Super 8

Chapter 63

Ron's POV

I overslept this morning and I almost didn't make it to breakfast. I could hardly sleep last night knowing that I had been rejected by my ex again and lost her to my worst, well almost worst, enemy. And that she's probably in the same room, or even bed, as him. I frustrates me so much. I managed to keep a fake smile on throughout breakfast and I also managed to not choke Malfoy and kill him, so this morning has been so far so good. Until some seventh year asks a stupid fucking questing in my free period at the library. It was one of two classes that I didn't have with Harry. I had homework from Slughorn already today and I was working on it. I was by myself when a kid younger than me in their robes and a red tie walks up.
"Hey, Ron, what happened to you and Hermione?" He asks. I can tell he's a Griffindor because he 1) has a red tie, 2) has the guts to talk to me about this, 3) knows me and Hermione's names. I can think about what has happened between 'Mione and me, but telling someone, let alone, a stranger?
"None of your business," I snap. "Go find your own love life." The kid looks stunned and backs away. With a pout on my face, I continue with my work until "class" ends.

******
"Ron," Harry sighs, "did you scare a seventh year again?"
"No," I reply a bit too quickly. Harry smirks. We're in transfiguration and a small, small amount of whispers among the seventh years have been out and about. I've heard from people who've heard that it's about me. How I snapped at the boy in the library.
"He asked..." I mumble to Harry. He nods slowly. He doesn't want to be in the middle of this. But he's understanding. At least he'd better be, otherwise I wouldn't let him date my sister.
Luna and Neville are in our class, towards the back. I hear the faint noises of Luna laughing and Neville swearing quietly. We're trying to change our quills into a walking stick bug, to an actual stick, to a piece of string and back to a quill. I glance back and see Neville change his quill into a dozen spiders. A freighted chill runs down my spine. I turn away, but glance back to see that Luna has changed them into the stick. Luna looks up and meets my eyes. I give a small smile. I nod my head at Neville. He gives a small wave back. I successfully turn my quill into a walking stick, a stick and a piece of sting. I can't turn it back to the string. This is apparently really challenging material even though we're using spells and charms that we learned last year. I guess using charms in a different order will change an outcome. Harry manages to get the cycle done. Just before class is dismissed, my piece of string is back to a quill again. As Harry and I make our way to leave, Neville and Luna walk out with us.
"So how was your journey?" Neville asks. I shrug.
"Great! Did you see Hermione yet? She's doing very good for being practically starved," Harry says.
"Yeah, we did see Hermione. When shed just gotten back, at dinner with Malfoy and in the common room," Luna replies. I nod my head slowly. Every time someone mentions Hermione and Malfoy at the same time makes me sick. I really don't see what Hermione sees in him.
The four of us walk back to the common room. Harry and I go to our room and change into our practice Quidditch uniforms and head out for practice. Harry is captain again. So he has to get the chest of balls and be there first and make sure the field is reserved for us. I'm the motivational co-captain. Harry's the hard working one.
I see Ginny follow me down the stairs and out to the Quidditch Pitch. I say hello and such but I wait for the rest of the team to get here so we can practice. I can hardly remember the last time I had a peaceful week or weekend here at Hogwarts. There was always something. And I keep thinking to myself, if I hadn't say with Harry Potter on the train our first year, who would've been in my place? Who would be my friend? Where would I be now? Dead? Alive? Lost? What if Harry had chosen to be friends with Malfoy and became Slytherin? I shudder at the thought. I try to bring myself out if the what ifs of the past and live right now. By now, everyone's shown up. The balls are released and we fly up in the air.
"Today, we scrimmage! Same teams as usual!" Harry calls out. We divide up on our teams. I fly over to the goal posts. "Let's play some Quidditch!" Harry yells and throws the Quaffle in the air. I realize how much I've missed Quidditch. He releases the Snitch and the Bludgers. Harry blows his whistle from around his neck and the game begins.
"Remember! Try not to severely injure anyone! Talkin' to mostly the Beaters!" Harry yells. I glance over to our new beaters and catch them smirking at each other. I roll my eyes and focus on the Quaffle.

*****

An hour and a half later, I'm walking back to the common room with Harry after practice.
"Practice was great. It felt so good to play again," I say to Harry.
"Yeah, I've been so distracted lately. Quidditch easily took my mind off of everything," Harry agrees.
When we get to the common room, I take off for our room, ready to go to sleep. Harry hangs back to chat with our classmates.

As I try to fall asleep, my mind wanders to Hermione. She's downstairs, asleep or studying, with Malfoy probably right beside her. Jealousy washes over me like a tidal wave. Great, my last thought of the night is going to be of my love with someone else...