It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 33: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

"Ron, it's not Hermione's fault!"

"Yes it is! It's all her fault! It's always her fault!"

Ron and Harry's argument in the boys dorm had been going on for almost ten minutes. Naturally, Dean and Seamus had taken Ron's side, however, Harry had expected Neville to back him up. Instead, Neville was covering his head with the duvet and whimpering loudly. Harry was on his own.

"I'm not saying Crookshanks didn't eat Scabbers, I'm just saying that it wouldn't be Hermione's fault if he had."

"I told her to get rid of it!" Ron snapped.

"She doesn't have to do what you say." Harry retorted indignantly.

"I asked her to get rid of it too!"

"She doesn't have to do what you want either."

This only made Ron angrier,"She wanted her cat to eat Scabbers! Always said he was useless, she has!"

"You said he was useless yourself, Ron!" Harry scowled at him, pacing the room,"Hermione hasn't done anything wrong."

"She has!" Ron looked on the verge of upset,"She always has!"

Seamus and Dean glanced at each other, unsure of what to say.

"What did she ever do to you?" Harry asked.

"Let her cat eat Scabbers!" Seamus piped up.

"And she's constantly being rude to Ron." Dean followed his lead.

"Not to mention what she did to him at the start of first year!"

"Don't forget about the mean, sarcastic comments that never stop coming from her mouth."

"I think, Harry, you mean 'What did Ron ever do to her?'"

"Would you please just leave her alone?" Harry practically begged.

"Fat chance!" Ron snorted.

Harry had long since had enough. He shouted,"What is wrong with you three?" - Neville sobbed - "You repeatedly talk about Hermione like she's nothing! You take all of your anger and hate out on her, and she tries to block you out, but surely you must be able to see that you're getting to her. She's exhausted and upset all the time because of what you three say about her!" Harry pointed accusingly, voice laden with fury,"Don't you have any respect for other people? Don't you care that you're hurting Hermione with the things you say? Why does she deserve this? Why would anyone deserve this? You'd all better stop talking about Hermione," Harry got into bed to prove he was ending the argument,"or I'll stop you myself."

Quietly, the other boys climbed into bed and switched off the lights. Harry felt extremely satisfied. At least, until he heard Ron whispering.

"Oh, 'course he'd stick up for her. Don't worry about it. He feels sorry for her, is all. Reckon it's just 'cause she's not got any friends-"

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared, causing the lights to flicker and the boys to stare at him in terror,"Just...shut up." Turning on his side to face Neville's bed, Harry let out a long, frustrated sigh.

***********

"Good morning, Moral Fibre." Hermione greeted Harry with her head down the next morning.

"G'morning, Moral Compass. You all right?" Harry sat next to her on the bench in the Great Hall.

She nodded,"I just didn't get much sleep."