Chapter 20 - The quiet before the storm
"Hermione, I said I was sorry, it was just a harmless joke." Ron tried to imitate Harry's 'puppy-dog' look, but failed at the attempt.
"Right, Weasley, quite harmless, and insensitive and inconsiderate and hurtful and rude and cruel. Want me to go on?" The venom in her words bit at him.
"You want to talk about insensitive, inconsiderate, hurtful and cruel? What about you going on a date with me when you knew you fancied someone else? You must have known this bloke when you came to the Burrow for the summer and you NEVER mentioned him, making me think you liked me."
"No, it's none of your business who I like. I love you, as my friend. Just like I love Harry. That's all!" She screamed back. She was having difficulty fighting back her emotions, having actually said the words that have escaped her.
He grabbed her into his arms and planted his lips to hers, forcefully. Mortified, she pushed him away and was about to slap him when he grabbed her arm.
"Hermione, I've been in love with you for a long time. I've been afraid to tell you or do anything to show you how I feel. I always dreamed of kissing you, now I've done that and I can move on with Luna."
"Move on?"
"Yeah. I really like her. I think I love her too, but there's always been you lurking in my head, I still care deeply for you and I always will, but after Hogsmeade, I knew we would never work. I'm truly sorry for joking with you at lunch, but its weird thinking about you having a dream like that, and as much as I wish you were dreaming about me, I know it was someone else. Not that I haven't had dreams about you, but you've made sure we're over. I can live with that but I can't live with you hating me. I can't. Just when Harry's almost back to himself, now we're in a death fight. And what if this bloke's not right for you? I'll kill 'em myself, if he ever hurts you."
"Ron, it's not your place to defend me. I can take care of myself, thank you. As for whom ever I happen to like not being 'right' for me? That's MY decision." Her anger ebbed with his confession to her, but not completely.
"Can you tell me who he is at least? I what you to be happy, that's all."
"No, Ronald, I won't."
"You won't or can't? Or, or… he doesn't know, does he?"
He truly struck a nerve; she couldn't reveal anything to him or to Harry. "Look, Ron, there's nothing for you to worry about. And you're right, he doesn't know, and I don't think he fancies me so it really doesn't matter. Besides, it was just a dream, and I've got too much to do with school and my studies to be worried about things like that."
"Have you tried to tell this bloke?"
"He's… involved."
"Oh."
"There's no reason for me to even try, anyway. I mean, what chance do I have anyway? I'm not that pretty." She admitted as a tear fell.
"Hermione," he shifted his hold to her waist, "don't ever think of your self as not pretty. I've watched you for nearly six years, and I think you're one of the most beautiful girls here," he stroked the streak from her cheek, "but you repeat that to Luna and so help me, I'll hex you myself. And if you don't try, you'll never have a chance with your fella or anyone. You want me to see how this guy feels?"
"No, Harry and I already had this talk and he's willing to leave it alone, can you?" She asked looking away.
"Yeah, I guess. But if I ever hear about anyone laying a finger on you…"
"Thanks, Ronald. I know. Now, can we just go back to being friends? Like we were before this whole 'dating' thing started?" She pushed herself from his embrace.
"Sure. Besides, I'm seeing Luna. I'll always be your best friend, with Harry, of course, and I'll be there whenever you need me."
"Thank you, Ron. If there's nothing else, I have to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"
"Night. Again, I'm sorry for being such a prat today."
"I know. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed, it's getting late; I suggest you do the same."
She turned on her heels, still mildly angry at Ron and Luna but knew that would pass. She waited as long as she could before entering her room, not wanting to deal with more teasing from her roommates. She slipped into her room, to retrieve her nightgown and personal effects before retiring to bed. On her pillow she found a note of apology from Lavender, also expressing surprise that she could have the same growing urges.
She left the note on her nightstand and left for the bathroom for a shower. A warm evening shower always made her feel relaxed enough for a sound sleep; tonight that was all she wanted. She wrapped herself in her towel and left the shower cubicle. Her hair always caused her to spend more time drying off than most of the other girls. As she stood there drying her hair, she remembered her dream from last night. She let her towel drop to the floor as she stood staring at the gifts her parents gave her.
Being around the other girls for the past five years, and spending most of the past couple summers with Ginny, she objectively studied what she saw in the mirror, comparing herself to her classmates and closest girl-friend. Ginny had a much fuller figure, even though she was much younger; Lavender and Parvati were both beautiful, in her opinion. Even with Parvati's injured arm, she seemed more graceful and had an elegant poise. She sighed heavily and dressed quickly, before anyone walked in and then retreated to her bed.
She was about to close the curtains to her bed, when Parvati whispered out.
"Hermione? You ok?"
"Yes. Go to sleep!" she whispered back harshly.
She slipped out of her bed and sat on the edge of Hermione's bed. "I'm sorry, we, I didn't think you'd be so sensitive to having a dream like that. We all get them, you know, about those we fancy."
"Forget it, Parvati." She still was agitated at her friends, deep down she knew it was just harmless teasing, but she still hurt so much.
"Want to talk about him? Between us, I swear."
"No. I can't. Now go to bed, please."
"If you change your mind, please, I'll listen. I heard about your experiences with Ron Weasley, you really need to open up a bit. You have nothing to be ashamed about. I've heard a bunch of guys commenting how much you've changed. You really have, you know."
"Thanks. But don't worry about it, it's done. Now can I at least try to get some sleep?"
"Good night. You have been a good friend; please don't hate me for it?"
"I don't hate you, I know it was meant in fun, but I was too hurt to take it like that."
"Are you ok now?"
"Yes. I'll be fine, now go to bed."
Parvati reached to her friend and wrapped her arm around Hermione's neck. It took her a moment to respond, which she did, with an embrace that she wished she could give Harry. Parvati stood after a few moments and tip-toed back to her bed, avoiding the boards everyone knew were loose.
"Thanks. I don't hate you guys, really." She whispered again.
She closed her drapes and this time she cast a silencing spell around her bed. She lay in her bed, and picked up her personal journal and began another entry.
I had another dream about Harry last night. It was so vivid and so real. But it was just a dream, it'll never happen. Why have I become so obsessed with him? He's my best friend and I know we can't become involved, it'll be too weird, but I do love him.
I had a huge fight with Ron again, that prat was teasing me because Lav and Parvati heard me last night. I was so mortified, they told EVERYONE. And everyone thought it was so amusing that 'little-miss-know-it-all' could possibly have a dream about a bloke. Everyone except Harry. He was so kind and thoughtful, at first he was worried 'he' was trying to control my dreams, but was happy for me when I told him it was someone I know. If I could only tell him the truth.
We've been working hard on those books. He translated several passages but much of it is cryptic. There are some spells in it and we've worked one out that seemed to be draining for him, but it is quite powerful. I need to work on that some.
Tomorrow we're going to practice his other skills.
Huh…Oh, he's dreaming again, but he's having a quite happy dream; I wish I could see it.
She closed her journal and placed her wards of secrecy on it before she tucked it under her mattress. She lay in her bed for what seemed like an hour, tossing and turning, trying to regain last night's interlude. She still felt the pleasant tingle in her hand, and held her palm to her cheek, knowing he was not having one of his nightmares. She smiled lightly, closed her eyes and finally fell into a deep sleep.
"Good morning love, how'd you sleep?" She felt his passionate kisses on her neck wake her from her sleep.
"Mmmm… I had a wonderful dream. We were back in our sixth year, remember?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he playfully attacked her chin.
"Like it was yesterday. I remember that book we tried to work through, that one spell you worked out really was special."
"But you're the only one that ever managed to cast it with enough force to do any good."
"So what was your dream, love?" He shifted to nibbling on an ear.
"I was dreaming about how much I was falling in love with you then, but I was too afraid to tell you."
"I remember. You really started having a rough time. I'm surprised I never worked it out, then."
"I'm not," she said with a grin. "Remember, I'm supposed to be the clever one!"
"Oy, that's not fair!" he said as he pulled away from his attack.
"Sure it is; all's fair in love and…" He covered her lips with his, her last words lost. His hands began working their magic, sending waves of pleasure through her body. As he moved from her lips to the base of her neck, time became lost in their passion.
"Stop… You know we can't this morning, you have training first thing." She pushed him off her, rolling him off the edge of their bed. He reached over and playfully pulled her from under the covers as they both fell from the bed.
His laughter always warmed her soul. She pushed away while she grabbed the sheet to cover herself on the way for a shower. She stepped over their bedclothes discarded early last night and into the small room adjacent to the small ship's cabin. She reached in the shower cubicle, turning the hot water on fully to build up a room of steam. She dropped her sheet and stood staring at her image in the mirror, and smiled; not the perfect figure most women her age sought, but it was enough to satisfy her husband, and that was all that mattered. The warm steam masked him walking into the tiny room, reaching his arms around her waist, to resume his attack on her neck.
"I said stop, I need a shower!" She said as she turned in his arms to see a pair of red glowing slits staring from a bony face. His soft gentle hands turned to bony skeleton hands around her middle as his elongated snake-like tongue danced over her bare breast.
"AHHHH!! NOOOOOOO!" she screamed as she felt the searing pain when his tongue pierced through her chest. She pushed away from this thing that held her in a death grip, screaming as her blood spilled on the bathroom floor and the walls sprouted lines that turned into vines. The Whomping Willow stood in the distance; bodies lay scattered across the grounds. She held her wound tightly as she watched a young man pick up one of the bodies and gently carried the limp form away. From where she stood she could tell the young man was carrying a young woman that was gravely wounded, she could see the jeweled hilt sticking from her chest. She ran to the young man, to see who he was through the mist of the shower and found herself tangled in the curtain that held the water inside the stall, and pushed herself through the curtain to the floor.
Her screams echoed through the dorm room, as her startled roommates tried to keep her calm. "Hermione, what happened? Wake up, girl."
Her eyes still had Riddle's face overlaid with an indistinguishable image of the young man in the mist. Lavender held her tight, to keep her from flailing her arms wildly.
"Pav, get the headmaster NOW!" She screamed, sending Parvati out the door.
"Hermione, you're fine, it was a dream. What happened?"
"He… I... Voldemort… shower… blood…NO!" She screamed before slumping over. The look of pure terror in her face just before she collapsed frightened her roommates, Lavender fell to her knees and wept from the evil her friend must have endured.
- - -
"How could this have happened to the both of them, Headmaster?"
"I wish I knew, Minerva. Apparently their bond is much stronger than predicted. We'll have to wait to see what injuries she's sustained when she wakes. How is Mr. Potter?"
"I'm afraid he's fine. He seems to have these often enough that they don't bother him anymore. It's not healthy to grow that callous at such a young age."
"Yes, I know. But it is unavoidable, I'm afraid. All we can do is help him keep his spirits up, and keep him from retreating again. He's come so far since the summer; it would be a disaster for him to revert back."
"Headmaster, the potions I administered should make them sleep without further dreams through the night."
"Thank you Poppy, it is best to let them sleep. Fetch me the moment one of them wakes."
"Yes, sir."
Barely awake, she heard the conversation drift from the pair of teachers and nurse, but she was able to make out that she was in the hospital wing, again. This time she could see another figure in a bed next to her. She labored to simply turn her head to better see him before she felt her eyes shut.
New images flashed into her mind as her eyes shut; a bright blue flash illuminated dark-cloaked figures surrounding a strange chubby house elf as he began speaking in her mind.
'A truer friend you have become, by your side he will remain. Seek counsel from you he will, and triumph you shall. Sleep now and safe you both shall be when you wake. '
- - -
The bustle of activity in the ward roused the young witch from her slumber. She pried one eye open and felt a slight kink in her neck, she had lain with her head tilted in one position all night. He was still asleep in the bed next to her, peacefully. She smiled at him as he lay there, before she registered where she was, but she couldn't remember how she got there or why.
She leaned on one arm, and tried to sit up. Her movement made just enough noise for Harry to open his eyes, in the same bewildered state. "Morning Harry, any idea what happened?"
"Hermione? What are you doing in my room?" He squinted at her; his hand groped the table for his glasses.
"Think again. We're in the hospital."
"Maybe we should just move here permanently, we both seem to spend too much time here," he joked.
She grinned at the remark. "So you don't have a clue either?"
"No. I was fast asleep and next thing I knew, I was here."
"You were having a pleasant dream, that's all I remember. I fell asleep and then woke up here."
"Hang on, how did you…"
She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot. Got a clue what it was?"
"No. But I do vaguely remember Dumbledore and McGonagall talking, and there was a strange house elf."
"Dobby or Winky?"
"No, I've never seen him before; it was a bit of a chubby fellow…"
"Good, you two are awake. We'll have the headmaster here in a jiffy. How do you two feel? You both seemed to umm, have become quite accident-prone. Miss Granger, you seem to have fallen from your bed last night and struck your head."
"Strange, my head feels fine, but I still have that bump from the other week."
"And you Mr. Potter, you had a fitful night too, you were quite delirious, much like when Miss Granger found you… after Halloween. We thought you were about to kill someone, the way you were carrying on. You left your room as if you were carrying someone; Mr. Weasley followed you until you ran straight into a solid wall."
"Strange, I don't remember a thing, but that would explain this lump on my head."
"Harry, I don't remember anything either."
"The headmaster will need to ask you two some questions before you may leave."
Within a few minutes, Dumbledore began his questioning, but they couldn't offer any explanations for the evening's adventure. Hermione again left out certain details, about her hand and the dreams of the house elf. Although he wasn't totally satisfied with everything the two relayed to him, he knew they had never lied to him before.
"You may go on with your classes tomorrow, but for today, I suggest spending a quiet day. And Miss Granger, I expect to hear from you soon about your condition from last week. I suspect you do have some idea about the issues I would like to discuss."
"Yes, sir. It's just that I haven't figured it all out, yet."
"I see. Well, you two may go back to your dorms and get dressed for the day."
They waited for a few minutes, until they were alone. She opened up first.
"Harry, we need to talk in private, later."
"Um, ok. Did anyone remember to bring you a bathrobe or change of clothes?"
"No, now that you mention it, but I am in my flannels, not that anyone would care anyway." She said trying to hide her thoughts.
"That's good for you, but I seem to be in just my boxers. When you get back, could you send Ron here with some clothes?"
"Sure, no problem," she laughed as she left alone.
He laid there and thought about what she said before they were interrupted about a chubby elf. He tried to remember why he was there, but had no memory of last night. He waited for only ten minutes until Ron appeared with a full change for him.
"Give me a sec while I grab a quick shower," he called out.
"Sure, mate, then you've got some explaining to do."
He dressed quickly and met Ron still waiting in the ward, and began the de-briefing on the way to breakfast. "Look, I wish I had some answers, but the truth is I don't remember a bloody thing about last night. Hermione said I had a pleasant dream and then I'm told I ran out of the room screaming. It doesn't make sense."
"Hang on, how did she know what you were dreaming?"
"Her hand, remember the burn mark? We're sort of connected. She can tell when I get angry and stuff. Its really kind of a pain; I mean now I can't have a minute to myself."
"Lavender said she ran out of her bed in a fit; that bit about her hitting her head was bogus. I think she's starting to have your dreams, mate. Everyone in the school thinks she's finally gone mental."
"Speaking of being mental, do you have any idea how pissed she was at you?"
"Yeah, we talked just before she went up to bed. I thought we had patched things up, like we were before we went on that date."
"That's good; she's gotten quite sensitive lately."
"I've noticed, too. And you two have been spending a bit of time together, alone I might add. You guys going to give it a go?"
"Now look who's gone mental! We've been working some new spells that, well, just stuff that isn't taught anymore."
"Ahh…I see…" Ron smirked at his pal, which earned him a shot to the arm.
"Stuff it Weasley, we're only friends, there's nothing else going on."
"I see, 'methinks he doth complain too much'…" Ron quoted as he ducked the next blow. "Missed! Go grab your things; I'll save us a spot in the Great Hall for breakfast."
"Stupid git…" Harry said cheekily.
"Same to you, mate!"
They split off, Harry ran up the stairs to retrieve a few items Ron forgot, his pensieve and wand were still on his nightstand. On his way out the common room, in the corner, Hermione was sitting quietly, writing in her journal, not expecting to see anyone.
She laid her quill down to re-read her last entry, never noticing anyone else was in the room.
I'm NOT going to let a bad dream bother me. I'm going to tell him how I feel, on Valentine's Day in Hogsmeade in less than two weeks. He needs someone that loves him, and I do love him, I know it.
He stood quietly and watched her read her passage, and as she picked up the quill again, she felt a familiar pleasant tingle. She smiled at the feeling, knowing somewhere he was happy, and had begun to enjoy that sensation. She let her thoughts drift to what she wanted to record next, when she thought she heard a sigh in the room.
"Harry? How long have you been standing there?"
"A couple minutes, I wanted to get some things before going for breakfast. I didn't want to disturb you while you were lost in thought. Want to come along?"
"Sure, Harry. Just give me a minute." She tapped her wand to the book and the writing disappeared. She stuffed it and her wand in her bag as she stood to join him for a meal. She looked up at him standing there and began to feel a familiar queasiness in her stomach; a lump clogged her throat as she tried to think what to say next.
"Ron's waiting downstairs; you want to finish that business about last night on the way or later on?" He asked as he closed the distance between them.
"Later." She managed to squeak out. "Sorry, throat's a bit parched." She walked to him as they turned to leave the common room, together.
"So, you still mad at Ron?" He asked casually.
"No, not really. I know he was teasing and I should be used to it, but it was too… close and personal."
He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled them to a stop as he held her closer. "I think he still fancies you, not that I blame him. You've become quite the beauty. And after all we've been through together; I'm surprised I haven't noticed either." His arm slipped down from her shoulder to around her waist, and pulled her into an embrace. His other hand reached to her chin and lifted it to his lips.
"You really are very beautiful, and I'm glad we're together. Ever since Christmas, I've longed to tell you how I feel." He whispered as he stroked a stray hair from her face. She thought she was about to swoon in his arms, as she laced her arms around his neck, bringing their lips ever so close. She felt his hot breath on her lips and a warm glow race through her young form. She felt her entire being melt at that magical moment.
'He loves me, he really loves me ' she thought to herself as she pressed her lips to his in a deep passionate kiss, the likes of which she's never experienced.
"Hermione?"
Her head snapped up from her journal. "Huh? Harry? I, umm..." She still felt the tingle in her hand and looked completely puzzled.
"I said, did you want to come along?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. Give me a sec." She hurried to pack her things and hoped her face wasn't too flushed. She grabbed her bag and walked over to him as they turned together for the portrait door.
"You sure you're ok? I could have Dobby bring something up. I know last night must have been hard for you, but I'm used to it."
"No, I'm fine. I need to learn to deal with it too, but if Ron or Luna say one thing…"
"They won't. I think now the entire school's scared of us both."
She clutched her bag tighter as they walked together down the hall, the scream that rang through her mind at that moment would have startled half the ghosts in the old castle.