Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Harry Potter. They are the property of J. K. Rowling.
Harry woke up several hours later. His head felt like a game of quidditch was being played inside it. His ears were ringing, but he could make out a faint tune. Someone was humming. It hurt too much to open his eyes so he just listened.
The humming continued, and Harry felt a soft hand gently brush his hair. It wasn't just a touch - more like a caress. Harry knew that touch; it could only belong to one person -Hermione.
'I never knew she could sing.' Forcing his eyes open, he turned to see her by his bedside. Her face lit up at seeing him.
"Harry!" she said happily and dove off her chair into his arms. "You're all right!"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Man, if this is what a hangover feels like, remind me never to drink!" Harry groaned and rubbed his head.
"Here, let me." Hermione leaned over him and put her hands on the side of his face. She put her index and middle finger together and placed them both on his temples.
"What are you?"
"Trust me," Hermione said with a smile. Harry closed his eyes. Trust her? How could he not trust her? She was his best friend. Hermione began rubbing his temples, and Harry let out a very long but gratifying sigh of relief.
"God Herm, you're the best!" She giggled softly and continued her rubbing. Within five minutes, all the tension in Harry's body had left him. Hermione went to remove her hands only to have Harry's clasp them tightly.
"Anybody ever tell you that you have magical hands?" he teased.
"Well, I am studying to be a witch; I hope that I'd have magical hands," Hermione countered.
"This magic has nothing to do with spells or potions; it's your own personal magic." She blushed slightly at his indirect compliment. Hermione looked down into his deep, emerald eyes, and Harry's arms came up around her.
"I was worried about you, Harry. When I saw you cry out in pain, I felt my heart break! I…I just…" Hermione lost her voice as it became laden with emotion.
"Shh," Harry said soothingly and pulled her down. He put her head on his chest and stroked her long, curly hair. "Don't worry, Hermione, it's all right; I'm still here." She realized that he was right and let herself listen to his strong heartbeat as she rested in his embrace.
"Thank you, Hermione." She raised her head up to look at him and gave him a bright smile.
"Hey, that's what friends are for." Harry gazed up into her soft, brown eyes; his hand came up and cupped her cheek.
"You're more than just my friend, Hermione." His statement made her heartbeat triple, and her palms began to sweat. Could it be true? Did he…did he really…like her?
"I…I am?" she stuttered. Harry nodded and pulled her down until her forehead was touching his.
"You're my girl." Now, to some people, that comment may have seemed shallow, but to Hermione Granger, there had never been a truer statement. Her heart pounded against her chest at his admission. Hermione smiled brightly and gazed down at him tenderly.
"I'll always be your girl, Harry." He flushed when he realized that she understood.
"Hermione, I…"
"Shh," she silenced him with a gentle touch to his lips. Turning her chin up, Hermione allowed her lips to brush his.
A thousand voices screamed inside Harry's head - 'You can't do this! You'll only end up hurting her! Voldomort will use her against you!' - They all screamed at Harry to stop this. But in the midst of all of this, his heart stood firm. It simply said - 'You need her, Harry, and she needs you. You've both waited long enough.'
Hermione was beginning to fear that Harry didn't want this. He hadn't rejected her kiss, but he hadn't exactly being active. Suddenly, his arms came up around her, and he pulled her tight against him.
"Hermione…" Harry whispered as he buried his face in her hair. He kissed her cheek and breathed softly in her ear. "…I don't ever want to lose you."
Harry cupped her face in his hands and brought her up until their eyes met. He could read countless emotions in her chocolate pools - compassion, tenderness, loyalty, happiness, apprehension, anticipation, and love. Yes, he could read the love in her eyes. Harry had never seen her look like this before, and he hoped that she would never show this face to anyone but him.
"Harry, I don't ever want you to leave me." The words just slipped out, and Hermione felt slightly ashamed, but Harry only smiled at her.
"My beautiful Hermione…" The phrase rolled off Harry's tongue like a romantic sonnet.
Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair, and she turned away shyly. No one had ever called her beautiful before; she was always the bookworm of the group; the one that nobody wanted to talk to. She'd never had a boyfriend before; no one wanted her. And here was Harry Potter - the guy who any girl in Hogwarts would kill for to have was telling her that she was beautiful.
"Hermione…" He spoke her name softly this time and turned her back to face him. Harry could feel his strength fading, but he refused to pass out.
"Hermione…I love you." And his head fell back onto his pillow.
She wanted to jump up and do cartwheels across the room. He…he loved her; he actually loved her. He loved her - Hermione - the bookworm, annoying study partner, and loyal friend. And she loved him - Harry Potter - not the boy who survived Voldomort, but the person that he truly was. Harry was a kind, gentle young man who took nothing for granted. He was loyal to his friends to the point of death, and most of all, he never degraded anybody because they were different.
"Harry…" she whispered and caressed his face. His eyes opened lazily, but his arms remained down at his sides.
"I love you too." His eyes burst open in pure happiness, and he cracked a full smile at her. He wanted to sit up and hold her, but his body wouldn't cooperate.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I want to take you in my arms and kiss you so bad, but I'm out of it right now," Harry said dejectedly.
"Not a problem." She bent down and placed a whisper of a kiss on his lips.
Harry pushed up, and his mouth covered hers. For only their second kiss, it was a doozy. The two teenagers felt ready to explode. Harry couldn't do very much anymore, but he clutched the folds of Hermione's robes in his hands and tugged, wanting her closer.
"Ahem!"
The two managed to peel off one another to find none other than Dumbledore standing there with an amused smirk on his face. Harry and Hermione almost turned purple from blushing so deeply, and Hermione backed away from his bedside.
"Well Harry, I was going to ask if you were feeling better, but I see that Miss Granger has answered my question for me," Dumbledore chuckled.
Harry looked back and forth between his mentor and his new girlfriend.
"Professor, I'm sorry, that wasn't appropriate," Hermione interjected nervously.
"She's right, sir, it won't happen again."
"Relax, you two, I'm not angry. Just try and keep the 'making out' as you call it to a minimum. Other than that, I have no objections." Not even the sun could have outshone the light in Hermione's eyes.
"Sir, thank you!" they both said at the same time. Dumbledore coughed and changed the subject.
"Now then, back to business, Harry…when you're strong enough, I want to see you in my office; there is something that I must tell you."
"Yes sir, I will be there this afternoon. That is, if Madam Pomfrey let's me out by then."
"I heard that, Mr. Potter!" Madam Pomfrey appeared behind Dumbledore and glared at Harry slightly.
"Well then, I shall leave you to her 'tender' care then." Dumbledore took his leave trying hard not to grin.
"I better get going too," Hermione piped up.
"Wait a minute!" Harry gasped, "You're leaving me all alone!" She gave him an evil smile.
"You're not alone; I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will take good care of you."
"Oh brother," Harry groaned. Hermione bent down and whispered in his ear.
"Don't worry, if she hurts you, that just means that I have to nurse you back to health myself," she teased. He smiled brightly at that idea.
"Don't be too long, okay?" His tone was serious, and Hermione could see that he really hated letting her go. Especially after what they'd just admitted to one another.
"Relax Harry, I need to pick up our homework; besides, I gotta tell Ron that you're okay. He's probably pulling his hair out in Snape's Potions class right now."
Hermione wanted to kiss him goodbye, but she couldn't with Madam Pomfrey right behind her. So, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and told him she'd be back. Harry said goodbye and settled back on the bed.
"Now then, Mr. Potter, let's see how you're doing shall we? I believe that we'll do a complete medical work-up just to be sure."
"What?" Madam Pomfrey smiled evilly at his question, and Harry gulped as he wondered just what horrors she had in store for him.