March 20, 1999
"There he is, my boy! It's good to see you," Sirius said with an air of congeniality as he wrapped his godson into a bear hug. As he pulled back to take in Harry's appearance, his face fell and he asked, "What did you do now?"
"Yeah, that shiner looks brand new, did you get in on the way here?" Remus queried as he motioned for Madam Rosmerta to bring a round for the table.
Harry groaned and stared resignedly at his late father's best friends, "Since I know the two of you aren't going to drop it, I'll tell you what happened but you should at least give me a moment to calm down."
Harry then walked up to the counter and ordered four shots of firewhiskey for the table. When Rosmerta arrived at the table with Harry's order, Sirius took his shot without a second thought but Remus warily pushed his back towards Harry. After Harry finished his second shot with no break in between, Remus coughed and pointed to Harry's eye, clearly looking for an explanation.
"Ron isn't coming today," Harry noted plainly. Remus and Sirius both nodded thoughtfully as they tried to connect this statement to the black and blue bruise that was blooming nicely under Harry's right eye.
"Ron isn't coming today because he and I got in a fight before we were set to leave to come here."
"Please tell me this is a 'you should see the other guy' kinda situation," Sirius chided.
"Oh, it is, between the hits I landed and the shield charm Neville threw up in Ron's face, Ron probably ended up in the hospital wing. I hope not because I cannot deal with McGonagall's disappointment again."
"What the hell happened?" Remus asked as Sirius guffawed.
Harry ignored this question, "Oh, and I doubt Hermione is coming today either, I couldn't find her this morning."
"Harry, did you sustain a head injury in your fight? You keep changing the subject."
"Oh, it's all connected," Harry said as he downed Remus' refused shot. After taking a moment to appreciate the burn, Harry continued, "Hermione told me yesterday in Potions that she's not coming to The Burrow or Grimmauld Place for Easter. She won't give me a reason but Ginny and I both think it's because Ron is being such a complete bastard about the broom closet incident."
"Is he still on about that? I assumed it was over and everyone had moved on because I haven't gotten any more owls about that from McGonagall," Remus noted.
"Oh, he's still on about it. Initially, he was convinced that she was Imperius'd but, when that theory fell through, he moved on to wanting to set up an intervention for Hermione. Literally no one else thinks that's necessary. Two consenting adults got caught in an unfortunate situation, what's to intervene about?"
"Is Hermione talking to anyone these days? I've never gotten letters that said so little with so many words until I corresponded with her this year," lamented Remus.
Harry motioned for Rosmerta to bring more butterbeer and shots before he turned back to the table, "Not to my knowledge, no. It's been really annoying because Ginny is concerned too but, thankfully, her concern isn't nearly as angry as Ron's."
Sirius spoke up, "Ron is pestering Hermione and that's why she isn't coming to Easter?"
"That's what Ginny and I think. So I went to confront Ron and just tell him to lay off. I didn't think it would be a fun conversation but I also didn't think he'd call our other best friend a dirty slag."
"Damn…" Sirius whispered under his breath.
"I mean, he's said similar stuff before but today was the final straw. Especially when he said I was being a bad friend to Hermione by letting her behavior slide. Has anyone ever successfully told her what to do if she didn't want to do it?" Harry sighed.
Remus spoke up here, "What do you think Ron's real problem is?"
"At first, I thought he was jealous because Hermione turned down his advances over the summer, but now I think he just doesn't understand how we got here. It doesn't make sense to him that Hermione could even speak to Draco, much less do anything else so everything is wrong. That's not my fault though."
Sirius stared thoughtfully at Harry, "No, it's not. You guys came to blows after he said Hermione was a slag?"
"Yeah, I couldn't do it anymore."
"Can't say I blame you, kid, but you should probably slow down there," Remus observed as Harry took his fourth shot.
"Yeah, just cause Rosmerta said you drank free for life doesn't mean you need to drink her into poverty." Sirius raised his eyebrows, but the gleam of mischief in his eyes betrayed the attempt at concern.
"I insisted she start a tab for me. She kept comping the drinks of those with me too. There's no way that was sustainable. Although she never complained."
"Do you mean to tell me I wouldn't have to pay my tab today but your hero complex got in the way?"
Harry smirked as the door to the pub creaked open and Hermione walked in, flushed and out of breath.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," she apologized as she hugged everyone at the table before taking her seat next to Harry.
Sirius responded with , "No worries, we were just catching up with my favorite godchild and learning how he managed to find himself bloodied and bruised. Again."
"Harry! What happened?" Hermione took in his appearance with an annoyed look on her face.
"I can't tell the story again," Harry said as he sipped his butterbeer. "Suffice it to say that you now have company in the 'Ron Weasley is a bastard to me' club."
"Hey! You two can have your meetings in the common room. I bet more members will join once you spread the word." Sirius chuckled to himself at the thought.
"Hermione would have to come to Gryffindor Tower for that to work," Harry muttered into his drink.
"Where do you go, if not Gryffindor Tower?" Remus asked while leaning in so he wouldn't miss her answer.
"A great question," Harry mumbled almost imperceptibly.
Hermione stared daggers at her oldest friend, "Oh, you know, I spend a lot of time in the library working on my final project."
"The project Minerva assured me was finished before Christmas?" Remus clarified.
Hermione stared blankly at the three men.
Remus plundered on, "Hermione, why aren't you coming to The Burrow or Grimmauld Place for Easter?"
"As the letters I sent out this morning clearly state, I have other plans."
"What other plans?"
"I'm going to be using the quiet time to study and prepare myself for NEWTs. I don't know if everyone," she stared pointedly at Harry, "Here remembers that we came back to finish our education, but I haven't. They're important and I simply don't have time to be distracted."
"Are you studying when no one can find you? No one ever knows where you are, how is that possible?" Remus asked, trying to mask his frustration and concern but failing miserably.
"Yes." Hermione stated defiantly.
"When you asked if you could put me down as your guardian for school purposes, you failed to mention that I would be getting at least one owl a week from professors and other students expressing concern for your behavior, Hermione," Remus snapped. "I'm not even talking about the broom closet incident either. You cursed a girl with permanent herpes, you're ignoring everyone including your friends and you disappear for hours and, I suspect, days at a time on the weekend. What the hell is going on?"
"It's been really great seeing all of you," Hermione mumbled as she pushed her chair out from under her and headed back towards the door.
"Oh, come on!" Sirius shouted as Remus chased after her.
"It's been like that all year." Harry said solemnly.
"Wow, I didn't think Remus would have the more trying kid when the school year started. Look at me and my good kid," Harry grinned at this until Sirius jabbed a finger in his shiner.
They both sipped from their butterbeers for a moment before Sirius said, "I guess now's as good a time as any to ask you why Theodore Nott told Ginny to ask you what's up with Hermione."
Harry just stared at his godfather long enough for Sirius to finish his drink before Sirius bid Harry to answer him.
"When did you and Ginny become pen pals?"
"Just because you never write doesn't mean other people don't. She wrote to me about this particular instance last week. Apparently she's asked you repeatedly and you refuse to even make eye contact when she brings it up. What do you know?"
"I know nothing."
"This isn't a History of Magic essay. That answer isn't believable here."
Harry grinned, "That's okay."
"At least tell me this, is she okay?"
"I have no idea if she's okay. If I were to bet, I'd say she's probably not okay. Whatever I may or may not know has no bearing on her being okay."
Remus came back to his seat with his face red and irritation spilling from his every move.
"I take it following her didn't help?"
"It did not," Remus ordered himself a shot.
Sirius' eyes lit up at his old friend's behavior, "What happened?"
"She was walking towards the castle so I offered to accompany her. When she declined, I told her that she needed to find someone to talk to and that we're all worried about her. She then said something I never thought I'd hear from her." Remus downed his shot and ordered another.
"Did she tell you to fuck off too?" Harry asked knowingly.
Remus nodded, "If she wasn't an adult, I'd have already locked her in Professor McGonagall's office until she told me what's wrong. I have no idea what to do with her."
