meant to be (1)

19

Perhaps it was because I was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all my homework, but I could hardly believe it when I realised that I'd already been at Hogwarts for two months. The lessons were also getting more interesting now that we've already had mastered the basics.

On Hallaween morning we woke up to a delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting trough the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought we were ready to start making objects fly, something we had all been looking forward to try since we've seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.

Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. To my disappointment, I had work with Harry. Ron had to work with Hermione. It was hard to tell wether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this since none of us had spoken to Hermione since Harry and I's broomsticks had arrived.

"Now don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Buffalo, who said "s" instead of "f" and found himself on the floor with a buffallo on his chest."

"Let's make a bet, Jules" Harry suddenly said.

"A bet?" I repeated, being interested.

"Yes, a bet. Whoever manages to make the feather fly first has to do whatever the other one wants" Harry answered, stretching out his hand

"Deal's on, Potter." I said, accepting the handshake. And sure enough, on my second try I managed to make the feather fly.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Clarke's done it!"

"You owe me, Potter" I said while Harry kept trying to make his feather fly. Now that I've done it, I had time to look around the classroom and decided to watch Ron and Hermione practicing.

"You're saying it wrong" Hermione snapped. "It's Win-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the gar nice and long"

"You do it then if you're so cleved!" Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand and said: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Her feather rose of the desk and hovered about four feet above our heads.

"Everyone look!" Professor Flitwick called "Miss Granger's done it as well, good job!"

Let's just say, Ron was in a very bad temper by the end of the class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her" Ron said to Harry and I as we pushed our way through the crowded corridor. "She's a nightmare honestly."

Suddenly, someone knocked into Harry as they walked past us. It was Hermione. I caught a glimpse of her face and saw that she was crying.

"You idiot" I hissed to Ron before I hurried after her. Even though we weren't talking, I thought that nobody deserved to hear something like that being said about them and I wanted to comfort her.

Hermione ran into the bathroom and I quickly followed her, just to see that she had already looked herself in a toilet stall, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mione, open up, it's me, Julie." I softly said as I lightly knocked on the door.

"Go away!"Hermione said. "I know that you don't want to be friends with me. I mean, why would you want to be? Julie, you don't even realise how popular you are! Everyone's head turns when you enter a room, especially the boys. They all stare at you with those big eyes and their jaws are on the floor. And Harry, Ron and you are the friend group of our year and obviously they don't want to be friends with me as well. You heard what Ron said: Nightmare... no one can stand here.."

"Ron's probably just jealous of how smart you are and who cares if I'm popular or not? Of course I want to be friends with you. You're honestly the only girl who gets me, Mione" I said and that made her unlock the door. Her face was all red and wet from the tears and her eyes were very swollen. My heart broke to see her like that.

"Oh, Mione.." I said as I pulled her into a thight hug and she started to sob again. "Come on let's get you cleaned up."

I turned around to go to the sinks to get some paper towels, but immediately froze.