An Interesting Term

It was the third day back and even though he had missed Hogwarts, Harry had never been so bored. Fifth year had been bad enough, but this! His huge pile of homework toppled off the top of the table he, Ron and Hermione were all trying to work on. Harry groaned. He picked up his papers and set them back on top of the desk.

"Hermione, can't I please borrow your notes?" Ron was asking with a grimace. " I've still got half a roll of parchment left to fill and McGonagall'll kill me if the first piece of homework I hand in is too short."

Hermione sighed but reached into her bag. "There you go, you lazy doofus," she said disapprovingly. "But this is the very, very last time. Ever."

Ron grinned at her and Harry smiled at the two of them. He knew they were worried about him but was glad they were trying to act normally about Sirius's death. He still didn't feel ready to talk about it much.

The three of them worked in silence for a few more minutes. The common room began to empty as the younger students went to bed, leaving only the fifth, sixth and seventh years working away. Just then, the portrait hole opened. Harry looked up, surprised that anyone would be coming in this late; most of the school was in bed and no-one was even supposed to be out in the corridor. To his surprise Professor McGonagall climbed into the common room, still dressed in her regulation black robes, accompanied by a girl who looked around Harry's age. The girl was wearing soaking robes and was carrying a trunk.

"Can all the fifth years gather round, please?" said McGonagall tiredly. Harry and Hermione exchanged puzzled glances as everyone made their way over to where McGonagall had called them. Drawing closer, Harry got a closer look at the girl. She was pretty normal looking, with brown hair and eyes and a long nose. Her robes, which were dark navy blue and still dripping with wet, looked slightly too short and she was struggling with her over-large trunk which she finally set down on top of Seamus's foot inducing a cry of pain from him and a rushed apology from her.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Greta Haversham, who will be joining you this year at Hogwarts. If I can ask" - she looked round at them, her eyes finally settling on Harry, Ron and Hermione - "you three to look after her until she gets her bearings. Naturally, she'll be sleeping in the girls' dormitory and will be taking classes with many of you. May I please ask you to make her feel as welcome as possible."

With this, she swept out of the common room leaving the fifth years to themselves. After a brief round of introductions, most people drifted back to their work leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione with Greta.

"Do you wanna come over and sit down?" asked Harry kindly. Greta smiled nervously at him and with some help from Hermione the three of them dragged Greta's trunk over to where they'd been sitting, Ron hovering nervously in the background. It was at this point that Harry noticed Ron looking a bit strange. He had a kind of nervous smile on his face and didn't seem to have much to say; Harry very vividly remember this kind of thing happening in their fourth year when Fleur had been about; it seemed that this new girl had the same kind of effect, though (without being unkind) Harry didn't see why. She wasn't ugly but she wasn't very pretty either, just normal looking. However, Harry grinned at the sight of Ron's discomfort. He chanced a glance at him to see if he could catch his eye but Ron seemed to be in a sort of daze.

They set Greta's trunk down beside their armchairs and the four of them sat down, Hermione dragging over another chair for Greta. Homework forgotten for the moment, Harry piled up his papers and put them in his bag.

"God," sighed Greta as she sat down, "I'm shattered." She had a clear, friendly voice and didn't seem to be that shy - a good thing, thought Harry, who had been dreading an awful awkward kind of silence.

"Where did you travel from?" asked Hermione. "Didn't you come on the Hogwarts' Express?"

"No." said Greta with a sigh. "My school just closed down a few days ago; it was a tiny place down south somewhere. I was really the only sixth year there but when the witch who ran it died my parents finally gave in and said I could come here."

"You're not a muggle, then?" asked Harry interestedly. He'd known there were other wizarding schools in Europe but had assumed Hogwarts was the only one in Britain.

"My mum and dad are both wizards, actually." replied Greta. "I went to Madam Bracken's - that was what my old school was called - because they though I would 'prosper better in a an all girl environment' to use my dad's exact words. It wasn't much fun."

Ron made a kind of agreeing noise, his only input into the conversation since Greta had arrived. Greta smiled at him nervously. She obviously thought he was quite strange, which in Harry's opinion was quite justified. In a desperate attempt to get Ron back to normal he tried to include him in the conversation.

"Had you heard of Madam Bracken's, Ron?" asked Harry pointedly hoping Ron would take the hint and start talking again.

"Er... I dunno..." answered Ron, looking round at Harry distractedly as if surprised to find he was even there. "I think Mum might have mentioned it... maybe... sometime..." He tailed off again.

Harry glanced at Hermione who was looking quite annoyed with Ron's behaviour. Smiling to himself, he thought off how frequently Hermione and Ron argued, yet when either one of them even so much as looked at someone else they got annoyed. He had realised during their spell in the hospital wing at the end of fifth year what all their arguing actually meant; he had been trying to think of anything but Sirius and had settled on the two of them, and with a sudden jolt of realisation had understood what all their arguing meant. He had brought up the subject during the summer once when he and Ron were in Ron's bedroom at the Burrow but Ron had gone very red and started talking about Quidditch so Harry thought best not to broach the subject again.

Looking round, Harry brought himself back to the conversation. Hermione and Greta were talking about schoolwork and what subjects Greta was taking.

"You're not taking Care of Magical Creatures?" asked Hermione.

"My old school didn't have anywhere to hold lessons so I've never studied it. Wish I had though, people I've talked to said it was really good here."

"You already know some people here then?" asked Harry.

"I know a couple of people in seventh year, and some in lower years." As she spoke, Greta seemed to have a habit of twirling her hair in her fingers, which seemed to have hypnotised Ron into total oblivion.

Hermione, still looking put out at Ron's glazed stare, gave a huge fake yawn and said "Right, well, we really should get to bed. Want me to help you with your case, Greta?"

The two girls picked up Greta's case and said goodnight. Ron mumbled something in reply which just as easily could have been 'Hippogriffs are fun' as goodnight and sunk back in his armchair with a groan. Harry grinned at Ron knowingly.

"What?" asked Ron. "What is it? Stop grinning!"

Harry shook his head and went on grinning. Ron's ears began to turn red as they usually did when he was embarrassed.

"Oh, come off it, Harry," said Ron, "It wasn't like I fancied her or anything.."

"You sure did a good impression of it," snorted Harry, beginning to laugh.

"Okay, maybe just a little bit," said Ron. He looked flustered and his voice began to rise. Katie Bell and her friends at the next table looked round interestedly which only increased Ron's agitation. "But only a bit. I've only just met her, for goodness's sake. It wasn't like I'd liked her for ages, like Hermione or something.'

Harry almost fell out of his seat with shock, as did Katie Bell. Realising what he had said Ron clapped his hand to his mouth and turned a new shade of crimson the likes of which Harry had never seen anyone turn before. He got up out of his seat and tried to run to the spiral staircase leading to the boys' dormitories but tripped over his own feet and turning an even darker shade of crimson sprinted off.

Harry leant back in his chair trying to take in what had just happened. After, what, three months of procrastination Ron had finally admitted it. He liked Hermione. Katie and her friends at the next table were all now giggling. Almost giggling himself, Harry made his way up to his dormitory.

When he arrived, Ron was sitting on his bed with the look of a small boy who is about to be told off. Harry sat on his own bed across from Ron and without meaning to started to chuckle again. Ron glanced up at him and within a couple of seconds was joining in until they both were laughing their heads off. When their mirth had finally subsided the two of them looked at each other.

"So.." said Harry. Ron grinned guiltily at him before replying.

"I would've told you before but I thought you'd get annoyed, or laugh or something. And I never did anything cause I thought she, well, you know, would laugh as well. And.. stop laughing, you idiot!"

Harry couldn't help it.

"Why would I get annoyed, anyway?" he asked with interest.

"I dunno, really. Just thought you might, like, be worried we'd go off together or something. Not that there's any chance of that happening."

"Don't be so sure," said Harry with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Oh come on Ron, open your eyes! She totally likes you too."

"You really think so?"

"I wouldn't say it unless I did. Why don't you, you know, ask her out or something?"

"I dunno.." said Ron nervously. "I'm not much good at that kind of thing."

"Anyway, what about Greta?" Harry asked with a grin. "Since we're having a night of confessions you might as well.."

Ron grinned back. "I dunno. I've only just met her, you know? I guess I'll just see what happens.. tomorrow.." He lay back on his bed with a groan.

Harry smiled. He had the feeling it was going to be a very interesting term.