"Acid pops" I said to the gargoyle guarding the entrance towards Professor Dumbledore's office and seconds later the path was clear and I stood on the staircase that moved upwards on it's own, reminding me a bit of an escalator in the muggle world, making me briefly think about if the headmaster had used this concept as an inspiration.

I knocked at the door twice and heard him calmly saying "Enter" and so I did enter.

Dumbledore's office would have probably been a good place to just stand there and gaze at all the fascinating instruments on tables and desks, but I had more important things to do right now.

"Ah Miss Granger, I see you got my message. Sit down, sit down." The headmaster told me with a smile and gestured towards a really comfortable chair in front of the professor.

"Now, I know that it might seem odd why I asked you here, but since you are without a doubt the brightest witch of your generation, I thought that you might have a clue." He told me with a twinkle in his blue eyes and I didn't have to think about that question for a second.

"It's about Harry, isn't it Professor Dumbledore?" I told him and the headmaster gave me firm nod.

"Yes, precisely Miss Granger. When you accidentally ran into me last night I did indeed use legilimency on you – as you already had guessed at that point. Forgive me when I say that my curiosity was simply too grand for me to resist. It's an old fool's sin." He explained and I cursed myself for being surprised that Dumbledore was a legilimens.

"However, knowing your thoughts from that particular moment in time I also knew that I had to talk to you about your plans for the holidays that concern young Harry." He continued and now I became suspicious.

"You do know that it is forbidden to use legilimency on students, right Professor?" I asked in return and the elderly man sighed.

"Yes, and I admit that I am the only one to blame for it. But be that as it may, by using legilimency on you I discovered plans that most certainly would endanger the outcome of the war that has yet to come. Though I don't expect you to think of this response as a justification for my actions." He explained and his eyes became much more serious now, so I decided to listen to his whole point of view at least before retorting.

"I hope you don't mind if I tell you a bit of background information?" He then asked but I shook my head with determination.

"Not the slightest, sir."

"Very well.. You see, as you no doubt know, Harry is the key to Voldemort's defeat. He is the one in whom we all must put our hope in. But if the wizarding world as we know it is to survive, he has to be protected at all cost. Quite naturally, if I might say so." The headmaster told me and waited for a second until he continued.

"Now that Voldemort has returned I think it is self-explanatory to say that Harry needs more protection than ever because the dark lord is very aware of the threat that Harry Potter is to him." Dumbledore said.

"In order to protect him, there have to be plans to do so. I just happen to be planning his protection ever since his parents died more than thirteen years ago." He explained but I raised a brow at his statement.

"So you want to tell me that you're responsible for the fact that Harry had to live ten entire years more or less in a cupboard under the stairs?" I asked, my voice far more angry than I wanted it to be but Dumbledore being Dumbledore luckily remained calm.

"I am quite aware about the way Vernon and Petunia Dursley treated Harry for a decade and despite quite a few letters I sent them to think about their principles they never changed a thing. " He told me, which only set my blood ablaze.

"Why did you have to send Harry to these horrible people in the first place? You could have raised him yourself if you wanted to ensure his protection, you could have given him to any wizard family and they would have accepted him as a member of their family in a heartbeat! Why sir, why did you have to make him suffer?" I asked with a raised voice but the headmaster kept his cool.

"You see, it was important that Harry grew up a normal boy. I feared that if he was given to a wizard family, he would grow up as a pampered prince and I think I don't have to tell you what the problem about this might be." He responded but my eyes narrowed on his now in a dangerous way.

"And why didn't you give him to a normal muggle family then? That seems to be the solution for all your problems." I asked with an icy voice and the headmaster sighed in defeat.

"I hoped to be able to avoid this certain aspect of things, but what should I have expected from you, Miss Granger? The reason why it is so crucial that Harry lived and still lives with them during the summer is the following: When Lily Potter sacrificed herself for her son, Harry was from this point on protected by a magic so ancient that even my age is feeble compared to the age of said magic. And it's called blood magic."

I gasped when I realized that this blood magic must have been the reason why he survived the killing curse but I remained silent, eager to hear the rest of the story.

"Now that Voldemort's blood is Harry's blood you might think that the effect of this protection is annulated, however that's not entirely true: As long as Harry lives a few weeks a year under the roof of people that are related to him, he reinforces these wards of protection. As long as he lives with his uncle and aunt, Voldemort will not be able to harm him there." He finished his explanation, but I wasn't happy with this result.

"Alright, no matter how repulsive I still find it that you willingly dropped Harry at hell's doorstep, this still doesn't explain what my plans for this summer have to do with the outcome of the upcoming war." I said and Dumbledore took a deep breath to gather his thoughts.

"I cannot allow people around Harry this summer. He needs to be isolated or Voldemort will no doubt get a lot of information out of the mind link that he and Harry share. If you are to visit Harry, then the dark lord will without a doubt target you to get to young Mr Potter. It won't take long for him to find out that you two are the best of friends." The headmaster explained but I couldn't help but sigh lightly in response.

"Do you really think that I'm not aware of the danger I'm putting myself in by visiting him?" I retorted and Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, I sincerely doubt that a witch as bright as you would make such drastic decisions without careful planning. But what I want say is that if Voldemort finds out how dear you are to Harry and somehow manages to kill you during your time in Surrey, then I'm afraid nothing will stop Harry from losing his drive and ambition to fight the dark. He might even end up joining Voldemort, which is of course my biggest concern." He admitted and I remained silent for a second to process the information that were just revealed to me.

"Okay, let me get this straight: I understand your concerns but I find it very narrow-minded to leave Harry in total isolation. Why not send over somebody else that Harry trusts, so he doesn't feel excluded from all the things that you certainly are planning to fight Voldemort. Although it hurts me to know that I can't visit my best friend, then I at least know that somebody else makes his time a bit easier during summer." I proposed a plan but Dumbledore simply shook his head.

"No Miss Granger, the risk is too big. Anybody that I would trust with such a task besides you knows too much about my plans to fight Voldemort, and if these people should end up a prisoner.. Well, I don't want to imagine how little our chances of success are if such an event should ever happen." He stubbornly refused and with these words he managed to make me snap.

"You don't even care about Harry as a person. From what you've told me I can see that you only see him as a weapon for your beliefs. You can't even realize how much pain you would put Harry through with the way you want to ,,protect" him because you don't see him as an individual with feelings in the first place. Well, I do. I am his best friend ever since first class, I care for him more than he cares for himself and I can tell you that if you let him rot away this summer, then he'll fall into a depression that will consume him. Can't you see that Harry needs to be happy or at least content with his life if he is to achieve something that even you can't, Albus Dumbledore? A depressive Harry will never stand a chance against you-know-who! But I'll never, ever let my best friend fall into that hole and an old man telling me different won't change a thing!" I practically shouted at the headmaster and for a moment there was complete silence in the room. I could feel every portrait in the room looking at me in disbelief.

Then, a single tear rolled down Dumbledore's cheek and he looked at me with something I would have never expected to see in his eyes: Regret.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger, but I think this will take me quite some time to think about the thinks you just told me. You are dismissed." The old wizard told me before massaging his temple and when I saw the gaze of a broken man I knew that Albus Dumbledore was just one of billions of people that suffered from traumas of earlier years. Though that still wasn't a justification to treat Harry the way he planned to.

"Oh, Miss Granger: Believe me when I tell you that Harry's relatives will treat him with more respect from now on. About the rest.. I'll find a way to let you know about my decision." He said when I already was at the door, and I turned around one final time.

"Thank you, sir. That already means a lot to me." I gave him a weak smile before closing the door and heading down the staircase, determined to talk about this conversation with my best friend…

When I entered the compartment of the Hogwarts Express and saw Harry and Ron angrily staring at any place of the room beside the space their bodies occupied, I instantly knew that there must have happened something during the ten minutes I was pursuing the Weasley twins for announcing that they wanted to use Harry's prize money for a thing as silly as a joke shop. Of course they wouldn't listen, so I eventually realized it was a waste of time.

"What happened here?" I asked when I stood in the doorway for a moment and I could feel the tension between the two teenagers.

"Ask Mister take-it-all!" Ron growled at me and I raised a brow before turning towards Harry.

"Ron is under the impression that he had some sort of claim to my prize money and now feels insulted that I gave it to his brothers." My best friend replied and I saw it in the way his jaw tightened that he was really trying his best not to explode.

"Yeah, c'mon, do you wanna tell me that they deserve it more than me, your best mate?" He retorted and I quickly closed the door before this conversation was overheard by the wrong people.

"Yes, that's exactly what I think. They want to open a joke shop with that money eventually, and what better thing there is right now than a bit of fun while the killer of my parents is on the loose again. What would you do with the money if I had given it to you?" Harry explained and I secretly thought that a joke shop wouldn't be a bad idea after all.. Sorry Fred, sorry George.

"I.. I.. What does it matter anyway, I'm way closer to you than they are. If you don't want the money I'm the first person you should think of." Ron said and Harry slammed his fist on the table, making me shriek slightly, and when he looked at me for a second I knew that he didn't want to make me feel that way with his impulsive behaviour.

"Why are you always so jealous of the material things I've got, mh? I've lost my fucking parents Ron, I survived domestic violence for more than a decade and Sirius is the only family member I've got left. And do you see me crying all the time when I see you, surrounded by siblings that love you and parents that love you?" Harry said with a very red head and I saw his knuckles whitening because of the almost cramping way he clenched his fists.

"Yeah, that's the one thing I have that you haven't. And that's the one thing you want, you pampered prince. You've got fame, money and the girl, why the hell can't you share a thing with me?" Ron pointed his finger at my best finger and my eyes widened when I realized something.

"Wait, Harry has a girlfriend? HE never told me!" I noticed and decided to ask him about that later before I focused on the argument in front of me.

"What the fuck Ron, I don't have a girlfriend!" Harry shouted and I was glad that this intense stare was not directed at me. He could be really frightening when he was so angry.

"Oh, seems like Harry doesn't have a girlfriend.", I thought to myself before I grew suspicious, "But if Ron assumes that Harry has a girlfriend, who does he think it is?"

"Now you're lying to me as well. What a great friend you are Harry." Ron snorted and shot my best friend a disdainful look, "And of course you take the one girl I've told you countless times is mine."

"I'VE TOLD YOU A HUNDRED TIMES THAT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GIRLS AT THE MOMENT!" Harry yelled at the Weasley who kicked the trunk that lay beside his feet.

"Alright, scarface: If that's true then you can keep your fame and your money, just give me the damn girl and we're.."

"HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT HERMIONE LIKE SHE'S SOME KIND OF POSSESSION!" Harry interrupted, sprang to his feet and pointed his wand at the redhead and I felt paralysed when it dawned on me that..

"No, this can't be. It's impossible. No, no, no." I thought and I felt tears trickling down my cheeks the very next seconds. How could he possibly think that way?

"You complete arse, Ronald Weasley!" I yelled the next second, also drawing my wand, shakily pointing it at him.

"What you just said about me disgusts me like nothing I've ever heard in my life. I swear to you, if you aren't out of this compartment in five seconds, I'll give you more to worry about than your homework!" I then whispered in a voice so threatening I never knew I could muster and the Weasley just gave Harry the finger in response. My friendship with Ronald was officially over. But had we ever been friends? No, we both had tolerated each other because of our friendship to Harry, and Ron was on a good way to lose that as well.

"Fuck you, Potter. And here I thought we were friends." Ron said before narrowing his eyes on me.

"You'll soon or later realize how much better I am than this twat." He told me and without a word, he grabbed his trunk and exited the compartment.

"Well, that was OUR friendship with him." I thought without a feeling of regret, but it was apparent that Harry had a tougher time with the current situation.

The second Ron was out of sight, Harry lowered his wand and smashed his fist into the window to his left, a crack appearing in the glass because of the force of his punch.

"Harry.", I whispered as I felt the tears welling up again, "I'm scared."

His facial expression and body language changed immediately and a second later he stood in front of me, his hands ever so gently snaking around my shoulders before he pulled me closer, and before I knew it I clung to him like my life depended on it.

"What have I done?", my best friend whispered, chin softly pressed against the side of my head and fingers gingerly stroking my back, a sensation I hadn't felt for.. yeah, for how long actually?

"I just destroyed my friendship with Ron and I didn't even have the decency to end this with him in private. No, I made you feel my pain and now you're scared of me, am I right?" He breathed, the regret apparent in his voice.

"No Harry, I'm not afraid of you. I'm afraid of what this will mean for the three of us in the future. It's like you once said: If we fight amongst ourselves, then the dark will triumph over the light." I silently responded and I felt him relaxing when I told him that he wasn't the cause for my fear.

"But on the other side.. I can't help but feel that it was the right thing you did.. At least for the near future I don't want to be associated with Ronald Weasley any more, not until he learns what friendship means." I continued and Harry hummed in agreement.

"Ron was so out of his right mind. Treats you like shit for years and then thinks he has a ,,right" to be your boyfriend. I really wonder what the base for this ,,attraction" is.."

"So you knew all along that he fancied me? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Look Hermione, I'm quite tactless when it comes to feelings, but even I think it would be tactless to just tell you that your friend has a crush on you. That's his bloody job to do if he wants more from you than friendship." Harry explained before he broke away from me and sat down on his seat again. And I couldn't help but notice how much colder I suddenly felt without his body touching mine.

"But did you know.."

"That he viewed you as some kind of possession? No Hermione, if I had known, then our friendship would have ended way earlier." Harry admitted as I sat down next to him and he looked at me in a way that told me that he would never treat me the way Ron Weasley had. It was this moment that I knew that Harry Potter would never hurt me intentionally.

"How does it come that our entire world can fall apart in a few days?" I sighed, still not being able to believe how disgusting Ronald turned out to be, and Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not my fault Ron decided to be a complete jerk since god knows when. Though it's my fault for not reading the signs." He told me as his green eyes fixated on my face.

"I should have known that our friendship was based on false trust. There really were moments where he stood by my side like a true friend, and I don't think that Ron is an entirely bad person, but he is far too egoistic and jealous and obsessed with the things he doesn't have. His greed blinds him and suppresses the good feelings he might feel for me." Harry reflected in a way that couldn't be described as anything else than mature, "But what he said to you is just unforgivable. That's what really made me snap."

His eyes hardened and his body tensed suddenly, so I quickly put my hand atop of his, which seemed to comfort the raven-haired wizard a bit.

"For years he just tried to force you so that you would make his homework, he argued with you at every opportunity, insulted you and then he thinks you would return his feelings?! Oh Hermione, I don't know who would be worthy of being your boyfriend, but Ron certainly isn't. He needs to come around if he wants to have a civil conversation with me ever again, and I'd like to see his apology to you that makes me do so." Harry declared and I nodded in agreement.

"For now, I don't see a point in hanging around him. But Harry..", I said and my voice softened at the last two words, "That means we'll have more time to spend together."

"And I wouldn't know a better person to spend my time with than you, my best friend." He said with a small smile and I giggled lightly as I remembered one little detail of the dramatic conversation.

"What is it?" He asked, the corners of his mouth quirking even more upwards when he saw the amused expression on my face.

"Ron thought that you were my boyfriend." I stated and Harry rolled his eyes.

"I've told that dunderhead countless times that I didn't see you this way." He groaned and I smiled knowingly at him.

"I know Harry. I feel the same for you." I said before he sighed and leant back against his seat with closed eyes.

"At least one thing stays the same, eh?" He said and I hummed in agreement. I have you. You have me.

And never in my entire life have I been more wrong about something than about Harry's last statement…

For quite some time me and Harry remained silent after this fateful conversation with Ron, simply relishing in the presence of the other.

The looks of care and gratitude he gave me from time to time, his smile and his shining emerald eyes had me mesmerized for what I assumed were hours, but eventually I remembered that I still wanted to talk with him about the summer holidays.

"Harry? Can we talk?" I bluntly asked my best friend who sighed in response.

"But please not about Ron, I don't want to think about that git for now."

"No, it's about the conversation I had with Dumbledore this morning." I smiled lightly when he suddenly was fully interested.

"He wanted to talk to me about you." I simply said and Harry raised a brow in confusion.

"And what would you have to discuss with him about me? I mean, no offence, but why couldn't he just talk with me, then?" His green eyes were eager for an answer and I grinned when I remembered that I at least made the headmaster think about my appeal.

"Well, long story short: He got wind about me wanting to visit you during summer from time to time to make sure that.."

"No way! You're gonna visit me a few times in the holidays? 'Mione, this is going to be the best summer of my life!" He exclaimed so joyfully that I really felt bad for the bad news I now had to give him.

"Yes, that was my plan. Dumbledore didn't agree." I told my best friend and it was heart-breaking to see that smile fading away.

"But why? I know, Voldemort is back and I know that he's gonna target me, but what's so bad about meeting with you?" He asked, the disappointment apparent in his voice. And I hesitated for a second.

"That mind connection of yours.. Dumbledore is afraid that you-know-who might exploit it. And if I were to visit you, then he'd know how close we are and that would make me a target as well.." I continued but Harry knitted his brows in confusion.

"Wait a second, Hermione: You sound like you agree with that stupid plan to isolate me the entire summer! Please don't tell me you're actually.."

"No Harry, for god's sake, no! I can see his point, his plans would certainly assure your survival, but you need to live Harry, live! I'm not gonna let an old man isolate you from the outside world, no matter how risky." I concluded and Harry sighed in relief.

"I should have known better than to be worried about that..", he chuckled before his face became serious again, "But if Dumbledore is against your plans I think you won't have a chance to realise them, I'm afraid."

Now it was my time to chuckle and Harry's eyes sparkled with hope as I did so.

"I made him think about my plans." I mysteriously told him and Harry's jaw dropped.

"Wow, you made Albus Dumbledore reconsider something? That must be worth more than a Hogwarts graduation!" The raven-haired wizard joked and I giggled.

"C'mon, you're exaggerating." I told my best friend who then gazed at me with curiosity.

"But what did you tell him that made him reconsider?"

"Well, I might have accused him of just caring for you as the one who has to defeat the dark lord and not the person you are, Harry James Potter. And I might have told him that I'm that kind of person that cares for you as an individual, so I should know better than him." I explained and Harry gasped.

"Oh. I've never thought about Dumbledore that way before.." He admitted with an embarrassed blush before taking a deep breath.

"Do you think I can trust him, still?" He asked me and I knew that his opinion depended on my answer solely.

"If he decides to let me visit you during summer, then yes. But if not.. well, let's worry about that if this case should become reality." I told him in all honesty and Harry agreed with a firm nod.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah, Harry?"

"Can you promise me not to visit me until Dumbledore thinks it is okay for you to come by?" My best friend fixed his green eyes on mine and I knew he wanted the holiest vow I could give him.

"I swear it, on our friendship." I promised and he smiled warmly at me.

"I've got a good feeling about this. I think Dumbledore doesn't like the idea of admitting that he was wrong, that's why he is trying to make it look like he needs time for his decision. But who can blame him? He certainly isn't used to that feeling any more, it must have been a true shocker for him."

"Harry. That man did a lot of great things but also a lot of bad things. He's the reason why you had to live a good part of your childhood with the Dursleys and he didn't even tell you the reason why. Yet you seem to be far more optimistic about this man than I am currently. Why?" I asked with admiration in my voice and my best friend just smiled at me.

"Because I've got the feeling that thanks to you, I don't have to worry about his ruthless plans for the future any more. And I'm a person that likes to leave the past behind. So I think he can pay me back for all the bad things he has done when he comes around." Harry explained with a kindness that I only knew from my best friend before I threw my arms around him.

"You are the most wonderful person I know, you know?" I asked him with a big and dreamy sigh that made him chuckle.

"Remember: My attitude depends on how Dumbledore reacts now.." He reminded me but I quickly shushed him and Harry being Harry obeyed without a word. I liked having that power over him.

"Though I'd like to know the reason why I must stay with the Dursleys, now that you've mentioned it." He said when we broke the embrace and I nodded in agreement.

And so I told him everything I knew from my conversation with Professor Dumbledore…


Author's note:

I must admit that this chapter was a lot more challenging to phrase, as it is highly dependant on emotions and especially anger. So I tried to make the dialogue as realisitc as possible for me, considering what the protagonists want to say and how anger might change the exact choice of words.Also, yeah, I managed to find a way to decrease Ron's importance in this story, which doesn't mean that I'll completely ignore him from now on. But as the holidays appraoch I'm sure you know that we won't see much of Ron for the next few chapters. That should cheer up every person that hates Ron - I for my part just dislike him ;-)

I'd also like to announce that the next few chapters will be written in Harry's POV again, because chapter 2, 3 and now 4 were all about Hermione. And I'd like to keep the share equal, that's all.

Now, this chapter was planned for yesterday, but I met with a friend of mine (yes, THAT friend who is responsible for the exisitence of this story) and we rewatched Harry Potter part 5 and 6, which was a wonderful experience and gave me a ton of ideas for later chapters. Though it also delayed the upload, as I quite naturally didn't have the time yesterday to write. Just thought I let you know that :-)

Leave a review if you're happy with the way I treated Ron and 'til the next time!