A/N: I really hate these, I really do. But if any of you are offended by colorful language, then you might want to proceed cautiously. It isn't too bad, but there are some words that some people might not approve of.
"Mr. Potter," called out the annoying voice of Umbridge. Harry sighed and stopped so he could turn around.
"What?" he asked, not bothering to be polite.
"Where do you think you're going?" Umbridge asked. Harry looked at her like she had grown another head.
"To class," Harry said. Umbridge checked her watch.
"Classes do not start for another three hours," she said. "What are you doing up at this hour."
"I have a class with Professor Dawson this early," Harry replied. "And I'm about to be late because of you." Without bothering to wait for her reply, Harry turned around and left. He ignored the calls of his name that issued from her mouth.
"Why are you late?" Dawson asked Harry as he entered the room of requirement. Harry sighed and looked at his professor.
"Umbridge stopped me and demanded to know where I was going," Harry said. Dawson nodded.
"I'll have a talk with her so it won't happen again. We'll start off with our stretches and then get on track from there," the Defense professor said. Harry nodded and joined in the stretches.
"I've decided to up your training amount for the time being," Dawson said. "It's been long enough for you to get used to doing the light stuff. We're moving onto a more moderate level." Harry suppressed a groan and wished he had kept up his physical training over the summer and not just his running. Even though he was still in good shape, and the training he had been doing already with Dawson contributed to that, he was no where near where Dawson wanted him to be. But on the bright side, he was happy with the way he looked and not only that, he was happy with how much his magic had improved.
"We'll start out with two hundred and fifty push-ups and three hundred sit-ups," said the ex-auror. Harry got down and when Dawson said go, he began to do his push-ups. Beside him, Dawson began to do too.
The two of them finished their physical training and moved onto dueling and independent study. After his training was over, Harry hurried up to his dorm to catch a quick shower before he went to his first class.
After dressing as quickly as he could, Harry raced downstairs and to Charms class. His tie was hanging around his neck and his robes were in his hand with his backpack half on his back. He got into the Charms classroom and set his stuff down in his seat. Hermione turned to him and raised both of her eyes in amusement while Ron flat out laughed. Harry was absolutely bothered and it showed.
"Were you in a hurry?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded.
"Training went over today," he said. He began to tie his tie but got so frustrated with it that he left it alone, half tied. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Come here," she said. He turned to her and she began fixing his tie so it was on correctly.
"You're a goofball," Hermione said, a slight smile on her face as she looped his tie over itself to form a knot.
"I didn't think I'd make it to class on time so I just sort of left without getting dressed properly," Harry said. Hermione laughed softly. She finished with his tie and let go of him but before she could take her hand completely away, Harry grabbed it and held it in his.
"Thanks," he said. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to it, his eyes never leaving hers. Ron, whose laughter hadn't calmed down stopped when he saw his two best friends. His eyes narrowed at their hands, which hadn't been separated.
"Good morning class," Professor Flitwick squeaked, bringing Harry and Hermione to return their attention to class and not to each other. As Flitwick began to speak, both Harry and Hermione took out parchment and quills and began writing down the notes.
Through the class, Ron paid more attention to his friends then the lesson. The little things that he hadn't ever noticed stood out. Like, when Harry broke the end of his quill, Hermione had already gotten out a new one for him and when Hermione needed more parchment, Harry already had a new sheet in front of her, with a small smile on his face. Looks were passed between the two of them that Ron hadn't ever noticed before, and it was really bothering him. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
Class ended and the three friends went their separate ways. Ron went to Potions and both Harry and Hermione went to Transfiguration.
"Harry quit," Hermione said, laughing as she pushed him softly. Harry laughed and looked at her, his face screwed up. She laughed again.
"Really, what has got you in such a good mood?" she asked. Harry shrugged and put his arm around her shoulders.
"You, I guess," he said. He grinned at her as she looked up at him. Her right hand came up and rested on his abs as she leaned into him more.
"I haven't done anything," she said.
"Sure you have," he said. "You fixed my tie this morning and you gave me a new quill. That's something to be happy about." Hermione laughed. He had made her laugh more in the last ten minutes than she normally did in a day.
"You're so goofy it isn't even funny," she said.
"Then why are you laughing?" Harry asked as he looked down at her again. The two of them burst into laughter and continued to walk to their class.
"Gin," whispered Romilda Vane. She shook her older friends arm. "Ginny," she whispered again.
"What?" Ginny asked, looking at Romilda. Her friend pointed across the hall, where her ex-boyfriend and his best friend were walking. Both Harry and Hermione were laughing and then she noticed their position. They were practically all over each other! Her eyes narrowed at the back of Hermione's head. She was taking her man! And Harry was falling for it.
"That bitch!" Ginny growled. She thought she could move in on her man? Well, she had another thing coming. As she followed them down the corridor with her eyes, she made up her mind. She and Hermione would be having a little chat. And it would be soon. Real soon.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O
"I'll see you in a little while," Hermione called to Harry as they went their separate ways down the corridor. She had her extra class, Arithmancy, while Harry was done with his classes for the day.
As she walked down the corridor, her mind wondered to various subjects, but most of all, she concentrated on how happy Harry had seemed to be earlier. She hadn't seen him like that since summer, and even then he wasn't as happy as he could've been. A small smile came to her face as she though about how his eyes lit up and how his smile got bigger when he looked at her. But then a sharp tug on her arm brought her out of her thoughts and. A frown formed when she came face to face with a livid Ginny Weasley.
"Ginny," she said. Coldness seeped through her voice.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ginny said, not bothering to greet Hermione.
"Walking down the corridor Ginny," Hermione said. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Oh don't you play those games with me," she said. "Why were you all over Harry earlier today? Better yet, why was he all over you?"
"Ginny, what the hell are you talking about?" Hermione asked, her anger at the younger girl growing for every second that she was wasting talking to her.
"Don't give me that. This morning, when you two were walking to class, why the hell were you all over each other? I know what you're doing," Ginny said. "And believe me, you'll be sorry." Hermione raised one of her eyebrows.
"Wow, you caught me. So, if you don't mind, could you please fill me in on what I'm supposedly doing with Harry?" Hermione asked. "Because I seem to not remember anything going on between us."
"Harry was mine first! He kissed me first. He was my boyfriend first! And when this war is all over, he will be mine again! You're trying to take him from me because you're jealous. He picked me over you. Well guess what, your little plan isn't going to happen. I'll make sure of that," Ginny said. Hermione blinked before laughter escaped her.
"You think I'm trying to get with Harry? Are you out of your bloody mind?" Hermione asked, her laughter subsiding and her anger coming to the front. "Harry is my best friend. I wouldn't ever do that. And anyway, in case you hadn't noticed, you're not together anymore and believe me when I say, you never will be again."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ginny asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Don't play those games with me Ginny. Harry and I both know what you did to him last year. That's the reason why he hasn't said two words to you since he saw you this summer at The Burrow," Hermione said. Ginny's eyes widened and Hermione smirked and nodded. "Yeah, he figured it out. And personally, I didn't think you'd have the gull to do it. But I guess I was wrong."
"I…I…," Ginny stuttered. A lethal look overcame Hermione's face as she stepped closer to the sixth year in front of her.
"Save your excuses Ginny," she said. "I know what happened, Harry knows what happened and so does Ron. You have no sodding idea how much you hurt him because of what you and your stupidity decided to do. And personally, I've been doing everything I could to keep myself from kicking your arse from here to the moon and back. Harry is my best friend and I hate to see him hurt. You were once my friend to Ginny, and I can't believe what you what you did. In case you hadn't noticed, Harry isn't the knight in shining armor that the stories have made him out to be. He's a normal human being with feelings and he doesn't need one of his stupid fan girls trying to get with him. Whatever you've heard about him since you were little, it isn't true. Yeah, he may have defeated Voldemort when he was a baby, but look at what it cost him; his parents lives. He is a normal person who has been put through hell and back for absolutely no good reason and you giving him Amortentia just so you could date him just added to the amount of grief he has to go through every damn day." Ginny looked at Hermione, whose eyes with every word got colder.
"Now," Hermione said. "If you ever do something like this again, and I mean anything remotely like this, you will be sorry." Ginny blinked.
"Is that a threat?" she asked.
"No, that's a promise," Hermione replied coldly. "If I were you, I would try and reconcile what little you have left with Harry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class to get to." Hermione brushed past Ginny and walked quickly down the corridor so she wouldn't be late to her class. Ginny's head followed her down the corridor. What the hell just happened?
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O
All through class Hermione couldn't concentrate. Anger coursed through her and she couldn't think of anything but her conversation with Ginny. How dare she make assumptions about her relationship with Harry! And how dare she think that he would come running back to her, especially with what she did to him! The girl had gull, she would give her that.
As soon as class was over, Hermione gathered her things and rushed back to the dorms she shared with Harry. Not bothering to stop and talk to any of her friends that were in the corridors, she went straight to the portrait of Cliodna. The Celtic Goddess barely had any time to open before Hermione was through the portrait, practically screaming.
Harry, who had peacefully been reading a book on the couch, jumped once he heard the shrill octaves of his best friend. He marked his place and set the book down as he turned at looked at Hermione. She was pacing the Common Room, almost screaming bloody murder. Her face was red and her eyes were set ablaze with anger and it seemed that the strands of hair that had escaped their hold in her ponytail were standing up on end.
"Whoa, Hermione," Harry said, quickly getting off of the couch and going to Hermione. He watched her pace for a second before he stepped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders.
"Hermione," he said. She looked up at him and he realized how truly angry she was. He let go of her shoulders and backed away a few steps. She continued her pacing and instead of screaming, she was talking loudly in…French?
"Comment osent elle! Elle croit que je me coule Harcèlent d'elle? Où fait elle descend même de la réflexion il était le sien en premier lieu. Comment osent elle!" Hermione said.
"Elle croit que je le vole d'elle. Dans le cas où elle n'avait pas remarqué, nous étions toujours si près. Il est mon meilleur ami et je suis son. Et il ne sera jamais, jamais le sien. Comment pourrait-elle croire qu'elle échapperait à qu'elle a fait? A fait elle s'attend Harcèlent pour pas le trouver. Et même si elle a vraiment cru qu'il, pourquoi il ne me dirait pas? Oh! Cette petite chienne a des nerfs, qui est à coup sûr!"
Harry watched Hermione pace and speak fluent, angry French (or what he thought was French) with wide eyes. Since when did she know French? And why on earth would she be so angry she couldn't speak English?
"Er…Hermione?" Harry dared asked. Hermione turned on him like a rabid dog.
"What?" she snapped. His eyes got wider, if that was even possible. She looked at him for a moment before her eyes and stance softened and she came over to him.
"I'm sorry," she said as she placed a hand on his cheek. Harry blinked.
"You speak French?" was all he was able to ask. Hermione nodded. "Do you normally speak it when you're angry, or was this just a special occasion?" Hermione couldn't help but laugh at his perplexed yet concerned expression. He was so sweet sometimes.
"No, I don't normally speak French when I'm mad, but I was mad enough and still am that English just wasn't cutting it," Hermione said as she flopped down on the couch. Harry looked at her before he walked to the couch and sat down gingerly next to her.
"And uh…why would you be so angry that your first language `just wasn't cutting it'?" Harry asked. He was almost afraid to. Hermione sighed.
"Ginny stopped me on my way to class and jumped down my throat about our relationship with each other," Hermione said. Harry crossed his left leg over his right and looked at his best friend with an interested expression.
"Yes, go on," he said.
"Well, she said that she knew what I was up to and that you were hers first and she knew that I was trying to steal you from her," Hermione said. Harry didn't act out in emotion, and instead let his chin rest on his hand, which was resting on his knee. He looked at Hermione.
"And that made you mad enough to speak French?" he asked. Hermione glanced over at him.
"Well, yeah. She automatically assumed that I was trying to make you mine and that I was jealous of her. Why the hell would I be jealous of her? She doesn't have anything that I don't have and I've been closer to you for the past six, almost seven years that she could ever dream to be. And not only that, she expected to pick up right where you two left off after the war. She never thought you would figure out that she used Amortentia on you. What does she take you for, some stupid cad? Honestly, she doesn't know you at all. She's just another fan girl who doesn't have the brains God gave a piss ant. How could she date you for almost a month and never learn anything about you? You aren't some knight in shining armor, you're just Harry. You're a normal person who has feelings. How could she think that because you defeated Voldemort when you were a baby that you automatically became some superstar? I know, you are famous, but honestly, you never asked for it. Damn it, you lost your parents and countless others because of Voldemort. How could she not know that? She claimed that you were hers. Is she fucking serious? You aren't anyone's but your own person with your own feelings. Any person with a damn brain would know that. She can't claim you," Hermione said, her anger seeping out with every word. "Merlin she just makes me so mad my head spins." Harry looked at her and was quiet for quite some time before he scooted over to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her to him and then wrapped his other arm around her so she was enveloped by him.
"Ginny is going to have to get over herself if she ever wants to call me her friend again. And the path to forgive her won't be short at all and she'll have to deal with that. In time, I'll learn to trust her again, but that point won't come for a while," Harry said softly. Hermione was quiet. She let Harry envelope her. As she breathed in his scent, she calmed down and her anger slowly dissipated.
"Thank you for seeing the real me," Harry said so softly Hermione almost didn't catch what he said.
"You're welcome," Hermione said just as softly. The lull of his steady and even breathing made her close her eyes. The adrenaline that she had earlier was leaving and the feeling of tiredness began to come. The soft motion of Harry's hand running up and down her back finally put her to a welcomed sleep.
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Thanks for reading. WarriorPride23. 8 pages.
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