Thank you to the beta of this chapter- Born-of-Elven-Blood

Chapter Fourteen - Friendship

"Harry?" Hermione called as she knocked on the door to Professor Snape's chambers. She and Ron had decided to stop by before class to see if Harry would talk to them, but after the fifth knock it became clear that Harry wasn't going to answer. "Alright Harry you don't have to open up," Hermione yelled through the door. "But you still have to listen! Ron and I..." Before Hermione could finish the door swung open to reveal a small house elf..

"Oh… hi!" Hermione said, a little shocked.

"Is Harry..." Cinsy interrupted Ron with a small whine and pointed down the hall.

Hermione gave Ron a worried look. The elf had to be in terrible distress to have shown such discourtesy to a wizard. Brushing past the elf, she pushed open the bathroom door to find Harry sitting on the floor, surrounded by broken glass.. The mirror over the sink was shattered.

"Ron!" Hermione called, grabbing the hand towel off the rack. "Harry, you're bleeding!" She gently pressed it to the oozing gash across his knuckles as she knelt beside him, mindful of the shards..

"I...I didn't notice..." Harry muttered, staring at his hand cradled in hers so that he didn't have to look up and meet her eyes, or acknowledge Ron, who now stood just outside the door.

"You didn't notice your hand was bleeding?"

Harry shook his head "...everything is numb."

Hermione removed the towel to see bits of glass embedded in the wound. "We have to get Madam Pomfery to look at this."

"No… no Madam Pomfrey," Harry said, finally looking up at Hermione.

"But…" She bit her lip, trying to think what to do. "Alright. Ron, help me." Each taking an arm, they together helped Harry to his feet and led him out to sit on one of the leather couches close to the fire.

"Could you get me some bandages and a disinfectant?" Hermione asked the elf who was standing watch a few feet away. "Ron, Get a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth."

Cinsy gave a small nod and popped out of the room while Ron headed off to the kitchen.

"What happened?" Hermione asked once she and Harry were alone.

Harry shook his head a bit before he spoke "...I'm disgusting " he choked out. "...can't stand the sight of myself."

Hermione's face scrunched up with distress, but before she could reply, both Ron and the elf returned with the requested items.

Hermione dipped the cloth into the water. "This will sting a little but I have to clean it up," she warned as she took the towel off and gently dabbed at the blood that surrounded the cuts.

"Stop!" Harry snapped. He pulled his hand away from hers. "I can see it."

"See what?"

"The pity… I can see the pity."

"Perhaps it has something to do with the shards of glass in your hand?" she retorted, taking Harry's hand back into her own and drawing out her wand. "Now hold still. I have to remove the glass before I can do anything."

With a twirl and a swish, she slowly extracted sliver after sliver of splintered mirror. Ron winced as each one slid free to clatter onto the table between them, but Harry never wavered.

"Are you doing ok?" Hermione asked as the last piece fell away, wiping away the fresh blood. He must be in pain despite his stoicism..

"What are you doing here?"

"We wanted to come see you before class," Hermione explained. "This will hurt," she added, taking the cork out of the potion bottle and pouring the contents onto his hand.

Harry let out a hiss as smoke rose from the cuts.

"Sorry," Hermione said sympathetically

"But why are you here?" Harry persisted, a few tears falling down his face as he spoke. "You know what Lockhart did… you know what I am."

"You are Harry Potter," Hermione stated as she bandaged Harry's hand as gently as she could. "You are our friend and always will be, no matter what!" She tied the bandage off, then smiled at him softly. "My friend who doesn't know how to keep his glasses clean." Plucking his glasses off his nose, she cleaned the lenses on her shirt before replacing them. "We don't care what happened. You are still the same old Harry to us."

"That's right, mate!" Ron spoke up.

"I don't feel like the same old Harry!" Harry cried.

"I know… I know you don't. I'm not going to tell you that I know what you are going though, because I don't, but I will tell you that Ron and I will be here for you no matter what."

Harry gave a small nod as he tried to hold back his tears, not wanting to cry in front of his friends.

Hermione noted his struggle. "It's still early. How about you go back to bed for a bit longer?" Hermione suggested, offering him a way out.

Harry gave another small nod, embarrassed and grateful as he allowed Ron and Hermione to walk him to the guest room. Hermione tucked him into bed. "Thanks, guys," he murmured as she set his glasses on the nightstand.

"We aren't going to leave you Harry," Hermione promised him. "Now close your eyes and get some rest."

"You were great, 'Mione," Ron told her once the door was closed. Hermione smiled shyly.

"I really don't want to leave him alone," she said as they walked back to the living room.. "We should stay at least until Professor Snape gets back."

"Alright," Ron replied, already thinking the same thing.

Together they cleaned up the bathroom and the living room before Hermione pestered Ron into working on homework. They curled up side by side on the couch with their school books and, keeping their ears trained on the guest room door, settled in to wait.