Chapter 6: The Harsh Lesson

Hermione looked extremely angry, so Ron and Harry stepped cautiously.

"Sit," Hermione hissed.

Both Harry and Ron immediately fell back into the loveseat behind them. They had learned after the first few years of their friendship that it was best to obey an angry Hermione. She sighed deeply and slammed her open book shut, which caused the two boys to flinch.

"What is going on with you two??"

Ron muttered almost indistinctly, "I don't know what you're talking about…"

"OH REALLY?! You mean, you don't know why you completely blew off your new friend. You don't know why you hurt a sweet girl's feeling??? I'll tell you why!! Because you two are the most selfish, rude, tactless idiots in the universe!!!!"

"You don't understand, Hermione! She's in Slytherin! That means there must be something bad about her!"

Mouth dropping in shock, Hermione stared at Ron.

"SOMETHING BAD ABOUT HER???? TELL ME RON!!!! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HER???? ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT SHE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT BE NICE TO YOU TWO????"

Ron's ears turned red and suddenly, he became angry as well. Jumping up, he defended himself and his other best friend.

"WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU MET A GOOD SLYTHERIN???? HALF OF THEM ARE OFFSPRING OF DEATHEATERS AND THE OTHER HALF ARE BIGOTS AGAINST YOU."

Harry was silent in between Ron and Hermione's clash. But impulsively, he spoke.

"Voldemort killed my parents. Lestrange killed Sirius. I've never met a deatheater outside of Slytherin. I see nothing different about her…"

Hermione turned on Harry. A calm anger rose in her voice.

"You really don't read enough…"

She threw the large book she was reading in Harry's face, breaking his glasses.

"Take a good look at it."

Hermione stood there for a moment in peace. Then, she stormed up to her dormitory. Ron sat back down and stared at the book in Harry's lap.

"What do you think she wants us to look at, Harry?"

There was a red ribbon sticking out from in between the pages. Putting his fingers in between the pages and pulling out the bookmark, Harry and Ron gazed at the large chapter subtitle: "Currently known deatheaters from magical schools, academies, and institutes around the world" It was followed by a long list of names and the school they graduated from. And, there in fancy cursive was Hogwarts. Under it was a listing of every deatheater that had ever graduated from Hogwarts and the house they were in. Though Slytherin was a recurring name in the list, there were several from the other houses. To Ron and Harry's alarm, there was a fairly large number of Gryffindors as well. The boys looked at each other in shame.

The sun was setting on the Quidditch field and the sky was red. But Aiden did not notice any of this because she was too busy staring at the flying broomstick and violently shaking box. Draco took off his robe and rolled up his sleeves with an impatience that Aiden was slowly becoming used to.

"Alright, Aiden. Quidditch is very simple. Three chasers, two beaters, a seeker, and a keeper. Chasers score points, beaters keep the bludgers away, seeker looks for the snitch, and keeper keeps the other team from scoring. Got it?"

"Uh, right…"

"Good, now let me explain the balls in Quidditch."

He reached down to open the box (which began to shake even more violently) and Aiden took a large step back.

"Come now. Don't be afraid."

"Tell that to the vicious box!"

"Argh, fine. Take this and get on the broom."

"Get on the broom…? I don't know how to ride it!!!!!"

"Ever ridden a horse?"

"Yes."

"A broom is ten times easier. Trust me."

"Trust is such a relative term…"

"Just get on. I won't let my potential keeper get hurt, I promise."

Draco's sarcastic tone worried Aiden, but she got on anyways. A surge of energy went through her body as she was lifted off the ground. The evening air was so freeing. She felt like a spirit had been released within her as the breeze blew through her hair. For a moment, she thought she was back in her beach-side room in California, but a loud shout brought her back to Earth.

"Oy! Aiden, you're going too high! Lean forward so you can come back down!"

Aiden abided and slowly leveled to the ground.

"Alright, now let's try defense. I'll pretend to be a chaser from the other team and you be keeper. I'll try to get past you."

And the rest of the practice went extremely well (excluding when Aiden turned around and whacked Draco right off his broom, creating a nasty cut across the cheek). Both she and Draco were pleased. She was pleased to soon be making fast friends playing the best sport in the universe and Draco was happy to be getting a keeper who could actually do something.

That night, Aiden went to bed exceedingly pleased about her classes and Quidditch. She was so happy, in fact, that she ignored the little voice in the far back of her mind that kept saying none of this would last…

End.

Note: Short chapter, but call it a transition chapter.