1. Slapping Sense

Summary: Hermione sees fit to slap some sense into Harry....literally. One shot H/H fanficion, Set sometime during their 6^th year at Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: All belongs to JKR....as you might have guessed

A/N: This story kept coming into my head as I was trying to continue writing Growing Change. I though that if I finally got it down on paper so to speak that I could get back to writing about Lily and James. I didn't spend much time editing it so I apologize to any errors I might have made. Maybe I'll find time to go back and fix some of them at some point. I would help if you could point them out to me to make them easier to fix. Don't forget to review!

Slapping Sense

“Ron, I'm really worried,” Hermione Granger glanced over at Ron Weasley, who was sitting on the carpet in the common room in front of the fireplace with a chessboard in front of him. Hermione was curled up on the sofa with a book in her lap. She had read the same sentence several times before she spoke.

Ron sighed and moved a pawn into position. “I know you are, but he's always like this. You should be used to it by now.”

“I know...but...” Hermione said, nervously playing with a strand of her hair. “Something is different this time. I mean ever since Sirius-”

Ron cut her off, “Hermione! Just let him be ok? He'll talk to us when he's ready.”

“Ok, I'll let him alone,” she said sighing. “At least for now.”

At that moment the portrait hole opened and Harry Potter stumbled through looking as though he had just climbed out of the lake. Hermione immediately jumped to her feet.

“Where have you been?” she exclaimed.

Harry just looked at her. “I was walking.” His voice was flat and devoid of emotion.

“Out on the grounds? You know we're not allowed out there after dark!” she said huffily. “Honestly, you'll catch your death being out there in the cold and rain! Not to mention getting expelled if you're caught!”

“Since when has that stopped me before?” Harry asked, making his way to an overstuffed armchair. “Besides, I had my cloak on. No one would have been able to see me anyways.”

“Hmph!” Hermione grabbed her book off the sofa. “I'm going to bed. I'll see you both at breakfast.” That said, she stalked up the stairs leading to her dormitory.

Ron put his chess set away and stood up. “She's right you know. You're going to get sick if you keep this up much longer. So will she, come to that, what with all the worrying she's been doing about you.”

“Well no one asked her too. Least of all me,” Harry said moodily.

“Suit yourself,” Ron said shrugging. “I'm going to bed.”

Harry watched as Ron disappeared up the stairs. He sighed wearily and rubbed his face with his hands.

“It's not like they would understand anyways,” Harry said to himself. “They don't have the entire well being of the Wizarding World on their shoulders.”

*******************

“I can't take it anymore, Ron!”

Hermione was pacing the common room, while Ron was sat in an armchair, his head in his hands. It was passed one o' clock in the morning on a Friday night and Harry had yet to return from his nightly wanderings. This was the latest he had stayed out so far this year and Hermione was going crazy with worry.

“This has to stop! It isn't healthy!”

“What do propose we do then, eh?” Ron said glaring at Hermione. “It's not like he's going to talk to us if he hasn't already! And we know for a fact that he hasn't gone to Dumbledore because you just asked him yesterday.”

“We talk to him ourselves.”

“Oh? And how are we supposed to do that. You know he won't listen. He'll just get up and leave again like he's done all year.”

“Well, we just won't give him a choice then, will we?”

Ron looked at Hermione in confusion. How were they supposed to make him listen? Hex him or something? He sighed and leaned his head against the back of the armchair. He didn't relish the thought of hexing his best friend.

*******************

Harry stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and wearily said the password. They better

have gone to bed by now. He thought. I can't stand to see them tonight. ...As the seventh month

dies... It always hit him hardest at the end of the months. He couldn't face Ron and Hermione, not

now at least. You could tell them. They would understand what you're going through if you did.

They'll never understand! Only because you won't give them a chance too. Oh bugger off already!

Harry climbed through the portrait hole and let out a relieved sigh. Good, they're not here. He

thought, making his way over to the couch and sprawling upon it.

“It's about time you got back, Harry.”

Harry sat up with a start. Hermione was standing directly in front of him and Ron was sitting in an

armchair close by. It was strange how he hadn't noticed them before. Then again he had been

rather caught up in his thoughts.

“Bloody hell, Hermione, don't creep up on me like that!”

“I didn't creep Harry. I simply walked up in front of you and you failed to notice,” Hermione stated

calmly.

“Well don't.” Harry stood up. “I'm going to bed.” He made to go to the dormitory stairs but

Hermione moved into his path. “Move out of my way, Hermione. I'm going to bed.”

“No, you're not Harry.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We're going to talk. Now sit down.”

“No.” His green eyes flashed. “I'm going to bed.” He moved towards the stairs again, but

Hermione was once more blocking his way.

Harry stomped his foot in frustration. “Bugger off, Hermione!”

“I said `sit down' Harry!”

“Stop treating me like some disobedient child!”

“Then stop bloody well acting like one!” Hermione yelled. “We're going to talk whether you want to or not!” Harry was speechless. He couldn't think of a time when Hermione had yelled at him like this, not to mention curse. he kept opening and closing his mouth as he searched for something to say.

“I am not!”

Ron, who until then had kept silent, spoke up, “Yeah, you kind of are, mate. All this moping around

and refusing to talk to us.” He paused, “Not to mention staying out way passed your bedtime...” he

added with a smirk.

“Oh, bugger off! It's not like you could help even if I told you!”

“How would you know? You haven't even given us a clue as to what's been bothering you so much!”

“Well, it doesn't seem as if you care overly much!”

SMACK!

“How can you say that?” Hermione shouted close to tears. “How on can you possibly say that? We're your friends, Harry! Of course we bloody well care!” Hermione began pounding on Harry's chest with her fists. “We don't stay up waiting for you for the fun of it! We want to know what's happening with you!” Ron was looking on in shock and Harry was speechless, not fully comprehending what was happening.

“I want- I need to know what's going on with you!” Hermione collapsed against Harry

and broke down, sobbing uncontrollably onto him. “Y-you can't keep me in the dark like this anymore, Harry,” she added softly. “It hurts too much.”

Harry looked over at Ron, but he didn't know what to do anymore then Harry did. Harry was

beginning to realize that he had caused Hermione to react like this. If he had just told them what

had been bothering him in the first place none of this would have happened. His cheek stung where

Hermione had slapped him and his shirt was becoming wet from her tears. If he had just told them, Hermione wouldn't be so upset. She wouldn't be making herself sick with worry over him and she wouldn't be crying. He patted her awkwardly on her back, trying to calm her down. “Hermione,” he said softly. “Calm down. Please? You're killing me crying like this.”

Hermione pulled away from him and wiped away at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I'm sorry.” she said thickly. “I shouldn't have overreacted like that. It's just that it's so hard watching you do this to yourself. I mean you hardly talk to anyone.” Hermione began pacing. “You're always walking around alone late at night, you sit by yourself when you're in the common room and worst of all you actually do your homework without me telling you to!” Hermione stopped pacing and stood directly in front of Harry. “I miss you,” she said softly, brushing away a piece of hair that had fallen into his eyes. She looked directly at him. “I miss the Harry that I had before Sirius died. I miss-” she broke off and walked backwards away from him, towards stairs leading up to her dormitory. She turned towards him, one foot on the first step. “I miss the Harry I fell in love with,” she said so quietly that he almost missed it.

Harry caught a glimpse of a single tear running down the side of her cheek before she disappeared up the stairs...

A/N: That's all I have... Maybe I'll add more to it at some point or something....I don't know... It depends on how may reviews I get (hint, hint) haha...yeah so anyways...hope you liked it! Now I can get back to writing Growing Change...

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3. Revelations

A/N: I got so many reviews for this story I was stunned. I didn’t expect so many. Yay! I was jumping around the room. My mom thought I was crazy, haha, and my brother just thought I was weird…but whatever, back to my point…thanks for all the wonderful reviews! You convinced me to do another chapter so here it is. I put off writing Growing Change for a bit so I could get this done. It took me forever to write…I hope you like it! And yes…it's going to be the last chapter so review review! I'm addicted to them! So Merry Christmas and happy reading! Don’t forget to review!!

Disclaimer: Not mine…all JKR’s…at least the characters and stuff are. The plot (for the most part) it mine.

Slapping Sense

Chapter 2: Revelations

It was as though someone had hit him with a stunner. He couldn’t move. He had just had the shock of his life. His cheek still stung where she had slapped him and his shirt was slightly damp from her tears. He shook his head and blinked several times before looking around the common room. Ron was leaning against the wall between the two sets of stairs leading up to the dormitories, arms crossed, and for once a serious look on his face.

“Well?” Ron asked.

“Well what?”

“What are you going to do?”

“About what?”

Ron gave Harry an exasperated look. “Hermione just slapped you, cried all over you, and then told you that she loves you, in that order. I was here. I witnessed it. And you had better bloody well do something about it!”

“No.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” Harry said, running a hand through his hair. “I won’t go out late anymore, but that’s all I’ll do. Besides,” he said more to himself then to Ron. “She probably didn’t mean it anyways. I mean come on, who would go and fall in love with me? That’s insane.”

Ron stared at him disbelievingly. “Your even thicker then I am. At least when I found out that Lavender liked me I had the nerve to do something about it.”

“It’s not that simple,” Harry said.

“What’s not simple about it? You love her and she loves you. All you have to do is tell her.”

“That’s the problem! I don’t love her. I can’t love her!” He threw up his hands. “Forget it. I’m going to bed.”

He practically ran up the stairs and Ron looked after him silently shaking his head.

********

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were sitting on Lavender’s bed reading an article from Witch Weekly when Hermione walked in, dropped her book bag on the floor, shut the door quietly behind her and leaned back against it, breathing heavily and fighting (unsuccessfully) to hold back tears. Lavender looked over at Pavarti and they put the magazine down and walked over to Hermione, she had been like this all week.

“Hermione,” Lavender said tentatively. “Are you sure you don‘t want to talk about it?”

Hermione nodded her head and slid down to the floor staring blankly ahead.

Parvati sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. Lavender got a box of tissues from her nightstand and offered one to Hermione. Hermione took the offered tissue and dried her eyes. She looked up at her roommates. “Thanks,” she whispered thickly with a quavering smile.

She allowed her roommates to lead her over to her bed, where she laid down and curled up on her side hugging one of her pillows. Parvati sat down next to her and Lavender pulled up a chair. “Do you want anything?” Lavender asked. “Maybe a glass of water?” Hermione shook her head.

“Is this about Harry?” Lavender asked knowingly. Ron had already told her everything and naturally she had told Parvati.

Hermione sat up at his name, unsurprised that they knew. “He just stood there,” she said angrily, punching the pillow for emphasis. “Like a great big lump. He didn’t even say anything back! And this whole week he’s been acting like nothing happened!” she screamed and then promptly broke down into tears again burying her face in her pillow.

Lavender shot Parvati a stricken look and jumped out of the chair she was sitting on. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Parvati. “This has got to stop.” She opened their dormitory door and then went down the stairs to the common room.

************

Ron was slowly filling up three feet of parchment with his Transfiguration essay at one of the large tables in the empty common room, while Harry sat on the couch in front of the fire staring unseeing into the flames. Lavender went up behind Ron and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“What's up with him?” she whispered into his ear.

A huge grin broke out on Ron’s face and he turned to greet Lavender with a kiss. “I dunno. He’s been like that since Hermione went upstairs. Said she had a headache or something.”

Lavender let out and unladylike snort. “Headache my foot.” She stepped around the chair and sat in Ron’s lap. His arms came up to wrap around her. “Has he been like this since she told him?” she asked with a sigh.

“Yeah, he hasn’t said anything about it though. Not since that night.”

“Not even to you?” she asked. “You didn’t talk to him afterwards?”

“Yeah, I did for a bit and I don’t think I ever saw him so shocked, or upset. I mean she slapped him, cried all over him and then told him that she loved him.” Ron let sighed. “He was so…I dunno how to explain it. He said that he didn’t love her. No, that he couldn’t love her. I have no idea why. I mean so what if he’s Harry Potter and all that, we’ve all been friends since first year. It’s not like she’d be in anymore danger if they were dating. Although, I get the feeling he‘s not telling us something. Ever since that night at the Ministry he‘s been really distant. Even when he came to the Burrow this summer.”

“Maybe he is hiding something. He’s done it before hasn’t he? Last year with that whole Occlumency thing?”

“Yeah, he has, but this seems bigger somehow. And it’s not just because of Sirius dying.”

“He was his godfather, right?” Lavender asked.

“Yeah.” They sat for a few minutes in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Maybe I should take a page out of Hermione’s book.” Ron looked at Lavender quizzically as she climbed off of his lap and went to stand in front of Harry. She eyed him thoughtfully. “I’ve wanted to do this since that Yule Ball disaster with Parvati in fourth year,” she said before she-

Smack!

-slapped Harry across the face.

Harry reeled back on the couch and immediately came to his senses. He blinked owlishly at Lavender, turned to look at Ron and then looked back at Lavender again rubbing his sore cheek that still had a faint bruise from when Hermione had slapped him earlier that week. “What the bloody hell was that for? That’s the second time this week! Is there a ‘Lets all smack Harry party’ that I should know about or something?” He stood up and turned to Ron. “Are you going to hit me now too? Because if you are let me tell you that I have no problem hitting you back.”

Ron held up his hands. “Ease up, mate. I’m just here for support.”

Harry crossed his arms and glared at Ron. “Support for who? Me or her?”

Ron cleared his throat. “Er… I think I’ll just finish this upstairs,” he said quickly, gathering up his essay. “Yeah, that sounds good,” he said hurriedly backing up the stairs.

Lavender gave him a scathing look and rolled her eyes before turning back to Harry. “You’ve been causing a lot of problems this week,” she said.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Hermione is upstairs crying. Again.” She glared at Harry. “She’s been crying herself to sleep every night this week!”

“Damn.” Harry closed his eyes and sat back down on the couch, his head in his hands. His anger at being slapped again was forgotten. “I didn‘t know that?” he mumbled.

“Obviously. You really need to get your act together before she makes herself sick. Or,” she added threateningly. “The rest of us will do it for you.”

Harry gulped and nodded, knowing what he had to do. “Give me until tomorrow night,” he said.

“Fine.” Lavender nodded tersely and went back up to her dormitory.

Harry leaned back against the couch and sighed. Saturday night was going to be hell.

********

He waited until he and Hermione were the only ones left in the common room to make his move. Usually she would have gone up to bed too, but he managed to convince her to stay up, saying that he needed her help on his Potions essay. She was reading over his essay now making marks on it every so often. He quickly jotted something down on a slip of paper and tossed it at her. She laid down her quill and picked it up looking at him quizzically.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Just read it,” he said. “Please?”

She nodded and opened the scrap of paper to read what he wrote.

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches.... Born to those who have thrice defied him, Born as the seventh month dies....and the Dark Lord will mark his as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not....and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.…”

“Harry,” she asked hesitantly. “What is this?”

He closed his eyes. “The prophecy,” he said quietly.

“The one from the Department of Mysteries? But that one broke before anyone could hear it.”

“Yes, but it was only a record.” He stood up and paced in front of the fire. “Dumbledore was there to hear the original. He told it to me that night.”

Hermione stood up and went over to him. “B-but Harry, it’s only a prophecy, it might not come true.”

“Don’t you see!” He turned on her so ferociously that she lost her footing and fell backwards onto the couch. He pointed to his scar. “It already has!”

Hermione’s eyes widened and her face paled. “Oh, Harry.” She was silent for a moment then sat up with a determined look on her face. “It’s, alright. We’ll get through this. We love each other too mu-”

“No!” he interrupted her, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Don’t you get it? I don’t love you, I can’t love you!” He let go and rested his head on her knees. “If anything happened…if you…Merlin Hermione I can’t even…I don’t know what I’d do.” He stood up and faced the fire, his throat felt tight and his eyes were burning. “No, it won’t happen, I won’t let it!”

Hermione stood up and cautiously touched his shoulder. “Harry, what…?”

“Damn it!” He turned and grabbed her roughly, kissing her with all the pent up emotions he had.

She was so startled that at first she nearly pushed him away. ‘Harry is kissing me!’ she realized and brought her hands up to tangle in his hair as she feverishly returned his kiss.

He pulled away a split second for air then came back, deepening the kiss. Hermione was so caught up in it, that she didn’t even realize that he had backed her up against the wall. One of the stones was digging slightly into her back but she took no notice. A few minutes later they pulled away, both breathing heavily. Hermione looked up into his brilliant green eyes. “We’ll make it through this,” she said reaching up to kiss his scar tenderly.

Harry smiled down at her before leaning in for another kiss. “Yes…yeah, I think we will.”

A/N: Well that was it! I hope you enjoyed reading it. I didn’t have it beta read at all so if there are any mistakes please point them out to me. I think it was a bit rushed but that’s the way it came out. I might go back and edit it some later but who knows. Also, if you have any questions about why I did things the way I did please feel free to ask…I would love to tell you. Anyways….hoped you liked it. Don’t forget to review!! By the way…I’m absolutely thrilled that we finally know the release date for HBP!

Slapping Sense

1. Slapping Sense

2. Author's Note-Please Read!

3. Revelations