A/N: Ok, I know I'm due and overdue to have a chapter of "Wedding of the Century" out, but my best friend's baby shower took precedent this weekend. So, since I am alone at work right now, I offer this short and sweet songfic to help tide you over. I promise to get chapter 5 of "Wedding" out as soon as possible. It's almost finished!
The song (in italics) is "Talking in Your Sleep" by the Romantics. I don't own it or anything Harry Potter related. Which sucks.
Please review!
*****
Hermione Granger sat in her big armchair by the fire, carefully reading over her Transfiguration essay one last time. It had to be perfect and after six revisions, it was.
She snuck a glance over to her best friend and secret crush, Harry Potter, who was asleep on the couch in the Common Room. He had fallen asleep there after Hermione gave him a potion to take care of the stomachache he had gotten from too much dinner.
Hermione continued to read, trying desperately not to rustle the paper and wake Harry from the sleep he greatly needed.
When you close your eyes and go to sleep
And it's down to the sound of a heartbeat
Just then, a mumble from Harry caught Hermione's attention.
"Can't … no … can't do it," he whispered in his sleep.
It didn't seem like a night terror, so Hermione let Harry sleep.
"Want to, but can't. Won't tell her," he said, this time a little louder.
Hermione was very intrigued as to just what he was dreaming about, but she still didn't want to disturb him. She decided to talk to him later about it.
"No, Sirius! It's Hermione!" he muttered.
Her head snapped up at the sound of her name. Harry was dreaming of Sirius and they were discussing her? What on earth could they be talking about?
"I know … but it's her… how could I tell her?" Harry said.
"Tell me what?" Hermione whispered to herself.
"No, too dangerous … Voldemort …can't risk her … safety. Love her too much," he mumbled.
"Love!" Hermione hissed, trying not to scream. 'Harry loves me?' she thought.
I can hear the things that you're dreaming about
When you open up your heart
And the truth comes out
'No, that can't be it. That is not what he said,' she decided. 'I'll ignore it.'
"She is the one that I want, Sirius! I need her badly! But I won't risk her life!" he almost shouted.
You tell me that you want me
You tell me that you need me
"How is he sleeping through this?" Hermione asked herself quietly.
She gathered up her belongings and began to tiptoe towards the stairs. But, as the fates love a joke, she hit a squeaky floorboard and woke Harry.
"Hermione, is that you?" he called.
"Sure, that you wake up for," she muttered to herself. "Yes, Harry, it's me."
"What are you doing down here?"
"Just finishing studying. I'm done now, so go back to sleep. I'm so sorry I woke you."
"It's ok. I was just having the strangest dream.
'Tell me about it,' she thought, sarcastically.
"No nightmares, I hope," she said as conversationally as she could.
"No … Sirius was there. We were just talking."
"Oh, I see. Well, I'll see you in the morning, Harry," Hermione said, hoping to get out of the awkward situation,
"Yeah, um, ok. Good night, Hermione."
"Good night, Harry."
That night, Hermione barely slept. She kept hearing Harry's words over and over again.
"No, too dangerous … Voldemort …can't risk her … safety. Love her too much."
Love. Did he mean it like he was in love with her? Or just loving her like a sister? It was too much for her. She needed to think, but the sounds of Lavender's snores kept her from concentrating. So, after a few attempts to fall back to sleep, Hermione headed for the Common Room.
'Surely Harry won't still be there,' she figured.
However, the fates were still laughing at her as she found Harry, once again asleep on the couch.
'Ok, well, I'll just sit in my chair and think,' she said to herself as she flopped into the squishy chair.
"Mum … she's beautiful … so smart … I love her," Harry whispered, once again in dreamland, though this time his mother seemed to have been there.
"Saved my life … time and again … what's not to love?" There was a pause. "Yes, Dad … comes to Quidditch games," he said with a laugh.
'He's telling his parents about me?' Suddenly Hermione was nervous. 'He does love me!'
You tell me that you love me
And I know that I'm right
Cause I hear it in the night
But this wasn't right. She was eavesdropping on a private conversation. But, Harry was speaking out loud. But he didn't know he was. But it didn't matter because she had heard it. But … oh bother! What was she going to do?!
I hear the secrets that you keep
When you're talking in your sleep
Just then, Harry sat up.
"Hermione! How long have you been there?" he asked.
"A few minutes, why?"
"Er, no reason. Just wondering. Um, was I asleep again?"
"Yes."
"And was I saying anything?"
"Harry …." she began nervously.
"Just tell me, Mione."
"Yes."
"Did I say anything to make you uncomfortable?"
"Not uncomfortable, per se."
Hermione turned her head. She couldn't look at him.
"I said that I love you, didn't I?" Harry asked.
She merely nodded her head.
"Well, cats out of the bag, I suppose. Now that you know, how do you feel about all this?"
"I don't know, Harry! Of course I'm happy! Don't you know how much I love you too?"
She clapped a hand over her mouth. That wasn't supposed to come out like that.
"You love me too?" he asked tentatively.
She sighed. Might as well press on. "Of course I do, you great prat."
"But what about Voldemort? This will put you in even greater danger."
"Harry, I'm a Muggle-born. And I was already your friend, so don't you think that's enough for Riddle? I mean, one more step in our relationship isn't going to matter to him either way. He knows you have a good heart and would try to save anyone. Be it me, Ron, Seamus or Parvati!"
He slowly walked to her and took her hands. He motioned for her to stand up and she did. He held her close and gently touched his lips to hers. It grew into the perfect first kiss.
"You're right. I'm sorry you found out this way," he said once the kiss ended.
"I'm not. I enjoyed the show."
"I guess from now on, I should be careful what I dream about," Harry kidded.
When I hold you in my arms at night
Don't you know you're sleeping in the spotlight?
"No, no! I think I like this part. Can't keep your secrets when you're asleep!"
And all your dreams that you keep inside
You're telling me the secrets That you just can't hide
Harry tried to look indignant at her, but he just couldn't. He wrapped his arms around her and picked up where their last kiss left off.
Neither knew what tomorrow would bring, but they knew it would be ok. They were stronger together and now their bond was even more powerful. It was going to be rough, but with Ron at their side, the fight ahead would be a piece of cake! Love was their weapon and love would save the day.
When you close your eyes and you fall asleep
Everything about you is a mystery
*****
A/N: Ok, be gentle. I wrote this at work today while no one was watching. Shhhh, don't tell!!