disclaimer: even though i wish i owned Harry Potter, i dont. But when i do, i'll let you know.

thanks to all who reviewed chapter eleven. i dont know what i would do without you guys!! thanks sooo much for the reviews!!

bad to da bone: thanks for the review. yours always makes me laugh..lol. oh, and i like the idea about throwing a book to her head. very good! dont you just want to make her realize whats going on? i get mad at her and i write the chapters!! lol, but i'll give you a hint...shh...she'll soon come to realize whats going on in the next couple chaps...NO more said here. i've given too much away anyways. well, as always, thanks for the review and the offer! oh, and im just going through one of those times in life that just doesnt agree with me. nothing is going my way, with my parents, friends, anything. but soon, hopefully, it'll get better. ok, enough of "feeling sorry for ashton time" lol, thanks for the review!!

rachael: thanks thanks!! and dont worry, they wont fight the whole story!

Grace: thanks so so so so so so much!!

gnzowy: thanks so much for your review!! dont worry, they'll make up soon...im trying my best to update, i'll try faster though.

beautyandbrainz: i can honestly always look forward to reading your reviews!! they make me want to write more!! lol, yes i know, goofy, but thanks a bunch for the review!! you and your friend just made me tons happier!

acknowledge: thank you so much! I tried my best to make Hermione's feelings seem real, hopefully i succeded. Thanks!!

charmed-aussie: thanks! i hope i did cause wonder with the mystey girl...to bad her idenity will be spoiled in this chappie...oh well, enjoy!!

thanks guys, keep the reviews comming!!

chapter twelve....A request and a harmless joke

Harry woke the next morning feeling only too glad it was Friday. He had to admit it to himself, this has been one of the worst weeks at Hogwarts he had gone through, and he couldn't wait to have a go on his broom to take his mind off things tomorrow. He and Ron were planning to take their brooms out and relinquish the end of the first week back. Harry was already looking forward to it.

Getting up, he made his way around his room getting ready for classes. After he had finished, he walked over to the potrait which led to the boy's dormitories on the other side.

"Fizz Bee,"he said.

The painting opened and Harry walked through. He realized everyone was still asleep and thought they needed a good wake-up call. He made his way silently over to Ron's bed and pulled his wand out. Pointing his wand at his throat, he whispered "sonorus".

Slowly, he leaned over to Ron, and then, two inched from his face, Harry let out a yell, his voice now ten times louder.

"RON! RON! WAKE UP! ARAGOG JUST LAID EGGS IN YOUR BED AND THEY'RE ALL OVER YOU! HURRY RON!" Harry yelled.

Ron's eyes shot open and he started thrashing in his sheets. His yells soon woke the other Gryffindor boys that hadnt been awake at Harry's yelling. Ron continued to thrash about and finally he fell off the bed. There, he stoof up and proceded to have a fit while trying to detach the bed sheets that still clung to his body. In this process he managed to fall over again, gettin his legs wrapped up the in sheets. Instead of trying to stand back up, Ron then crawled out of the sheets and began hitting his hands up and down his body, whimpering as he tried to free himself of the spiders that were never there. When he realized there were no spiders, he turned his attention to Harry, who was rolling on the floor laughing hysterically.

Ron glared at him. He was breathing rather hard, and if given the chance, he would have yelled at Harry, but at the moment, he had no oxygen to spare. So instead he grabbed the pillow next to him and whopped Harry, who was still laughing non-stop on the floor.

"Ro-Ron- St-St-Stop! Didn't- mean..scare that bad- apologize mate- pillow- hurt-" Harry laughed.

Ron stopped to glare at Harry some more and then turned to look at the other boys who were looking at Ron and Harry with confused looks on their faces. Apparently they had no clue who Aragog was, and had no clue why Ron had just acted like a mad man getting out of the sheets.

Ron gave them all one last look before he headed into the bathroom to take a shower. When he came back out, his bed sheets were back on the bed and Everyone else had gone to breakfast except Harry, who was sitting on Ron's bed.

Harry look up to see Ron comming out the bathroom. He walked over and stood in front of Ron.

"Look, mate, Im sorry. I didn't mean to scare you that bad. It was just a harmless joke, thats all. I promise I wont pull that one again,"said Harry, trying to hide his smile.

Ron gave him a cautious look.

"Head Boy's word," he said, saluting.

Ron snorted. Ten minutes later they were making their way to breakfast.As they made their way down the corridor and into the entrance hall, Harry was suddenly stopped by someone. He took a second look to see who it was. It was Alexa Boloy, a Ravenclaw 7th year. She was standing in front of Harry and Ron, smiling at both of them. Ron was goggling at her. And after a second glance, Harry could see why. It was true, Alexa was pretty, no getting around it. She had long raven dark hair that fell just past her shoulders and startling blue eyes that matched perfect with her dark skin. She gave Harry a smile which made her look even more pretty. She flipped her hair over her shoulder before speaking.

"Hi Harry! Hi Ron, " she said, still looking at Harry.

" Hi Alexa-"Harry managed to get out before he was cut off by Ron.

"Alexa! So, whats been going on? I haven't heard from you in a while, you shouldn't be a stranger you know," said Ron, hoping to get her attention off Harry for a second.

Harry snorted, Ron was quite the womanizer this year isnt he? he thought to himself. Wonder what happened to Lavendar?

"Oh, nothing much. Just the usual you know? So Harry, I heard you were quidditch captain this year? Again?" she added.

"Yeah, but I love it, I couldn't ask for a better team," he said, which made Ron glow with pride.

"Yeah, Gryffindor has had a winning streak for a couple years now, lets hope you can keep it!" said Alexa.

"What do you mean?" asked Ron..

"Well, with me being captain this year, things are going to be different. I plan to have that trophy in Ravenclaw's favor this year!" she joked.

"You made captain? Thats great! Congradulations!" said Harry, giving her a smile.

"Yeah, I got the notice week before term. My parents were so proud they gave me a present- a Firebolt!" she said in an excited voice, as though she still had not gotten over the shock.

"Wow" said Ron.

"Yes, it was quite a surprise. Thats why I came to talk to you Harry, I was wondering, do you think, maybe you could, er, give me a couple pointers? You know, just to help me out a little? I've never had anything above a Cleensweep, and I'm not sure I can handle something so strong. And I figured you would have had tons of practice with yours and all, so I guess I thought you could help a little?" she asked tentively.

"Uh..." Harry was shocked to have been asked this sort of question. Couldn't someone handle a broom? They were basically the same, only some had more qualities than others..why would she need his help?

"He would love to. How about Saturday around 2'clock?" said Ron, giving Harry a slight shove to make him come back to his senses.

"OH, uh, yeah, Saturday, good!" said Harry, who had heard only snippits of the conversation.

"Great! Thanks Harry! And I promise to make it up to you somehow!" and with that, she stood up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Harry was startled at this. After all, it was only flying lessons..

Smiling, she walked off and joined her friends at the Ravenclaw table, some who were giving her astonished looks, and others, pure jealously.

Ron snickered. Harry looked at him sharply.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Harry.

"Nothing mate, nothing.." said Ron, leading the way over to Gryffindor table.

As they sat down, Harry brought up the topic of Alexa again.

"I mean, why on Earth would she need flying lessons? It's not like she doesn't need the help..." said Harry, loading his plate.

Ron looked at him with a pitiful look on his face.

"Now I know how Hermione felt explaining all those things to me back in sixth year.."mumbled Ron.

"What do you mean?"asked Harry.

"Harry, are you honestly that blind? A bling man could see what just happend!" said Ron, in a tone much like the one Hermione used when talking to Harry and Ron.

"I still don-"

"She likes you!" said Ron.

"WHAT?" said Harry, now beginning to laugh.

"She likes you. Do you want me to write it down for you? It's not that hard to understand,"said Ron." Whats so funny?"

"Well, for one, she can't like me. She's been going out with that bloke Justin since-"

"They broke up. Last year. Christmas Ball. He cheated on her. Don't you remember?" said Ron.

"No..." said Harry, his face wrinkled, trying to remember.

"Well, they did. And Im willing to bet you're her next victim. But if it were me, I for one wouldn't complain, she is one nice piece of-"

"Hold up, how can you tell me she likes me?"asked Harry.

" 'I was wondering, do you think, maybe you could give me a couple pointers? You know, just to help me out a little? I've never had anything above a Cleensweep, and I'm not sure I can handle something so strong. And I figured you would have had tons of practice with yours and all, so I guess I thought you could help a little?' "quoted Ron in a high girlish voice. "Please, Harry, if you're glasses can't help you see what just went on, Im afraid you'll need a new pair. Why else would she come up and ask if you could help her learn to ride a new broom when she's been on the team since her fourth year? Honestly. She likes you. She's just trying to get you alone to make you like her too. Now thats where your new room comes in mate, all you have to do is-"

But Harry was lost in thought. How could someone like Alexa Boloy like him? I mean, she was one of the most popular girls at Hogwarts. Why him?

"Harry mate, don't look so dissapointed. If someone like Alexa had just asked me to give her flying lessons, I would be jumping up and down. What is the matter with you? You just had this georgous girl practically hanging off you and you're complaining saying there is no possible way she could like you. Whats up?" asked Ron."Wait, don't tell me, you already have someone else to give flying lessons to? You sly dog you..."smirked Ron.

"NO, it's not that, I just, I dunno. After Cho, my dating life has been at a low minium I suppose," said Harry.

"Well, this should be a good oppertunity for you mate. Get you mind off things," said Ron.

"Yeah, I guess..." said Harry.

He began to eat his breakfast but couldn't help but notice that when he looked up, Hermione was looking at him with an odd expression. Her soft face, which usually was filled with laughter, now held sorrow mixed with anger. Her eyes were also hard to read. Hermione had become very good at concealing her feelings. She had put up a wall to block what she was really thinking. But Harry had been Hermione's best friend since they were eleven, he knew how to reach past the wall. Before she had a chance to look away, he saw what she was hiding. She was angry, true, but more than anything her cinnamon brown eyes held sadness. Sadness? For what? Harry couldn't make it out.

Before he could decide, she looked away, and stared determindely at her food, ocasionally making conversation with Ginny. Harry looked at her a bit longer. He wished more than anything they could just be friends again. He hated fighting with her. Maybe I should make up with her, or atleast try and get her to talk to me. Fat chance.... She won't even look at me... Well, I'll make her. Hold her down until she talks to me. I can't let our friendship go down the drain..

With this plan in mind, Harry continued his breakfast, feeling slightly better at the thought of him and Hermione talking again. Little did he know that at this moment, Hermione was thinking the chances of her and Harry ever talking again was very slim. So slim in fact, air was thicker. After her suspicions were just confirmed, there was no way she was forgiving him anytime soon. No way at all...

dont forget to review, i'll try my best to update soon, it mostly depends on my computer's behavior, it point blank refuses to work with me..but im trying my best..

Ashton