Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Harry Potter.

Summary: Hermione is confused.

Hermione

Hermione was smart. She knew she was. Her grades said so, as did the professors. However, she didn't completely feel smart at the moment. She couldn't believe something so simple could have escaped her. There was something bothering Harry and for her life, she couldn't think of a single thing that could make him act the way he had been acting. She had noticed their recent detachment. He seemed to be pulling away from her and Ron.

Sometimes they would walk into a room and he would come up with an excuse so he could leave. She didn't want to think that maybe he didn't think too much of their friendship anymore. He'd been through too much crap to just drop them now. Which, of course, really left the option that something was wrong with him and he didn't want them to know about it.

She waiting impatiently as the portrait swung to reveal the opening to the Gryffindor Common Room. Even then, she didn't wait for it to open all the way and was through as soon as there was enough room for her.

As soon as she walked in, she spotted Ron's red hair and went in his direction. He didn't seem to notice her but then what could she expect. They'd had two weeks to complete Snape's essay and he had barely started it. He was trying to get something done before they had to turn them in in half an hour. Which really explained why he hadn't seemed to notice that his best friend wasn't anywhere in the vicinity.

His head shot up when she slammed the book she had been holding down on the table.

"Bloody hell, Hermione. Are you trying to kill me?"

She scowled at him and yanked the essay out of his hands. Scanning it quickly, she frowned. "Ron, do you have any idea what you're talking about or what this essay had to be about?"

"Of course I bloody well know what it's about." He snatched it back and glared at her, but it only lasted a second since he immediately went back to his essay.

"Language, Ron… Now, have you seen Harry lately?"

"Yeah, just after class. Said something about the library and having to do some research." He didn't look up from his essay and scribbled something down. Something which, of course, Hermione greatly disapproved of. The whole thing didn't make sense. He wasn't even writing about the potion they had been given. Granted it was a broad topic, but even then Ron seemed more interested in other attributes.

Exasperated, she pulled the quill out of his hand and took the ink bottle as well. "Are you listening to yourself? Since when has Harry been so fond of the library?" She took a deep when she saw Ron's look of confusion. "Honestly, Ronald, I can't believe you haven't noticed yet. Something is wrong with him. He's been avoiding us these last few weeks."

Ron nodded and picked up his bag to look for another quill when he saw that she wasn't going to return his anytime soon. "I noticed. Didn't think it was anything to worry about. Harry does have need for privacy sometimes." His voice was muffled but she could make out every word.

Hermione looked at Ron with a surprised look on her face. Those were not the words she had expected from him. At the very least, she would have thought he hadn't noticed. At the most she had expected anger at the fact that Harry had been avoiding them. But he seemed to have taken it better than she had. Something she wasn't used to.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Harry needs a life." He dug around his bag for another moment. "Aha!"

Hermione made a face at him and stood up. She tossed the quill back at Ron and huffed. "Well, I'm going to find out what's wrong with your best friend. If you change your mind about Harry, look for me in the Library."

Before Ron could say anything else, Hermione was gone. She pushed the portrait aside and stepped into the hallway. She knew Harry was probably not at the Library. It had been an excuse to get away from them. But it was as good as any place to start looking. She needed to find out what was wrong with Harry, even if it meant following him around.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Everyone who reviews get a cookie. :)