A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! Keep them coming and Enjoy!
Notes and One-Acts
A confused Ron took a few minutes to react before scratching his head, "Hermione?" he repeated. Briskly, he jammed his uniform into his locker and raced out the room.
Instead of heading towards the castle to see Madame Pomfrey, Ron quickly made his way up the Gryffindor stand where his fellow classmates were still cheering on the match.
"Hermione!" he called out, scanning the rows of faces for the Head Girl, "Hermione!"
"Ron!" Hermione shouted back as she and Ginny stood up, waving to him, "Here we are." Ron climbed up over to them. She placed her hands gently on his shoulders, "Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine," Ron assured them with a smile, "I just have to go over to the infirmary for some tests."
"Down in front!" someone yelled out from the back. The three of them quickly sat down.
"Listen Hermione," Ron pleaded, "You have to do something! You can't just sit here! Harry's losing the match!"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "But what can I do about it?"
Ron stood up again excitedly, followed by Hermione and Ginny, "He just told me that if he wins, he gets the wrong girl because he loves you!"
"Sit down!" the same disgruntled fan shouted.
The three of them crouched down again.
"You mean that Harry really loves Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah," replied Ron, "and she has to give a pep talk!"
Hermione looked at both of them with deep frustration, "But if I do, then I lose him forever!"
"Merlin!" Ginny cried, now coming to grip's with Hermione's true feelings, "You mean it's true?"
Hermione nodded quietly.
"Then we must do something!" Ginny exclaimed definitively, "You love him. He loves you. We have to get rid of Cho!" She sighed in regret, "Oh why did I ever tell her Harry was the Pumpkin King?"
Hermione glanced at her and rolled her eyes, "Pumpkin king?"
The three of them sat together in silence, deep in thought, and oblivious to the match down below. Suddenly, Hermione snapped her fingers and stood up. The Weasleys followed suit.
"Ron, do you still have the twins' car?" she asked, "the Aston Martin?"
"Sure. It's parked right outside the Quidditch pitch. George and Fred just had the muggle car serviced for flying capabilities down at Hogsmeade. They'll be back from London to pick it up next week." Ron told her, "Why, have you seen it?"
"Oh no, but I love to!" Hermione announced animatedly, gently shoving Ron to the exit.
"Hey!" the person whose view they were obstructing yelled again.
"We're going!" Hermione snapped back.
"Are you going to talk to Harry?" Ron asked.
"No, I'm going to the house," she turned to her roommate, "I'll see you later Ginny."
ooooooooooooooooooooooo
A few moments later, Ron and Hermione are driving towards the Gryffindor house in the Aston Martin, with Ron behind the wheel. Hermione had been busy scribbling non-stop in her notebook ever since she got in the car. The only sound to be heard was the wind gushing pass the convertible.
"Faster," Hermione told her driver without looking up from her task.
Ron shook his head as he drove on, "I don't understand."
"Oh please, Ron," hushed Hermione, "I've got to concentrate."
Ron decided it was best not to press on any further. He pushed harder on the accelerator and within a few minutes, the car pulled up along side the steps of the Gryffindor house.
"There!" said Hermione as she finished with whatever she was writing. She quickly stepped out of the car. "You wait here, Ron," she instructed, as she raced up the steps, "and if someone comes out before I do, give her a lift, will you?"
"All right Hermione," Ron replied, "But I don't understand—"
"You will," she called back before slamming the front door behind her.
Due to the Quidditch match that's taking place as we speak, the house seemed to be devoid of anyone. Hermione roamed the first floor; worried she wouldn't find any signs of human activity. Finally, a wave of relief swept over her as she spotted Lavender in the kitchen.
"Lavender!" she greeted happily as she ran up to her friend.
"Oh Hermione," Lavender said, "I'm so glad you're back. The sink—"
"Never mind that now," Hermione interrupted, "You've got to help me. Have you ever acted in a play?"
"What?"
"I mean," Hermione clarified, "have you ever recited lines like...umm…Sarah Bernhardt or Ethel Barrymore?"
Lavender shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh never mind," said Hermione, knowing there isn't enough time to explain muggle play-acting to her. "Just come on," she grabbed Lavender's hand, and dragged her to the bottom of the staircase.
"Wait a minute. I've written it all down," Hermione held up the notebook she had been writing on in the car, "And don't talk until you get there," she told Lavender, pointing to the page.
Lavender nodded her head and the two of them crept silently up the stairs.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Meanwhile, Cho had been busy up in her room going through her wardrobe, trying to pick out her dress for the evening. After all, it isn't everyday a girl gets to announce her engagement to the world. She held her white satin dress up against her body and carefully examined her image in the mirror. She was interrupted by sounds of weeping coming from the hall.
"Oh, Lavender! I'm so unhappy!" She heard Hermione cry.
Peaked with interest, Cho threw her dress on the bed and crossed over to the door, opening it slightly ajar so she could listen.
"Oh, Lavender," Hermione continued between sobs, "I had to come back from the match! I couldn't stand it anymore! It's so awful! We're winning!" Lavender and Hermione made their way down the hall, "It won't be long now before Harry catches the snitch," Hermione exclaimed towards the direction of Cho's door, "And by tonight, he'll be engaged to that awful Cho Chang!" The two girls entered Hermione's room, "I hate her!" she added before slamming her door shut. Hermione hastily shoved the notebook in front of Lavender's face and pointed to her line on the page.
"Now, now, Hermione," Lavender read, her voice slightly monotone. Clearly, she has never acted before, "You better forget all about it. He loves her and that's all there is to it."
Cho, still standing by the door, smirked happily at the sound of those words.
"Oh, I can't stand it!" Hermione bawled, "She's got him for life!"
"Does she love him?" Lavender read on.
"Oh, I suppose she does," Hermione replied with dramatic flourish, "After all, she stuck by him," yelling a little louder, "Even through what just happened!"
"Through what just happened?" asked Lavender.
"Harry's father, the Pumpkin King," Hermione answered, "He's gone bankrupt!"
Cho dropped her jaw.
"Really?" said Lavender.
"Yes," Hermione explained, "A terrible pumpkin blight on the west end! He's a ruined man. Harry is penniless!"
"No!" Lavender pretended to gasp.
"Well, I guess Cho won't mind," Hermione replied, "She'll be glad to scrip and scrub and save and clean, because she'll have him. After all, when you have love" she shouted the last part even louder, "money doesn't really matter! Does it?"
"Does it?" Lavender repeated. She paused, now realizing she read the wrong line, "I mean, I mean uh...umm…" Hermione quickly turned the page, and Lavender read on, "She could even get a job of her own!"
"But she's so delicate!" Hermione blubbered, causing Cho to glance over at her reflection in the mirror, "Well, it's her problem now. Oh Lavender!"
"Poor girl," said Lavender, "Why don't you go back to the match?"
"No, I can't watch anymore," Hermione cried, "Ron drove me over. He's outside now. He's been paying a lot of attention to me. But I guess I love Harry too much."
"Ron is a very fine fellow, no?" Lavender asked.
"Oh, a girl could do worse," she pointed out, "Just think, he's one of the richest boys at Hogwarts! Cauldron makers, you know. Worth millions!"
Cho perked up.
"Have you seen that new car of his?" asked Hermione.
"Oh, my, it is a wow. Yes," Lavender remarked.
Hermione was trying very hard not to burst into laughter, "Just think. Such a catch and completely unattached!"
Cho ran over to her window and peeked out. Sure enough, she spotted the redhead sitting behind the wheel of a shiny Aston Martin.
"Maybe I'd better hold on to him before someone else gets there," Hermione added. The girls waited quietly by the door. It didn't take long before they heard a door slam, followed by rapid footsteps running down the staircase.
Hermione grinned victoriously.
"Was it all right?" Lavender asked.
"Marvelous!" Hermione replied, as the two of them rushed over to her own window. Down below, they observed Cho eagerly climbing into the Aston Martin and driving off with the Gryffindor Keeper.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
With a strange sense of déjà vu, Ron found himself driving back to the Quidditch pitch with a different girl now again scribbling something on a piece of parchment.
"Merlin," he remarked, shaking his head, "why must everyone get literary in my car?"
"Oh please forgive me, Ron," Cho said sweetly, "This is very important." She looked at him adoringly, batting her eyelashes, "You will forgive me, won't you?
Ron blushed, "I forgive you anything."
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Back at the Quidditch Pitch
In a surprising turn of events, Dean has yet to let one goal pass by him. The students, with Ginny being the loudest of them all cheered as Gryffindor managed to pull ahead by 20 points. Oliver was elated by Dean's efforts, but unfortunately the snitch remained elusive and it looks as though it was about to rain. Meanwhile, Harry had been anxiously on the bench, his mind preoccupied with numerous thoughts running through his head.
"Hey Harry!" Ron ran over to his friend, "I've got something for you," he said, handing him an envelope.
Harry hastily opened the envelope. A shiny object fell to the ground. He picked it up and recognized it immediately. It was the enchanted ring that Cho had forced him to buy at Hogsmeade. Also inside the envelope was a note. Harry pulled it out and read its contents.
"Can't stand in the way of true love. Make big sacrifice. Give you up. Cho," Harry read aloud. Looking up at his friend, he burst into cheer, "Hey, Ron! This is it! Thanks!" Tossing the note aside, he quickly grabbed his Firebolt and ran over to Oliver.
"Oliver! Oliver!" Harry tugged his arm to get his attention, "I'm all right now. Let me go in!"
Oliver shrugged his shoulders, "I can't figure it," he waved his hand over at McClaggen, giving him the signal to leave the game. He turned back to Harry, "It looks like we have a few minutes before it rains. Go ahead."
Harry mounted his broom and rose into the air. An invigorating feeling of invincibility swept over him as he zoomed above and around the pitch, searching for the snitch. Suddenly he noticed the Slytherin seeker making a quick dash, and in a flash, Harry flew over to his side. Now he too sees the snitch. The two seekers flew side by side in hot pursuit. The snitch unexpectedly dove down towards the ground, followed swiftly by the players. Harry had a hunch and pulled up well before he reached the ground. The Slytherin seeker unfortunately lost his balance and tumbled to the floor. As Harry had anticipated, the snitch suddenly turned upwards. He reached his hand out and grabbed the snitch. Game over. The audience roared as Harry flew by the stands triumphantly, holding out the trophy prize for everyone to see.
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