I'm in the mood for some Harmony, so I thought, why not just do the thing? :D

The time span of this fic will be throughout HBP, based off both the movie and the book, along with my personal interpretation. I've got most of the plot down, but until I get to where I need to be the chapters will just come to me out of the top of my head.

Read, review, whatever ;3

"Harry?" Hermione's voice brought him out of his thoughts, sounding like a faint echo, getting louder as he finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel. "Harry, are you alright?"

His friend came into view, her chocolate, concerned orbs settled on his blank green ones. She sat across from him, one leg neatly crossed over the other, and The Daily Prophet lay open in her lap.

Harry blinked a few times, spotting a missing party in the compartment. How long had he been out of it? "Where's Ron?"

"He went off to find the trolley a few moments ago," said Hermione.

Harry hummed knowingly, stretching his stiff back, feeling the bones and muscles pop and ripple. He had been in and out of it since they got on the train. Now he felt a little guilty for unintentionally ignoring Hermione. He couldn't help it. It wasn't the first time he had a lot on his mind.

"Don't worry about me, Harry," she said reassuringly, as if reading his very thoughts. "I was just curious, is all. You've been quiet for a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Harry gave her a smile that didn't require much force, sitting up a little straighter. "Thanks, but I'm fine."

She smiled back. "Where have I heard that before?"

He chuckled. Hermione was always over-observant. That was probably why she could read anyone like an open book, him the most out of everyone. But then again, although he wasn't as good as her, he had a pretty good read on her as well. He knew when she wanted to know something, and when she already knew it-right now it was a little bit of both.

"I know you think that no one believes you about your theories of Malfoy being a Death Eater-" she began.

"You don't," said Harry.

"I never said that..."

"Yes, because it wasn't implied," his tone dripped with sarcasm. "You said so yourself that you didn't know what you saw. But I did. I know it happened. I know they Marked him."

"And I believe you," she enunciated, leaning forward. "But you have enough on your plate already. Whatever happened to Malfoy...I think you should stay out of it."

Harry stayed quiet. She got up in a hunch, crossing the short space between them within a few steps, and turned so she could sit down next to him. His hands stayed clasped in his lap, regarding her with a judging look, silently demanding the burning question. Why?

"I know you mean well, Harry. Maybe a part of you wants to help him-don't give me that," she added when his eyes darkened. "You just never know what's going to happen. Things change..."

Harry began to question the sudden crestfallen look on her face when she put her hand over his own, fingers sliding in the space between his palms. She gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"Let's try to stay positive, yeah?" said Hermione.

Harry squeezed back naturally, returning the pressure. Hermione meant well, but sometimes she didn't understand. The school's safety was already in jeopardy, but when you add a teenaged Death Eater to Harry's pool of problems...

"Are you looking forward to the new Year?"

Harry shrugged. "I suppose. Do you reckon Professor Slughorn will last the Year?"

"The Year?"

"Hermione, have you noticed that every new professor we get, they end up..."

She gasped. "Harry!"

"You're right. Lupin doesn't count."

"That's for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Isn't Slughorn taking the Potions post?"

"If Slughorn is teaching Potions, then that just has Shape left." Harry suddenly grinned darkly.

Hermione shot him a look. "That's not funny."

"Then why are you smiling?"

Her lips quivered, and she ended up joining him in harmonized laughter. "Because sometimes you are so utterly absurd!"

Harry laughed some more. It felt good to smile. "Do you honestly expect any less?"

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, which he returned in retaliation, and rested her head on his shoulder. She looked at their hands, lifting their entwined limbs to study the slight skin contrast, his paler than hers.

"I don't think it takes this long to get something from the trolley," she spoke after a while.

"It's Ron we're talking about," said Harry simply. He was comfortable like this. One of the many great things about Hermione? She could soothe with a touch. And over the years, they found themselves completely at ease when they were together. Open displays of affection wasn't taken as a big deal for them-even though others think it's another story entirely. "He probably got distracted on the way. Lavender Brown fancies him. Have you noticed?"

"It's hard to ignore," Hermione grumbled. He eyed her questionably. She sat up to look him square in the eye, and her actions caused her fingers to slip away too. Harry was starting to miss the warmth. "Lavender Brown and I never really saw...eye to eye. The mere thought of her and Ron is just mind-boggling."

"And disturbing," Harry coughed, and she giggled.

"This is wrong. I shouldn't judge. Ron may be with whomever he likes."

Harry studied her closely. "Hermione? Are you...jealous?"

"Sorry?"

"Jealous. Are you jealous of Lavender because of Ron?"

"Oh, no." Hermione shook her head. "I'm just concerned, is all. Aren't we all a little protective over each other when it comes to relationships? I mean, you lot flipped your trousers about me and Viktor."

"I don't remember throwing fits."

She smiled sweetly at him. "You were more subtle." And he chuckled.

"No guy will ever be good enough for you, Hermione," said Harry, and her smile widened.

"What about you and Cho?" asked Hermione. "You haven't mentioned her all holiday, so I assumed that you two..."

"Sort of fell apart, yeah," said Harry.

"I'm sorry."

"Why? You didn't do anything."

"Cho had misinterpretations about you and me last Year."

"She wouldn't be the first."

Hermione looked sheepish, brushing a curly strand of hair behind her ear. "Why do you think," she didn't meet his gaze, "that is?" A light blush stained her cheeks.

Harry wet his lips, and the room suddenly got a little hotter. He wanted to avoid this, but there was no way out. He had to be honest with her. They never really talked about this, out loud and to each other.

"Dunno," said Harry. "I, er, think that they...assume that, er, since we're close..."

"And we've been through a lot," said Hermione off-handedly. "And I suppose we get along fairly well."

"Yeah."

Their eyes met.

"And it was you who saved me from the troll that night," said Hermione.

Harry slightly shook his head. "Me and Ron did, remember?"

"No," she murmured. "Both you and Ron were there...but it was your idea to go make sure I was safe."

"It was nothing really."

"To you it was. To me it wasn't. And I don't think you realize how much that night has impacted my life, even now. I wouldn't be the same without you. If it weren't for you, Harry, I would have been in a compartment, alone with my face in a book right now. Or worse, I probably wouldn't even have made it past that night...So thank you."

Harry looked at her from underneath his eyelashes. "You're giving me all the credit. You should be thanking Neville. He was the one who told me where you were."

"But you noticed that I was gone. You asked, did you not?"

I did, Harry realized.

The late afternoon sun shone throw the window, brightening the brown in her eyes and the natural highlights in her hair. Unf. Guilty thoughts plagued him, but he also welcomed them all the same. He couldn't help but think about her from time to time. Hermione was pretty, and that was the understatement of the century. She really blossomed from the bushy haired bossy girl he met on this very train, seeming like a lifetime ago.

"It's getting late," said Hermione, noticing the period of time as well. "We should change into our robes."

.

Harry walked out of Slughorn's compartment, rubbing the back of his stiff neck. Apparently, he had been invited to the Slug Club, whatever that was, for a quick meeting before their arrival. There were many people in that small space that he didn't know, but at least he saw a few familiar faces such as Ginny and Neville, Harry feeling bad for the female Weasley who got stuffed behind Slughorn's stomach, and Luna Lovegood on the way there. Now he was searching for a familiar curly, caramel mane. He craned his neck, looking over the bodies that were now piling out in the hallway.

"Looking for me?" said a voice in his ear, feeling a female presence behind him.

Harry turned, looking down at the smiling bookworm. Huh. Had she gotten shorter?

"Sorry," continued Hermione, pointing at the badge on her chest. "Prefect duty. How was the Slug Club?"

"Good. If you like stuffy places," said Harry.

Hermione made a face. "That bad, huh?"

"The tension between Ginny and Zabini was so thick you could slice it with a knife."

"Well," she reached forward, straightening his robes for him, "I'm glad you managed to escape unscathed."

"Malfoy's a Prefect, right?"

Hermione glared at him. "Yes. And no, you are not going back there. We are going this way." She brushed passed him, pulling the raven-haired teen by the sleeve of his robes.

Harry sighed in defeat, following her outside.

"Oi, you lot!" The youngest male of the Weasleys waved from where he stood, catching their attention. Harry and Hermione made their way over.

"Where have you been?" demanded Hermione.

"Around." Ron gestured to and fro lazily.

"You are a Prefect now, Ronald. This is no time to be fooling around!"

"Well excuse me for trying not to get groped!"

"Oh, come off it!"

"You come off it!"

"You!"

"You!"

"You!"

"Enough, both of you!" snapped Harry, and his two friends regarded him awkwardly. "Ron, try to be more of an example since you're now a higher rank at Hogwarts," he turned to the shortest of the three, "Hermione, Ron doesn't have to tell you where he's been because he might have a good reason for it. Now can we go, please?"

"...Yes," the two said.

"Thank you."