"The Unforgettable Fight"

      Hermione paced very nervously back and forth in her living room waiting for 4:00 to arrive. She stopped in front of the mirror above the glossy black baby grand piano. Hermione looked at the mess upon her head she called her hair.  She took the ponytail holder from her wrist, and began to try to tame the beast.  It took her thirteen different times of pulling her hair up till she was satisfied.  She usually did this when ever she was nervous.  But she had never been this nervous about going to Ron's house before.  "We're friends.  This is what friends do.  They go to each other's houses, and hang out.  Yes.  Right.  We're just friends," she said under her breath as she continued pacing.  She didn't notice that her mother had entered the room.  "Hermione, darling, you're going to wear out our new carpet."  She had a grin on her face at her little joke, but Hermione's was that of a horror-like expression.  Her mum saw this and immediately tried to soothe her daughter's horror.  "I was just kidding, you know.  What's the matter, Hermione?"  Her mother asked as her grin faded away into a look of concern.  Hermione hesitated.  "I-I am just nervous about using the Floo Powder1, mum.  That's all."  She had lied.  That wasn't the reason she was nervous at all.  She was nervous about going to see Ron.  She had been there before but this time it was different.  Hermione sighed.  Her mum's grin reappeared, "Well, its safe isn't it?  Don't Harry and the Weasley's use it all the time?"  She knew her mum would understand but for some reason Hermione couldn't bring herself to tell her.  So Hermione just faked some confidence and replied, "Yeah, they do!  I have nothing to worry about!"  Her mum smiled at her again, and with a quick hug, her mother left into the kitchen to begin dinner.  Hermione began to pace again.  As she did, she wrung her hands anxiously.  She began to think to herself about last year.  She needed to sit down.

      She stretched herself out on the comfy sofa, and the memories of last year began flooding through her head.  One of the many memories that had been haunting her the most all summer was the one of her and Ron's fight.2 Secretly she had wanted him to ask her to the Yule Ball.  She would have said yes.  But instead, he waited around until the last minute to find a date.  It was a stupid fight that was fueled by jealousy and a fondness for each other.  Their attraction was undeniable.  It was obvious to everyone at Hogwarts.  They were both just too stubborn to admit it.  But that night of the fight, they had reached the end of their ropes.  Ron just wanted to ask some one fairly decent and who would say yes; instead of asking someone he liked.  Why hadn't he just asked her?!? Every time she thought about it she became angry.  "OH!  That Ron Weasley!"  She said this under her breath.  Hermione wasn't paying attention to the grandfather clock that stood next to her. And before she realized it, 4:00 had crept upon her and past by five minutes.

     "Oh no!  I am late!"  She grabbed her trunk and Crookshank's carrier, and then hurried to the fire place. "Mum!  Dad!  Hurry!  I'm about to leave!"  Her parents rushed into the living room where Hermione was and hugged their daughter goodbye.  "I'll miss you two!  See you next summer!"  She said as she began to cry.  Through her tears, she said. "I'll send you a ton of owls!"  With tears in her mum and dad's eyes they said, "We'll miss you too, darling!"  Her dad handed her mum his handkerchief, and she politely blew her nose.  Her parents stepped back as she reached for the sterling silver urn that was garnished with emeralds, rubies, sapphires and topaz upon the mantle.  She opened its beautiful mouth, took a bit of its powdery continents, and threw it from her hand into the fire.  The fire went from blazing orange to a glowing emerald green.3  Hermione scooted her immensely heavy trunk into the fire place, picked up the carrier that held Crookshanks (who wasn't too please about going into his carrier and gave her quite a fight earlier), and then put herself into the green flames.  She waved good-bye as she shouted "THE BURROW!!!", and then she was gone.

1 The magical powder used in the Harry Potter series to transport wizards and witches by fire places.

2 The fight about the Yule Ball from the fourth book.

3 That's the color the fire turned in the "Chamber of Secrets" book.