DISCLAIMER! I OWN NOTHING! DISCLAIMER!

Authors note - Starts at the end of third year.

"What happened in the Forbidden Forest Harry?" Ron asked whilst staring at the retreating figure of Hermione Granger. She'd barely said two words to either of them since Sirius had escaped, on Buckbeak, and that had been two nights ago. Anything she had said only caused the atmosphere to tense up.

"Nothing" Harry answered rather shortly, a hard expression masking his face. His emerald eyes glinting ferociously behind his glasses. Hermione's thick brown curls blowing freely in the warm July breeze. Something had happened in the Forest. But he'd find a way to fix it. He'd get her back. "Come on, we'll be late for the feast"

Ron quickly forgot the subject, thinking of his stomach rather than anything else. They raced to the Great Hall, anticipating the delicious delicacies they would be eating. The hall was already filled with students milling around seats and chatting with friends. This would be the last chance most of them would see all their friends together, at least until next year.

"Come on, I see Dean and Seamus" Ron nudged Harry and lead them over to the middle of the Gryffindor table where there fellow housemates sat. They plonked themselves alongside Neville, with Seamus and Dean sitting opposite.

"Hey" Harry said rather gloomily, spying Hermione sitting further up the table with Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. He thought she didn't even like them. Why was she being so difficult?

"What you think Harry?" he was pulled out from his musings and stared confused up at Dean. "Harry?"

"Sorry what was the question mate?"

"Where's your head at? I asked will you be going to the Quidditch World Cup in the summer?" he repeated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Dunno, be difficult to get there..." he trailed off. His chances of getting tickets were slim, his chances of find the place were even worse and the likely hood that he'd even be allowed to go were so slim he could cry. Unless of course he blackmailed his uncle with threats of his 'murderous' Godfather visiting.

"My dad's hoping to score some tickets, you could come with us" Ron beamed, clapping Harry on the back. "Won't be the same if your not there".

"So it's settled mate, Dean can come with my family and you can go with Ron's. We'll meet up" Seamus rubbed his hands together conspiratorially.

"How about you Nev?" Harry asked the quiet boy to his left. "You up for it?" Neville nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Yeah Harry, love to" his ears poked out a little further from his head, because of the face splitting smile plastered across his face.

"M-op-a-mee-homjse" Ron mumbled through a mouth full of turkey leg. Harry hit him upside the head for spitting turkey on his arm.

"Ron! Really!" he gestured to the gunk around Ron's mouth.

Weasley swallowed quickly, wiped his chin with his sleeve and said "What! I'm beautiful!" That set everyone off and even caused Dean to snort into his Pumpkin Juice.

"Sure thing Ronnette" Harry smirked giving his best mate a fake flirty wink and a nudge with his elbow.

"Shut it Golden Boy" he shoved Harry back, jostling him into a still laughing Neville. "I said, meet up at my house Neville. You can travel with us." Ron wasn't even looking at Neville, too busy shoveling mash potato onto his plate.

"Hey, thanks Ron." Neville agreed to the plan whole heartily. It was going to be great. The Gryffindor boys had never spent a real lads day out before and the Quidditch World Cup was sure to be bloody amazing.

"Why's Hermione not here?" Seamus finally asked the question that had been bugging him all through the main meal. Dessert had finally landed on the table and he had spotted the brown haired witch sitting with Parvati and Lavender. Chatting. It was weird.

Ron simply shrugged and said "She's being Hermione." Harry didn't say a word he just buried his face into his ice cream and dare not look up in case his eyes betrayed him and they strayed. He couldn't look at her, not again. So much for the brave Harry Potter. He'd fought Voldemort, killed a Basilisk, taken on a giant spider and defeated hundreds of Dementors not days ago! He could look. He could look at her. They'd been friends for years for Merlin sake! He was Harry Bloody Potter!

He looked. He wished he hadn't. Hermione sat serenely in between Parvati and Lavender, she was clearly enjoying herself. Every few seconds Lavender would whisper something in her ear and Hermione would giggle. GIGGLE! Harry had never once seen that happen. He'd never even seen her speaking to those girls before tonight. They couldn't be friends. But then again, they did share a dormitory...how could he expect her just to ignore them? She didn't once look his way.

He didn't feel like eating his ice cream anymore. "Harry" Ron whispered conspiratorially, looking down at his wand which was pointing suspiciously at Seamus's goblet. Harry smirked leaning closer into Ron as to hide the wand secretly hidden just behind a plate on the table. They waited for the opportune moment just as Seamus was lifting the goblet to his face for another drink. A burst of light and a shriek later. Seamus sat, almost befuddled, covered in smoke with his hair standing on end. Harry and Ron fell about laughing. Dean had caught some of the backlash of the spell and the side of his face was completely covered with pumpkin juice and smoke.

"Seamus Finnigan!" McGongall shouted strictly, appearing out of no where next to the soot covered boy. He jumped again as another sodden jolt of magic shot through him. The spell still bursting around his body. "Control yourself!" Harry and Ron couldn't help it the laughter escaping in loud bellows. "Potter! Weasley! Care to explain?" she said gesturing sharply to the still sparking boy in front of them.

"Don't know Professor" Ron gasped.

"Its shocking isn't it " Harry said, almost setting them off again. As it was the end of the year she couldn't really do anything to them. So pierced them with a frightful gaze and stalked off towards the teachers table. Harry could have sworn she'd muttered "fathers son" but he couldn't be sure. Either way it made him surprisingly proud.

"OUCH!" Ron yelped having just been kicked hard in the shin. Harry quickly turned to Seamus who glared fierily at his best mate and then turned that same fire on him. Time to make a break for it. He leapt up from his seat and speedily swept up the isle.

"Not so fast Golden Boy!" Seamus Finnigan said sizzling after him.