Disclaimer: Yeah, you guys know…

A/N: Woahhh! I'm sorry for no updates ever! The summer was quite the crazy one… what with the traumatic events and the grounding and most importantly, WRITERS' BLOCK! Fortunately, I have rediscovered my fic, and am ready to go forth! Join with me when I say… "Fluxx is the hottest game ever!"..? RIGHT. Anyway… the long-awaited CHAPTER THREE!

Harry DID in fact understand why Ginny had kissed him. That had been her chance... He stood up, walking over to the window. Looking out, he could see the overcast sky, occasionally spouting down a tiny bit of drizzle from the large, gray clouds. The sky that day seemed to reflect his mood. He turned away from the window, closing the door, and lying down on his bed.

Maybe if I get some rest, I'll be in a better mood, he thought. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The weeks following passed uneventfully. Harry spent much of his time thinking about the advice Ginny had given him. He tried, so hard, not to show the jealousy he felt tearing up his insides when Hermione looked at Ron with those eyes… God, her eyes…

Harry noticed that the inquiries as to why Harry was acting strangely had diminished. He supposed that Hermione and Ron had just become so tired of hearing the same old "nothing" excuse that they'd just given up on asking altogether. In his weeks of solitude, he came to the realization that, while he'd acted annoyed, he really wished his friends would try to get him to talk more often. It showed him that they cared.

There was nothing he could do about it, however. He watched the world go by around him as he stayed trapped in his whirling head. He was never allowed out, and couldn't even go anywhere in the house without someone following him about. He'd grown strangely accustomed to this constant chaperone, and hardly noticed anymore when Tonks followed him into the bathroom.

Nobody new ever came to visit at Grimmauld Place. The monotony of it all made Harry's head buzz even more with horrid thoughts. He slept for much of the time, and barely dreamt anymore. He was glad of this; he could not bear watching the Order's destruction night after night. He only slept to avoid contact with… essentially everyone.

One particularly sunny day, Harry found it near impossible to sleep. On an impulse, he picked up the book of pictures that Hagrid had given him in his first year. He watched his parents on their wedding day, smiling and laughing, talking noiselessly with Sirius.

Harry's godfather looked so different in this picture than Harry remembered, but yet, somewhat the same. Up to the moment he passed through that wretched veil, Sirius had been laughing… Looking at this picture from so long ago, Harry could vividly remember his godfather's face on that horrible day.

Suddenly, the door to Harry's room burst open. Harry was so startled that he threw the heavy book nearly three feet in the air, landing on his left foot. He whipped his head around to see who had entered his room in such excitement, and found himself being smacked upside the head by none other than Hermione.

"HARRY POTTER. I am not going to sit and watch you wither away in your room any longer. I don't CARE what kind of horrible problem you've got, because I can't help it if you won't tell me whatever the hell is wrong with you. So I suggest you dress yourself, quickly, and then come downstairs with the rest of us and enjoy a nice tea." This exclamation was made in one breath only, and when she was finished, she looked as though she was about to pass out.

Harry could only gape at her. "I – I…" He found himself at a loss for words. He had never heard anyone speak so fast in his entire life, and at that moment, he felt very scared for his life.

Hermione sat on his bed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry, Harry…" she said.

Harry was confused; he hadn't been SO scared that he should be crying… but careful inspection of his face revealed tears. Then he felt a throbbing pain in his left foot, and winced. The pain had caused tears to involuntarily well up in his eyes, he decided.

"Oh, no, it's – it's nothing. I'm not crying, I merely… got some dust in my eye," Harry insisted. He threw off the blankets covering him, and swung his legs out to dangle over the edge of the bed. He was about to stand up and change when he realized Hermione was still sitting on the bed.

"Um… Hermione… I mean to say… "Harry stammered, suddenly feeling very awkward.

"Yes?" She replied.

"Well, I mean, if you wanted to… erm… stay and watch, I mean…" Harry felt his skin warming to a blush.

"Uh – Harry… I think… I'll see you downstairs." Hermione got up to leave, looking confused.

"Wait, er, Hermione… can I talk to you? Later, I mean. It's… just… I need to talk to you, okay?"

Hermione's face changed immediately to a worried expression. "Harry, are you okay?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing… bad… I just…"

"Okay, no problem."

Hermione exited the room then, and Harry watched her hair, reflecting golden hues in the sunlight. He heaved a deep sigh before standing up. He nearly fell on himself as he tried to put weight on his left foot – it seemed to be sprained. Wincing, he dressed himself, and called out to Tonks, his chaperone for the day.

She bustled in from her spot right outside the door, and smiled at the disheveled sight of Harry. "What'sa matter, love?" she asked, twirling a lock of curly green hair around her finger.

"My foot… I think I sprained it."

"Well, how'd you do that? 'Aven't been out too much lately, nothing much to trip over when you're sleeping, eh?" She took her wand in hand, and adopted a look of pure concentration. "Now, now… I've got to remember, how to heal bones…" she mumbled.

"Er – Tonks… TONKS!" Harry shouted in panic, remembering Tonks' magical skill and that unfortunate event with Professor Lockhart in second year… He didn't want to end up drinking that awful Skele-Grow again.

But Tonks had already cast the spell. Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to open them, for fear of seeing a cat in place of where his foot should be. Gingerly he opened one eye, then the other. His foot seemed to be in order… He wiggled his toes, and to his surprise, it seemed to function just the way it always had. He stared at Tonks in surprise.

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks exclaimed with a grin, and walked out of the room with a little bounce in her step. It was then that Harry began to wonder how much he had missed while staying alone in his room.

A/N: Sorry it's been so long! I promise I'll try to update more!!!!!!