First fic ever :)

I think everyone's seen the I-do-not-own disclaimer thirty too many times so I won't bother posting it. Just assume it's there.

Overhearing Concern

It was summer again, and the last days at Hogwarts were coming to a close in gorgeous weather. The end of the fifth year for three particular friends at the esteemed school was to be punctuated by sunny skies and what they would hope to be the start of an equally sunny summer holiday. The castle grounds were twinkling in bright sunshine as the students wandered after their last classes of the day, choosing spots under the few trees on the grounds to sit and chat under.

Under a tree furthest away from anyone else, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sat discussing the end of the term, and the end of a devastating year for their friend. This year, while similar to the rest in some sense, was slightly different and hit Harry Potter hard.

"Poor bloke... How do you suppose he's really doing? He's barely said a word to us since... since Sirius died..." said Ron, squinting as he looked up at the clouds passing by.

"To be honest, not well. He seems troubled more so than any other time we've seen him. It's not like when Cedric died, he was a friend. This time it was Harry's last remaining bit of family," said Hermione softly. It pained her to talk about Harry this way. She knew he has changed and he most likely wasn't coming back to the real world anytime soon. She moved to flatten herself against the grass and gazed up at the sky with her arms propped behind her head.

She's right, sighed Ron inwardly, although unwillingly. Times were changing, and Harry seemed to change right along with them. There was no helping it really, he was too involved and entwined with the good, and the bad. He shifted his legs down from under himself and moved to lay down next to Hermione. His eyes were aching from looking at the sun so much so he closed them, deeply inhaling the fresh summer air.

Hermione let out a long sigh and started to get up from her spot on the grass and looked at Ron with a questioning look.

"I'm going back in to do some more revision for the Transfiguration final. Will you join me? I can help you if you want."

"Sure, since I'm lousy at it anyways, " grumbled Ron as he rose from his comfortable spot. He would have rather stayed there all day if it were up to him.

They both got up and dusted themselves off and started towards the school. It would take them at least five minutes to get there and Hermione was now regretting picking a spot so far away to sit. It's not that she was lazy, she just figured she could be using those extra seconds studying for her approaching finals.

"Do you think I should ask Harry if he wants to come to the Burrow for the summer? It might cheer him up a bit," Ron asked, putting his hands into his pockets.

Hermione had drifted off into a mental fit about how she was losing precious time to her books and was startled by the voice of another so close to her. She almost asked for a repeat of what he had said, but from the inflection of his voice, she guessed that it was something she should be saying yes to anyways.

"Oh - yes. Of course," She blundered out.

Ron looked at her as if she had grown another set of ears and dismissed her weird behaviour for her worry about finals.

Back inside the considerably darker hallways, Hermione was a little surprised at the amount of people not studying. Some were even seventh years! Aren't they worried that they won't get as many NEWTs if they're using their precious time wandering the halls? Surely they must realise this...

Hermione was almost at the stairs when Ron grabbed her arm lightly and spun her in a different direction.

" - What? I thought we were going back to the common room?" She looked at Ron clearly confused.

"Can we sit out here for a bit? I just want to say something else before we go back up." He saw the face on her and added, "Don't worry - it won't take long. You'll still have plenty of time to revise."

She smiled and complied to being lead to a spot down the hall where they stopped and leaned against the windowsill. Hermione waited patiently for Ron to say what he felt he needed to say as she gazed out on the grounds. Where was Harry anyways? They hadn't seen him outside, which they thought he would be considering he loves the outdoors more than they did. There was no way he was studying for finals. That just wasn't Harry.

"I've always wondered... What could it be like at the Muggles' place Harry stays at over the summer. He's never spoken openly about it, but if we've asked he would say 'it's loads of fun' or something. He usually comes to the Burrow or to school from that place and he's unhappier than when he leaves school for the summer. Do those Muggles even understand who Harry is?"

Hermione also wondered, on countless occasions, what Harry's summer home was. Was it a safe haven from all his troubles? Or was it somewhere that amplified them ten-fold. From Harry's mood and general personality when he came from the Dursley's, it didn't seem like it was "loads of fun" at all. She knew that Harry was a fairly closed-off person and generally didn't spill all his secrets, but for something that happened often enough as the summer holidays, she thought it would have cropped up by now at least.

"I... I don't know Ron. You're right, he's never said anything so I guess we didn't really worry about it. It was obvious he was lying when he told us it was good there, but we know he'd never really tell us anything about it. It's just the type of person he is. He doesn't tell people much about himself. I guess he's afraid that no one would like him for who he really is. I get the feeling that he thinks most people will only ever see him as the Boy Who Lived. He can't hide from his identity so he doesn't really try," said Hermione, gazing down at the dots wandering the green grass. She looked up and faced Ron. He blinked and she continued, "I really don't think we can ever make him see that others think differently. Not everyone thinks he's just 'The Boy Who Conquered You-Know-Who over and over again' - especially us. My point in all this is that the Muggles' place he stays at is probably less than fun, if not horrible, and he would never tell us. He thinks he needs to do everything alone - just like he said before going to the Ministry."

Ron looked thoughtfully out onto the grounds and sighed. She was right, yet again. Harry seems to be unable to tell even his best friends anything. This thought angered Ron a bit, but he pushed that aside. What's more important is whyhe doesn't tell them anything. He probably just doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him or get 'hurt' as he put it.

"True enough, but I suppose we could try to make him happier anyways. I'll definitely be asking him to the Burrow now. If it's true that his aunt and uncle's place is really that bad, then I want to get him out of there as soon as possible. I really couldn't even imagine staying with muggles over the holidays. You couldn't play Quidditch or anything!"

Ron. Always pushing Quidditch into something. It would probably be horrid for him if Quidditch was suddenly made illegal.

The pair took one last glance out on the sunny day out the window then turned and walked away still thinking about what was said between the two.

Really now, this is interesting. I always thought Perfect Potter wouldn't shy away from telling anyone his latest feat or how great his iconic life is. This is either a load of bollocks or my name isn't Draco Malfoy.

Standing over a similar windowsill one floor down, Draco Malfoy was also enjoying the view before returning to his exam revision. He was most pleasantly surprised when none other than the Mudblood and the Weasel were attempting to have a conversation in understanding the Great Potter. He really thought they were dim-witted. If Potter didn't want their filthy noses in his business, they ought to leave him be.

He was about to turn and leave, but another thought struck him.

Does this mean that Great Potter isn't seating upon a throne in his dwelling and bowed to as if a God? Nah, that's complete rubbish. Muggles are just about as dim-witted as those two, and the ground on which Potter walks is probably considered sacred.

However, I will be immensely bored over the holidays and it wouldn't hurt to see an end to this question. Father will mostly likely never cease to drill those disgusting Death Eater tactics into me. Perhaps I will pay God Potter a visit in his Muggle home. Then I'll make sure to let the Weasel and the Mudblood know that there couldn't be anything less to worry about.

Draco turned and left the window, smirking to himself at his new hobby over the summer. If he couldn't get under Potter's skin enough at school, he would just have to branch out and irritate him to no end elsewhere.

It was quite simple, really.

... Except for that small fact of locating Harry's house.