An Unexpected Ally

A Stack of Toast

"You're a disgrace to Hogwarts!" A sixth-year Ravenclaw boy shouted from behind his friends as they strode past him.

"You're a disgrace to my ears, can you keep it down?" Harry shouted after him, rolling his eyes. "Merlin, some people have no regard for auditory safety." He shook his head to the Slytherin girl beside him, who was in his year. He then continued on his way.

Just as Harry had made it to the Great Hall, wherein he could spot many students already tucking in, his way was intercepted by the one person he had been most anxious to interact with and that confidence faded away. Harry sighed as he began to speak. His Gryffindor bravery would have to do some work.

"H-" Hermione Granger began to speak, but Harry hadn't left her a chance.

"It's okay, Hermione, I understand. You think I put my name in that stupid Goblet." Harry's heart sank as he looked her in the eyes but he forged on. "I don't blame you, especially after the way I treated you last year over that stupid broomstick." He tried to look away, but her eyes really were too enchanting, almost magnetic. He couldn't look away from them. "Hermione Granger, you have been there for me since I entered Hogwarts, and never once have you abandoned or ridiculed or made fun of me. Without you, I could never have hoped to have done half of the things that I have." He found himself taking one of her hands as the other held a stack of toast. "Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, even if from today you hate me. I never deserved you, Hermione."

Harry let her hand go and began to walk towards the doors to the Great Hall, leaving Hermione to her own thoughts when she suddenly grabbed his hand back, the resulting force causing him to turn and face his best friend. It was only then that he spotted the crimson blush that had worked its way all over her lightly freckled face.

"Harry James Potter, you cannot simply say those kinds of things to a girl and expect to walk away." Hermione told him matter-of-factly and Harry found himself smiling momentarily at her bossy tone.

"But-" He began.

"No, it's my turn to talk now and it's your turn to listen." Hermione pointed warningly at him and he quickly shut up and nodded. "At what point did I ever say that you had put your name in that goblet?" She questioned softly and Harry was surprised at both her language and her tone. "I- well, of course I knew, as soon as I saw you, that you couldn't possibly have put your name into the Goblet of Fire, you would never do that, not to mention you looked terrified and frantic and I was so worried and- oh, Harry!" Hermione couldn't contain herself any longer and dashed across the short distance between them, engulfing him in the most warm and fuzzy hug Harry had ever felt. He returned it slowly, completely shocked at what she was saying. She eventually unwrapped him and gave him a slightly watery smile and Harry was truly terrified that he had made her cry, only to relax when she continued to speak. "And then you come down here and say those sweet things to me and you expect me to ever leave you again?"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle slightly and Hermione laughed with him, though their laughter didn't last long as it was Harry's turn to hug Hermione.

"I truly don't deserve you, Hermione." He smiled at her, not a lopsided smile or a cheeky grin, but a genuine, heartfelt and grateful smile full of appreciation and a few other things that enticed the blush on Hermione's face to return with a vengeance.

"H-Harry..." Hermione averted her gaze, this action only making her look back at his emerald eyes once again. It was then that she noticed something she should have seen before. "Where are your glasses?" She then noticed something else missing. "Where's your scar?"

"My scar?" Harry felt his forehead, realising that since he had awoken he had felt absolutely no pain from it. "It's... gone?"

"Well... not entirely." Hermione bit her lip, peering closely at his forehead, and Harry couldn't help his eyes darting down slightly. "It's still there, but very faded."