Chapter 3: The Unlikely Betrayal

"Thank you Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, for finally joining us," said Professor McGonagall to them as they enter the Great Hall ten minutes late. She gave them a stern grimacing stare.

"I guess your education isn't important enough for you to be on time. She gave them a stern grimacing stare and proceeded. Here are your schedules. You will see that you have been placed in all the classes in which you scored well in on your O.W.Ls. She turned to the rest of the sixth years and began to pace.

"If you have any questions about your schedules, then feel free to stop by my office between classes. "Off you go then!" Hermione and Ron made their way toward Harry who was sitting on the farthest end of the Gryffindor table. Ron sat beside him and Hermione sat opposite.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked while buttering his toast. Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.

"What…oh yeah, I found it." said Ron, smiling back at him. "Damn eraser was stuck in one of my shoes. Couldn't go to class without my lucky eraser, could I?"

"I guess not," said Harry. He reached for the marmalade at the same time as Ron, and their fingers touched; reminding Harry of his dream. Ron hurried and pulled his hand back, smiling nervously.

"You can use it first, doesn't matter," said Harry, who picked up the marmalade and held it out to Ron. Ron took it from him nervously and it fell through his fingers breaking; spilling marmalade on the table. Harry looked at Ron; he gave him a side smile. Ron grimaced.

Hermione, who had watched the scene, laughed to break the uncomfortable silence. Ron looked around at her and then back at Harry, who began to laugh too. Ron couldn't see what was so funny. He had just made a complete idiot of himself. Why did he have to get nervous around him? They knew each other so well that when they made stupid mistakes like this, they would normally laugh it off. He didn't know why he didn't then. His faced just burned in embarrassment.

Harry automatically went back to the moment when he woke up this morning. Had he said something before he woke because Ron was acting very odd toward him? It seemed that when he handed Ron the jar, Ron hadn't wanted to touch him. What could he have said? He smiled at the two of them and decided to crack a joke to lighten the mood.

"Hope you catch better at practice tomorrow," laughed Harry as he made the marmalade disappear. Ron, too much in thought to notice the sarcasm, laughed unconvincingly. They finished their meal and headed toward their first class.

"What do we have first," asked Harry.

"Transfiguration, I think," said Ron as he checked his schedule. "I wish I would have failed that. I bet McGonagall is going to be tough this year. Harry nodded in agreement. Hermione, standing on Ron's left looked between the two of them, deep in thought. Was it just her or were they acting a bit odd, she thought?

They arrived outside just in time too see McGonagall ushering her disgruntled class into the room. There seemed to have been an up roar before they arrived.

They entered their classroom, and took there seats. Hermione, who usually sat between them, sat on the outside. Ron and Harry both looked at her.

"I just wanted a change of scenery..."

Harry smiled and turned away, but Ron continued to stare at her. She realized and stared back at him.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing, "said Ron, taking his seat beside Harry.

Was she doing this on purpose, Ron thought? After five years of her sitting between the two of them, she decides to have a "change of scenery."

"I wonder what that scene before class was all about?" asked Hermione from beside him. Neville who was sat beside her explained. It seemed that Malfoy had run into Luna, who was attacked by Pansy, Malfoy's girlfriend. Malfoy protected Luna by cursing Pansy and now Pansy was supposedly mad at him. They all looked at each other in shocked disbelief and turned in unison to look at Malfoy who they saw looked very disgruntled. They were just putting there heads together when McGonagall entered the classroom. Everyone became quiet. She took the roll, and then looked around at them all.

"Before I begin, I will like to say that I will not have a scene like that of today outside my classroom ever again. There will be forty points from Slytherin, and ten from Ravenclaw. There were murmurs of anger from the slytherins, but none pointed toward Malfoy.

"Today, we shall be transfiguring cats into cacti. Now, I only have enough cats for half of you, so pair up with the person sitting next to you, and begin to work. You should already know the incantation for swishing spell. Chop chop!"

Ron glanced at Hermione who has already begun walking to get her cat with Neville. Turning, Ron looked at Harry who has just come back from getting their cat. "I guess we're together," said Harry. Ron nodded and pulled out his book.

"Well, do you know the incantations for swishing spells," asked Harry smiling while he pulled out his textbook and laid it next to the cat, who attempted to scratch Ron's arm.

Ron shook is head and pulled his arm away from the cat.

"We should be a great pair then. I can't believe I don't remember swishing spells!" said Harry. Harry moved as the cat made a swipe at his arm.

"Lets hurry and transfigure this thing before it kills us," grinned Harry. They pulled out their wands and made sloppy attempts to transfigure their attacking cat. Half way through the class, the cat that Neville and Hermione were using made a brave effort to escape from the beatings of Neville's wand. It jumped from his arms and bounded toward Ron's face.

The seconds that this incident took place in seemed like an eternity.

"Watch out," yelled someone. Ron looked around and all he could see were claws reaching toward his face. He turned to move but the air is knocked out of him. He felt a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist. He fell hard on his back. His eyes close from the impact and stars flickered in his eye lids. He inhaled the sweet musky scent of the person on top of him, in and out; in and out He knew that he had smelled this scent somewhere before. He knew that when he went to sleep at night, this stimulating scent put him sleep, making sweet dreams for him during the night. His heart raced, and his body quivered when he smelled it. It was so familiar… but he couldn't quite place it. He had opened his eyes and the shock that was sent through his body startled even him. It was Harry that lay on top of him. It was his scent that made his heart race. Harry's eyes met his for a split second before Harry stood.

"Are you okay? That cat came out of no where." said Harry. He reached out a hand to help Ron up.

"Yeah, I'm all right." answered Ron. He turned toward Neville, more to cover his surprise then anything.

"What was that Neville?" asked Ron angrily. Neville, who was bending down trying to retrieve his cat, looked around...

"My cat's gone mad..." said Neville, his cheeks turned red. Hermione looked reproachfully at Ron for being rude to Neville and bent to help retrieve the cat.

"What's all this fuss?" called McGonagall's from the front of the class. Making her way toward them, she comes to her own conclusion.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley.., detention tomorrow afternoon, my office," bellowed McGonagall.

"WHAT!" yelled Harry and Ron together.

"We get attacked by a mad cat and we get detention?" yelled Ron.

"Provoking a helpless animal is against school rules. Detention, my office, 8 o'clock; that's final," yelled McGonagall. Ron and Harry both stared at Neville and Hermione, hoping they would confess. Neville looked toward the floor and nervously twirled his wand; Hermione began to pack, not looking at them. The bell rang for the end of class. Everyone around them packed and left, but Harry and Ron just stood there in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" asked Ron as he looked after Hermione and Neville who exited the room.

"Get a move on boys, or it will be ten points from Gryffindor" called McGonagall.