A/N I would like to thank Robert350,cragglerock82 and LoneWolf2293 for there assistance in plot ideas and discussing the story.

UPDATE 04 July 2017, fixed a few typos.

Previously….

Finally, Harry hugged her back, inhaling the scent of her hair. "How did I ever get so lucky as to have you as a friend?"

Chapter 3

'YES! I have my friend back! How can I get him to allow more, he's still broken? What does HE want?"

Screwing up her courage, Hermione asked "So, where do we go from here?"

Harry sighed, "Honestly, I don't know. Everything is still too fresh, too raw right now."

'Do I tell her I don't want her as my girlfriend at the moment and hurt her feelings? Or not say anything and hurt her that way by leaving her hanging? NO, I demanded she be honest and open with me, how can I do anything less for her?'

"Hermione, I don't think us being boyfriend/girlfriend right now would be a good idea. I promise though, I will stop being distant."

'He's probably right, besides despite what Ron did, what would people say if I broke up with Ron and immediately started seeing Harry? But I want us to be closer than we were before this whole mess started.'

Stepping back, Hermione looked up at him. "OK, Harry I understand. But given what's happened, I think I'm going to need to keep getting extra hugs from my good friend Harry."

Harry smiled at her "I can do that."

"Let's head back to the common room." and started walking to the door and then stopped and turned to Harry. "What if Ron's there? What do we do?"

Harry's face hardened "I'll take care of him."

Hermione thought for a moment and reached a decision. "Harry, leave him be unless he starts something. I read that the best revenge is to just get on with your life. I want to put this behind me, behind us."

"OK, but if he starts something I won't hesitate."

"Alright, but please don't start anything."

"I won't." Harry paused briefly and then asked "What do we say to anyone else who asks what happened?"

"We tell them the truth."

"Won't that hurt you?"

"Harry, I didn't do anything wrong aside from maybe being a little stupid and I have no desire to protect Ron or Lavender from the consequences of their actions."

"…OK, but I don't want to see you hurt more by this."

"I'll be fine."

They cleaned themselves up in the bathroom and headed towards Gryffindor tower. Hermione looping her arm through Harrys. She would have liked to hold his hand, but knew it was too soon.

Reaching the entrance to the common room, Harry turned to face her "Ready?"

Hermione nodded and reiterated, "If Ron says anything, let me handle it."

"Ok, unless he attacks you again."

"Alright, but don't damage him too badly."

"I won't, I promised Ginny."

"Ginny?"

"I'll tell you later, you need to thank her."

"I do?" Hermione said, looking a little confused.

"Later, I promise."

"Ok." And with that they went into the common room. Ron was there and as soon as he saw them he started glaring.

"What are you doing with him? You're going out with me!" he yelled.

Hermione, despite her promise to herself to remain calm, felt her anger start to flare.

"Ron, I caught you and Lavender on a bed in the Room of Requirement. Why would you think we were still going out?"

"I was just comforting her, she been stressed lately." He said looking around nervously, seeing the entire common room paying attention.

"Comforting her? With you both shirtless and you were trying to investigate your flirt-gill's tonsils with your tongue?"

"Er…" Ron didn't know what to say, he was surprised Hermione would admit to what had happened in front of everyone. "That's still no reason to split up."

Hermione sighed and said sweetly as if speaking to a small child, "Ron, you are so mercifully free of the ravages of intelligence. Now, I'll make this quick because I don't have the patience and you don't have the attention span." Her voice was getting progressively louder.

"We are not going out."

"We will never go out."

"YOU WILL NEVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN!"

Ron's face went red with rage and he pulled his wand out and started to point it at Hermione.

"EXPELLIRAMUS" The white spell shot past Hermione from behind and impacted on Ron's chest, driving him back into the wall where he fell unconscious. Hermione turned and saw Ron's wand in Harry's hand.

Harry looked at her and shrugged. "He was going to attack you."

Hermione just nodded in reply and looked around the completely silent room as everyone else stood stunned at what they had seen and heard.

Picking out Dean and Seamus by eye, she asked. "Would you take him to Madam Pomfrey?" Mindful of the recent revelations, they reluctantly nodded and levitated him out the door. As that happened, the noise level rose as everyone started talking about what had occurred.

Stepping close to Harry, Hermione smiled slightly crookedly. "Well, I guess we don't need to tell anyone now."

"Are you going to be OK? "

"Yeah" she replied "I will be, it's going to take a while."

"Flirt-gill?" Harry asked questioningly.

"Oh" Hermione smiled "It's from Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, it means trollop or strumpet. Now, I'm not implying anything, but tell me about Ginny."

Sitting on a couch with Hermione and talking quietly, Harry explained what had happened after he left the Room of Requirement. Once he had finished Hermione, feeling a little pang of jealousy, asked. "She kissed you?"

"Yes, but only to prove a point and she DID send me back to you afterwards."

'I can hardly complain after what Ron and I did and we did clear the air as a result.'

"I will have to thank her later," she said. "Right now, I am going to have a bath and try to relax."

"Good idea, I think I need another shower and then a nap."

They said their goodbyes and walked up their respective stairs, both feeling it a little strange to be apart after such an intense couple of hours.

Later in the afternoon, feeling far more relaxed, Hermione descended the stairs to the common room and saw Ginny sitting reading a book. She took a seat on the couch and, when Ginny looked up, said "Thanks for talking to Harry about me."

"He told you?"

Hermione nodded.

"Everything?"

"I think so yes, he didn't think you would mind."

"No, that's fine," Ginny blushed slightly "Did he tell you I_"

"Kissed him?" Hermione interrupted. "Yes he explained and it's OK."

Hermione leaned over and hugged her briefly and said. "Thank you for helping me get my friend back."

Ginny smiled. "I'm glad it worked! Are you just friends then?"

Hermione sighed "For now, Harry isn't ready for anything else and to be honest right now I don't think I am either."

Ginny nodded, "I think that's probably sensible, but don't wait too long. If I start dating someone, all those girls who have been waiting for him and I to get back together are going to go after him."

"I know, but I have to help him heal first."

"OK, let me know what I can do to help."

"Thanks, what state is Ron in?"

"He hit that wall pretty hard and broke a few bones. He's going to be OK, but Madam Pomfrey is keeping him in at least overnight while everything heals."

"I know he said he would protect me, but I didn't think Harry would put so much power into the spell."

Ginny conjured a mirror and held it up so Hermione could see her face. "You don't quite get it yet Hermione, look at the scar and bruise on your cheek."

"Oh."

The following morning Harry met Hermione in the common room and linking arms they went down to breakfast, quite late since it was a Sunday morning. As they arrived in the great hall, they noticed Lavender sitting by herself with her head down looking miserable as practically the entire school glared at her.

As soon as Harry and Hermione were noticed, a low murmur started as attention switched to them. Unlinking her arm from Harrys', Hermione stood tall and walked over to the Gryffindor table with a neutral expression on her face. After a couple of seconds, Harry followed. The change in noise level caused Lavender to look up. Upon seeing them both, she stifled a sob, stood up and ran from the hall, nobody went after her.

Headmistress McGonagall came over to the table as they were finishing breakfast. "Mr Potter and Miss Granger, I have spoken to Mr Thomas and Mr Finnegan about last night's altercation. I am happy that you acted in self-defence. However, given the seriousness of Mr Weasley's injuries I have called in the Aurors. Given your status in the wizarding world and therefore the high-profile nature of the case, Madam Bones, head of the DMLE will be in my office at 11:00 to discuss the matter with you both. In the meantime, Mr Potter, please try to avoid injuring any more students!"

Just before 11:00, Harry and Hermione made their way to the Headmistress's office, arriving just before Madam Bones came up the stairs behind them. After the usual pleasantries and they were all seated, Madam Bones began speaking. "I have come here from the infirmary where I was speaking to Mr Weasley, he claims Mr Potter attacked him without provocation."

Sensing Harry was about to explode, Hermione quickly laid her hand on his arm and he settled down immediately. This fact that was noted by both adults. Hermione then spoke up, "Headmistress, is Professor Dumbledore's Penseive still here?"

"Yes, it is" replied the Professor.

"Why don't I show you my memories of what happened in the common room?"

The Penseive was brought out of its storage cupboard and using her wand Hermione withdrew a strand of memory from her head and dropped it into the bowl. All four occupants of the room then went into the memory and viewed the events from the day before in the common room.

"Mr Potter, although I can see that Mr Weasley had drawn his wand and in all likelihood was about to use it, the fact remains that when you cast your spell he had NOT used it."

"After what he did earlier in the day I wasn't going to take the risk."

"What do you mean?" Madam Bones asked sharply.

"He hit Hermione."

"What? Why?" Demanded the DMLE Head.

Harry dropped his eyes looking at the floor, "I'd rather not say." He said softly.

Hermione interrupted Madam Bones as she was about to reply. "Madam Bones, let me show you the memory of what happened."

"Hermione, you don't have to do that, it will hurt you."

"No Harry, remember what I said yesterday? We are a team and in things together!"

They repeated the process from before and viewed the memory of the incident in the Room of Requirement from when Hermione arrived until Ron left.

"Miss Granger, those were quite some slaps, remind me not to get you angry at me." Said Madam Bones with a smile, Hermione simply blushed in response. "Now it's clear that Mr Weasley assaulted you but your slaps could be considered provocation as well."

Harry started to protest. "No Mr Potter, I don't think for one minute that Mr Weasley's actions were justified or indeed justifiable. I am telling you what a defendant could claim." Harry subsided.

"However, this does add additional weight to your comments earlier. I don't believe any charges should be laid on anyone. I consider your actions perfectly reasonable and proportionate given Mr Weasley's actions. If my niece Susan, your year mate, was in a similar situation, I would hope you would react the same way."

"Thank you Madam Bones and yes, if Susan was threatened, of course I would defend her."

"Thank you My Potter, I will take my leave. Given your fame, I will seal the records of this case."

Hermione looked at Harry and then replied to her, "don't bother sealing them, Madam Bones."

"Are you sure?" she replied.

"After what happened in the common room, the information is likely already all over Hogwarts and I'm sure will spread further. This way people can read about what actually happened. We promised Lavender we wouldn't harm her physically, and Ron too if he had left us alone. However, that isn't the only way to hurt someone." She said with a cold and somewhat malicious smile.

"Definitely remind me never to get on your bad side. Are you sure you weren't supposed to be sorted into Slytherin?" Replied the head of the DMLE with a smile.

"Miss Granger, I should probably chide you for your language in the Room of Requirements yesterday. But, given the provocation, I feel you I should commend you for your restraint. Also, aside from commenting on Mr Weasley's parentage, none of the other terms can be considered curse words." She said dryly with a small smile.

"Thank you Professor" Hermione replied with a blush.

"Now be off with the pair of you."

After Harry and Hermione exited, Madam Bones looked at the Headmistress. "Are you sure they aren't going out together? I've seen couples happily married for 50 years that aren't that close or that in tune other each other. She completely calmed him down just by putting her hand on his arm and held an entire conversation with a single look."

"You saw the memories, unless it's happened in the last 24 hours, then no. I think we will have to restart the pool about when they will get together. It was stopped early in their sixth year when it appeared it would never happen."

"How much?"

"2 Galleons a go."

Madam Bones pulled out the requisite coins and put them on the desk and said "Put me down for a month." After which she floo'ed away.

The headmistress smiled to herself, "I think I'll get put down for three weeks."

The situation at school settled down for Harry and Hermione over the next few days, but the same could not be said for Ron and Lavender. Predictably, Ron's cheating on the 'Heroine of the second wizarding war' made the front page of the Daily Prophet two days later. Since it was based on Madam Bone's investigation, it was quite accurate with the journalist foregoing any embellishment.

That same morning, Ron was released from the infirmary and received a howler from Molly that lambasted him for five solid minutes in the middle of the great hall. Far worse for Ron was the letter from the Chudley Cannons withdrawing their offer for him to tryout for their team.

Similarly, Teen Witch magazine withdrew their offer for Lavender to become a reporter after graduation. They now sat together but otherwise alone at meals as no-one else would talk to them. Ron continually ranted to, or possibly at, Lavender about the unfairness of it all. She was heartily sick of listening to it, but endured it as being completely alone with unfriendly looks from the rest of the school was even worse. She too had received howlers calling her a scarlet Jezebel and worse, she wasn't even sleeping properly for fear of being attacked.

For Harry and Hermione, the same time and the following couple of weeks saw their relationship only grow closer. Harry certainly still wasn't mentally in a place he could make a commitment, but having Hermione by his side almost constantly, supporting and encouraging him was healing a lot of wounds in his soul. Whenever they walked together, which was almost always, Hermione would loop her arm through Harry's. This was the close contact she craved when she knew that Harry would consider holding hands too intimate.

Hermione's happiness at how things appeared to be progressing, and eagerness to move things faster might be the reason she made the biggest miscalculation of her life.

About a week after the previous events, Hermione asked Harry to go back to the Room of Requirement with her. When they entered, Harry saw Hermione had set it up with 2 comfortable chairs in front of a fire.

After they had sat down, Harry asked "What did you want to talk about?"

"Harry, I read a couple of books in the local library over the summer 3-4 years back. They were called 'The Structure of Magic Volumes 1 and 2.' They weren't about what I thought they were. However, they were interesting and I read some other books by the same people and I wanted to try something with you. This may sound a little weird, but II hope it will help you."

"Okay, what did you want to try?"

"Do you have a little voice in your head that talks to you about what you are doing? If it says negative things, I want you to try moving the voice around to a different location and change it to a funny voice."

"What is this for?" asked Harry in confusiop.

"Well, some people who are having issues find this helpful."

Harry's face went red. "WHAT, SO YOU THINK I'M A BROKEN NUTCASE WHO NEEDS A MIND HEALER."

Hermione looked back at him in shock "No Harry, it's just I_"

"I DON'T NEED OR WANT YOUR HELP! AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT YOU CHANGING ME TO SUIT YOUR AGENDA. STAY AWAY FROM ME!" With that Harry stood up, walked out and slammed the door behind him.

Hermione simply sat in her chair and sobbed feeling like her entire world had collapsed. 'What have I done?'

A/N And there we have it, chapter 3. Sorry to end it with a bit of a cliffy, but it really felt like the right place to finish the chapter. Fear not, things WILL get better for our intrepid heroine, but that doesn't mean others will not look upon this estrangement as an opportunity.

A/N 2 Sorry, but in a litigatious world I feel I need to say this. While the NLP technique Hermione describes of altering sub-modalities would probably have helped Harry, I am NOT offering medical advice.