Chapter Six
About two weeks later Hermione found herself back at the Quidditch pitch for tryouts. She was joined by Neville and Luna and the mid-September air was just starting to cool down slightly. "Wow, there's a lot of people trying out this year." Neville said quietly. Hermione surveyed the pitch and he wasn't wrong. There were more students down there than normal. Even first years were trying. "Do you think they all actually want to try out or are they just here for Harry?" Luna asked. Her eyes widened as she turned to her friend "I hadn't even thought of that. Poor Harry." She said. She looked over the group of kids again, Ron and Ginny were easy to spot. Ginny looked relatively calm as she did some stretches while Ron anxiously paced in front of her. "Look," Neville said pointing across the pitch. The front row of the Slytherin stands was filled. It was hard to tell exactly who was there but the bright blonde head of Draco Malfoy was unmistakable. "Oh this isn't going to end well." Hermione muttered.
Harry started getting people in the air and it was just as Luna said. The vast majority of the students down there had no flying experience and were just there because of him. Hermione could tell that her friend was frustrated but he slowly weeded out his "fans" and could now work on the people who actually wanted to be on the team. Ginny was a natural, of course. She had no issues with the drills Harry threw at her.
After the potential chasers were done Harry lined up the students trying out for Keeper. Hermione grabbed Neville's hand, "He'll be fine Hermione," he reassured. One by one each student took flight. Most of them didn't manage to block more then 4 shots. Finally it was Ron's turn. "He hasn't calmed down at all." She said.
Ron positioned himself in front of the hoops and Harry sent up the Quaffle. It went for the first shot and... he missed the save. A roar of laughter sounded from across the pitch, "I knew this wouldn't be good." Hermione muttered. Ron proceeded to miss two more shots before he found his groove. After that he stopped every shot that was made. Hermione and the others clapped when he landed. "He only missed three, he's done the best so far." Neville said. "Cormac McLaggen is next." Luna observed quietly. "McLaggen?" Hermione questioned. "But he's a seventh year, why is he trying out now?" Neville shrugged in response. The three watched as the blonde boy took flight and settled himself in front of the goals. Harry sent up the Quaffle and it started taking shots. McLaggen started strong and was stopping every shot that came his way. Hermione's anxiety started rising as he came down to the final four shots and still hadn't missed any. He was going to beat out Ron and Harry would have to take him otherwise he would be accused of nepotism. She had to do something, but what? Anything, she'd do anything to make sure Ron got on the team. She slipped her wand from its sheath and into her hand. She had to be discreet, if anyone saw her she would get in so much trouble. Hermione positioned her wand so it was pointed towards McLaggen but still unnoticeable to others around her. As quietly as she could manage she whispered, "Confundo."
She watched with bated breath as the Quaffle lined up for the next shot and... McLaggen came just short and missed the catch. Hermione let out the breath she'd been holding and watched as Cormac McLaggen proceeded to miss the rest of the shots.
After McLaggen landed Harry retreated to the sidelines and was looking over the notes he had taken throughout the tryouts. After a few minutes he returned to the center of the pitch. "I have made my choices." He started, "For chasers, Katie Bell will be keeping her position. Joining her will be Demelza Robins and Ginny Weasley." The two girls stepped forward and joined Katie and Harry in the center of the pitch. "For beaters I've chosen Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote." The two third years stepped forward, high fiving each other on the way. "And our Keeper will be Ron Weasley." Hermione let out a yell as she jumped from her seat on the bench. Neville gave her a hug as three of them raced down to the pitch to congratulate their friends. As they reached the pitch they started running towards Ron, only to be beat out by someone else. "Ron!" Lavender Brown yelled as she wrapped her arms around him. The red head looked around confused for a minute before returning the hug and smiling down at the witch. Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked on in shock. After they broke apart Lavender continued to hang on him and looking up at him through her lashes. She couldn't even get to Ron to congratulate him as every time she got close Lavender would pull his attention away again. Slightly hurt Hermione gave up and instead found Ginny in the crowd and gave her a hug. "I knew you were going to make it," She said, Ginny smiled "Thanks, I wasn't sure with there only being two spots open." Hermione scoffed, "Please, you did better than anyone else trying out." Ginny shrugged and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a very loud giggling. Both girls looked over to Lavender who currently had her arm hooked through Ron's while he talked to Dean. "Ew," Ginny said, her face scrunched up like she just smelled something foul. "I really hope that doesn't become a thing." She muttered. Hermione tore her eyes away from the couple and pulled her friend towards the growing crowd. "C'mon, let's go save Harry from his fans."
Ginny's fears seemed to be coming true as over the next few days Lavender and Ron were virtually inseparable. They started sitting together in classes and the common room. They were always touching and giggling at each other. Any time they weren't together Ron was talking about her. It was all slowly eating away at Hermione's sanity. Her only solace was that her birthday was here and there was a pile of presents at the foot of her bed. She opened the box of sweets from Mrs. and Mr. Weasley first. Next was a long box, narrow box from Ginny. Inside the box was a beautiful blue and green quill with a pot of indigo ink. Neville gave her a mixed box of her favorite muggle sweets that she had mentioned liking in one of her letters. The last two gifts were larger than the others and she could tell just by looking at them that they were book. The first one she opened was a leather bounded journal from Harry. The leather was dyed a beautiful deep blueish purple color. The journal matched the color of the ink and she knew that the two of them must have gone shopping for it together. She excitedly opened the last book, Ron never bought her books so she was curious as to what made him get her one now. As the parchment fell away she found a large tomb on the art of Animagi. How did Ron know she had been researching it? She flipped through the pages and a note fell out.
You'll find this book more extensive than the one you took from the library. Good luck Kitten- S.B.
Sirius sent her a birthday present? Sirius sent her a book? She couldn't help but smile down at the note. Her happy feeling faded quickly though as something occurred to her. Ron didn't get her anything.
A/N Welcome to Fanfic Fridays. This will be our new upload day, permanently. I'm going to link some of my socials in my bio for y'all. On another note. It's currently snowing. This is my first time seeing snow and I'm so excited.
Fun fact, I spelled "six" wrong three times while writing this chapter