"You know, it's all becoming hopeless. All my attempts are futile." Hermione said. She Harry and Ron were in the common room working on various essays and charts. The fire roared in the fireplace, warming the room. It was Sunday night, and the majority of what they were working on would be due the next morning.

"Attempts at what?"

"This bloody Potions essay."

"What! You? Having trouble with Potions?"

"Yes Ronald, in case you haven't realized, I don't know bloody everything. And it is quite difficult."

"I'll say," added Harry, who was struggling with his own essay. "This has GOT to be some sort of capital punishment, brought to us by the fascist Snape."

"Yeah. I've not even looked at it yet. I think I'm afraid it will actually cause me physical harm. I bet my brain will explode. The bastard probably hexed it. I'm surprised nothing's happened to you yet Harry, seeing as he hates you so much," said Ron.

"That'd be something to see." said Harry with a yawn, "I'm going to get some sleep. See you both in the morning. Don't over do it Herm. You should sleep too at some point."

"Thanks Harry, but I'm perfectly capable of knowing when I'm over doing it. Goodnight then."

"Yeah g'night Harry."

Harry ascended the staircase, shaking his head. For, he too was trying to figure out what was going on with Hermione. The Potions essay was hard. But it shouldn't have been for her.

"Oh God."

"What? What is it?"

"Nothing it's just, I shouldn't be having this much trouble with this. I mean it's challenging, but it's not impossible."

"Well, 'Mione, I'd say I'd help you. But, you know me. I'm hopeless at Potions." He gave her a smile. Though he had to fake it, because she seemed to be coming apart at the seams. And he was worried. He couldn't remember when he'd ever been this worried about anyone. Besides Ginny. And that was when she was being possessed by Vol—He Who Must Not Be Named. He was racking his brain trying to figure out what could be making her so flustered all the time.

"Yeah, it's okay. I'll figure it out." She quickly went back to work, avoiding his gaze. She felt as though she were being analyzed, that every bit of her mind was there, sitting between them, and he was just sorting through her thoughts like files in a cabinet.

"Herm?"

"Yeah?"

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean Ron?"

"I dunno. You seem…different. Somehow. Like you can't think straight, and you're all muddled inside. It's not you."

"Oh? Well, it's nothing really. Just a lot on my mind."

"Well, like what? You could take some things off your mind, and share them with me. It would probably make things easier."

"No. Not this. It would just make things worse."

"How do you know?"

"I just do! I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT NOW!" She was yelling now, and the tears came out. "I can't sit here with you, and pretend anymore. I can't talk to you, I can't look at you! Not with all this going on in my head."

"I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND! WHY WON'T YOU…"

"BECAUSE IT'S TOO HARD!" She was standing, screaming at him. And then she fell to her knees, sobbing. Completely losing control. He stood up and went to her side, put his arms around her, and just sat there holding her as she drained herself. His sweater was getting to be soaked with saline from her tears, but it didn't matter then. He just held on.

"Hermioneeeee." Ginny shook the shoulders of her friend as she lay sleeping on one of the couches in the common room

"Hmmmnnnnffffgggg," was the only reply she received.

"My god woman, how late were you up last night? You look awful." Hermione turned over to look her best friend in the face.

"Gee, thanks Gin."

"Well just look at you." Hermione slid out of the sofa, and picked up her hand mirror from her bag. What she saw in her reflection was not too far from what Ginny described. Her eyes were red, and underneath them were dark circles and bags from lack of sleep. There were dried tears on her scarlet cheeks, and it was then that she remembered the embarrassing events of the night before.

"What is it?" Ginny asked at the look of horror on Hermione's face.

"Last night, I was here with Ron. We were doing our Potions. Or trying to, as it was in my case. Anyway, we got into a little mini fight, and I lost it, and just crumpled to the floor and cried my eyes out." She sat on the edge of the cushions, and shook her head, making her bushy curls fall into her face. She pushed them angrily away. "We ALWAYS say that we'll never cry in front of the men we love. And yet we do it all the time. I wasn't strong like I wanted to be. It wasn't at all as I imagined. I was completely awful to him, and he still held me."

"Well, he's like that. I know he comes off as the biggest prick on the face of the earth, but he's just a softy on the inside. He's a very chivalrous gentleman. I reckon he even laid you here after you cried yourself to sleep in his arms. But anyway, it's time for breakfast, get dressed, let's go. You really should eat something."

"Oh god. I have to see him though. Look at me. It's going to be weird I know it."

"You know what? I bet he won't even mention it. A few years ago, maybe. But he's different. We've all had to grow up so quickly these past few months, him included. We've all experienced some change. I'm sure it will be fine. Just trust me. Get dressed. Let's go. I'm starved."

Hermione nodded, and reluctantly turned to go upstairs to change.