Racing with the Enemy
Official disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series or The Amazing Race.
A/N: The Amazing Race is used merely as a plot; any of the rules from the program are subjected to change by the authoress (me).
Professor McGonagall stood up. "Most of you are excited to know who your partners are going to be for the race. I shall not leave you in the dark any longer. The pairs for the race are as follows."
Chapter Four – The Partners
"Each one of you is to come up the stage and pick a scrap of parchment from this bag. The parchment has your partner's name on it. The one you pick is going to be your partner for the entire race. There will be no swapping with others, and the house rivalries will remain outside of the race. Please come up when I call your name. Once you have chosen your partner, stand to the side and wait for the rest to choose theirs."
McGonagall unrolled a scroll of parchment. "Hannah Abbott."
The girl walked up to the stage, and placed her hand into the purple bag. "Seamus Finnigan."
"Finnigan, please come up and join your partner," McGonagall called. "Next is Susan Bones."
Susan walked up and drew a figure out of the bag.
"Dean Thomas," she announced.
Lavender was up. Her partner was Ernie Macmillan.
Millicent Bulstrode was paired with Parvati Patil, and Justin Finch-Fletchley with Padma Patil.
It was Hermione's turn. She stood up and walked shakily towards the bag. Her hand trembled as it withdrew from the bag. On the parchment, it read, "Blaise Zabini." Hermione did not know what to expect. All she knew was about her partner was that he was a Slytherin. She had never talked to him before, never even exchanged one word.
She tuned out to the rest of the 'partnering'. Inside, she was still worrying about Ron. She had no idea how he was going, and felt that since he had not returned, he had not forgiven her.
Finally, McGonagall rolled up her parchment. It was over. Hermione was so out of it, she did not hear the Professor tell the students that a notice will appear in their Common Room by tomorrow morning.
Hermione avoided Harry as they filed out of the Hall; she did not want to crowd him with questions she could feel bursting from her mouth. She had decided during the 'partnering' that she would think over the quarrel, and sleep on it, hoping that Ron would allow her to explain herself tomorrow.
0o0o0o
Ron rolled over on his bed. A sound was seeping into his ear rather loudly at the moment. He waved his hands lazily above him, as if he were swatting away an annoying fly. The sound would not go away though. Slowly, his brain processed the noise to sound somewhat like his own name.
He cracked open his eyelids, and squinted as sunlight fell across his bed. He could have sworn he pulled his hangings close last night after Harry left to go to the…oh BLOODY HELL! The partnering thing; who was his partner?
His eye snapped wide open at that thought, and was immediately pushed from his rather warm covers.
"Ow!" Ron moaned, rubbing his left elbow, "That hurt, Harry."
But all Harry did was grin widely at him. "Come on mate. It's time for breakfast. Plus, aren't you curious to know who your partner for the race is?"
"Yeah well, I was just thinking about that when you shoved me off my bed."
Harry's grin widened. "Couldn't resist the temptation."
0o0o0o
Hermione yawned and opened her stiff eyes. At first, she wondered why they were so stuck together, but then realised she had cried herself to sleep. With a groan, she got up and shuffled to the bathroom. She rinsed her face, and glanced at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were slightly puffy, and besides the small ring of red around her eyes, there were also dark circles under her eyes.
She had spent most of last night planning her apology to Ron. Nothing she thought of seemed right though. Hermione sighed. I guess I'll just have to wing it.
Hermione walked back into her room and changed from her pyjamas into her school robes. She walked into the Common Room, and was surprised to find Ron standing by the portrait hole, most probably waiting for Harry.
Ron glanced at her, but he did not smile and greet her with a hug like he normally did. Instead, he merely trained his eyes back onto the staircase leading up to the boys' dormitory.
Hermione felt a lump rise in her throat and tears springing into her eyes. Ron was giving her the cold shoulder. She had half expected it, considering what she had said, but she had hoped he would have let her explain herself before judging her. After all, most of their quarrels were forgotten the next day, and they were back to bagging each other out in a friendly way once again.
Her shoulders slumped, and she made to walk out of the portrait hole, but a hand shot out and held her back. Surprised, she turned around, and saw that the hand was connected to a rather pale arm. This arm was in turn connected to none other than Ronald Weasley.
0o0o0o
Ron was waiting impatiently for Harry to come down from the dorms. He had no idea how the boy could spend so long getting ready when he had woken up before him.
To his dismay, Hermione appeared from the girls' dormitory before Harry was able to rescue him from the awkward situation about to befall. He looked over at her, and saw her glance back at him. For some reason, he felt guilt surging up inside of him, and looked away quickly, seeing if Harry had decided to grace them of his appearance yet. He felt Hermione brush past him on her way out, and could not help but hold onto her arm, preventing her from leaving. She gave him a surprised look, but stayed next too him.
0o0o0o
Harry smirked. His operation 'get Hermione and Ron together as friends' was going according to plan. Slowly, but surely.
0o0o0o
Hermione was glad when Harry finally came down from the dorms. In his hands, he was holding a piece of parchment.
"Harry, what's that?" she asked.
Harry smiled and showed her. "Found this on my way back from the Great Hall."
Ron gaped at him. "You've already eaten breakfast?"
"Yeah. Came to wake you as soon as I finished. I'm going out to practice flying; meet me out there when you finish. Hermione, you want to watch us practice?"
Hermione smiled wryly. "I don't think so. I'll just go to the library and read. By the way Harry, it says here you've got Malfoy as your partner."
Ron was shocked. "WHAT? Hang on, who have I got?"
"Says here you're paired with Zacharias Smith." Hermione could not contain her smirk. "It's going to be quite an interesting race, I can see."
Ron was too disgusted to reply. "Give me the sheet Hermione."
"What's the magic word?" Hermione teased, their earlier argument forgotten for the time being.
"Huh?"
"Start's with 'p' and ends with 'e'."
"Um…I don't know…oh wait, please!"
"Very good Ronnie."
Ron practically snatched the parchment from Hermione. One glance at it, and he cracked up laughing.
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked.
"Neville's…Neville's paired with Parkinson!"
Hermione could not keep back a smile tugging on her lips. "It's not funny Ron," she tried to admonish, but failing miserably.
Her red headed friend just kept on laughing.
"I do feel sorry for Neville though."
"Don't you mean for Parkinson?" Ron asked incredulously.
Hermione was confused. "Why?"
"Because Neville's probably going to get them eliminated from the race on the first elimination."
"That's not nice," Hermione said reproachfully, "Neville can't help being accident-prone."
Ron just waved the comment away. "Here, look at the rest of the pairings."
Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry Academy – The Amazing Race Partners
The following are the pairs for the race.
Hannah Abbott with Seamus Finnigan
Susan Bones with Dean Thomas
Lavender Brown with Ernie Macmillan
Millicent Bulstrode with Parvati Patil
Justin Finch-Fletchley with Padma Patil
Hermione Granger with Blaise Zabini
Neville Longbottom with Pansy Parkinson
Draco Malfoy with Harry Potter
Zacharias Smith with Ron Weasley
These students are to report to the Great hall straight after lunch. Classes are cancelled for them due to the organising needed to occur before the official start to the race.
A/N2: Well, I finally finished another chapter. So sorry for the delay and I'm regretful to say the next chapter won't be for a while. I have more exams coming up, and school work as well.
Leave me a review anyway; they do encourage me, especially seeing so many people enjoying my story.