11 Release

Hermione's day was uneventful. She spent it nervously trying to study while alternating about wondering about Harry, whom she hadn't seen all day and worrying about her detention with Snape.

She was pretty sure she hadn't done anything to irritate him recently but that didn't really help to assuage her fears.

She spent dinner with a blush as Charlie sat beside her and talked to several of the Gryffindors about his own days in Hogwarts.

At 8 o'clock Charlie walked her down to the dungeons, Seamus and Neville giving her knowing smiles and several others glaring at her.

When she entered the classroom she was surprised to find Harry waiting for her instead of Snape.

'Hi Harry,' she said quietly not wanting to startle him.

His head snapped up at the voice, 'oh hey Hermione. Finally I don't know how he can stand that chair,' he grumbled as he shoved a parchment into the stack of waiting essays on Severus' desk. 'Don't worry,' he waved off her concerned look that he had done something to an innocents essay or something, 'it's just a dirty picture I sketched for Sev for when he needs to release all that tension.' He grinned mischievously at her.

'So the rumour's true then?' she asked, almost eagerly.

'Is what rumour true? There are a few of them so you're going to be more vague,' he replied leading her to a door behind Severus' desk that she had never noticed before.

'That you and Professor Snape are... um... together,' she mumbled blushing furiously.

'Yeah that one is very true,' he replied, 'the one about me being his son is very false.'

'Merlin Harry that is so...' she trailed off not sure what to say about her friend and her professor being together. She shuddered at her mental picture and Harry took the shudder the wrong way, which was understandable.

'What?' he snapped on the defensive, 'Unnatural, disgusting, freakish?' he filled in.

'What?' Hermione was caught by the anger and bitterness in Harry's voice, 'No Harry, actually I was going to go with ridiculously hot.' She replied unable to stop the blush that deepened.

He stared at her for a moment and blinked, 'You're a fag hag,' Hermione blushed at the term.

'I prefer the term fruit fly,' she muttered causing Harry to laugh. 'Not that I'm complaining but how come you're hear and not Professor Snape?'

'Because Draco and Sev insisted that we talk.' Harry replied.

They were silent for a moment, 'Harry, I'm sorry about this summer, I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I just so desperately wanted to have someone that I latched onto the first boy that showed any interest.'

'He wasn't the first Hermione,' Harry interjected.

'Viktor doesn't count, he acted as a stalker before he had worked up the courage to ask me and then he spent the whole time talking about you.' She snapped before looking apologetic. 'I shouldn't have snapped.'

'You're allowed to be angry Hermione, but did it ever occur to you that maybe you're looking in the wrong direction?''

'What do you mean?'

'That maybe the boys in school are too young for you,' Harry replied.

She blushed but didn't say anything and it got awkward again.

Harry finally sighed, 'Look Mione, I'm still angry with you for how you treated me this summer, you were my best friend and my sister and I needed you and you weren't there. That hurt, more than you could possible know,' he said sadly.

'I'm sorry Harry.' She repeated, tears in her eyes.

'I know, I just need time and I need to know I can trust you, what you did about Ron helps some... but it's still going to take some time.' Harry replied.

Hermione nodded still teary.

'Can I ask you something?' she asked when she managed to get a hold of her emotions again.

Harry nodded, curious, 'Of course, I don't know if I'll answer though.'

'What do you think of Charlie?' she asked blushing.

'Charlie?' That was not what he was expecting. She nodded. 'He's a great guy, if a little spacey sometimes, really knows his stuff. Great with animals, something that Ron was not.' He added as an afterthought.

'Do you think that he would... like me?' she asked in trepidation.

Harry had to laugh this was what he missed most about Hermione, their talks about life, it was the one thing that Hermione was clueless about, not that Harry was much better but it was still something she had to ask him about and he enjoyed helping his friend out of awkward social situations she always seemed to find herself in.

'I think, Jeanie, that any guy would be an idiot to not see how smart and funny and kind and loving you are, even when you're being an asshat.' He replied.

She cried out indignantly and swatted at him, 'which I apologized for douche bag.'

'And if you notice in the terms of the contract,' here he managed to produce a piece of parchment wandlessly, the top read Terms of Harry Potter's renewal of friendship with Hermione Granger. He cleared his throat and began to read, 'number 125 Douche Bag may bring up the lapse in judgement of Fag Hag at anytime proving that it is not in malicious intent or when those other then the following, Ferret, Greasy Bat, Wolf and Irritating Tabby, are present.'

Hermione glared at Harry before finally blurting out, 'that doesn't count it's not even a real contract.'

Harry dropped the bottom of the parchment, letting several feet unravel on the floor, 'ah, he stated pointing to one, here it is, number 583: contrary to Fag Hag's opinion, this is in fact a real,' in the middle of the sentence Hermione snatched the parchment and spelled it closed before beating Harry with it.

'Ow! Ow! Ow!' he chanted, 'why are beating an injured man, what have I ever done to you?' he cried out trying to defend himself but not really succeeding.

'That's for this stupid not real contract!' she replied tossing the thing into the fire.

'Did you have to throw it in the fire?' Harry asked looking into the fire sadly.

'Yes, because I have my own.' She grinned holding up her own parchment.

Harry looked at it quizzically as Hermione unravelled it, the top read The terms and conditions of the renewal of friendship between Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Clearing her throat she read out, 'number one, Hermione Granger, hence forth known as Rogue, shall here by tell Harry Potter, hence forth known as Bandit, everything, no matter what it pertains to or how trivial it may seem. Rogue shall hereby trust in Bandit like she should have before and not ignore or avoid her best friend for whatever treatment. No boy (or man) shall ever come between the two parties again.'

'It doesn't actually say that does it?' Harry asked looking over her shoulder to read it. He gave her a small smile, 'I like this one better.'

'I hope we can be like before,' Hermione said hopefully.

'I don't,' Harry replied, as Hermione's face fell, 'I want something better, something that every can see and go look those two are so close that their husbands can't even separate them. I want to call you my sister and know that you really are my sister, in everything including blood.'

'Harry, what are you talking about?' she asked, not daring to hope.

'I'm talking about a sibling bond, we don't have to do it right now but I want it and Draco does to, we talked about it today. We all do it, none of us have any siblings and we want to choose our family. Sev is adopting Draco soon and Remus may as well be my father. You're the only one who isn't here.' He explained talking her hand.

'After what I did to you, you still want to...' she flung herself at him mindful of his ribs as she hugged him sobbing into him.

'Not for a little while anyway, remember number 241, Fag Hag must prove herself worthy or both Douche Bag and Ferret.' He replied with a grin, returning her hug.