Disclaimer: None of this is mine, I'm only borrowing
A/N: Many thanks to my beta Danielle. And thanks for all the great reviews!
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The rest of the meeting wasn't nearly as exciting as the beginning. Various Order members gave reports on the latest activity, but there wasn't much to tell.
Following the meeting, a few people were brave enough to approach Harry and Hermione. Bill Weasley was the first.
"Just wanted you to know that I asked last year about you joining. Didn't make much sense to keep you in the dark. Anyways, I've always considered you another brother, especially after saving Ginny and what you've done for the twins. In fact, you can take Percy's spot if you like." Bill then winced as the back of his head was smacked by him mother.
Bill then leaned over to stage whisper to Hermione. "You sure you're not part Weasley? That display of yours rivaled Mum's." and then scurried away before he could get hit again.
"Bill's right you know, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said. "You are a brother to my children. And I wasn't just talking when I told Sirius you were as good as my own son. I meant it. The thought of losing any of you is too much to bear. That's why I've reacted as strongly as I have. A mother's instinct is to protect. But I realize now that nothing in this war will be fair. I don't like it, but I accept it." She ended by patting Harry on the cheek.
Harry caught her before she could leave and gave her the kind of hug he thought a son would give his mother. "Thanks, Mum," he whispered before letting her go.
Mrs. Weasley had done an admirable job up to that point of not crying, but having Harry call her 'Mum' drove her over the edge.
"Oh Harry!" she exclaimed and pulled him into one of her famous bone-crushing hugs.
Luckily Mr. Weasley arrived in time and peeled his wife off of Harry. As he led her away, Harry could hear her repeating, "He called me 'mum', Oh Arthur he called me 'mum'."
He wasn't sure why he had; it had just felt right. He didn't know what having a real mum was like, but he figured the way Mrs. Weasley treated him was as close as he would get. He cast a glance towards Hermione and saw she was trying not to cry.
"That was quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever seen," she said.
"Come on," Harry said as he wrapped an arm about her shoulders and dropped a kiss on top of her head. "Let's find Ron and get back."
Ron had been talking with Tonks and he gave her a wave as he joined them. "Ready to blow this place?" he asked.
Harry led them back into the kitchen. "Dumbledore said the feather will take us back to the common room whenever all three of us are touching it."
He unfurled the invisibility cloak and covered them with it. All the energy and life in Hermione seemed to vanish as soon as they were out of sight.
"Hey, you ok?" he asked, tipping her chin up so that he could get a better look at her.
"I'm ok, I just need to rest. The screaming hurt my chest a bit," she admitted and turned so that once again her back was pressed against Harry however, this time she was leaning on him heavily.
Harry exchanged a worried look with Ron over the top of her head and secured her to him like the last time they traveled. Harry held out the feather and they all touched it, sending them back to the common room in seconds.
Their landing this time was a touch more graceful. He looked around the room and noticed all the other sixth year boys were involved in a loud game of Exploding Snap.
"Dorm's free if you want to talk," he offered. Ron and Hermione both nodded and they carefully made their way to the stairs, not taking the cloak off until they were to the dormitory door.
The stairs seemed to be Hermione's undoing as Harry was practically carrying her when they got to the top. Her breathing was ragged.
Harry was almost frantic when they entered the room and did carry her the final few feet to his bed. With Ron's help, he got her to lay back on the pillows with her feet propped up. She had her eyes shut while trying to control her breathing. Ron shoved a hastily poured glass of water into Harry's hand, concern etched across his face.
"Should I go get Madame Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall?" Ron asked worriedly.
This was enough for Hermione to open her eyes. "No," she said with surprising force. "It'll pass." And reached out her hand for the water Harry had.
He helped her hold the glass and then pushed some hair out of her face. Hermione grabbed his hand and said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, just rest." Harry reassured her and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.
She smiled at both of them before snuggling into the pillows more and shutting her eyes.
Harry put the water on the side table and then walked over to the open window. He pulled his glasses off and let them dangle from his hand as he wiped the other across his face.
He heard Ron come up beside him but didn't move as he spoke to him. "So how long have you known?" Harry asked
"Probably since first year, but really not until last year when Neville told us what happened." Ron answered staring out into the dark grounds.
"I didn't even know. Not really, not until today. Am I mental to be thinking about this now of all times?" Harry said trying to keep his voice down.
"Not mental, you need this, both of you. If all you do is train and fight then what's it all for? Besides, it might just be a weapon we can use against the slimy bastard," Ron said.
"Weapon? What are you on about?" Harry asked.
"Just something I've been thinking about. Don't worry, I'll let you know if anything comes of it," Ron explained.
Harry accepted this and then decided to take the plunge and ask Ron the biggest favor anyone could ask.
"I need to ask you something that I probably don't have a right to ask," Harry began, but Ron cut him off.
"I will, don't worry about it." The age and strength in Ron's voice moved Harry.
"You don't even know what I'm asking," Harry protested.
"Yes I do. If we're in battle and the choice is my life or hers, that's what you're asking isn't it?" Ron said evenly.
"What am I doing? I can't ask that of you. You're my best friend, my brother, how can I ask…" but Ron cut him off again.
"Yeah, but she's…"
"She's Hermione," they both finished together.
They stood there silently for a while, contemplating what they had both just done.
Hermione stirred restlessly and their attention was drawn back to her. They each took a side of the bed and watched as she drifted off again.
"I don't want to move her," Harry said. "Besides, we'd never get her up those stairs."
"Let her stay here. No on will know, tomorrow's Sunday. You take my bed and I'll get down to the common room with the cloak and crash on the couch. In the morning, we'll sneak her out," Ron reasoned and held out his hand for the cloak.
"Thanks mate," Harry said and tossed it to him.
Just before Ron threw the cloak over himself, he got a look on his face worthy of the twins. "Of course, you don't NEED to use my bed if you don't want to." And then he was gone before Harry could do anything.
Shaking his head, Harry busied himself by covering Hermione with his robe and closing the drapes around the bed.
With a sigh, he climbed into Ron's bed and drew those drapes as well except for on the side facing Hermione; those he left open. And with a flick of his wand, he opened the drapes on her side of the bed just enough so he could see her face before he took his glasses off and tried to fall asleep.
Harry awoke the next morning to Hedwig sitting on his pillow, gently nibbling his hair. He cast a quick glance to the window and saw the sun was just starting to come up. From the various noises his dorm mates were making, Harry knew there was little chance he would disturb them.
He went down the stairs and had to grin at the sight before him. Ron had apparently moved around in the middle of the night and caused the cloak to slip off of him. All that was visible were two stocking feet dangling off the edge of the couch.
Harry picked up a throw pillow from a nearby chair and lobbed it at the middle of the couch.
Ron fought with the cloak as he emerged in bits and pieces, sputtering the entire time. "Wherzit..huh…wh…bloody hell, Harry! Was that really necessary?" he said, finally completely revealed.
Harry was too busy laughing to answer him and wasn't expecting to have the pillow thrown back in his face.
"Hey! What was that for?" Harry said indignantly.
"What do you think, you great prat?" Ron replied, but Harry knew he wasn't really mad.
"I need the cloak. We've got to get Hermione back to her room," Harry said.
Ron balled up the cloak and tossed it at him. "Here, do you think you can handle it? I'd like to get some more sleep."
"Sure, I got it." After what Ron had done for him yesterday and then promised him last night, Harry couldn't begrudge him a few more hours of sleep.
Harry slipped back up the stairs and climbed onto his own bed, making sure the drapes were completely closed.
Hermione was in the same place she had been in when he'd gone to bed last night and Harry was glad to see she looked rested. She had amazed him at the meeting, the way she had spoken up for him and pledged to fight by his side. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her and he thought that had to be very dangerous for Voldemort. He now had something else to fight for.
Harry reached out to gently brush her cheek and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Hermione, it's time to wake up. Hermione…come on."
She awoke with a start and Harry quickly moved so that she could see his face.
"It's ok, it's only me."
"Oh Harry. You scared me." She took a moment and then glanced around. "Wh…where am I?" she asked with a tilt of one eyebrow.
Harry turned a bit pink and ran a hand over the back of his neck before answering. "You're uh…you're in my bed."
"IN YOUR BED!!" she shrieked before Harry could get a hand over her mouth.
"Shhh!!! You'll wake everyone up!" At her nod, he took his hand away and began to explain. "No one knows you're here except Ron. And before you ask, I slept in his bed last night. He's still down on the couch." He paused before looking at her with concern. "What do you remember about last night?"
She seemed calmer after Harry's answers and her face was tight with concentration as she tried to recall. "Well, I remember starting to not feel well when Professor Dumbledore was being briefed and I remember using the portkey to come back here, but after that everything is fuzzy. I know you and Ron talked to me, but I don't know about what." She trailed off and looked to him to fill in the blanks.
"Are you sure you don't need to see Madame Pomfrey?"
"I told you, it's just going to take some time. And I'll have to try not to scream so much," she added with a smile.
"Once we got you up here, I didn't want to move you and I knew we couldn't get up to your dorm. So we figured we'd let you sleep and then you could use the cloak to get back to your room before anyone woke up. It was Ron's idea actually," he explained.
"Ron's idea, huh? I should be more concerned," Hermione said. "So I guess I should be getting back, if Lavender so much as suspects a hint of impropriety, I'm done for."
Harry brought the cloak out and began to wrap it around her when he was stopped by her fingers on his lips.
"Thank you for taking care of me," she whispered, leaning closer to him.
"Always," he replied and was silenced by her mouth replacing her fingers. The kiss was sweet and quiet and was over far too soon as far as Harry was concerned.
Hermione pulled the cloak completely over her and was gone before Harry had recovered.