Harry and Hermione Love at First Sight

His mouth was overflowing, but that didn’t stop Ron from trying to eat more. Harry slapped Ron on the back, practically making him spew, which made Hermione dissolve into another fit of laughter. Ron glared at Harry, until he had swallowed and could speak.

" Are you mad? I nearly choked!" Ron spluttered, looking ludicrously at Harry. Hermione snorted, staring hard at her food.

" As if that’s MY fault? I’m not the one trying stuffing himself full of food! I was only helping you, so you wouldn’t choke!" Harry retorted with a hint of amusement in his voice. Ron rolled his eyes.

" Oh gee, all’s forgiven, after all you were thinking in my best interest and all..." Ron picked up an Éclair and nibbled on it, thinking reflectively. Hermione wiped her eyes and looked at him.

" What’re you thinkin' about?" She put her head on her arm, and took a bite out of her grilled cheese sandwich. Ron looked at her for a while before answering,

" Just about tonight, how Snape’s going to kill me, and how I need to practice for the try outs before hand." Harry noticed that Ron’s gaze never left Hermione, and Harry felt a feeling he’d never felt before, burning deep inside him, like an uncontrollable wrath: jealousy. But he consoled himself that Hermione didn’t look at Ron back. Ron turned away, his jaw clenched, looking at Harry, who then shook his head. Ron sighed, and took a drink from his pumpkin juice, and made a face.

" Urgh, that tastes terrible!" Ron set down his goblet, and clutched his stomach. Hermione looked at Ron with concern.

" You ok?"

" Yeah, yeah I’ll be fine" But it seemed to Harry Ron was far from fine.

The day dragged by, as Harry kept checking Ron’s watch. Finally, their last class, Care of Magical Creatures, instructed by a newly educated Rubeus Hagrid, was over. Dumbledore kindly "suggested" that Hagrid study more about Magical Creatures, before he continue teaching how to care for them. Now that Hagrid knew what Magical creatures were appropriate for each grade, and how to handle them, more people were looking forward to his class, instead of finding excuses to avoid it.

The lesson had been taught outside, near the forest, and tables were set up next to Hagrid's cabin. As they gathered up their books (non-biting), Hagrid sidled over to Harry, Ron and Hermione's table. Harry looked up into Hagrid's hairy face, and grinned.

" Hullo Hagrid!" Hermione and Ron both said their hellos, craning their neck to see Hagrid. Hagrid beamed down at them.

" Hullo there! 'I aven't 'eard from you lot in a while. 'Ow was yer summer vacation you three?"

Harry shouldered his book bag, stuffing in his Divination homework.

" Pretty good, Dursleys were awful, so Ron invited me over to the Burrow in the first week off school." Hagrid nodded.

" An' you two?" he said, directing the question at Ron and Hermione. They headed up to the castle, talking about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and how Prof. Trelawney had predicted that Harry would die in a freak pudding accident. They also asked about what Hagrid did over the summer. They didn’t have much luck getting Hagrid to talk. He avoided every question they asked, maintaining that this was top secret stuff. Dumbledore was trusting him, and he wouldn’t go against Dumbledore’s trust. They gave up and started planning on what to do on the next Hogsmeade weekend. On the second floor, Ron doubled up, and fell to the floor, his face a mask of pain. But after a few minutes, Ron got up, wiping his brow, and giving Harry and Hermione a reassuring smile. Harry and Hermione looked at each other with concern etched all over their faces.** looked at each other with worried looks didn’t sound right.

It had started snowing, and as 7 o’clock came ever nearer, the Quidditch team and hopefuls alike grew more excited and anxious. Harry and Ron sat, relaxing with a game of wizarding chess. Harry looked around the room, when Ron was planning his next move, looking at all the people holding broom sticks, and two things occurred to him: One of these people would be Gryffindor’s newest Keeper, and he would be playing with on the game against Ravenclaw. The other was that Ron was holding a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, just like the Slytherin team.

" Ron, where’d you get that broom?" Ron looked around, then down at the broom in his hand.

" Oh, you mean this one? I’m not really sure, Fred just sort of gave it to me, told me not to question him or anything. It’s alright," Ron added, as Harry raised his eyebrows," I mean, it is Fred, my brother. He wouldn’t try and harm me." Harry was about to say something, when he was jabbed in the back by Fred.

" Time to go Harry." Grabbing his Firebolt and straightening his Quidditch robes, Harry and Ron joined the tide of people going through the entrance. Harry pushed his way to the front, to join the other people on the team: Fred and George Weasley, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet. Together they led the mob down to the Quidditch field.

Each mounting their brooms, they all took off into the air, except for the ones trying out. Harry soared into the air, before chasing Fred around the field then turned quickly around and both Fred and George started chasing him. Angelina stayed on the ground, instructing how it would work and what to do: She would select four people at one time, to ride up to the goal posts, two to each side, and Katie and Alicia would try scoring on them, a total of six throws. They would then be narrowed down and have to play against the other members of the team.

Harry looked down at Ron, and gave him the thumbs up. Ron, from what he could see of him, nervously smiled and gave Harry the thumbs up back. Now was Ron’s chance to prove himself.