Chapter 337: Hermione's Tears!!
After Harry and Ron walked out of the Potions classroom, they saw Hermione and Darren reappear not far away.
But soon, they realized something was wrong.
Only Hermione was there.
Darren was gone again.
Hermione lowered her head as she fidgeted with the strap of her bag.
"Huh?" Ron frowned. "Hermione, you weren't here just now. Why did you suddenly come back by yourself?"
Hermione said in a dull voice, "I went to find Darren. I was out for a bit."
"Oh—good," Ron started casually, then suddenly froze mid-sentence.
Because Hermione lifted her head.
Her face was streaked with tears.
"Don't tell me…" Ron's expression stiffened. "Darren scolded you?"
Harry and Ron were both stunned.
Hermione almost never cried.
Ever since first year, ever since Darren had knocked out the mountain troll, she had barely shed a tear in front of them.
Ron tried to laugh it off.
"Uh… did you get caught by a professor and scolded instead? Or maybe you failed a quiz?"
He and Harry both knew it was impossible for Darren to really scold Hermione.
Darren was too gentle.
He rarely even got angry with the worst troublemakers.
So if Hermione was crying…
It definitely wasn't because Darren had been harsh to her.
But Hermione shook her head.
Her voice trembled.
"Darren… Darren won't talk to us anymore."
Her lips quivered.
"We deserve it. We hurt him completely."
Her nose reddened.
Tears fell uncontrollably.
She opened her schoolbag absently—
And with a soft tearing sound, the bag split open.
Books scattered all over the floor.
But none of them bent down to pick them up.
Harry stared in disbelief.
"How could he say that?" he whispered. "Just because I said something bad about Slytherin… he really abandoned me?"
"It's not just one sentence," Hermione said hoarsely.
Then she told them everything Darren had said.
Word for word.
She wiped her tears roughly and continued.
"He's been holding it in for so long.
This time wasn't sudden. It wasn't emotion.
I just never realized… that I was hurting him again and again."
"I know he's kind. That's exactly why we took him for granted."
She choked.
"Over and over, we stepped on the things he cared about. And this time… this time he must really hate us."
Her voice broke.
She crouched down and began picking up her books one by one with trembling hands.
"You two… help me get some of these…"
She laughed weakly through tears.
"I have to copy textbooks for Muggle Studies. The professor punished me… said my mind was elsewhere."
Then she covered her nose.
"Honestly… what's the use of studying Muggles…"
"I couldn't even understand my own friend properly."
Her words hit Harry like a punch to the chest.
He felt sick.
It suddenly became painfully clear —
They had never really faced how Darren lived.
They had never gone to the Slytherin table with him.
They never visited the Slytherin common room.
They never greeted his friends.
Not that prefect.
Not Kassandra.
They knew those people weren't bad.
But in their hearts—
They were still "Slytherins" first.
They had only promised Darren not to insult them.
They had never promised to accept them.
"I always thought… that it was enough for him to have us," Harry murmured.
He clenched his fists.
"I knew he cared about Slytherin."
"I knew it."
"But I still… did nothing."
"I can go apologize," he said suddenly, eyes lighting up. "I can go right now."
But Hermione began crying harder.
"It's useless," she said miserably. "He's serious this time."
"If we had realized on our own, maybe… maybe he would have forgiven us more easily."
"But now…"
Hermione shook her head.
"He probably thinks we never cared at all."
"And it's my fault most of all… I was the one who first questioned whether he valued our friendship."
She picked up the last book and stuffed it into her arms.
"I… I'm not going to talk anymore."
"I'm hungry. I'm tired."
"I need time to calm down… If you want to go apologize now, go."
Then she ran off down the hallway, wiping her tears.
Only Harry and Ron were left standing there.
The weight on their chests felt unbearable.
Realizing they had failed Darren—
Was more painful than anything else.
"I'll go tonight," Harry said firmly. "We'll go to Slytherin. We—"
His words were cut off by a cold voice.
He looked up.
Snape was standing near the corridor, eyes full of contempt.
"I strongly advise against it," Snape said icily.
"You are not welcome in my house."
"And if you think that disgraceful invisibility cloak will help you, think again."
"Let me catch you stepping one foot into Slytherin territory, and I will personally suggest to the headmaster that you pack your things."
Harry's face darkened.
Inside, Snape felt nothing but satisfaction.
That foolish cub had finally awakened.
He would not allow Potter in.
Not tonight.
Not ever.
As long as Potter couldn't see Darren, as long as he couldn't explain himself—
The boy's soft heart would not recover so easily.
"One wonders," Snape added lazily, "whether Harry Potter ever considered this a convenience."
"After all… that 'brother' of yours always attracted attention."
"Perhaps you're relieved, now that the spotlight has finally returned where it belongs."
Harry exploded.
"I didn't!"
He glared at Snape.
"That's not what I think at all!"
"Darren is my brother! How could I—"
Snape cut in with a sneer.
"I see only a student yelling at his professor."
"How pathetic."
"Twenty points from Gryffindor."
"You—!"
Harry lunged forward, but Ron clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Stop!" Ron whispered harshly. "He wants this."
"Didn't you see? Every time he docks points, he looks happier."
Snape turned and walked away.
Harry shook with rage.
"I swear, one day I'll throw him directly in front of Voldemort and let Voldemort curse him until he regrets being born!"
Ron nodded distractedly.
But his mind was elsewhere.
If they couldn't go into Slytherin…
Then could they apologize at the Slytherin table?
In front of all those students?
In front of so many people who looked at them like enemies?
Ron swallowed.
Were they really ready…
To apologize in front of the entire house?