Chapter Eight: Stubborn

"He said what after I left?" Hermione yelled in exasperation, throwing her head back with force. Hermione slumped down, her back sliding down the wall in the Hogwarts corridor. Harry had gone to meet with her before their next class; he thought Hermione should know what happened. Now, the very few passersby were swiftly retreating, escaping Hermione's apparent rage.

"Look Hermione," Harry attempted to soothe, "It's alright. It's just one detention, and it's with George. We've been friends with him for years. Who cares if he did this one joke?"

"Friends?" Hermione laughed grimly at Harry. "All we've ever been to him is a test subject! Every interaction I've had with him has consisted of jokes, Harry. All I've ever been to him was object of ridicule, Harry, in one of his practical jokes! Friends is not the term for it."

"That's not true, and you know it," Harry told her firmly without raising his voice the slightest.

"And I stood up for him! I thought he was going to be decent. But then, of course, he has to go and make me make a fool of myself! And now, everyone knows that for no reason he punished me." Hermione's drove her hand through her bushy mane, shaking her head. "I'm never even going to hear the end of this from Ron."

"Ron's not that bad," Harry lied. "I doubt he will even bring it up again." Harry sat down on the floor next to Hermione. They both ignored the bustled of Hogwarts, the noises and footsteps that could be heard down the stone hallways. It was as if they were back at the Burrow again, up in the room Hermione shared with Ginny; whenever Ron and Hermione got into a fight, which was quite frequently, Harry and Hermione went up there to talk so Hermione would cool down.

"I don't care about what Ron does," Hermione huffed. Harry looked at her curiously.

"You just said that-"

"Okay fine, maybe I do care," Hermione admitted again. "It's just because he was right, and once I admit that, his ego will be dangerously high."

"Since when was he right about this?" Harry asked, trying to spark an idea in Hermione. Hermione glanced over curiously. Hermione, for once, seemed to be one step behind Harry cognitively.

"Harry, I got a detention for nothing. I think that proves that George won't be a suitable professor."

"It was a joke, Hermione. All that proves is that he is going to be fun. And after you left, we had a really good lesson! Just… don't let it seem like you think George is a bad professor." Hermione stared at her best friend for a brief moment. The silence weaved through the hallway, passing eerily by the duo. It lingered by as Hermione stared at Harry as if he just said something insane, but it quickly ran out of sight when Hermione opened her mouth to speak. If you hadn't been paying close attention, you wouldn't even have noticed that the silence was there.

"George is a bad professor," Hermione stated bluntly.

"You've only been in one of his classes for five minutes," countered Harry. "Give him another chance."

"And before that," Hermione began, "I tell convince Ron that I think he's going to be good at teaching."

"That wasn't my point, really…"

"No no, it's brilliant!" Hermione piped up. "It's the perfect way to get Ron to wipe that smug look off his face. Sure, I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure that look is already there. But it's not staying for long!"

Hermione stood up swiftly as a triumphant gleam began to shine through her eyes. Harry slowly stood up after her, not even bothering bringing up how she was still obviously angry with George's teaching methods; even though it wasn't the most conventional way to make Hermione happy again, Harry was at least glad he did something.

The two friends, having been promptly reminded of their next class from the shrill ring of the school bell, began making their way their way to Transfiguration. They traveled quietly, but Hermione's thoughts were confusing her. She was triumphant and distraught, but she didn't know which was more prominent. The more steps she took, the more she remembered that she was upset with George, upset with her first class of her final year at Hogwarts. Before she lost all of her happiness, though, the pair made it to Transfiguration. Mechanically, Hermione placed her bag and her books down in the seat next to Ron as Harry took the other side.

Hermione peered over to Ron; he was looking straight at her. Ron looked particularly smug, and rightfully so, Hermione thought. But just because his smug nature had a reason behind it didn't mean that Hermione didn't find it less annoying. Having called this nature minutes before, she was prepared with her responses to her friend.

"So Hermione," Ron haughtily began, "Charms was interesting." He shifted around in his chair slightly so that he was facing Hermione instead of the front. His body fell into a cocky stance as he waited for Hermione's response. Harry suddenly became very interested in the cover of their new textbook for Transfiguration.

"I bet it was," Hermione said noncommittally. "The Fidelius Charm is rather fascinating."

"So, you didn't hear?" Ron interrupted, hoping to fuel a flame. "About why you got kicked out?"

"What is there to hear? He was just joking around with me. You know, I really shouldn't have been so serious about being correct and- Ron? Are you alright?" Ron's mouth fell ajar, hanging further down than Hermione had ever scene before. Hermione began an internal celebration before she continued.

"Anyways, what did George talk about in class? I wish I could have been there to listen. Next class is only a few days away, but I really can't wait to hear him teach! He's seems like an extremely effective professor and all…"

After McGonagall called for the class's attention, Hermione saw Ron's frustration boil up inside of him. He tried not to let Hermione see, but Ron hiding his anger was about as impossible as Harry not being recognized in Diagon Alley.

Hermione pushed the idea of her success aside as she began to take notes, each letter perfect, ink crisply sinking into her parchment. With Ron out of the way, all she had left to worry about was NEWTS, graduation, and George.


The common room seemed even warmer and more welcoming this year. Hermione attributed it to her long absence from the pleasant room due to the fact that nothing was different at all about the room. The same portraits, including the six-foot wide one of Godric Gryffindor, hung along the scarlet red walls. The gold accents around the room remained seemingly untouched since Hermione, Harry, and Ron left, and so did the furniture. Nothing shifted positions, nothing was added, and nothing was taken away; the common room just particularly set the trio at ease this year.

Hermione collapsed into the small loveseat that stared directly at the fire as soon as she stepped into the common room. While at the library earlier, Hermione began tackling her assignment for Transformation: an in depth essay twelve feet in length on Animagi and how they differ from types of cross-species transfiguration. In the hours after her actual Transfiguration class, she managed to get the first four feet out of the way since she had already studied up on the topic on her own. It was intricate work nonetheless, and it had wiped a good deal of energy out of Hermione. All she wanted to do now was relax by the warm glow of the fire.

Harry had other plans for Hermione.

Hermione didn't even notice Harry sit down next to her a few minutes later. It was only when he began to speak to her that her closed eyes flung open and she jumped, slightly startled.

"I really hate to bring this up again," said Harry nervously. "But it's our last year of Hogwarts and all, and I just want it to be… normal. And without all these conflicts." Harry eyed Hermione before he continued, getting to the point. "I think you should let Ron win this one, Hermione."

Hermione looked baffled; admit defeat when she didn't lose? Okay, well maybe she had lost, but she didn't want to see it that way.

"Harry, I can't do that! You know how he acts when he thinks he was right about things like this. He will act all superior, and-"

"Eventually get over it," Harry finished for her. "If you hold this over his head, he will just keep acting like he is now. I just want my two friends to act normally again."

"It's not my fault that he's the only known male to suffer from premenstrual syndrome."

"Who has PMS?" Harry and Hermione looked over to the staircase that desended from the girls' dormitories. Ginny waltzed down the steps and sat down next to Harry without.

"Ron," chorused Harry and Hermione. Harry added an "apparently" to the end of his thought.

"Well, we all knew that," Ginny admitted, laughing. "It's something we Weasleys have had to deal with for seventeen long years."

"Exactly!" Hermione shouted out, joyful that someone understood. "It's practically a fact that he's moodier than any girl would be. It really isn't my problem."

"Hermione, you aren't even listening to what I'm saying! Can't you just end this so we can have a regular year here?"

"You can't have a regular year at Hogwarts," informed Hermione. "At least not when you're us; it's impossible."

"Just apologize, Hermione," Ginny jumped in, siding with her boyfriend. "We just need to accommodate to Ron and his unnatural needs. It's practically our duty."

"Forget it," Hermione stubbornly told them. "If he just apologizes to me and tells me that I'm right, then it'll be fine."

"But you think he's right!" But it was too late; Hermione was determined to have Ron believe that she wasn't upset about George. The next step, though, was to convince George of the very same thing. And with a detention the very next night, Hermione barely had any time to prepare.


Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay in the update; I just couldn't write this chapter. From writer's block to getting the flu, pretty much everything came my way. So, here's my quick little update. I'm trying to build up the the next chapter: the detention scene! I'm really excited for the next few chapters.

A special thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited the story, or put it/me on alert! It means a lot to me, and I love knowing that you guys are actually enjoying what's going on. Keep up with that, and I'll keep up with the writing. I have a break from school next week, so an update should happen soon!