Back at Hogwarts

I stretched as I entered the castle. "Ah, good to be back", I smiled.

"yup, even with the things going on, it is nice to be back", Grant said.

"yeah, I mean, I'm probably on the chopping block because I'm the only muggle-born in Slytherin", Tim lamented. "Maybe I should ask the hat why I am in Slytherin."

"that is a good question, but I'm glad you are," I said and wrapped an arm around his neck. "It would be so less fun without you."

"Maybe you are adopted?" Grant said, thinking about it

"Nah, I think deep down Tim-Tam here is just as cunning and ambitious as any Slytherin", I snickered

"What a Tim-Tam?" asked grant

"That's what I keep asking!" Tim said in frustration.

"hi guys", Tina rocked up behind us. "How were the holidays?" 

"Great, did you all practice?" I asked something. Now Tina was here.

"yup", said Grant. "Sure did", said Tina. "Eh, a bit", said Tim.

 "Well, at the end of the week, we got to hold our garden party again", I said. This brought smiles to my bandmates.

"looking forward to it; Halloween was so much fun", Tina bounced on her feet. "oh, there's Cho; gotta go see you at practice" She ran off to catch up to Cho Chang.

"Eddie!" I saw Harry and Ron approaching. 

"yo!" I shouted back, raising a hand in greeting.

"hey guys", Tim said. 

"Hey, Tim", Ron said; their friendship had bloomed this year, with Ron coming to more study groups; even though he couldn't use his wand, he found that Tim's wand was good to practice with, so they were often partnered up. 

"Hermione's in the hospital wing," said Harry with a sigh. "I can't tell you why, but you are her friends, so I thought I'd let you know."

"she hasn't been attacked, has she?" Tim said with worry,

"No, nothing like that", Ron said. "Just a mishap over Christmas" 

"This hasn't had anything to do with the potion you were brewing in Myrtle's haunt, has it?" I asked. I knew what mishap had befouled Hermione, but I can't appear to be that omnipotent.

"ah, maybe", Harry said sheepishly. "How did you know that?"

With the creepiest voice ever and wide eyes, I said, "I know all your secrets", while slowly skewing my head to the side. Harry and Ron looked frightened, and my face, *pfft* I broke into laughter, giggling at the shocked looks. "Remember I caught you guys stealing from Snape's supplies," I said once I got back under control.

"Well, we better go wish her well," I said with a smile and started to walk towards the hospital wing. 

Once we arrived, we saw Hermione's bed was cordoned off with curtains; we walked up and sat down on the neighbouring bed. "Hey Hermione, I brought Grant, Tim and Eddie," Harry said to the curtain. 

"oh hey guys", Hermione said with a timid voice.

"uh, get well, Hermione," said Tim, feeling uncomfortable talking to a curtain 

"yeah, hope you get well soon", said Grant with 

"Yeah, Hermione, we're all concerned, especially with this curtain," I said, "it's not contagious, is it?"

"no, just not pretty to look at at the moment," she said, embarrassed.

"Ah, we are all friends here, Hermione; there is no shame. But it is up to you." I smiled. Two songs were lodging themselves into my brain, but they would be mean to play. 

"Thanks, Eddie. I should be out here in a few weeks," she said.

"Well, I'm sure Ron will bring all the stuff you missed in class," I said with a smile, looking at Ron.

"ah yeah, you can count on me," Ron said, unsure.

"he'll take plenty of notes for you", I said, adding fuel to the fire.

"thankyou ron" Hermione said and i gave Ron a thumbs up which he blushed at.

"Anyway, we got to get to dinner," said Tim, his stomach grumbling.

"yeah, well visit again" Said grant and they dragged me away. 

"What was that about?" Asked Tim as we walked to the great hall.

"huh, I'm just helping Ron," I said. They gave me puzzled looks. "I think he has a crush on her", I explained.

"What?" asked Tim.

"we'll he always first to jump to her defence when anybody says something, and he looked genuinely worried when we got there", I said.

"so?" asked Grant.

"Well, think about last year; he was the first to pick on her, and now he's the first to defend her, even to the point he uses his broken wand," I explained. Grant had a face of realisation, but Tim still had a blank face of confusion.

"Tim, why do boys pull girls' hair?" Asked grant, understanding what i was saying.

"I don't know, I've never done that", Tim said.

"it's because they like the girl, and they don't know how to express that," I said, "and because they keep thinking of them, they do dumb stuff." 

 "yup, and then we figure out what we are feeling, and we still do dumb stuff to try and get the girl's attention", Grant said, continuing my train of thought.

"yup, the most awesome things and dumb things men do are usually to impress a girl", I chuckled. 

"is that why you danced and sang to a tree, making a fool of yourself? To impress Luna?" asked Tim.

"what? No, I did that to make my guitar." I said defensively, "Luna was there, and I thought it was good to have fun with friends." 

"So you get the quibbler for the articles, too," said Grant with a teasing voice.

"hey, the quibbler does have some good articles", I again defended myself. Grant and Tim shared a look that I didn't like. "cut it out: Luna is a cool person; she's so carefree and happy; just because I enjoy her company doesn't mean I have a crush." 

"Sure, buddy,", said Grant.

"you know what? I forgot something important until this moment," I said, looking at both of them. "You still haven't told me about the girls you met over the summer".

Grant and Tim's eyes went comically wide, and they ran towards the great hall.

"hey, get back here!" i yelled chasing after them