Unofficial Portkey Archive

I'm back! With a very fully tummy! My Cowboys played horribely:-(. BUT I had a great Thanksgiving......and ate some delicous PUMPKIN PIE! Yum! Anyway, since it's Thanksgiving I thought I'd update for ya one more time, BUT....I'm gonna warn ya, it IS a short chapter. So no complaints on the length please, I do believe I spoil you with frequent updates as it is. I'll post the next part late tomorrow:-)

****************

Harry woke up in the middle of the night from a loud thunder clap that practically shook his windows. He sat up in his bed and heard the rain and the lightening flicker outside. He immediately thought of Hermione and wondered whether or not she would sneak into his room like she did last weekend. He knew she wouldn't though, even if she were dying to, he knew she wouldn't walk in his room after what happened.

So he would go to her.

He flung the covers off him and got out of bed. He only took the time to grab a pair of his gold and crimson red plaid pajama pants and tugged it over his boxers. Barefoot and bare chested, Harry stepped out of his room and jumped slightly when another loud bang of thunder echoed through the night sky. He walked to Hermione's door and slowly crept it open, sticking his head inside expecting to see her up in bed scared to pieces. He blinked when all he saw was an empty bed.

He sighed and closed the door and headed downstairs to the common room. She was sitting on the couch, her knees were drawn up with a blanket wrapped over them while she gazed in the fire. "Why didn't you wake me?" Harry asked softly ending the silence.

Hermione didn't turn around, it was almost as if she knew he was there all along. "I didn't want to wake you."

Harry stood their for a moment, with his hands buried in his pockets rocking back on his heels. All you could hear were the crackling of the fire, Crookshanks gentle purrs from where he was curled up on one of the empty chairs and the rain beating against the windows. Harry finally walked over to the back of the couch behind her. "Are you okay?"

"I had a nightmare," she said softly, her head slightly bent. "I was back in the cave....that night. Reliving it over again and then the storm woke me up."

Harry sat up on the edge of the couch and swung his legs around so they were on either side of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders as he slid down between the couch and Hermione, wrapping his bare arms around her in comfort. Hermione didn't resist, she immediately leaned back against his chest as his warmth enveloped her. Harry rested his chin on her shoulder. "You should have come to me, Mione. You don't have to be alone."

She sniffed as she snuggled against him. "I didn't want to...."

"Wake me, yeah so you told me," he said as he lifted his head and looked up at her. "Is that the real reason?"

Hermione looked into his eyes and the storm outside was forgotten. He always had such a strong affect on her. She always felt safe when he was near, no matter what the consequences. "Harry," she pleaded softly. "I don't know what happened up there."

"I know," he said softly and placed his lips against her shoulder, which was exposed from her overlarge T-shirt that had once belonged to Harry. "Whatever it was, it kind of scared me a little."

"Yeah?" she whispered and then felt him nod his head. "Me too." She then tilted her head until her temple was resting against his. "What now?"

He didn't say anything. All he did was lay down on his side and brought her down with him. His arms still wrapped securely around her, the blanket was now tangled up in their legs and their bodies were pressed up against each other leaving no spaces between them. "Now...we go to sleep," he told her and brushed his lips against her cheek.

Hermione's eyes fluttered close. "Hmmm...and in the morning?"

"We'll worry about it when the sun rises." He placed his hand over hers, linking their fingers together. "Good night, Mione."

She squeezed his hand as she felt herself drift off to sleep. "Night, Harry."