p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Hermione Granger had determined long ago that Harry Potter was surprisingly good at cooking. He had made it well known how much he hated to work at the Dursleys, so Hermione had always thought it a little strange exactly how much effort he put into cooking. Today, she smiled as he added just a dash more vanilla to the pancakes. Years ago, when she had asked him, he'd simply smiled and said, "It's different when it's you, or Ron, or anyone else, really." He had paused a moment, looking down. "You care. Really care. With them, it didn't matter how right it was." Hermione had taken the comment to heart, and made special point to give decent criticism, as if she was grading his homework. Harry never took it poorly, although he would occasionally get exasperated when Hermione couldn't be more specific. With a trace of a grin on her face, she'd stand beside him while he made three or four different versions of a sauce, and get her to try them all. Hermione knew Harry could be persistent, and concentrate, and do very well at things... when he cared about them. Hermione thought that was the issue with his schoolwork. People cared about Quiddich - the twins, Ron, even Neville. Nobody seemed to take class seriously./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Maybe now that the war had turned emreal/em, Hermione broke off, seriously wanting to slap herself, why would she want the war to be real, just so Harry would study? People were emdying/em... Guilty, she looked up at Harry and Ron sharing a few quiet words. From the looks of them - Ron relaxed and Harry yet more so, they weren't talking about her. Unfortunately, Hermione had never been capable of actually believing things like that. She lowered her head and got to eating with a will, wishing that the wizarding world had real Maple Syrup./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Let's go, Hermione!" Harry said excitedly, and Hermione Granger looked up, momentarily confused, before she realized he had wanted to ask her something./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Moving quickly up the stairs (Snape would say that they moved like a herd of elephants, but obviously he'd never met Crabbe or Goyle), Hermione found herself happy to have Harry as a friend. Harry got to the top of the stairs first, holding the door for you, "Thank you Harry, that's very kind."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry, blushing slightly, said, "Just practicing for Ginny." Hermione sent him a knowing grin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"""When are you going to ask her out?" Hermione said bluntly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Someday. But enough about me, you're killing me here!" Harry said, his eyes gleaming green in the dimly lit recesses of Hermione's room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What?" Hermione said teasingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What Was He Like?" Harry said, and Hermione took a moment to study her best friend, enjoying the curiosity and desire playing over his face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Not a word of this to Ron." Hermione said, crossing her arms./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Obviously." Harry said, mimicking her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Hermione let out a long sigh, as she gathered her thoughts./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lovelorn and lost already?" Harry asked, his eyes bright./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh, you!" Hermione said, picking up an errant pillow and bopping him on the head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well, to start, he was absolutely nothing like Ron." Hermione said firmly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, but what was he like?" Harry said inquisitively, his eyeglasses glinting in the low light./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lost. Confused. When I first saw him, he had seven shot glasses in front of him, all empty."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry said, "wow, he must have been throughly sodden."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"No, really, he wasn't, Hermoe said, unsure why she suddenly felt such an urge to defend him. "I think that was part of the reason I wanted to talk with him..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because he wasn't drunk?" Harry said, laughing lightly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Seven Hours, harry, that's how long he'd need to be there drinking, to not be drunk." Hermione said, "He wasn't with anyone. It wasn't the type of bar for that sort of thing, either."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why was he there for so long?" Harry asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I think he was having second thoughts. Or maybe seventh thoughts, considering how much he had been drinking." Hermione paused, looking suddenly bashful, "He had the bluest, saddest eyes - shadowed with fear, haunted with a sort of grim resolution..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry looked at her, sharply, "He - he was okay to you, wasn't he? I... I didn't think - god, I'm such a bad friend!" Harry buried his head in his hands, looking about as remorseful as a dog who's been caught gnawing on the wrong bone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Harry." Hermione said sharply. "Harry!" she said louder, and finally yelled right in his ear. He finally pulled his face out from behind his hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm not you, Harry! I'm not!" Hermione paused, taking a deep breath, "You're the one that hides things, when you're hurt especially." She firmly shook her head, sending curls spilling willy nilly. "I'm not like that. I may not need you to solve everything for me, but you can blasted trust me to tell you when something's wrong." Hermione paused, "It kind of hurts, you know - when you won't even talk to us about something being wrong."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I know... but... I just don't want to burden you." Harry said haltingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Is being your friend a burden?" Hermione asked sharply./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I... you did almost get killed..." Harry said, flushing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No, Harry, it's not. I hope you wouldn't say that being my friend is a burden."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Only when the owls are coming." Harry said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You better not say it then, or you won't get a scrap of homework help!" Hermione said, giggling./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Pulling herself back to the original topic, Harry watched the merriment fade out of Hermione's face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""He's not from around here, you know - someplace far off, I think somewhere in the Caucasus Mountains."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Wow, that is..." Harry started./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't believe I didn't even get his name..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry looked at Hermione, strongly suppressed his desire to go into a laughing fit (it wasn't that funny, but it was Hermione sleeping with a bloke who's name she didn't know), and gave her a very firm hug./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"[a/n: you know you love me, write me a review! Or I'll go work on my other stories, and you'll just have to waaaaait!]/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Maybe now that the war had turned emreal/em, Hermione broke off, seriously wanting to slap herself, why would she want the war to be real, just so Harry would study? People were emdying/em... Guilty, she looked up at Harry and Ron sharing a few quiet words. From the looks of them - Ron relaxed and Harry yet more so, they weren't talking about her. Unfortunately, Hermione had never been capable of actually believing things like that. She lowered her head and got to eating with a will, wishing that the wizarding world had real Maple Syrup./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Let's go, Hermione!" Harry said excitedly, and Hermione Granger looked up, momentarily confused, before she realized he had wanted to ask her something./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Moving quickly up the stairs (Snape would say that they moved like a herd of elephants, but obviously he'd never met Crabbe or Goyle), Hermione found herself happy to have Harry as a friend. Harry got to the top of the stairs first, holding the door for you, "Thank you Harry, that's very kind."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry, blushing slightly, said, "Just practicing for Ginny." Hermione sent him a knowing grin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"""When are you going to ask her out?" Hermione said bluntly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Someday. But enough about me, you're killing me here!" Harry said, his eyes gleaming green in the dimly lit recesses of Hermione's room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What?" Hermione said teasingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What Was He Like?" Harry said, and Hermione took a moment to study her best friend, enjoying the curiosity and desire playing over his face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Not a word of this to Ron." Hermione said, crossing her arms./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Obviously." Harry said, mimicking her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Hermione let out a long sigh, as she gathered her thoughts./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lovelorn and lost already?" Harry asked, his eyes bright./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh, you!" Hermione said, picking up an errant pillow and bopping him on the head./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well, to start, he was absolutely nothing like Ron." Hermione said firmly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, but what was he like?" Harry said inquisitively, his eyeglasses glinting in the low light./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Lost. Confused. When I first saw him, he had seven shot glasses in front of him, all empty."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry said, "wow, he must have been throughly sodden."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"No, really, he wasn't, Hermoe said, unsure why she suddenly felt such an urge to defend him. "I think that was part of the reason I wanted to talk with him..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because he wasn't drunk?" Harry said, laughing lightly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Seven Hours, harry, that's how long he'd need to be there drinking, to not be drunk." Hermione said, "He wasn't with anyone. It wasn't the type of bar for that sort of thing, either."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Why was he there for so long?" Harry asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I think he was having second thoughts. Or maybe seventh thoughts, considering how much he had been drinking." Hermione paused, looking suddenly bashful, "He had the bluest, saddest eyes - shadowed with fear, haunted with a sort of grim resolution..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry looked at her, sharply, "He - he was okay to you, wasn't he? I... I didn't think - god, I'm such a bad friend!" Harry buried his head in his hands, looking about as remorseful as a dog who's been caught gnawing on the wrong bone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Harry." Hermione said sharply. "Harry!" she said louder, and finally yelled right in his ear. He finally pulled his face out from behind his hands./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm not you, Harry! I'm not!" Hermione paused, taking a deep breath, "You're the one that hides things, when you're hurt especially." She firmly shook her head, sending curls spilling willy nilly. "I'm not like that. I may not need you to solve everything for me, but you can blasted trust me to tell you when something's wrong." Hermione paused, "It kind of hurts, you know - when you won't even talk to us about something being wrong."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I know... but... I just don't want to burden you." Harry said haltingly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Is being your friend a burden?" Hermione asked sharply./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I... you did almost get killed..." Harry said, flushing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No, Harry, it's not. I hope you wouldn't say that being my friend is a burden."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Only when the owls are coming." Harry said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You better not say it then, or you won't get a scrap of homework help!" Hermione said, giggling./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Pulling herself back to the original topic, Harry watched the merriment fade out of Hermione's face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""He's not from around here, you know - someplace far off, I think somewhere in the Caucasus Mountains."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Wow, that is..." Harry started./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I don't believe I didn't even get his name..."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Harry looked at Hermione, strongly suppressed his desire to go into a laughing fit (it wasn't that funny, but it was Hermione sleeping with a bloke who's name she didn't know), and gave her a very firm hug./p
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"[a/n: you know you love me, write me a review! Or I'll go work on my other stories, and you'll just have to waaaaait!]/p