A Turn of Events || Harry/Hermione

10.

A/N: I'm gonna try something different, and try and make this chapter more from Harry's POV.... :D

The next day in potions, Snape assigned everyone to make a draught of the Memory Potion. Though he tried his hardest to pay attention, Harry just couldn't concentrate. His thoughts were swarming like a nest of bees, and he had a killer headache. He rubbed his temples and groaned impatiently as Snape went on and one about the active ingredients in a Memory Potion.

"Potter," Snape's voice made his head snap up. "Is there a reason why you're not paying attention?"

Harry looked straight into Snape's small, black eyes and shook his head.

"Very well. Ten points from Gryffindor," the professor growled. "As I was saying; the Memory Potion consists of three..."

Harry's thoughts once again trailed off, and he found himself looking around the room. Though the classes were cut short to only a half hour, it felt as if potions was twice as long. Harry's eyes rested on Hermione, where she was sitting across the room next to Parvarti Patil. She was focused on Snape, following him around the room with her bright golden eyes. Harry couldn't help but imagine her at the Yule Ball once more... the way she danced in his arms.

He knew they couldn't be like that now. Ron was his best friend, who also fancied Hermione, and Harry couldn't do that to him. Him and Hermione were friends, and that's all they would ever be, no matter how much it hurt him. He just had to find a way to explain it to Hermione.

After Potions, Ron and Harry had Charms while Hermione had History of Magic. They exchanged a few, quick words before parting their ways.

In Charms, Professor Flitwick had them practice the Diminuendo Charm on an animal until they all performed it correctly three times. Harry had trouble at first; Flitwick claimed that he wasn't doing the right hand movement, though Harry knew it was because his mind was elsewhere.

He eventually shrunk his turtle- it became the size of a small button- three times. He set his wand down on his table and rested his chin in his hands. Beside him, Ron was still trying to shrink his cockatoo, and was growing quite impatient.

"Is it just me, Harry," he said. "Or do charms absolutely hate me?"

~

Harry took his usual seat in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom next to Hermione. He gave her a small smile, though it was forced. Sadness pricked his heart as he stared at his beautiful, bushy-haired friend, knowing that's all they ever could be.

Hermione returned the gesture with a warm smile, which almost shattered Harry's heart. He felt absolutely horrible for yelling at her the night before, and now he had to find a way to tell her they couldn't be together.

"I'm sorry about last night," he started quietly, his eyes darting to where Moody entered the room.

"It's alright," Hermione smiled. Her golden-brown eyes shone happily, and Harry knew that they would soon be filled with sadness; because of him.

As class started, Professor Moody went on and on about the dementors of Azkaban. Though he claimed that they were to move on to a different subject soon, he talked straight up until the bell.

Most of the students were relieved that they didn't have to learn anything, though Hermione was furious.

"We were supposed to start learning about nocturnal animals," she hissed as they exited the classroom.

"Maybe we will tomorrow," Harry said, shrugging.

The rest of the day went by in a flash, and before he knew it, Harry was on his way back to the Gryffindor Tower. He passed a few Durmstrang students, who gave him a glare full of coldness. Harry knew that they were still angry about Harry winning second place, when Krum "deserved it more".