The Impostors

Ron and Harry were in the Gryffindor common room, both looking rather furious.

"He's mental, Greg is", Ron told Harry, his face red in anger,"he really is!"

"I'll tell you who's mental!", Harry replied, equally looking frustrated, " That Joe! Thinking he can steal my Ginny!"

Earlier that day, in Potions lesson, Ron hadn't been paying attention because he was glancing frantically and anxiously at Hermione's seat where she sat with Gregorio Villialba, a Spanish new comer. Hermione had been paying 'special attention', as he called it, to him and was laughing at his every joke. Anger and jealousy started to boil inside Ron's heart, just like the cauldron boiling away in front of him.

"Mr Weasely", Snape had said in his usually cold and harsh voice, " where is your mind, if I may ask?"

Just then, Ron came to his senses and noticed that his cauldron, which was supposed to be broiling Anaweed Potion, was burning, and the potion had evaporated completely. Snape ordered him out of the class. Ron felt embarrased and his ears turned a bright shade of red as he walked out of the dungeon which was their class. Some students giggled. After Potions class, Ron narrated the story to Harry, who couldn't hold his laughter.

" Ha ha!", Harry had laughed, " I think you're over reacting"

"No, I'm not!", Ron anwered angrily, "I'm going to teach that bloke a lesson if he doesn't stay away from my Hermione."

Just then, Hermione showed up and started running toward them, dodging the hunderds of students coming out of the dungeon. Immediately she was in their midst, Ron quickly hugged her and held her tightly to himself, as if not wanting to let her go. Hermione thought this was rather odd, but she didn't speak about it.

" Have you guys seen that new guy?", Hermione started innocently, "he's so funny and cute!"

" Yeah, right." Ron said."cute..."

* * * * *

On their way back to the common room, later in the evening, Harry saw a sight that irritated him the most. Joe, also a new student, was bending against a railing on the corridor on the left of the path to the Gryffindor common room, with Ginny. He was holding her hand and telling her something that Harry was not sure about. He could tell, from the movement of his lips, that he was saying something romantic. The expression on Ginny's face didn't help matters. A feeling of jealousy, identical to how Ron felt earlier that day, struck him. He froze on the spot where his eyes caught them. Ron and Hermione had beaten him to the common room. He had never felt so angry and jealous before just because of a girl as he did now. He got a hold of himself and marched, obviously angrily, to the common room. Harry muttered the password "Potpurry" fast and angrily at the fat lady. He entered the room, filled with Gryffindors, sat in the seat reserved for him by Ron and Hermione, looking pale.

* * * * * *
Ron was starting to cool off a little but his anger was returned to its former intensity, as Gregorio passed by their table. He was wearing a towel and was obviously going to have his bath.
Harry could hear Ron muttering "girlfriend snatcher". He felt the urge to laugh but he remembered that his girlfriend too, was about to be snatched; if not already taken. He shuddered at the thought.
"You know what, Harry?", Ron said to Harry, half whispering. His face spelt mischeif," I have a plan."

"What is it?", Harry asked, looking interested.

"If Hermione really loves me...", Ron started, then paused for some suspence.

"What is it Ron?", Harry asked anxiously,"go on!"

"... Then she would be jealous of me if she saw me with another girl, now, wouldn't she?"

"Oh...", Harry said, understandingly. He had gotten the concept of the plan,"well yeah! I think-- I think that's brilliant!"
* * * * * * *

Ron's plan took effect from the next day. Harry saw him with Gloria Houston, a Hufflepuff girl, in the library. They were talking rather romantically. Ron had made sure that they were sitting right in front of Hermione, who was diligently writing the essay that Professor Snape had given them the previous day.
Harry couldn't see any trace of jealousy in her expression- although he noticed her face turn pink. Maybe she wasn't jealous after all, Harry thought. He was woefully wrong, though, during dinner that night, Harry didn't see Hermione, so, he left the great hall in search for her. Besides, he had to use the bathroom. Ron seemed not to care, although he really did.
As Harry approached the stairs leading to the Gryffindor dorm, he heard someone sobbing.

"Who's there?", he asked, his left hand groping for his wand.

"Leave me alone!", A voice said, clearly Hermione's. She had used a disillusion charm to make herself invisible to others as she wept.

"Hermione", Harry said, softly,"reveal yourself. It's me, Harry."

`Oh, Ron's plan sure worked!' Harry thought to himself.

"Mostrar!"

The revealing charm revealed Hermione sitting, face down, weeping