AN: I do not own Harry Potter.

Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend, so yay!

So, Harry doesn't avoid getting punched. Just not in the face.

Trigger Warning: Flash Back, and lots of accompanying emotions.

Chapter 3

"HARRY POTTER!"

Harry cringed at the volume that Hermione was hitting. He saw Dudley was acting as part of the wall, the traitor, for he had been studying that apparently somewhat out-of-date book on upper class life in the wizarding world.

Ron shook his head at Harry, "You brought this on yourself, mate. You forget that Hermione was brought up in the modern muggle world or something?"

"I don't care if that was strictly still in play in this world. You KNOW how most people in our former word was brought up, and that ASKING the person the other person is asking about is proper procedure! If YOU Are Going To Be The In Between, You Must Seek Both Sides! I DON'T CARE THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS CONVERSATION WAS OVER, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T SO STOP TRYING TO GET AWAY!"

Harry froze, thinking this was it, that this is what drove him and Hermione apart. He waited for the punch.

Hermione stepped forward to hit him, and punched him twice in the shoulder before stomping on his foot.

"Harry? I SWEAR I GET IT NOW YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT..."

She started crying, pulling her victim close to her in a hug.

"Just please ask. I'm sorry, it's been bugging me and I started taking it the wrong way, and we know this world is somewhat backwards because of the house elves, which is why I started S.P.E.W, and I know that you have to start following or at least knowing some of those rules now that you are in Slytherin so that you can navigate just what is going on, so that to hear that this world is fiercely patriarchal, despite knowing that Mrs. Weasley and Walburga, Sirius' Mom ruled their households, including knowing that for the really old fashioned, which many in Slytherin are, you have to ask the person's brother or an older family member if you can date if you were not exactly friendly would fit right in there, and I'm not really surprised to hear that the Malfoy's are really old fashioned..."

She sniffed, and took in another deep breath before letting most of it out.

"You do love me as a sister, right Harry? I love you like a brother, Harry, and I'm glad it's reciprocated. Just don't do that again."

Harry slowly unfroze within her hug, and started crying against her shoulder as well.

"You really mean it? I thought I had wrecked everything and that you would avoid me except for class time and meetings."

"Yes."

"Hermione, you're right; I don't own you. I'm sorry if that happened to be what you thought, and I'm sorry for not noticing how much your feelings were hurt as much earlier, and I'm sorry I didn't notice that is what is basically what I acted on..."

Dudley gulped, knowing that if his parents had decided to keep as close an eye on Harry and if they had been able to keep Harry down, that could have been a rule for any dating that Harry could have had. He understood how Harry wasn't over his parents. Dudley wasn't over his parents, and he had been part of what had happened to Harry! He wanted to run because it was just getting too tough to watch and he was starting to feel guilty.

He turned, but was stopped by Ron catching him by the shoulder.

"Dud, just looking at you I can see something's upsetting you, and I can sorta guess you know what he's referring to and it isn't nice."

"You don't know what just went through my head."

"No, I don't. But I reckon that it just went through Harry's head and the two of you need to that you don't blame each other."

Dudley snorted and looked back to where his cousin/brother and Hermione were hugging and had apparently come to terms with each other.

"Dudley," stated Harry, "You're not your parents. You were taught what you did, and to hide it from other adults. You just believed what your parents taught you."

Dudley, who had walked towards Harry, stopped three feet from him.

"You can't blame me? The other kids told me what I was doing was wrong, but I didn't believe them, but taught them to play my way."

"What adults did you look up to? Did you look up to any teachers at all?"

"Not until I left home."

"Same, except the one substitute we had when Mrs. J got pregnant."

"Yeah, Mom and Dad didn't like her."

"Figures."

Dudley snorted.

Harry started laughing hysterically, with Dudley following shortly.

When they were both done, they realized that they had basically cut the other two out as they saw that Hermione and Ron had stepped away and gotten into a conversation of their own, which they had apparently interrupted by laughing.

"Sorry about that."

Ron nodded. "Forgiven, mates."

Hermione smiled. "It looked like you guys needed to talk that over some more. It's a good thing we're not in the library or we would have gotten kicked out."

Ron said, "You do have a good volume range, Hermione."

The next time he could, Harry went up to Draco.

"So you abandoned me to my fierce sister?"

"She warned me so I could get away, and I've already gotten the speech at lower volume."

"Same here, or so I thought."

"Your new experience."

"I think you've had a taste."

Draco pulled a face.

"Anyway, on to a better conversation," interrupted Blaise, coming up beside them, "Not minding that the fierceness of a woman can be wonderful to watch, how is the DADA homework coming?"

"I'm working on it," Harry replied.

Draco nodded, "Are you giving hints?"

Blaise shook his head, and smirked.

"No, you two idiots need to figure out something yourselves."

With that he walked away.