Chapter 9: Crushes and Complications
Hermione stared at Nina. She was staring straight at her feet.
"What is wrong with that girl? There is definitely something wrong. Firstly, she wasn't very sure of what she herself was saying while telling us about her past. Then she started to stare at Ron and . . .wait a minute. Why was she staring at RON???" Hermione realized that it was rather odd that Nina should be doing that. She shook herself. Maybe she was just imagining it . . .
* * *
Harry was lost in thought. "Why was Nina so unsure of what she was saying? Is she trying to hide something? She wanted to tell me something at the first Quidditch match of the season. What was it? It can't be her past or she would have said why she needed to tell us this. Does this mean that she is still hiding something? But it has to be something to do with Voldemort . . .or does it?"
He wasn't very sure of his own questions, but he knew he needed some answers . . . and he knew that only Nina could give them to him. All of a sudden, he felt rather hungry.
"Let's go for dinner shall we?" Harry asked the rest. Ron nodded in response and they headed towards the portrait hole in silence and exited the common room.
-TIME PASSES-
* * *
Hermione was getting a book out of her dresser to take to the common room for a bit of reading before bedtime. She rummaged around and decided that she might as well read the "Flying with the Cannons" that Harry had lent her so that she could understand Quidditch better. Just then, Nina entered the dormitory and Hermione saw an excellent opportunity to question her.
"Er . . . Nina, can I ask you a question? Why were you st . . ." She didn't finish her sentence as she suddenly realized what she was saying and she knew from the look on Nina's face that she knew it too.
* * * Nina's face was redder than a beet. "I . . .er . . ." she tried to explain it away but no avail. She could feel Hermione staring at her, looking very surprised and amused. She heard Hermione speak.
* * *
Hermione unstuck her tongue. "Nina, I . . . really didn't know . . . but I thought . . . I thought you liked Harry, not Ron . . ." she said, trying very hard not to make it obvious that this was quite funny. "Ron has admirers???" Hermione thought to herself, trying not to laugh.
"Hermione, I really don't know why I like him. Anyway, why should you think I liked Harry? Well, I was just thinking of him as a friend." Nina asked.
"Well, the way you two were acting some time ago . . . both of you not eating breakfast just because you couldn't talk to him . . . anybody would think that there was something going on . . . but to fall for Ron of all people, I really don't know what to say because," Hermione hesitated before continuing, "He's never serious and he's rather irritating sometimes. So, I was kind of shocked when you told me that you like him . . ." She took one look at Nina's face and added quickly, " I didn't mean to hurt you or anything, I was just saying how he behaved around me. I mean . . . he could be nicer to you . . ."
* * *
Nina stared at her feet again.
"I don't know . . . he is very nice to me . . ." suddenly Nina realized that she had told Hermione something that she never dreamed of telling anyone. "I . . .er . . .I . . ." she stuttered.
"Is there a problem, Nina?" Hermione asked quickly.
"Er . . . no . . . its just that . . . listen, you can't tell Harry or Ron about this. I mean, Ron will probably feel greatly insulted and I don't want him to stop being friends with me and as for Harry, sometimes I can't figure in what sense he thinks of me . . ." Nina stopped suddenly.
"I think I know what you mean, Nina. He does act as if he likes you or something sometimes . . . but he doesn't want to admit it . . . well, don't worry anyway. I won't tell either of them if you don't want me to," Hermione went along with Nina's request.
* * *
Ron was lying quietly in his bed, not able to fall asleep. Nina's past was still tormenting him. He felt so sorry for her. She was really nice too. Not like Hermione who was forever arguing with him, acting like a know-it-all. Nina was very smart but she never showed off.
"Wait a minute!" Ron cut short his train of thoughts. "Why am I thinking about her so much?" He questioned himself, realizing that he had not been able to sleep because he was deep in thought about her. "Wait! NO WAY. I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON HER . . . or . . .do I? NOOOOO!!! I can't! I know that Harry probably likes her although he would never admit it and she probably likes Harry too! She can never like me anyway. No, no. This is not good. I have to stop this ridiculous brain of mine. I DO NOT have a crush on her . . . I must convince myself . . . if she ever finds out, she will never want to be friends again. Harry too. I DO NOT have a crush on her . . ." Ron was muttering softly to himself.
"Not sleepy, Ron?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Huh? Er . . . I was just about to fall asleep . . ."Ron replied rather hesitantly. " I have to get over her and I can do it!" he thought before drifting off into Slumberland.
*** IN DUMBLEODRE'S OFFICE ***
"Minerva, it is time."
"But, Albus! You can't! Not now! The boy is too young. All of them are too young! Even Nina and her sister should not have known yet, but we had no choice. They were left without anyone in this world for them, except each other. We had to give them a family."
"Minerva . . .this is not too early to let them know . . . this is exactly what happened with James, Sirius and Remus. We waited too long to start their training. 'Too young' was our excuse . . .that may have been one reason why the three of them were not sufficiently equipped with skill and wisdom when it came down to Voldemort. They had to learn the hard way . . . however, we will not make the same mistake twice. We will regret later if we don't tell them now. It is DEFINITELY time Minerva . . ."
"Albus, I know that you know best, but I do hope that you are correct. If it is time, then we shall inform them tomorrow. But you do realize that training will take up most of their school time- their study time too?"
"Yes Minerva, I do realize that. We can arrange that later. They can take special classes. But the most important thing right now is the fate of the people of the world. We have to do this Minerva, for the sake of the world . . . you understand don't you?"
"Yes, Albus. I understand."
"Then can I expect to see five students here in my office tomorrow morning right after breakfast?"
"Nina and Natasha are needed too?"
"Yes, they are Minerva."
"I will send them here after breakfast then, Albus."
"Glad to hear it. Now I expect you might want to get some sleep. Goodnight, I take my leave."
**** **** ****
What is going on with all the crushes? Nina likes Ron, Ron likes Nina, both are too afraid to tell, both think Harry likes Nina too . . . OHHHHHHHHH . . . what a confusion huh?
Will they ever tell each other?
Will Ron get over Nina?
What are Dumbledore and Macgonagall discussing about?
Who's the "them" that they are referring to? Is it Harry and his friends?
What are they in for now . . .?
Read on and find out. PLzPLzPLzPLzPLz R&R. Thanx sososososo much.
Hermione stared at Nina. She was staring straight at her feet.
"What is wrong with that girl? There is definitely something wrong. Firstly, she wasn't very sure of what she herself was saying while telling us about her past. Then she started to stare at Ron and . . .wait a minute. Why was she staring at RON???" Hermione realized that it was rather odd that Nina should be doing that. She shook herself. Maybe she was just imagining it . . .
* * *
Harry was lost in thought. "Why was Nina so unsure of what she was saying? Is she trying to hide something? She wanted to tell me something at the first Quidditch match of the season. What was it? It can't be her past or she would have said why she needed to tell us this. Does this mean that she is still hiding something? But it has to be something to do with Voldemort . . .or does it?"
He wasn't very sure of his own questions, but he knew he needed some answers . . . and he knew that only Nina could give them to him. All of a sudden, he felt rather hungry.
"Let's go for dinner shall we?" Harry asked the rest. Ron nodded in response and they headed towards the portrait hole in silence and exited the common room.
-TIME PASSES-
* * *
Hermione was getting a book out of her dresser to take to the common room for a bit of reading before bedtime. She rummaged around and decided that she might as well read the "Flying with the Cannons" that Harry had lent her so that she could understand Quidditch better. Just then, Nina entered the dormitory and Hermione saw an excellent opportunity to question her.
"Er . . . Nina, can I ask you a question? Why were you st . . ." She didn't finish her sentence as she suddenly realized what she was saying and she knew from the look on Nina's face that she knew it too.
* * * Nina's face was redder than a beet. "I . . .er . . ." she tried to explain it away but no avail. She could feel Hermione staring at her, looking very surprised and amused. She heard Hermione speak.
* * *
Hermione unstuck her tongue. "Nina, I . . . really didn't know . . . but I thought . . . I thought you liked Harry, not Ron . . ." she said, trying very hard not to make it obvious that this was quite funny. "Ron has admirers???" Hermione thought to herself, trying not to laugh.
"Hermione, I really don't know why I like him. Anyway, why should you think I liked Harry? Well, I was just thinking of him as a friend." Nina asked.
"Well, the way you two were acting some time ago . . . both of you not eating breakfast just because you couldn't talk to him . . . anybody would think that there was something going on . . . but to fall for Ron of all people, I really don't know what to say because," Hermione hesitated before continuing, "He's never serious and he's rather irritating sometimes. So, I was kind of shocked when you told me that you like him . . ." She took one look at Nina's face and added quickly, " I didn't mean to hurt you or anything, I was just saying how he behaved around me. I mean . . . he could be nicer to you . . ."
* * *
Nina stared at her feet again.
"I don't know . . . he is very nice to me . . ." suddenly Nina realized that she had told Hermione something that she never dreamed of telling anyone. "I . . .er . . .I . . ." she stuttered.
"Is there a problem, Nina?" Hermione asked quickly.
"Er . . . no . . . its just that . . . listen, you can't tell Harry or Ron about this. I mean, Ron will probably feel greatly insulted and I don't want him to stop being friends with me and as for Harry, sometimes I can't figure in what sense he thinks of me . . ." Nina stopped suddenly.
"I think I know what you mean, Nina. He does act as if he likes you or something sometimes . . . but he doesn't want to admit it . . . well, don't worry anyway. I won't tell either of them if you don't want me to," Hermione went along with Nina's request.
* * *
Ron was lying quietly in his bed, not able to fall asleep. Nina's past was still tormenting him. He felt so sorry for her. She was really nice too. Not like Hermione who was forever arguing with him, acting like a know-it-all. Nina was very smart but she never showed off.
"Wait a minute!" Ron cut short his train of thoughts. "Why am I thinking about her so much?" He questioned himself, realizing that he had not been able to sleep because he was deep in thought about her. "Wait! NO WAY. I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON HER . . . or . . .do I? NOOOOO!!! I can't! I know that Harry probably likes her although he would never admit it and she probably likes Harry too! She can never like me anyway. No, no. This is not good. I have to stop this ridiculous brain of mine. I DO NOT have a crush on her . . . I must convince myself . . . if she ever finds out, she will never want to be friends again. Harry too. I DO NOT have a crush on her . . ." Ron was muttering softly to himself.
"Not sleepy, Ron?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Huh? Er . . . I was just about to fall asleep . . ."Ron replied rather hesitantly. " I have to get over her and I can do it!" he thought before drifting off into Slumberland.
*** IN DUMBLEODRE'S OFFICE ***
"Minerva, it is time."
"But, Albus! You can't! Not now! The boy is too young. All of them are too young! Even Nina and her sister should not have known yet, but we had no choice. They were left without anyone in this world for them, except each other. We had to give them a family."
"Minerva . . .this is not too early to let them know . . . this is exactly what happened with James, Sirius and Remus. We waited too long to start their training. 'Too young' was our excuse . . .that may have been one reason why the three of them were not sufficiently equipped with skill and wisdom when it came down to Voldemort. They had to learn the hard way . . . however, we will not make the same mistake twice. We will regret later if we don't tell them now. It is DEFINITELY time Minerva . . ."
"Albus, I know that you know best, but I do hope that you are correct. If it is time, then we shall inform them tomorrow. But you do realize that training will take up most of their school time- their study time too?"
"Yes Minerva, I do realize that. We can arrange that later. They can take special classes. But the most important thing right now is the fate of the people of the world. We have to do this Minerva, for the sake of the world . . . you understand don't you?"
"Yes, Albus. I understand."
"Then can I expect to see five students here in my office tomorrow morning right after breakfast?"
"Nina and Natasha are needed too?"
"Yes, they are Minerva."
"I will send them here after breakfast then, Albus."
"Glad to hear it. Now I expect you might want to get some sleep. Goodnight, I take my leave."
**** **** ****
What is going on with all the crushes? Nina likes Ron, Ron likes Nina, both are too afraid to tell, both think Harry likes Nina too . . . OHHHHHHHHH . . . what a confusion huh?
Will they ever tell each other?
Will Ron get over Nina?
What are Dumbledore and Macgonagall discussing about?
Who's the "them" that they are referring to? Is it Harry and his friends?
What are they in for now . . .?
Read on and find out. PLzPLzPLzPLzPLz R&R. Thanx sososososo much.