Harry Potter and the Jade Heart
Chapter 15
"Worried About Hermione"
Hermione sat down at the table across from Ron and Harry. They both watched her as she spooned mashed potatoes on to her plate. She paused mid-scoop and raised an eyebrow at them. "What's with you two?"
"Wanted to ask you the same--" Harry kicked Ron under the table before he could finish his sentence. It wasn't soon enough.
"Tell me what is going on," Hermione said, impatiently.
Harry searched for something to say. "Well, we haven't really talked in a while. We just wanted to know how you've been. What have you been doing?"
"You know me," Hermione said in a "duh" sort of way. "We do have O.W.L.s coming up. You two have been studying, right?"
Ron was not put off by this. "I don't see you studying much in the common room."
Harry quickly added, "And I have been studying for the O.W.L.s and rarely see you in the library."
"I prefer studying in empty classrooms. Is that a crime?" Hermione was getting really annoyed.
"I'm sure you aren't studying all the time. So what else have you been doing? Who have you been hanging out with?" asked Harry. He knew he was being pushy and very obvious, but he couldn't help it.
Hermione nonchalantly started eating her food. She took her time to swallow before answering. "I have other responsibilities. Prefects do a lot more than you think."
"So you hang out with the other prefects a lot?" asked Ron.
"No," she replied, incredulously. "I'm not really acquainted with the older Gryffindor prefects or those from other houses. And Seamus has been keeping himself busy. Everyone just seems to be doing their own thing." She shifted moods. "Why are you two suddenly interested in my life?"
"You're our friend," Harry replied, defensively. "We want to be a part of your life."
Hermione started shoveling all her food into her mouth. After five minutes of eating without stopping to breathe, Hermione chugged down her goblet of pumpkin juice and then slammed it down on the table. She paused then looked fiercely at Ron and Harry. "I didn't kick you out of my life. As I recall, it was the other way around." The table shook as she stood up from the table then left the Great Hall.
Ron and Harry had quizzical shocked looks on their faces.
"Did she..."
"...remind you of Malfoy?" Harry finished. Ron looked at Harry and nodded. "I haven't even had any problems with him this year."
"I ran into him once. That was all."
"I wonder what his death eater father is up to. You think Malfoy is now a death eater?"
"Think? I know! There's no doubt. But Malfoy is too stupid to work alone especially being under the same roof as Dumbledore. He'd need help in order to take you down."
"I'm not that worried about Malfoy. I'm worried about Hermione though."
"You fear Hermione?" asked Ron.
"I'm not worried that she's going to kill me. I'm just worried about how she is doing."
"She probably just took on too much...again. You remember how she was during our third year. I think we're questioning the wrong person."
Harry furrowed his brow. "Did you see how angry she got? She thinks we kicked her out of our lives. Have I really been that insensitive?"
Ron shrugged. "She's a girl. They get all emotional over nothing. I'm sure she'll get over it."
Harry remembered how Cho would get emotional without being provoked, but she never got emotional over nothing. Something else was bothering Hermione. Something deeper. And Harry had a feeling she wasn't just taking it out on them; both of them or just one of them was the cause.
"I think we should keep an eye on her."
Ron looked intently at Harry. "You mean spy on her?"
"Well, no. Trelwaney--"
"You seriously believe what that old bat told you?!" asked Ron.
"You didn't hear her. I'm telling you. I may be Voldemort's target, but I don't think I'm the one who is in trouble. If anyone is in trouble, it's Hermione. She's a muggleborn, she's very close to me, and Malfoy hates her. We should also keep an eye on Seamus. Trelawney's prediction for him may not have anything to do with Voldemort, but you never know. She said no matter what he does, someone will get hurt. I personally don't want to see anyone get hurt."
"Wow, that's both fifth year Gryffindor prefects....Rough job."
Chapter 15
"Worried About Hermione"
Hermione sat down at the table across from Ron and Harry. They both watched her as she spooned mashed potatoes on to her plate. She paused mid-scoop and raised an eyebrow at them. "What's with you two?"
"Wanted to ask you the same--" Harry kicked Ron under the table before he could finish his sentence. It wasn't soon enough.
"Tell me what is going on," Hermione said, impatiently.
Harry searched for something to say. "Well, we haven't really talked in a while. We just wanted to know how you've been. What have you been doing?"
"You know me," Hermione said in a "duh" sort of way. "We do have O.W.L.s coming up. You two have been studying, right?"
Ron was not put off by this. "I don't see you studying much in the common room."
Harry quickly added, "And I have been studying for the O.W.L.s and rarely see you in the library."
"I prefer studying in empty classrooms. Is that a crime?" Hermione was getting really annoyed.
"I'm sure you aren't studying all the time. So what else have you been doing? Who have you been hanging out with?" asked Harry. He knew he was being pushy and very obvious, but he couldn't help it.
Hermione nonchalantly started eating her food. She took her time to swallow before answering. "I have other responsibilities. Prefects do a lot more than you think."
"So you hang out with the other prefects a lot?" asked Ron.
"No," she replied, incredulously. "I'm not really acquainted with the older Gryffindor prefects or those from other houses. And Seamus has been keeping himself busy. Everyone just seems to be doing their own thing." She shifted moods. "Why are you two suddenly interested in my life?"
"You're our friend," Harry replied, defensively. "We want to be a part of your life."
Hermione started shoveling all her food into her mouth. After five minutes of eating without stopping to breathe, Hermione chugged down her goblet of pumpkin juice and then slammed it down on the table. She paused then looked fiercely at Ron and Harry. "I didn't kick you out of my life. As I recall, it was the other way around." The table shook as she stood up from the table then left the Great Hall.
Ron and Harry had quizzical shocked looks on their faces.
"Did she..."
"...remind you of Malfoy?" Harry finished. Ron looked at Harry and nodded. "I haven't even had any problems with him this year."
"I ran into him once. That was all."
"I wonder what his death eater father is up to. You think Malfoy is now a death eater?"
"Think? I know! There's no doubt. But Malfoy is too stupid to work alone especially being under the same roof as Dumbledore. He'd need help in order to take you down."
"I'm not that worried about Malfoy. I'm worried about Hermione though."
"You fear Hermione?" asked Ron.
"I'm not worried that she's going to kill me. I'm just worried about how she is doing."
"She probably just took on too much...again. You remember how she was during our third year. I think we're questioning the wrong person."
Harry furrowed his brow. "Did you see how angry she got? She thinks we kicked her out of our lives. Have I really been that insensitive?"
Ron shrugged. "She's a girl. They get all emotional over nothing. I'm sure she'll get over it."
Harry remembered how Cho would get emotional without being provoked, but she never got emotional over nothing. Something else was bothering Hermione. Something deeper. And Harry had a feeling she wasn't just taking it out on them; both of them or just one of them was the cause.
"I think we should keep an eye on her."
Ron looked intently at Harry. "You mean spy on her?"
"Well, no. Trelwaney--"
"You seriously believe what that old bat told you?!" asked Ron.
"You didn't hear her. I'm telling you. I may be Voldemort's target, but I don't think I'm the one who is in trouble. If anyone is in trouble, it's Hermione. She's a muggleborn, she's very close to me, and Malfoy hates her. We should also keep an eye on Seamus. Trelawney's prediction for him may not have anything to do with Voldemort, but you never know. She said no matter what he does, someone will get hurt. I personally don't want to see anyone get hurt."
"Wow, that's both fifth year Gryffindor prefects....Rough job."