While She Was Sleeping
by stargirl

Rating: G
Ship: Harry & Hermione
Canon: Books 1 - 5
Genre: Romance
Status: In progress
Length: 591 words in 1 chapter
Published: 16 Jan 2006
Last updated: 16 Jan 2006

I guess it would be AU now, but a sweet moment in fifth year when Harry finds Hermione asleep in the common room.

From the Unofficial Portkey Archive: https://portkey-archive.org/story/5666/

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. While She Was Sleeping

People think Hermione Granger came out of her shell fourth year, grew from the book-obsessed caterpillar of first
through third year into the, well, book-obsessed butterfly that walked in arm and arm with Viktor Krum. Harry Potter
knew differently.

He wondered, really, why it took everyone so long to figure it out. How beautiful she was.

He fell in love with Hermione Granger at a completely mundane time, a completely ordinary place. No words were spoken,
no flesh exposed. The glow of the common room fire cast a glow on her features, warming her complexion in soft orange
tones. Her head rest on her arm and her hair spread across the oak table, curls resting gently on the wood. The feather
quill that was usually scratching frantically against rolls and rolls of parchment drooped gently from the tips of her
fingers, tip brushing her Arithmancy scroll.

It was the middle of the night, and Harry had just come down to the common room… for no reason, really. Even now, as he
lay in bed, he could not remember for the life of him why he walked those winding stairs to the red and gold-draped
room. All he could remember was the way he suddenly couldn’t catch his breath the moment her form came into view. He
remembered approaching the table, casting a silencing charm on himself with a whispered word and a flick of his wrist.
The wand was tucked back into the waistband of his pants and he stood next to Hermione’s sleeping form. Stretching his
arm out slowly and hesitatingly, he brought the back of his hand to her ink-stained cheek. Harry was awe-struck by the
softness of her skin, and he turned his hand to touch her lips with the tips of his fingers.

Hermione stirred, but did not wake. A sigh of relief escaped Harry’s lips, making him aware of the breath he was
subconsciously holding. He remembered the thought of leaving her making his insides ache, the thought of having others
see her in this resplendent beauty, this understated splendor.

He remembered how easily she fit in his arms, how she curled into his chest and grasped his pajama top with one hand.
Knowing all too well the pain in store for him if he attempted the stairs to the girls’ dormitory, Harry made his way
quietly up the stairs into his own room. Parting the curtains with his elbow, he lay her down on the soft blankets and
thanked every deity above that she had been studying in her pajamas. Her hair fanned out on his pillow and she curled
into herself, pulling her knees to her chest.

He folded himself around her, pulling her waist to his and burying his face in her hair. The smell of old books and ink
and the unmistakable scent of Hermione filled his nose and made him lightheaded. He fell asleep to the sound of her
breathing and the harmony of their hearts seeming to beat as one. An overwhelming feeling of Everything is alright
flooded him and he smiled to himself and succumbed to the lure of sleep.

He knew that the next night, he would be alone again. And indeed he was that next night.

But now, even as he lay in bed, he knew it was worth it. His pillow still retained her scent. It wasn’t enough, but it
would last him. After all, he thought happily as he hugged the pillow to himself, O.W.L.s were on their way.
