A/N: well here's chapter 9. enjoy!
disclaimer: dont own anything
After exiting the train, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way with the rest of the crowd through the wind and rain into the carriages that were to take them to the castle. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville got in one together.
"I would really hate to be a first year this year. Wouldn't you?" Neville asked after they had situated themselves in the carriage.
"Definitely. What with the weather and everything," Ron agreed looking out the side of the carriage.
"I'm glad the weather was decent for us and we don't have to ride those bloody boats again," Hermione shuddered. "I hated those things." Ron silently chuckled.
"Hey, at least she's not afraid of a little spider," Harry spat at him. Ron glared evilly at the other boy. Hermione, noticing tension between the two, tried to stop it.
"Maybe I shouldn't have added that. It's not a big deal guys. Really. Let's forget about it," Hermione suggested, hoping it would work, but she had a feeling that it wouldn't. Harry and Ron glared at each other a long time before responding.
"Ok. We'll let it go then," Harry sighed. Ron looked at him, taken aback. Harry was never one to back down.
"What do you mean we'll let it go?" Ron asked surprised.
"Just what I said. It doesn't matter. Drop it," Harry managed to get out. Although it was quite hard to stop the argument before it began, Harry knew he had to do it. He didn't want to take the chance of starting something and making Hermione mad again like they had on the train.
"Fine," Ron muttered. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron draped his arm over her shoulders in an attempt to make Harry jealous. Just in time though-
"Looks like we've arrived," Neville stated as he quickly exited the carriage, eager to get away from the other three.
"About time, too," Harry sighed. He, Ron, and Hermione climbed out of the carriage and gathered with the rest of their classmates to walk into the school. The three were toward the middle of the crowd. Harry saw the great doors open leading into the entrance of the castle and golden lights flood the darkened earth. The large crowd walked inside and seated themselves at their tables, awaiting the newcomers which Professor McGonagall called forth a moment later. Harry and Ron avoided eye contact at all costs as they sat across from each other, Hermione to Ron's right. The rest of the school watched as McGonagall called each eleven year old foreword to be sorted. Harry smiled at the looks of fear on the young ones' faces and remembered when he had been sorted into Gryffindor. Once the sorting had ended, the hat was taken away, and Professor Dumbledore called everyone's attention with a ping of his goblet with his spoon.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" he began enthusiastically. "I believe I shall begin this year as I do every. With the beginning of terms speech. Now, students with more seniority to the school know what I am about to say, and it is up to you to be sure the younger ones obey. Firstly, I'd like to bring to everyone's attention that the forest next to the castle is strictly off limits to everyone," he continued, looking straight at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Also, if anyone is interested in playing on their House Quidditch Team, tryout dates and times will be posted. I realize that my speech is shorter this year than most, so I will end the night with these final words. Let the feast begin!"
The first years awed as shimmering golden dishes filled with freshly cooked food filled the tables in front of them and ghosts filled the walkways.
"I have to go to the restroom," Hermione excused herself from the table momentarily and headed off.
"She sure seems to be spending a lot of time in there," Harry pointed out.
"Probably to escape you and all the bloody pressure you put on her," Ron spat at him, nostrils flaring and eye narrowing.
"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked looking right back at him.
"I mean, you are putting her under so much pressure! Acting all perfect and stuff around her. Honestly, when she calls you drop whatever it is you're doing and are right there! It's getting very annoying!" Ron exclaimed.
"What is? Realizing that I care more about your girlfriend than you do?" Harry spat back, glaring directly into Ron's eyes.
"I don't care what you say. No one will ever care more for Hermione than I do," Ron said in a low, steady voice.
"And I don't care what you say either because I know that I do. Did you stay around and pull her up? No, you ran away and left her to hang there. If no one had helped her, she'd be dead! You ran away to save yourself and I stayed," Harry replied in the same tone.
"Well, I was going to help, but I figured, ya know, that you two had it pretty much under control," Ron shrugged it off. Harry was about to protest, but stopped when he saw Hermione approaching the table as Neville, Dean, and Seamus, who had heard the whole thing, unknown to Harry and Ron, left the Great Hall with shocked looks on their faces.
"So are you guys ready to leave?" Hermione asked. Harry just shakes his head and walks away, ignoring both Ron and Hermione. Hermione was about to call after him, but decided against it.
"What happened?" she asked Ron, hoping to get an answer. Ron throws his hands in the air and walks away as well, leaving Hermione alone feeling abandoned and confused.
A/N: hope you liked it. please RR!