Chapter 9
Hermione sat in the library trying to figure out how she had to go about showing Harry that he was wrong for rebuffing her since school had opened and instead he spent all his time with Bellatrix and Neville. She had to speak to the Headmaster and explain that she only done what he had asked and now she had found herself without friends and almost 600 points down because of that pathetic Ministry witch. Hermione had been getting tired of seeing Bellatrix in the Hogwarts common room too, she was in Hufflepuff why didn't she just stay there.
She slammed the book closed and packed her stuff up in a huff. She made her way to the common room and found Bellatrix sitting with Harry, she made her way over to them.
"Harry do you mind if I have a word?" she asked
"Sure Hermione, what would you like?" he asked not shifting from his seat
"Can we talk alone please?" she asked
"No, I don't keep secrets from my friends" he said calmly
"Okay, she needs to stop sitting in our common room." She pointed to Bellatrix
"And why is that?" he asked
"Because she is a Hufflepuff" Hermione reasoned
"Okay then, let's go to the Hufflepuff common room then Bella" he said and stood offering his hand to Bellatrix
"You don't have to go Harry, you're a Gryffindor and you deserve to be here" she said happy that she had won but her happiness faded when she saw Harry's face
"And Bella doesn't?" he asked harshly
"No, the hat placed her in Hufflepuff" she said quietly
"So the fact that she help free both Sirius and me at personal cost doesn't make her brave enough?" Harry almost shouted. There was a crowd gathering now
"That has nothing to do with…" she started
"It has everything to do with what we're talking about" he cut her off
"I'm looking out for you Harry" she shouted
"Looking out for me? How?" he asked
"She can't know everything, how can you trust her after everything she's done"
"And she used to be a dirty snake and death eater" Ron shouted pushing his way through the crowd but as soon as he made it to the front Harry punched him in the throat causing him to collapse to the ground.
"Now listen here you ignorant bitch" he turned on Hermione "If you say one more defamatory thing to or about Bella I will curse you until you don't know your first name" he stared her down hard
He turned to leave when he heard her speak again
"What was that?" he asked
"5 points from Gryffindor and detention with Filch for two weeks for assaulting another student" she said louder
"Go fuck yourself Granger" Harry said and left the common room
He walked side by side with a very quiet Bellatrix till they got to her common room door, Harry pulled her aside before they entered
"Talk to me" he said to her
"Does everyone hate me?" she asked with tears in her eyes
"No they don't. She just said that because she's losing her friendship with me; maybe in some part of her she thought we would be together but that's never been a possibility for me. You, Bella, are a wonderful young girl and whatever happened after you were married off doesn't matter to all of our friends. Neville already thinks you're the best girl in the world except for Hannah" Harry smiled at her
"What did I do to deserve you" she asked
"I'm the lucky one here, your support has made me better Bella" he said and gave her a hug
"Do you mind if I turn in for the night?" she asked
"As long as you promise that you're okay"
"I am, I've got such an amazing person in my life" she kissed his cheek and made her way into the common room where she found her friends
Harry stormed off to Professor McGonagall's office, he knocked and found his head of house sitting at her desk and grading papers
"Mr Potter, how may I help you?" she asked
"I'm here about reversing detentions given to me by Hermione Granger" he started and told her the entire story. She listened carefully and waited for him to finish before she answered him.
"I agree with Ms Granger, you cannot go ahead and physically assault fellow students but I do also agree that it was provoked. So no detentions but the deduction in points will remain; Mr Weasley and Ms Granger will receive punishments as well" she spoke
"Okay Professor" he said and left her chambers. He walked back to his dorm where he found his three male friends giving Ron a hard time about what he had said
"Don't tell me what to do" he said and took a swing at Neville but Harry caught his hand
"Do you want to get hit in the throat again Weasley" Harry asked sounding furious
"What are you doing Harry? We're friends" he whined
"We were friends, but that's over now" Harry said and pushed him away from the rest of them
"It's that crazy bitch she has you under some sort of potion" he said and started running when he saw Harry chase him. He barely made it down the stairs when he felt a foot kick him in the back causing him to tumble across the floor. Harry had his wand in hand and stood threateningly over Ron
"I warned you not an hour ago" Harry said menacingly
"Harry" George shouted
"Wait" Fred followed up
"We'll take care of him" they said together
"Gred and Forge I'm not giving him another warning" Harry said to the twins
"Thank you Harry" Fred said seriously
They dragged Ron out of the common room; Harry checked his watch and saw that it was after curfew. He saw Hermione watching the altercation
"Aren't you going to give them detentions for being out after curfew?" he asked and the common room went silent and waited for her response
"I didn't see anyone leave the common room" she said and stared back at him
"Bloody ridiculous" he said and went back up stairs
The room was silent, all four occupants going about their nightly rituals. Dean started laughing first and gasped for breath "Did….. You …. See….. His face" he continued laughing and soon Neville and Seamus joined in. Harry shook his head at his friends and smiled at them before getting into bed and drawing his curtains and falling asleep.
