A/N - I love drama, you say? Why yes, yes I do :D And to Jax33 - Hermione will definitely get a chance to tell her side. ;)

Chapter 41 - Two paths diverge and Sleepwalk

.

By the time Harry came back to Grimmauld Place, his mood hadn't improved all that much. It failed to improve further when he had just made his way to the kitchen in search of something to satisfy his thirst.

"Where have you been?"

He winced at Hermione's tone, choosing to keep his back turned towards her. "Out," he said curtly, deciding to go through the motions of pouring himself a glass of water as a means of distraction.

"Out?" she snapped, her voice getting closer. "You were out? Do you have any idea how worried we all were?"

Harry felt his jaw tighten in annoyance. He had left to try and let loose some of the anger that had been inside him; but that hadn't happened. The rage in him had simply coiled itself inside his chest and it felt ready to snap at any moment. "I'm fine, aren't I?"

He could practically hear the harsh intake of breath behind him. "You're not fine. You have never been fine."

"Great," he mumbled bitterly before he turned around to face her. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." He eyed her dressed in her pyjamas as she stood at the entrance of the kitchen, her curls piled high and her eyes lacking their usual lustre from sleep. "Were you asleep?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Yes, Harry, I was sleeping. I sleepwalk, generally, don't you know?"

His own eyes narrowed at her sarcastic tone. "I take it you're upset."

"Yes, I'm upset," Hermione said passionately as she stepped closer to him. "You can't just leave whenever you feel like it. What if something had happened? We wouldn't have known where to find you."

"Well, considering I'm standing right in front of you without any injury, I think you can guess that I wasn't attacked on the way over here." Leaving the untouched goblet of water, he walked past her, stopping only when he heard Hermione speak.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Harry said automatically as he turned to face her again. "Everything's fine. Peachy, even."

She studied him incredulously. "I don't understand why you're upset with me. I just need to know you're safe, that's all. I worry about you."

Harry shifted on the spot in agitation. Part of him wanted to leave before he said something stupid, while another part of him really wanted to say what he thought. The latter seemed to win over. "And why is that, exactly?" he asked in mock curiosity.

Hermione looked at him as if she had been slapped. "You're my friend," she said softly. But even he had to admit that she didn't sound all that convinced.

Harry unconsciously clenched his fingers into fists, that feeling of anger inside him fighting to come out. "Just friends then?" he found himself blurting out.

Her eyes widened, her arms rising to circle herself almost in defence. "I-" She looked at him pleadingly. "Where is this coming from?"

Harry decided to step closer to her as he felt a need consume him; the need to call her out and make her admit that there might be something more than friendship between them, that he was not the only one who felt the way he did. "I just asked a simple question."

But not a question with a simple answer, her eyes seemed to silently tell him. He watched her as she struggled with what she wanted to say, her bottom lip being bitten and her shoulders hunching nervously.

After a few long moments passed, Harry started to lose his patience. "Or have you and Ron decided to move past friendship?"

If he had been unconsciously trying to hurt her, he felt that he was having a good go at it. Putting her on the spot made him feel like a selfish prat while at the same time, it made him feel infinitely better. But that didn't change what he truly wanted. He wanted her to answer him. He wanted to hear the words come out of her mouth. I want her to choose me, he suddenly realised. That's what he really wanted. And if not, he'd rather her be honest and say that she preferred Ron.

But the girl in front of him didn't say a word; she just stared at him in unbridled panic.

He found himself unable to wait for an answer. As far as he was concerned, her silence meant bad news for him. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left, leaving Hermione standing alone in the kitchen.

.