Chapter 3: What Can't Be Done

A/N: I don't usually say much at the beginning of chapters, I don't have much to say anyway. But thanks for reading this.

"Password?"

"Snickering Cheetahs."

The portrait hole opened, letting Harry inside. He was eager of going to his four-poster bed, as he really just wanted to lie down and think. He seemed to be doing more thinking than anything else, but it's not like he could just talk to anyone about anything- especially to Ron. Besides, he didn't feel that anyone understood him. He had lost that hope long ago. "Though, it's probably only the stubborness inside." Harry thought, bitterly.

"So Harry, tell us what really happened at the Ministry of Magic last school term."

Harry turned and saw Seamus was speaking to him, Dean was next to him. He sighed and suddenly felt ten times wearier than a minute before.

"Look, I don't know what Dumbledore had said about that at the final feast, but whatever he said is all that you need to know."

"He said hardly anything about it! All he said was something about the Ministry waking up and smelling the coffee about You-Know-Who's return!"

"And that is all true, because Voldemort is back. So just go along with it."

There was a pause at the mentioning of the Dark Lord's name. Dean finally spoke up and said, "C'mon! There has to be something more to it! You couldn't convince them for nearly a whole year, and Dumbledore had to run away for a time because of all of his warnings about it! The Ministry can't just change their minds- something happened! And if you're not going to tell us what really happened, Seamus and I'll go around and spread rumors around that aren't true!"

Anger flitted across Harry's face as Dean said that. Even so, Harry replied indifferently, "Don't even try to pull that stunt on me, I've had it happen enough times- what with that Skeeter woman and her trash, the Ministry building up on that last year...even of people accusing me of being Slytherin's Heir. Do you really think I'll care if you'll spread some flimsy rumors around? What's wrong with a few more of them! And while you're at it, why not go and bother anyone else that was there with me? I'm sure they will happily tell you all that went on!"

Dean and Seamus backed off and said nothing more. They knew if they did, they would be really pushing it- and they could always try their luck with Ron or someone else later. Both having that thought, they retreated to their beds.

"Well as long as they're going to the dormitory, I'm staying in the common room until they're well asleep. I just can't have the best of luck with anything today! Can't someone treat me normally? Can't I just shut my anger and frustration off! If I were in control of my feelings, I wouldn't be near in as much trouble as I'm in to! What can be done to just act and be normal!"

More thoughts danced around in his mind as he slowly drifted off to sleep. He was awakened by an odd purring noise somewhere around his chest, and then something wet touching his face. He opened his eyes and saw a pink nose and a lot of orange, only to realize a moment later that it was Crookshanks.

"Pfft!" And with that Harry sat up quickly, startling Crookshanks and making him hiss.

"Crookshanks!"

Harry looked up the girl's stairs and saw Hermione scrambling down, stop, and retrieve Crookshanks into her arms. When she looked to see who was sitting in the chair, a look of disgust came upon her face. She turned and started back up the stairs.

"Wait! Look, I know you probably can't accept an apology at this point, but I'm trying! So here- I'm sorry. I know I was harsh, and I was a jerk for saying all that and blah, blah, blah. Can you forgive me?"

Hermione stopped, and without turning around said, "You know I'll forgive you, Harry," she said, slowly. "But that doesn't leave an excuse for what you said. You can say you were a jerk, but you meant it at the time. That's what crushes me."

"I..."

Hermione continued, "Ron was right. The world doesn't revolve around you. And we had to feel the same pressure last night as you had in the Great Hall. But, however, Ron is the one you should really apologize to. He's the one that you hit harder- and you know he takes things way more seriously than I do."

"Er, right. But he would never forgive me now, would he?"

Hermione didn't answer, but continued back up the stairs.

When Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, someone shoved something into his hands and said, "Here. It's your schedule for classes."

Harry looked down to see what he had today. Ah, this is what he had to look forward to: Herbology with the Ravenclaws, Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins (definitely couldn't wait for that), Divination, and Transfiguration. "Actually, Herbology with the Ravenclaws may not be so bad.." He didn't really want to admit it to himself or anyone else, but he thought (thought, remember) that he already liked Jacoba.

It didn't really happen often that he would feel that way for someone so quickly, and he was surprised with himself that he had no feelings for Cho anymore whatsoever. In speaking of Cho...Harry wondered if she was still hanging around Michael Corner. No matter, anymore. She was nothing more to him than a thing of the past, along with what he thought of as his former life. He was living a new life, something more unreal than the last.

Whatever he felt, nothing seemed to matter as much as everything used to feel- like he had nothing to feel now. Like all of it was a weak mirror image of what life used to be. It could never be the same again.

In speaking of which, somehow this reminded him of what little he had of his former life left. And Ron and Hermione were part of it. He couldn't lose them now, or he'd never forgive himself for it. "I had just better swallow my damn pride and say sorry. It's not that big of a deal, as long as I mean it- and I would." But would he really mean it? 'You can say you were a jerk, but you meant it at the time. That's what crushes me.'

"Yes, of course I'd mean it!" Harry said aloud.

"Hey Harry! You're in this class too? Or wait- that's right! You're a Gryffindor!" Jacoba said, feeling relieved that she knew someone in the class. "Does that mean Ron and Hermione are here too?"

"Er, yeah, I'll be with you in a minute okay? I need to talk to Ron."

"Okay."

Harry clenched his teeth, and walked over to Ron and said, "Ron...I-"

But Ron just turned and started talking to someone next to him.

"Did what I say the other night really affect him that badly!" Harry thought as he went and sat with Jacoba instead of Ron and Hermione- which didn't happen often. "Why does Hermione sit and talk to Ron? He said a lot of crap to me too! Why isn't she mad at him too? Some friends they are!"

"Look, I appreciate you sitting next to me and everything, but wouldn't you rather sit with your two friends instead of me?"

"What? Oh, nonsense! You're my friend too, aren't you?"

A look of what looked like lost hope flashed across her face, but she smiled once more (which still made Harry's stomach flutter) and said, "Well thanks, it makes me glad to know that someone thinks of me as a friend around here."

He wondered why she had that odd expression, but it didn't really matter. There were more important things to think about (And this is what was more important: 1. How pretty she was, 2. Her smile, and 3. Oh yeah, the fight he and Ron were in. The last one was important?) other than that.

After a period of nothing but sneaking side glances at Jacoba, and feeling that same fluttery feeling whenever she'd talk or smile, Harry left and made way to Care of Magical Creatures. Still somewhat mad at Ron and Hermione at how they were reacting, but still wanting to apologize to them, he caught up with Hermione. He said to her, "You know what? I tried to say sorry to Ron earlier, but he just walked away! How's that, Hermione? And how come you'll talk and sit with him but won't talk to me? I know you want me to make up with Ron and all so we can all be happy, but shouldn't you be at least a little angry with him too! He said stuff to me too Hermione! You were there, you heard!"

She said nothing for a moment, and then said, slowly, "Well...because...because Ron and I- we're going out." Her face turned slightly red as she said this.

Harry was a bit surprised, and even a bit jealous- his two best friends going out with each other! What a slap in the face! But he said in an unsurprised way, "Oh, I knew you two would go out eventually. You both have always seemed to have bickered way too often. But I wish you could've told me sooner."

"Well, we were- well, rather, I was going to. Honestly, I would've- he asked me out during the summer- but we wanted to wait and tell you later. We were going to tell you yesterday on the train- but since you were with Jacoba (Harry's face reddened), we wanted to tell you alone- because we didn't know how you'd take it. So we waited once more, and entered into the carriage. And you got mad at Ron for starting the whole Cho/Jacoba/Ravenclaw thing...and, the rest of that. So that's the whole story." She finished, her face holding that same familiar anxious expression. He was very sick of it.

"I see. Well, all that matters is that you two are happy. I hope everything works out well for you both."

Hermione's face, once taught, loosened. She smiled, and said, "Thanks Harry, for not blowing up on me. I'm glad you're supporting us. All we need now is Ron to start cooperating!"

"Erm, yeah, if he'd ever."

"Of course he will!"

"Right, well, if that ever gets accomplished, then my next job is to concentrate more on Jacoba. I wonder why I feel that way about her, anyway? Well, it just matters that it's a good feeling...right?"

A/N: This wasn't all that great of a chapter, but it gets story from point A to point B. It'll get somewhere...eventually...