A/N: THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY REVIEWS!!! Ok, so, this is the REAL chapter seven lol. Ok, well, this won't be as long as the last one, partly because I am in physical agony for being scrunched up in an old plastic lawn chair for three and a half hours typing, and partly just because there was more inspiration then and less now. Lol, still, this chappie is one of my faves so hopefully u guys will like it. REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW U SCURVEY MAGGOTS! (lol)
Leaning her head to the side a bit, Rhea suddenly grinned a grin that had more than a few people get worried, before walking up to the Teacher's Table, and leaning on her hands right in front of their new Professor, "Which do you think I should pick Sir?" Smirking, and ignoring the whispers and stares around the room, she gave him an innocent, curious look.
His own eyes sparkling with barely concealed mischief, he responded, "I believe that's for you to decide on your own lass." With a small "innocent" shrug, Rhea turned, and said, " Then I pick Ravenclaw." Hermione sighed, a bit disappointed. 'Crappiness. Well, maybe she picked Ravenclaw because she really has the brains for it, so I'll have some other brainy girl to talk with.'
Considerably cheered by this, Hermione clapped with the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and other Griffyndors as the girl took a seat with other seventh year Ravenclaws. (Slytherin didn't clap, but then, they only did when they got new meat, er, I mean, people.)
She saw Professor Depp's eyes follow the girl to where she was now chatting with Terry Boot, a fellow seventh year.
It was pretty confusing, she herself had been shocked with the audacity that the new girl had just sauntered to the Teacher's Table, and teasingly flirted a bit with the new professor. 'Well, he's hotter than Hell, so I can see where she's coming from, but to be that bold…' she sighed, knowing she would never have the courage to do something like that, especially when it had been dead quiet and near a thousand people had been watching her.
'But it went over well, and none of the teachers did anything to show disapproving so I guess she's in Ravenclaw,' mused Hermione, 'for a reason; she knew it'd be ok, and no wonder the hat offered Griffyndor, she was damn brave to do that…'
After the hubbub about the new girl and professor died down as much as could be expected, Dumbledore stood, and just once, clapped his great hands together. Grins lit up all around the room, as plates all around the room filled up.
Hermione reached for the huge basket of chicken drumsticks that were nearest to her and piled at least a dozen onto her plate, before adding a very generous heaping of buttered mashed potatoes, which she promptly drowned in brown gravy.
Then she dug in. Well, perhaps "dug" isn't the best word for the storm that had bones flying, gravy slurping, mashed potatoes disappearing and a general mix from each flying everywhere. There were four groups of reactions.
One group was amused, like Dumbledore. One was horrified and sickened, like most of the girls. One was downright terrified, such as Draco and Harry. And one group grinned, and dug in with the same fervor.
This last group however had only two members besides Hermione herself. Ron (obviously) and the new girl, Rhea, were both making the same cyclones at their dinner plates.
Eating, Hermione thought back to all the times she had touched Draco today. 'Jesus, I've practically felt him up thanks to all the times I've bumped into him...' Just thinking about that made the responsible Griffyndor blush scarlet and mumble "I'd never have thought of it then...". Unfortunately, both Neville and Seamus, who were sitting across the table from her, both turned at the sound of her voice.
"What did you say Hermione?" asked Neville. Her eyes widened. 'Shit!' "Um, um, I was just saying that.. you can't shrink a hen!" she blushed more. 'What the hell am I talking about??'
Seamus and Neville frowned. "That's odd, Hermione." said Seamus. "I... I thought you can shrink a hen." Before the Head Girl could think of anything to say, a voice spoke up behind her. "It's a proverb of course."
Turning, Hermione saw that her savior was none other than the new girl, Rhea O'Malley. "A proverb?" said Neville, his face scrunched up as he thought about it. "How is it a proverb?" Hermione watched the girl intently, praying she knew what she was talking about.
Rhea gave an easy smile. "A hen is a responsibility, right?" Seamus and Neville nodded. "Well that's what the proverb is talking about; you can't shrink your responsibilities or make them go away, you just have to deal with them."
Seamus and Nevile nodded, returning to their food. Hermione grinned at the girl. "Thank you," she whispered. Rhea grinned back and nodded, winking slightly before walking to the doors and leaving the Great Hall.
A/N: Whoo, how do you like the proverb? THANK YOU COURTNEY!!! She helped me come up with it :-) REVIEW!