Subject: Defence Against the Dark Arts (Extra Credit

Task: Write about someone being called a coward and their reaction to it

September Event: Back to School

Prompts: 10 (Word) Breakfast, 58 (Location) Great Hall

Chocolate Frog: Gold – Hungarian Horntail – Challenge – Write a story set in Harry's fourth year

Word Count: 396


Making a Move

Ron took another huge bite out of his slice of toast as the owls began to fly overhead. He noticed that Errol was heading his way and he grinned, wondering what gift his mother had sent from home this time.

The owl dropped the small box in front of him and he quickly opened it, his grin broadening as he realised that it was a hamper of sweets. Breakfast truly was the best time of day.

"All I'm saying Neville is that you have to stop being such a coward," Ron heard Seamus say.

He glanced up to see three of his dorm mates heading towards him.

"Yeah, Nev, you need to man up and ask her out already, before someone else does," Dean agreed. "I mean look at me now; if I hadn't got in there when I did with Lavender, she would be on some other guy's arms. Take it from someone who knows, quit being a coward."

"Stop calling me a coward," Neville mumbled as he sat down across from Ron, his hands balled into tight fists.

"We will as soon as you ask her out," Seamus said with a smile.

"Okay, okay, if it'll get you off my back," Neville answered, turning his attention to the spread laid on for breakfast. "I'll ask her out."

"Look, here she comes," Dean said, slapping Neville on the shoulder. "Better now than never, right Nev."

"Here who comes, what?" Ron asked, wondering who Neville was going to ask out.

When no one answered him, Ron turned his attention back to his breakfast as Neville jumped up from the bench and moved towards the mysterious girl.

"Hey, Hermione," he heard Neville say.

What? Hermione? Oh no he isn't! He wouldn't put the moves on my girl.

He dropped his slice of toast and snapped his head towards his dorm-mate and one of his best friends. His mouth dropped open as he watched his biggest nightmare come true.

"The Yule Ball is coming up in a few weeks. Would you maybe, perhaps, want to go with me?"

And then Hermione uttered three words that broke Ron's heart.

"I'd love to."

The disgruntled Gryffindor crossed his arms and glared at the happy couple as he picked up his toast and took an aggressive bite from it.

Breakfast was most certainly not his favourite meal of the day anymore.