Hermione's eyes went wide with surprise. Did Harry just say what she thought he said? She looked at the now motionless form of her best friend and quickly withdrew her finger from his back. It was a good thing she'd done so when she noticed her hand was trembling, though from shock or excitement she couldn't tell.
"Harry..." she whispered, still stunned by what she'd heard and with a silent gasp, she noticed that he began to stir at what she assumed to be a whisper. Without thinking, she quickly and quietly replaced the lid to his box then, carefully, slid back to her pillow and shut her eyes.
Harry looked around his room blearily, the dream he'd just had was frighteningly realistic. Though, for some odd reason, he felt that Hermione was there with him. Gingerly, he slid his glasses before his weary eyes and looked around. "Hermione?" he whispered tentatively to the darkness of his makeshift home. When he woke enough to realize that she couldn't have been in the room with him he chastised himself.
Harry stretched and let loose a silent yawn before folding himself under his warm covers once again, intent on returning to that dream he'd just been having. Several minutes of tossing and turning convinced him that his wishes wouldn't come true so with a sigh, Harry pulled himself from the bed and wrapped himself in a blanket.
Now fully awake, Harry trudged towards the enchanted pitcher that Hermione had created for him earlier that day. He smiled as the cool, clear liquid poured into his goblet and after downing the refreshing iced water, trudged towards his favorite chair. Something gave him pause, though, as he reached the midpoint of his path and he glanced at the door that led to Hermione's bed.
Changing his course, Harry smiled slightly when he looked in on the sleeping form of Hermione now, quite literally, the girl of his dreams. He watched her sleep for a few moments as the dream came crisp and clear to his mind.
"Harry!" Hermione squealed in delight as he chased after her on an unnamed beach. She was wearing a one-piece bathing suit that still caused his jaw to drop even though it revealed little more than her long legs and smooth back.
Harry laughed as he sought to fill his arms with the elusive girl in the golden bathing suit. Though far from a snitch, she was proving very difficult to catch. Just as his arms came close enough to encircle her, Hermione would laugh and duck from his embrace. Before he knew it, she was running in a completely different direction.
So it was for several minutes, Harry would reach out, Hermione would dodge, and both would smile, laughing joyously as they continued their dance about the white sands.
Something had happened just as Harry was almost able to catch her once again. A sudden pressure landed square in the middle of his back and, though soothing, forced him into the sand with a grunt. Hermione stopped running away from him and immediately turned towards the fallen Mr. Potter.
"Are you ok?" she asked softly, reaching out a hand to his back and softly rubbing her hand in broad, slow circles.
Harry smiled and without warning wrapped his arms around her waist before pulling Hermione down on top of him. She squeaked in surprise then playfully slapped his shaking chest as he laughed heartily.
"I caught you!" Harry laughed happily as she straddled him. "I didn't think you'd find me, Hermione..."
"I could never lose you, Harry," Hermione said with a gasp of breath. "No matter where you are, I'll always find you..."
"I was so afraid that you'd leave me behind..." he chuckled nervously as they inched together and their lips met. He marveled at how soft and moist the lips of his best friend were.
"I could never leave you behind, Harry," Hermione sighed happily as they broke apart. "I couldn't... because I love you, Harry."
"I know you do," he whispered lovingly. "I love you too, Hermione."
Harry crossed his arms as he felt the pink stain of his blush warm his cheeks. He gazed at her longingly, knowing full well that someone as wonderful as Hermione could never return his feelings. This realization caused his smile to falter and as if in answer to his unvoiced fear, Hermione rolled away from him. Not wishing to stare at the building-sized back of Hermione's head, Harry heaved a sigh and slowly closed his door. Within a few short seconds, he slumped into the plush confines of his original destination and fell asleep.
Hermione, however, was fighting to control her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't hold her face steady under his hypnotic gaze. Harry's eyes seemed to penetrate to the very center of her heart and the feelings she'd glimpsed on his tiny face were more than she could have wished for.
Harry loves me? The happy thought echoed in her head as soundly as if she'd squealed the realization in a cavernous chamber. She could feel the heat in her face as her heart seemed to increase its cadence behind her breast and she had to roll away from him before she revealed her secret.
Hermione's eyes were wide and glistening with unshed tears of joy, she'd always thought herself too plain for Harry to even consider. She was no Cho Chang or Fleur and even Ginny had become far more attractive than Hermione thought she could ever be.
Why would he? A nagging voice broke into her delirium of happiness. Why would Harry even think of bookish Hermione when he could have anyone he wanted? Hermione fought against her hidden demons, her doubts and misgivings, and found sanctuary in the words she'd just heard come from the very lips of Harry himself. Not only did his inadvertent declaration come to her rescue, but the sight of him kissing his pillow, which she assumed was her, cemented her resolve to fight those inner fiends of doubt.
Hermione's enhanced senses caught Harry's sigh and the closing door. Then, after a few more seconds, his deep, even breathing floated to her making it sound as if he was lying next to her in bed.
Slowly, Hermione turned back to the box, her heart still pounding fast enough to win a horse race had it been a thoroughbred. She blinked away the moisture in her eyes and resigned herself to a night of restlessness. Careful not to jostle the house she'd painstakingly created for Harry, Hermione slid out of bed to get ready for the day.
"Mum said she'll send the Quidditch game by Owl Post tomorrow!" Ron said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "We'll be able to train without a problem after that!"
"Ron, keep it down!" Harry hissed from the sanctity of Hermione's pocket. "Do you know how many people there are around here?"
Ron looked around and smiled sheepishly at Hermione. "Sorry, just excited..."
"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione said in mock irritation. "Please keep your mouth closed when you eat!"
Ron looked at her strangely for a moment and her kick to his shin helped him catch on. "Right, right..." he mumbled around a bite of sausage.
"Have you heard anything from Harry yet?" Ginny asked semi-forcefully as she took his vacant seat. Hermione and Ron looked at her incredulously for a moment.
"How many times do we have to tell you, Gin?!" Ron growled in irritation. "We don't know where he is!"
Ginny still looked unconvinced at Ron's Xeroxed answer. "I still don't believe you," she said with a suspicious glare at her brother. "There's something going on here and I'm going to find out!"
Before either of them could stop the fiery, young redhead, she stood and strode from the Great Hall seemingly hell bent on her destination. Hermione excused herself shortly afterwards and rushed to her first class of the day.
Harry, however, had taken the opportunity to snuggle as closely as he could to her without jumping down her blouse again. Within a few moments, his potions began to take effect and he dozed off as Professor Vector began the day's lecture.
"Ginny, we're just going out by the lake to talk, ok?!" Ron barked in an attempt to hold his younger sister at bay. "You can even see us from the tower, if we're not there in five minutes, then you can assume we're with Harry!"
Ron turned indignantly towards the portrait hole and stormed out of the common room with a huff. Ginny glared after him then turned her infuriated gaze upon Hermione. The older witch just shrugged and followed swiftly after her best friend, leaving Ginny alone in the common room.
"She's too bloody nosy!" Ron bellowed as he stalked across the grounds towards the lake. It was unseasonably warm this afternoon and several groups of students were enjoying the break in the rainstorms that had been wracking the area recently. The sun was shining merrily behind wisps of cotton-like clouds and the birds were singing in chorus from their treetop concert halls.
Ron stopped abruptly at the edge of the lake, stooping down to pick up a few pristine skipping stones. With all the grace of a raging gorilla, Ron hurtled the first stone over the surface of the water, admiring the thirteen or so hops the flattened projectile successfully attempted on its journey.
"She's smart, Ron," Hermione said calmly as she leaned against their tree. Harry, Hermione and Ron spent many a warm afternoon in this spot. The boys blathering on and on about Quidditch while Hermione pretended to read most of the time. Neither of her best friends had caught her shyly glancing up at Harry from behind the large books she'd bring with her. She couldn't help but secret her eyes in his direction, especially when a gust of wind would catch his clothes and tousle his hair even more than what it was normally.
"You're doing a good job of acting, though," Harry said with an unseen appreciative nod. "I didn't know you had it in you... you're usually useless when it comes to lying."
"Sod off, Harry," Ron grumbled, though the smile on his face belied any true anger he felt towards his best friend.
"Keep it down!" Hermione hissed as she looked around them quickly. "You can't just go spouting off his name like that!"
Ron grunted an apology of sorts and sent another disk-shaped stone dancing across the water. "You know, you're going to have to get over your dislike of Quidditch, Hermione," Ron said with a sigh as he pulled up a patch of grass next to the tree.
"What? Why?" Hermione asked, looking down at him with mild irritation on her face.
"The game needs two players," Ron explained as if he didn't hear her irritation at all. "Individual pieces can be charmed to move about independently, such as the seekers or the keepers, but only one piece per team. You can think of the game as a sort of non turn-based version of wizard's chess, only with the rules of Quidditch in force."
Hermione sighed and plopped onto the grass next to Ron. "Why didn't you tell me about the two player requirement earlier?"
"You would have fought tooth and nail to keep it back at the Burrow," Ron said with a shrug. "He needs to train, Hermione, and at his size, he can't. We can't lose to Slytherin next week!"
"I do need to train, Hermione," Harry said quietly, startling the two of them for a moment.
"You scared me!" Hermione said, resisting the urge to clap her hand over her heart. "I almost forgot that you were there!" Hermione didn't need to see or feel him to realize he'd just winced at her words. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry... I didn't mean it like that..."
"I know," Harry whispered.
"Mate, you were quiet, that's all," Ron chimed in at the look of hurt in Hermione's eyes. "You have to admit that having you live in her pocket is rather unusual..."
"HE'S WHAT?!" Ginny screeched from behind the two friends causing them to really jump.
"Ginny! Quiet DOWN!" Hermione hissed immediately. She looked around the area in panic and tugged the youngest Weasley to the ground in front of them.
"How long have you been there?!" Ron seethed, his face going rather red as he glared at his sister. "What did you hear?!"
"I heard enough!" Ginny whispered harshly back. "Now what's this about Harry living in your pocket?" she asked with a glare at Hermione.
"A... a pet..." Hermione mumbled as her face blushed to a deep pink.
"Come off it, Hermione," Ginny said coolly. "I know you were talking about Harry!" she whispered conspiratorially afterwards. Her eyes went wide as the idea sunk in. "How is Harry living in your pocket?" she asked in a barely audible whisper.
"Ron, give her your extendable ear," Harry said with a resigned sigh. "She's obviously not going to leave the two of you alone now..."
Ron grudgingly pulled the modified prank device from his ear and handed it to Ginny. "Put this in your ear, Gin," he said gruffly. Ginny looked at him warily but did as he commanded.
"H-Harry?" she asked tentatively.
"Hi, Ginny," Harry said with a sigh. "Sorry we've been keeping this from you, but not even Ron knew about my condition until very recently..."
"Y-your condition?" she asked, taken aback. "What's wrong?! Are you going to be alright?" Ginny asked in a panic, she calmed immediately when Hermione placed a soothing hand on her arm.
"Look at Hermione's left-breast pocket," Harry said as he waved to the shocked girl.
"You've shrunk?" she asked wide-eyed. "But how did this happen?"
"I botched a potion-"
"Hermione did not cause this," Harry said determinedly. "I caught a rare strain of the flu," Harry explained before Hermione could stop him. "The Lilliputian Flu to be exact."
"Harry-"
"You didn't cause this, Hermione!" Harry said with a frustrated sigh. "Please stop blaming yourself for this..."
"Why are you living in Hermione's pocket?" Ginny cut in before the two of them could continue their argument.
"I promised to look after him," Hermione said as a blush crept to her face.
"Yeah, she made a dollhouse for him and everything," Ron said sarcastically, looking away from the two witches.
"Ron!" Hermione rebuffed in irritation. "I thought we put that behind us?!"
"We did," Ron said with a sigh, "but that doesn't mean I have to like it..."
Hermione hid her face in her hands as she let out a sigh.
"Ignore him, Hermione," Harry said with a sigh of his own. "I guess he still can't get over me staying in your room..."
"You're WHAT?!" Ginny hissed suddenly, her face also going red.
"I have to keep an eye on him..." Hermione explained quietly. "He could die from exposure if he didn't have someplace warm to stay," she said before clearing her throat. "Its very dangerous for him to wander around without someone to look after him... Crookshanks almost..."
"He didn't, Hermione," Harry said quietly.
"What happened?" Ginny and Ron asked as one.
Hermione glanced up at Ron, realizing he didn't know about Crookshanks' attack on Harry. She sighed miserably as her vision became cloudy. "C-Crookshanks scratched him badly. I was in the loo and when I came back, I found his shirt in Crookshanks' mouth... I thought he'd eaten him..."
"Hermione, it's ok..." Harry cooed quietly, cursing silently that he couldn't hold her at the moment. "You got me to Madam Pomfrey with plenty of time to spare..."
"That's horrible," Ginny gasped quietly.
Ron glared at Hermione, the tips of his ears matching the rest of his face. "Do you see why I should have been watching him?" he growled. "Besides, it's improper for you to keep him in your bed!"
"It's the rules, Ron!" Hermione hissed back. "He has to be behind my curtains whenever he's in the room and I can't watch him directly!"
"RON! CALM DOWN!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs. Hermione and Ginny both covered their ears as his voice boomed magically into their skulls. Ron turned his glare on the boy who just squeaked at him. "Sorry," Harry said apologetically after he'd realized what he'd done.
"Warn us next time!" Ginny hissed as she stuck her finger into her ear, trying to clear up her hearing.
Ron took the extendable ear and put it back into his own. "Mate, come on..." Ron said pleadingly. "It's not proper for you to be staying in her bed..."
"Ron," Harry said softly. "I'm not sleeping in her bed... I'm sleeping in my own bed with walls that block me from even seeing Hermione."
"But, Harry-" Ron said quietly.
"No buts about it, Ron," Hermione cut him off as she pressed a hand to her throbbing head. "Madam Pomfrey, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall all know where Harry is and they're the ones who set the rules..."
"Ron, think about it..." Harry said with a sigh. "Can I possibly do anything there? The only time I see Hermione is when she looks in on me..." he smirked to himself and let out a slight chuckle. "Besides, it's not like I can snog her or anything at this size... it'd be like trying to kiss Hogwarts' gates!"
Despite the seriousness of Ron's demeanor, the last comment caught him off guard and he snorted a laugh. Hermione found it rather infections as did Ginny and soon the four of them were laughing rather hard.
"I never thought about it that way," Ron said after he'd calmed down a bit.
"What did he say?" Ginny asked, realizing that she'd fallen into laughter with the other three without a clue as to why the tension had changed so rapidly. Hermione whispered what was said into her ear and the laughter began anew.
After retrieving Ron's listening device, Ginny smiled once again. "So, this is why you were skipping meals and spending all your free time in your room..."
"Not all my free time," Hermione said with a grin. "Someone has to tutor your brother so he can pass his exams..."
Ron shrugged as if Hermione's statement summed up everything his life revolved around, besides, as everyone knew, Quidditch.
"Do you know how long you'll be stuck like this?"
"About another week and a half," Hermione said, covering up the happiness those words brought to her.
"What about the next match!? How will he train?" Ginny asked suddenly. "I mean, he's too small to try out in the wind and everything..."
"I've got that covered," Ron said with a smile. "Remember that old Quidditch game that Bill gave me when he left home that first time?"
Ginny nodded as she realized the implications. "He could play seeker in that instead..." she said with an impish grin. "I call him on my team!" she blurted quickly to the astonished look on Ron's face.
"No bloody way!" Ron barked.
"Ron, think about it," Hermione said with a grin of her own. "If you're running the other team, and he's one of your players, do you think Ginny could keep him fully on his toes? You're the captain; you could easily set up the plays..."
"Though I don't need him on my team," Ginny said with a smirk at Harry, "I'd still like to focus on the other players... I'm tired of being seeker..."
There was suddenly a low growl coming from Ron that caused the other three to glance at him quickly.
"Sorry, it's about time for tea, isn't it?" Ron said with a grin as everyone got to their feet.
"I'll see you two later," Hermione said with a wave. "Dobby is bringing dinner by and I don't want it to get cold!" Without looking back, she hurried off towards the castle, the two Weasleys not far behind.
"Hermione, is there anything wrong?" Harry asked from his small table where a golden platter filled with roast and mash was quickly being reduced to just the platter.
"No, nothing's wrong... why do you ask?" Hermione replied from just outside, working on her meal as well.
"You've been rather quiet today... anything happen?"
Hermione shook her head, though he couldn't see the motion. "Nothing's happened," she lied. Hermione was thankful that Harry couldn't see her at the moment because one look in her eyes would have told him everything.
"Oh, ok," Harry said quietly as his evening medicine floated down to him. "I think I'm going to get ready for bed."
Hermione waited a few minutes before looking in on him, she'd wanted to catch him in his boxers again, but the nagging guilt in the back of her head kept her from indulging herself.
"Harry," she whispered softly as she moved his box to her bed. "Remember the other day... when... when we were talking about who you fancied?"
"I do," Harry said quietly, fighting to keep his heart from racing. "Why do you want to rehash that?"
"I-I just wanted to know..." Hermione began with a shaky voice. "Do I know her?"
"Hermione-"
"Well, can you tell me what she looks like? Will you tell me anything at all?" Hermione persisted.
Harry sighed in defeat. "You really want to know?" he asked quietly and looked up at Hermione's gigantic face as she looked in on him. She nodded and he glanced away. "Well, she's beautiful, caring, and has a wonderful sense of humor," Harry said, missing the hurt look in her face. "She's got the most wonderful eyes and I can't get enough of the smell of her hair..."
"That's nice, Harry," Hermione almost choked out but was able to keep her smile. "Keep talking, I'm just going to lie down..."
Harry sighed and shook his head. Was he imagining the hurt look in her eyes? Those same deep brown pools that radiated such warmth? Harry climbed out of bed and went to his door after grabbing his enchanted hat. It never failed to amuse him that Hermione always had his entrance facing her, but when he opened it, he noted that she wasn't facing him.
"Hermione-"
"You shouldn't be opening your door," she said quietly. "What if Crookshanks finds you? What then?" Hermione tried to make the wiping of her eyes look like she was stretching but Harry would have none of it.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked tentatively. "Please look at me..."
She hesitated for a moment but did what she was told.
"Why are you crying?" he asked softly, leaving the safe confines of his house and walking over to her pillow. Harry climbed up the soft surface so that he was directly in front of her face.
"It doesn't matter," she said softly then sniffed.
"It does to me," Harry said quietly. "I hate to see you upset, Hermione..." he cooed softly as he tried to wipe the Quaffle sized tear from her enormous cheek.
"Who is this girl you fancy," she asked bluntly.
Harry sighed and hung his head. "I can't tell you," he admitted with a whisper.
"Why not?" Hermione asked with minor irritation.
"Hermione," Harry said softly, "I can't tell you because I don't want to ruin our friendship..." Unable to handle her gaze, he turned to go back to his house but a large, hand-shaped wall blocked his path.
"Nothing could ruin our friendship, Harry," Hermione said in barely a breath.
"It would if you didn't fancy me back," Harry said with equal clarity.
"How could it be me?" Hermione asked, taken aback. "You said she was beautiful!"
Harry turned around and looked at her as if she'd gone mad. "You are beautiful, Hermione," he said incredulously. "Just look at yourself!"
"I do every day," she said quietly. "I see frizzy hair, plain brown eyes, and a freckled lump of a girl... How can you think that I'm beautiful?"
Harry looked into her eyes and saw the self doubt swimming there freely. He smiled softly, reassuringly at her and wished again that he was his proper size so he could kiss her. "Yes, you have bushy hair," he conceded. "But that doesn't mean you're not beautiful... Your eyes are anything but plain, Hermione. I could get lost in them easily and I have. They're deep, dark, and when the light hits them just right, they shine like pools of chocolate." Harry walked slowly towards her and reached out a diminutive hand to caress her cheek. "And I've always adored your freckles," he said with slight laugh. "There's nothing about you that is plain in any way... Your heart is so full of love, ambition, compassion, and excitement. You've grown into a pretty woman but it's everything you're made of that I find beautiful."
Harry stepped back as a rather large tear dropped by his feet, soaking the surface he was standing on. He looked up to see her frustration and sighed.
"Why do you have to be so small now?" Hermione asked in irritation.
"So, I guess you're ok that I like you more than just best friends?" Harry asked with a slightly curious smile.
"Of course I do, you daft git!" Hermione said in a cross between a laugh and a sputter. "How can I hug you when you're tiny?!"
"I guess we'll have to wait, won't we?" Harry said with a sigh but the wide smile on his face told her everything she needed to know. "I wish I weren't this small either," he admitted as he kissed her gently on the cheek, which he was sure she couldn't even feel. "But things happen for a reason I guess..."
"Oh, don't pull any of that divination bullocks on me!" Hermione said with a snort of laughter. "'Open your inner eye', really..."
Harry laughed as well then smiled brightly up at the twinkling eyes of Hermione. "If I want to get better, I should get to bed, shouldn't I?" he asked roguishly.
Hermione's cheeks took on a slightly pink tinge as she nodded. "Goodnight, Harry..."
"Goodnight, Hermione," he said quietly from his door.
It took the both of them quite some time to do so, but they eventually fell asleep with smiles on their faces.