Unofficial Portkey Archive

"Why are we in a cupboard?"

"I don't get why he couldn't look for it himself!" Harry grumbled walking into the crowded chamber that was tucked away at the back of the library.

"Well I suspect he's a very busy man. If you have somewhere else to be Harry, then just go." Hermione complained.

Harry sighed looking around the dusty tomes, in all honesty he had no where he particularly needed to be and he didn't really want to leave Hermione to look for the book on her own.

"What's it called again?" he asked.

"Venturing Between the Pasts" she replied putting her wand down and flipping through books.

Harry and Hermione had been sent by Dumbledore to look for a tome he wished to have for research purposes, they had been told to look for it within a chamber located at the back of the Library. Hermione had thought that it was strange as she had never noticed an opening for this particular room before and she spent most of her free time dwelling in the library.

"Any sign of it?" she asked him getting a little disgruntled, they had been searching for a quite along time and they couldn't locate it within the mass of books that littered the room.

"Nope." Harry said, boredom evident in his voice "Did you check that bookcase?" he asked pointing over to a tall case in the corner of the room.

Hermione shook her head, walking over to the case pulling books from it checking the titles; these books had no references on the spine and as a result they had to pull each out in turn. Hermione reached up for the last book on the middle row and pulled it, only it didn't come off the shelf, instead it caused the case to jump away from the wall and shift to the side, revealing a door. Harry looked at Hermione sceptically and slowly reached for the door handle before peaking inside, it was a very small room, the size of a small storeroom, the walls were covered in books all packed neatly together. Harry groaned at the thought of having to check all of the books. Hermione walked in the room with a glance at Harry and he followed right behind her there wasn't much space at all, just enough for them to turn around in and that was about it.

"Here it is!!" Hermione said excitedly grabbing the book off the shelf "Now lets get out of here." she said turning around back to the door to find Harry stood pushing all his weight against it in bursts of energy.

"What in the world are you doing?" Hermione asked condescendingly. Harry rounded on her with raised eye brows and a frown.

"It's bloody stuck." he said heatedly.

"What? Move let me try."

"Fine." Harry moved to the side as much as he could to make room. Hermione tried the handle but it wouldn't work. "See? I told you, it's stuck. Use your wand I left mine in the tower." Harry said taking his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Hermione reached in her pocket for her wand only to find it wasn't there. Her face drained as she realised she had left it on the table in the other room.

"It's out there." she said dejectedly.

"Oh, well, this is just bloody perfect." Harry said running a hand through his hair.

Hermione leaned back against the books pushing her head back, her arms crossed over her chest.

"We'll just have to wait I guess, Dumbledore will come and look for us when we don't get back. What time is it?" she asked.

"Eight twenty five." Harry spoke before cradling the back of his neck with his hands, letting out a large yawn. He took off his cloak and placed it on the ground sitting down. He looked up at Hermione who sat down next to him, not really enough room to sit anywhere else. He rested his head back and turned to the side to look at her.

"Hi." he said like hadn't been with her this whole time.

"Hello." she replied smiling.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay thank you? And you?" she said, still smiling.

"You know, same old same old, coming up with master plans to rid the work of an Evil Overlord." he said as if this was nothing.

Hermione sighed; the last thing she wanted was to be locked in a room with a miserable Harry talking about nothing but the war.

"Can we not?" she said.

"Can we not, what?"

"Talk about the war - let's not make this worse than it already is."

Harry nodded slightly before straightening his head back up looking at the door. They sat in silence for a while, no noise except their breathing.

"Eye-spy with my little eyes something beginning with B." Hermione laughed at him leaning to the side resting her head on his shoulder.

"Book?"

"You really are smart Hermione, however did you guess?" he said roguishly pulling his arm up and resting it around her shoulders, his head leaning against hers.

The seconds turned into minutes and the minutes into hours. Neither could sleep as it was cold and they were uncomfortable.

"What's my favourite colour?" Hermione asked Harry after a lengthy silence.

"Blue."

"Wrong."

"Well it used to be Blue." he said in his defence. "What is it now?"

"Green." she stated.

"Why?"

"I dunno." Harry rolled his eyes.

"What's mine?"

"Blue."

"Damn it!" Hermione smiled, she knew practically everything there was to know about Harry. There was another long silence. "Hermione, what was your childhood like?"

Hermione looked over to Harry tenderly; she could just make out his expression in the dim light, she knew that this was a sensitive subject with Harry.

"It was good, normal I guess. It was happy, I've lived in the same house all my life and it's a comforting place for me."

"Do you miss your parents when you're at school?" he asked. She lowered her head before raising it again to look at him.

"Yeah I guess I do." Harry slowly reached for Hermione's hand and entwined their fingers gently. "What's with all the questions" she breathed.

"Wanted to ask you something I've never asked before." he replied shortly.

"Boxers or briefs?" Harry laughed against Hermione's head as he pulled her in for a hug. "What is your ultimate dream in life Harry?" Hermione asked seriously.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times debating whether or not to argue about just wanted to last through the war, but he had agreed not to talk about it and he wasn't that insecure about telling Hermione anyway. After a long pause he answered.

"To be loved and to love in return." Hermione's eyes winded, she hadn't expected something so deep. She had assumed his answer would include something to do with Quidditch. "I want to grow up happily, having a family to love as much as I can." Hermione couldn't find anything to say so instead she tightened her grip on his fingers between hers and pushed against him tightly, she was more than happy when he wrapped his arms around her enveloping her completely.

"Why the hell are we in a cupboard?" he joked against her, making her shake silently with laughter. He could feel her smile up against the skin of his neck sending chills down his spine.

"Just because."

"Fair enough."

Another long-lasting silence.

"What your biggest fear Harry?"

"Hey, it's my question Hermione." he said quickly.

"No it's not you asked why we were in a cupboard."

"That so doesn't count!"

"Yeah it does now answer the question." He sighed slightly in defeat.

"Honestly? I mean do you really want to know?"

"Yes" she looked at him fearfully.

"Clowns!! Can't stand them! No seriously" he added when Hermione tutted "Why anyone would think a man wearing scary arse make-up would entertain anyone is beyond me." Hermione laughed softly, daft Harry made her smile.

"How about you? What's your biggest fear?"

"Losing you." Hermione answered without delay obviously not having to think about the answer. Harry sat up off the book shelf with a start; he looked into her eyes intensely, gripping her arms delicately.

"You won't." he answered solemnly continuing to gaze into her deep brown eyes "Ever! You'll always have me Hermione. Always. Even if I'm not physically around you won't lose me, I'll always be right by your side." He raised a hand up to her cheek caressing it gently before collapsing into her for a hug. Hermione's revelation had startled him and more than anything it scared him, he didn't ever want to lose Hermione. So he just sat there holding her, not letting her go.

***

Albus Dumbledore entered the chamber in the library the next morning looking around the room expectantly, he noticed that a certain bookshelf stood away from the wall in the corner revealing a door; his eyes twinkled ever more brightly under his half-moon spectacles. He reached the door and tapped it gently with his wand.

"Alohamora" he gently pulled the door open to find Hermione Granger fast asleep in an equally slumber Harry Potter's arms.

***

"Hermione, wake up, it's eight o'clock. Hermione come on." Harry softly tried to rouse her. She got up wiping sleep from her eyes.

"The doors open." she said sleepily noticing how it stood ajar.

"I know." Harry replied with a smile "Come on." He said taking her hand "Lets get some breakfast."

Hermione picked up her wand from the table as they made their way out. Harry smiled broadly as he noticed a single lemon drop sweet wrapper lying on the table next to where Hermione's wand had been. Crazy loon.

_____________________________________________________________________

Response to a challenge by Nelli08:

1. Harry and Hermione spend the night in a broom closet together.
2. How they got there is your call.
3. They start to talk and one or the other realizes that they don't talk about much of anything besides the war.
4. Harry and Hermione try to find anything to talk about that has nothing to do with Voldemort or school work.
5. What they end up talking about is your choice.
6. Dumbledore must find them asleep the next morning and leave them there, but unlocks the door and leaves a lemon drop by Harry's ear.
7. Both must find out something about the other no one knows.

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