-1Disclaimer: I swear JKR told me this is what was supposed to happen, but scholastic made her change it. Really would I lie or write fiction here. Anyway here is a story I started a while ago its only chapter 1 and of course with my amazing ability to update quickly will be shattered in about a week since school starts back up for me. However I already have the next two chapters written. So enjoy and sorry about any spelling or grammar issues.

The Fallout

Prologue: Matters that bring us together and pull us apart.

The day was ending wonderfully. He had just lost the best Christmas present in his life and seen it snatched away from him much like all his other Christmas presents in his life. It was just like when the Dursley's would give him one of Duddle's gifts to tease him. They made him watch every Christmas as he witnessed his cousin get the world in his once young mind's opinions. He had to always act like he was happy for his pig of a cousin, because if he didn't he was punished. He still had the scars under his robes to show for it. He let his hand wander to his left shoulder blade. It instigated a memory of when he was six. He had been quite moody that year and had mouthed off about his situation. The outcome had been him thrown through the glass china hutch. It imbedded about thirty shards in his back. He was than punished for making his Uncle loose his temper and breaking his Aunt's favorite china hutch. Vernon had stomped on his back for a good fifteen minutes smashing and grinding the glass even further in to his back. They had spent the night in the emergency room after that moment in life's learning lesson. It wasn't so bad because the nurse was nice. Yet when they got home he was back-handed for being ungrateful little bastard by not giving the family that took him in nothing for Christmas. Harry wanted to point out he had gotten nothing from them either. He however decided to let the matter drop. The flash back would have continued had a hand not touched him bringing him forward six years in to the present.

"I can't believe she just went and told on you because the broom might be cursed. " Ron continued to rant, but Harry ignored him. It struck him wrong what he was doing. He was comparing Hermione to the Dursleys. He was being such a prat. She was only worried and he treated her like she was Voldemort. "I mean Harry did you ever think she could be such a bit…"

Harry stormed out of the portrait door before Ron could finish the sentence. Neither listening actively to Ron's words nor explaining why he had to apologize to his other best friend Harry was gone. And right now apologizing was all he had on his mind.

The halls were empty except for the portraits. He knew where he was going. Well he knew where his two options were. Either Myrtle's bathroom or the library was all that stood in his mind. He decided to try the library first. The library was Hermione's refuge. Harry knew the reason. It was the same reason he use to go to the library. Your tormentors don't like to go where they feel inferior. Not to be mean to his best mate, Ron could be just as much of a bully himself and that could be the reason he hated the learning area.

Harry stated looking about the library he finally saw her bushy hair peaking over a book. The guilt started eating at his stomach. For a moment he felt like running back to the common room and pretending to never have thought he was wrong. He would just sit there listen to Ron complain and agree with him, walk around angry, and be a total prat. Hell nobody would know, but him. He was a Gryffindor it took courage to pull the sword last year. He could face a Basilisk, but not tell his best friend he was wrong. Yeah just kick him out and place him in Slytherin now.

"Are you here to start calling me names like Ron now Harry?" He could hear the tears in her voice. There had been a slight hiccup when she said his name. It felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. "You know what Harry just go away and I'll make sure to tell Ron you insulted me really good. And that Malfoy was looking for you both to get tips." The tears dried up by her now flowing anger.

Harry cringed at that last comment. However he would not deny any of his behavior through. "I'm sorry Hermione. You were right and I was being a prat. You were right. The whole fight was just me projecting some bad memories on you and I was wrong okay."

It came out a little harsh. Than the sound of a book dropping to the table caused him to open his eyes. He didn't even remember closing them. There she stood. Glaring right into his eyes, she was not blinking or wavering to his glare. The tear streaks were visible on her cheeks and throat. "That is it? You going to rip into me for caring and that's it. You are sorry! What about the next time I do something to help protect you and another bad memory comes up. You and Ron going to rip into me like this again. If we stay friends for the rest of our lives Harry Potter, are you going to keep coming down here or wherever else I choose to think? And when you do come down are you going apologize for you and motor mouth ability to make fun of me for the next lets say thirty years how soon until it happens again? Well you know what forget it. I am not going to put up with it. So sod off Harry!"

"Hermione such language is not allowed in this place." Madam Pince strolled over to them after the scolding. "Now if you two are going to continue you argument do it else where's. Some students are studying." She gave Harry a quick glare than a frown at Hermione as if shouting at her about her disappointment.

"Sorry it's my fault Madam Pince. I'll leave" Harry looked up. Madam Pince got the answer she wanted and went back to her desk. "And Hermione I am sorry. I won't say it will never happen again because I'm not a seer." Harry turned and started to walk away leaving her there not to reply to his last statement. Than stopped turned and looked her in the eye. "And I'm only apologizing for myself. Ron can grovel on his own knees when he realizes he took my problem to seriously. He will figure out at least he needs you to help him with his homework and if he is observant, that he needs you as a friend. I speak only for myself." With that said, he was gone.

Hermione stood there cursing herself. She just had to take it too far. She immediately ran out the library to catch him. She turned down the first corridor of the hall only to quickly be knocked down on to her back and palms. She looked up to see what she had run into only to see nothing there. Bringing her face down a level, she saw the object on the ground. The object was a black dog. Just than Harry rounded the corner tripping over Hermione in a slight somersault maneuver.

She watched him fumble for his glasses. When he finally got them on she was plowed over again as Harry jumped back. "The grim" was all she heard. Getting over the fact, she had just been run over twice glanced back and forth between Harry and the dog. "That's the same dog I've been seeing all year." Hermione just looked back at the "Grim". The dog seemed to be in a trance. He was just staring at Harry. For a moment Hermione thought, maybe Harry was right and it was a grim. Than a portrait spoke, "Remus Lupin I heard you were back in the castle. It's good to see you again my boy." She turned back and the dog was gone.

"You okay Harry?" She turned looking at her best friend. He shook the stupor off his face and just looked at her for a moment.

"Thought you told me to sod off?" he just stared at her and she grimaced.

"I'm sorry."

"So saying sorry is good enough for you and not me?"

"No. Okay. I am sorry that is why I am out here. I blew even I am allowed to lose my temper every now and than. "Harry nodded in compliance and lowered his head. "I mean Harry, Ron called me every name, but mud blood. It hurt."

"Your right. And I was just as awful letting him say it."

"It's okay. I forgive you." She stood up and brushed of her pants. Extending hr hand to Harry, she helped him to his feet. "Well shall we make-up and be friends again?"

"I never stopped being your friend. I was just being an idiot. Anyway, let's go get your bag and books from the library. I'm sure you have tons of stuff to do even if it is Christmas break.

Hermione could only get a simple head nod going and started to walk ahead of Harry. The trek to the library was a little postponed when Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to him. "Thank you Hermione for being such a good friend. You are always therefore me. Always worrying about me even if I don't want you to worry about me. Thank you." Than he kissed her on the cheek and walked past her tiring his hardest to not show how he had even shocked himself. If he had looked back, he would have seen her blushing the color of Ron's hair and just stuck as if petrified like last year all over again. Shaking it off, she rushed forward catching up with him.

The last remaining students had left by the time they made it back. Hermione was still blushing from the kiss. Harry seemed to be blushing a little bit himself. He helped gather the books she was using and they wandered to the common room. Before they got to the portrait of Sir Cadogan Harry turned to Hermione. "Hermione do you think you could help me study more? And not just the class stuff. I mean I have a murder after me and maybe I haven't been taking it too seriously."

"Not taking it seriously. Not you, but sure meet me at the library at 8 tomorrow night." She turned to him and smiled "I'll be glad to help. Think nothing of it."

The portrait of Sir Cadogan was empty. "Don't tell me he went and challenged somebody else to a duel. We could be stuck out here for hours." Muttered Harry as he stared into the empty portrait frame.

"Want to go back to the library and we can start studying?" He looked nervous for a second and glanced around Hermione started to get antsy. Harry goes down on one knee and snapped his whole arm in a reaction. Standing up he held a rat by its tail this cause Hermione to laugh. "I thought you felt something dangerous coming."

Harry just shrugged "I'm sure Ron has been having a fit looking for him. He's probably all ready blaming Crookshanks and ready to crucify him," he spoke with a chuckle.

"Cadogan get back in this picture right now." A figure came charging through the other pictures shouting the whole way. "Who dares challenge Sir Cadogan?"

"I challenging you I want to go to bed."

"Than what is the password?" The knight said looking bored.

"Oddsboditins." She said as the anger started to well up inside her.

"No need to be huffy Miss." He opened up and slammed as soon as they walked into the common room. The room was deserted. Yet as the sound of the door closing brought a figure dashing down the stairs from the boy dorms.

"Your cat made off with my rat Hermione. I told you he was after Scabbers. I found your killer's hair all over my bed. What do you have to say huh Hermione?" The red head half screamed in her face.

Harry stepped in between them. With his left hand, he pushed Ron away from Hermione. "Knock it of Ron."

"I thought you were mad at her. Why are you sticking up for her and that monster she calls a pet? I stuck up for you when she made off with your new broom. Well?" He spoke his hands becoming fists about to punch is best mate.

"This is why. We found him wandering the halls. Now apologize to her." Harry quietly said making him self a shield for Hermione.

"Fine. Sorry Hermione. Next time your cat chases my rat out of his home I'll feel so much more grateful."

Hermione was close to tears and was going to run to the girl's dorm, but Harry grabbed her hand. "Your being a total prat you know that right."

"You know what you were just as mad at her not three hours ago."

"And I was wrong to be. I already apologized."

"Yeah will see how fast you apologize if her monster tries to eat Hedwig." Ron stormed to his dorm room. Hermione just stood there in shock. He stood up for her sure he had done it before, but he stood up to Ron, his best friend for her.

She shock off the blush she felt coming quickly to her face. "Harry can you answer something for me?" He just looked at her and nodded. "What did you mean by bad memories?" Harry just stopped everything breathing and blinking included. His body seemed to restart after about forty seconds.

After Harry started breathing, again he just stared forward for a minute. He had hoped she would have forgotten he had said that. "I'd rather not talk about it right now." He said meekly his eyes down cast. She looked at him and saw a side of Harry she did not think existed and that they must really have been bad memories.

"Sure Harry. Just remember you can talk to me about anything." he nodded still in deep thought, but listening to her. Hermione walked closer to him and hugged him. Than wandered over to a couch and she started reading a book. While Harry sat down next to her and stared into the fire, just listening to her turn the pages of some schoolbook.

End notes: Anyway hope you enjoyed I'll try to make time here quickly to type up the next chapter. Will be grateful for feedback, but as usual reviews, flame, or just move on to the next story in you mind. So later everyone.