Chapter Seven
Late that night Harry headed up to the boy's dormitory, placed his books by his bed, and lay back on his bed only to see a familiar book by his bed. He sighed, realising he must have picked up by mistake. He stood again, grabbing the book, and moving quietly so he wouldn't wake the others in the dormitory Harry made his way out of the room and down the staircase to the now deserted Common Room. Whispering the password he headed into Hermione's study.
^Mione you still awake? Just bringing your Arithmancy book back^
Hermione appeared in the doorway of her bedroom dressed in her pyjamas.
"You have my Arithmancy book?" She asked curiously.
"It was in with a stack of my books, I must have picked it up by accident, and I know you like to get up early and read through your books before class."
Hermione looked at him with a grin, so this was Ginny and Lavender's plan? She'd expected something a little more imaginative from those two, but She guessed they'd succeeded in their obvious objective to get Harry and her to spend more time alone together.
"Thanks Harry." She walked over and took the book from him, sinking onto the sofa in her study. Harry took a seat next to her and tipped his head back so it rested on the back of the sofa, his left arm resting along the back of the chair behind Hermione.
"You ok?" She asked him concerned.
"Just tired I think." Harry said sleepily. Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder and curled up next to him.
"Me too. You can sleep on the sofa if you want." She said with a yawn.
"Thanks Mione." Harry said, his eyes now closed. Hermione stood and retrieved a blanket from her room, placing it over Harry. She leant forward and kissed the top of his head. Harry smiled sleepily and stretched out on the sofa.
"Night Mione."
"Night Harry." She whispered, watching him for a moment with a smile before heading back to her bedroom and turning out the lights.
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Hermione woke up with a start. There was the sound of someone crying out in pain. She leapt out of bed, suddenly remembering that Harry was sleeping in the study. Grabbing her wand she rushed into the other room, pausing in distress when she saw Harry was asleep, and obviously having a nightmare. He was writhing around on the sofa, his face drenched with sweat as he cried out.
Kneeling down next to the sofa she grabbed hold of his hands firmly.
"Harry! Harry wake up."
His eyes flew open, and darted back and forth anxiously before focusing on her. Hot tears were streaming down his face, and Hermione realised she only ever seen him cry once in all the years she'd known him. She held out her arms and Harry sat up wrapping his arms around her tightly as if he'd never let her go.
"It's ok." She said softly, holding him tight, his head buried in her shoulder. She rubbed his back gently as she remembered her Mother doing for her when she'd had nightmares as a child. After a few minutes Harry's breathing relaxed, and he lifted his head to look at her. The look in his eyes made her heart stop for a moment. His eyes were filled with pain and anguish, bloodshot with tears. She brushed his hair away from his forehead gently, and stood, taking a seat next to him on the sofa. Harry immediately hugged her to him again, and she felt unshed tears well up in her own eyes.
They sat in silence for several minutes until Harry shivered involuntarily. Hermione picked up the blanket from the floor where Harry must have kicked it and wrapped it around the two of them.
"Harry, how often do you have nightmares?"
Harry was silent for a moment, but then looked at her, his eyes telling her all she needed to know.
"Why didn't you say something? You could be taking potions to give you dreamless sleep." She said softly.
"I spoke with Dumbledore when they started, after Fifth year, but dreamless sleep potion would make it easier for Voldemort to get at my thoughts…I can't properly practice occlumency with it." Harry said quietly.
"You dream about…Sirius?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
Harry nodded.
"Is that the only dream?"
Harry shook his head no. Hermione tightened her arms around him, wondering how she hadn't noticed this before. Why hadn't Ron noticed? Then she realised Harry must place silencing charms on the curtains around his bed so he wouldn't disturb the others in his dormitory.
"Sometimes…sometimes I see my parents, like I do when I'm around Dementors…and I see Cedric…and other things from the Department of Mysteries…" Harry said so quietly Hermione had to strain to hear him.
"What was it tonight?" She asked.
He said nothing for several minutes.
"Hermione…does your stomach still hurt you?" He asked quietly. She looked at him in confusion for a moment, before she realised what he was telling, and asking her.
"No Harry. It hasn't hurt me for a long time. Have you been worrying about me?" She asked him, hugging him as she did so.
Harry looked at her like he didn't believe her. Hermione moved away from him slightly and lifted her pyjama top to show him a thin scar that stretched from her belly button across the left side of her stomach.
"See, it's completely healed, and the scar is beginning to fade…" She told him.
Harry nodded and hugged her again.
"I see you fall as the curse hits you."
"Oh Harry. There's nothing you could have done. And I'm fine now…it was a long time ago…"
"I know, but the dreams are so real…it's like I'm living it all over again." Harry said with a sigh.
"Does Dumbledore know you're still having these nightmares?" She asked him.
She took Harry's silence as a No and sighed.
"Harry if he knew you were still having these nightmares he might have suggested a different potion that won't effect your Occlumency. Promise me you'll talk to him about this?"
"Ok." Harry said, yawning and stretching back out on the sofa. Hermione still lay curled up next to him, his hand holding hers.
Ron knew Harry hadn't returned to the dormitory the night before, but covered for his best friend, saying Harry had just got up early. He headed down to the Common Room early, and entered Hermione's study well before the rest of the house were up and stopped with a grin as he saw his two best friends curled up fast asleep on the sofa, arms around one another. He guessed Harry had had another of his nightmares. Ron never mentioned that he knew about the nightmares, but one night Harry had forgotten the silencing charm and Ron had awoken to Harry's cries. He'd silently gotten up and placed the charm on the curtains himself, quietly worrying about his friend, but knowing how private Harry was about these things. Ron was relieved that Hermione now knew about the nightmares though as Harry was more likely to open up to her, and hopefully get some help. He turned and exited the study, going back to the dormitory to grab some of Harry's things for him. Ron quietly placed Harry's clothes, bag and books on the table in Hermione's study and turned to head back to the Common Room when he heard Hermione's voice.
"Thanks Ron."
He turned around as Hermione stood up from the sofa and walked over to him.
"I figured he'd be down here." Hermione nodded.
"You knew about the nightmares?" she asked softly. Ron nodded.
"Why didn't you say anything…actually I know why, and I'm sure Harry appreciates it. He needed to tell me himself." She smiled at Ron and hugged him briefly.
"Meet you at breakfast?" She asked and he nodded. Hermione paused to look at Harry sleeping peacefully and headed to her bathroom to take a shower. Once dressed and ready for the day, she picked up her books and returned to the study to wake Harry up. He looked around confused for a moment, but smiled at her as she handed him the things Ron had brought downstairs for him.
"Thanks Mione."
She smiled as he headed for her bathroom, knowing he was thanking her for more than just handing him a pile of clothes. She settled into her favourite armchair and read through the next chapter of her Arithmancy textbook in preparation for her class.