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We headed off toward the kitchens. Soon, we were sitting down at a table, Ron with cookies and milk, and me with coffee.

"So, Hermione, why did you decide to lay off your duties and come down here?"

"I needed an energy boost."

"Oh, did you stay up late last night?"

"You were there, Ron."

He laughed. "I know I was just trying to make small talk." He had the lopsided grin on his face. I smiled at him.

Man, Ron can definitely turn my mood around! Of course I guess most of my moodiness was from my lack of sleep last night. Then again, maybe it was just the coffee.

Chapter 3: Embarrassing Moments and Quidditch Matches

"Do you like Ron?" Harry asked me while I was working happily on my homework. I fought back a blush.

"No, why?"

He eyed me curiously. "I was just wondering."

"Oh okay." I responded half hoping he wasn't 'just wondering' and was really asking for a friend.

"Well…than who do you like?"

I sighed. "Why does it matter, Harry?"

He smiled down at me. "I just like being nosy."

I rolled my eyes and told him he ought to get back to his homework.

When I finished I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. It was so peaceful to just rest for a while.

Suddenly, I felt two large hands covering my eyes.

"Guess who."

"Ron."

He hopped over the back of the couch and landed right next to me. "How'd you know?"

"I've known you for almost seven years now, Ron."

"Oh."

We sat in silence for a while, three best friends enjoying each other's company.

"So, Hermione you're going to the game tonight right?"

There's a game tonight? How could I have forgotten? I feel like such a horrible friend!

"Yeah of course Harry."

"Good, for a moment there I thought you had forgotten."

I blushed. "How could I forget my best friends' game?"

Harry glanced suspiciously at me. "I don't know, it happens to everybody."

I nodded before I went back to my essay: 14 Reasons why Dragons Have Been Banned from Many Countries. It should be easy.

"Well, I'm off to the kitchens." Harry jumped up, and began to walk out the portrait hole.

"Lunch is in an hour!" I yelled at him as he slipped through the door.

"I know I'm going to talk to Dobby!" He said as the door closed behind him.

I looked at Ron. "Why does he have to talk to Dobby?"

Ron shrugged.

"Oh, well I hope he isn't doing anything he shouldn't be doing."

Ron laughed. "Hermione, he's Harry freakin' Potter, that's his job."

I slammed by book shut. "I know! I just get worried about him."

He put his arm protectively around my shoulder. "Everyone does 'Mione. Why do you think the Order works so hard to keep him safe?" I let the question hang in the air. He sighed. "Look, I'm starving lets go get something to eat."

I agreed and we stood up as we began on our way to the Great Hall.

I stared disgustingly at Ron as he shoved more food in his mouth.

He looked at me and I guess the look on my face was amusing because he began laughing… and there was food still hanging out of his, already full, mouth. So, when he laughed it caused some of these things to fly out of his mouth, and land on my plate, on my food. The food I was going to eat.

He quickly swallowed his food, which caused him to be able to laugh easier…and louder. Loud enough that he drew attention, a lot of attention. Meaning like the whole freakin' Great Hall stared at me, and then laughed.

Okay, have you ever been left out on a joke? It's not fun now is it?

So I was sitting there, staring around the room, as I saw everyone looking at me, and laughing.

Then, I saw a flash of red hair beside me. Ginny was leaning over trying to tell me something. But all I could see was her mouth moving, everyone's laughter had escalated so high.

I looked confusedly at her, so she pointed to me, and then pointed at her forehead. Now, if the whole student body hadn't been laughing their heads off, I would have thought Ginny had gone mad.

I wiped my forehead with my hand and immediately regretted it. I could feel the soggy piece of a roll stuck to my forehead. I reached up and took it off placing it on a napkin in front of me. I sat there and closed my eyes, hoping it was all just some cruel dream.

I stayed like that for almost one minute, and then opened my eyes. Everyone had become quiet, and I knew they were waiting for me to explode.

I stood up slowly, looking Ron in the eye. He stared at me, his eyes wide. He knew I was mad. I looked at Ginny, who was casting everyone glares. I looked around the room to see every pair of eyes, staring at me, waiting for my response.

I couldn't believe this happened.

As I stormed out of the Great Hall every pair of eyes followed my every move. And as I pushed open the doors and walked straight through, the only sound that escaped the room was Ron's quick apology.

I can't say that I exactly accepted it. Leaning against the wall as tears slowly trickled down my cheeks, the talking started up again, and two pairs of footsteps were heard running for the door.

Ron and Ginny.

I took off running up the stairs, spiral staircase after spiral staircase. A few times I heard Ron and Ginny call out to me, wishing for me to stop and reason with them.

When I reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, I came to a panting stop.

"What's the hurry my dear?"

I shook my head. "Betamizer the Great!"

The portrait swung open and I distinctly heard the Fat Lady say that 'children were so ungrateful these days'.

I tripped over the couch as I practically threw my self up the stairs and into my dorm. When my door was safely shut and locked with about eight different spells, I threw my self onto my bed, breathing deeply from exhaustion. I need to get in shape.

The door rattled as a very persistent Weasley tried to knock it down. "Hermione! If you don't open this door this instant I will sit out here all night trying to get your charms off!"

I don't understand why I haven't let her in yet. She was the only person who did try to help me, and here she is now still trying to lend her support, and I'm pushing her away? What kind of friend am I?

I unlocked the door, grabbed a very angry Ginny, and slammed the door shut as fast as possible before I quickly put all the spells back on it.

"I understand that you're ma-"

"Mad?" I interrupted. "Are you crazy? I'm furious! I mean thank you so much for helping me but all he did was laugh at me." I didn't have to inform her on who I was speaking of. "He freakin' laughed at me!"

"Hermione, you know just as well as I do that he didn't mean anything bad. My brother can be very dumb and immature but he doesn't ever mean anything bad by it, and he definitely didn't mean to embarrass you. Trust me, the last thing he would want to do is embarrass his… best friend…in front of the entire school."

"I want to believe you but…" I stared skeptically at my bed, twirling a lose string from my sheets in between my fingers. I felt the bed move as Ginny sat down beside me.

"It hurts? Right? Everything in life has its consequence. Sometimes the only thing to do is to get over it." She shrugged. "Besides, if I thought he had done something to ruin your friendship I would have killed him, and you know it."

I nodded, more tears slipping down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away before she could notice. But she did. She enveloped me in a hug, and we sat there, enjoying each other's company as I watched the seconds on the clock slip away.

"Are you still coming to the match?" I was surprised. Again, I had completely forgotten it.

"Uhhh…"

"Oh come on, if you're worried about the rest of the crowd making fun of you, then you're not the Hermione I know. Now, if you're worried about Ron, don't worry about it. You can tell him you're there to watch Harry's first match as a captain, and my first match as a chaser. Though, you know that would make him upset, and I wouldn't approve of it, but what he did was wrong too so…it's really your decision."

I nodded my head, and as if to confirm my decision I said, "I'll go."

"Good." Ginny immediately brightened, a wide smile escaping from her lips. "Well, I have to go get ready; I'll see you there, alright?" I nodded, and Ginny left, leaving me wondering why I had agreed.

I jumped in the shower, and threw on some robes, while throwing my hair up hastily in a ponytail. I looked in the mirror. Definitely not the best I could look, but honestly, it's not really bothering me.

I began the long walk to the stands feeling the taunts of people whispering behind me. I wanted to turn around, make them understand, but I didn't know how to.

I climbed to the very top, in a corner, slightly away from the rest of the crowd. Okay, so sometimes it did upset me that these people that didn't even know me were making fun of me.

Each player was announced and then flew to his or her position. I clapped for every Gryffindor player out of courtesy, but I kind of felt bad that I practically had to force my hands together to clap for Ron.

When Ron got in his position he happily scanned the crowd, and finding me, waved.

I can't exactly claim that I waved back. No, I sat there glaring at him, and any trace of a smile that could have possibly found its lonesome way onto my face had left. I tried to make myself as emotionless and angry looking as possible. He seemed to get the picture that I was angry because he quickly diverted his eyes, a frown etched across his once excited and joyful face.

My gaze was diverted to Ginny who was staring between the two of us, frowning and shaking her head. I winced. I had this assumption that she might give me a verbal beating tonight.

I then looked at Harry who, obviously aware of the conflict between his friends, wasn't going to let the foul mood ruin his chance at winning and, at the same time, gaining the crowd's trust.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle sending the players flying in all directions. Gregory Hitchins, Ravenclaw's captain and best chaser, was the capturer of the quaffle, weaving in and out of the Gryffindor players skillfully, heading straight for Ron.

I suddenly became worried. Ron would be so upset if he missed the first shot of the season.

"Hitchins moving toward the Gryffindor goals, quaffle at the ready! I sure hope Weasley's ready for this!"

The crowd got quiet as Hutchins became closer. He leaned back, aiming for the middle hoop. Ron hovered slightly in front, ready in case he tried to pull something on him. The crowd was on the edge of their seats.

I was subconsciously biting my nonexistent fingernails.

And as the quaffle left Hitchins' hands it moved almost in slow motion as everyone kept their eyes on the ball and Ron.

Instead of flying toward the middle hoop, as expected, it was headed toward the left hoop. Ron shot down there as fast at possible, but it looked as if he was too late. His arm reached out, fingers grazing the quaffle just enough to hold onto. His other hand reached out, and he grabbed the quaffle.

Millions of cheers ran through the crowd. Then, losing balance, Ron fell off of his broom, tumbling through the air. Screams echoed throughout the stadium.

I pulled out my wand as I watched horrified. I pointed the tip at him whispering 'immobulus'. He paused long enough for Harry to swoop down and grab him. Holding him while Harry quickly raced to the ground, Madam Hooch and Dumbledore running out onto the field.

I watched as Ron was laid on the ground. Harry, along with Ginny, Professor Mcgonnagal, Dumbledore, and Madam Hooch all stood protectively around him, blocking everyone's view.

A couple of girls began weeping while their friends tried to comfort them, telling them it would be okay.

It seemed like years before everyone around Ron backed away, showing quite visibly a red-haired male standing up. Almost immediately everyone began cheering.

He was alright. A great weight was suddenly lifted off my chest. It felt so good knowing he was okay. I don't know what I would have done to myself if he had been hurt…or killed…and we weren't on good terms. I put my wand back in my pocket.

Dumbledore looked at me and winked. Silently expressing that he knew it was me who cast the spell.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny were having a heated conversation, hands flying in all directions.

It appeared as if Ron had won, because he smiled triumphantly and they all got back on their brooms and shot off into the air.

I have officially decided that Ron is stupid! He almost died and he still wants to play? I took my seat again, and decided that we would have to have a serious talk about this later, as long as he tried to speak to me first…

A/N: If you're not happy at the length, then I'm sorry but I already have the ideas for the next chapter so it should be up soon! No promises though… Sorry for the wait for this one. I took a break from writing for a while. I had some writer's block, but last night I sat down and typed about this entire thing up. I'm sorry if the first bit sounds a little immature, but it might be important to the story later, I just couldn't find a good way to word it…

Well read and review please!

: I'm/the/One / Lost.Somewhere.Out.There