That night in the common room Harry and Ron were sitting and talking
quietly and none too happily.
Nearly Headless Nick came over, after maybe noticing their glum expressions. "Why the long faces? Where are your friends Hermione and Renata?"
They shook their heads.
"Ah, trouble with the ladies? Perhaps I may be of some assistance. I used to be something of a lady's man; and I believe I heard something today that may help you or be of interest."
"We'd be glad of your help, Nick."
"All right. Well, I saw Renata speaking with Seamus Finnigan. Apparently he is a decoy to make another boy jealous. She told him. 'I am sorry I embarrassed you earlier, actually, I'm not really sorry but I was wondering if you would do me a favor. You see, see I need help getting a little revenge and making a certain scar-headed boy a little green-eyed.' I was rather surprised at her but she hadn't seen me at the time so I left and didn't listen to the rest but I think they kept talking. The young man could hardly get a word in edgewise. I just thought these things might interest you. What do you make of them?"
"Oh, I don't know," shrugged Harry. He was lying of course. "Thanks, though. Could you let me know if you hear anything else like it?"
"Certainly. I must be going now though. The Friar was wishing to have a word with me." Sir Nicholas De Mimsy Porpington was the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. He'd been hit in the neck 42 times with a blunt axe causing him to be nearly headless. The Fat Friar was the resident ghost of Hufflepuff, a jolly fat man.
"Bye, Nick."
"What do you think that was about?" asked Ron.
"I dunno."
"Harry, you know what it was about."
"Why would Renata want to make me jealous?"
"Because she still likes you and we all know that you're still crazy about her. But she's not about to admit it until you do and she thinks this is a discreet way to test you and see if you like her."
"What makes you think I still like her? And how would you know what Renata is thinking?"
"It's obvious. Besides, I've got five older brothers. I can tell when somebody likes somebody."
"Then you know who still really likes you?"
Ron was genuinely stunned. "What?"
Harry laughed. "The very same brown-haired know-it-all that you call a friend is still crazy about you."
Ron's eyes widened, "You don't mean.you can't possibly mean.not.Hermione? Aw, but what would she see in a guy like me? She dumped me, remember?"
"You're loyal, hardworking, honest, funny, nice, what wouldn't she like about you?"
"I'm not her type. I'm not Anthony Bordeaux or Victor Krum." Anthony went to Beauxbatons Academy and Victor had gone to Durmstrang Institute. They were both boys that for one reason or another had come to Hogwarts and taken a romantic interest in Hermione.
Suddenly Harry had a revelation and it all made sense. "Those guys were nothing. Hermione must have been doing what Renata is trying to do now: make you jealous."
"You think so?"
"Yeah."
Ron seemed a little happier now but Harry still wasn't sure what to do about Renata.
Nearly Headless Nick came over, after maybe noticing their glum expressions. "Why the long faces? Where are your friends Hermione and Renata?"
They shook their heads.
"Ah, trouble with the ladies? Perhaps I may be of some assistance. I used to be something of a lady's man; and I believe I heard something today that may help you or be of interest."
"We'd be glad of your help, Nick."
"All right. Well, I saw Renata speaking with Seamus Finnigan. Apparently he is a decoy to make another boy jealous. She told him. 'I am sorry I embarrassed you earlier, actually, I'm not really sorry but I was wondering if you would do me a favor. You see, see I need help getting a little revenge and making a certain scar-headed boy a little green-eyed.' I was rather surprised at her but she hadn't seen me at the time so I left and didn't listen to the rest but I think they kept talking. The young man could hardly get a word in edgewise. I just thought these things might interest you. What do you make of them?"
"Oh, I don't know," shrugged Harry. He was lying of course. "Thanks, though. Could you let me know if you hear anything else like it?"
"Certainly. I must be going now though. The Friar was wishing to have a word with me." Sir Nicholas De Mimsy Porpington was the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. He'd been hit in the neck 42 times with a blunt axe causing him to be nearly headless. The Fat Friar was the resident ghost of Hufflepuff, a jolly fat man.
"Bye, Nick."
"What do you think that was about?" asked Ron.
"I dunno."
"Harry, you know what it was about."
"Why would Renata want to make me jealous?"
"Because she still likes you and we all know that you're still crazy about her. But she's not about to admit it until you do and she thinks this is a discreet way to test you and see if you like her."
"What makes you think I still like her? And how would you know what Renata is thinking?"
"It's obvious. Besides, I've got five older brothers. I can tell when somebody likes somebody."
"Then you know who still really likes you?"
Ron was genuinely stunned. "What?"
Harry laughed. "The very same brown-haired know-it-all that you call a friend is still crazy about you."
Ron's eyes widened, "You don't mean.you can't possibly mean.not.Hermione? Aw, but what would she see in a guy like me? She dumped me, remember?"
"You're loyal, hardworking, honest, funny, nice, what wouldn't she like about you?"
"I'm not her type. I'm not Anthony Bordeaux or Victor Krum." Anthony went to Beauxbatons Academy and Victor had gone to Durmstrang Institute. They were both boys that for one reason or another had come to Hogwarts and taken a romantic interest in Hermione.
Suddenly Harry had a revelation and it all made sense. "Those guys were nothing. Hermione must have been doing what Renata is trying to do now: make you jealous."
"You think so?"
"Yeah."
Ron seemed a little happier now but Harry still wasn't sure what to do about Renata.
