Based on the song "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne
Summary: Ever since he had started dating Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter had been changing for everyone else. Hermione can't take it. If she was going to be friends with Harry, she was going to be friends with her Harry.
Harry was walking with Lavender, Romilda and Cormac when Hermione had forcefully and physically dragged him up to the common room. In the background, Harry could still see Lavender powdering her nose for the umptieth time and Romilda counting her money out of a grotesque pink wallet.
"Harry James Potter. Tell me what's wrong. Don't tell me that nothing is, because I notice things. You abandoned us, for one. Luna because she's 'Loony,' Nev because he's a clumsy old dork, and me because I'm a frumpy nerd and ugly, and a buzzkill. The only person you hang around that you used to is Ron, because 'he got interesting,' according to Lavender. Furthermore, you're acting like what they call a prep, and I know that isn't you. Gelling your hair, buying expensive accessories and clothing, flirting with girls. You're even wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Your eyes are better green than they are blue. What happened?"
"Why do you even care? Besides. Its none of your business. And you are dating Ron."
"Oh, it is all my business. I'm your best friend. At least I used to be. Before, you told everyone to think of you as just you, just Harry. Now what? Don't change yourself for everyone else. In fact, I miss you," explained Hermione, whose voice cracked at the end.
"Hermione, I'm here every single day. How could you possibly miss me?"
"Because it's not you," she said simply. "You're someone completely different in front of people like Lavender Brown and Ginny. I haven't seen the true you in so long. I'm going to ask you where you've been."
"I- um- uh- I…" stuttered Harry, who was now red in the face, and now looked ashamed of himself. He'd forgotten about everything. About friends, and family, and the people who cared about him just to fit in with Ginny and her gang. Maybe he could try.
"Harry, tell me why you had to go and make things so- so complicated. Please."
"Hermione- um- I'm sorry- I'll just- um- ugh!" stuttered Harry. "Just- just- l- leave me alone! Jeez!"
Hermione looked visibly hurt and furious. "Fine, Potter. If you're trying to lose your friends, you've succeeded. See you, Harry."
And with that, she walked up the girls' stairs.
Little did he know, Hermione stayed and watched at the top of the staircase and watched. She saw him collapse to the ground beside the fire, head in his arms. She heard his muffled heart- wrenching sobs echoing around the room., she almost turned and ran down the stairs, but forced herself to turn and slam the door.
The next morning came. Hermione tried not to acknowledge that there was one thing on her mind. Harry. Despite declaring the supposed end of their friendship, she still worried if he was doing fine. Speak of the Devil, Harry was walking into the hall at the moment. His glittering green eyes were rimmed red from his regret and self-hatred for what he had done. He pulled out the blue contact lens container, looked at it and put it back in his bag, but then taking them out and trying to pop them in his irritated eyes. He sat at the end of the table, away from everyone.
When he left, Hermione noticed his plate was untouched.
In Potions class, Hermione realized two things: a): Harry was late. b): the only available seat was the one currently occupied by her bag. Merlin's Beard.
As expected, Harry stumbled into class seven minutes late.
"Potter. Tardiness will not be tolerated. 20 points." sneered Snape.
Instead of fighting back, however, Harry just bit his lip and scanned the room for a seat. Artificial royal blue eyes widened when they reached Hermione and her book bag. Hermione, who didn't want him beside her, but saw no alternate option took her bag off the chair. Harry slowly lowered himself on the chair and propped himself on it as if it would explode at any given moment.
"Thank you," he choked out. Hermione pretended she didn't hear him, but she felt her chest constrict for some odd reason that she somehow couldn't place.
"I shall be pairing you off into partners. Potter, you are with Malfoy." droned Snape. She watched as Malfoy attempted to trip Harry while walking to the ingredient cupboard. He almost succeeded. She watched as Malfoy threw insult after insult at him, but he almost acted like he deserved it.
Like he deserved it.
He thinks he deserved it.
Oh God.
But then he did deserve it, didn't he? He dumped her and everyone else! "But then you still don't know why," she reasoned. " Maybe it's for a valid reason." She had to find out why. On the back of her paper, she wrote a list of reasons.
The press?
Himself?
Ron?
And with a lot of hesitation,
4. Me?
Herself? The ink swirled around the page. "Calm down," she thought. But the ink swirled around the page. How could it be her? A voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Granger!" Hermione whipped around. "Are you not supposed to be brewing a potion? I know you're working by you're lonesome, but shouldn't you be brewing something?" asked Ernie MacMillan.
"um- yeah, but-"
Too late. Draco Malfoy strutted over and snatched the paper out of her hand.
"Ooh! What's this?" he sniggered. "A list of Potty's love interests? If so, I believe option 2 is correct. Just saying, Granger, you're really bad at shipping people. Why would Potter want to be with a mudblood like you? I'm pretty sure he has better taste."
"Shut your face, ferret." It was Ron. she saw Harry sit back down. She realized that he was going to confront Malfoy himself. She pushed Harry from her mind and turned to Ron.
"Thank you, Ron," and she kissed him. When she was done, Malfoy looked sickly blue and ran. Harry had turned the other way.
At the courtyard after lunch, Hermione was taking a relaxing walk when she was disrupted by a source of the commotion caused by a physical fight between Harry and Malfoy, with Ron looking helpless and Crabbe and Goyle arguing and mumbling amongst themselves. So far, Malfoy was somehow winning due to an advantage: Harry was short, even though he was agile. Malfoy had learned some techniques from his father, perhaps.
"Constristo!" sneered Malfoy. (A/N: Constristo means 'inflict pain' in Latin, so it's like the less painful and more legal version of Crucio.)
Unfortunately, Harry couldn't dodge it as he was pinned to a tree. So he was screaming in agony, unconsciously clutching onto Malfoy's robes. When he lifted the curse, he was on the ground, moaning and panting and trembling and sweating. Hermione could not resist helping him up. He looked terrible. As soon as she helped him up, he ran. Hermione turned away. Ron was waiting for her. She walked over to him and they both walked to Charms.
Why was friendship so complicated?