Ch 7: The Quidditch Captain
Harry went into the common room and sank into an armchair. His mind was swirling with thoughts. Hermione was supposed to be one of his best friends, but she was just using him to make someone else jealous. And now to Ron, Harry was just a bigger embodiment of someone who had what everything he wanted. On top of that, he had never really considered Ron and Hermione liking each other before; now he knew for a fact that she liked him, and it could be pretty much assumed that he felt the same way. What if they started doing everything together, like Dean and Ginny? And what if Harry was left out, like Seamus? He could always hang out with Seamus and Neville, but it wouldn’t be the same. He had just began imagining himself spending his evenings sitting in Hagrid’s hut talking over tea and rock cakes, while Ron and Hermione where off somewhere else, when someone interrupted his thoughts.
“Something wrong, Harry?”
Harry looked up. Neville was standing there, holding Advanced Transfiguration Level Six in his arms, with a concerned look on his face.
“I’m fine. I was just... thinking.”
“Well I don’t want to bother you, but I was just with Professor McGonagall and she asked me to send you down to her office if I saw you today, she wants to have a word.”
“Okay, I’ll go now. Thanks Neville.”
With that, Harry stood up, exited through the portrait hole and headed for McGonagall’s office.
“You wanted to see to speak with me, Professor”
“Yes Mr. Potter, please have a seat.”
She pointed to the chair across from her desk, and Harry sat down, slightly worried about what she wanted to talk to him about.
“Well as you know, Gryffindor is in need of a new Quidditch Captain this year. Considering that your ‘lifetime Quidditch ban’ has been removed along with the presence of Professor Umbridge, I thought you might like to take up the responsibility.”
Harry was stunned, he was sure this would have something to do with the incident earlier in the week when he had accidentally transfigured Neville’s nose into a parakeet. This wasn’t what he had expected at all.
“Of course I understand you have a lot going on, and you might not be up to the job... but I thought this might help keep your mind off... other things. And, I do believe you are the best player for the job.”
She looked at Harry, and he realized she was expecting an answer.
“Of course I’ll do it. I would love to be Captain...”
“Good. Well the first game is in a month between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I trust you will take the responsibility of having the team assembled and well trained by then. As for now, you may return to what you were doing “ and might I will suggest you practice your transfiguration before next class; I don’t want anymore students with parakeets attached to their faces, Mr. Potter.”
She raised her eyebrow as she handed him a small badge: the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain badge. Harry smiled and offered an excited thank you before leaving to share his great news.
On his way to Gryffindor Tower, Harry met Ginny and Dean.
“Hey Ginny, McGonagall just made me Quidditch Captain.”
“That’s great news, Harry. I should have guessed she would pick you, I mean it was between you and Katie, of course. When are tryouts? I’ll be trying out for Chaser of course, as we have our prize Seeker back.”
Harry took a moment to take in everything Ginny had said before responding.
“I think I’ll hold tryouts next Friday evening. That will give everyone time to find out and get ready. I can’t wait to tell Ron...”
Harry stopped. He hadn’t thought about how Ron would react; at first he just assumed that he would be happy, but now he wasn’t so sure. It was bad enough he thought Hermione fancied Harry, but now he was Quidditch Captain, too. By the look on Ginny’s face, she was thinking the same thing. Just then Ron, Neville, Seamus and Hermione approached them.
“We’re headed down to the Great Hall for lunch. Are you coming?” Hermione asked.
“Yeah, I’m starved.” Dean replied.
“Where have the three of you been?” Ron asked.
Dean and Ginny looked at each other and grinned.
“We were just...walking around the grounds.”
Before Ron was given too much time to think about what had just passed, Harry jumped in.
“I was in McGonagall’s office.”
“What for?”
Harry looked to Ginny, unsure.
“I’ve been made Quidditch Captain,” he said cautiously.
“Oh...well congratulations. It’s not really a surprise; you always get everything you want.”
Ron’s bitter statement was followed by an awkward silence. Hermione looked from Ron to Harry, and then turned away. Seamus took it upon himself to relieve the tension of the group.
“Well that’s good then. I was worried for a minute when you said you went to see McGonagall “ I thought it had something to do with the parakeet incident.”
Everyone laughed, and most of the group started talking as they entered the Great Hall, while Ron, Hermione and Harry remained silent. As they approached the table, Harry sat next to Hermione, and making sure Ron was out of earshot, he leaned over and whispered to her.
“I need to talk to you.”
She looked up from her Ancient Runes book.
“About what?”
“I know that you were using me to make Ron jealous,” he said quietly. “I heard you and Ginny talking,” he added, not wanting to incriminate Ginny.
“Oh, look I’m sorry about that Harry. It’s just that I don’t know what else to do. He just doesn’t seem to notice that I...”
She stopped. Her cheeks turned slightly pink, she seemed unsure of how much she should say. Harry finished for her.
“That you like him.”
Hermione looked up at him.
“It’s not... odd, is it? I mean for me to have feelings for him... We’re friends. But it’s always been different... with you and me, with me and Ron. And I don’t know if he sees me that way.”
Harry stared at her. He wasn’t sure what she meant by “having feelings” for Ron. And he had no idea what the rest was about; Hermione might be smart, but she never was good at explaining her thought process and often left Harry and Ron in the dark. But whatever she meant by everything else, Harry knew one thing for sure: Ron definitely felt the same way about her.
“He does, Hermione. He’s just an idiot. You have to remember that we aren’t as good with our emotions as girls... let me try and give him a push in the right direction. And you might want to start being nicer to him, you’ve done some serious damage this past week.”
“You’re right, Harry. Thanks.”
She got up to leave, but stopped.
“Oh... and Harry. All that stuff before about you being a great teacher, and everything else I said. I did mean it... yeah I was a little overenthusiastic “ but I just want you to know, I wasn’t just lying so I could use you. I meant it.”
“Thanks, Hermione.”
Harry had to admit, it made him feel a lot better knowing he meant more to her than just a pawn in her evil female plot. He looked over at Ron, who was staring at his plate blankly; he went over and sat next to him.
“So I was wondering if you could come to the tryouts on Friday evening. You’re definitely in as Keeper, but I’d prefer if you were there.”
“Ok,” Ron replied uninterestedly.
Harry sighed.
“Look Ron, there’s nothing between me and Hermione. I don’t like her, she doesn’t like me... we’re just friends.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“No, really. Look “ I know you fancy her.”
Ron’s ears turned pink.
“I don’t fancy Hermione. She’s Hermione “ I can’t...”
“Don’t even try... I can tell. And I know she feels the same way.”
Ron looked up.
“Really? “ not that it matters, I mean. Since I don’t...”
“I’ll see you later, Ron.”
Harry got up and left, leaving Ron to argue with himself. He turned to look at him before he left the Great Hall, and he couldn’t be sure, but it looked as if there was a small smile on Ron’s face as he sat there finishing his lunch.
That Friday, Harry held Quidditch tryouts. It went quite well. Katie Bell returned as Chaser, joined by Ginny and a second year named Euan Abercombie.. Kirke and Sloper, who, luckily enough seemed to have acquired more skill since last year, returned as Beaters. Ron was Keeper and Harry was, of course, Seeker. They ran through a few moves together before setting official practices and heading off the field to change. Katie congratulated Harry on getting Captain, and said she was relieved she hadn’t been offered the job, as she didn’t feel she was up for it. Ron seemed to be in better spirits than before. Hermione had been acting normal again that week, and her behavior towards Ron had definitely improved his mood. She had even come to watch the tryouts that evening. That night, the Gryffindors relaxed around the common room, enjoying sweets that Fred and George had sent Ginny and Ron earlier that week. Younger students listened to stories of past Quidditch games, and joined in while the older students thought up ways to physically disable the Slytherin team before their next match. After a few hours, everyone was getting tired and many started to leave for bed.
“I’m exhausted, I’m going to bed,” Ron exclaimed as he stood up stretching.
“I’ll follow you up in a minute,” Harry yawned.
As Ron turned to head up the staircase, Hermione stopped him.
“Good night, Ron” She kissed him on the cheek and proceeded up to her own dormitory.
Ron’s face could be seen turning red as he quickly left the common room. Ginny giggled as she kissed Dean good night and joined Hermione.
“All right, are you two staying up?” He asked Dean and Seamus. Neville was already in bed.
“Yeah, we haven’t really had a chance to hang out in a while,” Dean said.
“Well, good night then...”
Harry turned and went upstairs. When he entered the dormitory, he spotted Ron looking at something on his dresser. He jumped when he saw Harry.
“Sorry mate, I found something on the floor belonging to you. I was just putting it back.”
With that, Ron turned and went back to his own bed.
“Good night.”
Harry walked over to his bed and looked at his bedside dresser. There, on top of his books, was his Captain’s badge.
It couldn’t have been on the floor, Harry thought, I put it right on top, and nobody could have knocked it down unless they were messing with my things.
Harry lay down in his bed, feeling guilty. He had always been jealous of Ron for having grown up with loving parents, and loads of siblings. But Ron had always let Harry share in that; the Weasley’s had always treated him as one of there own. And Ron, well Ron wanted a lot of the things Harry took for granted. Yet, for the most part, he had stood by Harry as a friend no matter what. And now... now Harry was Quidditch Captain. Harry thought about the night, five years ago, when he and Ron had visited the Mirror of Erised together, and Ron had described himself: Head Boy, holding the House Cup, the Quidditch Cup and “
“I’m Quidditch Captain, too...”
The words echoed in Harry’s mind. When Harry saw himself in that mirror, he was next to his family. Though that image could never be realized, Ron had helped him come as close as he ever would to having a family, to having his deepest desire. Ron’s deepest desire was to be as great as his brothers, to be successful...
To be Quidditch Captain, Harry thought.
He turned over in his bed thinking. He knew what he had to do; he would talk to Professor McGonagall the next morning. It was his only choice. He owed it to his best friend.