FOR GRANTED

Chapter 5: A New Day!

Harry tried to block the conversation that was taking place in the room by placing the pillow on his head, though he could not understand a word but the sound was annoying him all the same – after a while, he remembered what had happened the day before.

He opened his eyes, grabbed his glasses and turned towards Hermione's bed; a smile appeared on his face as he saw Hermione and Ron in some sort of an argument. They were trying not to disturb Harry…

"No! I can go where ever I want and…" Hermione was saying when she saw Harry, "Hey Good Morning Harry! Sleep well? Thanks for the mid night snack again",

"What midnight snack, why didn't you guys get me any, I would've loved to have something too you know? " Ron complained at which Hermione rolled her eyes and looked towards Harry to explain…

Harry laughed over this and told Ron how Hermione got hungry and all…"I swear I didn't eat anything, It was her … all her. She asked me to join her but I told her that I will not eat, not when Ron is sleeping… she kept insisting but see pal I just couldn't betray ya…" Over this exaggeration Ron and Hermione both laughed, Hermione clutched her stomach for her wound had stretched a little but stopped herself from showing her discomfort.

Ron and Harry didn't notice the slight twinge on her face and got up to freshen up; both left to change and get ready for breakfast, "I'll send mum to help you out Hermione".

"Oh don't bother her Ron, I am in no hurry…seriously, she has too many guests to look after" Ron ignored her and left.

After a while Hermione heard a knock and saw Ginny enter the room with a tray of breakfast…

"Hi Ginny! Good morning…"

Ginny replied with "Hello…mum sent some breakfast for you, I'll come to collect it later…"

"Ginny please stay!" Hermione requested…Ginny didn't turn back and just asked Hermione if she needed anything, "No! Ginny I don't need anything other than for you to forgive me and talk to me….please Ginny" , Hermione said in a begging tone…

"How many times do you want me to apologize, I miss you Ginny, please don't stay mad...I don't want to spoil our friendship over small things like…"

Ginny cut her off; "SMALL THINGS … Hermione they are not small things…Not to ME at least, I feel betrayed…embarrassed and one time that I had something that I wished for and you think it is small…Shows how much you care. Please have your breakfast…"

"Please Ginny lets talk this over" Hermione pleaded again but Ginny just slammed the door and left. "She is making a big deal out of it…" were Hermione's thoughts. Hermione's thoughts wandered off to the day this all started …

After Dumbledore's death…

It was second last day before everyone left Hogwarts.

Ginny entered the library looking for Hermione who was busy with a dozen books in front of her. She sat down across Hermione, "the term's over and we probably don't even have school next year so what are you studying?" asked Ginny right away.

Hermione who had noticed Ginny but ignored to acknowledge her presence by not looking up when she had come, just waved her hand saying, "oh just some stuff that Harry needed…"

"What kind of stuff?" asked Ginny – Hermione looked at her for the first time ever since she started talking, she could see that Ginny seemed upset about something so she closed the book and focused her attention on Ginny.

"What's wrong Ginny? Somebody said something?… or was it…" Before Hermione could continue asking, Ginny decided to break Hermione's curiosity…

"Harry broke up with me…" Ginny's eyes filled with tears when she said this. Hermione immediately went to her side and gave her a sideway hug.

"Why? ... Did he tell you why? -- Well he probably didn't mean it Ginny, he is just too disturbed because of all the things that happened to him…" Hermione tried to comfort her but she knew deep in her heart why Harry would have done it. She knew he didn't want to cause any trouble to Ginny…she knew very well the reason behind his actions but wanted to hear it from Ginny. He didn't want the fifth year repetition again. Voldermort using Ginny the same way but for real etc etc.

Ginny sobbed and reply, "well I don't really understand why does he have to take things so seriously, he doesn't want to loose me by staying with me…he thinks Voldermort will lure him by getting to me like he did with Sirius…I think I have proved myself strong enough for him to trust in my abilities…"

Hermione stroked Ginny's hair, "I know Ginny but he has lost too much. He cares deeply for you and what he plans to do in his future is dangerous and he doesn't want you in any kind of danger…"

"What is it he is going to do Hermione? Do you know something that I don't…he told you about his plans to break up with me, didn't he? No wonder you are taking it so lightly…" Ginny pulled away from her and poked Hermione…"You tell me right now Hermione Granger! What was it he said or plans to do, I want to know everything?"

Hermione was just shocked at Ginny's accusation but ignored it by blaming her hurt feelings.

"Ginny! Listen to me, I did not know of his plans to break up with you, honestly, ever since the funeral I have hardly seen him…I have been busy with this stuff you see here. And as far as what Harry plans to do in future…it's not my place to tell you because if he wanted to tell you then he would have told you. I will never betray his trust; if he wanted to tell you then he would have done it or may be he will. I am not going to tell you anything but trust me he cares for you a lot that he sacrificed his happiness…"

"OH REALLY! WELL HOW COME YOU KNOW EVERYTHING? …" Madam Pince got there and told them to keep it low… Ginny got hold of Hermione and dragged her outside the library. "We are not done yet Hermione, trust me we are not!..."

Once they were outside Ginny continued talking, "So I asked you something Hermione, how come you know things and I don't? What work are you doing for him in library? I need answers Hermione and I need them now, I deserve to know",

Hermione sighed, "I told you Ginny that I can't, I really can't. It's not my place. I know things because I am Harry's best friend and so is Ron. We know almost everything…"

Ginny gave a sarcastic laugh over this…"Please Hermione, Save me the drama of best friend…you are not telling me because you just want to feel important, or be part of both Ron and Harry's life. It's you who manipulates them both. It probably was your idea in the first place to break up with me…just like you were against Sirius's attitude; you just can't see Harry getting close to anybody but yourself…."

"GINNY! Stop this nonsense! You know it's not true and for the record I was never against Sirius's attitude, I know he was reckless but I never tried to keep Harry from having a father figure to confide in… He was like a friend too to me, what you are implying…"

"No you listen to me Hermione…Listen carefully! You are nothing but a leech, a puppy dog following Ron and Harry around, you force yourself on them…if you have not noticed then let me tell you, everyone in school thinks so…you were the reason Cho never stood a chance with Harry…Yes I know the whole story, Ron told me – you begged Harry to meet you half way through the date because you were obviously jealous…Don't look too shocked…you know its true. You maneuvered the poor guy just like you are doing to my brother…"

"Ginny you are saying way too much…I am sure you don't mean anything…We shall talk when you have calmed down" saying this Hermione turned to leave but Ginny got hold of her hand,

"You are not going anywhere! I know truth hurts…you see Hermione I am hurting too…I always wanted to be with Harry…even before I joined Hogwarts…I finally had my chance and what do I get…nothing, He never shared anything with me all because of you. Just because you could not interest either Harry or Ron in you, you decided to spoil the relationships they had. I feel sorry for Lavender, Hermione I really do, I understand now what Lavender and Cho went through, whatever they say about you is true. You are nothing but a conniving bitch…"

Ginny's tears were running freely but she continued with her bantering while Hermione stood there staring at her with tears in her eyes as if she was seeing Ginny for the first time…each word uttered from her mouth stabbing like a needle in her heart thinking, "Was she ever my friend…?"

While Ginny continued,"…and Hermione just for the record Ron never told me he liked you in a romantic way, I just made that up to make you feel good about yourself and as far as Harry is concerned you are just not his type…look at Cho and then me…see the kind of choice he has?"

Ginny then let go of Hermione's hand, "…I am sorry things turned out this way but you asked for it Hermione…you did. I thought of you as a sister but you … well Good Luck with whatever backstage work Harry has given you to keep you busy and out of his sight…yeah trust me you do annoy the hell out of him and get on his nerves, I am glad that much he shared with me.

I hope you feel the pain that I am feeling right now someday…" and left with that said..

Hermione let the tears come freely by not trying to hold them back and headed back to library. She went and sat behind the pile of books with her head in her hands…she started wondering if what Ginny said really was true or not.

"Am I really a manipulative person, I never wanted to break Harry's relationship well more like first date with Cho…I was happy when he got together with Ginny – well yes I was a little sad for neither Ron nor Harry ever took interest in me but then Ginny is right, even I noticed the kind of girls Harry liked…beautiful looks plus quidditch players, neither of the two fitted Hermione…and Ron.. Well he showed interest in me in fourth year... I was truly flattered or was it just my imagination….

Merlin help me! Ginny is right! I know the only reason Ron showed jealousy was because of Viktor Krum, Harry was already famous being the champion and all and there I was again centre of attention by coming with Viktor…Oh How could I have been such a blind fool by believing that Ron truly liked me…Ginny is right I do try to turn things my way. I set those cannaries on Ron, I stopped talking to him when he went out with Lavender …

and from what angle do I call myself Harry's best friend…when I hardly listened to him all year. I didn't believe what he said about Draco Malfoy…" All thoughts of her actions and the things that happened over past six years came crashing in to her mind and she started sobbing hard. "How can Harry and Ron like me when they prefer totally different kind of girls...different from me for sure – Well Hermione you better start acting like a friend rather than a love sick puppy…they will always be your friends and nothing else. Ron stood up for me only because I am a good friend to him so is the case with Harry…"

But all the same she decided something with a determined mind, "No matter what Ginny says or others think of me, I am not backing out from helping Harry!

And I will never ever betray his trust by telling his secrets to anyone. I have to take care of Harry no matter what!"

With these thoughts she decided to give another chance to talk to Ginny because deep in her heart she still wanted to give Ginny some benefit of doubt. She packed things and went looking for Ginny and found her near the lake sitting alone, she approached her quietly…"Ginny ?" she whispered. Ginny ignored her and kept staring at the lake…"Ginny…"

"Continue talking if you are here to tell me about Harry's plans otherwise there is nothing I wish to hear from you…" Ginny said!

"Ginny I think you should talk to Harry about this…I think…well you never know he might tell you…" Somehow Hermione knew she said the wrong thing.

"Shut up Hermione! Just shut up! What do you want me to do…Act pathetic like you? I have some dignity unlike you, I am not going to run after Harry like you did to my brother…I am not going to throw myself at him or try to make him jealous like you did. You see Hermione; I am a lot different from you, where you are a PRETENDER. Remember when I snubbed you earlier this year when you tried to show your concern for quidditch…when you knew absolutely nothing about it…well I do; you see – you pretend to care about things you don't really care about…on the other hand Hermione – I am original, take actions rather than pretending to take them…"

"ENOUGH Ginny! You better keep your jealous mouth SHUT! I came to apologize for not telling you things but I guess you don't really deserve it. How long have you bottled up those feelings haan Ginny? Seemed like everything you kept inside you burst out in open air and you have the nerve to call me a Pretender when all you have been doing for past five years is pretending – Pretending to be my best friend…May be its best that Harry broke up with you. I am glad he never got to see this side of you or he would've been...well…He doesn't deserve a hypocrite like you…someone who is ready to snog any guy who shows slightest of interest in her…."

Hermione knew she had gone too far and felt bad once the last few words came out of her mouth…

"At least Hermione guys show interest in me…which is not true in your case I am sorry to say; and finally you do admit that you always wished for Harry and me to split up…you were jealous…you are a bitch you know, a controlling bitch… " replied Ginny

"At least I don't go around acting like a slut…" with that said Hermione left.

It seemed like the end of Ginny and Hermione's friendship and nobody ever knew of this.

Hermione still felt bad for her words and wanted to amend things with Ginny. She really thought that Ginny made a big deal out of nothing. Hermione never told Ginny's secrets to anyone so she should've respected Hermione's decision of not telling her Harry's. Hermione sighed and took a sip of her milk.

Author's Note:

Thank you all for the awesome reviews  I truly appreciate the criticism. Please let me know if things have improved or not I mean the writing style.