Chapter Nineteen: The Concern of Friends

The celebration lasted all night. Nobody slept, not even Gohan, who ate fifty-six plates of food. Vegeta ate just as much, in between proudly becoming a Super Saiyan the ninth time by request of awed students. Of course, Gohan had refused to become one; he just wanted to be left alone with his friends. Hermione appeared shortly after midnight shrieking happily, "You solved it! You solved it!"and then sat with her friends rather more quietly. Harry, Ron, and Gohan filled her in about everything, and she took it all pretty well until she was told that Tom Riddle was actually Lord Voldemort.

"What?" she shouted loudly, her voice implying a note of hysteria. Her outcry earned her a few hundred heads glancing in her direction before continuing in their collective babble. Her expression of alarm gave way to a mixture of disbelief, anguish, horror and disgust. Her jaw became rock solid.

"What's wrong?" Gohan asked.

"Nothing," she said in a low, unusually thick voice,"Then…what happened," her voice cracked.

Harry looked puzzled. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Hermione glared at him. "Just finish the story!"

Harry felt hurt and confused, but complied anyways. What happened to Hermione, Gohan wondered.

...

Shortly after one, Dumbledore appeared, to the cheers of a little over three quarters of the Hall. He announced that the exams were cancelled and that Defense of the Dark Arts was cancelled due to the teacher being on medical leave. Soon after, Hagrid appeared in the Great Hall, receiving happy hugs from Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Gohan.

Over the last three days of school, the friends spent more time together than ever. Hermione had taken a mysterious bout of mood swings. One moment she was sweet, kind, confident, know-it-all; the next she was tense, angry, anxious, bashful know-it-all. Gohan observed her as she would be her usual self, shifting to someone being anxious or even frightened toward Harry. It was completely confusing to watch. As for Hermione, she learned how it felt to be as she once called someone "madly conflicted."

As they walked off the train onto the platform, Harry said, "After everything that happened this year, I still can't wait to go back. How about you guys?"

Ron said, "I love school, and I like home…so I guess I can tolerate being home for a bit before going back."

"I like it all," Gohan said enthusiastically, "I wouldn't change anything."

Hermione sighed deeply and said nothing, and nobody asked.

Harry gave Ron and Gohan his address and telephone number to call, making some remark about the Dursleys.

"But won't they be proud of you?" Hermione asked, momentarily coming out of her preoccupation.

"Are you kidding? All the times I could have died and didn't manage it? They'll be furious!"

The boys laughed as they crossed the barrier. Hermione pursed her lips.

"Gohan, my baby!" Chi-Chi ran to her son, squeezing.

Gohan blushed in front of his snickering companions. "Oh, mom!" As his mother fussed over his physical growth, Gohan snuck a furtive look toward Hermione.

After she had received hugs from her parents, she looked them in the eyes calmly and said, "We need to talk."

"You've grown, squirt!" a familiar female voice said nearby.

Gohan smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Ha ha! Bulma!"

"Hey, Gohan. So, how's Capsule Corporation's future Vice President?"

Gohan chuckled. "Oh, there's some friends I'd like you to meet!" He dragged his mother and Chi-Chi toward Harry and Hermione.

Harry sighed. "Dursleys are late. But then again, I may have to walk home. Can never tell with them."

"These are my friends. This is Harry Potter. Over there is Ron Weasley. And that is Hermione Granger. Guys, this is my mother and Bulma Briefs."

Bulma smiled at Harry. "Don't worry. If your parents don't come, then we'll give you a lift."

"Thanks."

"Do you mind me asking? Why would they forget to come and get you?"

Harry shrugged. "The Dursleys would prefer to forget I was even born. They never forgave me for being born a 'freak.'" Hermione snorted uncharacteristically. Gohan looked over at her. Her face bore signs of sadness and anger.

Bulma frowned. "Gosh, that stinks. Well, hey, if they don't want you, why don't you come home with us? Trunks could use another playmate."

Harry sighed. "It's tempting, but I can't. There's a specific reason I have to stay at the Dursleys, at least for a time. Maybe I can get permission to visit."

"Sure, kid."

"Hey, mom. Where's Goten?"

Chi-Chi chuckled. "He's having a playdate with Trunks. It's surprising how well those two get along, considering the relationship between their fathers."

"Relationship?" Harry asked.

"Vegeta hated Goku," she said simply.

"I don't think that's true, Mom," Gohan said thoughtfully."Vegeta just needed something to aspire to. Dad was the perfect ideal when it came to achieving strength. He set the bar."

Gohan noticed that Hermione and her parents were leaving. There was something clearly bothering Hermione, and her parents looked worried. In fact, Gohan could almost sense some guilt coming from them. He was worried about her.

"Hey! How about we all go for ice cream! My treat!" Bulma said to everyone.

"Yay! Let's go!" Gohan said happily, forgetting Hermione for the moment. Harry and Ron exchanged grins.

Mr. Weasley stammered. "You're…gonna pay for all of us? That'll cost a small fortune."

Bulma laughed. "I'm Bulma Briefs, Heiress of Capsule Corporation. Besides, you haven't seen how Gohan eats, have you?"

Ron chuckled. "Yeah. He'll probably close the place. When it comes to food, Gohan's a bottomless pit!"

Chi-Chi glared at her son sternly. "No more than ten cones, Gohan!"

"Aw, Mom! That's barely even a taste!" Harry, Ron, Fred, and George howled while Mrs. Weasley's jaw dropped.

"I mean it, son! If you want any more than that, you can spend your own money!"

"Hmmm…okay!" He paused. Then, he pulled out his wallet and counted his money. "I guess I have enough to get…twenty more." Everyone except Chi-Chi, Harry, Ron, and the twins, fell over.

"Filling up, are we?" Mr. Weasley said nervously as he stood.

"Not really. I'm saving plenty of room for mother's curry." This time, everyone except Chi-Chi fell over.

Mrs. Weasley whispered to her husband. "I was going to scold Ronald for insulting Gohan, but he's right. The boy is a bottomless pit."

As they left the train station chattering, Gohan shot one last look in the direction Hermione and her parents had left. A tiny frown of worry crept over his face as he turned and followed the others. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice: he wasn't the only one staring at Hermione Granger's back.

Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, frowned thoughtfully as the family disappeared from view. An uneasiness stole around him as he watched their retreating forms. He couldn't help but recall what Riddle had asked him about her and the way she had acted the last few days. One thing was certain: something was clearly disturbing Hermione. As a friend, Harry desperately wanted to know what it was.

[Insert something cliché about the story's end here.]

Thanks for reading!

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