New Beginnings • A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter Eleven

"Let me get this, er, straight, boy. You want my help to... Study these creatures?" Hagrid asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Yes. I know it sounds out of nowhere, but I really do have an interest in magical creatures, Hagrid." Harry smiled sheepishly. "Plus, I could really use a means to boost my academics. Quite honestly, I'm near failure."

Hagrid let out a hearty chuckle.

"Right then, I suppose I ought to help a troubled student." He pat Harry on the head, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Thank you!"

"Though it is quite suspicious, you see. Have I been under the wrong impression? Seems like last time we talked, yer grades were top-tier! Not as good as dear old Hermione's, of course, but still impressive! I must be getting old." He scratched his head.

"No, no, you're totally correct about that, Hagrid. It's only... So much stuff has been happening recently. It's nonstop." Harry admitted.

"Hmm? Like what?" Hagrid turned back to him, face distorting into a frown.

"Well, surely you've heard about Hermione!"

"Merlin's beard, no! What happened? Anything bad?"

"Well... For starters, her and Ron are no longer together."

Hagrid gasped audibly.

"That's definitely... Some startling news, isn't it? I still remember when them two were nothin' but some younglings running around confused about their feelings. I did have quite a few talks with Ron, y'see. This might sound odd, but I could feel the love in his voice. Hermione too. Couldn't stop gushing about each other, really. Must've been a doozy, that one."

Something about the way Hagrid said that irked Harry. He knew they were hopelessly in love, of course, but that felt like forever ago. Him and Ginny felt like forever ago. The past few days were an eternity in Harry's mind. He couldn't help but think, though, if Ron weren't, "poisoned", as Hermione puts it, would he and Hermione even consider being together? Would Hermione have even looked twice at Harry? Did he make a mistake breaking up with Ginny for something that might only be temporary?

They were so in love, he thought again.

So why would Hermione choose him? Just because Ron broke up with her? If he came back to his senses, and asked her to be with him, would she say yes?

Of course she would. Why wouldn't she? They've practically been in love since third year. Since they locked eyes, quite honestly.

Why would she ever choose Harry?

"Harry?"

"W-what?" Harry shook his head and wiped his glasses on his shirt. "Sorry, I guess I must have been... Distracted."

"Looks like yer doing that a lot lately." Hagrid sighed.

"I'm so sorry, there's just so much I want to say, you see."

"Well, go on then, we don't got all day."

"Hermione is in a coma. Potion induced."

Hagrid's face practically went grey at that moment. Pale as a ghost. Harry had never seen him like that.

"I..." Hagrid sat down on a log next to him. "Who would do this to her?"

"We don't know. Nurse says it could be days, months, or even years." Harry felt his eyes stinging with tears yet again. He thought he had gotten everything out, but it turns out when you love someone emotions can't be held back.

"Oh, Harry... Poor boy."

He reached his long arms out, burying Harry in his warm coat. Harry let out an exhale.

"We will find whoever did this, Harry. They will be in trouble, I know it. Yer don't have anything to worry about, let me tell ya. I will make sure they never set foot on Hogwarts again." Hagrid tenderly rubbed his back.

"Thank you."

"Oh, it's really nothin', Harry, you've been nothing but good to me since you were a wee 11-year-old boy."

Harry smiled to himself.

"Now, where were we?"

—

Harry returned to his dormitory after his tutorials with Hagrid feeling calmer. Perhaps he had underestimated Hagrid's ability to cheer people up. He seemed to have that effect on people— students would often leave Hagrid's class lighter and happier than they were before. He would expect nothing less from Hagrid, who had been a constant source of guidance and support for him.

Harry remembered Sirius briefly. However bittersweet the memories he had, he was eternally grateful to have other people in his life who still cared about him.

He sat on his bed, pondering his other relationships. His mind fell on Ron once again.

Ron was his first friend... Well, ever, really. When Harry thought about his most fruitful relationships and what truly brought him joy in life, not once has he hesitated to picture Ron, who, despite maturing into an 18 year old man, was still the same little boy he met on the train with that dumb smirk taking up half of his face as he introduced himself... Ronald Weasley.

Harry chuckled at the thought. Ron's wit and humor lit up every room.

Harry didn't have many constants in his life. It felt like everyone came, only to leave him again just when he got to know them and care for them.

Perhaps the reason he was so affected by the entire situation was because he lost that one constant in his life. Ron was the person who knew him the best, who's stuck with him with unwavering loyalty despite the craziness that surrounds Harry's everyday life.

Would Ron even be in his life anymore?

I can't take this, Harry thought. Suddenly, a bright idea materialised in his head.

He needed to talk to Lavender.