Chapter 25: Tackle Touch
"Hermione, can you come here and help me with this question?"
Hermione looked across the library table at Eddie. He'd never needed help before. In fact, he was ranking at the top of the class along with Hermione, Draco and Nina, in that order. She stood up and walked over to him and looked over his sheet.
'Has Nina seemed off lately?' Hermione read off the corner of his book.
She looked up at her reading friend. Nina couldn't seem to keep her nose out of a book whenever Jake was around for the past two days.
"I think the answer is yes," she told him, "but you can't expect the normal properties to change without there being a cause."
"Thanks," Eddie said.
Hermione nodded and resumed her seat between Nina and Draco. The library was empty this Saturday morning. Eddie insisted that they all get their work done at the same time so there wouldn't be any trouble with free time or anything. At first Nina and Draco made jokes and said that he sounded like Hermione, but realized that he was right.
"So this is where you all have been hiding," they heard from behind them.
Harry and Ron took a seat on each of Hermione's sides and looked around the table.
"It's eight in the morning on a Saturday," Ron said. "Why are you doing work?"
"Hermione bribed me with a spell to decorate my drums with for Christmas," Nina said with a smile.
"Christmas isn't for another month though," Harry said.
"So what are you guys up to today?" Eddie asked. "I was thinking we have a game of football. Maybe toss around the old pigskin for a few hours."
"The what?" everyone at the table asked in unison.
Eddie looked at everyone's bewildered expressions. "Um, play football?"
"Football?" Ron asked.
"It's that muggle sport Dean is obsessed with," Harry tried to explain. "With the ball the players who run around kicking the ball-"
"Actually I meant American football," Eddie told his British friends. "Um, you throw a ball to people and tackle people from the other team when they have it."
"Why would anyone want to do that?" Ron asked.
"That actually sounds like fun," Harry said with a smile.
"Let's just finish our work then we can go," Nina said. "I just need to write three more inches."
A half hour later, Hermione, Draco, Nina, Eddie, Harry and Ron were outside, splitting up into teams. Eddie and Nina were chosen as captains.
"I'll take Draco," Eddie said.
"I'll take Harry," Nina said.
"Hermione."
"Ron."
"Let's start."
The game went great. At first everyone was confused with the rules and tensions were high, but everyone loosened up and got the hang of it.
"Okay," Harry panted as Ron helped him up after being tackled by Eddie, "why didn't we play tag football?"
"Because you said that this would be more fun," Nina giggled. She tossed the football at Hermione and went back to huddle with Harry and Ron.
"Okay, then let's make this the last play," Harry said. "Besides, it's almost lunch."
Everyone agreed and decided on their plays.
"Okay, get the ball to Nina," Harry said. "You're the smallest, so it'll be easier to dodge the tackles."
"Okay."
"Harry's going to give the ball to Nina," Hermione said. "He knows that none of us will tackle her. Eddie, you grab her and Draco, you get the ball from her and give me a kiss."
Draco smiled and kissed Hermione on the lips. The three clapped hands and rushed to meet Harry, Ron and Nina. The six friends stood across from each other.
Harry tossed the ball at Ron who handed it to Nina who ran across their field. Eddie came out of nowhere and grabbed her waist. Draco grabbed the ball out of her hands and scored a touchtown. He threw the ball down and Hermione ran into his arms cheering. He picked her up and spun her around, forgetting that Harry and Ron were there.
"OY!" Ron yelled, walking over to them. "Let go of her!"
"Ron!" Hermione half-gasped. "Oh calm down!" She yelled, sepparating Ron and Draco before they could get into a physical fight. "He's not that bad!"
"Not that bad?" Ron screamed. "He's only made your lif emiserable ever since you first came here!"
"That was ages ago Ronald! I've learned to accept him as a friend! Why can't you?" Hermione moved a piece of hair out of her face and grabbed Draco's sleeve. She half-dragged him back into the castle.
"What was that?" Ron asked Nina, but when he turned around she was gone; so was Eddie. "Where did they go?"
"Eddie, where are we going?" Nina asked as Eddie brought her behind Hagrid's empty hut.
"Nina, is there a problem between us?" Eddie asked. "You've seemed a little distant lately."
Nina shook her head 'no' and bit her nail.
"Are you sure? As your, um, Ellie Harrison to your Katie Fitch," Nina looked blankly at him, "my sister made me watch Lifetime movies with her. Anyway, we need to talk. If there's anything bothering you then please tell me."
"I just feel bad about leaving Harry and Ron out of this." She turned away and looked at the trees Hagrid was growing for christmas, putting her arms around herself. "It's freezing outside. Let's go in and get some lunch."
Nina turned around and headed back to the castle.