Hermione glared at her friends, shivering in the cold September air.
'If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times,' she stated. 'There is no way you will ever get me up on one of these things voluntarily!'
She flourished the broomstick with distaste, pushing it into Harry's arms.
'Oh, come on, Herm,' Ron pleaded. 'Just a short flight? You never know, you might like it.'
'I doubt it. Anyway, I've still got Snape's homework to do, and so should you,' she said, looking meaningfully at her two best friends.
'We'll do it later. Come on, Hermione.'
She sighed, and started to walk back to the school.
'No,' she called over her shoulder. 'I've got better things to do than hurtle through the air on a bit of kindling.'
Satisfied that they would leave her alone for at least a week now, Hermione made her way slowly up the hill to the imposing castle. There was a whooshing sound, and Ron grasped her around her waist, lifting her off her feet and into the air. As he set her on the broom in front of him, ignoring her shrieks for him to put her down, he flew higher, over the towers of their beloved school.
Hermione took one look at the ground rushing past so far below them, and shut her eyes, fighting down the urge to be sick. For the first time in her life, she was thankful that Ron had his arm securely around her. She knew he wouldn't let her fall, but all the same, she was furious with him for frightening her so.
'See, Herm?' he said, into her ear. 'It isn't that bad, is it?'
'If you don't put me down right this instant, Ronald Weasley,' Hermione said through clenched teeth, 'I will hex you in ways you never thought possible.'
Ron's eyes widened as he realised just how scared she was. Hermione never made threats unless she was petrified. It was just her determination to keep from completely humiliating herself that had stopped her from sobbing in terror.
He slowed down, coming to a halt by the steps into the school, Harry a few seconds behind him. Hermione struggled out of Ron's grip, and turned to him, her face white with anger. She raised a trembling hand, and slapped him, hard, around his shocked face.
'Don't you ever, ever, do that to me again.'
With that, she whirled around, and ran into the castle, the tears already streaming down her face as the terror of the last few moments hit her.
Ron raised a hand to his rapidly reddening cheek, exchanging a look with Harry.
'I told you to leave it, Ron,' Harry said to him, climbing off his broom and glancing worriedly after Hermione. 'She's never liked brooms.'
'I didn't know she was going to react like that, or I wouldn't have done it,' Ron protested. 'You should have heard her, Harry, she was terrified.'
'I think you should apologise to her.'
'Yeah, I think so, too.'
The two boys looked up at the school.
'It's going to have to be pretty spectacular, isn't it?'
'You said it.'
*~*~*
For the next few days, Hermione avoided both of them, secluding herself in the library and eating alone. Ginny kept her company, having heard all about the fiasco from her brother.
'You are the biggest idiot this world has ever known, Ron,' she'd told him. 'If you'd bothered to come to me, I could've told you Hermione is absolutely terrified of heights, you plonker.'
Ron had hung his head, and quietly asked for her help in getting his friend's trust back. She'd come up with an idea, and explained it to them both with relish.
Sitting next to Neville in Potions, Hermione noticed a small piece of paper had made its way onto her desk from the boys. Carefully opening it so as not to attract Snape's attention, she read,
'You probably won't accept it if we just say we're sorry, but with any luck this should help you believe us. What's the one thing we're most scared of in school?
Harry and Ron.'
Hermione looked over at them, and realised they were looking rather pale, as if they were steeling themselves for an unpleasant experience. Glancing over, Harry gave her a nervous smile, taking in a deep breath.
Snape noticed the smile, and immediately bore down on the hapless boy.
'May I remind you, Mr Potter, that lessons are for learning, not for stealing intimate looks with your amore? Twenty points from Gryffindor.'
Harry stiffened, swallowing against his fright.
'What would you know about it, you greasy git?'
The entire class, both Slytherin and Gryffindor, gasped as one, turning astonished eyes on Harry as Snape drew himself up imposingly. By the door, Sirius put a paw over his eyes.
'I will not ask you to repeat that, Mr Potter. One week's detention, and fifty points from Gryffindor.'
Beside a forlorn Harry, Ron spoke up.
'Why do you always pick on Harry? You're just a sad miserly bastard, aren't you, Professor?'
Hermione stifled a giggle at Snape's expression, awe-struck that her friends would go though all this to win her favour back. She was definitely going to make this up to them.
Snape, if possible, looked even paler than usual.
'A week of detention for you, also, Mr Weasley, and another fifty points from Gryffindor. And if I hear another word from either of you, the Headmaster shall hear of your rebellious behaviour.'
The boys looked at one another, and swallowed.
'Oooh, you know I'm really scared,' Ron declared, in a sarcastic voice that belied his quaking body.
'Save me, Ron, save me!' Harry cried, wrapping his arms around his friend, and hiding his head in his shoulder.
Snape looked ready to explode. The class began to laugh, realising that there was nothing more their Professor could do to the mischievous pair. Under the furious eye of the Potions Master, Harry and Ron continued to play-act, winding him up as tight as they could before,
'Mr Potter! Mr Weasley! One hundred points from Gryffindor, and remove yourselves from this classroom immediately. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will be honoured to see you.'
Grinning sheepishly at their outraged Housemates, the boys packed up their belongings and walked out. As order returned to the gobsmacked class, Hermione exchanged a glance with Sirius. She hoped they wouldn't be too badly disciplined for this.
*~*~*
Nervously, Harry and Ron stood outside Dumbledore's office, waiting for the gargoyle to let them in.
'D'you think it worked?' Harry asked.
Ron snorted.
'It had better have,' he replied, watching the wall swing inwards with trepidation.
They exchanged a final terrified look and walked into the office.
*~*~*
Two hours later, they bounced into the Gryffindor common room, wearing huge grins. Their friends looked at them in astonishment. They'd seen their House points go down two hundred and twenty, and then go back up two hundred, and were now demanding an explanation.
Hermione threw herself into their arms, laughing with them.
'I can't believe you did that, you are so brave!' she said, sitting with them on the sofa.
Ron and Harry grinned.
'Are we forgiven?'
Hermione smiled at them.
'Are you kidding? I will make this up to you, I promise.'
'No, you won't,' Harry said, and Ron added, 'This was our apology and I'm not going to let you outdo us.'
They laughed, and turned to the rest of their House who were still patiently awaiting an explanation.
'Come on, what happened?'
'Well, you all know we had an argument with Hermione, didn't you? Our performance with Snape was our apology, that's all.'
'And when we got to Dumbledore's office, he was so impressed, he awarded us with a hundred House points each for being brave enough to do what we did.'
'So, really, we only lost twenty points!'
'And the amazing trio is reunited!'
The common room roared with laughter, cheering the bravery of their two most popular students. They all agreed it would be a sad loss to Hogwarts when the wonder trio left at the end of the year.
'If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times,' she stated. 'There is no way you will ever get me up on one of these things voluntarily!'
She flourished the broomstick with distaste, pushing it into Harry's arms.
'Oh, come on, Herm,' Ron pleaded. 'Just a short flight? You never know, you might like it.'
'I doubt it. Anyway, I've still got Snape's homework to do, and so should you,' she said, looking meaningfully at her two best friends.
'We'll do it later. Come on, Hermione.'
She sighed, and started to walk back to the school.
'No,' she called over her shoulder. 'I've got better things to do than hurtle through the air on a bit of kindling.'
Satisfied that they would leave her alone for at least a week now, Hermione made her way slowly up the hill to the imposing castle. There was a whooshing sound, and Ron grasped her around her waist, lifting her off her feet and into the air. As he set her on the broom in front of him, ignoring her shrieks for him to put her down, he flew higher, over the towers of their beloved school.
Hermione took one look at the ground rushing past so far below them, and shut her eyes, fighting down the urge to be sick. For the first time in her life, she was thankful that Ron had his arm securely around her. She knew he wouldn't let her fall, but all the same, she was furious with him for frightening her so.
'See, Herm?' he said, into her ear. 'It isn't that bad, is it?'
'If you don't put me down right this instant, Ronald Weasley,' Hermione said through clenched teeth, 'I will hex you in ways you never thought possible.'
Ron's eyes widened as he realised just how scared she was. Hermione never made threats unless she was petrified. It was just her determination to keep from completely humiliating herself that had stopped her from sobbing in terror.
He slowed down, coming to a halt by the steps into the school, Harry a few seconds behind him. Hermione struggled out of Ron's grip, and turned to him, her face white with anger. She raised a trembling hand, and slapped him, hard, around his shocked face.
'Don't you ever, ever, do that to me again.'
With that, she whirled around, and ran into the castle, the tears already streaming down her face as the terror of the last few moments hit her.
Ron raised a hand to his rapidly reddening cheek, exchanging a look with Harry.
'I told you to leave it, Ron,' Harry said to him, climbing off his broom and glancing worriedly after Hermione. 'She's never liked brooms.'
'I didn't know she was going to react like that, or I wouldn't have done it,' Ron protested. 'You should have heard her, Harry, she was terrified.'
'I think you should apologise to her.'
'Yeah, I think so, too.'
The two boys looked up at the school.
'It's going to have to be pretty spectacular, isn't it?'
'You said it.'
*~*~*
For the next few days, Hermione avoided both of them, secluding herself in the library and eating alone. Ginny kept her company, having heard all about the fiasco from her brother.
'You are the biggest idiot this world has ever known, Ron,' she'd told him. 'If you'd bothered to come to me, I could've told you Hermione is absolutely terrified of heights, you plonker.'
Ron had hung his head, and quietly asked for her help in getting his friend's trust back. She'd come up with an idea, and explained it to them both with relish.
Sitting next to Neville in Potions, Hermione noticed a small piece of paper had made its way onto her desk from the boys. Carefully opening it so as not to attract Snape's attention, she read,
'You probably won't accept it if we just say we're sorry, but with any luck this should help you believe us. What's the one thing we're most scared of in school?
Harry and Ron.'
Hermione looked over at them, and realised they were looking rather pale, as if they were steeling themselves for an unpleasant experience. Glancing over, Harry gave her a nervous smile, taking in a deep breath.
Snape noticed the smile, and immediately bore down on the hapless boy.
'May I remind you, Mr Potter, that lessons are for learning, not for stealing intimate looks with your amore? Twenty points from Gryffindor.'
Harry stiffened, swallowing against his fright.
'What would you know about it, you greasy git?'
The entire class, both Slytherin and Gryffindor, gasped as one, turning astonished eyes on Harry as Snape drew himself up imposingly. By the door, Sirius put a paw over his eyes.
'I will not ask you to repeat that, Mr Potter. One week's detention, and fifty points from Gryffindor.'
Beside a forlorn Harry, Ron spoke up.
'Why do you always pick on Harry? You're just a sad miserly bastard, aren't you, Professor?'
Hermione stifled a giggle at Snape's expression, awe-struck that her friends would go though all this to win her favour back. She was definitely going to make this up to them.
Snape, if possible, looked even paler than usual.
'A week of detention for you, also, Mr Weasley, and another fifty points from Gryffindor. And if I hear another word from either of you, the Headmaster shall hear of your rebellious behaviour.'
The boys looked at one another, and swallowed.
'Oooh, you know I'm really scared,' Ron declared, in a sarcastic voice that belied his quaking body.
'Save me, Ron, save me!' Harry cried, wrapping his arms around his friend, and hiding his head in his shoulder.
Snape looked ready to explode. The class began to laugh, realising that there was nothing more their Professor could do to the mischievous pair. Under the furious eye of the Potions Master, Harry and Ron continued to play-act, winding him up as tight as they could before,
'Mr Potter! Mr Weasley! One hundred points from Gryffindor, and remove yourselves from this classroom immediately. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will be honoured to see you.'
Grinning sheepishly at their outraged Housemates, the boys packed up their belongings and walked out. As order returned to the gobsmacked class, Hermione exchanged a glance with Sirius. She hoped they wouldn't be too badly disciplined for this.
*~*~*
Nervously, Harry and Ron stood outside Dumbledore's office, waiting for the gargoyle to let them in.
'D'you think it worked?' Harry asked.
Ron snorted.
'It had better have,' he replied, watching the wall swing inwards with trepidation.
They exchanged a final terrified look and walked into the office.
*~*~*
Two hours later, they bounced into the Gryffindor common room, wearing huge grins. Their friends looked at them in astonishment. They'd seen their House points go down two hundred and twenty, and then go back up two hundred, and were now demanding an explanation.
Hermione threw herself into their arms, laughing with them.
'I can't believe you did that, you are so brave!' she said, sitting with them on the sofa.
Ron and Harry grinned.
'Are we forgiven?'
Hermione smiled at them.
'Are you kidding? I will make this up to you, I promise.'
'No, you won't,' Harry said, and Ron added, 'This was our apology and I'm not going to let you outdo us.'
They laughed, and turned to the rest of their House who were still patiently awaiting an explanation.
'Come on, what happened?'
'Well, you all know we had an argument with Hermione, didn't you? Our performance with Snape was our apology, that's all.'
'And when we got to Dumbledore's office, he was so impressed, he awarded us with a hundred House points each for being brave enough to do what we did.'
'So, really, we only lost twenty points!'
'And the amazing trio is reunited!'
The common room roared with laughter, cheering the bravery of their two most popular students. They all agreed it would be a sad loss to Hogwarts when the wonder trio left at the end of the year.
