.I.m.not.saying.what.she.did.was.sensible,..said.Hermione,.as.Ginny.joined.them,
.just.as.muddy.as.Ron.and.looking.equally.disgruntled...I.m.just.trying.to.make.you.see.how.she.was.feeling.at.the.time...
.You.should.write.a.book,..Ron.told.Hermione.as.he.cut.up.his.potatoes,
.
.translating.mad.things.girls.do.so.boys.can.understand.them...
.Yeah,..said.Harry.fervently,.looking.over.at.the.Ravenclaw.table..Cho.had.just.got.up,.and,.still.not.looking.at.him,.she.left.the.Great.Hall..Feeling.rather.depressed,.he.looked.back.at.Ron.and.Ginny...So,.how.was.Quidditch.practice?..
.It.was.a.nightmare,..said.Ron.in.a.surly.voice..
.Oh.come.on,..said.Hermione,.looking.at.Ginny,..I.m.sure.it.wasn.t.that.‐..
.Yes,.it.was,..said.Ginny...It.was.appalling..Angelina.was.nearly.in.tears.by.the.end.of.it...
Ron.and.Ginny.went.off.for.baths.after.dinner;.Harry.and.Hermione.returned.to.the.busy.Gryffindor.common.room.and.their.usual.pile.of.homework..Harry.had.been.struggling.with.a.new.star‐chart.for.Astronomy.for.half.an.hour.when.Fred.and.George.turned.up..
.Ron.and.Ginny.not.here?..asked.Fred,.looking.around.as.he.pulled.up.a.chair,
.and.when.Harry.shook.his.head,.he.said,..Good..We.were.watching.their.practice..They.re.going.to.be.slaughtered..They.re.complete.rubbish.without.us...
.Come.on,.Ginny.s.not.bad,..said.George.fairly,.sitting.down.next.to.Fred.
.
.Actually,.1.dunno.how.she.got.so.good,.seeing.how.we.never.let.her.play.with.us...
.She.s.been.breaking.into.your.broom.shed.in.the.garden.since.the.age.of.six.and.taking.each.of.your.brooms.out.in.turn.when.you.wern.t.looking,..said.Hermione.from.behind.her.tottering.pile.of.Ancient.Rune.books..
.Oh,..said.George,.looking.mildly.impressed...Well.‐.that.d.explain.it...
.Has.Ron.saved.a.goal.yet?..asked.Hermione,.peering.over.the.top.of.Magical.Hieroglyphs.and.Logograms..
.Well,.he.can.do.it.if.he.doesn.t.think.anyone.s.watching.him,..said.Fred,.rolling.his.eyes...So.all.we.have.to.do.is.ask.the.crowd.to.turn.their.backs.and.talk.among.themselves.every.time.the.Quaffle.goes.up.his.end.on.Sturday...
He.got.up.again.and.moved.restlessly.to.the.window,.staring.out.across.the.dark.grounds..
.You.know,.Quidditch.was.about.the.only.thing.in.this.place.worth.staying.for...
Hermione.cast.him.a.stern.look..
.You.ve.got.exams.coming!..
Told.you.already,.we.re.not.fussed.about.NEWTs,..said.Fred..The.Snackboxes.are.ready.to.roll,.we.found.out.how.to.get.rid.of.those.boils,.just.a.couple.of.drops.of.Murtlap.essence.sorts.them,.Lee.put.us.on.to.it...
George.yawned.widely.and.looked.out.disconsolately.at.the.cloudy.night.sky..
.I.dunno.if.I.even.want.to.watch.this.match..If.Zacharias.Smith.beats.us.I.might.have.to.kill.myself...
.Kill.him,.more.like,..said.Fred.firmly..
That.s.the.trouble.with.Quidditch,..said.Hermione.absent‐mindedly,.once.again.bent.over.her.Runes.translation,..it.creates.all.this.bad.feeling.and.tension.between.the.houses...
She.looked.up.to.find.her.copy.of.Spellman.s.Syllabary,.and.caught.Fred,.George.and.Harry.all.staring.at.her.with.expressions.of.mingled.disgust.and.incredulity.on.their.faces..