Confunded

AN: This is from the HBP US Hardback pg. 232 chapter 'Hermione's Helping Hand' after the Quidditch trials I didn't like how Harry joked about Hermione rigging his trials it just didn't seem in character for Harry so I wrote this little one-shot.

~Harry POV~

I saw McLaggen trying to enter the entrance hall, but he missed the first time as he hit the doorframe looking a bit confused. Ron's voice echoed in my head, 'Looked like he'd been Confunded…' and then Hermione's deep blush flashed across my mind. I watched Ron walk into the Great Hall and grabbed Hermione's arm holding her back; I felt a shot of anger go through me.

"What?" She asked defensively pulling her arm from my grasp.

"If you ask me," I whispered, "McLaggen looks like he was Confunded this morning. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting." I watched Hermione blush and look away with an embarrassed look.

"Oh, all right then. I did it," She whispered back. "But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he's got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn't get in- you wouldn't have wanted someone like that on the team." She hurriedly explained, I just clenched my fist.

"That doesn't matter Hermione, you rigged my trials." I growled. She looked taken aback at my tone and how angry I must've looked.

"Harry I-"

"What are you two doing?" Ron demanded reappearing in the doorway looking suspicious. I shot him a glare,

"Not now Ron." I snapped and he looked surprised, glanced at Hermione, then disappeared back into the hall.

"That wasn't very- Hey!" Hermione said as I gripped her arm and pulled her into a side hallway. She shoved me off when I stopped, "What was that for?"

"You know exactly why. You rigged my trials Hermione! Just because you like Ron!" I shot before I could stop myself and gestured towards the Great Hall, I didn't even register the tears gathering in her eyes, "You know how much Quidditch means to me and you cheated!" I hissed and stopped to take a deep breath. Hermione had her head down now; I could see her wiping her eyes, she finally took a deep breath and looked up at me.

"You know how much academics means to me, and you're cheating. With that book!" She said jabbing her finger at my book bag. I glared at her, but I had to look away seconds later because of guilt tying my guts in knots.

"That's not the same." I stated weakly making the mistake of looking up into her angry face.

"It's exactly the same Harry! And you know it. I'm disappointed in you Harry James Potter." She said in a voice that quivered with tears and anger. I'd never heard her say that before and it touched a hard nerve.

"Yeah well, I'm disappointed in you Hermione Jane Granger!" I snapped back and felt my stomach fall as she pushed passed me up the staircase. I closed my eyes and rubbed them under my glasses then ran a hand through my hair with a sigh.

I walked into Potions on Monday a little late; Hermione didn't look at me or say anything to acknowledge my presence. This is how it's been since our fight, and it drove me mad. Life without Hermione just wasn't right; we were never like this before except maybe third year but not to this extent. So that morning I did what I could to fix it.

Sitting down I pulled out my brand new copy of Advanced Potion-Making that was disguised as the second hand book, as I switched the covers of the new book and the Prince's.

"I'll take that old copy, Harry. Professor Snape mentioned seeing you get your new book in the post." Professor Slughorn said coming up and holding out his hand. I looked up at him slowly. See the Prince's book was in the lake but protected by a nice little charm I found and if I didn't tell him I needed to go and get it now because I forgot it, the book would sink to the bottom by the end of class.

"Actually Professor…I still need this copy. I dropped my new one…in the lake." I stammered out a little, holding onto the disguised new copy. I felt like a massive weight was lifted off my shoulders.

"Oh pity. Well you ought to take better care of your books Mr. Potter."

"I know Professor." I said as he walked away. I quickly got to work when he put the instructions for today on the board, I silently said goodbye to my number one spot in Potions.

"I suppose you switched the covers back?" Hermione's voice hissed from next to me as we cut ginger roots.

"No. I dropped the Prince's book in the lake." I muttered not looking up from my cutting, but I nudged my book closer to her and I could hear her flipping through the pages looking for writing.

"You accidently dropped it in the lake?" She said skeptically probably thinking I just hid it somewhere. I paused my cutting and took a deep breath.

"No one said I did it accidently." I told her then continued cutting. I didn't get a response but when I looked up I saw her smiling down at her ginger roots, and could feel a smile coming onto my face.

Leaving class about an hour later Hermione was back on top of the class making the best potion, she was quite happy as we left. She was smiling, laughing easily, and nearly skipping down the hall and it was irritating me. Then she stopped and grabbed my arm forcing me to stop as well.

"Hey Ron you go on. I need to talk to Harry." She said nicely, Ron looked suspicious again but wisely left.

"Happy you're back at the top of the class?" I asked, my tone more harsh than I intended. She looked at me confused and her smile fell,

"What? No Harry that's not why I'm happy, that's not why I was upset either." She told me sounding offended.

"Then why are you so happy now?" I challenged. She shook her head a little and smiled,

"I told you the other day, I didn't like you cheating. That was low for you Harry and then you did the right thing, so of course I'm happy. I'm proud of you." She beamed up at me and squeezed my hand; I couldn't fight the smile that came and the warm feeling spreading through me from my hand.

"Does this mean you won't help me with homework anymore?" I asked smiling,

"Well I'm not going to let you and Ron keep copying me, if that's what you mean." She said smirking a little.

"Me copy? Never. I only use it as a guide line for what I'm supposed to do." I grinned at her as we started along.

"Oh yes a guide line of course." She mocked me bumping me with her shoulder slightly; I felt an oddly pleasant tingling sensation from where she touched. I smiled and walked with her for a while.

"Hey Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we started off on the wrong foot this year. I…I liked how we were last year."

"When you were angry?"

"Well not that part but…reading each other's thoughts, finishing each others sentences, that stuff. Let's go back to that, what do you say?"

"I'd love that Harry. And by the way…I didn't do it because I like Ron."

"Why'd you do it then?"

"Because I wanted you to have the best team possible, one that got along. And because I like you."

AN: Hope you liked it, please review if you did