THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS AND FAVS/FOLLOWS! I never wanted to be that author. You know, the one that doesn't update in months. Er, sorry? But I'm NOT abandoning this story. At least not for now. I was so so so frustrated with this story, and had to sit down and rearrange all of it again. Then over the weekend I sort of was like, "Screw it," and wrote the rest of this chapter to be what I wanted to be and BAM! Now you have it. I'm going to warn you in advance that only half of it has been beta'd and the other half I just finished (with only a couple look overs... sorry). If anyone sees any SPAG mistakes, please let me know (nicely!). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.


(Regretful Redheads)

"Hermione, wake up."

"Mmm... no. Just five more minutes, Mum."

"We are going to Diagon Alley today! Come on, come on!"

"Diagon Alley," Hermione cracked open an eye, looking at her blonde friend.

"Yes, now get up. Father is leaving in twenty minutes, with or without us," she said, reaching her hand to Hermione's side and tickling her. Hermione squeaked and jumped.

"Alright, alright! I'm up!" Hermione sat up in her bed, stretching, a smile on her face at the thought of going to Diagon Alley. Luna rolled her eyes.

Jumping out of bed, Hermione went straight to the suitcase at the end of her bed. She ruffled through it, noticing that it looked quite hot outside. Deciding on a nice white summer dress (hey, you never knew when you were going to bump into someone you knew), and tying her hair in a ponytail, Hermione made her way to the bathroom which she shared with Luna.

Toothbrush in her mouth, Hermione gave Luna a curious look. "Luna, you're not even dressed!"

The blonde girl looked down at her oversized t-shirt and pajama pants. "Oh," she said, before going to change.

Now it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. While her friend was quite quirky, she also was a bit oblivious to the most obvious things.

After she finished up in the bathroom, Hermione made her way down to the kitchen, hoping to grab a piece of toast. As she neared the bottom of the stairs she heard voices coming from the living room. Peeking her head in the doorway, she caught a glance of a redhead who was appeared to be talking to Luna's father. Confused, she almost didn't notice when Xenophilius called her over. Hermione slowly made her way into the living room where the Weasley man was standing- no doubt the father of the Weasleys who she had met yesterday.

"Ah, Hermione! Hermione, meet Arthur Weasley. He works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifact's department in the Ministry," Xenophilius maybe "Xenophilius told her"?.

Hermione nodded and stuck her hand to greet Mr. Weasley and he shook it in acknowledgement. Looking back at Xenophilius, she opened her mouth and spoke, "Luna will be right down. Thank you so much for taking us to Diagon Alley."

Xenophilius softly smiled. "Actually," he began, "This is why Arthur is here. The Quibbler has had a setback in publication for this month. It seems that I'm going to have to go and figure out what's wrong, but it's probably those damn Tanotas again. So Arthur has kindly invited you to go with his family today."

Hermione, not knowing what Tanotas were,tried to smile. She didn't like the idea of having to spend the day with the Weasleys, but it seemed she didn't have a choice.

Arthur Weasley smiled back at Hermione, and clapped his hands together. "Right, so we'll get going to the Burrow once Luna is ready. Then we'll take the Floo to Diagon Alley," the last part put Hermione on edge, and she flinched, slightly nervous.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her, "You have used a Floo before, haven't you?"

Hermione pursed her lips and shook her head, "No, sir, I haven't had the chance to. Being muggleborn, and all..."

"Yes, muggles, how fascinating their lives are! They're able to transport without using magic. I know adults are able to drive, but what about those who aren't old enough. Tell me, how do you manage it?"

Chuckling, Hermione raised her shoulders, "I guess most of us just take the coach or a taxi." She didn't get an opportunity to say anything else, because Luna had walked into the room, greeting Mr. Weasley with a hug.

"I heard coming down, it's so nice to see you, Mr. Weasley! Thank you for letting us go with your family," Luna said.

Arthur patted her on the head, like an elderly relative would do to a child, "It isn't a problem at all! You both are always welcome at our family home."

As if they didn't have enough people already in their family, Hermione thought a little judgmentally.

Soon enough, Hermione and Luna were in the Weasley's living room, standing in front of their fireplace. Mrs. Weasley was explaining to Hermione on how the Floo worked, which was a little redundant, as Hermione had already read all about the Floo Network in Wizarding Life for Muggleborns: Transportation by Richard Blines. He had written a whole series explaining wizarding life for muggleborns.

Hermione put on her best listening face while working on ignoring the glances from the other Weasleys. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that they wanted to apologize.

"All right, ready everyone? Arthur, why don't you go first, and Ginny you next," Arthur did as his wife told him, and made his way through the fireplace. After him was, of course, Ginny and Ron, Percy, and then Luna followed. Soon it was just the twins, Molly, and Hermione.

While putting some Floo Powder in Hermione's hand, the remaining Weasley's watched as only a little Floor Powder came out. Not even close enough to transport her

"Not to worry, dear. I have some more in the stockroom. I'll be right back," Molly said, leaving the twins and Hermione together.

It was quiet for about a minute, but then one of them - Hermione thought it was Fred - coughed into his hand.

"Listen, Hermione," he started, "We're - that is George, Ron, and I - are really sorry about what we said. It was out of line."

Hermione nodded her head briskly. "I'm sorry for how I reacted. I'm just a bit sensitive when it comes to people saying things like that about Harry. You'd be surprised how many people think he has ill intentions."

"I doubt it," George mumbled, but Hermione pretended she hadn't heard.

Fred sighed. "If you of all people think that he's an alright bloke, then he must be. You aren't the brightest witch of your age for nothing," he smiled at the last part, and Hermione smiled back.

"Aha! I've got it! Sorry for the hold up, should have noticed that it was nearly empty when I started handing it out in the first place. Hermione, here you go," Molly had just came back through the living room. Hermione noticed that she never seemed to walk normally, and always had a quick pace whenever she moved.

Hermione took the powder in her hand before stepping into the fire. "Diagon Alley," she said clearly, as she had been instructed to do earlier. She almost jumped when the green fire flared in front of her, despite having seen it engulf everyone else beforehand.

Hermione felt as though she was being shot out of a tube, and then squeezed into another one before ending up in the fireplace of a store she had never been into, but had seen multiple times on her previous visits to Diagon Alley. She stumbled out of the fireplace, and almost right into Luna, before steadying herself.

"Well," she said, "That was different." The Weasleys and Luna chuckled at her statement, and then waited for the others to arrive. When Fred, George, and Molly stepped through, they made their way into the streets of Diagon Alley, ready to begin their shopping.

~O~

(Old Fart)

Albus Dumbledore had been called many things throughout his life.

A stalker, however, was a new one.

"Albus, do you really think it wise to do that?" Minerva's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Minerva, I really feel as if we have no choice."

The old woman pursed her lips. "But why the muggle Ministry, why not ours?"

Dumbledore sighed, looking down at the letter he was currently working on at his desk. "Since Sirius Black has been proven innocent, it's fine with the Ministry to have Harry live with his Godfather. However, while he's innocent in our Ministry's books, I have a feeling that no one cleared his name in the Muggle world. Harry should still be living with his Aunt and Uncle, according to them."

"So what happens once you contact the muggles. We don't even know where Mr. Potter is."

"Ah, but we do know where he will be," Albus remarked, waving a finger in the air as he did so.

"And where is that?"

"Diagon Alley."

Minerva rolled her eyes and folded her arms. As much as she trusted Albus's decisions, she did feel that he went through too much trouble to get Harry Potter where he wanted him. In her opinion, she thought that the boy was entitled to live his life the way he wanted to, just like any other teenage wizard would. She decided to add her two bits in. "I didn't know you've signed up to be Harry Potter's personal stalker, Albus. What are you going to do? Go to Diagon Alley everyday, from when the stores open until they close, all the way until the start of term?"

Albus seemed unfazed. "Of course not," he started, "That's what all my contacts in Diagon Alley are for."

~O~

(WolfStar and Pup)

Harry and Sirius had been waiting for Remus for an hour before he decided to show up.

"Nice to see you, Moony," Sirius greeted his old friend. Remus smiled politely as he walked into the room. "I trust everything went well," Harry heard Sirius whisper to Remus. Remus closed his eyes and nodded slightly, and that action seemed to put Sirius in a much better mood.

"What took you so long?" Harry asked.

Remus sighed. "There was a slight problem at the Ministry about my eligibility to become an Auror."

"You mean your being a werewolf," Harry said, going along with whatever story Remus had started. He wasn't a Slytherin for nothing. Harry could tell whenever anyone lied, making sure he wouldn't sound or act like them when he would. "Why don't you go to Dumbledore, if anyone could change the Ministry's mind, it would be him."

Remus gave Sirius a meaningful look, "Yes, that's a good idea, Harry. Except I'm sure Albus has enough on his plate."

"Oh, right," Harry said, "I forgot - he has been busy trying to get me out of Sirius's grasp all summer." Sirius and Remus looked at Harry, surprised.

"Told you he'd find out. Hell, Harry probably found out before us," Sirius said.

"Sirius, let's not talk about this right now..." Remus whispered to his friend, his eyes looking quickly at Harry.

Harry mentally rolled his eyes at the both of them. Of course he knew, in fact, the second he got off the Hogwarts's Express and made eye contact with Sirius, he knew that Albus Dumbledore would do everything in his power to make it so Harry would be back with the stupid Dursleys. And now that Harry was about to go back to Hogwarts... it was only a matter of time before he'd be confronted by the old man himself.

Harry was definitely not looking forward to that - having to put on a fake smile and talk about how great his life was. It was all of ruse though, and even the old fart knew it. It was like they were both playing a game - Harry pretending to be the person Dumbledore wanted him to be, and Dumbledore knowing Harry was lying through his teeth.

Harry suspected that Dumbledore thought he was another Lord Voldemort in the making.

He also had the feeling that Remus and Sirius were actually trying to hide something from him, and knew that the conversation they had just had was practically rehearsed and meant to cover something else up. He just didn't know what.

Harry took a moment to check out his surroundings, noticing how little Diagon Alley changed each year. The kids still circled outside the Quidditch shop, the adults made their way to Gringotts to get their galleons, sickles, and knuts out, ready to pay for their child's education for the rest of the year. He also noticed Flourish & Blotts crowed, it's line filling up into the cobblestone alley. In it, he saw a familiar bushy-haired friend.

"Excuse me, but I see Hermione," Harry said, he started walking and was only a few feet away before he stopped. "Oh," he added, "Whatever secret it is that you two are hiding from me - I will find out." While there was a part of him that wished they would just tell him what it was, there was also a part of him that liked the idea of a challenge, and trying to figure it out.

~O~

(Not Harmonic)

When Harry reached Hermione, he took a second to laugh inwardly because how close she was to the window of Flourish & Blotts. He could actually see her breath lingering on the window.

"Hermione," he said, grabbing her elbow and pulling her away from the window. He was greeted with a shriek, and he rolled his eyes.

Face turning red; Hermione glared at him and wrenched her elbow from his grip. "Harry, you really have to stop sneaking up on me. I could have hexed you by accident!"

Harry snorted, "Hardly," he said. "You would actually have to have had your wand out for that to be able to happen, which we have talked about. It almost worries me how slow your reaction time is. You never know, you might get hurt because you were not able to defend yourself on time." While it had come off as Harry just being his usual, prat self, he actually was being completely serious.

No good would come to the world if Harry knew Hermione was hurt.

He had always had a slight protective issue when it came to her. And he knew it too, but would never in a million years admit it out loud. It would just raise some very uncomfortable questions.

Like if he liked (or maybe even loved) Hermione. Which he did not. But she was his closest friend; his only friend, and he would not lose her at any costs.

Hermione just sighed, not wanting to say anything else on the matter. She noticed Harry staring into space, so she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Harry, you there?" she teased.

Harry's glazed stare soon fell onto her face, which still had soot on it. His eyebrows narrowed, "Why did you Floo here, I thought you guys were going to apparate."

"How-? Hermione caught a glimpse of herself in a window, and hurriedly tried to rub the soot from her face.

"Scourgify," she heard Harry say.

"Harry, you really have to stop using underage magic, even if it is undetected in Diagon Alley."

He shrugged, "I guess I am used to using it all the time with Sirius. Purebloods and Half-bloods have it made, it really is unfair to Muggleborns, not being allowed to use magic."

"Don't talk like that, Harry," Hermione reprimanded, because Merlin forbid Harry say anything against the Ministry. He never understood why she was so adamant for the rules and the law, especially since the Ministry managed to be easily infiltrated by Voldemort during the first Wizarding War. Plus, the Ministry, no matter how noble they think they are, will always think Hermione inferior to people like Draco Malfoy, and that disgusted Harry more than anything.

"But you agree with me." Because he knew she did.

"Harry," Hermione gave him a hard look, then sighed. "Last night, in the journals you wrote about telling me why Sirius had to go to the goblins. Why?"

"Sirius is now in control of all the money that goes to the Black's name."

Hermione's eyes went wide, "Wow," she breathed, "That's quite a lot. What about his cousins?"

"One of them, Bellatrix, is in Azkaban, so has no right to the fortune. Plus, she's married to a Lestrange and probably wasn't given much, considering she's a women and Purebloods still live in a very medieval way. The other was Malfoy's mother - yeah, apparently Draco is a distant nephew! Besides her dowry, I also don't think she was given much. And the last one, Sirius's favorite, was disowned from the family because she married a Muggle. Therefore, Sirius is now in charge of the Black fortune, seeing as his brother left it to him in his will."

"Wow," Hermione repeated. "Do you think that may put a target on your back then? Now with the Black and Potter fortune -"

"Wait," Harry stopped her. "I never told you about any money my parents left behind for me."

She rolled her eyes, "Harry, you're a Potter. They were - are one of the most respective Pureblood families. You should really read up on your history sometime, your ancestors did a lot of great things for both the Wizarding and Muggle world."

Harry wasn't going to tell her that he didn't care to read about his dead relatives or what they did, as he doubted it would benefit him in anyway. That's the kind of person Harry was. He didn't focus or care about anything if he couldn't find anything important to do with it. But he wouldn't tell Hermione that.

"So you are saying when Sirius dies and he leaves his money to me... I will be the richest Wizard in Great Britain?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hermione breathed, "Harry, that's a lot of power."

Something within Harry stirred at that. He barely heard himself mutter, "A lot of power, yes." All he could think of was what he could do with that all that money and power.

"Harry?"

He could get whatever he wanted.

"You alright?"

He could become Minister of Magic.

"..."

He could even take -

"Hey!" Hermione's voice called him back out of his thoughts.

He shook his head. What was he thinking? He could care less about being Minister. Harry was already famous for having dead parents, he didn't need put himself in the public's eye any more than he already was. "I'm sorry, what did you say Hermione?"

Hermione's face was screwed up, she looked confused and worried. "Are you okay Harry? That's the second time you're mind had disappeared in the last five minutes.

"Ah, yes. I'm fine." He wouldn't tell her that he had just been thinking about the greediest things. That was not like him.

"Are you sure?"

Harry closed his eyes, now he was getting irritated. Why couldn't she just let it drop? Merlin, she was always all over him about everything. "I said I'm fine," he snapped, glaring at her.

She took a step back, obviously surprised by Harry's reaction. "Sorry," she whispered, also trying to keep back the words of concern.

Harry snarled, "Sorry, sorry, sorry! Everyone's always sorry! I don't want your pity Hermione, I don't want anyone's pity!" he had closed in very close on her, pinning her to the stone building behind her.

"Harry," she started, starting to feel frightened, "I don't know what's happening, but you should calm down," Hermione had her hands in front of her, as if it would keep away.

He rolled his eyes, snapping her wrist, "Don't tell me what to do, witch, or you'll regret it."

"Harry! You're scaring me!" Hermione cried, trying to take her wrist back from his grip.

Harry suddenly stepped back, letting go of her wrist, eyes wide. He hung his head down, not daring to look at her.

Hermione gulped, "What is going on, Harry?" she asked quietly.

He put his head into his hands. "I don't know, I -," he couldn't finish. He looked up at Hermione. "I have to go," he said, turning to sprint down the cobblestone road.

"Harry-"

"I have to go, Hermione!"

Hermione watched him leave, half frozen in fear and half frozen in surprise.

What the bloody hell just happened?

~O~

(Hello? Is it me you're looking for?)

The rest of summer went quite well for Hermione. After the Weasleys apologized to her, she and Luna spent a lot of their time hanging out with them, which had been a lot of fun. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depends on the perspective), Hermione had to leave the Lovegood's, and go back to her mother. She spent the rest of her break going over her summer essays and anyone else's that owled theirs to her (even though she didn't have many friends, she was quite well known for her intelligence).

Before she knew it, it was September 1st, and she was making her way to Platform 9 and ¾ with her mother, for the fourth time.

"Hermione -"

"Mum, we already did our mushy goodbyes."

"I know, I know, I just - you're not mad at me, are you?"

Hermione looked at her mother oddly, "Mad, why would I be mad?"

Her mother let out a sigh, "I don't know, I was just hoping you weren't going through one of those angsty teenage fazes that I've read so much about."

Hermione chuckled, and hugged her mother one last time. "I love you Mum, I'll write soon!"

"Not too soon! The last thing I want is for you to become clingy!"

Hermione turned away, silently laughing at her mother, and turned towards the entrance to the platform. "I'll see you at Christmas!" she called to her mother behind her, and then started walking quickly towards the stone, crossing through to the Wizarding World easily. She wasted no time getting on the train and finding a compartment, the one she usually shared with Harry.

She was nervous, seeing him. Hermione had tried writing letters to him after that incident, but he never replied. She had even opened the journal he had given her every night at eight, hoping he would write something to her.

But he didn't. He ignored her.

Hermione let out a frustrated groan. She wished he would just talk to her! Obviously something was wrong! But no, he had to be all 'Harry' on her and distance himself. He did that every year - every time that he was in trouble or feeling different he ran away from her. Harry never wanted to drag her into his own problems.

However, she was his best friend. She was literally there to be dragged into his shit.

Not that he would agree. He would say he did, just for Hermione's sake, but she knew he never truly agreed.

So there she was, sitting in a compartment by herself, and worrying to death about what was about to happen. Would he apologize? Stay silent? Would he yell at her again? What would she even do!

Hermione didn't get much time to think about it, as she saw the compartment door slide open and Harry walk through. She noticed he looked more tired, seeing the dark bags under his eyes. He had also cut his hair shorter, the long hair he had been wearing that summer was back into the shorter messy locks from the year before.

Harry didn't try to avoid eye contact with her, yet he didn't try to not avoid eye contact with her. It was as if he was indifferent. And Hermione knew from experience that an indifferent Harry was not a fun Harry to be around.

She gulped, "Hey Harry," she said, flinching when he looked at her with his bright green eyes. They also seemed duller than usual because of what was probably due to lack of sleep.

"Hi," he awkwardly replied, running a hand through his hair.


Did you like it? Was it awful? If so, please don't tell me that. Review me something lovely, doesn't even have to relate to this chapter. Thank you for reading!

Oh.

And Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah!