Always- a Hinny / Romione fanfic

Chapter Two: The Feast

* Hermione P.O.V *

I took Ron's hand as everyone filed into the Great Hall, and he swung our intertwined fingers high up into the air, and back down again. I laughed as we weaved in and out of people, trying not to hit anyone. Finally, we made it to the familiar Gryffindor table.

I couldn't believe I was back. It was like a dream come true, another year to spend here at my second home. But of course, I couldn't imagine what it'd be like if I didn't come back! All the spells, potions and so much more that I'd miss, it would've been a serious dent in my magical education.

Ron and I were still holding hands underneath the table as the great big doors opened, and in trailed the line of first years, all of whom looked frightened, or at the very least nervous.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered, breath tickling my ear.

"Look how small they are! We were not that small in first year!"

I grinned at him.

Staring at the line of first years, I noticed a girl at the end of the line, who just couldn't be eleven, she was at least two feet taller than all the rest of the students, with a very thin and very curvy frame, with sweeping blonde hair that went down to her waist. She had to be our age, at the very least.

And yet, she was standing in the line with all the first years, wearing a first year tie, yet to be sorted. Suddenly, I noticed that she was staring directly at Ron. I instantly flared up.

Ron noticed her, and she smiled flirtatiously at him, tossing her pearly hair and giving a small wave with her fingers. Ron smiled back at her.

"RON!" I said, poking him in the shoulder.

"What?!" He asked, and I noticed the girl was still staring at him. I purposefully put our hands ontop of the table so she would see.

"You were flirting with that girl!" I said, struggling to keep my voice at a conversational volume.

"Bloody hell Hermione! I was not! I was just smiling at her, it's polite, I'd do that to anyone!"

I stopped for a moment, realizing how stupid I was. He was right, he had only smiled at her. I was overreacting.

"Sorry," I mumbled, resting my head on his shoulder. He kissed my forehead. I smiled as I saw the girl's eyebrows furrow.

****

Quite unusually, Professor McGonagall, (who must be the new headmistress,) stood on her podium and gave her speech before the sorting. She went through the usuals, no magic in the corridors, no going into the forbidden forest, (at which, Harry, Ron and I exchanged smirks) and at the end, she said

"Please, do your best to welcome a new student, from the United States, Vanessa Hopfinger. She has had magical education already, which she will be finishing here at Hogwarts." There was a murmur through the crowd. Out of the corner if my eye I saw her give Ron another flirty glance, twirling a strand of hair with her pinky. It took all my willpower to ignore it.

One by one, the first years were sorted. Soon, Vanessa was up ontop of the stool, the hat not going over her eyes as it did on the rest. I watched with my eyes squinted, hoping against hope that she would be somewhere the was not Gryffindor, the farther away from Ron the better. I shook the thought away. I mustn't get jealous. Or mad.

She sat on the stool for a long time, when finally, as I waited with bated breath, the brim ripped open, and the hat cried out,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

My groan was lost amid the clapping and cheering of the rest if our table. She flounced over, perfect hair flowing behind her, and, much to my distain, took a seat on the other side of Ron, though there were plenty of other empty seats.

"Hi," she said, smiling at us all, and saving a most flirtatious wink for Ron. "I'm Vanessa, who're you?"

She fluttered her eyelashes at Ron slightly, indicating that she was talking to him particularly.

"Er- Hello, I'm Ron,"

"And I'm Hermione," I inturrupted loudy, "Ron's girlfriend." Her sapphire eyes hardened at me for just a moment before she said, in a smooth voice,

"Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Ginny," Ginny smiled warmly at her, and Vanessa smiled back. Ginny is a very likable person. I can't say the same for me.

"And I'm Harry." Harry said finally. She smiled at him too, though not in the flirty way she did with Ron.

"Hello to you all, I am very hungry, I do hope we will get to eat-"

Just then, the feast appeared all along the table, mounds of mashed potatoes, roasted chicken and so much more.

I managed to eat, ignoring Vanessa contently.

It was hard, with all her small talk, directed mostly at Ron, and how she laughed sweetly at every thing he said, even when he told her he had four brothers.

She also batted her eyelashes the whole dinner.

I crushed my carrots sourly.

***