Catching Her Heart Pt. 1

Chapter 10

At mid-morning, Hermione decided to try having lunch with Harry and Ron and attempt being civil — at least on her part. She sent a letter to Oliver before lunch, telling him what she was going to attempt and he replied back to meet him outside the Great Hall before she did so, and so it was that she found herself waiting outside the Great Hall while students passed her going in to join their friends at the tables for lunch.

"Ah, there you are, lass," Oliver said, loping up to her, dodging students.

"Hello, Oliver," she said smiling as he came to a stop before her, and she fidgeted a little.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, noticing her nervousness.

"Yeah," she said, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Okay, lass," he said. "But if you find you can't, come sit with us."

"Alright," she replied.

Oliver gave her a smile and a gentle pat on the back and then headed into the Great Hall toward his friends. This was going to be good.

"Hello, Harry," Hermione said a few minutes later, sitting down beside him.

"Hello, Hermione," Harry replied.

"What do you want?" Ron asked with a glare.

"Did I say anything to you?" Hermione replied, glaring in return.

"Then why are you here?" Ron asked.

"So, Harry," Hermione said, ignoring him. "Tonight's Quidditch practice, yeah?"

"Yeah, that's right," Harry said with a nod. "Oliver wants to have it Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights so we get three times a week in."

"Alright," Hermione said. "I'll see you then."

"And why do you get to go?" Ron asked angrily.

"Because," Hermione glared at him. "I was invited by the captain of the Quidditch team! You know, for someone who's supposed to be a guy, you sure do act like you're going through PMS."

"What?" Ron asked in confusion as Harry nearly choked, before he laughed aloud, earning himself a glare.

"And here I thought you were trying to prove you were smarter," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Leaning closer she said, "You're acting like a girl."

"You shut your mouth!" Ron growled angrily.

"Ooo," Hermione said, sitting back again. "Looks like I hit a nerve."

"At least I'm not a little know-it-all that nobody likes!" Ron retorted.

Hermione inhaled sharply and fought back the tears that threatened to fall, but then suddenly, she laughed, and Ron looked at her in confusion at the change in her behaviour.

"Well, I can say one thing," she said, standing up.

"Yeah, and what's that?" Ron growled.

"I know more than you because I know how to read, which obviously you don't," Hermione said.

"I do so know how to read!" Ron protested.

"Then you must just be lazy," Hermione said. "Either way, I still know more than you."

"Only because you always have a book glued to your face and even sleep with them," Ron retorted.

"Your PMS is showing — Ronda," Hermione said. "And here I thought that I was the only girl who hung out around Harry."

Harry couldn't help it. He chuckled loudly, nearly choking on his food again.

Ron turned to glare at Harry, and Harry held up his hands.

"Switzerland," Harry reminded him.

"So," Hermione said. "I'll see you tonight then, Harry?"

"Seven o'clock," Harry said.

"Bye Harry," Hermione said standing up. "Goodbye Ronda."

"See ya," Harry replied, trying not to laugh since he had just taken another bite of his chicken.

Ron glared at her again as she turned sharply and headed up toward Oliver, Lee and the twins.

"Are you alright, lass?" Oliver said when he saw her come up the aisle and sit down between him and Lee.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I'm fine."

"So," George said.

"What did you say?" Fred asked.

Hermione smiled.

"Oh, I just remembered what you said," she replied.

"And what's that?" the twins asked in unison.

"About your mom wanting a girl," Hermione answered with a grin. "I told him that he seemed like a girl going through PMS rather than a boy, and then called him Ronda."

Loud laughter immediately broke out at their side of the table and Hermione glanced around at her new friends and then peered around them to see Ron glaring at her. Shaking her head, she sighed before returning to her group of friends. He was wrong, she thought as she ate hurriedly, the show in the Great Hall having taken longer than she thought. Regardless of what Ron said, she did have friends.

Since that first day, Oliver, Lee and the twins had made her feel welcome in their group. Okay, so maybe she didn't have any friends her age, but so what? She'd never really connected well with people in her age group anyway, always being more mature and studying harder than they did. The twins were the exception as they did more goofing off, but still, she tended to connect more on an intellectual level with people who were several years older.

She sighed as she finished her lunch of roast chicken and potatoes. "I'll see you later, alright?" she asked.

"Alright," Oliver said.

"See ya," Lee interjected.

"Hey, Hermione," Fred said, drawing her attention as she got up.

"Don't let the whelp get you down," George said.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "I'll try."