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for the houses competition, gryffindor, year 3, drabble, first flight

thanks to ck for the once over

Hermione could smack Ron right now. They're on a plane, about to go and visit her parents in Australia, and Ron won't stop bouncing his foot up and down.

"If they don't use magic," Ron says, looking around at the people boarding, "how does the plane even stay up?"

"Air flow," Hermione hisses at him.

She doesn't really have the time or patience to deal with Ron's questions right now. She doesn't know exactly how planes work either, and she's not an easy flier herself; she doesn't want to have to take care of Ron on this flight — his first Muggle flight ever.

The overhead announcements tell them strap in, as the flight will be starting, and Hermione does so, taking deep breaths.

Ron's beside her, also taking deep breaths. Or really almost hyperventilating.

The plane goes up, with minor turbulence, and Hermione finds Ron's hand beside hers. She gives it a squeeze and it's actually nice to have the comfort of another person. By the time the plane levels out, she's actually fine. It's probably the smoothest lift-off she's experienced.

Ron, though, is tightly squeezing her hand.

"You can let go now," she says, trying to squirm out his iron grip.

"We're going to die on this flight," he says, turning to her, a distraught look on his face.

The plane hits a spot of turbulence and Ron squeezes her hand even tighter.

This should be a fun twenty-two hours.