Forever Knight [Harmione]

Chapter 21: Learn

“So let me get this straight,” said Ron, whispering fiercely as they sat in the library with a pile of books surrounding them.  The sun was streaming through the windows and it was late morning in Hogwarts.  “She had the last—you know—all this time and she didn’t tell us?”

Harry sighed, peering over the books to make sure no one was near enough to eavesdrop.  He caught a whole bunch of students who had been looking their way.  Some averted their eyes; some smiled and blushed at getting caught; some actually waved shyly and giggled.  Harry had to wonder where all the boys of Hogwarts were.  Didn’t they know they were supposed to use the library? 

Annoyed by the attention, Harry warded their table, casting charms to prevent anyone from listening in on them or paying them any more attention.  “She doesn’t have it, have it.  It’s some place safe.  She only found out about it recently, when Yasmin told her.  So it isn’t like Hermione’s been keeping it from us all these five years.”

“Okay, fine, but now she’s using Gryffindor’s staff as a bargaining chip to—“

“So I would let her train me.  Prepare me for something.  I don’t know what and she doesn’t know what, but apparently, Yasmin knows what, and I hate it when I’m being used, as you might understand.”

“God, she’s such a bitch.”

“Tell me about it.  Yasmin’s just moving everyone around like pawns—“

“I was talking about Hermione.  Why does she have to play you like that?  She ought to give you the horcrux, but yeah, Yasmin too.”

Harry frowned at that.  “She doesn’t know where it is.  Yasmin won’t tell her until Hermione confirms that I’m ready.”

“She could lie for you.  Won’t be the first time.”

“She would probably do that if I asked her really nice, but the fact is, if she’s going to lie, it would have to be a credible one, and Yasmin’s not going to believe that Hermione got me all trained and ready in three days.  Besides… I don’t think Hermione could lie to Yasmin, even if she wanted to, and I don’t want Yasmin taking her head off for it, either.”

“Whatever,” Ron muttered. 

“Look, I told you I’m going to keep out of your business with Hermione, and I’m sticking to that, but if there’s one thing I’ve realized about her in the last few days, it’s that she’s going to let you hate her for as long as you’re willing to.  She thinks she deserves the punishment, and maybe she does, but it pushes her away.  Do you want to push her away?  Is that your main reason for treating her the way you do?”

Ron shot him a sardonic grimace.  “Of course not.  You know why I do this.  I’m watching out that she doesn’t hurt you and me the way she did back then.  We can’t let her do that again.”

“She doesn’t want to, which is the main reason why she’s being so bloomin’ cold to us since she got back.  It’s just like her to cut it at the roots just because it could potentially become a worse situation.  Can’t you see that?”

Ron sniffed in disgust before slinking down in his seat.  “Suspect’d it,” he muttered.  “It’s like she’s refusing to let it go back to the way it used to be.  But don’t you think that just means she has every intention of leaving again?  After all this is done, she’ll pick up and go back to wherever it was she was hiding, just like before.”

“Yeah, well, she thinks that if we hate her by that time, no one would be sorry when she has to go.  Even when we were talking this morning—really talking, I figured she still thinks she could get me to change my mind about her.  She called herself my ‘inclination’.  Would you believe it?  She said it like she was an eccentricity of mine, or something.  Like I’m some freak for loving her.”