This is for Kris10michelle (by any chance, is your name Kristen?),
Psychopeanut, Nessie, S_star, Obsessed and Ariel.... Thanks for reviewing!
Cheers! And for Jenny Prawn, my best friend, next to Psychopeanut (!!)...
Chapter 10
"Hagrid, she's unbelievable!" Fumed Ron. He was pacing Hagrid's cabin the next afternoon, during lunch. "I can't believe she'd put a body-bind on me, just to save that slime ball Malfoy!"
"It was for tha' best, Ron," said Hagrid, pouring out some hot into three teacups. "Hermione knows wha' she was doin'."
"But Hagrid!"
"I know Hermione, Ron. She acted for tha' best. She's a prefect now, an' she's got a lot ta responsibilities," said Hagrid. "So, Harry," said Hagrid, before Ron could argue. "How's the quidditch season comin' along?"
Harry shrugged. "As usual. Practices start tomorrow."
"Be careful, Harry. You-know-who is somewhere out there, and he migh' try ta harm you. Is Madam Hooch still goin' ta watch yer practices?"
Before Harry could answer, there was a knock on the door. Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged, as Hagrid rose to open the door.
"Oh, good afternoon, Hermione," they heard Hagrid say.
Ron stiffened, and Harry whispered, "Look natural, Ron!"
"Professor Flitwick asked me to send these to you. He said it was for your cabbages," Hermione said.
"Thanks, Hermione. Bin' waitin' fer this fer some time," said Hagrid, taking the wrapped bundle from her. "Have yer had yer lunch? I'm just puttin' out some cakes... Oh, no, Madam Maxime sent 'em. Good, come on in..."
"Is anyone here?" They heard Hermione ask.
"Yes, Harry an' Ron, Hermione," Hagrid answered.
"Oh, then I guess I'd better be going," said Hermione.
Ron let out a sigh of relief.
But Hagrid had shut the door. "No," he said firmly. "Yer must taste the cakes! An' yer can't hide from Ron forever."
"But -."
Hagrid gave Hermione a gentle push towards where Harry and Ron were seated.
"Hi, Hermione," said Harry, when he saw her.
"Hi, Harry... Hey Ron..." She said, taking off her school robe.
Ron didn't answer. Harry nudged him.
"Hey," said Ron, looking out the window.
"Have a seat, Hermione," said Hagrid. As Hermione pulled out a chair, Hagrid stopped her. "No, sit here, Hermione. Next to Ron."
Hermione and Ron went red. "NO, Hagrid," they said in unison.
Hagrid looked at Ron and Hermione firmly over his beard. "No?"
Hermione sighed in defeat, and reluctantly sat next to Ron, who moved to sit closer to Harry, who stubbornly refused to budge.
"Here," said Hagrid holding out a plate on which big slices of the most delicious cakes imaginable sat. "Try 'em."
"Are they... Magic? Do they hop in our stomachs or anything?" Asked Hermione, eyeing them skeptically.
"Hermione, are you training to be an auror, or anything?" Said Ron, before he could think.
Hermione pretended not to hear him and repeated her question to Hagrid.
"Well, I don' know," admitted Hagrid. "Why don' yer try 'em fer yerself an' tell me?" He said, winking down at them.
"Well, Hagrid, -," started Harry, but was interrupted by a few knocks on the door.
"Eat," said Hagrid, putting the plate in front of them, and went to the door.
"Well, you first," said Ron to Hermione. "Ladies first."
"Yeah, and if I land in the hospital wing tonight, Ron, do send me a bouquet of flowers as big as you can find, okay? And if I die -."
"Certainly, you won't, Miss Granger. Suppose I try them first?"
The three of them turned and saw Professor Dumbledore standing next to Hagrid, a smile on his face.
"Professor," they said, jumping to their feet.
"Well, good afternoon. I would like to talk to Hagrid about some pressing matters, and besides, it's almost time for your next lesson, so would you be so kind as to run along? Perhaps you can save those delicious cakes for tea?"
"Yes, professor," they chorused, somewhat relieved to have an excuse not to try Hagrid's cakes.
"Ron," muttered Harry under his breath. "Why don't you apologize to Hermione now? Hagrid was right, you know."
"No way!" Hissed Ron, watching as Hermione quickened her pace, and overtook them.
"Ron, please! Don't put her through this!"
"Oh, since when did you care so much about Hermione, eh, Harry? Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"Oh, bug off, Ron! You know it's pointless to fight with her? Why can't you just respect her?"
"What? Respect someone who gave me bruises in four different places?"
"She did it for your sake! You know it! If she hadn't, you know you would've gotten into a detention, if you'd showed up at potions with a bloody lip!" Argued Harry.
"Harry, I really don't think -."
"I do. Now GO!" Urged Harry, pushing Ron ahead.
Turning one last time to glare at Harry, he sped up and called out to Hermione.
"What?" She called back, slowing down a little.
"I want to talk to you. Can you spare me a minute?" He asked.
Hermione stopped walking, and Ron walked up to her. "Sorry, Hermione."
"You don't have to apologize if you don't want to, Ron. Especially since Harry put you up to it." Hermione turned away.
"Come on, Hermione," said Harry gently. "Let's not fight, shall we?"
Hermione frowned. "I never said we were fighting, did I?"
"Does it mean...?" Said Ron.
"Yes," answered Hermione, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, I'M sorry, Ron! I was such a git! I could've used the leg-locker curse, but I panicked!"
Ron awkwardly peeled Hermione's arms off him. "Well, friends, yeah?"
"Friends!" Agreed Hermione, as the three of them fell into step and walked back to the castle.
From the owlry that overlooked the grounds, Draco Malfoy stood, watching everything that happened, replaying every scene in his mind. Especially the scene when Hermione threw her arms around Ron. Why? They were just friends, weren't they? So why did he care whether Hermione hugged Ron or not. She could kiss every guy in the school and he wouldn't care less... Would he?
Chapter 10
"Hagrid, she's unbelievable!" Fumed Ron. He was pacing Hagrid's cabin the next afternoon, during lunch. "I can't believe she'd put a body-bind on me, just to save that slime ball Malfoy!"
"It was for tha' best, Ron," said Hagrid, pouring out some hot into three teacups. "Hermione knows wha' she was doin'."
"But Hagrid!"
"I know Hermione, Ron. She acted for tha' best. She's a prefect now, an' she's got a lot ta responsibilities," said Hagrid. "So, Harry," said Hagrid, before Ron could argue. "How's the quidditch season comin' along?"
Harry shrugged. "As usual. Practices start tomorrow."
"Be careful, Harry. You-know-who is somewhere out there, and he migh' try ta harm you. Is Madam Hooch still goin' ta watch yer practices?"
Before Harry could answer, there was a knock on the door. Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged, as Hagrid rose to open the door.
"Oh, good afternoon, Hermione," they heard Hagrid say.
Ron stiffened, and Harry whispered, "Look natural, Ron!"
"Professor Flitwick asked me to send these to you. He said it was for your cabbages," Hermione said.
"Thanks, Hermione. Bin' waitin' fer this fer some time," said Hagrid, taking the wrapped bundle from her. "Have yer had yer lunch? I'm just puttin' out some cakes... Oh, no, Madam Maxime sent 'em. Good, come on in..."
"Is anyone here?" They heard Hermione ask.
"Yes, Harry an' Ron, Hermione," Hagrid answered.
"Oh, then I guess I'd better be going," said Hermione.
Ron let out a sigh of relief.
But Hagrid had shut the door. "No," he said firmly. "Yer must taste the cakes! An' yer can't hide from Ron forever."
"But -."
Hagrid gave Hermione a gentle push towards where Harry and Ron were seated.
"Hi, Hermione," said Harry, when he saw her.
"Hi, Harry... Hey Ron..." She said, taking off her school robe.
Ron didn't answer. Harry nudged him.
"Hey," said Ron, looking out the window.
"Have a seat, Hermione," said Hagrid. As Hermione pulled out a chair, Hagrid stopped her. "No, sit here, Hermione. Next to Ron."
Hermione and Ron went red. "NO, Hagrid," they said in unison.
Hagrid looked at Ron and Hermione firmly over his beard. "No?"
Hermione sighed in defeat, and reluctantly sat next to Ron, who moved to sit closer to Harry, who stubbornly refused to budge.
"Here," said Hagrid holding out a plate on which big slices of the most delicious cakes imaginable sat. "Try 'em."
"Are they... Magic? Do they hop in our stomachs or anything?" Asked Hermione, eyeing them skeptically.
"Hermione, are you training to be an auror, or anything?" Said Ron, before he could think.
Hermione pretended not to hear him and repeated her question to Hagrid.
"Well, I don' know," admitted Hagrid. "Why don' yer try 'em fer yerself an' tell me?" He said, winking down at them.
"Well, Hagrid, -," started Harry, but was interrupted by a few knocks on the door.
"Eat," said Hagrid, putting the plate in front of them, and went to the door.
"Well, you first," said Ron to Hermione. "Ladies first."
"Yeah, and if I land in the hospital wing tonight, Ron, do send me a bouquet of flowers as big as you can find, okay? And if I die -."
"Certainly, you won't, Miss Granger. Suppose I try them first?"
The three of them turned and saw Professor Dumbledore standing next to Hagrid, a smile on his face.
"Professor," they said, jumping to their feet.
"Well, good afternoon. I would like to talk to Hagrid about some pressing matters, and besides, it's almost time for your next lesson, so would you be so kind as to run along? Perhaps you can save those delicious cakes for tea?"
"Yes, professor," they chorused, somewhat relieved to have an excuse not to try Hagrid's cakes.
"Ron," muttered Harry under his breath. "Why don't you apologize to Hermione now? Hagrid was right, you know."
"No way!" Hissed Ron, watching as Hermione quickened her pace, and overtook them.
"Ron, please! Don't put her through this!"
"Oh, since when did you care so much about Hermione, eh, Harry? Or is there something you're not telling me?"
"Oh, bug off, Ron! You know it's pointless to fight with her? Why can't you just respect her?"
"What? Respect someone who gave me bruises in four different places?"
"She did it for your sake! You know it! If she hadn't, you know you would've gotten into a detention, if you'd showed up at potions with a bloody lip!" Argued Harry.
"Harry, I really don't think -."
"I do. Now GO!" Urged Harry, pushing Ron ahead.
Turning one last time to glare at Harry, he sped up and called out to Hermione.
"What?" She called back, slowing down a little.
"I want to talk to you. Can you spare me a minute?" He asked.
Hermione stopped walking, and Ron walked up to her. "Sorry, Hermione."
"You don't have to apologize if you don't want to, Ron. Especially since Harry put you up to it." Hermione turned away.
"Come on, Hermione," said Harry gently. "Let's not fight, shall we?"
Hermione frowned. "I never said we were fighting, did I?"
"Does it mean...?" Said Ron.
"Yes," answered Hermione, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, I'M sorry, Ron! I was such a git! I could've used the leg-locker curse, but I panicked!"
Ron awkwardly peeled Hermione's arms off him. "Well, friends, yeah?"
"Friends!" Agreed Hermione, as the three of them fell into step and walked back to the castle.
From the owlry that overlooked the grounds, Draco Malfoy stood, watching everything that happened, replaying every scene in his mind. Especially the scene when Hermione threw her arms around Ron. Why? They were just friends, weren't they? So why did he care whether Hermione hugged Ron or not. She could kiss every guy in the school and he wouldn't care less... Would he?