A/N: This is a gentle rewrite of the short Chapter 3 I posted previously…it is still brought forward from Chapter 2. When I originally wrote it I was trying to find a way to bring the moments with Harry and Hermione together and it just wasn't clicking for me. Now I've done it and I think I like it much better this way.
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~Interlude~
He sat in his usual seat and watched her while he ate. Always so beautiful; he grabbed her hand and tried one more time, "Please Hermione, can you hear me? I need you. I need you to come back to me. I love you." Nothing. Still no response. He pulled himself together and moved his chair a little closer to her bed.
"Harry?" Hermione mumbled softly in her sleep. "Harry, I can hear you. Where are you?" Why isn't he answering?
Harry picked up the book and ran his hand lovingly over its cover. He smiled gently as he closed his eyes and tried to picture Hermione finding solace in the book that lay before him.
As if drawn by some invisible force she turned and saw him there. He was sitting so close that if she reached out she could touch him. His eyes were closed and a soft, bittersweet smile pulled at his lips. He was gently caressing a book. She could see only the back cover but it seemed somehow familiar to her.
She watched him for a moment. He projected such sadness that she longed to offer him comfort like she had so many times before. She briefly wondered as to the cause of his pain as she reached out to let him know she was there if or when he needed her. "I'm here Harry." She said softly as she reached for his cheek to brush away a stray tear. She felt only air.
`Hermione.' He said aloud as he felt the gentlest of touches brush against his cheek. His heart filled with hope as he moved his hand to where he'd felt it…disappointed to find nothing but a single tear. `Wishful thinking Harry.' He said softly to himself as he wiped it away.
His image began to fade away. Before it could disappear completely she saw him place his hand against his cheek…as if he had felt her touch. She watched him wipe away his own tear.
The realization that he was merely a mirage surprised her and her eyes shot open. The sudden exposure to the light caused dark spots to dance in front of her, making it difficult for her to focus. She looked around as best she could and found that she was alone. But he was here; I know he was, she thought, wondering now if her mind had been playing tricks on her. She laid her head back down on the pillow and sighed.
He tried to shake the feeling of loneliness that had suddenly overcome him as he closed his eyes and returned his concentration to his mental picture of her. Her image burned its way into his subconscious…
She did not have time to register her whereabouts before sleep claimed her once again. She sought comfort in the sound of his voice…
as he softly began to read …
"Once upon a time…"
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