No reason to cry

''Quickly children, back to your common room to finish your dinner while we will deal with this troll.'' professor Mcgonagall, said to Harry, Hermione and Ron while ushering them out of the girls bathroom and away from the troll lying unconscious on the floor.

They quickly made their way back up the stairs, none of the three wanting to talk about what had just happened after professor Quirrell had yelled at dinner that a troll had made it's way into the school. Nor was Ron about to talk about insulting Hermione prior that day, no Ron's mind was on the food waiting for them in the common room.

So when they stepped through the portrait hole of Gryffindor Tower the tree split up, Ron practically running to the food leaving the other two standing at the entrance still. With Ron gone Hermione silently said to Harry, ''Hey Harry, thank you for doing what you did.'' somehow still sounding sad about something, ''If you will excuse me now, I will go to bed.'' but Harry stopped her before she could even walk away.

''Hermione wait.'' he said, grabbing her arm to prevent her from walking away. ''Why are you still sounding so sad?'' he asked confused. This made Hermione look at him as if he had grown stupid in that second. ''why do you think,'' she said, ''It is not like we will be friends tomorrow, Ronald has already forgotten what happened. Seeing as he is already stuffing his face again.'' Hermione all but spat with disgust.

Harry was taken aback by this for a moment, how did she even get the idea that she wasn't his friend? ''Now, again if you will excuse me I am going to bed.'' Hermione said as she tried to walk away again. Not having said what he wanted to say Harry stopped her again. ''Hermione why do you think I won't be your friend tomorrow?'' he asked still confused.

''Is that not obvious,'' she said, ''Everybody thinks I am a know it all and feel myself too smart to be around normal people.'' Hermione said, sorrow filling her voice. She had heard the gossip and talk about her. Her own dormmates made fun of her, stole her belongings and bullied her when they felt like it. so how would Harry even want to be friends with her, he could be friends with anyone because he is the famous Boy-Who-Lived.

''Who told you these things?'' Harry asked, ''And even if someone told you these lies, I want to be your friend.'' he said firmly. ''Please don't be sad about these things, don't let them walk over you and make you hide from the world.'' making Hermione tear up.

''No you are lying to make fun of me, you only say this to make me look stupid.'' Hermione said and tears started trickling down her cheeks. ''No one ever liked me, I have always had only my books for company so how would things have changed now all of a sudden?'' she asked.

''Because I never had friends myself.'' Harry replied, ''Every time I made a new friend or tried, my cousin would butt in and tell them with his firsts that they shouldn't be friends with me. He told them I was a freak and didn't deserve friends.'' By now Harry was sheepishly scratching his head feeling slightly awkward with the crying girl in front of him. He wasn't used to crying girls.

Not wanting to let his remark be rebuffed by Hermione he went on, ''At first I really was miserable and wanted to hide away, it only resulted into my uncle being more angry at me than usual.'' He confessed, ''So I just went on with my life, alone and avoiding people to stay out of harm. I kept telling myself that regardless on how I feel I would get up, dress up, show up and never give up. And now I am here at Hogwarts without my cousin to bully the new friends I make.''

''And honestly Hermione I want to be your friend, so maybe you just have to get out of that shell you made and tell yourself that you will get up, dress up, show up and never give up.'' Harry finished his speech with a firm not of his head.

Harry's little speech had worked and Hermione had stopped crying, she looked at him as if she wanted to say something but kept from it. Instead she launched herself at Harry, giving him a hug. ''Thank you Harry, if you say it like that I really would like to be your friend.'' drawing back she smiled at him. ''No problem 'mione, let's be friends tomorrow too. And Ron will come around when he has had enough of food, I hope.'' Harry joked.

''For now let's get some food before everything is gone.'' Harry said cheerfully, just as happy on having made a new friend as Hermione was.

Thank you very much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review, because those will be appreciated a lot. And maybe check out my profile and other stories.

This fiction was written for the Prompt of the day Challenge from The Golden Snitch forum.

For this fiction I used the prompt: (quote) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up (March 5th)

Word count: 829

LadyMuis, Mahoutokoro School of Magic, Kaze