A Turn of Events

Chapter 21- Back to me.

Harry was roaming the halls around dusk the next day. He knew he should probably be heading towards dinner but then he'd have to see Hermione. It's not that he didn't want to he just couldn't bare having his heart broken at the sight of her. Harry knew Hermione and him were just on a break but it felt like they were never getting back together. Word spread quickly that they weren't speaking and it soon got twisted into nasty rumors. He'd heard some of them in the hallways and in the Great Hall.

He'd been in the library that day and heard some 5th year Ravenclaw girls talking about Hermione and how they'd seen her with McLaggen and had even suspected they were an item now. Harry's stomach clenched and he couldn't bare to listen to the rest of the conversation. He told himself it was just gossip, but couldn't get away from the fact it was McLaggen's fault this had even happened to him and Hermione. He felt guilty for not warning Hermione about what he'd said that day on the fourth floor corridor.

Harry just felt so alone. Sure, Ron was there but it was hard for him to empathize what Harry was going through. 'You two will be fine,' is what he said when Harry spilled the news to him. 'It's just a rough patch. Everyone is going through a lot right now... y'know with you know who and all....'

Harry didn't say anything to that. Because it wasn't just 'fine' or 'a rough patch'. What if him and Hermione never got back together! He needed her now, more than ever.

No. He should stop thinking of Hermione. He needed to focus on his mission with Dumbledore. It was his destiny to finish this. Everyone knew a war was coming and Voldemort was only getting stronger. And Harry was feeling numb. Maybe it was better that way. The more you care, the more you have to loose.

— —

Harry, Ron and Hermione were together in the common room. Hermione was sitting in her favorite armchair but Harry wasn't in his usual spot. He was sitting on the far side of the couch with Ron. Each of them could tell the others were putting on a front to try and feel some sense of normalcy. Ron had made all of them hang out together because he couldn't bare it if his two best friends, who were obviously meant for each other, stopped talking. He reckoned this was how Harry felt whenever him and Hermione  weren't speaking.

Hermione had started talking about the Princes book again and Harry was exasperated. Ron was just glad it wasn't silence.

"So?" said Harry.

"Her name was Eileen Prince. Prince, Harry."

Harry finally realized what she was trying to say and couldn't help the burst of laughter that came out.

"No way."
"What?"
"You think she was the Half-Blood ...? Oh, come on." Harry might actually thank Ron. At least they were talking now.

"Well, why not? Harry, there aren't any real Princes in the Wizarding world! It's either a nickname, a made-up title somebody's given themselves, or it could be their actual name, couldn't it? No, listen! If, say, her father was a wizard whose surname was Prince, and her mother was a Muggle, then that would make her a 'half-blood Prince'!"

"Yeah, very ingenious, Hermione..."

"But it would! Maybe she was proud of being half a Prince!"

"Listen, Hermione, I can tell it's not a girl. I can just tell."

"The truth is that you don't think a girl would have been clever enough," said Hermione angrily.

"How can I have hung round with you for five years and not think girls are clever?" said Harry, stung that she would think that of him.

Hermione shook her head. "Well, I'm going to find out more about Eileen Prince if I can."

"Enjoy yourself," said Harry irritably.