementors, for those of you that were not students at that time, this means you will not be allowed to roam the grounds as freely as before. The only reason that you would be allowed to go onto the grounds is for a class; you will be accompanied by the teacher to do that. Now that I've got all of that said, you may go to your common rooms. Goodnight everyone."
"First years, first years please follow me," Harry heard Hermione start saying, "First years this way."
"Gees, she already sounds like Percy," Ron complained to Harry.
"Mumhum..." Harry responded.
"But Percy annoyed you? Why isn't she?"
"Do you even have to ask? Gosh, and you're a prefect. You are supposed to be the smart one."
"I know it was a stupid question, but I've lost the filter between my brain and my mouth."
"Lavender is responsible for that, isn't she?"
"Well, um yeah."
"Ron your ears are bright red."
"Stop it about my ears!"
"Well they are," Harry said this and found himself at the portrait of the Fat Lady, "Hey Ron, what's the new password?"
"Oh yeah that, it's pyrus malus," said Ron. (A/N: that means apple extract in scientific terms)
"Right you are dear!" said the Fat Lady.
"The girl's dormitories are up these stairs, you will find a door with a golden number one, that's where you will find your four-posters and you will find that your stuff has already been taken up for you. The boys dormitories are up these stairs," Hermione pointed at the other set of stairs, "and the same things apply. If you have any questions you can come ask me or Ron, over there, say hi Ron."
"Hi, yeah any questions," Ron said nervously.
"We are both willing to help you so just come over and ask. I'm sure that you are tired you may go up to dormitory and go to bed. Goodnight," said Hermione as she watched the new students go up the stairs.
"Oh you guys this is so much fun!" Hermione said as if she'd just won the Publisher's clearinghouse sweepstakes.
"Tons of fun," Ron said in the opposite tone of voice.
"Goodnight you two, see you in the morning!" Hermione said, without paying attention to Ron. And she went up the girls' staircase, took one last look at Harry and disappeared form view.
"Harry, how'd I get roped into this?" Ron asked as soon as he knew Hermione was out of earshot.
"By being smart, Ron, but don't worry you aren't like Percy, we've broken our share of rules, and I'm sure we'll brake more."
"Thanks Harry."
"I know how much you want to be yourself and not like your brothers. And your not, you are you."
"No, I'm Fred! I know I'm me, maybe that's why I'm the prefect over you."
"Hey! I was trying to be motivational and I get cheek, sheesh Ron, I was only trying to help," said Harry sarcastically as he pushed open the door to their dormitory.
"Are you really Ron?" Dean Thomas as Harry and Ron walked in.
"Yes, I'm a prefect, what about it?"
"No not that. You're a prefect? Wow. No, are you really going out with Lavender."
"Well, not officially, I just found out that she liked me today."
"Oh, I see, because the way she was talking well, I don't really know, but she seemed really into you."
"That's good news for me. I'll talk to her ............ tomorrow," Ron said as he flopped down on his bed.
"You're one lucky guy, Lavender's great." Dean told Ron.
"Yeah, and she'll help me do my Divination homework." Harry couldn't help but laugh at what Ron had just said.
"Well, if you were going for homework help in a girl, you should have gone with Hermione," Dean said.
"But I know someone who likes her," Ron said and shot a look at Harry.
"What?" Harry demanded.
"Nothing," Ron lied.
"Ronald Weasley, you are going to pay for that, prefect or not! ..... In the morning, when I can beat you up."
"Sure Harry, whatever you say."
"I do say, but I'm not going to, because I don't want you taking house points from me, Mr. Prefect," Harry said.
"Go to bed, Harry."
"What does it look like I'm doing? Getting ready for Potions?" said Harry. And Ron laughed at this, Harry imagined what it would be like to go to Potions in pajamas, "Think of the look on Snape's face if I showed up in pajamas!"
"Ha! That would be hilarious!" Seamus said from the other end of the dormitory.
"No, it would be scary!" Neville whimpered.
"Just think about how many points he would take from Gryffindor, probably a round hundred." Harry said, "I don't want to relive an experience that got everyone mad at me, like first year."
"That wasn't fun at all... well it didn't happen to me but that must have sucked for you and Hermione," Ron yawned.
"No it wasn't fun. Goodnight everyone." Harry said.
"Night Harry," said the Dean, Neville, Seamus and Ron.
