A/N:

Yes, four months, I know, too long… please forgive me… I'm only a human being with great responsibilities but here I am with my next chapter… I hope you enjoy it…

Who Knows

By: Carla P.

Chapter 9- The Disbanding

Hermione descended with a fury that would have made Mars/Ares proud. Her eyes were ablaze with anger and annoyance. Thoughts were getting muddled in her brain and the only conscious thing she could think of doing was to stomp her way down the stairs and give those two boys, who were supposed to be her best friends, a piece of her mind, a very big piece of her mind.

Harry caught the movement in his peripheral vision and the familiar face he saw almost made him breathe a sigh of relief. Almost, for he suddenly noticed that her face was not set with that beautiful smile she possessed everyday. Instead, it looked like its owner was ready to kill.

Ron saw Harry turn his head towards the direction of the staircase. Realizing that someone must be there, he turned his head and beheld the same sight that had Harry so surprised. He thought, 'Is that Hermione? I've never seen her look so despicable before!' These thoughts were echoed on his face, which so clearly showed a mixture of awe, wonder and confusion.

As Hermione reached the bottom, she closed her eyes. She took a whiff of the early morning air inside the common room. She told herself to take it easy. When she opened her eyes, the anger was gone. The only thing left was a cold, icy disdain meant for the two people before her. That was the only thing that looked different about her for her face went back to being calm as it always was and as beautiful.

She broke into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she said, "Good morning, Harry, Ron." She nodded in their direction as she said their name.

She continued, "Well, it's definitely a surprise to see you two up and about so early in the morning and together, at that." Her voice wasn't entirely sincere on those last words as they were spoken in a sardonic tone. She was definitely looking scary as her eyebrows were drawn together; her eyes had a mean glint to them.

As she was speaking, Harry grew more and more worried that she had heard their conversation and his participation in it or, more likely, his lack of it. He focused his attention on her and what she was about to say, the concern evident in his face.

Ron, on the other hand, felt something akin to fear for he saw his future flash before his eyes and he knew, too, that he had lost all hopes of making Hermione his girlfriend. He sighed inwardly at the thought but that feeling of sadness was overcome by the dread he felt for he knew that he and Harry were both in for a big reprimanding.

Ron was wrong there for Hermione didn't launch into a verbal attack immediately. Instead, she walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the wall as she gazed idly at the flames. The two boys followed her movements and noted the emotions highlighted on her face as the light from the fire flickered over her features. There was wistfulness, anger, hurt and if they weren't mistaken, disappointment and surprise.

After their silence and her contemplation, she turned around and she said, with her head bent, looking at the floor and her voice heavy with emotion. "You know, I am very happy that you two have made up. I mean, a person could only take so much immaturity in her lifetime and eventually you get tired of it." She paused to look up and saw the hurt in their faces but she disregarded it.

Instead, she continued, "Seven years has been a long time, especially for friends. It means more, of course, for true friends but how for those who aren't that true, is seven years really worth it?" She paused to take a breath. "People tell me all the time that I'm the smartest witch my age they know… I used to believe that, simply because all my life I have aimed to becoming the best in something. But, with being smart comes correct judgment and discernment and as I was crouched at the top of the stairs this morning, I began to question if what they've been saying is right." She paused again to turn away from them and gaze at the fire absently for a few moments.

She took so long in continuing that the two boys presumed that she was too hurt to continue but as they were about to speak, she carried on with her monologue, as though she hadn't paused at all, "I realize that I couldn't possibly be smart if I believed that the two of you are true friends as its obvious to me that you've been using each other. One as a way of catching the attention of others as the sidekick of a famous personality and the other as a way of denying his true purpose by pretending he could be part of a normal family when all the while he knows he never can."

She turned to them once more and they saw the tears cascading down her face, "It hurts when I know that all Harry wants is for Ron to forgive him while all Ron has in mind is finding ways to capture my attention. It's sad when you come to think of it since it's emotional blackmail and sadder for I'm caught right in the middle of all of it. I realize that there's hope for me yet, I know, and since I want to be the smartest witch my age, I'm correcting the mistake I did years ago when I became friends with the two of you."

She sighed, a heavy, resigned sigh that spoke volumes, "So, if you two don't mind, I'm going to breakfast then off to do my homework. I would much appreciate it if you forget that night when we had a little meeting with a mountain troll up to this very moment. I will leave you to your agreement, talk or whatever now." And with a nod and flurry of brown hair, she was out of the common room and, as it felt to the two boys, out of their lives.

As Harry and Ron were absorbing the sting her words had given them, they silently contemplated what they were going to do next…

A/N:

Yes! I know that it has been four long months since I updated(with a very short chapter too..)and you must forgive me for I had been doing something for our yearbook but as it's finished now, I gave you this chapter that had me thinking if I was going to post it since you might all hate 'Mione and Ron and Harry but don't! It's short, I know but I kinda like it in a twisted sort of way. There's much more to come if you wait and, of course, review for I have to find out what happened to my writing skills after four months of stagnation. So, that's all for now and believe me when I say that I'm going to give you much, much more and sooner, too…Oh and I won't forget to say thank you to Janelle and also a word to Kelly, I miss you!