Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again, that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 4 Flying Lessons

It was a couple of days later, and the Slytherins were all standing in a straight line right next to the Quidditch pitch. Ron, Draco, and many other Slytherins, were just staring at the other group of first years that were joining them. By the look of things, most of them were nervous. Ron leaned closer to Draco as the teacher passed them.

"Our lesson's with Gryffindors?" he asked with a shaky voice.

How would they fair against the brave Gryffindors? Draco crossed his arms and laughed, not looking at Ron. Ron too laughed a little, knowing what Draco was thinking.

"We'll show them who the better flyers are," Draco said.

He finally turned and smiled at Ron, who smiled back. They both knew they were good flyers, even with Ron's problem. They turned to the front as their teacher cleared her throat. Her short, spiky hair made her look tough, and it shown on the faces of the first years.

"Good morning. I am Madam Hooch, your flying instructor," she said.

Ron noticed Hermione giving Harry an anxious look. He made sure Draco was not noticing his lack of attentiveness to the lesson.

"I've never flown before," he heard Hermione whisper.

"Neither have I," Harry said, his voice a little shaky.

Hermione nervously looked up at the sky. Ron did too without realizing he was.

"And I'm horrified of heights," Hermione said.

Ron turned back to the instructor as she began speaking again.

"Now, will you step to the right side of your broom?" Madam Hooch asked.

Ron moaned as they obeyed her command.

"Oh, no…" Ron began, walking to the right of his broom.

Draco glanced over at Ron and saw the fear in his eyes.

"Place your left hand over it and yell up," Madam Hooch said.

Ron threw his head up.

"I knew it," he groaned.

Draco shook his head and looked over at Ron.

"You heard the woman, yell up," he said.

With the yell of the last word, the broom raised and Draco caught it. Ron sighed and looked down at his own, but not before glancing over at Hermione and Harry. He saw Harry's broom was already in his head. Hermione was still trying to get hers to even move an inch.

"Up," Ron commanded with a yell.

Nothing happened.

"Up," Ron yelled again.

The broom came up and hit Ron on the nose. Draco started to burst out laughing.

"Shut up, Draco," Ron said, face red.

Draco heard a small laugh and found it was coming from one of the Gryffindors. He turned to Ron, who had given up and picked up his broom.

"Hey at least you caught her attention," Draco whispered to Ron.

Ron looked to find Hermione covering her mouth, in a fit of giggles. He began laughing too as he massaged his nose. He liked her smile. He wanted to keep his eyes on her, but Madam Hooch was now calling for everyone's attention again.

"Now, I want you to take hold of your broom and jump off the ground. Hover in the air for the moment, then come back down," Madam Hooch explained.

As soon as the words left her mouth, there was a scream and everyone had covered their mouths as one of the students went soaring into the air.

"Neville," everyone gasped.

By this time most of the Slytherins were laughing at the sight, including Draco. Ron had his mouth opened, glancing between the looks on Hermione and Harry's faces, and Neville.

"Come back down, boy," Madam Hooch demanded with her finger in the air.

"That's not good," Ron whispered.

Him and Draco were nearly knocked to the ground as Madam Hooch ran between them.

"Mr. Longbottom," Madam Hooch called.

Ron turned to look at Hermione as he heard her frantic cry. He noticed Harry's eyes were fixed on Hermione too.

"Help him," Hermione cried.

All they looked up as they heard Neville scream. He was now falling to the ground.

"Oh, no," Ron gasped.

He looked away before Neville hit the ground. Everyone ran towards him. Ron turned and saw Madam Hooch pushing everyone out of the way.

"Is he alright?" he heard Hermione ask Harry as he and Draco walked closer.

Madam Hooch sighed as she helped Neville up.

"It's a broken wrist. Stay here while I take Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing. You'll be expelled if I catch you in the air," she said, her voice threatening.

While everyone watched Madam Hooch and Neville leave the grounds, Ron turned and saw Draco standing up.

"Look at this," he said to where only Ron could hear him.

Ron noticed the sphere at once.

"It's Neville's," he said.

Draco glanced at Harry, then back at Ron. The look on his face made Ron somewhat uneasy.

"I got a plan," Draco said.

Before Ron knew it, Draco was making his way towards the group. Ron shook his head and began running after him.

"Draco," he called.

He had to catch his breath as he finally caught up.

"Look what the fast-so dropped," Draco said with some triumph in his voice.

To Ron's surprise, he saw Harry step forward.

"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry demanded.

Ron had to admit that he was impressed. There was no shakiness in his voice. He held out his hand and waited for Draco to give to him. Draco now laughed harder. Ron was not sure if Draco really knew what he was doing.

"How about I put it on the roof for him to find," Draco suggested.

Ron groaned as Draco mounted his broom.

"Draco, stop it," he pleaded, still not understanding what he was doing.

It was too late. Draco went flying into the air. Ron turned to find Harry now too getting on his broom. He was about to tell him not to when Hermione beat him to it.

"Harry, don't. You heard what Madam Hooch said," Hermione said.

Ron then realized what Draco was doing. He crossed his arms and walked over to the pair. The fact that everyone was looking at him did not bother Ron.

"Don't be an idiot just because he is," Ron told Harry.

Hermione looked over at Ron with her mouth slightly opened, as if ready to say something. Whether she was Ron never found out because Harry shot up into the sky and stopped in front of Draco.

"Apparently they're both idiots," Hermione sighed.

She was looking up at the scene going on in the air when Ron glanced at her. He quickly looked up before she noticed.

"They better get back down here," Ron said in a way that felt forced out.

Hermione looked back down, then turned to Ron and extended her hand.

"I'm Hermione Granger by the way," she said.

Ron's eyes grew as he looked at her hand.

"Ro… Ron Weas…Weasley," he stuttered as he took her hand and shook it.

He took a deep breath as their hands separated. Ron looked down at it and noticed the precipitation on it. He hoped it had not already been like it before taking Hermione's hand. Ron wiped it on his trousers, trying not to make it too noticeable. He was worrying too much about his sweaty palms to see that Hermione had her head down, cheeks a little flushed. She then picked it up and looked over at Ron, whose attention had turned back to Harry and Draco.

"Weasley? What's a Weasley doing with a Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

Ron watched Draco throw Neville's Remembrall, barely hearing Hermione.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

Hermione sighed and put her hands on her hips. Ron did not like this movement.

"I may be a Muggleborn, but I do read. The Malfoy's have been said to be followers of You-Know-Who," Hermione said.

Ron closed his eyes. So, she was a Muggleborn. A Muggleborn who he knew was getting suspicious. He opened his eyes and caught Hermione's gaze.

"And…" he began, not really knowing what to say.

"Your father is a Pureblood who loves Muggles," Hermione said.

Ron sighed in relief inside. However, it still did not calm him totally. There was still a chance Hermione would figure everything out.

"Well, we don't let our parents get in the way of being friends," Ron said slowly.

He wanted to sound convincing, yet not get his words mixed up.

"I see," Hermione simply said.

She looked back up at the sky and saw Harry coming down. Ron, who began to panic at Hermione's reaction, tried to get why she had reacted like that.

"What, you think since I'm in Slytherin and friends with a Malfoy that that makes me a bad person?" he asked.

"Well…" Hermione began as she looked down.

"Listen, I don't like being a Slytherin, but my Pureblood status leaves me with little options," Ron said with a laugh.

The words came out without him thinking. He smiled, impressed at his quick thinking. Ron saw from the corner of his eye Draco walking their way. Harry had just landed. His and Hermione's conversation had better end fast.

"So, Malfoy won't get mad that you're talking to a Muggleborn?" Hermione asked, also noticing Draco drawing nearer.

"I don't care. Him of all people know you can't stop someone from talking to someone they don't like," Ron said.

Hermione turned with a smile and joined Harry. Ron sighed as Draco walked up to him and clapped his shoulder. Before Draco could say anything, however, Professor McGonagall was calling out Harry's name. Ron, Draco, Hermione, and the rest of the class, watched Harry disappear from view with the Transfiguration teacher.

AN:

Another chapter down!