A/N: Omigosh...I've just looked, and I haven't updated in ages!! Again, I'm sorry for the irregular updates. It's just schoolwork has made it really difficult. That and I was grounded...hee hee

The last few days of the summer holidays were not the most enjoyable for Harry. Hermione, of course, had abandoned her plans not to speak to Ron and Harry, but he and Ron were still at odds. Harry personally thought that Ron was being rather stupid. Sure, he would've been irritated too if Ron had gotten Head Boy too, but he would never have taken it this far. Hadn't he gotten over it when Ron was made prefect? But you're only making it worse, not talking to him, a small truthful voice said in the back of his mind.

"It's his own fault," Harry countered, whispering. "I'm not about to go apologise for doing nothing. What's his problem?"

"Talking to yourself again?" said a sniggering voice from the blank frame above Harry's head.

"Shut up, Phineas," Harry said, turning the frame to face the wall. He relaxed back into his bed. At midnight, the moon was casting evil-looking shadows on to the floor. He cast his eyes around the deafeningly silent room, observing his belongings strewn about the floor, in contrast to Ron's neat half of the room. Mrs. Weasley had come in earlier and packed Ron's trunk for him, but Harry couldn't bring himself to pack up, let alone leave his comfortable position. He supposed he would have to do it at some point (as the train would be leaving in 11 hours). In an attempt to get out of bed, he tripped over the covers and fell flat upon his face, snapping his glasses. Cursing as he got up, he heard a cruel snicker from Ron's vicinity. Apparently he wasn't the only one laying awake. Angrily, he began storming around the room, picking up random socks and tossing them hard into the trunk, only to have them bounce out. He soon realised he had neither the energy nor the patience to get packed, when he remembered the spell that Tonks had used when the Order had arrived to rescue him from Privet Drive. Harry smirked as he had a sudden not-so-nice idea. "PACK!" he yelled loudly, glancing over to see Ron's reaction. The items on the floor flew into Harry's trunk, but Harry was preoccupied by Ron's sudden outburst.

"What the hell d'you think you're playing at?" Ron bellowed. "There are people trying to sleep, you know!"

"Well perhaps you'd better shut up then, so no one else gets woken up!" Harry said, rudely.

"Well I'm sorry," Ron retorted, changing tack. "I wasn't aware that his royal Head Boyship was packing, otherwise I would've called the Daily Prophet. But I suppose you've already called them!"

As far as Harry was concerned, that was below the belt. Ron knew very well that Harry didn't ask for any of the attention he got, least of all from the Daily Prophet. He was sounding sickeningly like Draco Malfoy, and Harry told him just that. Ron ignored him and returned to his bed, glaring at him all the while. Harry returned the glare and also climbed into his bed, now that his packing was finished. He stared at the wall and didn't get to sleep until some hours later.

Harry was rudely shaken seemingly minutes after he had gotten to sleep by Ron, who told him that Mrs. Weasley was calling them. Putting his glasses on, he observed that Ron had dark circles around his eyes. (And going to the mirror, he looked no better.) Ron had dressed speedily and tore out of the room before Harry could even begin to look for clothes. The bright morning light made Harry squint as he scrambled around for a jumper and a pair of trousers. In an attempt to dull the light, he closed the curtains, which somewhat helped. He surveyed the room, checking to make sure everything was together and ready to go if need be. His trunk was closed, Hedwig's cage was nearby, and his Firebolt had been placed carefully next to Ron's Cleansweep Eight. He pinned on his gleaming badge, half in pride and half in spite.

On the way down to breakfast, Harry met Hermione on the stairs. "Morning," he said shortly. He wasn't really in the talking mood, after the fight and the little sleep he had gotten.

"I heard shouting last night," Hermione said, looking uncertainly at Harry's tired eyes. "Did you and Ron fight?"

"Yes," Harry said, making it clear that he didn't want to talk. Hermione didn't continue the conversation the entire walk to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Harry. Morning Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley," Harry and Hermione said together. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ron looking at his Head Boy badge and scowling. With a small smile of satisfaction, Harry sat down opposite Ron, Hermione sitting next to him.

"Hermione, could you pass the eggs please?" Harry asked, completely ignoring Ron. Hermione glanced at the bowl of scrambled eggs sitting well within Ron's reach.

"Couldn't Ron―" Hermione began, but stopped at the stony expressions on both Ron's and Harry's face. Sighing loudly, she got up from her seat and took the eggs from the table, passing them to Harry. Harry knew very well how ridiculous this was. That it wasn't the behavior expected of a seventeen-year-old, never mind Head Boy, but it was strangely satisfying.

Once breakfast was over and they had arrived at Platform 9 ¾, Harry. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron bid Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin goodbye, and passed through the barrier alone. Harry followed Ginny, saying "See you later, then" to Hermione, who stopped immediately, looking confused.

"What're you talking about? You're to come with us!" she said. "Head Boy, remember? We've got to give the prefects instructions."

It suddenly clicked to Harry that he had actually duties to perform, rather than just wearing a badge. He had begun so accustomed to spending the first fifteen minutes of the journey by himself while Ron and Hermione went to the head of the train, that he'd completely forgotten that he was now supposed to join them.

"See you later then," Harry said, turning to Ginny, who for some reason, smiled nervously. Harry jogged to catch up with Hermione, when another question occurred to him. "Hang on. Give them instructions? What instructions?" He looked up to see Ron walking speedily ahead and determinedly ignoring them.

"Don't worry about that," Hermione said, smiling. "I was sent the instructions along with my letter."

"Why wasn't I given them?" Harry asked.

"I told you. The founders of Hogwarts thought girls trustworthier than boys. The Head Girl has traditionally been sent the instructions. Besides, it's just a packet full of envelopes that have the year's House passwords along with a few other things."

"Oh." Harry said, stupidly, as they arrived at the head of the train. They entered the large first compartment to find the other prefects waiting for them. The replacement of an unknown Ravenclaw for Ernie Macmillan was a painful reminder of the events that had taken place last year.

"You're Head Boy and Girl?" said a disbelieving drawling voice from the window. Harry looked over to find the familiar and unpleasant pointed face of Draco Malfoy.

"That's right, Malfoy, so you'd better watch your step," Hermione said, coldly.

"So how did Scarhead manage it? He wasn't even a prefect. Suppose it's because he's Dumbledore's favorite boy," Malfoy spat.

Hermione continued to ignore him and took the large envelope from her bag. She distributed the brightly colored envelopes among the prefects, each colored depending on the house they concerned. "Here are this year's passwords. I warn you not to lose them, at risk of losing Prefect privileges," she said. "Fifth years, you are responsible for taking the new first years to the Common Rooms and giving them the password. Sixth years and seventh years, you're responsible for night patrol."

After Hermione had dismissed them all (Ron giving him a look that could curdle milk), she handed him a purple envelope. "What's this?" Harry asked.

"Password," Hermione said, throwing her bag back onto her back.

"For what?"

"Your dormitory, of course!"

"We don't need a password," Harry said, confused.

"To the Head Boy's quarters!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Head Boy what?"

"Just take it," she said, shoving it into his hands. "It's at the top of the stairs."

"Hang on," he said, catching up with her as she started down the corridor to find Ginny. "We get our own rooms? And since when was the Head Boy quarters in our dormitory?"

"Honestly," Hermione said, exasperated. "When are you going to read Hogwarts, A History? The Head Boy and Head Girl always get their own private dormitory, including a library and a study." She practically glowed at the thought of her own personal library. "The Head Boy and Girl quarters aren't in our Common Room specifically. They move around depending upon who's the Head Boy and Girl for that year."

"So that's where Percy kept disappearing to..." Harry said, with a expression of sudden understanding.

"Right," she said, stopping and sliding the glass door of a compartment open. "Hello, Ron. Could we sit here?"

Ron glanced at Harry and said nothing. Harry, however, had something to say: "Not on your life. I'm not sharing a compartment with this git."

"Fine," Ron said, savagely. "I reckon there wouldn't be much room to breathe in here anyway, if I let your inflated head in here."

"Come on, Hermione," Harry snarled.

"Just because you and Ron and acting like idiots doesn't mean I have to sever ties with either one of you," she replied, in a dignified manner, sitting down.

"Fine," Harry said angrily, slamming the door so hard the glass shattered. Just as he had left, Luna had arrived and repaired the door. He stormed down the corridor, earning himself several looks from the contents of the compartments he passed. He eventually found Ginny and Neville sitting quietly in one of the last compartments. He slid open the door and sat down.

"Hello Harry," Neville said brightly. "Where's Hermione?"

"She's―"

"They've broken up," Ginny said abruptly. "They just decided to be friends." Harry was about to object, but then realized she was right. He had completely forgotten about his and Hermione's plan.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Neville said, with an odd look in his eyes. "What about Ron―"

"Up there with Hermione," Harry said, jerking his thumb behind him. "We're sort of in the middle of a row."

"Oh. So what're you―"

"I really didn't sleep well last night Neville," Harry said, closing his eyes. "So I'm just going to kip for a bit. Wake me up when we arrive at Hogwarts, will you?"

Reviews

Magadorag:I don't know how long-term a fight I'm going to make this for Ron and Harry. It might happen through the entire fic...I can't think of a reasonable way for them to make up yet.

Merlindamage: Yeah, he's pretty ticked!

Mara342: As you can see, Harry has NO intention of apologizing to Ron

Chrys-Moony-Marauder: Heh heh, yeah your reviews are really helping me. Which fic are you mixing mine up with? Btw, have you updated yet?

Truly Anna: Like I said, haven't decided yet.

Geena-Waters: Yeah, Ron and him don't fight very often anyway. They need it a little more

Sweet Chry 2005: Will do!