Stress

Heaven

Rating: PG
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 11/02/2004
Last Updated: 11/02/2004
Status: completed

Hermione starts to lose it over the stress of working too hard on her studies and duties. Harry's there of course to comfort her. Based on Gwendy's picture "A Shoulder to Cry On" one shot

Chapters

1. Stress

1. Stress

A/N: I wrote this as an entry for Gwendy’s Quills ‘n’ Spills contest a few months ago- basically, she put up one of her amazing drawings and authors depicted a ficlet from it.

You can go here : ‘quillsnspills.portkey.org/art/shouldertocryon.jpg’ to see the drawing. You should check out the rest of her work as well, it’s really awesome.

For you ff.net readers- if the link doesn’t show I’m putting it in my profile for you to click on!

Anyways, without further ado, here it is!

Someone had brought a Wizarding Wireless Network into the Gryffindor Common room, and it was annoying Hermione Granger very much. Between listening to the Weird Sisters shriek out one of their songs and the constantly growing louder chatter of her fellow students, Hermione was about ready to blow her top. Didn’t ANYONE but her care about the upcoming N.E.W.T.S.?

Harry Potter was sitting on the other side of the table, trying to concentrate on his Potions homework. Sure, Voldemort was gone now, but that didn’t mean his school workload was any lighter. Setting his quill down and flexing his fingers, he stole a glance at his girlfriend, who looked like she was about to murder someone.

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly. At first Harry wasn’t sure if she had heard him over the loud ruckus in the room.

Hermione looked up and Harry visibly shrank back in his chair. She shook her head, her eyes blazing as she glared back down at her homework.

The noise was further heightened when the portrait door swung open and Ron Weasley strolled inside, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. He saw his best friends sitting at the table and sauntered over.

“What’s going on?” he asked, dropping into the chair next to Harry and kicking his feet up on the table.

“Not much,” Harry tossed his quill down again. “Nice lipstick,” he grinned and snickered as Ron wiped at his mouth.

“Bloody crap Luna wears,” he muttered.

“You know you like it,” Harry replied, sitting back in his chair.

“Heh,” Ron grinned back at him. “Shut up Harry, it’s not like you don’t love that stuff Hermione wears,” both boys turned and grinned at their female friend who pointedly ignored them.

“I never said that,” Harry challenged. “What flavour is that anyway?”

“Strawberry,” Ron grinned and they both laughed.

Hermione paid no attention to the two boys as she gritted her teeth and buried her face further into her books. Harry and Ron continued to banter back and forth, and then behind her, Lavender and Parvati started to argue with one another about whose hair was longer.

Off to her side, Hermione could see Ginny sitting cosily in one of the oversized, overstuffed armchairs with Dean Thomas, whom she had been seeing since the end of her 4th year, sharing a bag of Bertie Botts. ‘Doesn’t she care about her own N.E.W.T.S next year?’ Hermione thought. ‘It’s never too early to start studying; I started the summer before 6th year!’ She buried her nose in her book and tried to read silently to herself, hoping it would distract her from the business of the room.

“Hey Harry, guess who I am,” Ron grabbed Harry’s potions textbook. He moved his mouth silently while his eyes stayed firmly on Hermione’s hunched form.

Harry shook his head. “Ron, I wouldn’t mess with her tonight. N.E.W.T.S are in just a few weeks you know.”

“Oh come on,” Ron replied, tossing down the book. “She needs to lighten up; she already knows everything in the library by heart!”

Hermione burned with rage at this last remark; she slammed her book shut and stood up. “How DARE YOU!” she shouted. “Just because YOU don’t care how you do on your N.E.W.T.S doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t!”

Ron looked flabbergasted and Harry stood up as everyone in the common room turned to look. “Hermione, calm down,” He said in a low voice.

“Don’t you bloody tell me to calm down!” Hermione shouted, pushing away his arm. “You should both be studying not just sitting around!”

“We’ve been studying,” Harry said, trying to remain calm as everyone looked on. “We don’t need to study every minute of the day!”

Hermione clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. The screeching of the Weird Sisters made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle and without even realising it, Hermione turned around, wand in hand, and a moment after that the Wireless was lying in several pieces on the floor.

The owner of the Wireless, a first year, looked at Hermione in shock as tears filled her eyes. The girl’s friends surrounded her while everyone glared at the Head Girl, who looked stunned at her own actions.

“Hermione,” Harry moved forward and touched her arm again but she yanked away and fled up the stairs, slamming the door to her dormitory moments later.

The common room instantly filled with chatter, and Harry could hear remarks from the group of first years about Hermione, many not flattering. “They certainly aren’t as shy as we were,” Harry muttered to Ron.

“No kidding,” Ron replied. “You’d better go check on Hermione mate. I’ll watch your things in case they try anything.”

“Thanks,” Harry replied. He walked quickly through the common room, everyone stopping to watch again. Harry ignored the stares as he went up to the Head Girl dormitory, right across the hall from his own. “Hermione?” he knocked softly on the door. Opening it slowly, Harry was surprised to find the room empty.

“Where did she go?” he wondered. He opened the door to his room and stopped short.

There was Hermione, huddled on his sofa, her knees pulled up tight against her body. Harry closed the door quietly behind him and moved almost silently towards the sofa.

“Hey,” he said softly. Hermione raised her head up and sniffled as she wiped her eyes.

“Hey,” she answered. She sniffed again and brushed a few stray strands of hair off her forehead.

Harry sat down next to her, reaching over to smooth back her long bushy hair. She had mentioned something to him about straightening it early on in the year but he had protested, saying he liked her hair the way it was. Harry wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his fingers stroking her locks.

Hermione began to sob in earnest at his tone, her fingers clutching onto the front of his jumper. “Everything,” she managed to say.

Harry pulled her closer, and she could feel him kiss the top of her head. “Come on Hermione, what’s really wrong?”

She sighed into his jumper, trying to stop the flow of tears. “I don’t know,” she replied mournfully. “It’s just… with the N.E.W.T.S coming up… and all the duties we have as Head Boy and Girl… and trying to keep my marks up in all the classes…” Hermione sniffled again. “Snape sure isn’t helping by always giving us tons of potions homework…”

Harry smiled. “That’s very true,” he replied, still moving his fingers through her hair.

“It’s just,” Hermione finally pulled away. “I just can’t handle it any more! There’s too much for me to do and I can’t…”

“I know,” Harry replied, wiping away her tearstains with his thumbs. “We’re all overloaded these days,” he leaned down, resting his forehead against hers.

Hermione nodded. “I don’t know what’s come over me these days… I’m so worried about the exams and…” she was cut off when Harry put a finger to her lips.

“No more homework talk,” He said. “What you need is a good night’s sleep, and then on Saturday we’re going into Hogsmeade.”

“Oh that sounds lovely but I have to finish-“Hermione was cut off again.

“What did I just say?” Harry asked, helping her up from the sofa and over to his bed.

“That I’m going to get a good night’s sleep and on Saturday we’re going into Hogsmeade.” Hermione replied, smiling from the first time that evening.

“That’s my girl,” Harry grinned back as she sat down on the bed. “Come on, go to sleep, I’ll go down and get our things and be back up here.”

“But we’re in your bedroom,” Hermione said through a yawn.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Since when did that become an issue?”

Hermione giggled as she laid her head on the pillow. Harry sat down, leaning over her as he kissed her forehead and then her lips.

“Harry,” she said as he pulled back. “Did I really break that girl’s wireless?”

“Nothing a Reparo can’t fix.” Harry replied. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Hermione replied, closing her eyes. Harry went down the stairs and made a beeline to the still smarting first year. “Can I fix that for you?” he asked.

“I guess,” she answered unenthusiastically. “I don’t know why SHE had to break it in the first place.”

“Give Hermione a break,” Harry said, waving his wand at the wireless. “She’s under a lot of stress at the moment.”

The first year shrugged as the pieces of her wireless flew back together. “Thanks for fixing it.”

“Good as new,” Harry winked at her, and then went over to their table.

“Is Hermione okay?” Ron asked in a low voice, leaning towards Harry so Lavender and Parvati wouldn’t listen in.

“She’s fine.” Harry answered, closing his girlfriend’s books, stacking them one on top of the other. “Just really stressed out.”

“She studies too much,” Ron helped him gather the rest of their things. “Can you get her out this weekend?”

“Already taken care of,” Harry replied. “I made Hermione promise not to study until Sunday.”

“And she agreed?” Ron asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Not right away,” Harry replied and they laughed. “I’m going to bed, see you tomorrow.”

“See you,” Ron waved as he went over to the fireplace to pull Ginny out of the chair she was still sharing with Dean.

Harry went up the stairs, trying to balance the enormous stack of books and parchment he was carrying. Opening his door with his head, he dropped his armload on the desk. Rubbing his shoulder, he approached the bed where Hermione still lay awake.

“Thanks for getting all my things,” she said softly as he got dressed in his pyjama trousers and slid into the bed beside her.

“Sure,” Harry said, pulling her close to him. “Feeling any better yet?”

“Sort of,” Hermione replied, wrapping her arm over his chest. “I’ll feel better once all the exams are finished.”

“Well,” Harry said, cuddling her. “What can I do right now to make you feel good?”

Hermione grinned. “You can kiss me.”

“I’d do that anyway,” Harry leaned down and covered her mouth with his.