Chapter 2: Coincidence
As the three walked into the Great Hall, Ron was still silent, although his expression had softened a little bit. They sat down and waited for the sorting ceremony to take place.
"I'm starving. I can't wait for the feast, can you Ron?" asked Harry in an attempt to break the silence.
It took a while for Ron to answer, but he eventually decided that he couldn't stay angry forever. Besides, Hermione is very trustworthy; she wouldn't have lied to him. "Yeah, I am hungry," he finally replied.
When the sorting was finished, Professor Dumbledore stood for the usual announcements. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," he announced regally, "The caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you, yet again, that the Dark Forest is strictly out of bounds. Also, that the list of banned items has been expanded to include most Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. The full list can be found, as always, on Mr. Filch's office door.
"Any remaining punishments and decrees from Professor Umbridge are herby lifted. Finally, the first Hogsmeade visit will be on the first weekend of October. With that said, let the feast begin."
The dishes before them magically filled with large quantities of foods. Ron helped himself to a few legs of chicken. "So Harry, doesn't this mean you're back on the Quidditch team again?" he asked.
"I guess so," replied Harry, "Dumbledore did say that all Umbridge's punishments were lifted. I guess that would include Quidditch."
"Wicked," Ron marveled.
When the feast was over, Ron and Hermione led the first year Gryffindor's to the common room and told them the password: Lacewing Flies.
The next morning, shortly after they had received their schedules, Hermione received a letter. She read through it quickly, looked up, then read it once more. When she had finished she looked toward Harry and Ron again.
"What's up?" asked Ron.
"Bulgaria is playing Britain," said Hermione in an offhand voice.
"So?" spat Ron, "are you following Vicky's game schedule now too?"
"It's on the weekend of our Hogsmeade visit, if you must know, and I'm going to tell Viktor. We can meet at the Three Broomsticks. He's been waiting for a chance to see me since summer. That's not a problem, is it Ron?" challenged Hermione.
"What!" screamed Ron standing up. His face was now so red, his freckles were unrecognizable.
"You heard me! I am going to see Viktor. I don't know why you care so much!" Hermione retorted.
"I don't! It's none of my business if you want to hang around with a slouching, one-eye browed git like him!"
"Good; because that's exactly who I want to hang around with."
"Well then fine. You keep him."
"I will. In fact I'll write him back right now." Hermione quickly scribbled a message a message on the other side of Krum's note, then started out of the Great Hall.
"Where are you going now?" Ron interrogated.
"To the owlery to send this note. You don't have a problem with me seeing Hedwig now do you?" she replied as she left.
When the door closed behind her Ron turned to Harry. "Why'd you let her use Hedwig? Don't tell me you're siding with her!"
Harry rolled his eyes in disbelief and turned back to his bacon, hoping that not everyone noticed Ron and Hermione's argument.
