Quaffles, Anyone?

Chapter Seven

Can't Hide It Any Longer

Even though Hermione gave Harry a hug last night, she was still giving him the cold shoulder.

“She hugged you last night?” said Ron during Charms. Ron looked at Hermione who was looking gloomy with her bandaged forehead “what did you say?”

“Never mind Ron” said Harry looking at Hermione

“Aren't you going to talk to her?”

“I don't know”

“I just wish she could just tell us what she is doing” said Ron

“I think it's best that we should not talk to each other again” said Harry with guilt. He didn't want Ron to think he cared for her in a different emotion so he tried to ignore her “she didn't fit with us in the first place”

“Harry!” said Ron in disgust “How could you? She's our best friend. Sure, she could be a know-it-all at sometimes but still she is our best friend”

Harry sighed and looked at Hermione who looked as if she wanted to vomit. It was true. Hermione was there for Harry ever since, she was the one who repaired his glasses during his first year, she was the one who saved him from Quirell during his first Quidditch match, she was able to solve all puzzles when they were trying to stop Voldemort from getting the stone. She even stayed beside him when everyone was against him during fourth year, she was there to comfort him at all times. She cared so much that she even had to take a curse from a death eater at the Department of Mysteries so Harry could take a chance to fight back. She was always there for him.

“Well?” said Ron waking Harry from his reverie

“I'll think about it”

- - -

Harry planed to talk to Hermione the whole week. It was kind of deja-vu for him since it reminded of the painful years when he tried to ask Cho out to the Yule Ball two years ago. Every time she would come across him, he would try to talk to her but would hesitate and she would leave. Tuesday the next day was unsuccessful, he tried to corner her in Defense Against the Dark Arts but Rapticon Sr. called her the moment he was about to say something. Wednesday was just as bad as Tuesday since Hermione knew he was following her, she would look back if he was there and if he was there, her pace would be a lot faster and she would take refuge in the girl's bathroom if she ever come across it. Wednesday and Thursday were unsuccessful since he accidentally cast Diffindo on her robes in a bad timing since a group of Slytherins were nearby. He was trying to aim for her bag so he can do it just like he did with Cedric when he wanted to warn him about the dragons.

“Stupid robes” he heard her say when she was using a spell to tie her robes

When Friday night came, he was just running to the common room from the Great Hall, Hermione ate dinner early. Great, he thought, if he can eat in a hurry he can catch Hermione in the common room, probably finishing an essay for next week. But when he made a turn he bumped into someone that made him fall flat on his bottom.

“Hermione?” Harry said as he stood up, sure the person he bumped had brown hair but it wasn't Hermione. It was Fiyuna. The bump must have made her hood fall off but due to speed, Fiyuna pulled her up very quickly and started walking away without saying a word. Harry could have sworn that her hair was shoulder length and it had spiky waves at the tail of her hair.

“Never mind that” Harry said to himself as he started running.

When Harry moved to the corridor that leads to the Grand Staircase, he stopped dead on his tracks with his jaw slightly open when he saw just a few meters before him. It was Hermione… holding a broomstick.

“Hermione?” Harry asked questioningly, and with that, she turned heel and started running to the other direction.

“Hermione!” Harry yelled after her when she turned a corner. He chased her up the Grand Staircase and entered the corridor of the Transfiguration classroom. She was limping and running at the same time Harry was amazed that she could run so fast.

“Hermione, I'm not gonna hurt you!” shouted Harry as she disappeared into a classroom. Harry tried to open it but was locked.

“Bombardo!” Harry bellowed and the door blew open and Harry came in and saw Hermione pointing her wand at him.

“Not a step Harry” she said and for nearly two weeks she looked embarrassed for the first time “I know a lot of jinxes and I'm not afraid to -”

“I'm not going to hurt you Hermione!” said Harry going closer to her

“I said BACK OFF!” she shouted pointing her wand at Harry's heart

“Hermione” Harry said quietly “What are you doing with a broomstick?”

Hermione dropped her wand and paced around the room.

“I-I was flying” she finally said “I had the whole weeks but I kept on crashing on stuff and that”

“Hermione!” Harry said angrily holding her by the shoulder “You know better not to fly without professional help!”

“Now you're going to shout at me!” Hermione shouted back “Do you even know the reason why I was flying?”

“Well? What is it?” Harry spat “You just want to get good grades in flying class? I'm sorry, flying class was first year too late! Ron's right, you are becoming a loony -”

“I WASN'T” Hermione bellowed at Harry “GIVE ME TIME TO EXPLAIN!”

“I DON'T NEED YOUR EXPLANATIONS!” Harry shouted “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FRIENDSHIP? RON AND I WERE JUST TRYING TO HELP!”

“Harry! Stop it!” said Hermione know crying “Don't say I'm bad friend! `Cause I'm not! Do you even give a damn on what I'm going to say?”

“Go ahead! Now you're redeeming yourself!” said Harry “Why are you flying anyway? Trying to fly away from us?”

“No! I will never do that! I love you both! Now please! Let me explain!”

“Well? What is it?”

Hermione exhaled and said

“The reason why I was flying is because I-I-”

“Spit it out already”

“I want to join the Quidditch Team” Hermione said finally “there! Laugh at me! That's what you and Ron do behind my back right? Laugh!”

But Harry wasn't laughing, he was - in Hermione's surprise - smiling

“You want to join the House Team”

Hermione nodded

“Hermione, why did you ever hide it from me?” said Harry kindly

“I-I was afraid you and Ron might take it as a joke and you know how I feel when it comes to these things”

“Hermione, Ron will be delighted!” Harry said now looking at Hermione's relief face “But why did you gave us the cold shoulder?”

“I kept on overhearing you that I was bossy and that I wasn't a good friend `cause I wasn't telling you anything. I felt hurt and continued flying”

“Why do you have so many wounds?” Harry asked

“Oh this” Hermione chuckled “I got this wrist injury from my first crash, my waist was when I crashed again on a tree and this bloody forehead, I got it when my head hit the wall of the castle. The limping probably came with the crashes”

“Are you that bad?” Harry said smiling

“I'm getting better now” Hermione said and exhaled “Anyway, if you are wondering which position I'm going for at the team, I'm going for Chaser”

“Good, at least we have a determined candidate - wait a minute - which broom are you using? A Shooting Star?”

Harry saw Hermione bit her lip

“Er… Actually, I am using a recycled broom -”

“Recycled?”

“Well, take a look”

Hermione got the broom from the corner and showed it to Harry. It was a Nimbus Two Thousand.

“Wow, Hermione!” Harry looked at it “How did you get this?”

“That's the part were the big revelation comes in” Hermione smiled sheepishly

Harry didn't understood what she said but when he looked at the Nimbus' handle he recognize some engraved lettering: “Harry Potter”

“Wait a minute… This is my broom?”

Hermione nodded

“But I thought it was impossible to fix it?”

“Well, after your third year I kept the broom for some memoir for that year then during fifth year I gave this broom to a broom repair shop at Hogsmeade. I was trying to give it to you in Christmas to replace your Firebolt but since that incident with Mr. Weasley, I had to wait for it in the end of the year. I kept it for the summer and thought better not to fly since I live in a Muggle-place

“When our sixth year came, I tried to give it to you for a belated birthday present but you were too distracted with Quidditch it got me thinking… What if I played Quidditch? So here we are” she said with a sigh “The Nimbus will be mine of course since you have a Firebolt”

Harry didn't know what to say, he tried to stop himself from the tendency to grab the Nimbus and run away.

“Well?” Hermione said

“I will talk if you want to renew our friendship” Harry said

Hermione smiled and was about to hug Harry when they both stopped awkwardly at each other.

“L-Lets shake it then” Harry said putting out his hand

“Agreed” Hermione said and giggled nervously as they shook hands

- - -

Harry entered the common room to find Ron reading his Transfiguration book

“So? How was your mission?” Ron said

“Accomplished it” Harry said smirking

“Good!” Ron said as Hermione came in with the Nimbus on her hand

“Hold on - why is Hermione holding a Nimbus?”

Harry laughed and told Ron everything that happened ages ago.

“That's brilliant!” Ron said as he shut his Transfiguration book so powerful it made some second years nearby jump “and I never thought I see the day when you'll play for the team!”

“We'll start practicing this Satruday” Harry said

“I can't wait to see how well you play chaser!” said Ron excitedly.

“Come on Ron, is being a chaser so much to you? Harry's a seeker for pity sake you should be praising him!”

“But that was during first year! You however is new”

“Alright, alright… stop bickering you two!” said Harry laughing