A/N – Hey guys, I know, I know, I'm late. I'm so sorry. I completely meant to post this on Thursday night but then my hamster was really poorly so we got all caught up in looking after him.

Then I went to post last night and when I looked at it I wasn't happy with the chapter and wanted to add some bits. Consequently, though my original draft of this chapter has been beta-read by my wonderful beta la rubinita (Thank you) there have been bit added that haven't been because I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. So if there are a few spelling/grammar mistakes please forgive me.

Also, thank you all so much for my reviews. I was only expecting one or two and I got . It made me so happy.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. It will explain why Harry and Hermione were on such bad terms in the prologue.

The Heart Breaks so Easily

Chapter 1

Hermione stood on her tiptoes trying to see over the crowds on platform nine and three quarters. She was searching for her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Though the plan before they finished their sixth year at Hogwarts had been for her and Harry to visit the Burrow for a few weeks during the summer, this had never happened and Hermione had missed them both terribly. A sense of confusion surrounded her about why their plan had not been brought into action. She had written several times to both of the boys during the previous few months but had never received a reply from either of them. This subsequently had caused Hermione to spend numerous hours scouring the Daily Prophet for news that something terrible had happened but there was nothing. She was actually grateful of this because she knew it would surely be reported if anything had happened to either of the boys, particularly Harry.

However, she was still confused about the lack of contact. The calendar that hung on the wall of Hermione's bedroom in her parent's home was marked with large red crosses that counted down the days until she would return to Hogwarts and find out for herself what was going on and she had woken up that morning excited that today was, finally, that day.

So here she was scanning the crowds of nervous-looking first years, dragging trunks as big as them, and tall seventh years greeting friends with smiles and hugs. She spotted the platinum blonde hair of Draco Malfoy and saw him nod in agreement at something his father was saying to him, though his expression was less than amused. Hermione watched him for a few moments, trying to work out what was going on. He was stood too far away for her to be able to hear but it appeared as though Lucius was giving his son instructions that Malfoy wasn't too happy about.

Odd, thought Hermione, Ferret-Boy usually dotes on everything 'Daddy' says. Before she could consider this any further, however, she caught a glimpse of red in the corner of her eye and spun around towards it, searching for the tell-tale Weasley hair. It wasn't Ron though it was, "GINNY!" she yelled towards the younger girl who had her back turned, "GINNY! WAIT!" Hermione thought she saw her only female friend pause for a moment but then watched as she proceeded to climb onto the train. That was weird. Maybe she just didn't hear me. Hermione shrugged. Oh well, guess I'll just see them later.

As well as checking that everything was okay, she was eager to share with the boys her good news, that Dumbledore had appointed her as Head Girl. She had written to them, of course, informing them of her achievement the minute that she had received the letter but, again, there had been no reply. Hermione had considered the possibility by this point though that there was a problem with the owl mailing system and so her friends simply weren't receiving any of her letters. Perhaps they had sent her numerous correspondences also that had simply not arrived. They were probably as worried about her as she was about them.

Her new postion meant that upon arriving on the Hogwarts Express she had to go immediately to the Prefect's compartment to give out instructions for the journey. Hermione brightened at this thought. Of course, why am I wasting time on the platform? Ron is a prefect. He will be there. Smiling she boarded the train and made her way to the front compartment, checking that her Head Girl badge was straight on the way.

Hermione pushed the door of the Prefect's compartment closed behind her and looked around the room just as she felt the train leaving Platform 9 ¾. The space was magically enlarged and was filled with students from every house, all proudly wearing a silver badge on their chest with the letter 'P' stamped on it. She smiled at her fellow students but was inwardly disappointed to see that Ron had not yet arrived. A quick glance at her watch showed it was time to begin the meeting and she moved to the empty chair in the centre, next to this year's Head Boy.

The Head Boy was a Ravenclaw called Benjamin Thompson whom Hermione did not know particularly well but from what she did know she liked. He was tall, with both dark hair and eyes and a kind expression. He was known in their year for being incredibly intelligent and having an uncle who was one of the founders of St. Mungo's hospital.

"Hello everybody, I am pleased to see you all here today. I am Hermione Granger and I am your new Head Girl," she started. Benjamin continued introducing himself also. As he began, Hermione noticed Ron slip silently into the room and stand at the back. She smiled and attempted to catch the eye of her friend but he kept his head down and avoided all eye contact.

Hermione narrowed her eyes in confusion. What was going on here? All summer she had been continuously telling herself that nothing was wrong and that there were perfectly good explanations as to why Harry and Ron (and even Ginny on one occasion) had failed to answer her letters, but now she was beginning to get seriously worried. There was something not right here, and Hermione needed to know what it was.

"Anything else you want to say, Hermione?" her attention was snapped back into focus as she realised that she was being spoken to by her counterpart, and looked around to see that her fellow prefects were looking at her expectedly. She had been so focused on Ron and her current situation that she had paid no attention to the meeting at all.

"Erm…" she said, trying to disguise up her lack of concentration, "No, thank you, Benjamin, I think you have covered everything. You will all receive notes in the next few days arranging a time for our first proper meeting of the year but for now you may go." At her words, everyone stood up and began to make their way to the door to carry out their appointed tasks (that she hoped Benjamin had given them). Hermione jumped up quickly, hoping to catch Ron before he left. Her way, however, was blocked.

"Hermione, I would just like to say how much I am looking forward to working with you this year," Hermione looked over the shoulder of the Head Boy, just in time to see a mop of red hair leave the compartment. Damn it, she inwardly cursed and turned her attention back to the boy in front of her, "and I want you to know that I am taking this responsibility very seriously, as I am sure you will be too."

"Well, thank you Benjamin, I am looking forward to working with you too," Hermione smiled, trying to appear as though there was nothing wrong.

The tall boy beamed down at her, "Oh, it's Ben. Only my Grandmother calls me by my full name. Well, I guess we've got work to do," he finished and left room.

Hermione followed soon after, determined to hunt down at least one of her friends.

Her mission, however, turned out to be futile. She discovered that during the journey she was so busy that she didn't even have a moment to eat, let alone find her friends. She found herself consoling distraught first years and helping a boy, who reminded her eerily of Neville Longbottom, to find his pet cat. She was also last off the train once it arrived in Hogsmeade as it was her duty to check all the carriages for any students who may have, for example, fallen asleep so that they didn't get left behind.

She walked into the Great Hall, having missed the Sorting, tired and starved. She felt better though when she saw the heads of the two boys she had been searching for all day bent together at the Gryffindor table whispering intently. She approached and crouched down between them, placing a hand on each of her friends' shoulders.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, joyfully, "I have been looking for you two all day. Where on Earth have you been hiding?" Harry and Ron looked at each other, gave as slight nod and turned back to their food, ignoring Hermione completely and shrugging her hands off them at the same time. A pang of hurt jolted through Hermione's chest and the smile vanished immediately.

"Guys?" Once again, she was met with silence. Not about to give up she turned to Harry. He was usually the more rational of the two boys. "Harry, what's going on?" her voice was filled with pain and confusion and her eyes began to sting as she stared at the face of her dark haired best friend who refused to look up from his food at her.

Harry muttered something under his breath so quietly it was barely a sound but Hermione heard it loud and clear, "Hermione, leave us alone."

She took a shaky, deep breath and turned to the red-head. "Ron," she pleaded, "please tell me what's wrong." Silence. "Ron?" More silence. "Please, Ron."

The tall boy who had been her friend for six years, who had copied her homework and who had saved her life on several occasions spun around and looked at her with a look so full of hatred and anger that Hermione felt as though she had been physically pushed backwards by it. She lost her balance and fell from the crouching position she had been in onto her bottom on the floor.

"What do we have to do to make you get the point!?" he spat down at her, "We don't want anything to do with you anymore."

"You don't mean that," replied Hermione, shaking her head in denial, hoping more than anything that this was just some kind of cruel joke, "This isn't funny, guys".

"We're not joking and yes we do mean it," shot back Ron, "Leave us alone…" he lowered his voice so only himself, Hermione and Harry could hear, "Mudblood!"

At his words, a cry escaped from Hermione's mouth and tears fell from her eyes. She scrambled to her feet and fled from the Great Hall as fast as she could. She didn't hear Dumbledore announce her name as the new Head Girl or see his look of confusion as he realised she wasn't there. She didn't see Ben stand up as his name was also called. She didn't see a single tear fall from Ginny's eye. And she didn't see Draco Malfoy observe the whole thing with a look of concern on his face.

As soon as he saw Hermione leave the Hall, Ron's shoulders slumped and a pained expression came over his face.

"That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do," he muttered to Harry, who was rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses.

"I know," his friend replied, "but we had to do it. She is in too much danger. I will have to face Voldemort this year and there was no other way she would distance herself from me enough to keep her off his radar. As my friend, she is the single most wanted Muggle-born in Voldemort's eyes and if I have to give up her friendship so that she will be safe then so be it." Ron nodded. Merlin, he hoped Harry was right. "It's different with you, Ron", Harry continued, "With your family being as high profile as they are in the fight against Voldemort, you are a target anyway, but Hermione doesn't need to be. I love her too much to put her in danger."

"Me too," Ron agreed, "I really hope she is okay though."

"Me too," whispered Harry, "Me too."

Hermione ran through the hallways of Hogwarts as fast as she could, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks. The sound of Ron saying that word was echoing through her mind. Never in her life did she think that she would ever hear that word in her best friend's voice. Former best friend she reminded herself. She didn't understand why this was happening. What had she done to make the two most important people in her life turn against her like this?

Before she knew it she was in the confines of her dormitory where she flung herself down on her bed, pulling the curtains closed around her a muttering a few charms to ensure she would not be disturbed by any of the other girls later on. She buried her head in her pillow and cried harder than she could ever remember crying before in her life.

Mudblood! The word kept repeating itself over and over in her mind, each time causing a pain in her heart that felt as though someone was slicing her open with a dagger. She realised with dismay that that 'someone' was, in fact, Ron.

So many things made sense now. The lack of letters throughout the summer and the avoidance of eye contact in the Prefects meeting. She felt so stupid at having convinced herself that were was just a mailing problem and that they would be worried about her too. They don't even care about me anymore. She realised with a jolt that Ginny probably had heard her on the platform and had just ignored her call. She would try and speak to her the next morning. Perhaps she would get some more sense out of her.

A loud grumble from her stomach reminded Hermione that she had yet to eat today and she considered heading down to the kitchens to get some food from Dobby. She reached up to pull her curtains apart when she was stopped by the sound of her housemates returning from the feast. Hermione drew back her hand. Having spent the best part of the last hour crying she was sure she looked dreadful and didn't want the other girls to see her like that. Instead she cast some silencing charms around her bed so that they would not hear her and lay there listening to their cheerful banter about their summer holidays and what classes they were taking this year. Rather quickly, however, Hermione found that their laughter was too much for her to take so she used her wand to block out their voices, before letting the tears fall once again.

She lay awake crying long into the night, until the other girls were sound asleep and her own pillow was soaking wet. She felt such pain and betrayal that even breathing was a struggle. These two boys had been her everything for six years. How could they just turn their backs on her? She repeated the question of 'What have I done wrong?' over and over until sheer exhaustion took over and she finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

A/N There you go Guys, hope you liked it. Please review!!