Disclaimer Harry Potter, characters, and all related names and phrases are either copyright and/or registered trademarks of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. and/or their respective owners. This is a fanfiction, no copyright infringement is intended.
The darkness swept around the young man that stood out under the vast black sky. In fact, everything around him was black, except for the sparkling white stars in the sky, so bright that Harry had to know it was just a dream. But what was the dream about? Why was he there? Exactly where was he? He didn't really have time to figure that out, because at that instant a soft, melodic voice interrupted the silence.
"The ring..." she said softly.
The ring, Harry thought, while searching for the voice. "Where are you?" he called into the vast darkness, feeling silly to be shouting at something he couldn't see.
"The ring, Harry. You must unravel the secret of the ring," she said again.
"Who are you?" Harry asked. And exactly what was this woman going on about?
"There are three secrets to the power of the ring," the voice continued without heeding Harry's questions. "If you do not discover them...then all can and will be lost," the voice intoned.
This was starting to get to Harry, mainly because he couldn't see the owner of the voice, and mainly because the voice was being a little too mysterious for his liking.
A bright flash of light blinded him, and he squinted, realizing the owner of the voice had disappeared and that he was lying back in his bed, at Hogwarts, Boxing day morning.
Harry looked to his left and found the clock on his nightstand that said it was three in the morning. Upon looking to his right, he could see the woman he loved sleeping peacefully, her hair fanned out beneath her. An arm had swung over him sometime during the night.
Then Harry noticed the ring. It was glowing softly. The gentle glow was dying down, but Harry felt an increasing panic. What did that mean? Was Hermione in danger now?
He reluctantly shook Hermione awake, knowing she most certainly would not want a peaceful sleep disturbed.
"What is it, Harry?" she murmured sleepily.
"It's...the ring, Hermione...Are you alright?" he asked, trying to sound as calm as possible.
Hermione sat up, propping the pillows up to cushion her head on the head board.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" she asked.
Harry pointed to her ring and she lifted it up to the minor light that filtered through the window.
"It's glowing. How odd," she said, now waking up a little more fully.
"It is odd, considering you're in no danger right now. Were you having a bad dream?" he asked, his bright green eyes shining with concern.
"No, I'm fine. I don't think I was dreaming at all. In fact, if anything," and she said the next part a little shyly, "I'm happier now than I've ever been."
Harry sighed and decided to drop the subject of the ring. The dream he had could wait.
Running a thumb across her cheek he counted the many things he'd love to do with her at that moment. He couldn't even believe she was there with him, in his bed, in his arms. Fully clothed of course. And he wouldn't have it any other way.
Earlier that evening when all had gone to bed, Hermione had sneaked into Harry's dorm with sweets and pumpkin juice. For hours they stayed up talking on Harry's bed, Harry in his pj's, Hermione in the same p.j's she had worn that morning (to Harry's great pleasure). The talking had only stopped when Harry had gotten more courage, and kissed Hermione again, and again. Then it seemed that was all they could do. He was loving her more and more and he was sure he could never ever stop.
At some point they had both fell asleep on Harry's bed, even though Hermione had been very insistent at her sleeping on Ron's bed.
Hermione now looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile that went straight to his heart.
"Why do you have to be so perfect?" she asked.
He returned her smile and shrugged. "Oh, I'm not perfect. I mean, there's the hair...which will never cease to annoy me...and the glasses..."
"I like the glasses. And the hair. It adds character, and I wouldn't have you any other way," she argued, getting defensive over Harry's own appearance.
He quirked a brow and gave her his famous grin.
"Oh...so you would have me, would you?" he asked. This got a laugh out of Hermione and she gave him the same look.
"And what if I said yes?" She trailed off, letting him think what he wanted to. It gave her immense butterflies to think that he "could" want her in that way.
He groaned and rolled his head to the side.
"Hermione...do you have any idea how much that kills me when you say stuff like that?" he asked.
Hermione took advantage of this and lifted herself up to straddle his lap. It was a daring move, but there was a fuel inside her that was igniting her at that moment, and she couldn't back down.
"No...I don't know...Why don't you show me?" she asked, and before she could even get the sentence out he had pressed his lips to her own.
She trembled beneath his kiss, shaking from the ferocity and passion that she could feel with every touch, every kiss. His arms were around her now, pulling her closer. She moaned into the kiss, disbelieving that even now, after so many kisses from him, the passion and love she felt for him only got stronger.
Until a burning question pierced her heart with dread.
Was Harry even her boyfriend? They hadn't really discussed it and it was these thoughts that made her pull back.
"What is it?" he asked when she just kept staring at him, trying to form the question in her mind.
"I was just thinking...what's happening with us?" she asked.
"Us...you and me...together...Isn't that what you want?" he asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes, still remaining straddled on his lap. "Gee, Harry, no that's not what I want.
I'm what Ron would call a Scarlet Woman," she replied sarcastically before punching him in the arm
playfully. "You can be such a dolt sometimes. Of course I want us together. But...are we...I
mean..." She lost her composure again and a blush colored her cheeks, and she was thankful that it was dark.
"Ah, you mean to say are we boyfriend and girlfriend? Nah, I'd rather you be my scarlet woman," he teased and received another punch in the arm. He laughed and gave her a soft kiss on the lips and pulled back.
"You're more to me than just a girlfriend, Hermione. You're my best friend, and the reason I'm alive to this day," he told her in a serious tone.
She gave a shy smile and lowered her eyes. After thinking of what she was going to say she lifted her head up again to meet his eyes.
"I couldn't ask for anything more, Harry. It's true, what you said. Because you're more to me than just a boyfriend. You're my best friend too, but more than that you're my protector. I don't always agree with the fact that you put yourself in danger to save my own life, but it's a fact. I'm just as much your protector as you are mine," she told him.
He nodded in agreement and ran a hand over her soft curly hair. Hermione rested her head against his chest, listening to the beating of his heart.
"It's beating so fast," she whispered, looking up at him.
"It's beating for you," he whispered back, and Hermione found herself holding back tears.
Why did he have to be so perfect? All thoughts ceased, however, when she pressed her lips to his, letting him feel all the passion, hunger and love she felt for him. She would never tell him that she loved him, at least not now. But sometimes, actions did speak louder than words, and if that were the case then he would know that this love was as pure and as everlasting as the best of them.
Harry remained slightly more worried though. Not just the dream, but the fact that Hermione was more to him now than she was earlier. If Voldemort found out...he didn't want to think about it, but knew there was only one thing he could do.
"We need to discuss something though," he interrupted and Hermione crossed her brows in interest.
"Well, what is it?" she asked a little impatiently. She'd much rather not do any talking at this point.
"We do have a dilemma. I don't want to put you in any more danger than I already have. It's bad enough Voldemort ...well anyway...it's bad enough," he said quite sadly.
Hermione drew herself up with determination glinting in her eyes.
"Harry...if you think you're just going to push me away, you've got another thing coming. I've waited too long for you, far too long. Longer than I'd like to admit, and I'm not letting you go now. Furthermore, you don't seem to understand that I. Can. Take. Care. Of. Myself. Will you get it through your thick head?" she demanded.
She was getting sick of Harry's need for chivalry.
He sighed and pulled her close.
"I don't want to push you away. I could never do that. We just need to think of your safety is all," he told her.
She nodded into his chest.
"Maybe we could just keep it to ourselves...we don't have to let anyone know. If it's kept a secret, then Voldemort will never know," Hermione suggested quietly.
More than anything she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that she was dating Harry Potter. She even secretly wanted to see the seething, jealous faces of every girl in the school. But at this point, it didn't seem like it was going to happen.
"I think it's a good idea for now. Until we're sure that Voldemort wants nothing to do with you," Harry agreed, equally just as disappointed.
Seconds ticked by in silence, each contemplating their own misfortune. Then Hermione grinned at him. "It sure will be fun hiding it though, won't it?" she asked.
Harry laughed.
"Well, I suppose we should make the most of our time alone together," and with that he licked his lips meaningfully.
To Be Continued...