Hermione slumped lower in her seat, adjusting her position to be more comfortable. The thestrals seemed to be pulling the carriage with extra speed so that every bump the carriage hit sent her flying and falling off her seat.
Pop!
She snapped a large, pink stretchy bubble over her lips and greedily gobbled it back up into her mouth.
"Hermione! Stop that!"
She rolled her brilliant cinnamon eyes and then fixed them on the source of her annoyance, who was sitting just opposite of her.
"Stop what, Ron?" she asked in an irritated tone.
"Stop...I dunno...making that 'pop' sound with the bumblepum!"
Hermione rolled her eyes again and narrowed her eyes in aggravation.
"First of all, Ron, it's called bubblegum. It's a Muggle candy. Second of all, bubblegum is supposed to be consumed this way. And third of all, don't tell me what to do!" She let out a indignant huff and folded her arms.
"Hermione, what's the matter with you? We haven't even started our seventh year and already you've started acting all weird."
Hermione merely ignored him and chose to concentrate on Harry, instead, who hadn't spoken a word the entire ride so far.
Harry sat next to Ron and did not even register them fighting. He was too involved in staring out the window with a faraway look in his eyes. Hermione noticed that his gaze was fixed on the invisible force that seemed to be pulling the carriages.
"Poor Harry. If only you knew that you're not alone." Hermione thought to herself. She closed her eyes so that Ron couldn't see the corners of her eyes tearing up. "I can see the thestrals too."
Hermione reminded herself not to cry. Crying was futile in her situation. Instead, just to spite Ron, she blew the largest bubble she had ever blown so far and then poked it with her tongue, causing it to omit a resounding POP!
Hermione couldn't help herself from smiling when she heard the cry of frustration from Ron.