Chapter 2… Sorry I just had to do it… I need to add another chapter and well maybe one more but I won't exceed three chaps… I promise. School started and I don't think I can have enough free time for writing but I do hope I can squeeze some time in my schedule… Just when there isn't enough time that's when new ideas come in…sometimes I just hate myself…Here's a new chap… I'm sorry I got the first one uploaded twice… my bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: After Quidditch
Ron went inside the dormitory quietly so he wouldn't wake up anyone. He went straight to his bed. He only took his robe off and lay down his head on his soft pillow.
"Why are you still up Harry?" he asked lazily. Ron stared at the red drapes around his four-poster bed.
"I can't sleep," Harry replied in his nonchalant tone.
"Can't or won't sleep? You don't want to have any nightmares," Ron pointed out as he sat up from his bed.
"You could say that. I haven't had enough sleep. Even at Hermione's house. These nightmares won't leave me," Harry admitted as he sat up on his bed too.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Ron asked. Remembering his conversation with Hermione and what she told him about Harry and his nightmares.
"No, you don't have to. Hermione and I talked about it a lot. She would stay by my side when I wake up from a nightmare. Every time I had them I felt so vulnerable and Hermione's the only one to comfort me. I guess I have been quite a burden to her," Harry muttered.
"She doesn't think of you that way Harry. She cares for you a lot," Ron said. 'She loves you dearly too,' he said to himself as he looked away so Harry wouldn't see the expression on his face from the little light coming from the moon.
"I'm so thankful that I have the both of you. I mean I really don't have anyone. Sirius is very far away and I have no idea where he is right now. All I have are my two best friends whom I have to deliberately drag along with my mishaps," Harry said.
"I'm sorry Harry for acting like such an ass when they announced you're a champion. I know I must have acted really awful," Ron admitted.
"You bet you did! But I understand. Things like that happen between friends. But I am thankful that Hermione stuck by me at those times. I mean she didn't care what every one else was saying," Harry muttered. "I think any man would be lucky if he'd have someone like Hermione," he added. 'And it's probably you Ron. She didn't want to be Viktor's girlfriend because of someone and well, you're the only one I could think of,' he thought.
"He really is lucky," Ron said quietly.
"Ron, can ask you a personal question?" Harry said.
"Yes, sure fire away," Ron, replied.
"Do you like Hermione?" Harry asked with uncertainty. He wasn't sure if he'd like what he's going to hear but he had to know. He had always thought that Ron liked Hermione and he just wanted to hear it from his best friend himself.
Ron didn't know whether to answer the question or not but Harry had been honest with him and he thought maybe he should know. "Yes, I like Hermione but she doesn't want me," Ron said timidly.
"Why do you say that? You were always at each other's throats and I thought it's your way of showing affection for each other," Harry joked. But he really did thought of their actions as such.
"It's my way of asking some attention from her but her reactions were genuine dislike for my ideas and actions," Ron replied and he knew he was speaking the truth. Hermione found his ways rather disoriented and should be straightened and there were no hints of romantic inclinations what so ever. He finally realized it now. "How about you Harry, do you like her and I don't mean like her as a friend. I want to know if you like her as something more," he asked. He had to know if his best friend has feelings for the girl he liked that happens to be his best friend too.
In Harry's head a little debate was going on. A part of him wanted for him to speak up and tell Ron that he had developed feelings for their other best friend but another part of him wanted him to keep his mouth shut because it would only complicate their situation. "I'm sleepy. I'm going to bed now. You should have a shuteye too. You have tryouts tomorrow," Harry said as he slumped to his bed and covered his face with a pillow.
"No fair Potter!" Ron retorted but in a much lighter tone. He realized that Hermione isn't going to be burdened with unrequited love after all. He realized that the time Harry and Hermione spent together made them realize how important they are for each other although he thought Harry was too thick not to figure out that he's the guy Hermione chose over Krum. He was determined to know more. He finally had a purpose in their friendly little triangle. He would help them realize that they both had feelings for each other. I guess things are more obvious when you see from the outside. But deep down inside him he feared that his two best friends would be consumed with each other that they would forget about ickle Ronniekins. Those were his last thoughts before he drifted to his slumber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Run Potter! Run! You can never hide from me. You'll die just like that worthless Diggory!" a horrid voice was hissing at him as he ran around a most familiar place. It was in the cemetery where he met Voldemort after the third task. "You can't hide from me. I'll get you and soon enough all those people around you will die. Especially your precious," Voldemort was right in front of him. He was lying on the ground. Voldemort had a lock of curly brown hair around his finger.
"No not her!" Harry screamed as he was suddenly awaken by something that jumped on top of him. Crookshanks was walking about on top of his tummy waving his thick tail.
"It's you. Where is everyone?" he realized he was talking to a cat. Crookshanks leaped to his school trunk. Harry stood up from his bed and walked to the open window. "My goodness. The tryouts. I have to be there. Ron's going to need my support," he dashed to the bathroom and washed his face. After brushing his teeth and freshening up he went on putting his Quidditch uniform.
Before leaving the boys dormitory he looked back at Crookshanks who was now resting above his trunk, "I don't know how you got here but thanks for waking me up." He got his Firebolt and left.
Before leaving the Gryffindor common room he looked up the stairs leading to the girls dormitory. He thought of checking on Hermione but she must be finished with breakfast and was probably in a prefect meeting. He then saw a sandwich in a small platter a glass of pumpkin juice with a note. He read what was written on the note.
Harry,
Ron told me you slept rather late last night. I told him not to wake you so don't be upset with him. I realized that you might even skip breakfast so I got you something to eat. Please don't starve yourself I'm sure Ron would do well in the tryouts. I'll drop by to see you guys after my meeting.
Love,
Hermione
P.S. Finish the sandwich it's your favorite ham and eggs. I asked Winky for help in the kitchen.
Harry smiled after reading the note. He drank all the pumpkin juice and went on eating the sandwich while he dashed out to the Quidditch pitch.
Harry caught his breath as he finally arrived at the pitch. "Sorry, I over slept," he said.
"Captain, you're suppose to be a role model," Fred said as mockingly scolded Harry.
"Yes, captain you ought to be a good example to our new players," George added.
"Quit calling me that! I'm not the captain we're still going to vote for one," Harry reasoned.
"Wrong, we already voted and we say you're the captain," Katie exclaimed.
"You're kidding, right?" Harry said in bafflement.
Ron came running towards him. "Congratulations mate! You're captain!" he patted Harry's back.
"Did you make it as keeper?" Harry asked his best friend.
"Of course I did. Colin's the new Chaser," Ron exclaimed. "Dean and Seamus are training to be beaters. The twins think it's best to prepare their replacements before they leave Hogwarts."
"Congratulations Ron I knew you would make it," Harry exclaimed.
"Hey captain, what do you say we practice?" George suggested.
"Well, let's start practicing," Harry said as he mount his broom and he roamed around the pitch. Flying made him feel free. Free from worries, free from all the things that bothered him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their practice game went relatively well. Ron was really good and all the members of the team commended him. Colin was also a good Chaser in the making.
Ron and Harry were the only one's left in the Quidditch locker room. Ron wanted to continue his little questioning.
"Hey, Harry you slept on my question last night," Ron said as he dried his hair with a towel.
"What question. I didn't hear you ask me any," Harry pretended not to remember but he knew what Ron was talking about. He was finished putting his clothes on.
"Do I have to remind you again, although I believe you know pretty well what question I was talking about? I asked you if you like Hermione," Ron said and this time he was determined to know his answer.
"I do. I mean she's our best friend. Aren't we suppose to like her," Harry replied trying not to sound so defensive.
"You know that's not what I meant by like. Harry would you please stop acting dumb. You know I'm suppose to be the one to do that," Ron retorted. Harry was testing his patience but he won't give up that easily.
"Why do you want to know?" Harry asked. He was desperately trying to avoid answering Ron's question.
"Because I'm your best friend and Hermione's my best friend too and I want to know if you like her or not?" Ron blurted. He was a little pissed off with Harry's attempts to ditch his questions. "Come on Harry. I told you I like her and I also told you she rejected me. Can't you at least tell me if you have feelings for her?"
Harry sat on the locker room bench and Ron sat beside him still with just his towel on.
"Alright, fine I admit it. I like her. I guess I started to realize how beautiful Hermione is inside and out and well, Viktor Krum was right she's someone very precious. Any guy would be lucky to have her," he said. He wasn't sure how Ron would react so he took it to himself not to look at his best friend because he thought he might be in the verge of killing him at the moment.
"Why didn't you tell her then. You had all the opportunity when you were at her house?" Ron asked.
"I wouldn't be right. It would be like taking advantage of her and her family's kindness to me. And besides I'm worried about you," Harry admitted.
"Don't worry Harry I'm not gay. I'm not jealous. It's okay with me," Ron joked.
"I didn't mean it that way you moron," Harry said as he went to toss Ron a shirt.
"But seriously Harry, its okay with me. I mean if it would sincerely make both of you happy. I'm all for it," Ron said but deep down inside he was still a little hurt but after last night he had finally learned how to cope with reality. He had to face the truth that his best friends are in love with each other.
"Thanks Ron I appreciate that. But I don't think I'm good enough for her. I mean think about it. She's an achiever, a prefect for crying out loud and I'm just me. Sure I'm the boy-who-lived but I don't even remember what I did when I was kid," Harry aired his woes to Ron.
"But she doesn't care about all those things. Can't you see Harry? You're the most important person to her. Remember at the second task Viktor saved her but who was she worried about more? She was worried about you and there was no one there more important to her than you," Ron explained.
"So you're saying she likes me too?" Harry asked with a smile on his face.
"Better not tell her I said anything or you won't hear the last of it," Ron said, as he got fully clothed.
The two boys got out of the locker room and both cheerful with their new realizations. Ron was happy because he has done something brilliant and unselfish for his best friends and Harry was happy to know that Hermione might have feelings for him after all.
"Hey! My two best men. Guess what?" Hermione started as she sneaked up behind them.
"Don't do that again," Ron said. Hermione was chuckling.
"You think that's funny do you?" Harry said as he started tickling Hermione and Ron joined in also.
"No fair you're ganging up on me. I'll take five points from each of you if you don't stop," Hermione blurted.
Both Harry and Ron stopped realizing that their best friend is actually the Gryffindor prefect.
"Gotcha!" Hermione said. The boys were going to tickle her again when Draco and his teammates arrived.
"Oh, Potter, his pet weasel and his mudblood girl friend," Draco hissed. His teammates all laughed.
"Take that back Malfoy!" Harry said as he and Ron got their wands out.
"Or what Potter?" Draco sneered as his teammates and his two goons snickering from behind.
"Or you'll regret the day you've been born," Harry finished. He was furious. He realized what Ron felt when Draco insulted Hermione. He was upset with Draco when he pulled the talk on her but it was only now that he realized the weight of his insult to someone as nice and caring as Hermione.
"For your information Potter, I'm a lot better than you are. I'm a Prefect and the Quidditch team captain," Draco said proudly.
"I really don't think that's much of an achievement, there isn't much choices in Slytherin, I bet," Ron smirked and Harry and Hermione couldn't stop themselves from bursting into laughter.
"Why you poor little weasel," Draco said as he pointed his wand at Ron.
"Do that and I'll take points from your house," Hermione reprimanded.
"You think you're good enough mudblood. They made a wrong choice with making you a prefect," Draco hissed.
"You'll pay for that one Malfoy," Harry said and he and Draco were about to duel when Professor McGonagall came to the pitch.
"What seems to be the problem here," McGonagall said.
"Nothing Professor, we were just about to leave the pitch," Hermione answered.
"Well, I have something to tell the three of you. Come a long now," McGonagall said. "Mr. Malfoy, go on with your practice." They followed McGonagall out of the pitch.
"What is it that you want to talk to us about professor?" Hermione asked as they walked the Hogwarts grounds.
McGonagall stopped walking and all three looked up at her for an answer. "I know that this will come as a surprise to you. Hagrid had been missing. He was asked to go the high lands to talk to the giants with Madame Maxine. The Madame had returned but she and Hagrid had been separated and they still couldn't find him," McGonagall said a bit teary eyed. "I do hope they find him soon."
"What is the ministry doing about it?" Harry asked. He was concerned about Hagrid. Ron and Hermione were feeling the same way.
"The ministry have sent people to the Northern highlands to look for him," Professor McGonagall said. "I'm sure they'll find him. I expect the three of you to be in your class this afternoon. Professor Lupin is to substitute for Hagrid for the meantime and he's with a certain black dog. I do hope you keep this little secret to yourselves," McGonagall said before giving them a knowing look.
Harry couldn't believe what he just heard. Remus had brought Sirius with him. His godfather is in Hogwarts but no one must know about it especially Malfoy.
To be continued…
[N/A:] Well, I added a little suspense to the story with Hagrid missing but I promise this story will end on chapter 3…thanks for reading… toodles…R/R