Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. Harry thought she was cheating on Ron! That explained perfectly why Ron had avoided her like the plague all day. She remembered the devastated look on his face. Then she thought of something.
“Did you two follow me or something?” she said indignantly.
“Of course not,” Harry said reassuringly. Hermione smiled, relieved. “Just Ron followed you.”
“WHAT?!” Hermione said outraged.
“Hermione, listen. You shouldn’t get so worked up over things like that. Ron isn’t being possessive, he loves you. I know that if I thought that Ginny was keeping something from me, I would want to make sure that she wasn’t in any danger,” Harry confessed. “How would you react?” Hermione stared, and she looked at her feet, slightly ashamed.
“I would do exactly what he did,” she admitted sadly. “I guess I have been a little insensitive. It’s just...things have been tough with Malfoy being Head Boy and...” she broke off, laying her hands in her head. Harry was her best friend, and if she didn’t tell him something, he and Ron would continue to think that she had cheated on Ron. Harry put a hand on her shoulder as he saw her struggling with her emotions.
“Come on, Hermione. You can tell me, can’t you? We’re best friends!” he said giving her a slight squeeze. She hugged him.
“If I tell you, you can’t tell Ron. You must promise me,” she said urgently. Harry nodded. “That night...when Ron saw me kissing Malfoy...it was the other way around,” Hermione looked at Harry, trying to convey her meaning. What she saw in his face scared him. It was fury.
“Are you telling me,” Harry began, shaking slightly, “that Malfoy...forced himself on you?” Hermione blushed, looking away quickly.
“Don’t tell Ron. He would start trouble that I don’t want.”
“You can’t just leave him in the dark, Hermione!” Harry said, angrily. She nodded.
“I just...how do I tell him without him blowing up at me?” she muttered miserably. “I love him so much Harry. I don’t want to risk his getting hurt. You know he would go after Malfoy, and what if Malfoy hurt him? I could never live with myself,” she whispered. Harry nodded, understanding.
“You still have to tell him,” Harry said. Hermione nodded, he was right. The only way their relationship was going to work was if they were completely honest to each other. “Go,” Harry said firmly, giving her a friendly hug.
“You’re a good friend, Harry. Thanks,” she said, and she turned to walk up to the boy’s dormitory, but saw that somebody was blocking her way. Harry saw the reason for stopping and looked to see that Ron must have been listening the whole time. Ron was crying, and Harry’s heart went out to him. Time seemed to be frozen as Harry and Hermione waited for his reaction. He walked slowly down the stairs, and pulled Hermione into a hug.
“You should have told me,” he rasped.
“I’m sorry Ron. I’m really sorry. I just...” she began, but Ron interrupted her by placing his mouth over hers.
“I will never let anybody hurt you ever again,” Ron swore through their crushing kiss. “Promise me, you have to promise that you won’t ever lie to me again. Please...promise me?” he begged.
“I promise,” she murmured. “Ron, please don’t confront Malfoy.” Ron looked at her sadly.
“You know I can’t do that,” he said.
“Ron, if you do...” she began flustered.
“If I don’t he might try it again. I would rather have my ass kicked by him than think that he is taking advantage of you during patrols,” he said, putting his arm on her shoulder. “As you once told me, have faith.” Hermione nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder. Harry cleared his throat loudly. They both grinned at him. Hermione looked up at Ron. “I need some sleep,” she said. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Goodnight,” he said, and after another warm embrace, she ran up the steps. Ron turned to Harry, his smile vanished. Harry glared at the floor.
“Ready?” Harry asked. Ron nodded.
“Let’s go,” Ron said, and together they walked out of the common room. It wasn’t long before they spotted Malfoy walking back to his common room after the patrol. Ron glanced at Harry, who nodded. They hid, and as soon as Malfoy turned the corner, Ron grabbed him and slammed him against a wall.
“What the bloody...” Malfoy began, struggling, but Ron held fast.
“Shut it Malfoy, or I’ll turn you inside out!” he snarled.
“She told you didn’t she?! That sneaking, little...” but again Malfoy was interrupted as Ron whipped out his wand. Harry also pulled his out.
“Don’t you ever touch her again,” Ron warned. Malfoy shrugged.
“She wasn’t that good of a kisser anyways. So, are you going to get your revenge, Weasley?” Malfoy asked, arrogant even when cornered against the wall. Ron pressed his wand close against Malfoy’s throat. Harry looked at Ron, waiting for him to do something. Malfoy gulped loudly, obviously terrified. Ron slowly put his wand down. Malfoy watched in amazement.
“If I hear so much as a whisper about you mistreating Hermione again, I will rip you apart,” Ron said. Malfoy nodded nervously, and as Ron moved away from him, he ran away towards his common room. Harry grinned, slapping Ron on the back.
“Good job, mate. My little Ronnikins is finally growing up!” he said. Ron glared. “What made you stop?”
“When I asked Hermione to have faith in me back there, I meant ‘have faith that I will beat Malfoy up without losing.’ I should have meant, ‘have faith that I will do the right thing.’” Ron said.
“Man, you’re starting to sound like a girl. All confusing and emotional. You’re not going to start crying are you?” Harry said. Ron thumped him on the shoulder.
“Come on. We’d better get to bed. Quidditch try-outs are tomorrow,” Ron said. Harry nodded, feeling a slight pang as he remembered that Ron was Quidditch Captain.
“Yeah,” Harry said, trying to sound normal. They walked back to the Common Room in silence. When they entered, Hermione was sitting on the couch, apparently waiting for them. As soon as she saw Ron she stood up. They stared at each other for a long time, and then she smiled.
“I knew you would do the right thing!” she exclaimed and ran to hug Ron. Harry laughed.
“Well, I’ll see you two love birds later. I’m going to bed,” he said. They nodded distractedly and Harry went upstairs.
The next morning he woke early to Ron’s voice; “WAKE UP!!! Quidditch tryouts! Come on!” he called excitedly, already fully dressed. Harry wanted to groan and roll back over, falling asleep again. He realized how much this meant to Ron, however, and he sat up. He reached over to the bedside table and put on his glasses. He grinned.
“Ron, you have your shirt on backwards,” he informed him. Ron looked down at himself and realized that he had indeed put his shirt on backwards. He fixed it quickly, and then looked impatiently at Harry, who put on his shoes at last, and left with Ron.
“Alright! Er...well...welcome to the Quidditch try-outs,” Ron was saying uncomfortably to the large crowd of people. Behind him stood Harry, Katie Bell and the two idiots they had gotten as Beaters last year. They were all that was left of the Quidditch team. “Well, you all know why you’re here...hopefully,” Ron added after seeing the confused looks of the Beaters. “Ok you lot,” Ron said to the small crowd, “I want you each to take turns, alright? We’ll do a sort of mini game. I am going to Keep, and you will try and score against me with Katie. I’d like the rest of the team to fly around and kind of...see which people they think are the best. This is a team, and I want everybody to be involved in picking who will fit in the best.” When Ron finished, Harry grinned at him. He seemed to fall nicely into the role of Quidditch Captain. Harry caught Ginny’s eye, and winked flirtatiously at her. She grinned and winked back.
The first boy, Kennedy Largus, was a very stocky boy, with short blonde hair. He seemed to be very nice, but seemed very clumsy on his broom. Harry didn’t really feel he was up to snuff. The next one, another boy named Colin Malcin was extremely good, but very haughty. He kept looking showing off to all the girls, sometimes making him forget that there were other people on the team. Next was a very slender girl with long brown hair, her name was Sam Flasworth and she was pretty good. After her came a boy with longish hair, and very crooked teeth. He was very good, and Harry had to admit he was the best so far, that is, until Ginny Weasley mounted her broom. She hadn’t been half bad as a Seeker, but as Chaser she was phenomenal! She was the best, hands down. Harry could tell that he wasn’t the only one that thought so, Katie was very impressed, and the two were laughing together after a few shots. Well, it was obvious that she would fit in with the team.
About a half-hour later, the team landed on the soft ground, sweating and laughing.
“Ok, I’ll send you all owls over Christmas break. Thank you all for coming,” Ron said. He turned to Harry and Ginny. “How was I? Am I a good Quidditch Captain?” he said anxiously. Harry and Ginny laughed.
“You were spectacular, Ron,” Ginny said. Harry nodded his agreement. Hermione ran up, and they all started to walk back to the castle. Then, from behind a large tree, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle stepped out, smirking.
“Well, well. If it isn’t the new Quidditch Captain. I see you didn’t injure any players too bad, did you have to have Potty help you? Or didn’t he even know how to ride a broom correctly,” Malfoy said.
“Shut up,” Ginny said. Malfoy opened his mouth to say something but Harry gave him a deadly, warning look as he put his arm around Ginny.
“What are you doing out here anyways?” Ron snapped, trying very hard to control his temper.
“None of your business Weasley,” Malfoy said. Hermione bristled. “Uh-oh. Am I touching a nerve Granger? I seem to remember touching more than your nerves the other night though. Want to go again? You weren’t a bad kisser...for a Mudblood.” Hermione watched Ron, who was shaking now, gripping his wand tightly. He looked pleadingly at her.
“Please?” he asked, wanting so badly to attack Malfoy. Hermione grinned.
“Alright, but just this once,” she said and she, Harry, Ginny and Ron all pulled out their wands. All three Slytherins gulped loudly, now they were in for it. Harry opened his mouth to yell a curse, but he froze. He nearly fell over in shock. Standing behind a tree, staring at them all, was a large, black, shaggy dog. It was almost smiling, it barked and caused Ron. Hermione, and Ginny to look too. Hermione gasped. What was Sirius doing here?!
A/N: Ok...the Ron/Hermione side trip is over...moving on to better, far more interesting stuff. We're getting excrutiatingly close to the character death...SOBBING...and I hope you all won't kill me too much! The next chapter is the chapter right before it so...be prepared. IT'S A TEAR JERKER!!!!!! Then after that chapter...we move right into some major ACTION. Just thought I'd give you that little overview. Thanks to all who review and please keep them coming.