Chapter Six

Harry would not have chosen to see Hermione and Ron for the first time in weeks while he and his Slytherins were swaggering out of Potions having just forced a potion down a geeky Ravenclaw's throat that made him choke until he turned blue. Then, his new harsh, sharp bark of a laugh ringing in his own ears like an omen, Harry had kneed him in the stomach leaving a result that wasn't pretty but had at least got the poison out of the boy's system.

As the Snake Mates (terrible name but it wasn't Harry's idea) came out of the door, Harry suddenly felt warm arms flung around his neck, sweet breath blowing in his ear and that curly brown hair he'd so often felt poke him in the eye now like a blanket he'd forgotten he'd ever owned.

'Hermione?'

'Harry, Ron and I haven't seen you for weeks! Where were you?'

'Hermione,' Ron muttered, pulling her away. He'd seen what she hadn't: the excruciatingly painful tattoo of a snake that it had been Harry's idea to curse onto the gang member's faces. He said it looked harder. No-one quite dared disagree.

'Ron, you've got to stop being so jeal…'

Hermione stepped back and took a good look. Her mouth dropped open and her whiskey-coloured eyes clouded over until they were as grey as the sea. 'Harry?'

'Hermione, I –'

Harry wanted to comfort her. He wanted to pull her back into his arms and whisper that he loved her – although as a friend or more he had no idea –, that he'd only been trying to stop always being the good guy, that he wanted some fun for once in his life.

Or maybe he'd just wanted some actual acceptance.

But to get it, he had to make certain sacrifices.

'Isn't that…is that Granger?' sneered one of the Snake Mates. 'Ha! Wants you bad, doesn't she Harry? Didn't you already fuck her?'

'Hermione –'

She backed away, her head shaking as if of its own accord, trying so desperately not to believe her ears. 'You…you said…'

Ron rolled up his sleeves, all set to play the hero, Harry noted bitterly. What did he know how it felt to actually succeed at it? That it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

'Back off Ron!' cried Hermione, before lowering her voice to a broken whisper. 'Potter's not worth it.'

'That's rich coming from you,' snapped Harry. 'You filthy little mudblood.'

A gasp swept the room. Whatever Harry had become, the Gryffindors had never expected that he could go this far. It might not have been particularly ethical to run around setting things on fire but it was far worse by any 'good guy' standards to call anyone, least of all your best friend, a mudblood.

Thank God Harry wasn't a good guy then.

Ron jumped on him but Harry was ready, his wand long removed from his robes. 'Imperio.'

Ron stopped in mid-air and crashed to the ground, his face completely overtaken by an expression that looked as though he'd overdosed on happy gas.

Harry sneered although he felt a little sick at the sight of his so-called best friend completely at his mercy.

Hermione rounded on Harry. 'Take the spell off.'

'Why don't you do it?' Harry hissed mockingly. 'You're the smart one.'

Hermione closed her eyes like she was waiting to wake up. Then when she opened them they were full of tears. 'Please,' she murmured. 'Just leave us alone.'

'Nice try mudblood.' Harry's friend too reached for his wand. 'Cru –'

'Stop!' Harry shouted.

Sulkily, Bill stowed his wand. 'Why do you get all the fun, Potter?'

Hermione had turned paper-white on the first letters of the curse and now she still swayed slightly, her breathing shallow and much too fast. But she was still strong. 'Yeah, Potter. I'd rather he cursed me than you.'

Anger the colour of blood flashed in front of Harry's eyes and for a minute his wand-hand twitched.

But he couldn't. He owed Hermione his life a million times over. And Harry was nothing if not a gentlemen.

He sighed heavily and flicked a hand – his conscience twitching as Hermione flinched – signalling for her to take Ron and get out of here.

She hesitated, her pride clearly taking a massive blow as she hissed 'Reverse it.'

Harry rolled his eyes as if it was the easiest thing in the world and snapped his fingers.

Ron regained consciousness. 'Why you –'

'Get it out of it Ron,' Hermione advised. 'Please.'

Ron gave his robes a violent tug back on his shoulders and stormed away, dragging Hermione after him.

She's not a dog, Harry found himself thinking aggressively.

Just a mudblood, his conscience reminded him.

Oh shut up.