Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys are the best! (These aren't in any particular order by the way)
legolascrazy17: Thanks! I agree, they have to get together very soon or I'll go insane!
r h 4 ever: Thank you! I probably messed up the numbers of eyes, Sorry! The people on the train were: Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and, of course, Hermione.
Paulalou:Thank you! I'm trying to make the characters as close to the book as I can, but still use my sense of humor. I'll try harder to keep it more in character!
convicted-murderer: Thanks! I'll update as soon as often as I can!
annaonstage524: Thank you!
LegendaryRoxtar: Thanks! I'll trying to update once every two or three days.
i-luv-fanfictions: Thank you!
Roncrazychic: Thank you!
violin girl: Thanks! I probably shouldn't have mentioned the thestrals. I wasn't sure if Hermione saw anyone die in the ministry, so I tried to keep it neutral, just saying that they were thestral-pulled, not that she actually saw the thestrals. Sorry!
Cloudyday: Thanks! I'm trying to keep Hermione in character while still using my slightly…odd…sense of humor, but I promise to try to make her more bookwormish!
Steph: Thanks!
Doggies45: Thank you! I will definitely keep with this story, don't worry. insert smiley face here (my computer won't let me do them)
Vellagirl: Thanks!
BoX-GhOsT89: Thank you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Campbell's, or Cheerios. sigh
A/N: Sorry you guys! I promised a quick update, but it took longer than I thought. I got stuck at one place…don't you hate when that happens? Anyways, I'm going back to school tomorrow tear, and it's tech week for the play, but I'll try to update as much as I can! It may not be as long though.
Chapter 2: The Art of Bickering
I think we all know I'm a bookworm. There's no denying it. However, morning is morning, no exceptions. So, Thursday morning was not welcome, even if it was the first day of school that I had been looking forward to since…well, June. I went through the early morning routine, then clambered down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
I plopped down next to Ginny and poured myself some orange juice. That woke me up some, but to ensure consciousness through the day, I poured myself a huge bowl of Cheerios. Mm, mm, good. Oh wait, that's Campbells…
"Morning, Hermione," Ginny greeted me, with slightly amused expression as I gradually perked up with the juice.
"Morning Ginny," I grinned.
"Why are you so chipper this morning," she said, looking bemused at the grin plastered across my face.
Of course, I could not tell her the first half reason, which is that a certain red headed Weasley by the name of Ron had just sat across from me. So I told her the other reason.
"It's the first day of NEWT level classes!" I said gleefully.
Ron groaned. "Hermione! How can you be excited about classes! It's school!" he said, chowing down on bacon and sausage, (and he teases me about eating steak! Humph…)
"Ron, It's out sixth year, aren't you the least bit excited? Especially with all the safety protocols, we're bound to learn loads more things than we did last year."
"Excited that it's sixth year? Yes. Excited about hanging out with you guys? Yes. Excited about more time with Snape? No."
He was excited about spending time with me! Well, us, but still! Okay, breathe, Hermione! "I give up!" I sighed exasperatedly.
Ron rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded strangely like, "Psycho." Pssht, just because he doesn't enjoy learning about all the things that are necessary for life in the wizarding world, doesn't mean he has to take it out on the rest of us.
Oh what am I saying? I hate it when we bicker! It drives me absolutely insane! But, if I stop, what if he thinks something is going on? Like…the fact that I LIKE him. But, if I keep going, he'll think that I DON'T like him. Dammit this sucks. Therefore, I shall do what I have vowed to do many times before: GRADUALLY stop fighting with him until we've stopped. Great plan, huh? Now- memo to brain: stop fighting with Ron.
"Hey, Hermione?"
I glanced up out of my breakfast to see a rather scared-looking Ron looking hopefully at me. Wait— Ron? Scared? Hopeful? Something's wrong here.
Maybe…maybe…maybe… No. I won't even let myself think that. Because I know it won't be what I want it to be.
Oh, I hope it is.
No, it won't be. I need to forget it.
It might be.
That's what I said the last twenty times.
Yes, but maybe this time…No! Be gone with you!
Fine.
Yay! I won against myself! Aren't subconscious's annoying?
Great, now Ron started looking at me like I was crazy.
"Sorry, I grinned sheepishly, "Yes?"
"Umm…can I talk to you for a minute? Like, outside, in the hall?"
This is it! This is it!No! I told you to leave!
Fine…"Sure. Hold on a second." I grabbed my bag, which was crammed full of books, (hey, you never know when you're going to be stuck and need a good book), breathed a few times to relax, then headed for the door with Ron.
"Isn't that a bit heavy?" Ron asked, eyeing my bag rather apprehensively.
"You never know when you might need a book," I replied slightly defensively.
"Okay… If you say so." He replied warily, though I noticed he kept eyeing my bag like it would explode at any moments.
"I'm serious!" I replied indignantly.
"Okay!" he said as he shrugged his shoulders.
We reached finally reached the doors, and stepped quickly into the deserted hallway. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a dark corner.
Ron and Hermione sitting in a tree…
No! He's not doing that!
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
No! He's not going to! GO AWAY!
Ron took a deep breath and started right away.
"Okay, so you know how I like Hannah Abbot, right?"
I sighed, rather deflated. "Yeah…"
"Well, there's another Hogsmeade weekend in two weeks, and I was going to invite her. Do you think I should?"
"Yeah, Ron, you should," I said with my trademark fake smile. Actually, it was my trademark smile, I was the only one who knew it was fake. Actually, it wasn't even trademark either… Okay, I gave him a fake smile.
"Awesome! When should I do it?" Ron asked, grinning like a little boy on Christmas.
"Do it after Herbology, that way you don't have to make awkward conversation afterward, you have to get to class, and if for some strange reason she says 'no'— don't worry, she won't," I added watching his face turn rather green, "but if she does, you won't have to risk dealing with her during class."
"Okay! Thanks Hermione! I owe you big time!" he said as he bounded up the steps towards the Gryffindor tower. I sighed wearily and started that way myself. At least that was my intent. Unfortunately a blonde Slytherin put an end to that.
"So, Weasel doesn't like you back, huh?" he sneered at me.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." I told him coolly, walking towards the stairs.
He blocked me, getting right in my face. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You like the Weasel, but he likes some Hufflepuff. I guess he refused to sink as low as to date a mudblood," he spat at me.
Theoretically, I would have told him to sod off, and walked towards the Gryffindor tower, eventually losing him. However, Harry and Ginny were walking out of the hall at this point, and only heard the mudblood bit. Harry, being like a brother to me, charged straight towards him, while Ginny tried to hold him back as I rushed to hold her. Malfoy, after getting over the initial shock wore off, and his face went back to its normal color, and he started breathing again, smirked at him, which only incensed Harry further. Thankfully, Dean and Seamus came out around this point, and, in fear of losing House points, helped us held Harry back. Actually, we looked rather amusing, what with Malfoy cracking up, Harry running but getting now where and shouting but not saying anything, thanks to Dean's lovely silencing spell, and Ginny, Dean, Seamus, and I, each with a handful of robes, grinding our heels into the ground to try to restrain Harry.
By this time, it was time to go to first class, and Harry finally calmed down, but I was already pretty frazzled. This was going to be a looong day.