The Friendship That Grew

A/N This wasn't the original chapter 5 but I thought I would add a bit of comedy to an otherwise serious story. He he he!

The next day, Ron decided to ignore Harry and Hermione completely in order to make them bond. He hoped that last night they had had some nice, long, slurpy kisses and that they would soon announce they were officially an item. No such luck. Hermione wasn't even at breakfast, lunch or dinner for the whole day and Harry sat alone looked depressed for most of the day.

“I just want to bash their stupid heads in,” he said to Luna at lunchtime, “PLEASE can I give them a little help?”

“NO!” yelled Luna.

The next week the similar situation continued, until Ron could take it no longer. He stamped his foot, groaned angrily and stormed around the school, thanking the Lord that it was Quidditch practice that evening. He knew he couldn't ask Luna to help him though. He would have to speak to Hermione himself.

But he hadn't seen Hermione all day. He searched the library and found her asleep on her Arithmancy homework.

“Hermione?” asked Ron nervously.

She jolted awake, looking slightly shaken.

“What?” she returned moodily.

“Harry wants you to meet after Quidditch practice, by the window in the changing rooms. Come ten minutes early, OK?” said Ron.

Hermione nodded, wondering what on earth Harry wanted to speak to her about.

But she stayed true to Harry's alleged plan and went to the changing rooms ten minutes before the end of Quidditch practice.

Poor Hermione. I don't think she ever got over the shock of it. Not many people knew that Neville Longbottom had become chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Neville, not knowing that his classmate was standing by the window, happily undressed himself, revealing his bare butt to Hermione.

There three key things about this situation that remained in Hermione's memory:

1. How fat Neville's butt was

2. How pink Neville's butt was

3. How wobbly Neville's butt was

Horrified, Hermione screamed. Neville, wondering what was going, turned around. He too screamed. Then, rather suddenly, Hermione stopped. She had spotted Harry, coming back from the shower and it was an amazing sight.

“Oh my God,” said Hermione dreamily, “Now he works out. Turn around fit ass.”

Neville, thinking that Hermione meant him turned around and began to wiggle around a bit.

Oh. My. God. Harry is hot. But what the hell is Neville doing?

Harry saw Hermione, quickly wrapped a towel round himself and rushed outside. He was about to tell her off when none other than Severus Snape came up from behind them.

“HERMIONE GRANGER! HARRY POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” he bellowed.

Oh damn, thought Hermione.

“Mr. Potter, you appear to have such a high opinion of yourself that you are happy to wander around school grounds with just a towel! And Miss. Granger, you, staring at him. I am just dis - Potter, Granger, what IS Longbottom doing?”

Hermione couldn't help it. She felt the happiest she had been in ages. That was why she boldly said,

“Showing off his long bottom!”

All three of them received detention immediately.