Chapter 15: Ron gets hit… again
Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to take Trelawney's outburst as more of her whacky behavior, but Harry couldn't help take notice of what she had said. He didn't have much time to worry though as he was far too busy preparing for the third task, whatever it might be.
"I expect they'll tell you what it is." Ron said one afternoon in the library.
"Mmm." Harry mumbled before returning to Famous Hexes and Curses of the Century. He pushed up his glasses, which were sliding down his nose. Harry looked out the window through which he saw the black lake, its glistening waters twinkling in the sunlight, students with their cloaks tied around their waists and fanning themselves with their black, pointy hats. It was obvious that they were enjoying themselves, yet he was stuck amidst the masses of towering shelves, doomed to study for an event he knew nothing about. Harry sighed and continued reading.
"Mr Potter! Mr Potter!" a small voice came from the entrance of the library. They turned to see Colin Creevey run in, tripping on his robes which looked to be about three sizes too big. Harry groaned and returned to his book.
"Mr Potter!" he gasped running into their table.
"Not now Colin, I'm busy."
"Sorry sir, but they told me to get you."
"Who?" Harry asked looking up.
"Mister Bagman. All the champions are supposed to go out to the Quidditch pitch."
"Oh. Alright then. Thanks Colin. Tell them I'll be down in a minute." But Colin didn't leave. He merely stood there, looking up at Harry with hopeful, shiny eyes.
"Oh alright." Harry said and rummaged around in his back and pulled out a used tissue. Ron and Hermione wrinkled their noses as Harry gave it to Colin.
"There you go." Colin squealed and hugged the tissue to his chest as if it was worth a million dollars.
"What?" Harry said when he saw Ron looking at him angrily.
"You know very well what."
"For your information Ronald I did not ask for psycho maniacs to come up to me and beg for a snotty tissue."
"Doesn't mean you didn't enjoy it."
THWACK.
"Argh!" Ron clutched his hand to his cheek, which was bright red. Hermione had slapped him, hard, in the face.
"You can talk to us again when you learn to grow up. Come on Harry lets go. Leave this retard to cry alone." Hermione linked arms with Harry and dragged him out, leaving Ron crying on the floor.
"Stupid Ron makes me so… so… URGH!"
"Hermione it's ok. Ron was just being… Ron."
"Hmm. I guess you're right Harry. I'm sorry I acted like that- he just made me so mad."
"That's ok. I was about to punch him myself." Hermione giggled softly and kissed him quickly on the cheek.
They finally reached the grounds. A cool breeze rippled the lush, green grass and fluttered through their hair. Harry let out a sigh of content and padded softly onto the lawn. They headed in the direction of the Quidditch pitch and reached the towering gates.
"I'll see you later." Hermione said. Harry pulled her waist closer and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
"Ok. I'll see you at dinner." He said when they broke away. He watched her walk up to the castle when she turned her head and waved back. Harry blew a kiss and she caught it and pocketed it. Harry smiled and entered through the gates.
At the sight that greeted him nearly made his eyes pop out of his head. In place of the beautiful Quidditch pitch that he knew and loved was a towering hedge. The pitch had grown to almost twice its size and the hoops were missing.
"OH MY GOD! WHAT IS THIS?" He ran up to the hedge and ran his hands along it, checking to see that it was indeed real. Realizing it was Harry slipped down to the ground and sulked.
"Ah there you are Harry good man!" Ludo Bagman, who Harry recognized as the Head of the Department for Magical Games and Sportsstrode up wearing black and yellow robes, making him look like a giant bumble bee. Krum, Cedric, and Fleur followed behind.
"Do you like the maze?"
"Like it? Like it? WHAT ABOUT OUR QUIDDITCH PITCH?" Harry roared.
"Calm down man. Rest assured your Quidditch pitch will be restored to its original format once the task's over."
"Oh. Right. Sorry about that." Harry shuffled around blushing the colour of Ron's hair.
"Anyway moving on. This is the third task. As you have probably already guessed, unless you're stupid, this is a maze." Krum flushed slightly and shuffled back. "The objective is to reach the center of the maze first, passing through the various obstacles that will block your path. The one who reaches the center first wins maximum points and probably wins the tournament. Any questions?"
No one said anything. Bagman clapped his hands together. "Great. The task will be held in a week from now. If there are no further questions… alrighty then! See you in two weeks!" He gave them a cheery wave and disappeared out the gates.
The champions just stood there, awkwardly, before finally dispersing back into the grounds. Harry walked back to the castle, closely behind Cedric. He ran up and tapped his shoulder.
"Eh?" Cedric said as he turned around to see Harry. "Oh it's you Harry. Scared me for a moment there. So what's up?"
"I just wanted to say thanks for that hint with the egg."
"Oh it's nothing. Besides you helped me with the dragons so we're even Steven."
"Ugh my name isn't Steven Cedric.," he said when finally reached the doors to the great hall.
"Sorry. It something my father used to do, bugged the hell out of me. So… may the best man win?" Cedric asked, sticking his hand out.
"May the best man win." Harry shook his hands before turning to the Gryffindor table. He plonked down next to Hermione.
"What did they want?"
"No 'hello-Harry-I'm-glad-to-see-you-kiss'?"
"Oh alright." She swallowed the strawberry she had in her mouth and leaned forward to kiss Harry.
"Mmm. Strawberries." Harry said grinning. Hermione giggled and placed another strawberry in her mouth.
"So what happened?"
"They told us what the third task was."
"What was it? Vampires? Trolls? Giants? Ogres? Lions, Tigers and bears?"
"Er… no. It's a maze. We have to get through it and beat the obstacles in our way."
"Hmm. That shouldn't be much of a problem."
"I guess so." Harry, since he had missed dinner, heaped some tarts and pies onto his plate.
"Uh oh. Incoming." Hermione said. Harry followed where her eyes were pointing to see a certain tall, red haired boy approaching where he was sitting. He put down his fork and looked at him expressionless. The boy shoved his hands in his pockets and stood directly in front of him.
"Um… ah…er hummana hummana..."
"And in English that would be?" The tips of Ron's ears turned pink. Harry and Hermione could almost feel the heat radiating off him.
"Well I'm sorry about the way I acted that way before- I was an asshole. But you know how I get jealous; it's kinda hard having Harry Potter as a friend."
"Oh I didn't know I was a burden to you. Maybe it would be better if I wasn't your friend. Lets go Hermione." They got up from their seats and walked briskly to the door.
"Harry I'm sorry! That came out all wrong!" Harry ignored his ex-friend's calls and continued walking faster.
"Stupid, fowl git, jealous of me, emotional range of a teaspoon URGH!", he muttered under his breath, "I'm gonna kick him in the nuts, then break him- Ham Kippers-," he said to the portrait of the Fat Lady which swung open leaving a gaping hole in the wall, "then I'll feed him to Pansy Parkinson URGH!"
He turned off and vigorously punched the hangings on the wall. His punches became slower and he sunk to the ground with his back against the wall, panting slightly. Hermione sat down next to him and placed her hand on his arm.
"It's ok Harry. You have every right to be angry."
"Phew. Just needed to get it out of my system that's all." She rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her. He planted a kiss on her nose and grinned. They sat like that for a while, almost falling asleep, when they heard a tremendous rumbling.
"What the?" Harry immediately snapped to attention.
"It's everyone coming up from dinner Harry."
"Oh right. Do you want to go before everyone else gets here?"
"Yep. Lets go." He kissed the tip of your nose, got up and looked back at Hermione who was still on the ground.
"Come on."
"I seem to not be able to move." She said innocently.
"Oh no how awful," Harry said playing along, "We'll have to do something about that won't we?" He bended down and scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs, Hermione giggling and squealing.
He reached the boys dormitory and dropped her down onto hid bed, landing down beside her, panting and laughing. They got there just in time too, for seconds later the common room was filled with chatting, banging, laughing, and the odd squeak or two, which they supposed were coming from the fake wands that the Weasley twins had invented.
Hermione turned her head to look at Harry. He was smiling distantly, as if consumed in his own little world.
"Penny for your thoughts."
"Just thinking about how beautiful you look." She shuffled forward and sealed her lips against his.
"You owe me a penny." He said between kisses.
"Shut up" kiss "Harry" kiss "besides" kiss "Wizards" kiss "don't" kiss "use" kiss "Pennies" Harry laughed in mid kiss. He kissed her again, and again, and again.
"Wait- Harry- stop- someone's coming!"
"You hide under here." He said opening the covers. Hermione dived under then just as Ron climbed the staircase. Harry glared at him and Ron just stared back blandly. Without taking his eyes off Ron Harry closed the curtains of his-four poster bed. He put a silencing charm around it so no one could hear anything. Hermione popped her head out from the covers.
"Who was it?"
"Ron."
"Oh. Right." Damn it why does Ron have to ruin everything? Hermione asked herself. Harry sighed and snuggled under the covers next to Hermione.
"We've still got our robes on."
"I know."
"I'll get you something to wear." Harry slipped through the hangings and rummaged around for some clothes.
"Ouch!" He swore under his breath as he stubbed his toe on his bed. Harry found his trunk and pulled out a pair of boxers and one of his large Dudley shirts. He slipped them through the gap in the curtains and proceeded looking for something for him to wear.
He settled for a pair of blue boxer shorts and a Quidditch shirt. He slipped through the curtains to see Hermione's bare back facing him.
"Harry! I'm not done yet!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" He said and hurried out again, dropping his glasses in the process.
"Shit!" he whispered and dropped to his knees feeling around in the dark for where they were. He felt over bumps and bumps and edges before finally coming into contact with hard, cold metal.
He stood up and heard his head crack as he collided into the corner his bedside table.
"Ahh!" he shouted quietly. The hand not holding his glasses shot up to the lump that had formed on his head.
"Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit!" He screwed up his eyes and walked, blindly, to his bed. He fell through the curtains and laid on the bed, still clutching his head.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, who was now wearing Dudley's old, blue shirt, which came to just above her knees allowing Harry's green boxers to poke out.
"I hit my head." Hermione laughed and took his head in her lap.
"Hey it's not funny."
"Sorry." She said, trying to stifle giggles. She played with his hair and shivered.
"Cold?"
"Just a tad." He lifted the covers and let her wriggle in before hopping in next to her. He wrapped an arm around her pulling her closer.
"Hermione?"
"Mmm?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Harry?"
"Mmm?"
"What are you going to do?"
"When?"
"You know. The future, after school…?"
"I don't know yet. Everyone says I'm going to be an Auror but I think I've had enough of fighting Voldemort and I haven't even finished school! Nah I'd rather live the quiet life, settle down, start a family, write some books."
"You write?"
"There's still mystery and hidden talents left in me Hermione."
"Night Harry."
"Night Hermione." Soon after they fell asleep.
OoOoOoOo
Harry woke alone in his bed. Where's Hermione? Probably gone to have breakfast. He got up, went into the bathroom, showered and brushed his teeth before getting dressed and going down into the great hall.
When he got there he searched up and down the Gryffindor table, but there was no sign of the bushy brown hair which he knew so well.
"Seamus have you seen Hermione?"
"No mate."
"Lavender?"
"I haven't seen her either." Ok Hermione this is not funny. Where are you? He thought to himself. He ran through the corridors shouting her name but she was nowhere to be found.
There was one more place to look.
Harry stood outside the door of the girls' bathrooms. He grit his teeth, opened the door and walked in.
"Excuse me coming through." Many of the girls giggled while others screamed and hid.
"Hermione! Hermione!" He bent his head looking under the doors of the cubicles, searching for Hermione's tiny feet. His search had no prevail.
Completely stressed he returned to the common room.
"Has anyone seen Hermione?" He asked the people in the common room. No one answered.
"Fine. Just ignore me. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't matter to you anyway if she was dead." Shush Harry. Don't even think that.
He continued up the stairs into the boys' dormitory. He rummaged around his trunk scattering the contents everywhere.
"Aha!" he said when he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the Marauders map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He tapped the parchment with his wand. Inky black words sprawled over the page:
Welcome Prongsies Jr. to the Marauder's map.
Harry scanned the page looking for the dot labeled 'Hermione Granger'.
"What the?" He said when his eyes passed over the Quidditch pitch which had changed to the giant maze. There were men in it and on the border of it, some of which he knew, and some of which he didn't. He saw Hagrid, Karkaroff and, to Harry's utter dismay, Lucius Malfoy.
He promised himself to have a better look later but first he had to find Hermione. Then he found her. On the top right corner of the page, near the lake. Without a second thought Harry got up and dashed out the common room.
He reached the grounds and sprinted to where she was on the map. He checked the map every so often to see if he was going in the right direction. His dot was almost up to where Hermione's dot was.
He looked up from the map. All he could see was a large willow tree. Then he saw something move. He squinted to get a better look.
A flash of black and a flutter of bushy brown hair.
Hermione.
"Mischief Managed" He whispered quickly wiping the map blank. He dropped it to the ground and rushed over to the tree.
"Hermione!"
"Harry!"
"What are you doing?" He said trying to climb but failing miserably.
"You need some help?"
"I've got it." He climbed up painfully slowly but finally reached Hermione's level. He sat awkwardly on the branch.
"Have you ever climbed a tree?"
"Once. My Aunt Marge's dog chased me. Stayed up there all night before I finally fell asleep and fell off. Never been too fond of trees since."
Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Harry that's-that's terrible." She managed between giggles.
"Humph. So what are you doing here I was looking all over for you."
"Sorry. This is just a place I come to just to think. Sort things out you know?"
"Yeah. I just got worried." They sat in the large tree, enjoying each other's company and the breeze blowing through their hair. The rumbling of Harry's stomach broke the silence.
"Oops."
Hermione laughed and jumped down gracefully onto the grass. Harry tried to follow suit but failed miserably. He sort of slipped off the branch and fell down, bumping on other branches as he went, finally landing face down on the ground. Amazingly he jumped up.
"Did you ever have a wipeout so bad that you don't even feel it?" He said before fainting. (A/N: This was taken from Dickie Roberts: Former child star.)
OoOoOo
Hehehe. This was more of a filler chapter than a real one. Didn't have much to do with the plot. These are the main points in the chapter.
Ron is not really friends with Harry and Hermione
Ron got slapped (YES! Go Hermione!)
Ron is a retard (not really important but I'll say it anyway)
The third task is a maze (which you already know)
The maze shows up on the Marauders map
Harry fell out of a tree (well…kinda not important)
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Laura