A/N: Well thanks to the three people who reviewed! But the rest of you, please review and fav. It will make my day and will mean more updates more frequently. What can I say? I'm a victim of positive reinforcement. Anyways, this is mostly Harry/Hermione friendship fluff for this chap. But don't worry, we'll get to the real plot-rich stuff next chapter when they all head back to Hogwarts! I have some great ideas to continue a bunch of the loose plot lines left over from "Broken" besides Hermione recovering from Anorexia. The auror business will be of prime concern, Malfoy will be back to torment, the transfiguration/amigi stuff will be back, Hannah and Neville will be a couple (Yeah!), and, of course, there will be lots of relationshipy, romantic drama with our favorite couple of all -Ron and Hermione. :) So get me motivated and review! Thanks!

Chapter 2

She tries not to cry, she really does. But sometimes the tears are just too powerful, too omniscient to withhold. So she succumbs to the monsters in her head and she breaks down. That's when the battles break out, when the war inside her head begins to unfold. Her not-so-great coping mechanisms demand to be fed, while the threats of her life and future hospitalization logically rein her in. She's torn apart, each side whispering her worst fears to persuade her to listen.

"Harry…" she chokes out her closest friend's name in the doorway to his room, her eyes red and overfilling with salty beads of anguish that dictate her moment of need.

He looks up from some book, whatever book it is and quickly tosses it to the floor, his body soon hovering over to comfort her. "Bloody hell, what's wrong 'Mione?"

"I d-don't know," she sputters out the words as if they're venom, as if she's ashamed of her predicament. Her eyes, blinded by tears, gaze meaninglessly around the room as if she's searching for an answer, some tangible reason for her sudden feeling of utmost despondency and unimportance. For a moment she feels a flicker of recognition, an epiphany that lasts for the briefest of seconds. Who knew that such an off-hand remark, such an unimportant admission could be a window into her deepest psych? Hermione certainly didn't, and if she had she wouldn't say what she does. "I just feel so lonely, so empty."

Harry pulls her into his chest, cradling her head into his arms. "It's alright, I'm here now. You've got me. You've got lots of people. No need to feel lonely."

Hermione doubts that, questions his words. Sure, cognitively she's in a house surrounded by people who'd drop whatever they're doing for a few minutes to calm her down, but do they really care about her, or do they just feel guilty? Do they just pity her? The little voice that echoes her deepest insecurities always seems to prevail with that one. Still, the sound of Harry's heartbeat and the comfort of his embrace is enough to soothe these feelings for a bit. It's just enough interaction, enough human companionship, to get the overpowering feelings of loneliness to subside and for the sobs to slowly dwindle down to the random nose sniffle.

Once that is taken care of, she's set. She pulls away, bows her head in embarrassment, and attempts to make a break. No need to make a big deal of it. Of course, Harry won't let that happen. No, he pulls her deeper into a hug, tilts her head up and tells her he's there for her, just in case she didn't already know. "You're my best mate 'Mione."

She knows this isn't true. She's the third wheel. The one who turned the dynamic duo into the trio. Ron and Harry are great mates, and they make a great team. She won't deny that, but she's not delusional. Ron and Harry's bromance is incomparable- not to be messed with, and at the core of everything. And while she would once consider herself Ron's first, she won't dare fool herself into thinking that she's near the top of Harry's list. There's Ginny and Ron, and a few other people, and then Hermione. She's up there, but not number one, and that's okay… it's just sometimes she wishes she were at least somebody's top.

"It's fine, Harry." She says, taking a deep breath, "I was just being emotional. I've got it under control. Honestly, there's no need to be sentimental."

He doubts it, of course he does. Why shouldn't he? The whole world's already established that Hermione's emotionally distant and not to be trusted with her own recovery. So, of course, Harry makes her stay and sit with him just in case. She wonders if he's making a mental checklist of all the sharp objects she could hurt herself with, too. Hermione huffs and rolls her eyes, she shouldn't have said anything. She should have stayed in her room and cried by herself. So pathetic…

"I'm sorry, Harry," she whispers.

"Don't be," he says, "But if you don't mind me asking, what really started this?"

She closes her eyes and tries to shove out the truth. "Ron," she says, "It's not his fault. But that awkward distance between us is starting to get to me. I don't know how it's possible to just be friends with someone that you're completely in love with."

"Hermione…" Harry says, a lecture at the tip of his tongue, "You know you're not supposed to-"

"Yes, Harry, I know. I know that I'm not supposed to get involved romantically with anyone. I know I'm not supposed to love Ron. I know that it's supposedly not good for me! But Merlin's beard, being in love with someone isn't exactly the easiest thing to control!"

"I know," Harry nods his head, "I get it. Remember that I had to break up with Ginny to protect her, too. Our situation was a tad different, but you have to know that Ron's only doing what he thinks is best for you. He does still care about you, he really does. But you need to try to focus on something else."

"But Harry, you knew that eventually you'd get back with Ginny. There was no deranged healer telling you that your relationship with her was dysfunctional and the reason for all your problems. You could still kiss her when you saw her. You could still say you loved her without the whole world worrying about your sanity."

"Well sure, but it was still difficult. And maybe they've gone a little bit too far in your case. But it's all for the best. And imagine Ron, he's the one whose being blamed for your problems."

"Which is absolutely absurd!" Hermione interrupted Harry.

"Just relax, Mione," Harry looks around the room anxiously, "You really shouldn't be dealing with this sort of drama right now. It's exactly what they're trying to avoid. So just focus on getting better, okay? For me?"

She slowly nods her head in agreement, but the longing for Ron still permeates her every thought.