Chapter six

'Harry, what's wrong?'

'Well, I suppose now is as good a time is any to tell you and everyone,' Harry crossed his arms, 'The truth is Hermione, I just don't like you. You're annoying, stuck up, arrogant and you make it impossible for me to even want to spend time in the Gryffindor common room when you're in there. Right now, I wish I didn't have to stay here even though I love it, but it's you, you just put me right off. So what this boils down to is I don't want you as a friend anymore.'

'But Harry, we've been through so much together, you can't.'

'I can and I can't trust you anymore, you went behind my back and I almost lost a precious gift from Sirius because of you. It's only thanks to it being from Sirius that I got it back. I don't appreciate you going to the teachers and telling on me, friends do not do that.'

'This is because of Sirius, I knew he was a bad influence on you.'

Harry growled and pointed his wand at her, it happened so quick no one say Harry draw his wand.

'Say anything about my godfather again and I will curse you until you are begging to be killed.'

'Calm down Harry,' Arthur put his hand on Harry's wand, 'Hermione, it's not nice to say those types of things about Harry's family.'

'Right, imagine if he said your father was a bastard, you wouldn't take that, would you?' Charlie said, he might be confused but he understood where Harry was coming from

'Just keep her away from me. Ron, can I go to your room?'

'I'll come with you,' Ron shrugged at his parents and brothers before keeping himself between Harry and Hermione until they past her

'Did you mean that?'

'Yep, I make excuses just to get away from her. She makes it hard to study, even in class she's just grates on my nerves. It's been getting worse over the last year, finally I just said enough.'

'I know she goes on about being smart and we should listen to her and I know it gets annoying, but to go this far, are you sure?'

'Yes, look Ron, I know you like her, more than a friend even if you've never said anything. If you want to stay friends with her then you can but I won't be able to tell you things because I know she will work on ways for you to tell her. You know I trust you but when you love someone you trust them.'

'I need to think about this because I do like her.'

'I know, so take your time, just know if you're sitting with her I will not be around or I'll find someone else to spend time with. I would have refused this invitation if I knew she was going to be here. That's how serious I am, I would give up seeing the quidditch world cup so I wouldn't have to spend time with her.'

'Blimey, you are serious, why didn't you say anything before?'

'I was hoping she would see how much she annoyed me. It's her attitude, she just can't believe we can learn without her help. All those times I snuck away, I was able to study easier. She picked on everything, whether we did our work or not. Imagine being in a relationship with her, she would be telling you what to do. I'm not saying that to talk you out of it, maybe you could make a go of it and she'll change with you, who knows, I just can't stay friends with her.'

'I'll see what happens, but I know the twins will love it, they don't like Hermione at all, neither does Ginny really.'

'They're smart, and I'm not saying you're not, it's different when you like someone in that way.'

There was a timid knock on the door, Ron answered it but kept the door mostly closed since it was Hermione.

'Did you want something Hermione?'

'Yes, could I borrow Pig?'

'Why?'

'I need to send a letter.'

'Fine, but you'll need to wait until he returns, Ginny sent him somewhere.'

'Thank you.'

Harry waited until Ron shut the door, 'I bet I know who she's writing too.'

'Who?'

'Dumbledore, I watched her name on the map, she would sneak up to his office, usually after I've said something important. One time she did was right after I said I was thinking of sneaking away from the Dursley's, that was during our last year. Next thing I know the order is stationed around Privet drive. I think she's been giving dDmbledore information about me for a while which is what got me suspicious of her and the way she acted.'

'I don't take Hermione as a spy Harry, she can't lie to save herself.'

'Maybe, she doesn't offer information unless it's about school work or something she's learned. But tell me if you know this, did Hermione ever mention that she checked all former students results to see what she was up against?'

'I know she mentioned that people like Dumbledore got a lot of o's in their N.E.W.T.s and I know she checked scores of anyone that was a prefect.'

'Well, you know how Hermione is in class, she will never allow anyone to beat her and chucked a hissy fit when I did better in defence against the dark arts than she did.'

'Okay, yeah, she hates it if anyone does better, but she knows she's smarter than most people.'

'Yeah, and shows it all the time. I found out my mother had the highest ever scores in her tests Ron, yet the way she acted you wouldn't know. She had friends in all four houses and from what I found out she was liked by everyone she was just one of those people that everyone liked. For all I know Hermione might believe I could end up beating her because of my mother. The books she's told me and you to read, well, I did read them, they were hopeless. I sent Hedwig out and got books that were recommended by a lot of older students and they were exactly what I wanted to read and what I needed to read. I just stopped trusting her and there are a lot of reasons, but something tells me I'm right not to trust her and it has nothing to do with Sirius.'

'He doesn't like her though, does he?'

'No, but he only told me that when I told him how I feel.'

'Okay, but you said you wouldn't tell me anything if I want to stay friends with her, yet you just did.'

'Stuff I don't care if she knows, she can deny it all she wants, but it will not change my mind. Anyway, onto a different subject, the twins hinted to me about something.'

'You mean Ginny?'

'Yeah, but I can't think of her that way, I did try, but I just see your little sister then I think about my mother,' Harry shuddered.

'Oh gross.'

'Right, but can you understand why I could never look at Ginny more than a friend?'

'Yeah, I can, you can't snog someone if they remind you of someone else, especially your mum. Now come on, dinner shouldn't be long and it's been ages since I've spoken to Charlie.'

Harry and Ron headed downstairs, Harry ignored Hermione and sat beside the twins, he lent closer then whispered.

'I need a big favour from you two, can we talk privately tonight?'

'Sure,' George said with Fred nodding, then they spoke normally, mainly about the quidditch world cup, Ron kept saying Krum will get the snitch. No matter what the quidditch topic Ron always brought it back to Krum. Harry couldn't blame him, from what he knew of Krum he was supposed to be a great seeker and Harry was going to watch him very carefully, hopefully get some tips.

'We can all have a fly tomorrow, a pick up game, no seeker, what do you say Harry?'

'Sure, even though I've only played seeker. You can't get two better beaters then Fred and George, so are the rest of us just going to play chasers?'

'Yep, but Fred and George are being separated, one on each team. Since you and Charlie are seekers we figured you two could be the captains.'

'I'm good either way, either twin, Ginny can fly and so can you Ron, I've never seen Bill or Charlie play even though I do know Charlie was captain of Gryffindor.'

'I'm pretty good, I just didn't want to play.' Bill said.

'Then maybe we should pick names out of a hat then, it's fair all around, but we're one short.'

'Lee is dropping in tomorrow, even though he never played on the team, he can fly,' Fred said.

'That's perfect, four to a team, so what do you say Charlie, random draw or we choose?'

'Random draw, especially since I've played with this lot heaps of times, I know what they can do, you only know the twins.'

'True, so yeah, I'll go with that, I can't say it's fair not when I own a Firebolt,' Harry smirked.

'Don't rub it in, but we all get to have a fly I hope?' Charlie asked.

'Sure, you'll be amazed, it's why Sirius bought it for me, he knew how good it would feel to fly that broom. He also knew since my nimbus was destroyed I would need a new one and he got the best.'

'Okay, no more talk of quidditch, it's time to eat,' Molly with the help of her older sons loaded up the table. Harry loved eating at the Burrow, he thought Mrs Weasley was the best cook around. She could make a wonderful meal out of anything.

Later that night, Harry left the room on the pretence of going to the bathroom, headed to the twins bedroom to ask them if they can help him.