A New Start
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters doesn't belong to me. Only the plot is mine.
AN: This is my first story, so this title suits both my writing as well as this story. Pardon my mistakes and I would be grateful if you point them out, so I could fix them.
Chapter 1
Harry sat in the Common Room thinking about the last private session he had with Dumbledore. He felt like he knew a lot more advanced magic now and he definitely knew a lot of information about Voldemort. Dumbledore had started to tutor him since the starting of sixth year to prepare him for his inevitable confrontation against Lord Voldemort. For the first time in six years, he was receiving the training he had always wanted. After weeks of solo training and lessons with the Headmaster, he had begun to feel that his confidence level had increased and he could take on a couple of Death Eaters at once. However, he had a long way to go.
Despite all this, it was the time when he was feeling the burden of the prophecy worse. He didn't know where his best friends were, if he could call them that. He didn't know whether they were even his friends. Ron and Hermione, who had always helped him, stood by his side, well, except for some instances with Ron, had abandoned him this year.
It had all started with a Potions Book. While he was sad that he had a fight with Hermione, he didn't regret what he had done because he was better in Potions now than ever. When he had found the Half Blood Prince's book, he didn't know if he should trust a mysterious book or not. But he really had no choice except to use it because he didn't have a book. After that, with all the studying and experiments he had done in Professor Slughorn's class, he knew one thing, that Half Blood Prince was a genius. After what had happened in the Ministry last year, he had sworn in the memory of Sirius and his loved ones that had died protecting him that he wasn't going to fail them after so many sacrifices.
He had started studying since the summer locked in his room at Privet Drive. After what had happened with Sirius, he had thought that this time, at least his friends would correspond with him. But once again they had ignored him, not sending any letters and replying to his with a short 'We hope you are okay'. Their friendship had become somewhat normal upon their arrival to Hogwarts but then it had taken a hit with a bludger in the form of that Potions book. Hermione had said that he had cheated to get the top position in every Potions class but he knew better. He had started reading the book, understanding why the Prince made the alternatives and asking Slughorn in the evening whenever he got confused. Plus, he got to hear a lot of stories about his mother of her time at Hogwarts. Learning that she was a Potions prodigy made him learn Potions even more. After Hermione had failed to convince him to let go of the book, she had insulted him calling him a cheating loser in the middle of the Common Room. He had simply walked out not wanting to create a scene. Though she had apologized later during the dinner, Harry knew that she was not over the Potions book.
Slowly, he had begun to realize that she was acting a lot like Ron this year. And Ron, this year he had been ...just Ron. He had got jealous that Harry had got the book and the Felix Felics as a reward for making the best potion in the Potions class. Ron and Hermione were hanging out a lot lately. Hermione didn't study like before. She had started to have 'fun' with Ron. Hermione's grades had slipped and it looked like she didn't even care. Harry knew that if he continued studying properly for the next month, he could surpass Hermione academically.
Harry was wondering whether he should tell Ron and Hermione about the Horcruxes. After all, Dumbledore had told him that he needed all the support from his friends. But he was not in any condition to talk to anyone. A shifting of the couch gained his attention. He looked to his side to see Neville.
"Hey Nev."
"What are you thinking, Harry?"
"Just wondering about all these things that happened this year."
"Oh, anything in particular?" Neville pressed on. Harry had always felt that he could be good friends with Neville. Well, here was a chance to talk with him.
"Friends." Harry whispered softly, staring at the burning logs of wood. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry about that Harry but I know you are not in the wrong here. I see you have been working hard these days. I, too, feel that Ron and Hermione are acting strange. It's just a misunderstanding. It will be over soon. You have got to talk to them."
"I tried, a lot of times. And thanks, Neville."
"It's alright, Harry. This is what friends do." Harry felt that this, somehow was a jab at his best friends. He chose not to comment.
"Can I ask you something?" Neville said.
"Sure, Nev."
"I know you train and practice dueling in the Room of Requirement. Would you mind me joining you?"
He turned his head to look at Neville properly. "How did you know, Neville?"
"Well, I saw you going out of the Common Room few times with your invisibility cloak. And there was this one time...look, I didn't mean to spy at you, I just followed you and saw you going to the seventh floor. You were always exhausted when you came back. So, I sort of deduced it myself."
"Its okay, Nev. I would be happy to practice with you. How about starting next week. I will think what sort of things we can practice together and I will draw up a schedule too."
"You are starting to sound like Hermione." Neville said, smiling at Harry.
"Atleast someone should, right?" Harry replied, smiling back.
"Thanks, Harry. I will get going then. I have to go to the greenhouses."
"See you later, Nev."
Harry was surprised that Neville was the first one to notice his long absences in the Common Room in the evening. He was sure Hermione would be the first. She is busy in her own world, I guess. "Never mind. I could really do with some company." He said to himself.
Thinking that he should try to talk again with Hermione tonight, he got up from the couch. It was evening already. He didn't know so much time had passed reminiscing. He quickly collected the map and the cloak from his dorm and headed to the seventh floor.
-oooOOooo-
The curfew time had already started. He had missed dinner. He couldn't believe he was this late. He checked the map once again to see the path clear. He ran as fast as he could with his body invisible and head hanging in mid-air. He stopped in front of the Fat Lady. After saying the password, he covered his head with the cloak properly. He, then climbed the portrait hole.
"Accio Invisibility Cloak."
The cloak slipped from his fingers and flew in the hand of Hermione Granger.
"Where were you, Harry?" Her voice was stern. He contemplated whether to tell her the truth. Why bother? As if she would even care.
"I was with a girl." He said off handedly.
"A girl? Who?" She sounded surprised.
"Uh...She was...look Hermione, I have to talk to you about something."
"What?" She said feeling irritated.
"Can we sit down first?"
She went and sat on the same couch that he had used earlier for his conversation with Neville. He, too went and collapsed on the far end of the couch sitting as far as possible from Hermione.
"Now, can you tell me what the matter is?" Now that he was going to breach the topic, he felt his confidence beginning to ebb away. He decided to show her some truths.
"Er...I don't know how to start this but do you know who is in the top of our year?"
"Of course, I know. I am. Who else?" She replied with a satisfied smile. Harry was giving her an odd look.
"You ranked third in the test last week. Two Ravens were ahead of you." And I nearly ranked ahead of you. He decided not to speak it out loud.
"Really, I guess I was a little ill last week. I had this really terrible headache..."
"Are you really going to make excuses for your slacking?" Harry snapped.
"What do you mean?" She replied in the same tone.
"Look at yourself. You are not even trying nowadays. All you do is hang out with Ron all day and you don't even study like before."
"Of course, I study."
"Oh, do you?" Harry asked raising his left eyebrow.
"Yes, I do. I know what I am doing." She said in a raised voice. "And what I do with Ron is none of your business."
"Yeah, I guess it's not." He replied in a resigned tone. He got up and and snatched the invisibility cloak out of her hand. Then, he began to walk toward the stairs.
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for staying out past curfew." Harry turned and looked at her. "Is that all? No detentions?"
"And a detention with Filch tomorrow evening."
"Whatever." He started towards the stairs but turned once again.
"Just one thing, Hermione. Don't let all this success and praises get into your head." With that he quickly went to his dorm before giving her a chance to reply. Hermione sat there looking at the stairs with fury and a little shame in her eyes.
-oooOOooo-
The next morning, Harry climbed down the stairs to find an empty Common Room except one figure that looked to be sleeping on the couch. He went near the couch to find Hermione, sleeping sideways, her legs bent and her head resting on her hand. He kneeled in front of the couch and looked at her face. She looked so peaceful, so...so Hermione. He considered waking her for a moment but decided against it. He could at least be her best friend when she was asleep. He got up, conjured a blanket and draped it around her. He then walked out of the room.
Harry sat down for breakfast in the Great Hall. It still was quite early in the morning so students hadn't arrived yet. Slowly, students began to enter in a groups of two or three.
"Mind if I join you, Harry?"
"You don't have to ask, Nev. Come on, sit down." He replied giving him a smile. Neville could tell that something was bothering him. He decided to ask it out loud.
"What's bothering you?"
"Uh...let's say that the talk with Hermione didn't go as planned." He sounded irritated.
"It will be fine Harry, soon." He said in a reassuring tone.
"You are a good friend, Neville. Thank you."
By the time they finished their breakfast, the Great Hall was full of students. He looked around to see Hermione sitting at the other end of the table across Ron. Hermione's eyes rested onto him for a short time but she averted them quickly when she saw he was looking at her too.
"I'll go, Nev. I have some work with the Headmaster."
"Okay. See you in class."
With a nod indicating that he had heard him, Harry quickly exited the Great Hall and headed towards the Headmaster's office. He went past the Gargoyle and up the stairs.
"Come in, Harry." said a voice before he had even knocked. He opened the door and went inside to find the Headmaster sitting on his chair.
"Hello, Harry. What can I help you with?" His eyes were twinkling as always.
"Good morning, sir. I have a request."
"Yes?"
"Sir, I would like to visit my parents graves. I know I haven't visited them since my birth but you said the war is surely coming. And I want to visit them just once if this is going to be my last time."
"Harr..."
"Sir, please, could I go there this Halloween?"
"Okay. I will make the arrangements but Order members will be accompanying you."
"Thank you, sir."
He reached the Potions class just a minute before it started. He hoped that this class would pass without a disaster. He was taking out his book when Professor Slughorn entered.
"Okay class, today we are going to learn the theory on Wolfsbane potion and I have a surprise for some of you at the end of this class. Wolfsbane is an extremely complicated potion so just the theory is included in our course. Now, can anyone tell me what it is?"
Several hands shot up in the air. "Miss Greengrass?"
"It is a potion for werewolves."
"Correct. Now, why is it considered as a Class A potion, anyone?"
A push to his side jerked Harry out of his thoughts. "Wake up, Harry. You were somewhere else."
"Sorry, Nev. I was thinking about something."
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Sir, like you said, it is an extremely difficult potion to make. The ingredients for it are rare and special precautions are taken while preparing it. A small mistake can result in harmful effects for the consumer and those around him/her. For example, if a faulty Wolfsbane potion is taken, the person will turn into a werewolf unexpectedly taking other people by surprise which can be fatal for the consumer and other people too."
"Excellent, Miss Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, last question before we start. Think carefully before answering as the answer is not in book. Can anyone tell me how does the Wolfsbane potion work?" He looked around to see not a single hand raised. "Noone? Miss Granger?" Slughorn continued looking at the student faces after Hermione shook his head. Some of them were hiding their heads behind the backs of front row students so the professor wouldn't see them. Finally, his eyes fell on one student who, he was sure, could give the answer. "Harry? Harry?"
"Huh? Wha-sorry sir. I was a little distracted. Could you please repeat the question?" Several students laughed at that.
"How does the Wolfsbane Potion work, Mr. Potter?"
"Uh...as we know that lycantropy is the result of mutation that occurs when a fully transformed werewolf bites a person and infects his blood with its saliva. The Wolfsbane potion attacks the rapidly mutating cells and diminishes their effect so that the person doesn't transform. In this process, the potion also effects his central nervous system resulting in reduced awareness, drowsiness and losing the ability of heightened senses which he gets due to lycantropy in the first place. So, it also makes Moony very sick during the full moon." Harry had finished the answer but was still looking at the wall thinking about something. Everyone was looking at him, some surprised, some awed. Hermione was one of whom who was definitely surprised. Even she hadn't known the answer to that.
The professor had a huge smile on his face. "Five points from you for dozing off during class and twenty-five points for you for that marvelous explanation."
"Thank you, sir." The class went on for another one and half hour studying about the procedure of potion making, precautions, ingredients, side effects and some other facts. The class had fifteen minutes left to end when Professor Slughorn announced, "Okay, this is it for today. But, before we end the class, I have something to tell. As you all know, you all gave Potions test last week. So, I want to reward the first and second ranking students on Potions." The students' interest rose at that. "Unsurprisingly, both of them are Gryffindors. I would like Hermione Granger and Harry Potter to stand up and come upfront.
Hermione gave a happy yelp and stood while Harry stood somewhat reluctantly." Congrats Harry." said Neville who was sitting right beside him. Harry looked at Hermione to see her face glowing with happiness. She was even smiling at him.
They both went to the front and stood facing the class. "Now, 15 points to Miss Granger for ranking second..."
"What?" A shout silenced Professor Slughorn.
"Is there any problem, Miss Granger?" Professor Slughorn looked at Hermione, her eyes wide and mouth half open.
"I'm...I'm second?" She stammered.
"Yes, Miss Granger." His voice was calm.
"That...that means he is first?" She said pointing at Harry.
The whole class was watching this exchange, some with amusement, some with confusion while some looked envious.
"No, no, I am sure he cheated, sir." Hermione looked like she still hadn't processed Slughorn's announcement.
"Wait, Miss Granger." He said before turning to face the class.
"Miss Granger and Mr Potter are both awarded 15 and 25 points respectively and an invitation to a party this Saturday. I would like you all to study well too. Next time, there will be more interesting rewards. You can all go to your next class."
After the door was shut, Slughorn turned to the remaining two students. "May I go too, sir?" Harry said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, sir."
"Go on, then. And congratulations, Harry. Your mother would have been proud of you. Keep it up."
"Thank you, sir." He said and quickly exited the room.
"So, Miss Granger. What were you saying?"
"Sir, Harry...he must have cheated."
"Oh? And how do you know that?"
"He found this book which had all the shortcuts and alternatives for potion making during our first class. I told him not to use it but he didn't listen to me." Hermione didn't even hesitate before telling all this which she had promised to keep a secret.
"Why didn't you tell me then?"
"Sir, he forbid me to tell the teachers and I didn't want to break his trust."
"So, why now?"
"I... " She didn't know what to say but was said from the trouble by the Professor cutting her off.
"Because, you got jealous and thought he couldn't do it on his own, right?"
"Sir, I..."
"Miss Granger, I know about that book. Harry showed it to me to confirm if the book was right. I have to say I am impressed by the Half Blood Prince. Unlike you, Harry has been working very hard. You heard his answer in the class today. He is studying because he likes it. And no, he didn't cheat. Results are important in potion making, not what procedures you take. And if you can create a alternative, I can say that you understand Potions well. And his answers in written exam were authentic and standard. But, I have to say that your grades have slipped. I am surprised you even ranked second. I suggest you talk to your Head of House."
Hermione stood there shocked listening to Professor's words before regaining her composure. She walked out of the door and headed to the Common Room, head hanging in shame. Never in her 5 years of Hogwarts education had she ever gotten a complain about her studies. She quietly walked to her dorm and cried herself to sleep. She would apologize to Harry later.
-oooOOooo-
Harry walked into the Great Hall chatting with Neville about the morning Potions' class. Though he was there talking with Neville, his mind was somewhere else. Hermione had not shown up to Transfiguration class and it was not like Hermione to miss a class. Though he didn't want to talk to her right now, he still cared about her. When she still didn't see her during lunch, he decided to ask someone.
He walked up to the red headed boy who was devouring his lunch gluttonously. "Hey Ron, have you seen Hermione today?"
"Why do you care, Potter?" Ron replied not even looking at him. Harry was fighting to keep his cool. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to grab that hair, bang that head onto the table and shove that fork up his alimentary canal. Keep your calm. Doing that won't solve the problem.
He mentally counted to five and tried again. "It's just that she didn't show up for class and missed her lunch. Could you check up on her if she is ill?"
Ron looked at him once and turned to his food again. "Fuck off, Potter. Its none of your business." Before he could do all the things he had thought of earlier, Neville pulled him by his arm.
"Let it go, Harry. Calm down." After a while, he had calmed down enough to finish his lunch.
-oooOOooo-
Harry walked slowly out of the kitchen to the tower. He deliberately had missed dinner so he could have it in peace. He looked at the map to see Hermione in the Common Room and mentally cursed himself for being out past curfew today too.
As soon as the portrait swung open and Harry came in with out his invisibility cloak, Hermione stood up.
"Harry, I..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Harry said coolly walking past her and up the stairs. "Fifteen points and a detention, right? Save it." He said looking back while still striding up the stairs and disappeared to his dorm without giving her a chance to speak. He felt bad treating her like that but he didn't want to talk to her right now.
Hermione sat down on the couch trying to hold back her tears. What have I done. Please forgive me, Harry. She dropped her head on her hands and began to think how she was going to apologize to him. And for the second day in a row, she fell asleep on the couch.