Disclaimer: Canon Harry Potter stories are not mine…I only wish
A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, I appreciate them so much! Please keep reviewing ;) I have a few more chapters of this story written, so I will try to update regularly. Well, I'm done rambling. Enjoy the chapter
Chapter 3 - Old Grudges
Harry and Ron headed back up to the dormitories alone; Hermione had run off to the library and to do some other unknown errands.
"Can you believe my little sister's with that foul prat Harry?" Ron bemoaned. He hadn't stopped talking about the subject of Ginny's new boyfriend since his sister had given him the news at dinner.
"It'll be okay mate, it won't take long for him to do something really rotten to make her realize he hasn't changed a bit," Harry said encouragingly, unconsciously frowning as a result of thinking about Malfoy.
"Too bad Aragog's dead. He might have fancied having Malfoy for lunch," Ron remarked in amusement, picturing Malfoy's face seeing the giant spider. A malicious grin crept on his face.
"There are plenty of horrible creatures out in the magical world that could do just the job. Buckbeak tried, too bad he only nicked him," Harry replied, joining in the amusing topic of ways to maim or kill Malfoy.
Ron chuckled.
"I still hate this," Ron grumbled miserably, a sour expression on his face.
"They'll split up soon enough. People our age don't tend to stay together for long," Harry told him understandingly.
"Yeah, like me and Hermione," Ron muttered, the air of gloom around their conversation increasing. Harry gave Ron a mystified look, surprised by the sudden turn in the conversation. Ron and Hermione had broken up not long after Voldemort's death, but Harry had never really felt completely comfortable asking either of his friends about such a sore topic, at least not while it was their break-up was fairly recent.
He glanced at Ron for a moment, and then asked tentatively, "So, why did you guys break up?" His green eyes flashed inquisitively.
A pained expression appeared on Ron's face.
"Hermione broke up with me actually. One day, not long after Voldemort died, we got into a really big argument, not so unusual for us I suppose, and she just said `I'm done! We're done!' gave no other explanation and stormed off."
Harry gave him a puzzled frown; he'd kind of assumed that that they had mutually agreed to break things off.
"Well, the argument had to be about something that upset her, girls are bloody confusing. For Hermione to act like that seems strange. There is always some carefully thought out reasoning behind most things she does," Harry told him reflectively.
Ron shook his head. "I still don't know. Hermione was super stressed around that time; you know how she gets when she's like that. Actually, I must admit she was bloody terrifying on that day she broke up with me," Ron frowned and paused before adding, "We're still friends and all, obviously, but she won't even talk about it with me, even now."
"Sorry, Ron," Harry said, feeling guilty for not feeling worse about his two best friends breaking up.
"Eh, forget it. I guess we had to give it go, and get it out of our systems," Ron replied, shrugging.
They walked back the rest of the way in relative silence. Harry was left to wonder what exactly Hermione's reasons were for breaking up with Ron, and why she still wouldn't tell him. He didn't want to press Ron further though. Both of them had a lot on their minds, and besides that classes were beginning again the next day.
*********
Harry, Ron, and Hermione filed into the classroom along with their Gryffindor and Slytherin classmates. The familiar stench of the dungeon, where the class was held, and old potions filled their nostrils, as they took a seat towards the center of the room. Ron glared at Malfoy who was sitting in front.
"Who do you think will take Snape's place?" whispered Neville nervously who was sitting nearby. He was visibly twitching.
Ron and Harry exchanged amused looks, knowing Neville's fear of Snape.
"It could still be Snape. After all, Professor McGonagall, never officially announced that a new staff member, nor did she mention that Professor Snape was leaving," Hermione replied matter-of-factly.
Harry made a hissing sort of noise in anger. "Hermione, there's not way that they'd even let that murdering coward teach here again. I don't care if the Order and the Ministry of Magic never found him guilty of being in league with Voldemort."
Hermione opened her mouth to reply, clearly annoyed about being contradicted. Before she could utter a word though, the door flew open and Snape marched into the classroom looking as sullen and surly as ever.
"You can all dispense with the greeting and the fawning pleasure about my return as your Potions master. If annoy says a word about the dark lord, they can be sure to loose numerous house point," Snape proclaimed as he made his way to the front of the room.
Hermione smiled triumphantly for a moment about being right, but the pleasure was short-lived. Her face fell when she looked over at Harry. His face was devoid of color, making his emerald eyes, which were narrowed in anger, stand out.
Snape also noticed Harry's reaction.
"Thank for being so pleased to see me Potter, it's a rare honor to have someone look at you as though they were a sick animal." As usual, Snape uttered Harry's names as though he were spitting out poison. Harry stood abruptly, knocking his stool to the floor causing a deafening crash.
The class jumped at the noise.
"You'd have to be mental to be happy to see Snape," Ron muttered with a chuckle, softly enough so that Snape couldn't hear him but Harry and Hermione could.
Hermione elbowed him, not wanting him to feed Harry's anger in any way.
"Harry, sit down," Hermione whispered sharply, tugging on his robes.
"50 points each from Gryffindor for disrupting my class, Miss Granger…Potter."
Hermione frowned. "Professor, that's hardly fair," she protested, her expression defiant.
"Hermione, you should know by now that our slimy excuse for a professor is never fair," Harry told her, looking brazenly at Snape as he spoke.
If it was possible, Snape's expression became even sourer. "Just because you're the new savior of the Wizarding world Potter, doesn't give you're the permission to blatantly disrespect your superiors," Snape snapped, his dark eyes locked with Harry's in a look of mutual revulsion.
"I can talk to someone who belongs in Azkaban however I like," Harry replied boldly, his anger completely overshadowing his better judgment.
Hermione gasped. Ron looked a bit green, kind of like he did when he saw a spider. Only Harry would dare to mention such a forbidden topic with Snape.
"Harry, that's enough!" Hermione said desperately.
Snape turned his gaze to her for moment, his dark eyes unfathomable.
"You'd do best to list to your insufferable girlfriend, who seems to be as nearly as arrogant as you at times, if that's possible. You've already bought yourself weeks of detention," Snape admonished Harry coldly.
Hermione felt the hear rise into her face when Snape referred to her as Harry's girlfriend. Ron looked at her quizzically, appearing slightly hurt as thought there was something she and Harry had failed to tell him.
Harry stared Snape down with quiet disgust. Slowly he sat back down. Snape smirked.
"Now that the Boy-Who-Saved-the-World-and-Lived has finished interrupting us as usual, perhaps we can actually continue with class.
Hermione elbowed Harry to keep him from being baited by Snape's comment.
Harry's anger did not lessen as class progressed, and Ron and Hermione had to run to catch up with him after class ended. Harry left the room so fast that he seemed to have Apparated out of the room.
"Harry! Wait up mate!" Ron shouted breathlessly. Hermione followed closely behind, weighed down by the extra books she had with her.
Harry slowed down slightly, muttering angrily to himself. Hermione and Ron exchanged nervous glances.
"Harry, I know you hate Snape, and for good reason, but your just hurting yourself by talking to him like that," Hermione told him wisely.
"I DON'T BLOODY CARE!!! THAT FOUL GIT KILLED DUMBLEDORE, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE!" Harry shouted his expression a combination of agony and rage.
Hermione wilted slightly under his intense outburst. "I know Harry, but showing Snape how much he hurts you just gives him pleasure," she said softly. Hesitantly she put her hands on his shoulder. The muscles in his body were tense and coiled up in rage. He relaxed slightly as result of her gentle touch.
"She's right you know," Ron added, looking worriedly back and forth between Harry and Hermione.
Harry sighed, his anger seemingly spent for the moment.
"Besides," Hermione added, her courage building from Harry's momentary silence, "you need to do well in Potions, so that you can get a good grade on your N.E.W.T.s and become an Auror."
"Yeah, but I am going to fail Potions," Harry said glumly.
"No, no, you won't," Hermione insisted.
"You're mental Hermione. Snape will fail Harry just because he hates him," Ron chimed in, unhelpfully.
Hermione rolled her eyes, annoyed that once again something so painfully obvious was escaping her friends.
"Seriously, you two, Professor Snape can't fail Harry if he makes all his potions perfectly. McGonagall knows how he feels about Harry, and she would not let him get away with that."
"But, Hermione, Harry always ruins half his potions," Ron said. "Sorry Harry," he added, looking apologetically over at his friend.
"It's only because Snape's bloody hovering over me the whole time in class," Harry exclaimed defensively, his green eyes flashing.
"Don't worry Harry, you'll pass Potions," Hermione said, sounding almost prophetic, as though she had the Sight. She reached over and squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Ron and Harry gave each other puzzled looks, but didn't protest. Hermione was almost always right.
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