Help to understand this sentence "Harry grinned into his pillow, ..."?

Question

> Harry rolled over in bed, a series of dazzling new pictures forming in his mind's eye….He had hoodwinked the impartial judge into believing he was seventeen.…he had become Hogwarts champion…he was standing on the grounds, his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school, all of whom were applauding and screaming…he had just won the Triwizard Tournament. Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration…. > **Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't> see what he could**.There are few things I don't get from that sentence:1. What does "grinned into his pillow" mean? Is it his face burying into his pillow while grinning or something?2. Why did Harry feel *exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could*? Is it because Harry felt shy about it?Can anyone help me to understand it?

Answer 1

Hi! Without knowing the rest of the story (Ron and Harry's relationship at this moment in time, for example), it is difficult to give you a precise answer. It has been a while since I read the Harry Potter series... What I CAN tell you is that "Harry grinned into his pillow" means just that - he turned his face toward his pillow (or against his pillow) and grinned. It's basically telling us (the reader) that he was feeling excited about what he was imagining. Plus, his imagining Cho looking at him (Harry) with a look of "admiration", is also making him feel extra excited. We can see from the text that Harry has these secret desires - winning, being a champion in other's eyes, being admired by someone he likes (maybe even admires too), maybe the hint of a crush... All these secret desires that he may not be ready to share with his friend, Ron, is causing him to grin secretly (here's where the pillow comes in - to hide the grin from Ron). The images in Harry's mind and the feelings they stir up could cause him to be feel a bit embarrassed. This could be why he's glad Ron can't "see" them.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Sofia G.