Harry was sitting in his favorite corner in the library. He had been searching for new spells to use for the first task of the tri-wizard tournament. He found out, indirectly from Ron, to see Hagrid. Hagrid had taken him to the forbidden forest the previous evening and Harry had viewed the Dragons. He had no idea of how he was going to survive meeting his first challenge, a dragon.
He was feeling sorry for himself, as every student and his closest friend Ron, had turned against him. They believed the hype the ministry had said that he was an attention-seeking child and had placed his own name in the cup, he was on his own. Even the other Hogwarts tri-wizard champion, Cedric Diggory, was cautious when talking to him.
He looked up to see Hermione Granger holding a book close to her chest. Her hair was even wilder today than it normally was, even still he thought it looked nice on her. There was always something about her he could never put his finger on. In their first year, Ron had said some mean things to her and Harry never stopped him. She had never spoken to either of them after that. Harry regretted it but had never had a friend before so he went along with Ron.
Harry saw her slow a little as she neared his table. She was looking at the table when she stopped at the seat across from Harry and placed the thick book on the table. Harry arched his eyebrow as Granger had always avoided looking or speaking to him and Ron.
Hermione pulled out the chair out and quickly sat down across from him before she lost her nerve. Harry spoke quickly to her “Do you think it is wise to be seen with a psychopathic attention seeking teenager? I mean you could damage your reputation being seen with me.” Harry was joking with her but there was a note of sadness in his voice.
Hermione blew out a breath of air “Potter, I don’t think that is a problem for me as I am even more of a social leper than you are. At least they are mad at you based on a lie. Once the truth is known, they will be your friends again while I will still be an insufferable know-it-all.”
Harry looked at her carefully and understood immediately her own pain. He had felt it the first eleven years with Dudley ruining any friendship he could have and now somebody else was doing the same to her. “So you don’t believe all the rumors of how I put my name in the goblet?”
Hermione gave him a very stern look “Please, you are only starting your fourth year, how could you possible go around the wards that head master Dumbledore put up? If the rest of these imbeciles would use their brains they would realize it too.” She said with an air of authority. Hermione shrugged “They can sod off for all I care.” She said with disdain. Harry smiled when she made the last statement.
Hermione watched him for a moment “I am here because Professor Macgongel asked me to help you.” Hermione hesitated and then looked down “I also feel I still owe you for saving me from that troll the first year. I know we haven’t talked since then but you did go out of your way to help me.”
Harry looked at her and smiled “So you are doing this because you feel you owe me a debt?” Hermione nodded to him. “I might remind you that it was my best mate that made you cry, which made you hide in that bathroom in the first place. You don’t owe me anything, besides you covered for both of us by telling professor Macgongel it was your fault. I always considered us even.” Harry stated to her.
Hermione looked at him “Is that your way of saying you don’t want my help?”
Harry straightened up “No, not at all. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to help. I want your help because you want to do it, not because you have to. Haven’t you heard it is dangerous being my friend?”
Hermione gave a slight smile “I have heard those rumors. I think they are rubbish.” Her eyes were smiling at him which Harry found very pleasant “Potter, I would like to help you because you have never been mean to me, like some of the others.”
