The next day at breakfast, no one was talking. Ron and Hermione left the table as soon as Harry came into the kitchen. Harry sat down at the table, but he couldn't eat, not after what had happened the night before. Now he really wanted to talk to Ron and Hermione, but they wouldn't even stay in the same room anymore. He left the kitchen before he had even taken a bite of everything. He went back up into his room and closed the door. Harry heard a loud 'meow' from behind him. Crookshanks jumped onto his bed. "What are you doing in here?" Harry said as he went to get the cat. "Hermione will probably kill me if she sees you in here." He tried to pick Crookshankes up, but he hissed, swiped a paw at Harry, and ran under Harry's bed. Harry gave up and fell onto his bed. He closed his eyes and felt something nuzzling his arm. He looked over at Crookshanks, who was now on his bed. "Fine. But if she kills me it's your fault." Geeze I'm talking to a cat, Harry thought. He closed his eyes again.
A few minutes later, the door opened. "Crookshanks there you are." Hermione said. Harry heard her sneak over to his bed and pick up the cat. She started to walk away. Now was his only chance.
"Hermione?" Harry said. She stopped, but didn't say anything. "Can we talk?" he asked
"I thought you weren't talking to me because I'm a - "
"I didn't mean to call you that. I was just so mad at Ron that it just came out too fast."
"But do you really feel that way?" she turned around and faced him.
"No. Ron was being a jerk and I spit everything out so fast that I didn't really know what I was saying."
"Really?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Well he was being a jerk, but still I never thought you'd start saying things like that."
"Sorry." Harry said. Hermione didn't respond. "Well I guess you can go back to not caring about me anymore. Not that it really matters that much."
"What do you mean not caring about you?"
Harry thought for a minute. "I don't know..." He sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands.
"Harry? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah it's great. It's always been great. In fact, the only thing that could make this summer any better would be if I were to just die right now. Maybe then I would be happy for one time in the last three years." Hermione let Crookshanks go and sat down next to him.
"You haven't been happy?" Harry didn't answer her. "Harry? Well if you didn't want to talk then why'd you make me stop?" she got up and started to leave.
"Wait Hermione I -" but she was already gone. Harry fell backward onto his bed, rolled over and buried his head in the blankets. Wow Harry could you screw up your life any more? he thought. He felt his eyes beginning to water. It's like no one cares anymore, he thought. Like no one wants me around. Harry could hear someone coming upstairs. They stopped in front of his open door and started to walk in.
"Harry?" Ginny asked. She touched his shoulder. "Are you awake?"
"Go away Ginny." Harry said
"I only want to tell you something. I really am sorry that I got you into trouble with Ron and Hermione and if you never talk to me again then I'll understand." she waited for a minute, and then turned and left his room, closing the door behind her. Harry felt like he should have said something, but he really didn't have anything to say.

Harry stayed in his room the whole day. Around five o'clock, he heard someone knocking at his door. "Come in." he said, and Charlie walked in.
"Mum sent me up here to make sure you were still alive."
"Well apparently I am." Harry snapped
"Woah, what's wrong with you?"
"Everything."
"Is something going on between you and Ron and Hermione? I noticed you weren't talking anymore."
"Yeah I screwed up our friendship ten times over. And now they won't talk to me, partly because I told them not to." Harry explained
"Why don't you want them to talk to you?" Charlie asked
"Ron was being a jerk, and I went off at him, and said some things that weren't very nice."
"Well he's a jerk a lot. What was he saying about you?"
"That I cut myself and I sneak girls in and I'm screwing up his life and bla bla bla bla bla..."
Charlie laughed. "You sneak girls in?"
Harry laughed "No I don't! Well... she snuck herself in..."
"Wooo Harry..."
"Shut up. I didn't ask her to come."
"Sorry. And he thinks you cut yourself. Wow he really is going mad."
"Tell me about it." Harry said
"You couldn't have cut yourself like that. It's physically impossible. Believe me I've been cut by large claws before, and those were all large claw cuts. By the way, how is your leg?"
"It's fine; almost completely healed. How's yours?"
"Oh it's okay. I'm walking on it. But this isn't about me. He thinks you screwed up his life? Well I hate to say it but he's screwing up his own life."
"It's just that... I've really wanted to talk to them... and they aren't even staying in the same room anymore." Harry explained
"Is everything okay? I mean if you really need to talk with someone..."
"No I'll be okay. At least as okay as I'm ever going to get."
"Alright. Well I'll talk to Ron, but I don't think it will do much good."
Harry smiled "Thanks."
"No problem." Charlie left the room and closed the door behind him. Harry sat up in his bed and looked down at his hands. He really wanted to talk with someone, anyone, even Ginny. You either chased them all away or killed them remember? Harry thought. Then Harry realized something. He hadn't thought about Sirius much the whole summer. The thought of it made him feel horrible. His godfather had died and he only thought about it occasionally? He fell back and looked up at the ceiling. Harry could see Sirius's face again, and then it faded away. He felt tears falling down his face. He really wanted to talk to, or at least see, Sirius again. But it's too late; he's already dead. Harry heard someone knocking. The door opened and Ginny walked in.
"Harry... can we talk?"
"Sure."
"Are you mad at me for getting you into trouble? Because I really don't want you to be mad at me." Harry noticed that she was crying. "Ron and Hermione hate me, all of my past boyfriends think I'm horrible, and I just don't want you to be mad at me too." Harry sat up and hugged her. She fell into his arms and began crying uncontrollably. Then she fell onto his bed, and Harry lied beside her. She looked at his face. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"You look like you've been crying."
"Yeah well -" Ginny moved closer to him and curled up in his arms.
"Why can't all boys be like you?" Ginny asked. Harry didn't answer her, and eventually she fell asleep.