Forgetting Pain

Disclaimer: Don't own much…..really I don't I'm not even sure if this computer is mine.

Right Now?

Harry suddenly opened his eyes and took in the blurry shapes around him, not a minute had passed before he heard Hermione sob and through her arms around his neck, as she squeezed him tightly she murmured soft words of relief and support.

“Hey mate, glad too see you're up and about.” Harry heard Ron call from over to his left, once Hermione let him go and handed him his glasses, Harry could see a lot better. It wasn't just Hermione and Ron in the room, but Ginny, Neville and Luna were also standing around his bed. Behind all of them Harry could see Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Remus Lupin, Hagrid and Dumbledore.

“Er…hi everyone” Harry said meekly, this brought a chuckle to the room and the adults, now relieved left too talk outside while Harry and his friends caught up.

“So…er what's been happening with you guys?” Harry asked, looking at the Weasley's Luna and Neville.

“Not a lot mate, we've been stuck at the Burrow.” Ron told him, Harry thought he caught Ron steal a glance at Luna, but just shock it off as Neville started talking.

“Gran. wants me too be safe, so they locked me up in….headquarters” Neville said, in a down key whisper, Harry nodded his understanding.

“Well Father left for Austria, looking for Hoop-nosed Gangly Bats, so Mrs. Weasley invited me too stay at the Burrow, the safest place close by.” Luna told him, in a surprisingly normal voice. Harry glanced over too Hermione, she looked to be in deep thought about something, sighing Harry took it upon himself to tell the group about what happened to him so far. After he's tale Ron picked up, “Well at least you were only out of it for about two hours, so tomorrow you can go back to Mione's and have a real vacation.” Harry knew he was meaning well, but anger suddenly flared up inside of him.

“Maybe I don't want a real vacation, maybe all I ever wanted is too be left alone. Everyone kept me from Sirius, so I'm just going to keep away from everyone for awhile thankyou very much!” Harry spat at them, he expected Hermione to fly off the handle and get up in his face about living properly. He expected Ron and Ginny to loose there cool and have a row with him about just trying to make him fell better. But Harry didn't expect this.

“If that's what you want Harry.” Hermione said in a weak voice, her face looked utterly heart broken as she got up too leave. Harry tried to reach for her hand, but was shocked again by Ron muttering an apology about Sirius and walking off with tears in his eyes. One by one his friends left, all looking like their favorite puppy had just died. Soon Harry was all alone, just like he asked for. Feeling tears fall down his cheeks Harry rolled over to his side and cried himself to a restless slumber.

Hermione walked very slowly out of Harry's ward, her mind reeling. `Harry hates us, no Harry hates YOU!' She kept thinking over and over again. She didn't even notice Ginny and Luna grab her arms and lead her to some chairs away from the boys.

“Hermione, what's wrong?” Ginny asked carefully, she didn't need Hermione blowing up as well.

“H-H-Harry…” Hermione mumbled, tears flowing from her eyes.

“Yes Harry….what did he do?” Luna pressed, thinking subtlety wasn't going to get anyone anywhere.

“At night he can hold me like a lover. Hell he even kissed me with a passion I never dreamt about….He tells me he…l-loves me….then…then h-h-he just…” Hermione said her words chocked up with tears, as much as she tried to say what she was felling. She couldn't Harry had hurt her so deep. Ginny and Luna took turns holding Hermione until she had calmed down.

“Okay. What we have here is this, you and Harry both love each other, but he wont let you have a relationship with him? Right?” Ginny asked, a cool determination set in her eyes, she was surely a Weasley.

“Yeah….yeah pretty much” Hermione replied.

“Well….let's put Harry in a comfort zone, then you can show him how you fell and he'll eventually open up.” Luna told her, Hermione looked at the odd Ravenclaw oddly.

“A comfort zone?” She pressed, clearly impressed by the idea.

“Well yes, I was thinking the ministry six?” Luna said, looking to Ginny for approval. Ginny nodded intently, “What about your place Herms?” she asked, very eager for this plan to get underway.

“I think we need too speak to Dumbledore and my parents!” Hermione said a small but happy grin on her face.

The three girls found Hermione's parents quickly enough and soon had them cornered.

“Mummy, Daddy…would it be alright if Ron, Neville, Ginny and Luna all came home with Harry and myself?” Hermione asked, pointing out each of her friends and then giving her father her best puppy dog eyes. Her father groaned and nodded, which promptly drew squeals from the three girls.

“This means we can dig out those game systems you bought but never use dear!” Mrs. Granger joked lightly; Hermione's father gave her a mock hurt look.

“I do use them….” He started,

“Once a year when your supposed to help me clean out the junk doesn't count dear” Hermione's mother retorted. After a few minutes of this Hermione ventured back into Harry's room where she over heard Harry and Remus talking.

“…look I've heard it all before Mooney, okay but you don't know the half of it!” Harry cried, Hermione heard a growl and then Remus spoke,

“I know a lot more then you think Harry. Stop being a stubborn brat and let us help you!”

“Why can't I be a stubborn brat, haven't I earn't it! I live for ten fucking years inside a closet. The last five years I've ended up fighting for either my life or someone else's. Damn it Remus….If I shut you all off….you wont end up dead because of me…” Harry trailed off there and Hermione as sure he was crying, he always cried quietly.

“It's okay Harry….you don't deserve what life put you through, but the witch on the other side of that curtain can make it a whole lot better. Don't shut out your friends and family okay?” Remus spoke kindly to the teary eyed Harry Potter. Hermione then entered the room and Remus left the two of them alone.

“Hey……” Hermione said softly, putting her hand on his tense shoulder. Harry looked up and gave her a grin.

“Hey, sorry about before…..I'de prefer to spend summer with you then alone.” Harry told her, his voice just above a whisper. Hermione smiled at this but remembered Luna's plan.

“The others are coming back over to my place as well, we're all just going to hang out and let the world be damned for just one summer. You've earn't it.” Hermione whispered as she drew Harry into a hug, Harry returned the hug but let go soon after,

“Hermione…you know I can never take a break….He's after me!” He told her, Hermione angrily shock her head, “Harry just this once….for me?” She pleaded with him; Harry smiled and agreed to Hermione's demands.

The next day Harry was released from hospital and was on his way back to the Granger's. He was excited because all his friends were going to be there, but he was nervous because he didn't want to be caught with his guard down where Hermione was concerned. He had decided that until the war was through with him, he was going to have no emotional attachments, well no more then he had now. Harry was pretty sure Hermione understood this, but with the way she was sitting with him on the way back to her place, he wasn't too sure. Once they arrived there Hermione and Harry went into the den and set it up. After about half an hour there was two mattresses lying on the floor, a play station, Nintendo 64 and a DVD player all hooked up to the 61cm T.V. and a stereo plugged into the wall blasting out a song called `the perfect drug' Harry caught about half the lyrics, but what he heard didn't sit well with his stomach, considering Hermione had chosen the song. Harry kept repeating these certain lyrics over and over in his heads, even after Hermione had changed the songs `you make me hard when I'm all soft inside I see the truth when I'm all stupid-eyed the arrow goes straight through my heart without you everything just falls apart' Trying to ignore the lyrics Harry focussed on a fighting game he was playing, he was doing a fairly dismal job of it. When Ron and Ginny arrived, Harry finally had something to take his mind off Hermione, so he and Ron went out to the pool and practiced dive bombing into the water while Ginny and Hermione sat inside and talked.

“Where's Luna?” Hermione asked, last she had heard Luna was staying with the Weasley's.

“Oh, she's coming….she wanted to pick up some muggle movies to watch tonight…” Ginny told her, then lowering her voice to a whisper “…I think she may be getting some…adult movies.” Hermione blushed immediately at that thought, she was trying to break Harry out of his shell, and she didn't need him seeing other women's bodies.

“I really hope she doesn't….” Hermione said, feeling unsure of herself, Ginny just gave her a reassuring smile as Neville tumbled out of the floo gate. After a hasty greeting Neville ran off to join Harry and Ron bombing into the pool. Soon after Luna appeared behind Ginny and Hermione and the three girls got together and discussed what needed to be done for that night.

After dinner that night the sextet settled down to watch `The Exorcist' Ginny and Neville found one mattress to there liking, but under sperate doonas, Ron and Luna found the other one quite comfy, but that could be because they were sharing a doona. Harry and Hermione sat next too each other on the couch, much like last time they watched a move together. After the movie Harry stood and went to go up too bed, Hermione had planed for this, “Harry wait, I-I'm cold and if you go to bed who will keep me warm?” She asked, Harry smiled and took off his jumper, “Here ya go, night everyone!” Harry called out, Hermione wasn't about to give up yet.

“Wait Harry, why don't we just share the couch, I mean it's pretty big….” Hermione suggested, using her left arm to show off the extra room, Harry smiled slightly and jumped back onto the couch and lay down, Hermione gave Ginny a discrete smile and spooned up next to him.

`Phase one complete, congratulations Granger' Hermione thought to herself before drifting off to sleep.