Arachnia

~Chapter 4~

It was now the middle of September and it was noticeable that summer was going to end soon. Harry was made Gryffindor's Quidditch team captain. Hermione had congratulated him and Ron, who began to eat once again, was begging to become the team's keeper.

"I don't know Ron," Harry said as he posted a flyer in the common room's Attention Board. "You'll have to try out just like everybody else."

"Well can I use your broom to practice?" Ron asked.

"Well...I guess so, but when you try out have to either use your own broom or a school broom, which I don't recommend."

"Um sure...But Harry, I haven't got a broom..." Ron said glumly. Harry looked at him. Ron's family probably could not afford a new broom for Ron. Maybe I'll get him a broom. It'll be a very, very early Christmas present.

"We'll work something out. But in the mean time you should get practicing and Try-outs are next Saturday at noon." He and Ron gathered their books. "But now, we should get to Care of Magical Creatures." They headed out for Hagrid's Hut.

"Hullo Harry," Hagrid patted Harry on the back with his enormous hand, which Harry was used to by now. "Congratulations! I heard you made the captain o' the Quidditch team!"

"Thanks Hagrid." Harry said. Hagrid rounded the class together.

"T'day we'll talk 'bout Kelpies," He looked around. "Can anybody tell me what a Kelpie is?"

Something that never happened before happened. Not only did Hermione's hand go up but so did some else's. Alina's.

"Hermione-" Hagrid said without looking up.

"Excuse me, but my hand was up." Alina's voice startled him.

"Er...right, Ms. Dervies..." Hagrid looked almost as confused as the whole class did.

"A kelpie is a water-devil. In Scotland, it lurks in lakes and rivers. It usually assumes the shape of a young horse. When a tired traveler stops by a lake to rest or to have a drink, he would see a horse, apparently peacefully grazing," She saw Hermione's hand go down slowly. "When he mounts the horse, the Kelpie dives into the water, but besides wet clothes, the rider can get away unharmed...If they're lucky."

All the Gryffindors looked at her shocked. The Slytherins looked blankly at her for a second too. Draco smirked.

"Um...well that's ten points ter Slytherin." Hagrid managed to say.

~|~

Ron was still shocked about earlier that day. He just stared at Hermione.

"I can't believe it!" He said. "Somebody besides Hermione answered a question! And she was in Slytherin!"

Harry was shocked too. "Yeah..."

"Nobody said that I should be the only one to answer." Hermione opened her book, Hogwarts: A History.

"Haven't you read that book at least 5 times already?" Ron said examining her book.

"Yes, and that shouldn't matter to you. You should at least read it." She turned the page.

Harry looked at a broom catalog searching for an order sheet. Maybe I shouldn't buy it, just in case some else is really good. Harry thought to himself.

"Harry, wasn't Angelina made captain last year?" Hermione asked looking up from her book.

"Oh, yeah. She decided not to become it because it's her last year here this year." He explained. "But I'm having second thoughts about being the captain. I mean, it will take up a lot of my time not to mention I have to have strategies and so forth." Hermione and Ron looked at him.

"Yeah you're right..." Ron said. Harry got up and announced to them that he was going to Fred and George for some advice and then send an owl to Oliver.

"Hermione?" Ron said.

"Yes." She closed her booked to put away.

"Do you think I'm going to make the team?"

"I don't know...You haven't practiced lately. You should and practice now!"

"Yea you're right!"

"I'll come and watch. Plus I'll bring a book so I can study a bit more." Ron and Hermione made their way out to the Quidditch field. When they got there, they happened to meet some unexpected guests. Alina, Draco, and Devon were there too. Alina and Devon were in the air and Draco watched sitting in the stand.

"You are supposed to catch it!!! ARRGGHHH!" Alina furiously returned to the ground. She stopped and got off her broom. "That's' enough for now. We don't need Madam Hooch to tell us that you shouldn't be riding a broom." She looked up at Draco and motioned her arm to come down there.

"Hey what are you doing here?" Ron said without realizing. Alina looked at him. Weasley, she looked at the person next to him, and Granger...

"Excuse me?" She said pretending to be confused.

"Alina!" Hermione cut Ron off in time. "How are you? That was an extraordinary answer you gave earlier today in class, about the Kelpies."

"Thank you...er...Hermione, no?" Alina replied. Hermione nodded.

"And this is Ron, Ron Weasley." She introduced Ron to her. Alina made a quick smile. He gave one back with dislike.

"This is my little brother, Devon." The little boy stepped forward. "He's in Gyrffindor. A first year." He looked at them blankly.

"Oh, I see," Hermione said after a while.

"Weasel, Mudblood? What're you doing here?" Draco smirked. "Trying to make the Gryffindor team I suppose?"

"None of you're business." Ron clenched his teeth and fist.

"I think we should get going." Alina glanced at Draco. "See you in class Hermione."

"Um...right..." Hermione was looked at the floor as the words 'mudblood' echoed in her head. Ron relaxed his fist as soon as they left their site.

"Don't listen to him Hermione. He's just below the level of scum, so you know he's not worth listening to." Hermione looked up, a little better.

~|~

"Why did you call her a mudblood?" Alina practically shouted at Draco in the common room. "I told you not to!"

"Why do you care if call people whatever I want to call them." He sneered.

"You don't have the right to call people wrongful names." She defined her eyes to small slits.

"You don't have the right tell me what I can and can not call people." He snapped back at her and grabbed her from the back by her hair.

She stood still. "How dare you put your disgusting hands on me." She turned sharply and slapped him. His head stayed in the direction which she had slapped him. He let go of her hair. "Don't get yourself caught up with me." She hissed. He finally turned back to her. Their faces so close to each other. She was a cold person, or it seemed so. "This isn't a good sign for partners that happen to work side by side for a purpose..." Her tension lowered. And she left him there.