Title: Teenage Detective – Chapter Two – Observing the Intelligence

Author: ridXwan

Rating: PG

Summary: It's been three days since the funeral and Hermione wondered about the changes in Harry.

Warning: OOC rules.

A/N: I know you lots have a problem with OOC but c'mon lots of fics have an OOC characters. I mean what kind of Harry is the romantic kind of guy and does Harry is dense, when it comes to love life only and for other matters, I don't think so.

Teenage Detective

Chapter 2

Observing the Intelligence

Three days since Ron's funeral and things weren't the same before in the Gryffindor house. Hermione was depressed, more even than in her third year. Since coming out of the Hospital Wing two days ago, she kept moping and sulking in her room. Hardly ever going out of the common room, even to eat, her friends brought her food. She only went out for lessons or being called by one of the professors.

Nothing could help her save one person, her best friend who she had forgotten ever since she and Ron got together. What a big mistake she made!

After three days of unexpected raining, the day was finally breezy and almost all the young occupants of Hogwarts were cheerily doing their own work. Gryffindors weren't in the best of moods, but they still managed to make the day for themselves. Though no one was aloud to use the Quidditch Pitch for the time being, many would sneak in with their brooms to secretly fly around the pitch. While many spent the day outdoors, Hermione spent her time in the common room, moping and sulking and staring gloomily at her former best friend whilst pretending to read.

How he has change she thought. Harry was sitting in a chair that he moved near the window, watching the grand view. Hermione, though sad, admired his new appearance. His hair, no longer unruly but fairly managed, looked like he just came back from a hair stylist. No round framed glasses that made him distinguish as the Harry Potter that everyone knew. He grown a little bigger than the last time she saw him. His boyish face was long gone, replaced now by a pleasant, serious, cool look. But she couldn't get rid of the memory of Harry's serious and piercing gaze, one that would make someone want to submit guiltily to him.

Ginny, Parvati and Lavender sighed one too many times when seeing Hermione staring at Harry. Hermione wasn't ready to talk about what happened three days ago to anyone, even though she had lots of friends since the defeat of Voldemort and she became popular. Though she didn't like it at first, she grew into it with great consequences. But none of them came even close to her parents and Harry.

"How much did he change?" she asked abruptly. The girls stopped their work and gazed confusingly at her, "Who?" they asked together. "Harry," she said simply.

Ginny sighed in mild exasperation; she was torn between staying mad at Hermione or looked apologetically at her. "You should find out yourself. Hermione," the youngest Weasley said. Hermione forced herself to change her attention from Harry to Ginny and glared at her friend.

"What do you mean by that, Ms. Future-Draco-Malfoy?" she mocked, something she picked up from Ron. Ginny never like her brother's remarks and Hermione had adopted that behaviour. It was annoying, but patient as she was she didn't retort. "I meant just asked him, alright!" she said wryly.

Hermione felt slightly taken aback by Ginny's answer. She frowned at the thought of talking to someone who hated her. "I can't."

"Why not?" said Parvati, raising her eyebrows, "He's there and available."

"And he's going to bite my head off. His temper is beyond boiling point!" she said indignantly. Ginny shook her head in disappointment.

"That's the old Harry, this is the new Harry and a very change one," said Ginny amusingly. Hermione looked defeated after hearing Ginny. "You missed a lot about him this past year. No one noticed at first, but lately he's the Harry Potter that we've been missing all this time."

Hermione felt dreadfully regret forgetting Harry just like that. Her friend has changed from the Boy Who Lived to the total stranger that was Harry Potter. The worst part was she didn't know it till now.

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted when a fourth year Gryffindor came to her, whining terribly. "Hermione! Hermione!" called the girl with blonde hair. Since becoming Head Girl, people have been coming to her endlessly for help. She got a warning from McGonagall yesterday for not helping a single student after Ron's death.

"What is it Amy?" she said languidly. The girl didn't notice her exasperation.

"I need you help!" cried Amy; she was a great example of a spoilt rich girl.

"What kind of help?" said she, trying to be patient.

"I-I-I," the girl stuttered.

"Spit it out!" Hermione snarled loudly, the whole common room jumped at her voice. Amy squirmed, afraid of the Head Girl's voice. Hermione noticed this and quickly apologised to everyone.

"Look – I'm sorry, Amy. Tell me what's the problem?" said Hermione apologetically, crossing her arm and tapping one feet.

"I-I've lost my Twinkle bell," she announced in a quivering tone and all of a sudden the whole common room looked anxiously at her save one person sitting by the window.

Ginny stood up from her chair roughly, causing the chair to move a bit, and gaze crossly at Amy. "You lost your broom?!"

Amy, Gryffindor's seeker, squirmed immensely, avoiding Ginny's intense gaze. "How?!" yelled Ginny. Hermione held up a hand, pleading with the Gryffindor captain to calm down. "I take over my late brother's post for just three days and you idiotically lost your broom," she shouted some more. Hermione flinched at the mention of Ron and Ginny noticed it, "Oh! Sorry Hermione, I'm-"

"It's quite alright, Ginny," said Hermione and turned to Amy. "How did you lost it?"

Amy took great deal of breath in and explained, "I was polishing and cleaning my broom in the locker room yesterday evening when some of my friends called me to go to Transfiguration. Since I couldn't bring the broom to class, I left it in my locker. When I return, the broom was gone – I searched everywhere since yesterday in the castle. I snuck in to every locker room, even the Slytherin's and I still couldn't find it."

"Have you told Professor McGonagall?" Hermione inquired.

"Are you mental? She'll kill me if I lost my very expensive broom and she-" Amy immediately shut her mouth after seeing the dangerous glare shot at her. "Sorry."

"She's right, Hermione. McGonagall will chuck her out off the team," Ginny interjected. Hermione wanted to kill Amy at that point but Ginny was right, McGonagall never liked irresponsible students.

The portrait hole opened and in walked a boy with spiky brown hair and stubble chin. This boy was Amy close friend and of the same year. "Greg!" Amy squealed with delight.

The boy approached her in a sad manner, looking tired and worn as well. "I'm sorry, Amy – I couldn't find your broom anywhere," he said, "I searched the greenhouse after breakfast. I searched near the nocturnal plants in greenhouse number three and I almost got eaten by the Sporadic Cactus."

Amy looked pitifully, tearful and remorse, at her friend and enveloped him in a hug. "Oh! Greg you don't have to sacrifice a lot for me, Greg," she said, Greg smiled widely, looking down on the head of the petite girl. Some of the Gryffindors even Ginny and Hermione smiled at the two fourth years. Seeing the two, Hermione regretted never doing this with Harry. The two broke apart and looked amused at each other.

"Let's go look under the stands of the stadium – I haven't check there yet," Amy suggested.

Greg looked suddenly fearful. "I've already check that place this morning. There's nothing," he said briskly and Amy's face fell. Everyone felt sorry for the girl, who just lost a very costly broom, save one person.

"He's lying," declared a voice that made everyone turned to him. Hermione, Ginny, Parvati and Lavender stared surprised at him. Amy was puzzled while Greg looked frightened at the boy who stood up. "Greg was the one who took your broom, Ms. Twitter."

The common room filled with gasped, hearing the accusation made by Harry. Greg was tense suddenly and Hermione noticed it. "I don't know what you're talking about, Harry," Greg said nervously.

"Of course you don't know," said Harry. His eyes, intense, cold and incisive, laid upon Greg that Hermione knew it was similar to the one three day ago, "You wouldn't admit that you stole her broom."

Amy was in a state of disbelief. She looked at the nervous Greg. "Is it true?" Greg froze at her question, "No, he's lying – What proof do you have?"

Harry smirked playfully, the opposite of Draco. "For one the dry stain of mud on your shoes, pants and the hem of your robe," he pointed out. Everyone put upon their eyes on Greg's attire. There was a clear mud stain on them. Greg hid his nervous expression and looked crossly at Harry.

"I got it from the greenhouse," he said glaringly.

"The greenhouse has dirt, not mud, Mr. Derson," Harry quipped. Hermione was surprised that Harry knew about this piece of information. Everyone else was clueless, but shocked none the less.

Greg continued to glare at his senior while Harry was cool and delighted, despite his intense look. "Further more, you said you were in greenhouse three, searching for the broom in the nocturnal plants and almost got eaten by a Sporadic Cactus," he said.

"Yes!" the accused, said curtly, "I was there after breakfast."

"That's where you're lying, Mr. Derson – Greenhouse three is for sunlight-exposed-plants, no plants that is prone to sunlight should be there especially nocturnal plants," Harry said gleefully, Greg tensed under this evidence. "Further more, Sporadic Cactus is in Greenhouse Five not three." Harry grinned triumphantly as though he won a prize and Greg looked tense and scared under the accusing eyes of the common room.

After hearing Harry's deduction, Hermione was enraged at Greg for lying. "Explain yourself now, Greg!"

Greg jumped, hearing the Head Girl's high pitched voice. He was frightened at the girls who just pitied him a few minutes ago. Amy was immensely angry and tears were forming in her eyes. Ginny couldn't believe such a boy could lie boldly. Greg wanted more to escape but succumbed to everyone's cross faces. "Alright! – I did it, I stole her broom," he admitted, raising his arms to surrender.

Amy gasped loudly, so did the some other girls in the common room. It was Greg's turn to look crossly now. "Happy now!"

"Why did you do it?" Ginny asked, stepping in front of Greg. Both of them looked angry at each other.

"You want to know why? Because Amy is a selfish little girl who wouldn't want to spoil her broom." he pointed at the bewildered Amy, "She wouldn't let anyone share a ride on her precious broom."

Amy gritted her teeth in rage and wanted nothing but to jumped on Greg and throttled him to death. She already formed a fist and moved towards Greg but Hermione halted her.

"You bastard! I am not selfish, you ingrate!" Amy yelled.

"Oh yeah, Ms. Brat! You should've given me a ride and I'm your friend, self-centred bitch," Greg spat back.

"Why you!" Amy was ready to lunge him but someone pulled her back into a chair forcefully.

"Hermione! What are you-"

"It was me, Ms. Twitter, calm down," Harry said right in her face. Amy squirmed immensely under his piercing gaze. "Calm down," he repeated.

Amy obliged and calmed herself down but kept her gaze at Greg. "Mr. Derson, is not only the one to blame here," said Harry and everyone stared at him, utterly puzzled. "As I recall two weeks ago, Ms. Twitter here was a very flashy person – parading, swaggering all around Hogwarts, displaying arrogantly her new broom," said Harry with a pleasant smile. Amy was stunned silent and immediately regretted her actions just now. She looked at Greg who was still angry. "Sorry," she muttered.

Her apology took Greg by surprise. "What did you say?" he asked in disbelief.

"Sorry for not giving you a ride," she said, smiling weakly and sadly.

Greg looked apologetically at her. "It's alright, we're friends, right?" he said and she nodded.

Ginny was amazed at Harry and delighted at the sight of the two friends. "C'mon you two, let's go get your broom so we can Ravenclaw's butt," she suggested, as the captain.

"I believe is under the Quidditch stands," said Harry, crossing his arms.

Greg mouth dropped in amazement of Harry's knowing. "How did you know?"

"I have my ways," he said as a matter-of-factly. Ginny and the two fourth years went off to the pitch and everyone went back to their occupation. As for Hermione, she went back to her staring at Harry who was walking back to his seat to pick up something. It was a black book with some of its pages almost checked out of it. He walked out of the common room, not bothering to look at Hermione, who was hoping he would.

She saw how changed Harry had become. From the boy who was lost in both the Muggle and Wizarding World to the astute, intelligent and observant man she just saw. She should be happy with his changes, but in her mind she wasn't. It was like Harry was way smarter than she was and it hurt her pride and status.

Then she remembered what Ginny said to her. She has to ask him but she was scared to relive the trauma three days ago. She resorted to the old sneak and follow, the way she, Harry and Ron use to do it. She ran to her room and pick up Ron's invisibility cloak. The Weasleys were rich and Ron bought everything that Harry got except the Marauder's Map, which Ron pleaded Hermione to make one but she failed due to its content of restricted spells. And she thought it was a bit too much for Ron to have everything Harry had, so she didn't do it. She pondered why Ron got all of those things and she couldn't remember Harry.

She put on the cloak and walked out to follow Harry with one vow, to bring back the old Harry she knew.

A/N: Thanks to Rackhmar for Betaing this story. Next chapter where the real mystery begin.