And yet another chapter... in Hogsmeade. Where a few people get to feel better.

RON XVI

Ron woke up early the next morning. A visit to Hogsmeade was one of the few good reasons to wake up early during the weekend. Harry was still sleeping. He had only come back late last evening, only to tell them he did not progress at all in solving the egg. Hermione had been disappointed. As for Ron, if it wasn't for his carefulness in not causing another dispute between him and Harry, he would have said he knew that it was a loss of time. Well, now at least, they got to all go to Hogsmeade today. They could put aside any thought about the upcoming second task for today.

"Okay, everyone, wake up!" Ron said. "Hogsmeade today."

All the boys in the dormitory slowly woke up, including Harry, who got dressed before all the others. He and Ron went down to take their breakfast with Hermione. Ron ate heartily in prevision of this day. He felt that this one would go very well. Even with what was going on with Hagrid, he was optimistic.

"You know, maybe we could buy something for Hagrid. You know, try to cheer him up," he suggested. "We go to his cabin after the day and we bring him a few sweets from Honeydukes. I don't think even he could resist."

"That's worth a try," Hermione said. Ron was almost surprised. He thought she would have been more likely to say that they would need more than a few candies to get Hagrid out of his home. It may be true, but when Ron didn't feel well, his mother's meals and the sweets of the best shop in the village were among the best way to help him alleviate his bad mood. It couldn't be worse than alcohol from one of those pubs Hagrid talked about. He didn't see how it could make things worse, in any case.

"Maybe we could buy him something from Zonko too, you know," he further suggested. "Have him make a good laugh."

The two others did not seem convinced, but they didn't say it was a bad idea either. It seemed that talking about Hagrid didn't make them feel better finally. Ron tried to reorient by asking questions about what Harry and Hermione wished to buy at Tomes and Scrolls.

"There's a new work on the history of Arithmancy I'm interested in," Hermione said. Ron grimaced internally. She once tried to explain him what Arithmancy was about, and he didn't understand anything at all. He wasn't sure, but he also thought it might have given him headaches. "And also something on the history of Muggle-Wizard relations. I don't recall its title though."

Ron waved in the air. "You'll have more than enough time to find it. What about you, Harry?"

His friend didn't answer immediately.

"I won't be coming to Hogsmeade finally."

His answer stunned Ron. "What? You're not coming?"

"No. I'll keep working on the egg."

Ron was flabbergasted. "Again? But you worked on it for hours yesterday, and for nothing."

"I know," Harry said in a whisper, looking at his corn flakes.

"Why don't you push back your research to tomorrow? Come on. It's going to be…"

"Ron," Hermione interrupted, "if Harry prefers to work on the egg, that's his choice. I don't disapprove, honestly."

"But it is Hogsmeade! He still has weeks before the second task. He has all the time…"

"No, he may not, Ron. Once he solves the egg, once he knows what the second task will be, he will need time to prepare."

"He only needed a single day to prepare for the first task."

"That was different," Hermione argued. "Moody gave him an idea as to how to get through this task, and then we practiced without pause. I don't want us to make the same mistake a second time and do everything in the last minute. Harry was barely ready for the task. This time, he may need even more time to prepare."

"Even then, I don't think losing a day…"

"Every day could matter, Ron!"

"He's not going to stop living!"

"Okay, both of you, stop. I'm here, you know." They both turned to look at Harry who just spoke. He inhaled deeply. "Look, I would really like to come to Hogsmeade with you but… today I can't. I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, Harry," Hermione said, her tone less hard all of a sudden. "If you want, we can bring you something back. Is there something you would like from Tomes and Scrolls? Or from Honeydukes? Or even Zonko?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just… enjoy the day. We'll tell each other about how it went for each of us at dinner." He stood up all of a sudden. "Sorry. I must go. See you later."

Hermione and Ron stayed there, their friend heading out of the Great Hall.

"Why did he leave so quickly?" Ron asked.

Hermione seemed clueless about it as well. "Maybe he wants to spend as much as time as he can trying to solve the egg."

"Hmm. You shouldn't have given him the idea to stay here today, Hermione. Now look. He's going to spend the entire weekend working on that damn golden egg."

"Don't you want him to be ready for the second task?"

"Of course, I do. But with his mood lately, do you really think that studying this egg day and night is the best way to lighten it?"

Ron felt he hit something with that one. But Hermione would not give him reason. "Ron, I really think that Harry must solve this egg as quickly as possible. This time, we will not have Hagrid to show us what it is. I just don't want our friend to die. You've seen how close it's been with that dragon. And… Look, Ron. You remember when we went down in the dungeons in our first year to stop Quirrell?"

"Of course, I recall." How couldn't he? It was after that he and Hermione became friends.

"Well, you weren't with us, but the last challenge before accessing the Stone was the one Snape prepared. It was one of logic. And you know why he put it there?"

"Because Snape loves to make our lives miserable?"

"No, because all the other obstacles, except maybe the chess pieces enchanted by McGonagall, were tests of magical power and knowledge. But Snape's was about pure logic. I think he knew that if someone reached that stage, it had to be a very powerful wizard. But many powerful wizards only focus on gathering knowledge and mastering as many spells, charms and curses they can. Many would not have been able to solve the enigma Snape left with the potions."

"Okay. So?" Ron asked, wanting to know where Hermione was heading exactly.

"Well, I believe it might be the same thing here. The dragon was a trial of courage and how the champions could face something unexpected, without being able to prepare themselves. Like doing an exam without having the possibility to study before. They were only to use what they knew at the moment the danger would be revealed. And Harry succeeded because he is courageous and was ready to fight that dragon when he went into the arena. That wasn't a first time for him. He did it other times before, when he fought the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, or Quirrell in the dungeons. I'm not saying he had no fear, but he was able to overcome it and to do what was necessary. But this time, I feel this is different. They gave the champions a clue, a puzzle to solve. And Harry is clearly struggling to solve it. His courage is not going to be enough for this task. He's going to need to be clever and very prepared this time. I can feel it."

Ron wasn't that sure about that. Of course, it would be better if Harry was prepared for the second task, and he certainly didn't want his best friend to arrive at the second task without knowing what he would face. But he also thought Harry needed some time off. He clearly had not been very well since the ball. Ron had not been in a good state either during this time. That's why he thought they all deserved a good weekend in Hogsmeade.

He and Hermione left once their breakfast was over. On their way to the village, they came about the ship of Durmstrang, where they saw Viktor Krum dive into the lake. Ron thought, not without hope, that he could get eaten by the giant squid or totally freeze in the water. He didn't voice his hopes though. Ever since the Yule Ball, he didn't dare to talk about Krum, and Hermione neither. He was grateful that she wouldn't broach the subject anymore than he would. Ron still didn't understand what Hermione found to him, and he still didn't understand why Krum found her so interesting, but he would rather not think about it. He preferred to try and spend a good day.

"You said you wanted to go to Tomes and Scrolls?" Ron asked her.

"Yes. But we can stop by the Three Broomsticks before if you want," she suggested.

It was true that it was indeed very cold. However, Ron decided to give Hermione an olive branch.

"Fine. Let's go there."

So they headed there. The village was full of Hogwarts students, but also of those from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and even other wizards and witches. The Triwizard Tournament must have made the village even more popular than ever. Harry and Hermione talked to him earlier this year about how Muggles had their own sort of Triwizard Tournament, a kind of sports competition that was held every four years in a different city and country, and that made the city that welcomed it the centre of attention for the whole Muggle World for two weeks, resulting in the coming of so many visitors that Muggles had to scramble in order to build enough new buildings to welcome all the guests in time. Ron found it crazy. Why didn't people simply Apparate and left once they finished watching the sports? Hermione had countered by saying the number of people attending this event could easily be ten or a hundred times the number of people who attended the last Quidditch World Cup. Even if the Muggles had had the possibility of using Apparition, it would have required even more extensive organization than for the Quidditch World Cup. She then went on to explain to him that unlike the Quidditch World Cup, these Muggle competitions lasted over two weeks and covered hundreds of disciplines. According to her, the Quidditch World Cup was a summer camp for children in comparison. Ron had disagreed, and they argued about it, without either of them managing to convince the other one.

The Three Broomsticks were crowded, as always, though even more than usual, probably because of the additional visitors due to the Triwizard Tournament, and also because of the cold weather outside.

"Where are we going to find a place to sit?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we could come later," Hermione suggested.

"Out of the question! It's freezing outside. We're not leaving without a good Butterbeer down our stomach."

He kept searching for a table where some of their friends might be sitting and would be willing to let them sit with them, just as Ludo Bagman and a group of goblins were coming out of the place.

"Doesn't he ever go to the office?" Hermione wondered aloud.

Ron didn't give her any attention, still trying to find an empty spot. There didn't seem to be anything left. It looked like every nook and cranny was occupied. Until he noticed something from the corner of his eyes. He looked more carefully in this direction and was surprised to see the messed up hair of his friend from behind.

"Harry?!"

Ron headed immediately in his direction. His friend didn't seem to have heard him, probably because of the cacophony that reigned in the place. Ron managed to make his way through the crowd. Harry was sitting alone at one of the smallest tables in a corner, the kind of round table that was meant for a maximum of four people who could squeeze around it, but who were most comfortable when only two.

"Harry! What are you doing here?"

His friend looked quite surprised to see him, and even… displeased?

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, reproachful. "I thought you were supposed to stay at the castle to solve the egg!"

"Oh, leave him alone, Hermione. He decided to come after all." Ron sat down next to him. "Glad you changed your mind."

Harry still didn't seem very happy to see them. "Eh… Well… I…"

"Ron? Hermione?"

Ron turned to see a girl from their year with two tankards of Butterbeer who approached their table.

"Hi," he said shortly, barely giving her any attention.

"Hi, Susan," Hermione said.

The Hufflepuff with red hair was looking at them. "I… didn't know you would be there."

"What? Surprised that we're here?" Ron asked, unbelieving. "With the weather outside? Who wouldn't want a Butterbeer?" He turned to Hermione. "Why are you still up? Come and sit?"

But Hermione's eyes were going quickly between two points, and suddenly she seemed to realize something.

"What's going on with you?" Ron asked her again.

"Ron… I think I just remembered. We had an important letter to write at the Post Office."

Ron frowned. "What are you talking about?"

She looked at him with insistence. "Remember? That very important letter to write to your mother? You said it couldn't wait."

Ron's frown increased further. "I don't have anything important to write to my mother. Unless it is to tell her that Fred and George blew up another toilet, but even then…"

"Ah! Come on, Ron!"

"Eeeeehhhh!"

She grabbed his arm and forcefully removed him from the table, dragging him all across the pub.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked as he tried in vain to get free of her grip, but it seemed that Hermione's force had been tripled by some strange way.

"You know, Ron," she said as they got through the doors leading to the outside, turning to look at him as she continued to drag him forward. "You can really be…"

"Ouch!"

They just rammed into someone who dropped something black on the ground, where is shattered.

"Oh no! Look at what you've done!" the fat man complained as he scrambled to gather the fragments of his ruined camera.

"You could really be more careful!" the woman with him said in a very high-pitched voice. "Do you have any idea how such a device is hard to replace?"

Ron felt his blood boiling. They just ran into Rita Skeeter and the man who looked to be her photographer. He wanted nothing more but punch her in the face right now.

"I'm sure that another article to ruin someone's life will be more than enough to replace it!" Hermione shouted at her. She obviously recognized the journalist as well.

"I beg your pardon!"

"You understood me very well. How much did you get for this article about Hagrid being a half-giant? How much did you get for your lies, big cow!"

Ron never heard Hermione talk like that. And Rita Skeeter obviously didn't appreciate the insult.

"Who are you to talk to me like this, young woman? Do you even know who I am?" the journalist said coldly.

"Yes. You are a liar who makes a fortune by ruining other people's lives," she said.

"Our readers have the right to know the truth. I am merely doing…"

"By quoting a student who claims one of his friends was bit by a Flobberworm? Really? If you were really concerned with the truth, you would know that Flobberworms have no teeth and that he was lying."

"Be careful, young woman. You're talking about the son of one of the most respected families in the Wizarding World."

"And the son of a former Death Eater. That would have been very interesting to see how your readers would have reacted if you mentioned that detail. It's the truth, after all. But I guess you didn't because you're afraid of Lucius Malfoy. That's what you do, isn't it? Beat up the weak while he's already on the ground. Exactly like you did with Harry this autumn. But you know what? I'm done wasting my time on you. Hagrid will come back to his duties. You will soon discover that no one cares about the articles of a lying bitch!"

Hermione grabbed Ron's arms again and dragged him through the streets of Hogsmeade. Hermione had these moments, and whenever it happened, Ron was impressed, and it made him like her very much while being very afraid at the same time. However, this time, he was also worried for her.

"You shouldn't have done that. She'll be after you now, Hermione."

"Let her try!" she retorted, walking furiously, still holding Ron's arm, causing it pain.

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter. I'm serious, Hermione," he said, truly concerned. "She'll dig something on you…"

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding! And Hagrid isn't going to hide any more! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"

Ron knew there was no way to talk Hermione out of anything she had on her mind when she was in such a state, so he dutifully followed her on the run until they reached Hagrid's home, which still looked as lifeless as before.

Without preamble, Hermione pounded on the door.

"Hagrid! That's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mom was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being…" The door opened. "About time…"

She stopped in the middle of her declaration, and Ron was just as embarrassed to find himself in front of Albus Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon," he said kindly. He then looked around them. "Where is Harry? Normally, you're together all the time."

"We… We wanted… to see Hagrid…"

"Yes, I surmised as much. Why don't you come in?"

Almost reluctantly, they walked into the cabin. Hagrid was sitting at the table, in quite a messy and miserable state. The house looked like no one maintained it for quite some time. When Ron said hello, Hagrid barely acknowledged him. Dumbledore had more tea and cakes served.

"Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" the Headmaster asked him. "Hermione and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door. And if my sources are accurate and that Harry was also with them every time they tried to talk to you over the last week, I would say that his absence has nothing to do with any reluctance from him to see you again."

"It doesn't," Hermione assured right away. "He's just… We were in Hogsmeade, and just decided to see you. Harry just wasn't with us. He's busy, trying to solve the golden egg for the Tournament." This wasn't exactly true. They could have brought Harry with them if they took the time to go back and talk to him in the Three Broomsticks. Hermione resumed. "But you can't stay here and refuse to see us. You cannot let that woman win."

"Anyway, anyone with a drop of good sense wouldn't care about what Rita Skeeter writes," Ron said. "Everything she writes are lies."

Though Ron had to admit he did care about that article she wrote about Harry in November. That was back in the time he thought that Harry enjoyed that kind of publicity. He also wanted to vomit when he read about him and Hermione.

"See, Hagrid," Dumbledore said. "Living proofs of what I've been telling you. I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that, if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it."

"Not all of them," Hagrid managed to say, weeping. "Not all of them want me to stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time. Not a week has passed since I became Headmaster of this school when I haven't received at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"

"You're… You're not a half-giant."

"Who cares?" Hermione said. "Hagrid, did you really think we didn't already know?" To his shame, Ron didn't know. He thought something else might explain Hagrid's high stature. "I've been suspecting it for years, ever since I learned about giants in class. And Harry has been aware for years, because his mother told him."

"And I'm quite sure many of your students already suspected it, Hagrid," Dumbledore said. "It seems that you care more about this than they do."

"Anyway," Ron said, "look at me, Hagrid. And my family. We are being laughed at all the time. My father, my mother, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, me, Ginny… We are the laughingstock of everyone in the school and at the Ministry."

"And I can't count the number of times when I was called a Mudblood since I arrived at Hogwarts, or treated as nothing because my parents are Muggles," Hermione said. The mention of this name didn't please Ron. "What would you have said if I hid in my dormitory after Malfoy called my that way the first time? Or if Ron refused to attend his classes because…" she seemed to fail to find an example. "Or if Ginny refused to show her face in public because she was wearing second-hand robes?"

"A very good point," Dumbledore approved. "What would you have said, Hagrid? Even my own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery…"

"Come back and teach, Hagrid," Hermione cut the Headmaster. "Please come back. We really miss you."

Hagrid didn't say a word, but he was weeping even more heavily. Dumbledore had stood up in the meantime.

"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday. You will join me for breakfast at eight thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."

On these words, Dumbledore left.

What followed was a heartwarming reunion, as if Hagrid had been gone for an eternity and was back from a long journey. He talked to them about his father, his family. He also said something about the big bones of someone, but Ron wasn't sure who he was talking about. He asked them questions about the lessons of Grubbly-Plank, and they assured him she was horrible, making him feel better, although it was a lie. He also asked them questions about Harry and how he was faring. They told him he was about to solve the dragon egg, lifting his spirits even further. Though again, to be honest, Ron didn't think that Harry made much progress on the egg. He could fool Hermione, and he could understand why he would do so, but he couldn't fool Ron.

After quite some time drinking tea and eating cakes, during which Hagrid's mood got very much better, Ron and Hermione finally left. They were already in the middle of the afternoon, and despite the cakes he ate, Ron felt he could make with more.

"We should have enough time to return to Hogsmeade," he said. "Make a visit to the Three Broomsticks or Honeydukes. With chance, we'll fall on Harry."

He was a little jealous that his friend got to spend the whole day having fun at Hogsmeade while they were comforting Hagrid. Also, it might have lifted Hagrid's mood even more if Harry had been present too.

"I think Harry would rather not see us right now," Hermione said.

"Why not? He must feel terribly alone."

"I'm quite sure that he's not alone right now."

"Well, he may have joined Neville or Dean or Seamus, it's true," Ron recognized.

"Ron, come on! Are you blind?"

"What?"

"Didn't you see at the Three Broomsticks?"

"See what? I mostly heard, with your argument with Rita Skeeter. By the way, you should really be careful about her. She's really going to come after you."

"I don't care. But anyway, you're off topic. You haven't noticed that Harry wasn't alone at the pub?"

"Yes, he was. He was sitting alone at a table."

"And I guess you didn't notice Susan when she approached that table?"

"Susan Bones? Yes, I saw her. She must have been there with other friends and just wanted to say hello."

"With two Butterbeers in her hands? Who do you think they were for? You and me?"

"Probably some of her friends, like I said."

Hermione sighed in exasperation and stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. "Ron, Harry never intended to work on the golden egg today. He lied to us this morning."

"What? Why would he lie to us about it?"

"Because he wanted to be alone with Susan today."

She said it as if this was an evidence.

"Why would he want to be alone with that girl?"

Hermione was looking at him very impatiently, but she didn't reply, as if she waited for Ron to give her the answer himself. Ron wasn't sure what she was talking about. And then… He had an idea of what she might be trying to say.

"Wait. Are you saying that Harry and Susan…?" he asked, without ending the sentence, as it looked completely ludicrous.

"Finally. You understand. What's so funny?"

Ron had burst into laughter. "What? You really think that the two of them…"

"Well, yes. And that makes sense. In fact, that explains a lot of things. Harry wasn't himself lately. He wasn't in a good mood, and he was clearly distracted. I had to elbow him and kick him in the leg repeatedly in class so he would pay attention. I thought this was the whole thing with the egg and the Tournament and Hagrid, and that he was also angry about Cedric and Cho. But it wasn't that. It was about Susan. That's why she never sat down with me in classroom this week, because Harry is always nearby. It also explains why Harry seemed particularly distracted in courses like Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Ancient Runes. Susan is with us in all these classes. And in the Great Hall, yesterday, he wasn't looking at Cho. He was looking at Susan."

"Hermione, come on. Harry has no interest in this girl." Hermione may know a lot of things, but in that domain, Ron knew for a certainty that she was mistaking.

"How can you be so sure about this?" Hermione retorted, now frowning.

"Because Harry has been been obsessed with Cho Chang ever since last year. She's the only girl he has eyes for. He doesn't even notice Fleur Delacour, and he's one of the few to succeed at that."

"Cho is dating Cedric, Ron," she reminded him.

"And so? Harry certainly hasn't stopped to be interested in her. Even I, after my…" He was about to talk about the fact that he still had eyes on Fleur despite his disastrous invitation and the fact that he hid from her all the time when she was nearby, but he decided against talking about it at the last minute. "Look, what I mean is that, after Cho Chang, he cannot be interested in a girl like Susan Bones."

"And why is that so? Because she's not beautiful enough to your taste?"

"No, not at all," he lied partially. Truth was, yes, Susan Bones was not really a huge beauty, especially when compared to Cho Chang. Even Ron had to admit the Seeker of Ravenclaw was pretty, especially after he stopped despising her since Harry won against her team. "But come on, Hermione. What do they have in common? Cho is not only pretty and popular. She is also very good at Quidditch." Ron had to give her that. Even he noticed that when she and Harry faced each other, their struggle to catch the Golden Snitch first almost looked like a dance. Ron really thought she would accept to follow Harry to the ball. Well, if she preferred Diggory, that was her problem. "She is a very good player. But Susan… What does she and Harry have in common?"

"She is my friend, Ron," Hermione argued. "I know her very well. She is kind, intelligent. She and Harry have been friends for a few years now. They are neighbors. They do all their homework together during summer. And she and Harry went to the Yule Ball together."

"He only invited her because he had no other option. In fact, he didn't even invite her. Excuse me, but if he had, he would have chosen better than a redheaded Hufflepuff."

He was to a certain extent mocking himself. After all, who would have wanted to go with him to the ball? Harry had to ask another girl, who happened to be his ex-girlfriend, so that she would go with Ron. Hermione, however, didn't seem to find that funny.

"Well, unlike you Ron, Harry may be looking at something else than a girl's physical appearance," she said on a sufficient tone. "And unlike you, he might not find her ugly."

"I never said she was ugly. Only, when compared to Cho Chang…"

Ron wasn't sure what to say there. He knew from Hermione's current emotional state that he was walking on a thin line. But the truth was that when compared to Cho Chang, Susan Bones was quite the downgrade. If you could classify girls in the school by their appearance, Fleur Delacour would be at the top if you included the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Cho Chang would not be that far from the top either, he had to admit it. Many boys were after her. Harry was far from being the only one. As for Susan Bones, although she wouldn't be at the bottom, Ron wouldn't place her in the upper half either. He decided to say none of these things to Hermione, to avoid another confrontation like during the ball.

When he didn't complete his answer, Hermione sighed.

"Well, as for me, I would very happy if Harry was to be with her," she declared.

"I get it. But believe me, she's not his type of girl. The fact he went to the Yule Ball with her or that she is his neighbor is as meaningful as if he had gone to the ball with you," Ron said. He didn't see how a girl in the Choir of the school could fit with Harry, not to mention he never showed any sign of interest for her.

They didn't talk further about this and resumed their path to Hogsmeade.

Since Hermione doubted they would find any place at the Three Broomsticks, Ron agreed to go to Honeydukes, and since he had not bought anything yet today, he bought as many Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Whizzbees he could carry with him. Hermione, on her side, made a full provision of Sugar Quills.

"Seems like I'm having a bad influence on you," Ron said. "You're going to suck them in class?"

"Of course not. I'm sucking them while doing my homework. I suck it with one hand while I write with the other one."

Ron shook his head. He could still dream.

"What face do you think Malfoy will make when he arrives in Care of Magical Creatures and he sees Hagrid is back?" he asked, already revelling in this prospect.

"I hope he will vomit in the back of Pansy Parkinson," she replied.

They both laughed at that, the image in their minds simply looking hilarious. Finally, they found a way to make this day at Hogsmeade pleasant.

"When I think about it, they went to the ball together these two," he said.

"They were a perfect fit," Hermione on a sardonic tone. "But you should have seen their heads when they saw me with…"

She stopped. Ron knew what she meant. And although yes, now, he would have liked to see their heads, he rather moved to another subject. "Do you think we will miss Potions again thanks to the Triwizard Tournament?"

"I doubt. February 24 is a Saturday."

Ron groaned. He had hoped the second task of the Tournament, with all the problems it caused so far, could at least spare them one lesson with Snape and the Slytherins. At least, they would probably look less proud after they see that Hagrid was back.

As they returned to the castle, many other students were also heading there, most carrying bags with them. Parvati was with the Beauxbatons boy she met at the ball, and she shot a cold look at Ron when she saw him, which he ignored. Neville opened a Chocolate Frog package, only for it to escape, and he ran to catch it up. Dean and Seamus were talking with Lavender and Sophie. A group of Hufflepuffs including Ernie, Hannah, Sally-Anne and Kevin were carrying huge bags loaded with stuff that seemed to come from all shops in the village.

Ron was in a good mood when he sat down to the Gryffindor table, next to Harry who arrived before them.

"Hey, mate," Ron said. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," he replied shortly.

"Hey. We've got good news. Hagrid is coming back."

Harry had been about to take a potato with his fork, but he stopped mid-trajectory. "You're serious?" he said, all of a sudden very interested.

"Yes," Hermione said. She was sitting in front of them. "We went to visit him, right after we met you at the Three Broomsticks."

"Really?" Harry seemed skeptical.

"Yes. We went to convince him to get out, and we fell on Dumbledore. We managed to convince Hagrid to resume his work. He will be back as teacher on Monday."

Harry sighed, and Ron knew it was a sigh of relief. He was all smile now. "Fantastic. I wish I had come me too."

"It's alright. You were…" She didn't finish her sentence. So Ron jumped into the conversation.

"You missed something. Hermione told off Rita Skeeter. That was brilliant!"

"Oh yeah. Oh, so… I saw her at the Three Broomsticks. She didn't look very happy," Harry said.

"How could she be? After the things Hermione threw at her face. But you should really be careful, Hermione. Rita Skeeter can destroy someone."

Hermione shrugged, meaning she didn't care. Ron was afraid that she truly didn't realize what kind of enemy she just made.

"Well, I was lucky. She didn't notice me at the pub. However, her Quick Quotes Quill was moving very rapidly the whole time she was there," Harry informed them.

Ron had a very bad feeling about this. He took a huge piece of roast beef and bit in it. It was really delicious. There was nothing better than good food to make you feel better.

"Sorry we didn't bring you to Hagrid's cabin. But someone kind of dragged us there," Ron apologized to his best friend.

He sent a steady gaze to Hermione.

"I don't mind. I'm just glad Hagrid will be back this week," Harry said.

"It was about time," Ron agreed. He looked at Hermione. "Going to miss Professor Grubbly-Plank?"

"Yes. I mean, no," she added quickly. "I mean, she is a good teacher, and I hope she will find another position, but I prefer Hagrid, of course."

"We know some people who will be disappointed, though," Ron pointed out.

"The Slytherins, of course," Harry said.

"Not only them. You forgot Parvati. And probably more than half the class."

"Oh, it's true."

"I don't get how you ended up dating her."

"I would rather not talk about that, Ron," Harry said, getting interested by his plate again.

"That's alright, mate. There are other girls." Strangely enough, Ron's gaze wandered toward Hermione. "You can find way better than her. And knowing Diggory, it will probably not last long between him and Cho Chang. OUCH!"

Ron had said that in the spirit of giving some hope to Harry. All he earned for that was a kick in the tibia. Hermione was looking at him as if he was an idiot. Well, it was true that after the speech they gave to Harry last evening, it had probably not been the idea best idea in the century. But he felt so positive knowing that Hagrid would be coming back that he thought everything was possible. He couldn't have been more right as he took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Susan and I are together."

Ron spit the juice into his plate under the surprise.

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