Chapter 24 “ The Fight
Harry found that November passed quite quickly, though sullenly. The Death Eaters had become rampant in their destruction, more people dying every day. The Ministry of Magic was having a very difficult time keeping the Muggles oblivious to what was happening, as even they were starting to notice odd occurrences. Harry had no idea what the Order was up to, but Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape were often talking amongst each other in hushed voices. Mrs. Weasley was sending owls almost daily to Ginny and Ron, and often even to Hermione and Harry, with letters of concern over their well-being. They could all tell that she was very worried about Mr. Weasley, who was very busy at work and with the Order. Charlie had come back from Romania to stay with her and help the Order, along with Bill.
Hogwarts, as Dumbledore had promised, still remained safe, and subsequently the lives of the students remained quite normal.
Harry was most worried about classes and Quidditch. Quidditch practice was still quite grueling; their next game was against Ravenclaw on December seventh and since Ravenclaw had beaten both Slytherin and Hufflepuff, putting them in the lead for the Quidditch Cup, it was essential for Gryffindor to win “ as Ron so often reminded Harry, Katie and Ginny whenever he had the opportunity.
He had become fanatical, even more obsessed than Wood had ever been; Harry found it almost frightening, but amusing anyway “ Hermione, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be amused by Ron’s behavior at all; she wasn’t happy at all with the way he was acting, and she had become quite impatient with him
“Harry,” Ron approached him in the Great Hall at lunch the Sunday before the game, “I was just wondering if you’d be able to come to Quidditch practice tonight.”
“Tonight? You didn’t schedule practice tonight... besides “ we practiced last night.”
“Yes “ but I only didn’t schedule because the field was booked by Hufflepuff, but I’ve just heard that they’ve cancelled practice because it’s supposed to rain tonight, so I thought we’d take advantage of the opening.”
“Ron, maybe they had a good reason for canceling practice.”
“What? A little rain... what if it rains on Saturday? We need to be prepared for all conditions “ besides, it’s the last weekend before the game. We could use the time; I thought we might do a broom test to make sure they’re all in good condition.”
Just hearing Ron talk was making Harry tired, but he agreed to go to practice anyway.
“And you’ll get Katie to come,” said Ron; it was a statement, not a question
“And I’ll get Katie to come,” Harry responded dully. As Ron turned to leave, Harry seriously considered throwing his plate at him, but decided against it; he needed to preserve his energy for practice. Just then Hermione came in and sat down next to him.
“How do you put up with him?” Harry asked her.
“I suppose you’re referring to Ron...” she said.
“Ron? I don’t know a Ron,” said Harry sarcastically. “I was talking about the manic Gryffindor Quidditch captain...”
“I think he’s gotten a bit out of hand...” said Hermione, sighing.
“A bit?” said Harry.
Suddenly, her demeanor changed from resigned to fretful.
“He’s being stupid really. I mean, look at what happened last time he acted like this “ he ended being a complete idiot and got into it with you. Honestly I don’t blame you for not talking to him all that time.”
“Are you okay, Hermione?”
“Yeah, I’m fine... I’m just a bit upset with the way he’s been acting. He hasn’t paid much attention to me in a few weeks. I’m going to talk to him tonight, though. We’re going to go to the Room of Requirement before dinner for some alone time.”
“Er... Hermione - Ron just told me he’s scheduled practice tonight...”
“What are you talking about?” she said, her face suddenly angry.
“Apparently Hufflepuff had the pitch booked, but they’ve cancelled “ so he wants us to practice.”
“I’m going to kill him, you think he’d at least tell me first...” Harry heard her muttering as she walked out of the Great Hall, fists clenched.
Harry turned back to his lunch, and was joined again, this time by Katie. She kissed him on the cheek and sat down.
“What’s up?”
“Ron wants us to practice tonight...” he said.
“We practiced last night, besides “ it’s supposed to rain.”
“That’s why we’re practicing “ ‘we have to be prepared for all conditions...’. He’s gone mad. Hermione was just here, apparently they had plans tonight before dinner, and he didn’t bother telling her about practice... she just ran off to kill him.”
“Boys are idiots.” Katie said.
“Excuse me? What have I done to you?”
“Well, your okay “ I suppose,” she said grinning. Then she got up. “If we have practice tonight, I should probably finish my Arithmancy homework now... so I’ll see you later.”
Quidditch practice did not go well. It rained, as expected; Ron seemed to be in a foul mood, causing him to bark orders at them in a very militant fashion. He had nearly reduced Euan to tears. Finally, it was time for dinner, and the team drudged their way back up to the castle, separate from Ron.
Hermione wasn’t at dinner, and Harry left the Great Hall early to find her sitting in the common room scribbling furiously across a piece of parchment.
“Why weren’t you at dinner?” Harry asked her.
“I don’t feel like being around Ron at the moment.”
“Oh...”
He looked down at the parchment that Hermione was writing on; at the top he could make out the words “Dear Viktor” Ron would definitely not be happy about that, thought Harry.
“Writing to Krum?” Harry asked, trying to sound casual.
“Yes... about what an idiot Ron is.”
Ron would really not like that, thought Harry.
“Speaking of Ron,” he said. “He seemed to be in a really bad mood at practice “ what happened?”
Hermione put down her quill and looked at Harry.
“I told him that if he wanted to cancel our plans for Quidditch he should have told me first, and that if he still wanted to have practice tonight he should forget about me speaking to him anytime soon. Then he told me he didn’t have time to worry about this, and left.”
She looked angry, but even Harry could tell that she was trying to hide how hurt she was.
“This is all your fault,” she said suddenly.
“How is this my fault?” Harry asked, indignantly.
“You made him Captain. None of this would be happening if you had have just kept the position.”
“Hermione “ how on earth was I supposed to know any of this was going to happen? I made Ron Captain because I was trying to be a good friend, just like I was when I suggested to him that it might be a good idea to ask you to Hogsmeade “ or do you wish I hadn’t done that either?”
Hermione let out a deep sigh.
“I’m sorry Harry, I’m just angry “ I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
Behind them, the portrait hole opened, and Ron walked in alone. He approached the two of them, eyeing them suspiciously.
“How come the two of you didn’t come to dinner?” Ron asked.
“I came up here looking for Hermione,” said Harry.
Hermione just looked at Ron coldly, and then turned back to her letter. Harry got a very ominous feeling that something very bad was about to happen.
“Who’re you writing to?” asked Ron.
“Viktor,” she responded coolly.
“What’re you writing to him for?”
“Because it’s nice to talk to someone who actually pays attention to me,” she said, still not looking at him as she continued to write her letter.
“I don’t want you writing to him,” he said.
“Why not?”
“Because he fancies you.”
“He has a fiancée...”
“I don’t care!”
“You don’t care about much, except for Quidditch, do you?”
She had finally looked up from the letter, staring Ron straight in the eye. Harry felt as though he had been frozen to the spot, otherwise he would have run for the nearest exit.
“You know that’s not true, Hermione!”
“NO I DON’T!” she said, jumping up from her chair. “You’ve barely said anything to me for the past three weeks “ it’s all been about how badly you need to beat Ravenclaw!”
“So “ what, are you writing to Krum to try and make me jealous?”
“I’m writing to Krum because he’s my friend. I would never do it to make you jealous!”
“Well “ you didn’t have any problem using Harry to make me jealous...”
Hermione looked as though she had been slapped in the face.
“That is neither here nor there “ I said I was sorry about that. Right now, you’re the one being an idiot!”
“Hermione, this game is important...”
“Well how come Harry, Katie, and Ginny haven’t lost their minds over it? How come Harry can do Quidditch, do all his class work, spend time with Katie, and still have time to be my friend, and you just won’t make any time for me at all?”
“I don’t know “ maybe McGonagall gave him a time-turner...”
“Now is not the time to be making jokes!”
“It wasn’t a joke. Sorry if I’m not as brilliant as Harry, all right? The game is on Saturday, after that I’ll have loads of time to spend with you.”
“Well, I’m sorry “ but after Saturday, I want nothing to do with you.”
With that, she picked up her letter and strode angrily up the girls’ staircase, leaving Harry and Ron in stunned silence.