It's All Inside My Head

Unlikely Friendships

Harry couldn't be more relieved to be leaving Grimmauld Place.

He couldn't look his friends in the eye after what happened, and every time he spoke to Sirius, he felt as if the spell the voice had cast was going to suddenly dissipate.

His trunk was packed and Headwig was screeching in her cage.

"It's okay girl," he whispered, stroking her feathers through the bars, "You'll be out of here by tonight."

Harry placed a hand on his chest, breathing deeply as the magic of the locket thrummed through his veins. He'd begun to do that more and more lately, Mrs Weasley had noticed and Harry had to tell her he had heartburn.

Ron wasn't with him in their room, he rarely was anymore. He and Hermione had been spending almost the whole summer together alone. Harry knew he should care, he knew he should try to make an effort to reconnect with them. But the only thing he felt was anger. A red hot feeling pooling inside him, threatening to bubble up and spill over every time he so much as glanced at his friends.

They deserve each other, he thought, shoving robes into his trunk. The two prefects of Gryffindor. Did they think he wouldn't notice? Did they really think that they could hide something like that from him?

Harry had walked in on the two of them smiling brightly and clutching golden badges. They'd jumped at the sight of him and hidden the badges in their fists. Harry had pretended not to notice, but he knew.

At that moment, Ron stepped in the room, breaking Harry from his thoughts.

"Hey mate," Ron said nervously.

Harry straightened up and fixed him with a cool stare, "Hi Ron."

Hermione stepped into the room next, huddling close to Ron, "Harry we need to tell you something."

Harry frowned and Ron swallowed thickly.

"Yeah," he said, "You see, Hermione and I have been made-"

"Prefects?" Harry finished.

Hermione whitened, "You know?"

"Yes I know," Harry hissed, taking a step forward, "you thought I wouldn't notice the two of you opening your letters together? You thought I wouldn't notice the badges?"

Hermione placed a tentative hand on Harry's arm, "It's just that you've been so strange this summer Harry and we didn't want to-"

Harry shrugged her hand off, "Strange?" He whispered, looking into her eyes, "Strange how?"

"You're always up here Harry," Ron said, "I can hear you talking to someone whenever I go by the door, but when I look in, there's no one there."

"And you're just so angry," Hermione added, her eyes shining, "I don't know what we've done wrong."

Harry chuckled darkly, "I'll tell you what you've done wrong. Did it ever occur to you that the reason I was so angry is because you've been avoiding me all summer? Or maybe it's because you didn't one try to contact me after school finished. Or maybe it's because the two of you are too busy running around with each other to care!"

By the time Harry finished he was yelling and Hermione was crying, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Ron glared at Harry, who was puffing angrily.

"You be quiet you hear me? Making her cry like this..."

Harry squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, "Get out." he said finally.

Ron looked bewildered, "Wha-"