.So.that.s.why.she.talks.now?..he.asked.Hermione...She.never.used.to.talk.in.front.of.me...
.Exactly,..said.Hermione...Yes,.I.think.I.ll.have.this.one…..
She.went.up.to.the.counter.and.handed.over.fifteen.Sickles.and.two.Knuts,.with.Ron.still.breathing.down.her.neck..
.Ron,..she.said.severely.as.she.turned.and.trod.on.his.feet,..this.is.exactly.why.Ginny.hasn.t.told.you.she.s.seeing.Michael,.she.knew.you.d.take.it.badly..So.don.t.harp.on.about.it,.for.heaven.s.sake...
.What.d.you.mean?.Who.s.taking.anything.badly?.I.m.not.going.to.harp.on.about.anything…..Ron.continued.to.chunter.under.his.breath.all.the.way.down.the.street..
Hermione.rolled.her.eyes.at.Harry.and.then.said.in.an.undertone,.while.Ron.was.still.muttering.imprecations.about.Michael.Corner,..And.talking.about.Michael.and.Ginny….what.about.Cho.and.you?..
.What.d.you.mean?..said.Harry.quickly..
It.was.as.though.boiling.water.was.rising.rapidly.inside.him;.a.burning.sensation.that.was.causing.his.face.to.smart.in.the.cold.‐had.he.been.that.obvious?.
.Well,..said.Hermione,.smiling.slightly,..she.just.couldn.t.keep.her.eyes.off.you,
.could.she?..
Harry.had.never.before.appreciated.just.how.beautiful.the.village.of.Hogsmeade.was..
—.CHAPTER.SEVENTEEN.—.
Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐four
Harry.felt.happier.for.the.rest.of.the.weekend.than.he.had.done.all.term..He.and.Ron.spent.much.of.Sunday.catching.up.with.all.their.homework.again,.and.although.this.could.hardly.be.called.fun,.the.last.burst.of.autumn.sunshine.persisted,.so.rather.than.sitting.hunched.over.tables.in.the.common.room.they.took.their.work.outside.and.lounged.in.the.shade.of.a.largebeech.tree.on.the.edge.of.the.lake..Hermione,.who.of.course.was.up.to.date.with.all.her.work,
.brought.more.wool.outside.with.her.and.bewitched.her.knitting.needles.so.that.they.flashed.and.clicked.in.midair.beside.her,.producing.more.hats.and.scarves..
Knowing.they.were.doing.something.to.resist.Umbridge.and.the.Ministry,.and.that.he.was.a.key.part.of.the.rebellion,.gave.Harry.a.feeling.of.immense.satisfaction..He.kept.reliving.Saturdays.meeting.in.his.mind:.all.those.people,
.coming.to.him.to.learn.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts….and.the.looks.on.their.faces.as.they.had.heard.some.of.the.things.he.had.done….and.Cho.praising.his.performance.in.the.Triwizard.Tournament.‐.knowing.all.those.people.did.not.think.him.a.lying.weirdo,.but.someone.to.be.admired,.buoyed.him.up.so.much.that.he.was.still.cheerful.on.Monday.morning,.despite.the.imminent.prospect.of.all.his.least.favourite.classes..
He.and.Ron.headed.downstairs.from.their.dormitory,.discussing.Angelinas.idea.that.they.were.to.work.on.a.new.move.called.the.Sloth.Grip.Roll.during.that.night.s.Quidditch.practice,.and.not.until.they.were.halfway.across.the.sunlit.common.room.did.they.notice.the.addition.to.the.room.that.had.already.attraced.the.attention.of.a.small.group.of.people..
A.large.sign.had.been.affixed.to.the.Gryffindor.noticeboard;.so.large.it.covered.everything.else.on.it.‐.the.lists.of.secondhand.spellbooks.for.sale,.the.regular.reminders.of.school.rules.from.Argus.Filch,.the.Quidditch.team.training.timetable,.the.offers.to.barter.certain.Chocolate.Frog.Cards.for.others,.the.Weasleys..latest.advertisement.for.testers,.the.dates.of.the.Hogsmeade.weekends.and.the.lost.and.found.notices..The.new.sign.was.printed.in.large.black.letters.and.there.was.a.highly.official‐looking.seal.at.the.bottom.beside.a.neat.and.curly.signature..