The Trick Diary

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In the Common Room, a blazing row was in progress which could even be heard in the dormitories; to which refuge many younger students had fled, in the false hope that they could continue their work in peace at least there.

Older students could be heard explaining to the as yet uninitiated (who were wearing expressions identical to the one Harry might have worn on seeing that Dudley had managed to get to the size of a baby elephant from that of a baby whale) that this fracas was a common ritual and they had better get used to regarding it as a background 'music'(for want of a better term), for the frequency of the arguments, they assured the awed spectators, would be increasing in proportion to the volume.

Fellow 6th years, who, it might reasonably be supposed, ought to have got used to the Weasley - Granger skirmish were valiantly trying to continue their work as if nothing untoward had happened, but were forced to accept defeat and follow the behaviour of their younger counterparts. Ron and Hermione had moved onto the 2nd phase of their battle, which involved throwing random things at each other, and since nobody wanted to harbour a bump on the forehead (Cause: Hermione misdirecting 'Hogwarts : A History') or a broken nose (Cause: Ron misaiming a spell), they all removed themselves from the vicinity.

The only two people left were Ginny, Ron’s sister and Harry, who could be considered in the role of Hermione's brother. They were safely hidden behind a couch and were currently engaged in the task of betting when Hermione would move to the 3rd and final stage of the battle.

"Any minute now," whispered Ginny.

"Nah. She is still going strong," said Harry staunchly. But as it happened, he was wrong. Barely were the words out of his mouth when Hermione turned tail and ran, leaving a trail of tears on the carpet, and a very indignant Ron in her wake.

"I win!" declared Ginny triumphantly.

~*~*~*~*~

"She always does it!" cried Ron resentfully. "Starts the argument, hurls all kinds of insults at me, and then runs away crying. If she supposes she can make me feel guilty and apologise she has another think coming. After all, she was the one who started it. Just because-"

Harry tuned him out and began working on his Potions homework, which he had just realized, was due the next day. He gave murmurs of assent when he thought the occasion demanded.

"Harry, are you listening?" demanded an extremely irate Ron after talking himself hoarse.

"He stopped listening to you about 15 minutes ago and has employed the time very profitably in finishing his Potions homework," said Ginny, who at least had been avidly listening to Ron.

A pair of blue eyes and a pair of green eyes turned to glare at her.

"What?" she asked innocently. "I was only stating facts."

Ron snorted. "Friends and siblings like the ones I have, make Malfoy and his goons seem almost saintly." Ignoring indignant protests from his best mate and sister, he stomped off towards the boys'dormitories.

"Now look what you have done," said Harry reproachfully.

"I think that went off very well. I had lost hopes of getting you alone tonight," said Ginny with an impish smile that widened when she saw Harry’s expression.

"Take your mind from the gutter, Harry! I wasn’t harbouring any designs on you."

Harry went red and Ginny stifled a snicker. "What I actually wanted to talk with you about was - my plan to get Ron and Hermione to stop arguing and start kissing."

Harry's eyebrows shot up so high that they were in danger of receding into his hairline.

"What?" Ginny asked impatiently, noticing his expression of disbelief. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

"Noticed what? Them quarrelling incessantly with one another? Do you seriously mean to tell me that bickering constantly with someone is a way to express your love?"

"Comeon Harry. Haven't you read stories about people who always quarreled but ultimately ended up together? It's chemistry, Harry. Opposites attract."

Harry repeated his maneuver with his eyebrows. "You're actually trying to bring them together on the basis of some trashy romance novels?"

"They're not trashy. They are Classics," said Ginny getting side-tracked. Then she came back to the point in question. "Everybody knows that they like each other except themselves, and now it seems, you. And I think they too have realized that fact and are just in denial."

Harry opened his mouth, but she continued relentlessly. "According to those so-called trashy novels , the wrangling between the two protagonists will continue (with petty jealousies and rumours thrown in) until it reaches the climax, when one or the other (usually it is the male) suddenly stops the argument by kissing the leading lady. Then (after an interlude which doesn't get described due to the rating) they confess their love for each other and reveal how all the quarrelling was just an outlet for their emotions which they could neither hold in nor let out." Ginny stopped, wondering if her eloquence had managed to convince Harry at all.

Harry looked as if he had gone on a roller coaster soon after eating his lunch. "Ginny, my brain has just finished working on a devilishly tricky Potions homework. It can’t handle anything more complicated than going to sleep. If only to stop you from spouting love stories at me whenever we meet, I say that I am convinced and will acquiesce to your plan, whatever it may be."

Ginny blinked at the language he was using. Maybe her brain needed some sleep as well. At least she had understood the gist of what he had said - he would be her partner in crime. Crime? Yep, she definitely needed sleep.