Don't Act Like You Know Me

Year 5 - I Was Not Asking

Hermione sat in the common room where the majority of the Gryffindors were. She looked up from the book she was reading when Harry sat down next to her. He didn't say anything, so she spoke first. "How can Dumbledore let that horrible woman teach? And when we're taking our O.W.L.s too."

"You reckon she's here to spy on us?" Ron asked.

"Well, not us specifically, but definitely Dumbledore and the Order."

Suddenly, Angelina Johnson walked up to the trio. "Well, way to go, Potter," she said angrily. "Your detention is at the same time as Quidditch practice."

"Oh," Harry said. "Sorry."

"Yeah, well, you're going to have to get out of it somehow. We're holding tryouts for Keeper now that Wood's gone and I wanted to have the whole team there."

"I'll never get out of it, Angelina."

"Well, just... don't do it again." She stormed off to talk to the rest of the team. 

"Well, Harry, shall we start on Snape's report?" Ron asked.

"Later, I've got detention," Harry said.

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione said.

"Thanks." Harry picked himself up off the couch he was sitting on and trudged out of the room. 

"I feel bad for him," Hermione said when he was gone.

"I guess," Ron shrugged.

"What do you mean you guess?"

"He did it to himself, Hermione."

"Technically he did, but the things she was saying to him were extremely triggering."

"I mean, I guess so."

"Ron, you need to understand," Hermione took his hands in her hands. "As of now, Harry has seen three people he was close to be murdered by You-Know-Who himself. He survives to come back to people telling him that what he saw wasn't real. How do you think you would feel? He probably feels as if everyone doesn't believe him. He probably thinks that everyone thinks he's insane."

"I-I really didn't think about it that way." Hermione dropped Ron's hands. "Well, I've got to go," Ron said quickly. He stood up and walked out of the common room without another word.

"Huh," Hermione said. 

Hermione kept thinking about Draco. Were they officially back together now? She didn't know. 

A few hours later, Harry stumbled back into the common room. He looked pale and almost sick. "Hey, Harry."

"Hello, Hermione."

"Have you seen Ron?"

"No, I haven't."

"He's been acting fishy. He's up to something."

"Uh-huh," Harry said absentmindedly. Harry clutched his scar and leaned against his hand. He looked like he was about to throw up. Hermione looked down to see his hand covered in blood. She gasped.

"Harry, are you alright?"

"Harry!" Ron came into the common room. "I tried out for Quidditch Keeper at the tryouts! I'm on the team!" Ron stopped himself when no one said anything back. "Harry, bloody hell!"

Harry's knees buckled and he dropped to the floor. Hermione raced to his side along with Ron, Fred, and George. They lifted him up and sat him on the couch. "He's got to be taken to the hospital wing," Hermione said.

"No," Harry said weakly. "Can't give Umbridge the... satisfaction."

"Umbridge did this?" Fred asked.