The next morning Harry woke up alone in his unfamiliar room at the Grangers. Stretching and yawning, he made his way to the bathroom. He met neither Hermione nor her parents en route. Closing the door, he stood in front of the mirror scratching his head. He straightened his glassed and that's when he noticed the long, curly, brown hair clinging to his chest.
On any other day, this might gross him out. However, finding something upon himself so personal to Hermione's
essence caused him to puff his chest out with self-satisfaction.
Later at breakfast, Hermione didn't seem to want to acknowledge the previous night's canoodling. Harry attributed this to the presence of her parents. However, even after Mr. and Mrs. Granger left for work, Hermione still didn't seem up to discussing the topic. Not only that, but she glowed red every time Harry met her gaze.
As soon as the breakfast table had been cleared, Hermione mumbled something about `homework' and rushed down the hall toward her room. Harry stood puzzled in the dining room wondering whether he should follow her.
Does she want me to follow her?
She certainly didn't act as though she wanted to see him any time soon.
Finally making up his mind, Harry marched to Hermione's closed door. He could hear papers shuffling and…
Was that sniffling? Is Hermione crying?
Alarmed, he rapped softly on the door.
"Hermione? Are you okay in there?" Silence. More movement. Harry could hear her clear her throat before replying-
"Fine. I'm fine Harry."
"Can I come in then?"
"Um…sure. Yes, of course." Harry slowly turned the knob and stepped into Hermione's book-lined room. Papers were strewn across the floor, the bed…everywhere. Messy and most unlike Hermione. She sat on the edge of her bed opposite him, facing the window and looking outside.
Not knowing where to start, Harry decided it was best to attempt cheering his friend up a bit. Flopping backward onto her bed, he lay with his head beside her hip staring up at her. Her eyes were slightly red. Those brown orbs, usually so thoughtful, were distant.
"What's wrong Hermione?" She was quiet for a moment and then burst out-
"Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry!" she threw her sobbing face into her hands.
"Hey now," he said soothingly as he reached out and pulled her arms down from her face. This was definitely not the Hermione he knew! Not this sad and fragile girl beside him! No! His Hermione was always the strong one. The one who kept him focused on events to come. The one who guided him…though he'd never realized it until now.
"L-Last night…" she choked out, "I shouldn't have…" That was enough for Harry's ears and he immediately cut in-
"What? Hermione, it's not like we…did…anything! You have nothing to be ashamed of." She looked at him hopefully.
Did she really feel ashamed? Why?
"Oh Harry," she said, cupping his cheek, "you're so sweet. But I know you didn't want me there…"
"What are you saying Hermione? Didn't I tell you to stay? In fact…if you hadn't asked…I probably would have!" He chuckled at the expression on her face. Quizzical wasn't an expression Hermione wore often. She always knew exactly what was going on. At all times.
"You mean…you w-wanted…you didn't mind?"
"Of course not! What's gotten into you? You're crying over nothing!" She smiled and flopped onto her back, her head near Harry's knees. They lay like that for quite some time laughing. Then Harry shifted himself so that they lay side by side. It was quiet in Hermione's little room, with the exception of the papers crinkling underneath them. Then, Harry took Hermione's hand in his and they watched the clouds roll by through the window. Harry had never felt so contented and hoped that Hermione felt the same way.
Harry woke up staring at Hermione's ceiling. Her felt her beside him. When he turned his head to look at her she was curled up beside him with her arm thrown across his chest. He lifted a strand of curls that was partly covering her face, causing her to stir in her sleep.
Slowly lifting her eyelids, she looked up into Harry's eyes and gave him a small smile. Then, taking her arm from his chest, she lifted both arms above her head and stretched with all of her might.
"How long did we sleep?" But Harry didn't hear her; he was transfixed by her petite, slender body stretching to its full length beside him. In the entire Wizarding world he had never seen anything as spellbinding as Hermione Granger as she lay beside him now. Propping himself onto his elbow, he again pulled her toward him and, to her obvious shock, placed a gentle kiss onto her lips. Though it was short and chaste, Harry felt emotions flow through his body that he had never felt before.
Regardless of his pathetic attempt with Cho Chang, Harry knew he would always consider this, with Hermione, his first real kiss.
Even as he moved away from her lips, he felt her hand wander to the back of his neck, pulling him back toward her. Kissing her again, Harry felt blissfully aware of her hand grasping a fistful of his hair. Her body, tense at first, relaxed as her tongue brushed his lips.
Is she…?
All thought was cut off when, involuntarily, his mouth opened to receive her tongue. Warmth spread throughout his body as her tongue stroked his within his mouth. He found himself on top of her moments later as they pulled apart to breathe. Her hands were resting on either side of her face and he noticed how her arms trembled slightly.
"You're just how I imagined in my dreams…" She closed her eyes and kissed the tip of his nose.
"I'm in your dreams Harry?" she said softly.
"You are my dream."
Inseparable through the rest of the summer, Harry wondered how he hadn't seen Hermione in this light before. How could her image have eluded him for so long? Putting those thoughts behind him, he knew it didn't matter anymore as long as he saw her now. Saw how Hermione was his salvation. The key. The one.
Suddenly there was more to live for.
Sitting on a park bench and holding hands in the sunset, he confessed the prophecy to her. She shed tears but Harry no longer felt afraid, for he was no longer alone.
Had he ever been alone?
………….
NOTE:
Oy, this drained me. Sorry if the ending was utter crap. The caffeine was wearing off! I'm sure I forgot what I was writing about several times…
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