So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 5 A Meeting in Hogsmeade

One had to be a little manipulative to survive when you grew up abused because of your very existence. Harry shook his head being guilty wouldn't help any nor would dwelling on the past. Harry wouldn't change his affair so why bother with the morality of lying to his friends when he really should be focussing on the fact he was sleeping with a married man with a son older than him.

'Bring me back sweets,' Harry said.

'Oh there's this new sweet...'Ron began rattling on.

The two Gryffindors hadn't even realised that Harry had purposely changed the subject while making it seem as though Ron was the one who had changed the subject onto sweets. Hermione shook her head at Ron and took a book out as she continued to sight fondly exasperated. Harry nodded at the right moments but he didn't focus on what it was that his friend was saying.

Just half an hour later Harry was once more under his Invisibility Cloak running down the tunnel to Honeydukes. He still had a few hours before he was due to meet Lucius. Harry was planning on buying new clothes he was sick and fed up of "borrowing" Seamus' clothes whilst he wasn't looking. Harry knew that Gladrags Wizardwear was the local clothing shop.

Harry slipped up the stairs to where lots of Hogwarts students were milling around wanting to restock their supply of sweets and chocolates. Harry had to be careful where he stood so as not to alert anyone of his presence because he may be invisible but you would feel it if Harry stepped on you. Harry noticed Ron and Hermione filling their bags with sweets. Strange Harry wasn't aware that Ron had that much money. Maybe Hermione was going to pay for him Harry thought until he caught their conversation.

'I'm so glad that Potter decided to stay behind,' Hermione was saying.

Harry reared back at this oh so revealing sentence completely devastated at the betrayal that was folding before his very eyes. This was supposed to be the girl he thought of as a sister referring to him as only by last name like she was glad to be away from him. What was going on? He looked at Ron expecting his first friend to stand up for him and was completely appalled at the fact that the red head was nodding in agreement.

'I'm actually surprised he had the common sense to try and work on the clue,' Hermione said scornfully.

Harry felt the fury rise up under his skin as shocked hurt gave way to anger. This was supposed to be one of his best friends who were speaking about him as though he was a dimwit. Okay he didn't have the same analytical brain as Hermione but he was smart. Harry remembered being beaten for doing better than Dudley in school and to this day refused to do his best out of fear.

If Hermione had ever taken a look at the real Harry Potter she would be shocked. Harry Potter the quiet, rash, brave, heart ruling his head was little more than an act to keep his fans off of his back. The world would be shocked if they realised how much of the so called Boy Who Lived was just a facade designed with them in mind. Hermione would be shocked if she realised how wrong she was about her supposed friend. And now Harry Potter was going to find out the truth about his supposed best friends.