It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 64: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Since Ron had been poisoned, Cormac McGlaggen had taken his place on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Lavender had visited Ron in the hospital wing at least twice every day since March 1st, much to Ron's disappointment. Harry and Hermione spent more time with him than Lavender did, of course, but they would both get up quickly and make an excuse to leave as soon as she came in to visit.

The first Quidditch match Gryffindor had to play without Ron came with a wonderful surprise: now that Zacharius Smith refused to continue, Luna had taken over his job of doing the commentary.

"And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle." Luna said dreamily as the game began,"He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose - it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he's playing them - oh, look, he's lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she's very nice."

Harry almost burst out laughing. It was brilliant! He loved Luna, of course he did, but her commentary was so terrible, it was good!

"The match, Miss Lovegood!" McGonagall scolded her.

"Sorry, Professor." Luna said,"Now that big Hufflepuff player's got the Quaffle from Ginny, I can't remember his name, it's something like Bibble - no, Buggins-"

"It's Cadawaller!" McGonagall said loudly, causing the stands to erupt into shouts of laughter.

McGlaggen had, however, suddenly captured Harry's attention, as he had turned to Peakes and pulled the bat from his hands to demonstrate how to 'properly hit a ball'.

"Will you give him back his bat and get back to the goalposts!" Harry roared at him, pelting towards McGlaggen just as McGlaggen took a ferocious swing at an incoming Bludger and mis-hit it.

The next thing Harry knew, he was in the bed next to Ron's in the hospital wing, thick layers of bandage wrapped around his head.

"Nice of you to drop in." Ron grinned.

"Oh, Harry, are you all right?" Hermione was kneeling at the head of Harry's bed, looking quite nervous.

Harry raised his head. It felt oddly heavy. He let it drop back into his pillow and moaned,"Not really. What happened?"

Scowling, Hermione snapped,"Well, McGlaggen hit a Bludger at your head and cracked your skull."

"Blimey." Harry sighed,"Next time you see him, can you tell him he's off the team for the rest of his life, for me?"

"Happily." Hermione nodded.

"I could hear the commentary from up here." Ron grinned, propping himself up in his bed,"I hope Luna always commentates from now on. What was it she was saying about Loser's Lurgy?"

Harry was still too angry to see much humour in the situation, and after a while Ron's laughter subsided and Madam Pomfrey had ushered Hermione out to give the boys some rest.

"How long was I unconscious?" Harry asked Ron glumly.

"Hours." Ron said,"Hermione spent the whole day here, so Lavender wouldn't come near me! Hermione should just stick herself to me and then Lavender'll stay right away forever..."

But Harry wasn't listening. Hermione surely couldn't have spent the entire day in the hospital wing with Harry. She must have had other things to do, more important things. The thought of her kneeling there, holding his hand and praying for him to wake up settled Harry enough to send him off to sleep quickly, despite the fact that Ron was still droning on about Lavender.