*~*Authors Note: This story is a lot darker than "Just Between Us," but I haven't read much fan fiction that deal with deep issues. So I thought I'd publish it. Let me know what you think. OH and by the way I wish that I had created Harry Potter, however, it all belongs to JKR.~*~*

Hermione looked out the window of her Muggle Studies classroom. She had not been listening to the lecture for quite awhile and had no idea what the professor was saying. This was quite unusual for Hermione who rarely lost interest in her classes. However, lately she was loosing interest in her classes very easily. She was still doing well in all her classes, however, not as well as she had in her previous years. She had just lost a lot of the drive to succeed that she had before. She continued to stare out the window in a complete daze.
"Hermione...Hermione....Hermione!" Her fellow Gryffindor Dean Thomas shouted at her. "Oh, sorry, I must have dazed out for second," she said startled. "I'll say, you alright?" he asked a bit confused. Hermione nodded silently.
"Okay, well, why don't we head down to the hall for lunch. I don't know about you but I am starving," Dean said grabbing his books.
Hermione followed him silently, listening to him discuss Muggle holiday celebrations. However, Hermione was only partially paying attention to what Dean was saying.
Upon arriving in the great hall, Hermione was relieved to see her best friend Harry Potter sitting all alone at the table, unaccompanied by her other best friend, Ron Weasley. Hermione wasn't in the mood to deal with Ron, and quite frankly she hasn't been for quite some time. Ever since the beginning of the school year Ron had changed a lot. Instead of spending his extra time with her and Harry he had befriended a transfer to Hogwarts from America named Suzy. However, Suzy did not have many friends in 5th year, even though she was one herself. Most of her friends were 7th year Hogwarts students. Her usual gang included George and Fred Weasley; Ron's brothers, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Lee Jordan. All of whom Ron has suddenly decided to hang out with on a regular basis, and much to her surprise they don't seem to mind this sudden interest in them, and Suzy seems to have taken a liking to Ron.
"Hey, Harry," Hermione said as she sat down next to him at the table.
"Hey, you what's up? Ron'll be back in a minute, he's getting measured for his Quidditch robes. You know his first game as Keeper is this Saturday," Harry said.
Hermione nodded politely. "The pretty American Princess isn't around today?" Hermione asked cheekily.
Harry rolled his eyes, "It wouldn't kill you if you'd be nice to her once in awhile, ya know?" He was getting a bit fed up with Hermione's negative attitude lately.
"I don't have to be nice to her!" Hermione replied shortly.
Just then Ron came into the Hall alone and he debated between sitting with his usual crowd or with Harry and Hermione, today, he felt that he should sit with Harry and Hermione due to the fact that he really hadn't spent much time with them at all this year. He took a seat directly accross from Harry and Hermione. "Hey," he said smiling.
Harry returned the greeting, while Hermione continued to nibble on a piece of toast. Ron stared at Hermione for a few moments waiting patiently for her to return his greeting, but this did not happen. A little dissappointed he started to eat.
"So you decided to sit with us today. To what do we owe this distinguished honor?" Hermione snapped.
"What the hell do you mean Hermione, I mean the last time I checked we were friends. I can sit in the Hall for lunch with my friends can't I?" Ron said angerly
"Well, the last time I checked friends actually acknowledge eachothers presence from time to time. I swear this is the first diaglogue we have had in atleast 2 weeks. Oh wait, I'm sorry, we talked briefly in the library yesterday while I bassically did your Potions homework for you. If that is what you call a friendship. Then I guess were still friends," Hermione shouted. Although, he shouting did not seem to be stemmed out of anger and frustration but it was deeper. Harry got the sense that she wasn't really just mad at Ron that there was something deeper going on.
"Aren't you gonna eat?" Ron said noticing that she had barely touched any of her food.
"I've lost my appetite," she said softly. Ron eyed her suspiciously, Hermione was not acting like herself at all. He looked at Harry, and without saying a word he knew that Harry was thinking the same thing.
"I gotta go," Hermione said softly as she grabbed her books and headed for the door. Hermione had a very sour, almost sickening expression on her face. Hermione got to the bottom of the steps where she sat down and started to cry. 'What is wrong with me?' she thought silently to herself.