Chapter 7: A Series of Giant Mistakes
Harry woke late on Tuesday morning to find the boys' dormitory flooded with golden sunlight. He smiled at the dust particles floating in the small ray of sunshine that had crossed his four-poster through the gap in the curtains. He pulled back the heavy velvet drapes and reached for his glasses. Pushing the round frames over his long nose, Harry looked around the dorm room, finding it empty. Harry, thinking they were all down at breakfast and grumbling silently at Ron for not waking him, looked at the clock above the door that led outside to the spiral staircase.
9:17.
Harry blinked.
NINE SEVENTEEN? Their morning classes started at nine! Quickly, he grabbed some clothes and pulled them on while he hopped around the room. Not bothering to tie the laces of his trainers, Harry rushed down the stairs into the common room, trying to make his hair lie flat. He burst into the high-ceilinged chamber; ready to rush off and apologize to whatever teachers whose classes he had missed. With one leg out of the portrait hole, Harry froze.
"Oi! Harry!" A voice came from one of the red armchairs by the fire. Harry stared at the back of the chair, stunned. Suddenly it swiveled around to expose Ron, clutching a bag of what looked like several dozen Chocolate frogs. Ron's hair was in great need of brushing and his face held a slightly puzzled expression. Harry had the feeling that he himself must look very similar at the moment.
He stared at the redheaded boy and then moved his gaze to Alexis, who had just lifted herself up from where she had been lying on the couch, still wearing her pajamas. She stared back at him, her mouth half open, ready to accept something white and cylindrical that she had been about to eat. The food had stopped halfway to her mouth and she didn't seem capable of making her arm move the extra four inches to cover the distance.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked both of them, sounding somewhat alarmed. He adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, pulling his leg out from the portrait hole and turning his whole body to face the two. "Shouldn't you be-"
But Ron interrupted him.
"We're relaxing and pigging out, Harry. Just like we should be," he said calmly. "It's the friggin' second day of term. Only Hermione is nuts enough to go to her class. In my opinion, she should have skived off, but you know how she loves Arithmancy." Harry stared at Ron. Was his friend going mental? It was stupid to try and get a detention in the first week of school.
"Look," Harry said, running his hand through his hair. "I'm going to class. I don't want to line up detentions this early. We have enough things to do as it is." He turned and walked back through the portrait hole but Ron interrupted him once more.
"Oi! Harry!" Ron shouted again. "Wait!" Harry turned. "Look," Ron was holding up his schedule and pointing to the 'Tuesday' column. "We don't have any classes right now. The first thing we've got today is History of Magic, and that isn't until ten past ten." Harry stared at him, wondering if the other boy was just trying to get him to skip class. "Hermione's at Arithmancy right now," Ron explained. "Then, at eleven twenty, I've got my potions class and Alexis' got Hagrid. And you have a free period; so does Hermione. Then, later, after Lunch, we've got Double Care of Magical Creatures while Alexis goes to Divination and last thing, we all have Transfiguration."
Harry pulled his own schedule out of his bag. Scanning it over made him feel really stupid. When he looked back up Ron waved his hand towards himself, gesturing Harry to come sit with them. He was grinning.
For the second time, Harry stepped back into the common room, feeling ridiculous. He walked up to the couch where Alexis was stretched out, now sucking on the white piece of food she had not been able to transfer to her mouth earlier. Harry surveyed her strange pajamas. She was wearing a pair of plaid boy's boxer shorts under an overly large t-shirt featuring the Weird Sisters, a popular wizard's band. Like Ron, her hair was rumpled and in bad need of brushing.
"Budge up." Harry said, asking her to make room for him on the couch. Alexis pulled her bare feet with their chipping red toenail polish closer to herself, leaving half the couch for Harry. She didn't say anything, still sucking on the white thing and staring into the fire, a blank expression on her face.
As soon as Harry took a seat on the couch, Nieve, in cat form, jumped up and began licking his face with great fervor. Harry laughed and petted the dog.
"What's that?" Harry asked Alexis, pointing towards whatever she was eating. She tossed a pink and blue bag at him.
"Marshmallow." Alexis said, pulling a piece of white fluff off her thumb and sticking it in her mouth. "Best American muggle sweet available."
Harry looked inside the bag. It was about 1/4 of the way full with what Alexis called 'marshmallows'. Pulling one out, Harry was just about to take a bite when Ron stopped him.
"I wouldn't if I were you, Harry." He said, looking at the sweets with great distaste. "I tried to eat a whole one all at once. Almost lost my breakfast." Harry looked at the soft, squishy thing in his hand. It didn't really look that bad, but he had never seen Ron turn down any type of candy before. He glanced at Alexis, who was looking at as if the only thing she cared about in the world was to have him prove that Ron had no taste in sweets. Harry took a bite and wrinkled his nose. Swallowing, he threw the other half of the sweet to Nieve, who accepted and wolfed it down obediently.
Harry grimaced, trying to get rid of the aftertaste left in his mouth. "They're like plain sugar!" He told Alexis accusingly. Ron gave a whoop at these words and laughed as Alexis grabbed the bag back from Harry.
"More for me then." She said disapprovingly, taking another marshmallow out of the bag and biting off a large piece. Ron tossed Harry a Chocolate frog, which he ate with new appreciation and hunger while Alexis made a face and exclaimed that the two boys were totally clueless.
…………………………………
Later that day Harry, Hermione and Ron left Alexis at lunch, from which they would go to for their Care of Magical Creatures Class. Walking across the freshly mowed lawn to Hagrid's hut, they were happy to be outside on the bright September day. England had been hit with a pleasing period of Indian Summer, and the students welcomed the extended time of warm weather with exuberant smiles. Ron was still eating chocolate frogs, except this was a new bag, already half empty. In the left pocket of his trousers he had placed the collection of cards from the frogs eaten so far that day. There were a couple dozen of them in all. The path the threesome had taken through the grounds was marked with wrappers that Ron had carelessly strewn across the grass. Even though a disgruntled Hermione vanished half of them as they hit the ground, the trail was still visible and easy to follow.
"Ron," Hermione said as the redhead dropped another brightly colored wrapper onto the grass. "Do you have to be such a litterbug? You could at least put the rubbish back into the bag. Then we could but it in the dust bin later." Hermione twisted her body around as she said this, jabbing her wand at the offending wrapper.
Ron ignored Hermione. Without glancing at her, he licked the chocolate from his fingers and pulled another, brightly wrapped frog from his bag.
"Come on Hermione!" Ron grinned at her as he unwrapped the chocolate and stuck it in his mouth. "You 'no 'at u want one!" He smiled again, his teeth covered in chocolate. Hermione scowled at him.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, it's impolite." At this, Ron looked slightly abashed. He swallowed and, pouting slightly, handed Harry a frog when the other boy gestured for one.
"Oh Ron," Hermione sighed. "Don't be so immature."
Ron pulled another frog from his bag and began to unwrap it, still pouting.
"Fine! Fine! If it matters that much to you- I'll eat one alright?" Hermione huffed. "I didn't mean it as an insult." She grabbed the frog that Ron had partially unwrapped and began to complete the process. "Here, look- I'm unwrapping the frog, and then I'm going to eat it. Happy?"
"Wait! No." Ron grinned and plucked the unwrapped frog from Hermione's fingers. "Eat this one. This one's mine." He handed her another frog, popping the first into his own mouth.
"Er…" Hermione took the new chocolate and examined it. "Why...?"
"Er… Because I touched the other one, and I don't want you to get sick or anything." Hermione knitted her eyebrows at the redhead and unwrapped the frog.
"Oh look! It's got little fangs!" Hermione giggled and showed the chocolate to the other two. Ron grinned but Harry looked confused.
"I've never seen those before-" Harry said to Ron. Hermione poked her pinkie finger at the frog's mouth. It snapped, but she still looked at it as if it were some kind of fluffy bunny-rabbit.
"Um... they're all different... haven't you ever noticed the fanged ones before?" Ron bit his lip and grinned at the same time. 'Say yes' He mouthed at Harry.
"What was that?" Hermione looked back up at them.
"Oh! Um..." Ron stared at the chocolate, which was looking threateningly at Hermione's thumb. It stuck out its tongue and licked the girl, but she didn't seem to notice. "Uhh... nothing."
"Hermione, the frog's going to melt." Ron pointed at Hermione's chocolate, whose fangs had been inching towards her thumb.
"I know." Hermione said, just as she popped the frog into her mouth. "Urgh!" She immediately spat it back out into the wrapper. "Oww!"
Ron doubled over with laughter and Harry nearly jumped out of his skin.
"What happened? Hermione, are you okay?"
"Ron!" Hermione ran several yards to the left of their group and spat into the grass. Still looking appalled, she continued. "You are such a- a-" Hermione couldn't seem to find the appropriate word.
"You fell for it! Ha ha!" Ron howled at the top of his lungs. "Never eat anything that has fangs! That's one of the first lessons of wizarding candy. Right?"
"I thought that you were being a gentleman! Giving me a frog you weren't going to eat in the first place! I should have known!"
Ron just howled louder.
"Wait, what happened?" Harry took a few steps toward Hermione.
"That thing- that frog bit me!" Hermione stuck out her tongue at Harry. "See? Right there!" She pointed. Harry could see a red spot where the chocolate had punctured her skin.
"What do you mean?" Harry stared at her blankly. Hermione held out the frog in its wrapper, unfolding the paper.
"See? It has monster fangs! They're sharp!" Hermione stood, chest heaving, with the frog held out to Harry. The black haired boy's face cracked into a grin.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed. "It isn't funny!" At this point the frog jumped back towards Hermione, who squealed and dropped the wrapper. She whacked the frog out of the air in mid jump and took several steps backward, staring at where the chocolate lay in the grass.
"Litterer!" Ron howled. "You threw the wrapper on the ground! Litterer!" Harry had to chuckle at this but Hermione looked mortified.
"I- I-" She inhaled and clenched her fists. "Ron, you are the most- the most stupid person ever!" With this she turned her back on them and ran towards Hagrid's hut, hair flying behind her.
Harry stood still, his smile having disappeared from his face entirely. Ron stopped laughing as well when he realized Hermione had gone and they looked after her together, their expressions somewhat surprised.
"Ron-" Harry began. "She- I don't think that she liked that very much."
"No-" Ron smiled weakly and adjusted his book bag. "Really? I thought-" Ron let out a sigh. "Look- I don't get it. She never likes anything I do. I thought that it was funny. Really."
Harry let out an exasperated sigh and bent over to pick up Hermione's wrapper and the fanged frog from where they lay in the grass. He tucked the colored paper inside his bag and flung the vicious chocolate as hard as he cold into the Forbidden Forrest. The boys could hear its squealing croaks as it landed in the brush.
"Com'on; let's go." Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder and steered him towards Hagrid's cabin. "We don't want to be late."
The boys reached Hagrid's cabin in a gloomy mood, standing off to the left of the yard. Wordlessly, they each knew that talking to Hagrid wouldn't improve their spirits. Harry noted Hermione standing nearby, but he didn't really know what to say. She hadn't noticed them, for she had her notebook out, and her hair was blocking all view of her face. She didn't seem to be writing anything however. Harry saw Parvati and Lavender walk over to her, smiling and wanting to engage her in a conversation. She glanced up when they addressed her, and Harry was surprised to see Hermione's face tear-streaked and blotchy. Feeling a pang of quilt and remorse, he bit his lip and stared at his feet as Ron was doing. Hermione seemingly had asked the girls to leave, for Lavender quickly gave her a hug and the two walked away, looking slightly stunned and concerned.
At that moment Hagrid come out of his hut, bearing a large cake and a toothy grin. The group of accumulated students hushed and focused their attention on him, studying the cake and shifting their book-bags from shoulder to shoulder.
"Ello ev'ryone!" Hagrid beamed at the students. "We're goin' t' 'ave a very interestin' lesson t'day," He said, "If you'd please follow me. They like dark places, they do, so we're going to 'ave to walk a little bit." Hagrid, still bearing his huge smile, turned and began to walk towards the forest. The students followed his bulky form, murmuring amongst themselves, some looking terrified (Neville) and some as if they thought the lesson would be a joke (Malfoy).
"Dark places?" Ron glanced at Harry as they followed Hagrid to form a long, scraggly line into the forest. "You don't reckon that he'll make us study Aragog now, do you?" The redhead shivered from head to toe, but Harry didn't reply. He was scanning the heads of students in line before them.
"Let's- let's go find Hermione." Harry took Ron's arm and gave him a tug, motioning for the redhead to follow him through the clumps of students. "She's up there."
"Why do we need to find her? She's being a grump." Ron sulked behind Harry as they shouldered their way through and around the sixth years. "I really thought that the frog was funny."
Harry glanced back at Ron. "Ron, she cried." He smiled weakly at Dean and Seamus as he passed them.
"Wait, Harry, what?" Ron skipped to catch up with him. Walking side by side, he continued talking to Harry. "She cried? Why the- why would she cry of all things!"
Harry didn't answer; he just increased his pace, having seen the familiar, bushy head bobbing fifty or so feet behind Hagrid in the line of students.
The two boys caught up with her but she paid them no attention. For several moments they walked in silence and then Harry cleared his throat.
"We'd like to apologize, Hermione." Harry glanced sideways at the girl and she sniffed. "Ron thought that you'd find the frog funny- and- well, I- we're sorry."
Hermione sniffed and hiccupped.
"You're crying again!" Ron took Hermione's wrist and tried to make her turn.
"I'm fine. You don't need to apologize." Hermione hid her face from the boys and wiped her eyes.
"We're really sorry." Harry tried to get around the girl to see her face. "We didn't mean it like that."
"Harry-" Hermione's voice broke. "Don't-"
"Hermione, we didn't do anything! Why are you crying again? We are just trying to apologize." Ron raised his voice a bit and tried to turn Hermione around so that she would face him.
"I'm fine! I'm not crying!" The girl jerked her arm free of Ron and ran past Harry farther up the line of students. Ron kicked a nearby tree.
"She was crying! We could see her! What the-" Ron made an undistinguishable sound and pulled at his hair. "I don't get her!"
Harry focused his eyes on the redhead for several seconds and then sprinted off towards Hermione, leaving Ron behind. Coming up behind the girl, he pulled her towards the side of the path and hugged her tightly.
They stood in silence as the students passed them, most of them staring, but Harry ignored them. He stood and hugged his friend and she hugged him back.
"It- it just makes it worse when people say that.."
"I know. We're sorry. We really are sorry."
Hermione buried her face in Harry's school robes and sniffed. They stood for several moments until the girl decided that she felt better.
"Thank you." She pulled away and wiped her eyes. Harry grinned.
"What?" Hermione said weakly.
"My shirt's wet," he laughed and Hermione smiled slightly, sniffing.
"Okay, com'on." He put an arm around her shoulders and they joined Ron again in the line of students, for he had been patiently waiting several feet off, his expression blank. Hermione gave him a quick one-armed hug.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he mumbled into her hair, hugging her back.
Hermione gave him a weak smile as she broke away, and the three students rejoined the group walking behind Hagrid.
Each minute the procession marched deeper and deeper into the forest, and each moment it grew darker and colder. After ten minutes of steady walking, Ron broke the silence within the threesome with a shiver and a statement that no one wanted to hear.
"I think that he's going to take us to Aragog," Ron twitched uncontrollably. "There isn't anything else this deep in the forest, is there?"
Hermione shushed him.
"He's not that stupid." She shifted the weight of her bag. "It's probably some kind of creature we don't know about…" Her voice trailed off.
"Something big and hairy- and I bet it's black, with fangs… and way too may legs..." Ron rambled on as he hugged himself. "I wish I'd brought my cloak." He shivered, and then continued. "Well, I guess that it's better to freeze to death than to be eaten during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson!"
"Ron, stop it." Hermione shivered as well and blew into her hands.
"No, really!" Ron continued. "I have this feeling- that this is our deathbed. I just know it. Let's think of some good last words so that Rita Skeeter can write an article about our heroic passings."
"Ron!" Hermione glared at him. "Knock it off."
"Yeah, Ron, I don't think this is the best topic…" Harry let out his breath slowly. "So... Hermione... What do you want for your birthday?"
"Do you want those to be your last words, Harry? It would be better if you'd say something more like-"
"Ron!" Hermione huffed. "I'm going to go ask Hagrid what the lesson will be on. Hopefully he'll follow the ministry curriculum like I told him to. We already know it won't be Aragog!" Hermione marched off, but it was already too late. From just beyond the closest grouping of fir trees there was a succession of loud thumps. Every one of the students stopped in their tracks, even Hermione, then only several yards from Hagrid, but becoming steadily farther away, for the large man kept walking, apparently unaware that all the talking behind him had ceased.
"What was that noise?" An unmistakable voice came from near the end of the procession. Hagrid swiveled around to look at the speaker. Draco Malfoy stood, looking whiter than usual, with his cronies Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy Parkinson, also a Slytherin, was clutching his arm.
Hargrid's eyes traveled over the terrified faces of the 6th years, not understanding what to make of their frightened expressions. As he focused on Hermione, as well as Harry and Ron, who had came up behind the girl, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"It's on'y Grawp and Gria. Come on now. Nothing to be scared of." He gestured to the whole group, asking them to come forward. With this last request, he turned and disappeared through the trees.
"He's doing a lesson on giants! And now there's two of them!" Ron looked mortified.
Harry was speechless, but Hermione finally found her voice. Trembling, she tried to reassure her friends.
"Oh come on! You've seen one of them before. You seemed fine with Grawp last year. Now they-" She gestured around at the other students. "- They have a right to be scared out of their minds."
Ron stared at her, wanting very much to turn tail and run. "I-I" he stammered. Then he gave up and stared at his overlarge feet.
Behind them the other students had broken into whispers. Unlike the three at the front of the group, they had no idea what the enormous fir trees concealed. Some had begun to take small backwards steps, trying to put as much distance between themselves and whatever had made the thumping sound.
"Isn' anyone coming?" Came Hagrid's voice through the trees.
There was a moment's silence during which everyone looked at each other, and though their mouths did not, their eyes all said the same thing. There was no way any of the students in this Care of Magical Creatures class would get anywhere closer to the trees that stood in front of them. Hermione, with a nervous glance at her classmates, decided to answer Hagrid's question.
"Hagrid- I don't think we should go further into the forest. It is forbidden." But to everyone's horror, Hagrid seemed fine with this and his answer came easily.
"I'll jus' bring em' out then." Hagrid marched out of the trees. "Grawp! Grina!" He called after himself, back into the trees.
"HAGGAR!" An earsplitting roar filled the wood and the students each took a few paces backwards. All the light- if there ever was any in a forest so thick- was blocked by two huge shapes that had appeared from behind the trees. One of them was Grawp, a pure giant, and the other Harry had never seen before, but by guesswork, he could say that this was Grina.
The last time Harry had seen Grawp was the night he and Hermione had led Professor Umbridge into the forest. As of comparison to then, Grawp was almost a foot taller and his face was covered in tiny scars, where he had been hit with millions of centaur arrows. His seventeen-foot body towered over the students and it was obvious that Hagrid was the only person in the group that did not want to put an end to this lesson as fast as possible.
"I wan' you to mee' Grawp an' Grina." Hagrid said as he pointed to each of them in turn, as if introducing the class to new students.
"You are mad." Malfoy's voice cut through the petrified air. "If my father-" Malfoy was cut off abruptly.
"There isn' nothin' your father can do." And for the first time, the blonde boy shut up at something Hagrid had said.
There was another bellow from much higher in the trees. "HAGGAR NOT MAD! Haggar happy!" Grawp's face split into a mistakable grin, showing gigantic yellow teeth to the whole wood.
Hagrid turned his head back to look at Grawp as if he were speaking to a five-year-old. "That's right Grawp."
Everyone stared, their eyes the size of dinner plates as both the giants bent and then sat down hard on the forest floor, crumpling small saplings and bushes. Harry felt the earth shudder as Grawp dropped to the ground and from behind there was a small yelp that told him Neville had fallen over in surprise.
Suddenly, Grawp seemed to spot something in the crowd of students. "Hermy." Hermione's face turned white as the giant opened his arms, beckoning her forward. She stood rooted to the ground. "Hermy and Harry. Come." Harry stared at the gigantic mass of skin and bones before him. It had just said his name. He looked at Hagrid, who beamed back at him. Harry had heard Grawp say Hermione's name before, but never his own.
"What should we do?" Hermione hissed at Harry. He didn't answer. Glancing around, his eyes found Ron, who had backed up next to Dean Thomas. The redhead's eyes were glowing and he looked like he was about to laugh. Malfoy, from even further back, was smirking even harder and Pansy Parkinson had her gaze fixed on Hermione, her eyes sparkling and her lips pulled back to show most of her teeth. Neville was staring at Grawp, his expression horrified and his hands shaking. Harry returned his gaze to Malfoy, who now looked ready to do a jig in front of the whole class on account of their hesitation. Harry turned back to Hermione. He knew what he wanted to do, and she could follow him if she wanted to. Harry advanced towards Grawp slowly, thinking that he was leaving Hermione, but he heard an intake of breath behind him, and her hand slipped into his as she caught up.
Slowly and cautiously, they approached together. When several feet away Grawp swept them into his arms and pulled both of them into a car-crushing hug. Harry smiled at Hermione, whose eyes were the size of jumbo eggs. Most of the students around them burst into waves of applause, all except for several Slytherins, who stood quietly with sour looks on their faces.
Hagrid beamed around at his class. "Any others wan' t' hug em'?" The lesson continued for another half an hour, Hagrid feeding the giants his cake, as well as lecturing about Giants while the students sat on Grawp and Grina's massive legs, listening with enthusiasm. Malfoy was one of few who decided he'd rather sit on the damp earth.
Almost everyone was in good spirits when the group left the forest, waving good-bye to Grawp and Grina. Surprisingly, Hermione was one of few wearing a frown as they left the thick trees and walked in sunlight once more. She, Harry and Ron lagged behind as everyone shouted his or her adieus of "goodbye Professor Hagrid" and "until next time Professor!" Once everyone else had left, Harry and Ron exploded with compliments.
"That was the best lesson I've ever been to." Harry said, almost laughing with glee.
Ron looked even more ecstatic as he said, "it was much more fun than any other class!"
Hagrid looked down at them, lost in his own world. "Professor Hagrid. If I heard right, they actually liked it," he gaped at his own success. Hagrid looked at them with a tremendous smile. "Maybe I'll do another lesson on 'em next time."
Harry and Ron were about to agree that they'd like that very much when Hermione said something that silenced everyone's happy thoughts.
"You should follow the Ministry curriculum from now on, Hagrid."
Hagrid and the two boys stared at her, completely quiet, their minds going ninety miles an hour. Suddenly Harry's mind clicked into place.
"Hermione," he began with a sigh. "There wasn't anything lethally dangerous about that lesson."
Hermione stared at the ground. Ron jabbed at her again.
"Why do you always have to ruin everyone's good fun? First the frog; now this. You have no sense of humor."
Hermione brought her head up, glaring at Ron.
"Ron," she raised her voice several notches. "Any of the students out there could have been seriously hurt! What if we had gotten stepped on, or if Grawp crushed Harry and me when he hugged us that time! And in case of the frog; that wasn't funny, it was just plain mean."
"Hermione;" Harry said softly. "We know that your day hasn't been great, but really, everyone else liked the lesson."
Her voice hushed for several moments as she stared up at him, her expression softened, but her eyes were glistening with tears.
"No, Hermione- I didn't-" Harry looked at her, awestruck.
"Why can't you two side with me once in a while!" the girl accused, interrupting him. "Harry, you think you're always safe, that no one can hurt you. You think that you're immortal or something! Well, you're not, alright! I can see that; and… I'm scared for you- and you too Ron! You were laughing out there!"
"If Alexis were here, she would have laughed too!" Ron yelled.
"Kids! That's enough!" Hagrid tried to calm down the 6th years. "We can-"
"Alexis is funny, she's optimistic, Hermione- she's everything you aren't. You're a dull, boring person!"
"Ron!" Hagrid and Harry chorused at the same time.
"It's true!" Ron exclaimed.
Silence enveloped the group as Ron stood, heaving, as Harry and Hagrid glared at him. Hermione clutched her book bag to her chest, tears streaming down her face.
"Is that what you think of me?" Hermione whispered after several seconds. "Am I really like that?"
"Hermione-" Harry moved his hand to her shoulder, but the girl shoved him away.
"No, I'm asking Ron. Ron?" She murmured, tears streaming down her face. She looked deeply into Ron's fuming eyes.
At first the boy hesitated in answering the question.
"Hermione- I don't want to answer that."
"Ron! Why!" Hermione yelled. "You are so narrow minded; just answer the question." She glared at him through her tears. "Don't make me stand here for an hour! I didn't know you were that dumb. Oh wait!" But Ron interrupted her.
"Yes Hermione! You are a boring, pessimistic, know-it-all with no sense for fun and-"
Hermione didn't wait for him to finish. "I hate you. I- I hate you so much Ron." Turning away from the stunned group, she bent her head and ran across the grass towards the castle.
Standing behind, Hagrid looked down at Ron in disbelief and fury; Harry's face was surprised, watching Hermione's disappearing form.
"What?" Ron glared up at Hagrid. "It- it's true!" The boy brushed his growing hair out of his eyes and looked off to the side. "She- it's her fault. It's for the better. Hopefully she doesn't- hopefully she'll never talk to me again." Ron's voice faded out towards the end of his sentence and he stared at his feet.
Harry opened his mouth, but Hagrid spoke first. "You don't mean that Ron. In your heart, you didn't really mean that."
As he concluded his words, Hagrid turned and walked slowly up and into his cabin, leaving the two boys standing behind. Ron was surprised to find his own eyes wet as he and Harry stared at the grass. After several moments, Harry turned and began walking up to the castle by himself, later followed by an abashed and regretful Ron. They didn't exchange a word as they made their way up to the castle.
A/N: Okay, I tend to do this once in a while. I've found a song that fits this part of the story quite well. I pick lots of random songs (lots of which I don't particularly like, but well, you might like them) and put in sections of the lyrics. For some extra fun, waiting for my next post, you can go check out this song; Up! By Shania Twain. (the entire lyrics are online, just google 'Up Shania Lyrics' and you'll get them.) It seems to fit the moment, and I'll have another chapter coming your way soon!
Up-up-up-
Can only go up from here
Up-up-up-up
Where the clouds gonna clear
Up-up-up-
There's no way but up from here
Even something as simple as
Forgettin' to fill up on gas
There ain't no explanation why-
Things like that can make you cry
Just gotta learn to have a laugh
repeat chorus
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah...
When everything is goin' wrong
Don't worry, it won't last for long
Yeah, it's all gonna come around
Don't go let it get you down
You gotta keep on holding on
It's 'bout as bad as it could be
Seems everybody's buggin' me
Like nothing want to go my way-Yeah, it just ain't been my day
Nothin's comin' easily