When the train finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station, Harry and Ginny looked extremely relieved. There was an awkard silence in their compartment, because Hermione and Ron didn’t talk to each other. And when Peter tried to cheer them up, Ron looked as though he wanted to kill him, so he stopped.
“Well, see ya later!” Peter yelled, and ran to his seventh-year friends from Ravenclaw.
“Goodbye… Peter…,” Hermione said, glancing after him.
“Hermione! Why do you like that guy? He’s just an idiot Head Boy!” Ron said. He stared at the girl beside him so hard that it looked like his eyes were going to fall out.
“A) I don’t like him. I think… And B) didn’t we have this conversation some hours ago? Oh, and there’s a C) too. C) Weren’t we on: ‘We won’t speak with each other, ‘cause we’re so mad at the other.’?” Hermione was looking at him. She had completely forgotten Harry and Ginny.
“Oh, please Hermione!” Ron said. “Okay, let’s talk again, but why do you like Peter Handsome? Oh, of course, I just said it! It’s because he’s handsome!”
Peter Handsome? Hermione thought. Well, it could be a good nickname. Hermione, stop! You wouldn’t have looked at him twice if he wasn’t that cute. But a different voice popped up in her head. But Ron is cute too. It’s so sweet when he looks jealous.
“All right, that’s enough!” Harry said. Ron and Hermione looked up surprised. “Can’t you two please… er – stop with your rows?”
“What rows?” Ron questioned.
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Ron, just stop bothering her, okay?”
Ron muttered an answer, but no one could hear him. Hermione sighed. Why doesn’t he just admit it? He must fancy me. It has been obvious since fourth year. And I suppose it’s obvious that I like him too… she thought. But what about Peter? He was the most charming person Hermione had ever met. He was funny, handsome (which even Ron did notice), nice, smart, he was Head Boy, and he had a lot of girls running after him (which she did see now. Peter didn’t seem to care, though) and it looked as though he liked her, Hermione Granger, the bossy know-it-all bookworm. How could it be possible?
But Ron was cute too, especially when he was jealous (Hermione. Stop thinking the same thing all the time). She sighed again. She knew Ron way better than Peter, but Peter did understand her so much more than Ron. And he was really popular. Ron was not.
Hermione went into the Great Hall in company with Ron and Harry. She looked at Harry. He grinned. She knew why. He did love Hogwarts; it was like his home. Much more like a home should be than number 4, Privet Drive. Harry always mentioned how terrible the Dursleys were.
She looked over at Ron. He was staring at her. When Hermione looked at him, he looked away, blushing. Hermione picked up some courage and took his hand. Ron was shocked when he felt his hand in Hermione’s. She pretended that she didn’t notice of this, and walked to the Gryffindor table with her hand in Ron’s. Harry ran to Dean and Seamus and started to talk about Quidditch. Ron tried to smile when he saw Dean.
“Ron,” she whispered, so no one but him could hear what she said. “He’s not with Ginny anymore, he’s with Padma Patil.”
“What? They’ve broken up?” Ron said loudly. A few girls turned around to look at him. Hermione and Ron were reminded of their hands, and let go immediately. Ron even took a small step away from her.
“Yes, they have,” Hermione said, quieter than Ron.
“So, who is she dating now?” he said, small eyed.
“No one.” But Ron still looked suspicious, so Hermione repeated, “No one! Seriously!” Ron was a bit happier, and looked over at Harry, grinning.
They sat down and waited for McGonagall, the Sorting Hat and the first years. They talked for a couple of minutes, before the Gryffindor Head and the anxious little kids entered the room. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat in front of everyone. It started to sing:
Together, we’re at Hogwarts now.
You’ll be sorted, and you wonder ‘how?’
That is why I am here,
I will sort you anywhere.
Hufflepuff, is that where you belong?
Then you’re nice, like in a famous song!
The very brave persons are in Gryffindor,
if you're placed here, you're good for sure.
Slytherin; the house for they who’re not very nice,
And pureblood is a really blessed price.
Ravenclaw, are you really that smart?
Then I have to congratulate you,
it’s coming from my heart.
What house is the best for you?
I’ll find out, because I am smart for two!
The everyone in Hall started to clap, and the sorting began. The first student was a tiny girl with a long, blond ponytail, named ‘Akers, Amber’. All the students were completely silent. The Hat was sure: “GRYFFINDOR!” The Gryffindor table began to applaud wildly. Amber smiled and ran to an empty seat and sat down.
This is going to take ages, Hermione thought, staring at the table. She was as hungry as a wolf (or as hungry as a Ron, perhaps). She hadn’t eaten on the train; she’d been too busy talking to Peter.
It did really take ages, before ‘Zuda, May’ got sorted to Slytherin. The food finally showed up.
“Finally!” Hermione cried, and started to eat, fast. Ron (and Harry, too, this time) stared at her.
“Are you feeling all right?” Harry asked.
“O’ course!” Hermione said through a lot of meat. She swallowed and was about to explain why she ate like a pig when a familiar voice behind her said, “Hey! Are you hungry?” It was Peter. He laughed. Oh, his laughter is so soft, so hearty, so… him… Hermione thought.
“A bit,” she answered. “Why are you here?”
“Well, I just wonder if you’d… do homework with me tomorrow?” His voice was suddenly a bit anxious.
“Of course I will!” Hermione beamed.
“Great! What about five o’ clock in the library?”
“It’s a date!”
“Okay, see you there!” Peter grinned at her, and she was just so excited. I am going to meet Peter Hanson. Alone!
When Peter was gone, Ron said with a hint of anger, “’It’s a date’? What good friends you are, just after one day!”
“It’s just something we say, Ronald.”
“Ronald? Can’t you just call me ‘Ron’?”
“Well, I can’t remember that I’ve called you ‘Ronald’ so often, and I decide what I’ll call you on myself!”
“Lobo nisista,” Ron said, and went into the Gryffindor common room, together with his best friends. “Lobo nisista? Why can’t they use real words as passwords?”
“It is a word,” Hermione automatically said. “Lobo nisista is a spell which helps you to be a good kisser."
“Oh.”
She said good night to the guys, and walked slowly up to her dorm. Parvati and Lavender came into the common room too, and the three of them started a little conversation, against Hermione's will.
“So, how it is like to be with Ron?” Parvati asked Hermione.
“Excuse me? I’m not with Ron!”
“Yeah, right!” Lavender snorted.
“I’m serious! Of course I’m not with Ron; he’s my best friend…” Hermione said.
“Oh, come on, Hermione!” Parvati said. “Everyone can see it! You like him, he likes you. It is just – so – OBVIOUS! You HAVE to be together!”
“Obvious?” Hermione would say something more, when… Hermione, you thought exactly the same thing a few hours ago! You can’t deny that!
Parvati looked at her, grinning. ”Obvious? Duh.”
“Are you going to meet your boyfriend tomorrow?” Lavender asked, giggling.
“He’s not my boyfriend, and I’m not going to meet him except from the usual stuff, like Great Hall, classes, the common room, you know… But I’m going to meet Peter Hanson in the library tomorrow!” Hermione’s eyes suddenly got very big. Why did she say that?
“Oh my gosh! Are you kidding?” Lavender and Parvati gasped.
“Um… No… But sorry, I’m just so tired, so I think that I should go to bed.” Hermione left Parvati and Lavender, who had their mouths so open, so wide, that you could fit your fist inside.
Hermione changed into her night dress and went to bed. She couldn’t sleep; she just thought of Ron and Peter… (The same as always; how cute Ron was when he was jealous and stuff like that.)
Suddenly, a thought hit her. She thought that Ron was jealous, but what if he wasn’t? His behaviour reminded her of how he behaved when he saw Ginny with a boyfriend. Maybe he just thought of Hermione as a sister, just like Ginny. Oh no. That can't be! she thought, scared of what Ron did think about her now. She’d grabbed his hand for no reason! She had probably scared him off. And maybe Ron didn’t like Peter for the same reason he hadn’t liked Dean or Michael Corner!
No, no, no, NO!
She wished that she had her own Fairy Godmother, but she knew that Fairy Godmothers only appeared in Muggle fairytales. She had to do things on her own.
Oh, please help me. Please. PLEASE! she thought so loud that she was scared someone else had heard it, but they hadn’t.
“Please…” she whispered.
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