Chapter Eleven
They went through a whole roll of film just decorating the Christmas Tree, and by the time they had finished making shortbread biscuits in all different shapes the next afternoon, another roll was gone, filled with photographs of them all completely covered in flour (Tonks more so than anyone else) and a few incriminating photographs showing Harry and Hermione sneakily eating mixture out of the bowl in a corner of the kitchen and laughing with each other.
As Hermione climbed into bed on Christmas Eve she grinned to herself as she remembered the look on Harry's face as they'd watched 'White Christmas' that evening. He had been enthralled; his eyes wide as they watched the classic musical, he was enjoying Christmas like a child should and the sparkle in his eyes when he'd turn to smile at her had made her stomach flutter uncontrollably. She sighed and hugged her blanket close to her as she drifted off to sleep, anticipating Christmas morning more than she had in years.
She awoke to the sound of an anguished cry of pain that cut straight through her. She leapt out of bed and ran into the hallway not needing to search out the source of the cry, knowing instantly that the sound came from Harry, and he was obviously having another nightmare. She threw open the door to the room next to her own and rushed over to him.
"Harry!"
"Harry! Wake up. It's another nightmare." She shook his shoulders and he awoke with a start, sitting up, and throwing his arms around her tightly, burying his head on her shoulder. Hermione turned as she heard hurried footsteps and saw Remus, Tonks and her parents rushing to the doorway, she mouthed to Remus that Harry had had a nightmare. Remus looked extremely shocked but nodded silently, half closing the door.
"Harry." Hermione said softly again, as she gently ran a hand through his unruly hair. He leant back and she looked into his tear stained face. His eyes were bloodshot and seemed to be staring at her very intently.
"Which dream was it?" She asked tentatively.
"My Mum…and then you…" He said with a slight crack in his voice. He sat back on his bed, his back resting against the wall, his head tipped back towards the ceiling. Hermione climbed up and sat next to him, mirroring his seating position.
They sat in silence for several minutes before Hermione shivered involuntarily. She stood to go and collect her blanket from her room. Harry moved quickly and gently grabbed her wrist.
"Don't go." He asked hoarsely. Hermione gently removed his hand and intertwined their fingers.
"I'm just going to get my blanket as it's a bit cold. I'll sleep in here tonight." She reassured him softly. Harry nodded gratefully and Hermione turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.
"Hermione?" Remus asked softly making her jump. She turned and saw that Remus, Tonks and her parents were standing talking in hushed voices towards the end of the hallway. She walked over to them and smiling sadly took her mothers hand.
"That was one of Harry's nightmares?" Remus asked a little shakily.
Hermione nodded, looking back at the closed door down the hallway.
"He must have forgotten to put the charms around his room tonight." She said softly.
"He has nightmares often?" Her Mum asked concerned.
"Usually two a night, sometimes more." Hermione said simply.
"He's seen so many horrors for someone so young." Remus said sadly. Tonks placed an arm around his shoulders comfortingly.
"It's been worse since a few months ago. He doesn't just relive his parents, Cedric and Sirius anymore…he imagines that Voldemort has the rest of us…"
"That poor boy" Mrs. Granger said sadly.
"He handles it so well, you'd never know from how he is during the day." Mr. Granger observed.
"I promised I'd stay with him tonight. I'm just going to grab some blankets from my room." Hermione told them. Her mother nodded to her that it was ok and Hermione turned to leave, but she looked over her shoulder with a troubled look on her face.
"You wont say anything to him tomorrow? He doesn't even talk to Ron about this." She asked anxiously.
"Don't worry Hermione, he wont know we we're up." Tonks said and as the others nodded, Hermione rushed to get back to Harry.
Harry wasn't sitting on his bed when Hermione returned; he was pulling a parcel from his school trunk under the bed.
"Hey." Hermione said softly. Harry turned to look at her with a smile.
"What are you up to?" She asked curiously as Harry placed the parcel on his bed and kicked the trunk back into place.
"I thought you might like part of your Christmas present a bit early." Harry said with a half smile.
Hermione grinned and wrapping her blanket around her she sat down cross-legged on his bed with a big grin.
"There's more than one part of my present? " She laughed. "What is it?" She asked.
Now Harry laughed softly, and sat next to her.
"You'll have to open it to find out, but I'd better explain it first." Hermione looked at him curiously, wondering why the present would need an explanation.
Harry appeared a little nervous, and he was shifting the parcel back between his hands as he looked at her.
"I haven't been completely honest with you about what I found out about our situation."
Hermione looked at him with concern, not quite knowing what her was referring to.
"Lupin explained to me why we can hear each others thoughts…I wasn't sure how to tell you though…I've been a bit stupid about it really…I just needed to work up the courage to tell you."
Hermione now looked at him worriedly and placed a hand on his arm.
"Oh no…it's nothing bad" He reassured her.
"The present will explain things in the detail I'm sure you'll want, but hearing thoughts is a family trait…all the men in the Potter family have the same magical gift." Harry said passing the package to her.
Harry watched Hermione intently as she unwrapped the parcel to find an elaborately decorated leather bound book, embossed with the words 'Potter Family History'. She ran a hand over the script lightly and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.
^Turn to the bookmark.^ He told her silently with a grin, shifting to sit closer to her, looking over her shoulder as she flipped through the book.
The script of the book was handwritten in elegant calligraphy, though the script changed throughout the book as the author changed through the generations. Harry's great-grandmother had been the author of the passage regarding the sharing of thoughts and Harry's gaze moved from the passage he now knew by heart, to watching Hermione's face as her eyes moved across the page.
Her eyes widened gradually as she took in the words, her eyes then flicked to the top of the passage again and read more slowly, sneaking glances out of the corner of her eye at Harry as she did so. As she began reading the passage for the third time Harry gently laid his hand over the words and closed the book on her lap.
"I think you know what it says now 'Mione."
She slowly raised her head up and after what seemed like hours but in reality was only seconds, her eyes finally met his.
Harry watched her closely and he took in the disbelief, the confusion and the tiredness in her eye, but there was something else there which he wasn't too confident about analysing right then, but was it hope?
Hermione was still not saying anything and Harry suddenly realised with a start that she must be waiting for the rest of the explanation.
"Remus didn't tell me why I could hear your thoughts until I guessed correctly…until I admitted out loud how I felt…how I felt about you that is." Harry said less nervously, though the room was suddenly uncomfortably hot and he felt his palms grow rather clammy. He anxiously brushed his hair away from his hot forehead and looking at Hermione again realised she was waiting for still more explanation. He'd really hoped that that would have been enough, but he knew she deserved to hear it for herself, he suddenly felt the sorting hat had made an incredible mistake placing him in Gryffindor and he mentally told himself to get a grip and just tell her. He saw Hermione cover a grin and realised that in all his worry, he must be accidentally sharing his thoughts with her. She blushed as she heard him make the realisation, but then giggled.
"Come on Potter, out with it." She giggled nervously.
"You're enjoying this a little too much." He said teasingly.
"You like seeing me all confused and nervous."
Hermione laughed, but looked at him affectionately.
"I love you Hermione." He grinned now that the words were said out loud for the first time. Hermione looked shocked that he'd spoken for a moment but then she smiled shyly.
"I've loved you for quite a while now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. It don't know how you feel about me, but I just love being near you, so as long as you don't run off I think everything will…" Harry was interrupted by Hermione leaning over and very gently kissing him.
"…work itself out…" Harry finished with a grin.
"I love you too Harry."
"Really?" He asked incredulously.
"You're not just being nice?" He asked with teasing puppy eyes. She poked him in the arm.
"Now you're just fishing for compliments Mr. Potter." She laughed lightly, then looked at him seriously.
"I DO love you Harry. I've loved you for a long time, and I'm sorry I never said anything either."
They sat looking at each other until Hermione giggled again and shifted closer to him to hug him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his stomach. Harry kissed the end of her nose tenderly, and as she smiled up at him he took a chance and kissed her lightly on the lips. A kiss that soon deepened and left them both grinning like the Cheshire cat.
^Happy Christmas by the way.^ He spoke silently, as Hermione lay curled up next to him, her body fitting perfectly into the crook of his shoulder.
^Happy Christmas Harry^ Hermione replied sleepily.
Harry watched her sleep. His best friend, his girlfriend now he supposed, surprised that it didn't sound too strange to refer to Hermione that way, he grinned again to himself, absentmindedly wondering when they would tell everyone they were dating now. To many people close to them it wouldn't be too much of a surprise he guessed, but he'd have to discuss with Hermione how to tell them. As much as he wanted everyone to know just how much he loved his girlfriend, after his earlier nightmare he was aware how their relationship being common knowledge had the potential to place Hermione's life in even more danger than it was in already.
Harry was now very aware that Hermione's parents were sleeping in the same house, and while he knew nothing inappropriate was going on in his bed, he wasn't sure they'd feel the same way once they found out he was dating their only daughter so he reluctantly removed his arms from around Hermione and settled onto the cold empty bed Ron usually slept in. Having transfigured a blanket he managed to remove from under Hermione into a sleeping bag he drifted off to sleep.