"You must be a liar."
Harry groaned weakly and blinked his eyes open in the vivid sunlight. He let his sleepy mind comprehend everything as he tried to fathom what woke him from his slumber. He looked down to see a blurry figure of a person sitting on the foot of his bed. He reached for his glasses and slipped them on.
"Hermione?"
She sat on the foot of the bed, very still, with her back facing him.
"Hermione?" he repeated.
"You are a liar, Harry Potter," she repeated, remaining still.
"What?" Harry asked. "Why am I a liar?"
She sighed deeply. "Yesterday you told me you loved me."
He closed his eyes and let the incident on the previous night filter through his mind. He really wished he could forget it all, he wished he could make her forget it all. He felt so embarrassed. He opened his eyes. with a heavy sigh. "Er…yeah."
"You can't love me…" she said sadly. "…So you must be a liar."
"What?" Harry threw his bed covers off of him in shock, but remained at the head of the bed. "Why? …I do love you!"
She turned to face him with a frown. Harry saw her face and his heart melted, she looked hurt. "If you love me then why you are always yelling at me, or never have any tolerance for me?" she asked. Her chest hitched with a harsh breath, as tears leaked from her eyes. "If you loved me then you wouldn't be angry and distant with me all the time!"
Harry groaned and crawled down to the end of the bed, he rested his forehead against the back of her shoulder. "Hermione, I do love you. I really do."
"You can't!"
"But I do," he sighed.
She looked him in the eye with disbelief. The pain etched on her face shimmered in her eyes as another tear spilled down her cheek. She took in another violent breath, and wiped it away. "Then why are you always angry with me?" she asked.
He bore deep into her eyes, trying to give her the most understanding look he could. "Because I am angry, Hermione" he spoke. "But not at you," he finished quickly before she jumped to conclusions. "I am just angry at everything else.
"Oh, Harry."
"I am fighting two wars, Hermione," he said in a slightly more hostile tone. He stood up, and began pacing the length of his bed. His breath quickened, as rage boiled within him while the thought of these wars raced threw his mind. "The one with Voldemort and these stupid Horcruxes…" his voice grew louder and more enraged with every word. "…And the one I have to fight on the inside while I try to DEAL WITH ALL THIS SHIT!" Harry let out a violent shout and collapsed on the edge of his bed with his face buried in his hands, panting heavily.
Hermione looked at Harry completely astounded. She had never seen him like this before…so vulnerable. She quickly shook her head free of any thoughts and rushed to him. She positioned herself kneeling on the floor in front of him. She gripped his shoulders tightly but he never looked up.
Tears sprung to her eyes as deepest apologies spilled from her lips. "Oh Harry, I am so sorry," she gasped. "What am I doing? You have the weight of the world on your shoulders, you don't need this right now. I'm sorry, Harry," she apologized again. "I'll just leave."
She got up from her spot on the ground, and turned to leave, but Harry grabbed her wrist and pulled back down. "No," he commanded. "You stay."
"Harry?"
"Do you feel the same way about me?" he asked hoarsely.
"Harry?" she protested again.
"Do you feel the same way?" he asked forcefully. He pulled his hands away from his face long enough to reveal the tears forming in his eyes.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped. She quickly hopped onto the side of the bed, cradling Harry's head in her arms.
"Hermione?"
She closed her eyes fleetingly, allowing a few tears to stream down her cheeks. She took in one deep breath. "I would be lying if I said I didn't," she said quietly.
Harry gave a relieved chuckle and sighed, he squeezed Hermione tightly around the middle gratefully. Hermione smiled through her tears, and pulled him in tighter.
When they pulled away from their embrace, Harry smiled slightly and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I am sorry, Hermione, for being angry all the time. I have a lot to deal with, but I will try to be better."
Her palm met the side of his cheek and she stroked it delicately, she rubbed a lingering tear away with a quick brush of her thumb. "Okay," she said smiling weakly. "And I promise I will help you any way I can." She gripped his hand without second thought, then afterward blushing at her bold move. She darted her eyes to the window to try and elude her awkward moment. Hermione was shy.
Harry gave a weak chuckle and a smirk, he could see her embarrassment flush in her rosy cheeks, and to him she looked cute that way. He could remember how awkward it could be making a bold statement (kissing Cho and Ginny) so early on in a relationship. The fact that Harry and Hermione had been best friends for years didn't matter, they were now in a new phase of familiarity, and the challenge of first attempts of bold statements, such as hand holding could be daunting. He gave her a sweet smile, and pulled her in to try and make her feel better.
Harry pulled away from her to look into her tear-soaked eyes. Hermione's eyes danced across his, she knew it was coming. Harry leaned in and grazed her lips with his. It wasn't the forceful, tongues swirling, desperate kiss of last night, but a soft, gentle, loving kiss.
Hermione pulled back, and the pair of them stared at the window, coming to the conclusion that they just shared their first `real' kiss…now Harry felt like a fool. He searched his brain for something to lighten the awkward silence, and then it dawned on him.
"This is going to be dangerous."
Hermione knew he was talking about Voldemort. She had been waiting for him to bring it up. "I know," she said calmly.
"Maybe we should -"
She cut him off by placing her hand over his mouth. "Harry, I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it. You're going to tell me that if we're together Voldemort will come after me and try to kill me, because that's what he does to everybody who gets close to you, and maybe we should just remain friends" she said staring into his puzzled eyes. "Well, personally, I don't give a flying fuck about Voldemort! He's a low life, cold blooded, murderous bastard who doesn't deserve the satisfaction of us not being together!"
"But he will come after you!" Harry shouted, wide eyed with fear
"Of coarse he'll come after me!" Hermione replied. "I helped you retrieve the Stone in first year so he couldn't get it. I aided you in finding the Chamber of Secrets, resulting in the destruction of a Horcrux. I was at the Department of Mysteries fighting his servants and helping you! And I am going continue helping you and remain standing by your side until that bastard is dead in his grave and long after! Don't you see, Harry? He will come after me no matter what, because of my actions I have helped keep you alive, and prevented him from returning on many occasions. My brain has thwarted his plots. Most of all, Harry, I am your friend, which will probably be the most dangerous of all. I refuse to give you up, just to be targeted by him anyway! Fuck Voldemort!"
Harry sighed, and stared down at his feet. "Hermione, I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to lose you," he said quietly.
Hermione placed a hand on his right arm, and looked straight into his green eyes. "Harry, I know you don't, and I don't want to lose you either. But this is war and whether we choose to act on our feelings or not, you will still be in love with me, and I will still be in love with you…there will always be a threat, no matter what," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Harry, I want to be by your side when it comes time to fight him. I want to help you. I have been your best friend for a very long time, and I am not turning back now, not ever…no matter what. Whether we are together or not I am going to be at risk because I am going to be at your side whether you like it or not, so why should we make ourselves suffer by not being together?"
"Hermione, I want to be with you but it's just…"
"Harry, you pushed Ginny away because of this, please don't do it to me," she pleaded, her eyes glossy with tears. `Please?" she begged. "I couldn't bare it if you did."
Harry dropped his heads into his hands again, and let out a long nerve-racking sigh. Hermione was growing concerned that Harry was really considering sacrificing their relationship because he was worried Voldemort would come after her. After a few minutes of silence Hermione finally spoke. "Harry? Are you alright?"
"Don't compare yourself to Ginny," Harry said, raising his eyes to meet hers. There are two things entirely different about the two of you." Harry raised his hand to graze her cheek lovingly. "I love you, Hermione…so much. I never loved Ginny. You fought for me when I tried to push you away. When I pushed her away, she let me go without question."
"Harry…"
"No, shhh let me speak," he said, now running his fingers through her hair. "You're bloody fantastic, and you're right there will always be a risk no matter what. I would be such a fool if I gave you up." he smiled at her. "I don't want to push you away,"
"Oh, Harry,' she said under her breath, as Harry pulled her in for another hug, which she gladly yielded too. "I love you, Harry," she added with a big smile.
He felt something burst inside of him, something he couldn't explain. It was new, it was exciting, it was wonderful, it was also one of the scariest feelings he had ever felt. Overwhelmed with this new emotion exploding inside of him, a lone tear slid down his cheek. He shut his eyes and shuddered.
Hermione pulled away, alarmed at his tears. "Harry is something wrong? Did I do something? Was it something I said?" she pleaded.
"No no no no," he smiled through his tears, quieting her. "It's just that nobody has ever said that to me before. At least not that I can remember, I am sure my parents said it…but you know…"
"Oh, Harry," she said throwing herself into arms again. "I am so sorry, it must have been terrible. But I we've always loved you, Ron and me. But I know what you mean and I am glad to be the first person to really say it to you."
"I am too," he said wrapping his arms around her. "But aren't you scared?"
"No," she said simply.
"Why?" he asked, surprised at her calm reply.
"Because Harry Potter is my boyfriend," said looking straight into his eyes with a happy grin.
***
Much later that afternoon Harry, Ron, and Hermione surrounded a large table in the corner of empty Gryffindor common room beginning their first day of training on the Devilish Pixies. While Hermione sorted out her books on the table, her and Harry made goo-goo eyes at each other from across the table, to which Ron was completely oblivious about. Harry and Hermione decided that for now, they should keep their relationship a secret. These were turbulent times, and they believed allowing themselves to become public would anger everybody, especially Ron and Ginny. Also, the Daily Prophet had been pining for months for another juicy gossip story that didn't revolve around the war, and they would have a field day if they found out Harry and Hermione were dating. A story like that would be front-page news, bringing unwanted attention to the star couple and Hogwarts, and possibly supplying their enemies with too much information.
"Merlin, Hermione!" Ron complained. "It's way too early for something like this."
"Ronald, it's five in the afternoon!" Hermione scolded.
"Well you threw me out of my dormitory at dawn! And that couch over in the corner isn't as comfy as it looks." Ron retaliated. "What were you two doing up their alone?" Ron looking from both of his friends and cringed. "Never mind, don't tell me!" he said, as he chuckled sarcastically to himself.
"Shut up, we were talking," Harry said, throwing a crumpled up piece of parchment at him.
"Riiight," Ron joked sarcastically, using his fingers as quotations. " `TALKING' "
"I was asking Harry his theories on training the pixies, if you must know!" Hermione cut in with an annoyed tone. "Which were brilliant by the way!"
"And you had to kick me out to do that?"
"Yes, because you interrupt and jump to the conclusions, you big git!" Hermione said.
Ron ignored her, and pulled one of her books in front of him and stared at the picture of the evil looking Devilish Pixie. "So Harry…lets hear them!"
"Hear what?"
Ron raised his gaze to Harry. "Your brilliant ideas on training the pixies of coarse!" he replied with a smug grin.
Harry's eyes quickly tried to find Hermione's, but she wasn't looking at him. He was left to fend for himself. "Er…um…my idea was to see if we could…um…t-train then up by recognizing different voices -"
Hermione cut him off with a loud gasp, as a brilliant idea soared through her brain. "THAT'S IT!" she said to herself excitedly.
Harry and Ron found each other's glare momentarily asking the same question with their eyes, before returning them to Hermione and eyeing her suspiciously.
"What?" Ron asked, looking utterly confused.
Hermione didn't answer him and she didn't make eye contact with any of the boys. Her eyes darted across the room rapidly as her face light up at excitedly at her own brilliant idea brewing in her mind. "Ooohhhh!" she squealed excitedly, as she raced up to her dormitory.
Harry chased her halfway across the room, and stopped at the bottom of the stairs gaping in bemusement at where she just stood only seconds before. He turned his gaze back to Ron, who mouthed. "What the fuck?" followed by, "She's bloody mental!" Harry nodded in agreement.
A few moments later they heard Hermione's door slam shut, and she raced down the stairs again with a collection of papers under her arm. "Come here," she commanded breathlessly, as she poured the papers out over the table.
"What are these?" Harry asked moving towards the table.
"Pictures from the Daily Prophet," she said, spreading them out. "Like you said, I don't think they will recognize voice patterns, and it would be difficult providing them samples of Death Eater voices so they know who's good and who's bad. But maybe they can recognize by sight." she said, holding up a moving picture of a Death Eater.
"You think it will work?" Ron asked.
"Who knows?" Hermione replied. "Devilish Pixies have never been trained before. Who knows if they even can be?"
"Wonderful!" Ron replied dismally.
Hermione scowled at him, and pulled the box of Pixies closer to her. She pulled off the lid, and was greeted by sorted laughter from Harry and Ron.
"What!?" she growled.
"Collars?" Harry laughed staring at the Devilish Pixies in the box wearing blue and pink collars labeled with names such as `Tinkerbelle' and `Fuzzy'. "Names?" Harry questioned still laughing.
"What?" she shouted angrily. "These are living creatures with feelings and they deserve names! And the collars are to tell the difference between the boys and girls thank you very much! So shut your gobs!"
"You're right, I am sorry Hermione," Harry said, trying to calm his laughter.
"Look, Harry, this ones named `Silly Toes'!" Ron snorted, as he fell behind the table from hysterics. Harry couldn't control himself he fell into another fit laughter and joined Ron on the floor.
"Get over yourselves and get up off the floor!" Hermione barked, steaming with annoyance.
A few minutes later the laughter calmed, and the boys found their places by the table again. Harry looked at Hermione and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," to her.
Hermione gave the `YOU-BETTER-BE' evil girlfriend glare. She passed out moving photographs of the death eaters, and pulled the little Pixies out of their box.
"Okay…first grab one and watch if it tries to attack you, if it does say "Abisto", it's a pinching charm, so they will learn attacking us is bad. When they do something right, you can reward them with these." She pulled a small container forward and peeled back the lid, filling the room with a foul smell. "I know they stink, but there like chocolate to a Devilish Pixie."
"What is it?" Ron said covering his nose.
"A special type of leaf, which only grows in Fiji during an eclipse. It's what I went to Hagrid's for yesterday," she replied. "Okay, take a Pixie."
"I have dibs on Silly Toes!" Ron teased with a grin.
Hermione scowled at him, as they each reached for a Pixie.
Training the Pixies turned out to be a much harder feat then Hermione thought. Every time Harry or Ron would pull a Pixie out of the box it squealed in fear and flew back to Hermione, and wrapped itself in her brown locks and purred loudly.
"I should have known this would happen!" she said with a groan. " I amaze myself at how unbelievable daft I can be!"
"Wow, we better watch out, Harry, these are serious killers we have on our hands here!" Ron said, jumping back sarcastically.
"Can you blame them?" Hermione asked. "Last time they saw you, you were throwing painful curses at them! You two will have to gain their trust again." She looked at her watch and frowned. "We don't have time today; I have to get that Defense Against the Dark Arts project finished."
"It's not due until Thursday!" Ron said.
"Exactly, I am way behind!"
"I have to get some extra work done anyway. Lupin is insisting I read about the life of Salazar Slytherin," Harry said, as he made a face, as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "He wants nine rolls of parchment on `what I learned' by Tuesday morning."
"How much have you got done?" Hermione asked.
"Haven't started yet."
"Oh, Harry," she sighed. "How do you…"
A firm tapping at the window interrupted Hermione. The three of them shot their looks over to the window and were surprised to find Hedwig hovering outside with tiny piece of parchment tied to her leg.
"Who the bloody hell could be writing you now?" Ron asked. "You're not expecting any letters are you?"
"No," Harry replied, making his way over to the window, just as shocked as Ron. "I never get any letters anymore now that Sirius is dead and Lupin's here all the time now…just the occasional one from Hagrid, asking me to come down for tea." Harry opened the window allowing Hedwig to hop inside. He grabbed the letter and tore it open.
Hermione scoffed, and looked down watch again. "Doesn't Hagrid know what time it is? We're having dinner in an hour! And we're not to be wandering all over the grounds at this time of day we could get hurt. Most importantly we have homework!"
"Who's it from, mate?" Ron asked from his spot in the large armchair.
Harry's eyes went momentarily wide, as his eyes darted over the parchment. "Not Hagrid."
Ron and Hermione glanced at each other in concern.
"Read it," Hermione encouraged.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione
Urgent meeting in the Great Hall - come now!
-Professor McGonagall
"Sounds serious!" Ron said, standing up urgently. "We better get going."
Harry folded up the parchment and shoved it in his pocket, before starting to make his way with Ron over to the Portrait Hole.
"Wait!" The boys stopped at turned to face her. "I just have to put these away," Hermione said pointing to the Pixies still wrapped in her hair. "Then we can go."
***
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the first to arrive along with Neville who they met up with in the entrance hall.
"Have any idea what this is about?" Neville asked the three of them.
They shook their heads, and waited for the rest of the students to file into the Great Hall. Ten minutes later, Luna, the last person, came rushing in wearing a wrongfully yellow colored smock, which made Ron squint whenever he stared at her.
McGonagall stood at the front of the hall not looking overly impressed. A few teachers and Auror's stood behind her. "I see with still only a small amount of students remaining, tardiness is still a problem in this school. Five points each to Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter for being the only ones on time!"
Harry noticed Crabbe and Goyle scowling at them with their tongues out.
"Such children!" Hermione murmured under her breath.
McGonagall's angry face faded, replaced by gloomy one. "I am sure all of you have heard by now that a member of our staff has passed away. Professor Slughorn was found dead in London on Friday night. We still are not sure who is behind it, it is under full investigation by the Auror department. Professor Slughorn was a fine man, and a brilliant teacher. There will be a memorial held Wednesday morning, for those of you who wish to attend." Mumbles echoed around the hall amongst a few excited fifth years. McGonagall frowned at them. "Yes, that means morning classes will be cancelled," she said, answering the questions before anybody had the guts to ask for an asnwer. "It's sad when a teacher has been murdered and all you can do is get excited about missing a few classes." The students recoiled in their chairs.
Hermione turned and glared at them. "Disgusting," she murmured under her breath before shooting her hand in the air.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked.
"Excuse me, Headmistress, but I was just wondering, who will be replacing Slughorn as our Potions Professor?" she asked.
This question stirred the crowd, and many of the students continued murmuring amongst themselves again.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Thank you for reminding me, Miss Granger," McGonagall said. She moved closer to the line up of teachers and Auror's. Harry was puzzled; he didn't see any new faces in the line up. He saw Lupin beaming proudly; could he be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, as well as Potions? His question was answered shortly afterward when McGonagall wrapped an arm around one of the female Auror's and declared. "This will be your new potions teacher!"
"TONK'S!?" Ron choked surprise. He whipped his head around to face Harry. "Tonk's is our new Potions teacher?"
Harry never had a chance to reply, because McGonagall continued with her speech. "This is Professor Nymphadora Tonks. She is a highly skilled Auror, and excelled on her Potions N.E.W.T. I know all of you will make her feel at home."
The crowed broke out in applause, and Tonks murmured a few thank-yous. With a wave of her hand McGonagall dismissed the students, as they emptied out of the Great Hall. Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed towards the exit as Hermione wallowed in how fantastic it was to have Tonk's for a Potions teacher.
"Harry Potter!" McGonagall shouted from the top of the Great Hall. "Will you and your friends stay behind a few minutes, please?"
"What did I do now?" Harry groaned as he turned back up to the front of the Hall with Ron and Hermione at his heel.
"Harry," McGonagall said as he approached. "I am sure Miss Granger has put the clues together, and told you about the dangers of this situation."
"You mean about a spy in the school?"
"Yes," McGonagall replied. She shifted her eyes to Hermione, "Good job, Miss Granger."
"What's going to happen now?" Harry asked.
"I have contacted the ministry and they have sent over more Auror's. Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye spent the entire night using Veritaserum on the staff, and Auror's to see if they are behind any of it. They all passed with flying colours." McGonagall said. "We couldn't take any risks with what happened with Professor Snape last year."
"What about students?" Ron asked, eyeing Crabbe and Goyle. "Some of them seem awfully dodgy."
"I agree with you there Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said, watching them across the room appearing to be scowling at Ginny, and Luna with her yellow smock. "But it is illegal to use Veritaserum on a student." McGonagall turned her attention back to Harry. "Potter, the ministry as requested that if anymore breaches of security are made within the school that I assign an Auror to escort you around the school, and guard you at all times."
"WHAT!?" Harry roared. "An Auror follow me everywhere I go?"
"Relax, Potter, it isn't happening now. Only if there is another breach in security, and it's for your own protection." McGonagall said. "In the meantime, do not travel alone, careful of what you say to others, and be wary of Misters Crabbe and Goyle. Take care of each other," McGonagall said. "Now you may go." she added, dismissing them. "Oh, Potter, stay behind after Transfiguration tomorrow I would like to work on you with clearing your mind."
Harry stalked away from McGonagall red in the face with fury as Ron, and Hermione jogged along to keep up. "Harry?" Hermione called. Harry didn't hear her he was deaf with rage as he angrily stomped out of the Great Hall. "HARRY?" Hermione shouted, pulling on his arm to stop him. He stopped and turned to look at her.
"Harry, you need to calm down, nobody is following you at the moment, only if something else happens," Hermione said, trying to make him feel better. "It's for your safety."
Harry noticed that Ron was suddenly preoccupied with watching Ginny and Luna, and was facing the opposite direction. Harry gripped Hermione by the arm and led her over to a secluded corner.
"But something will go wrong! It always does! Because I'm Harry Potter and that's how things work in my life!" he said in an irritated tone. "Harry Potter is big enough to save the entire world, but not old enough to walk to class by himself!" He threw McGonagall's note on the ground in a fit of anger. "Before you know it I will have a unit of Auror's following me to the loo!"
Hermione placed a soothing hand on his arm, to try and get him to relax. "Harry…I know it would be awful to have Auror's following you everywhere…" She looked around to see if anybody was watching, luckily nobody was. She leaned into him. "…But if they can keep you protected and keep you with me…then I would gladly welcome them."
Harry smirked a little, and pulled her closer to him. "But we won't have anytime alone. How can we be together?"
"Oh, Harry," Hermione sighed contently, standing on her toes to kiss him on the tip of his nose. "You have an invisibility cloak."
The anger he had been rising in his blood now calmed and was far from his mind. She had amazing power over him that he didn't know she had. She could make him feel and do anything.
"Right…uh huh," was all Harry could utter.
"I have to go do some homework right now. We can talk about this later, but don't worry about it at the moment, because nothing is happening right now," Hermione said. "It would do you good to take a page from my book and do you're homework. You need to learn as much as possible."
Harry and Hermione said a quick goodbye before Hermione darted up to the common room to finish her homework. Harry wandered over to Ron, who seemed to be done watching Luna and his sister.
"I think I like Lovegood," Ron said. His eyes were glued to Luna, and he appeared to be as stunned as Harry felt.
"Since when? Why?" Harry asked.
"I have no idea!" Ron said, "…I just do." Ron pulled his eyes away from Luna and focused them on Harry again. "Let's change the subject before I think I've gone as crazy as she is."
"I think you already have."
"Shut up," Ron smirked. Harry and Ron slowly made their way out of the Great Hall. "That sucks about the Auror's."
"Yeah."
"Er…Harry, I know what you and Hermione were doing in our dormitory this morning," Ron said warily.
Harry stopped in his tracks, eyes wide and choked. "You do?"
"Yeah…you guys were talking about what happened last night at the Quidditch pitch, weren't you? Harry, is she mad at me? It was an accident, I didn't mean to…I'm sorry. I don't want her to be mad- -"
"Ron…" Harry said, cutting him off. "No, it's alright. She's not mad, she's fine. We really we're talking about the Pixies, honestly."
"You sure?"
Harry looked at the floor nervously and back to Ron. He hated lying to his best friend. "Yeah absolutely."
***
Later that night in the Gryffindor common room Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting silently doing their homework. Ron was sitting at the table immersed in a letter he was writing, which he kept crumpling up and restarting. Harry and Hermione were sitting together on the couch. Harry was very aware of Hermione's leg which was pressed firmly against his. Hermione didn't seem to notice or was very aware and trying to torture him. Harry seemed to think she was trying to torture him.
His thoughts were answered when Hermione shifted her body, and leaned over him to retrieve another book. Harry groaned, as Hermione grabbed her book and returned to her seat with an evil grin planted on her face.
"You're cruel," Harry said.
They both looked across the room when they heard Ron groan and toss another crumpled piece of parchment on the floor, and pull out a new one and begin writing.
Hermione glanced at her watch, and back up at Harry. "I have to go to bed. I have to get up early to do some more research." she said.
"Alright," Harry replied. He was a little disappointed, he was hoping Ron would go up to bed soon so he and Hermione could be alone, but it wasn't going to happen tonight. "Goodnight," he said, leaning into give her a quick kiss.
"Harry…" she said glancing over at Ron who was writing away oblivious to everything around him. "I don't want to take any chances," she whispered.
Harry joined her in glancing at Ron, he understood. "Okay, alright," he whispered. "Goodnight, Hermione." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly as she slowly backed away from him, her hand slowing falling out of his grasp.
"Goodnight," she replied. "See you in the morning." She turned and marched over the stairwell leading to the girl's dormitories. "Goodnight Ron," she said loud enough to pull him out of his train of thoughts.
"Yeah, night Hermione," he said without raising his head.
Once Hermione had gone Ron groaned again and threw another piece of parchment on the floor, this time setting it on fire with his wand.
"What are you working on, Ron?" Harry asked curiously.
"Nothing," Ron said, staring at Harry.
"It wouldn't be something for Luna, would it?" Harry teased with a cocky grin.
Ron blushed a horrible shade of crimson, and turned away from Harry and began frantically searching for another sheet of parchment.
Harry chuckled quietly to himself as he picked his book up off the floor and flipped through the pages until he came to the chapter on Salazar Slytherin. His laughter died as he settled down to study the life of Salazar Slytherin and to see if he could discover any potential Horcruxes.
-->