Here is the chapter, we have all been waiting for! Warning fluff is near! I hope you all have a safe and Merry Christmas! Please read and review
Chapter 4
My Perfect Christmas Gift
It had been two weeks since Harry had been retrieved from daily torturing by Lucius Malfoy. Instead, he was now going through the torture of reliving all his nightmares in life. He was still unconscious, but every now and then you could see his eyes moving behind closed eyelids. Hermione had been stationed by Harry's bed ever since he was allowed visitors. The Healers only asked her to leave once before get a twenty minute rant on why she was certainly not leaving. Ron tried to make her leave by telling her to go eat and get some proper sleep promising he'd watch Harry. When that didn't work, he threatened to use some of Fred's and George's tricks for their new line of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes
Hermione being satisfied by the fact that Harry was back only last for about a day before she went back into her routine of abusing her health for the one she loved.
One afternoon Ron came into Harry's private room with small snowflakes on him from snow outside to find Hermione once again talking to Harry. She didn't even look up when Ron entered. Ron had had enough of Hermione looking longingly at Harry and denying her feelings. If she was going to make herself sick over Harry, she was going to at least realize her love for him!
"How long, Hermione?" Ron asked after a few minutes startling Hermione from her one sided conversation with Harry.
"What are you talking about Ron?" Hermione snapped back, upset about the interruption.
Ron didn't seem to mind her behavior and pressed on, "How long have you been in love with Harry?"
Hermione was about to snap out another rude reply, but stopped short.
After a few minutes she answered him, "I-I'm not in l-l-love with H-Harry. Don't be so ridiculous Ron!"
"Hermione, I've seen the way you look at him. I see that sparkle in your eye every time he enters the room or anytime he smiles. Everyone else sees it, but you two. It's time you stop ignoring your heart." Ron retaliated in a calm even voice.
Hermione's jaw dropped, what happened to the boy who had the emotional range of a teaspoon? He certainly wasn't in this room.
"So, what do you say Hermione? How long have you loved him?" Ron said after watching all the emotions flash through her eyes.
Hermione looked Ron in the eyes and blushed under his gaze, "Forever,"
Hermione said and let a smile grace her lips, "I was just too busy to stop and realize it." Ron smirked knowing this was killing Hermione. He knew something before her, and she couldn't stand the idea of it.
"Are you going to tell him when he wakes up?"
"You mean if he wakes up, and no I will not. What if he doesn't feel the same way?" Hermione countered.
"Hermione! Don't talk like that! You of all people should know Harry will wake up. He will live, and how dare you for one second think Harry doesn't love you like you love him! He has loved you for a long time and was planning on telling you on Christmas. He wouldn't stop bugging me about what he could get you for Christmas that he wanted more. He didn't want to get a book because that would still mean you were just friends."
For the second time that day, Hermione's jaw dropped in astonishment. Ron couldn't help but laugh. Hermione obviously thought he was the dumbest person ever!
Before Hermione could come out of her speechless state, they heard a moan from where Harry was. Ron and Hermione quickly locked eyes and hurried over to Harry's bed. They could see him obviously fighting some inner battle. His eyes were moving beneath his eyelids faster than they before, and he was muttering incoherent things.
A minute later when Ron and Hermione were about to give up hope that Harry was waking up, his eyes fluttered open revealing his troubled emerald eyes. Setting off the wards by becoming conscious, three Healers came rushing into the room pushing Ron and Hermione out of the room while they examined Harry. Another Healer headed into the room a few minutes later pushing an assortment of potions on a tray.
They could hear Harry muttering things to the Healer which sounded a lot like 'I'm fine'. Dumbledore approached Hermione and Ron a few minutes later.
"I was just informed that Harry woke up," Dumbledore explained. "What exactly happened?"
"We aren't sure. When Harry opened his eyes, it set off the wards, and the healers came rushing in." Hermione replied.
About ten minutes later, all the Healers left Harry's room. Dumbledore approached the 'Head' Healer and started talking to him. Dumbledore then walked back over to the three waiting anxiously for news on Harry.
"Healer Loucon said that you are allowed to visit Harry. I must warn you all not to expect him to be like he was before this. He has been through a very traumatizing situation, and I'm not sure how he will handle it. Knowing Harry, he will probably try and play it off as if nothing happened."
Hermione and Ron were mentally trying to prepare themselves as they started towards Harry's room.
Dumbledore, Hermione, and Ron walked into Harry's room to see him propped up on pillows looking a bit drowsy. At the sight of his company, Harry's face lit up. He grinned at them trying to forget the horror he'd been through.
"Hello Harry. Feeling better, I see?" Dumbledore asked, knowing he should be the one to break the nervous tension in the room. Dumbledore knew Harry wasn't ready to talk about what he had been through, especially not to a group of them. He knew that only one brown eyed girl with curly brown hair would be able to talk to him.
"Yes, Professor. H-how long have I been out?" Harry asked in reply, looking out the window in which he could see snow softly falling to the ground.
"Two weeks." The disappointment of being unconscious that long was evident on Harry's face. He was tired of missing life. "Christmas is in four days."
"Do you think I'll be able to go back home then?" Harry asked. Hermione smiled noticing that he was referring to Hogwarts as his home.
"I think we could arrange something," Dumbledore replied once again. "Well, Harry I must get going. I'll leave you to catch up." With that Dumbledore turned and walked out leaving Harry, Hermione, and Ron to talk amongst themselves.
"So Harry how are you feeling?" Hermione asked with a nervous smile.
"Like I've been run over by the Hogwarts Express," Harry said with a grin, trying to lighten up the mood. Harry looked up to see Hermione with tears in here eyes and Ron with an expression of 'here she goes again'.
"Hermione, look I'm fine. No need to worry about me," As soon as Harry said that, he regretted it. This was Hermione he was trying to convince not Ron. She could see his troubled eyes from a mile away.
"Well, someone has to worry about you since you obviously won't! You aren't fine Harry! You don't have to cover it up in front of me." She said tears now streaming down her face.
Harry reached out his hand, and Hermione took it, "You are right, Mione, I'm not fine, but I can't talk about it right now," Harry replied in his nice, masculine voice that made Hermione want to faint right there, but instead she just nodded her head and smiled.
Harry was released from St. Mungo's on Christmas Eve, and Harry was now staying at the Burrow, the Weasley home, for the remaining Christmas holidays.
Harry was sitting by the fireplace at Midnight deep in thought when he heard a creak from the Weasleys' stairs releasing him from his thoughts. He turned around to see Hermione in pink flannel pajamas creeping down the stairs trying not to wake anyone. Harry couldn't help but grin at how cute she looked.
"What are you doing down here?" Hermione asked sitting down by Harry.
"Just thinking for a bit, couldn't sleep."
"You couldn't sleep or were you afraid to sleep?" Hermione questioned with a cock of an eyebrow.
"Both," Harry admitted, knowing he could talk to Hermione. Hermione went to open her mouth to respond, but Harry continued, "Every time I close my eyes, I see Lucius Malfoy. If it's not Malfoy, it's Sirius falling through the veil, Cedric dying, or y-you getting hit by that purple flamed curse."
"Oh Harry." Harry heard Hermione say before she tackled him in a hug. Harry was now lying on his back with Hermione squeezing him in a hug on top of him. He could only imagine what this would look like if someone walked in, not that he minded. Hermione felt warm against him, and he felt electrocuted by her touch.
Hermione obviously realized the position they were in because she soon sat up. She held out a hand to help Harry sit up, but he just pulled her back down tickling her on her sides.
Hermione had to fight the urge to squeal, she didn't want to wake everyone in the house up.
"H-Harry stop!" She managed to get out after a few minutes of his relentless tickling attack. After she caught her breath, she pulled a present out from under the Weasleys' rather large Christmas tree.
"Here's your Christmas present. I didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone tomorrow. I hope you like it." She said handing over a small box.
"Hermione, you didn't have to get me anything." Hermione only rolled her eyes, and motioned for him to open the present already.
Harry unwrapped the present and opened the box to reveal a snitch necklace.
"I hope you don't think it's too girly." She said while biting her lower lip.
Harry's face lit up and replied, "No Hermione! Not at all, I love it!" Hermione went to give Harry a kiss on the cheek, but he turned his face towards hers. Their lips met for the first time, and they could feel a shockwave move through them. The kiss lasted only a few seconds but was enough to reveal what the other was feeling. When they broke apart, Hermione had a look of utter shock on her face.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry said a minute later, knowing that he had just ruined their friendship. "I should have never-" What Harry should have never done, Hermione wasn't going to let him get out. She crushed her lips against hers and put in all the passion and love she felt for him in it. Harry raised his hand and cupped Hermione's face and intensified the kiss. When they broke apart, they were both breathless.
"Wow," was all that Harry could manage out.
"I take it you like your present then," Hermione said with a laugh.
"Yes, I do, but you didn't have to get me anything. You were enough." Hermione started to protest, but Harry quickly rambled on, "All those years I watched Dudley get tons and tons of presents on Christmas, and I wanted that so badly. I wanted someone to love me enough to do that for me, but now I see. I see that I didn't need so many presents that I couldn't count them all, I didn't even need two. All I need was you. If you hadn't given me anything at all, I would have been happy. Hermione, you are my Christmas gift. "
Hermione blushed at the end of this, "Well, now you have two." Harry just smiled.
Harry grabbed Hermione's present out from under the Christmas tree and handed it to her. "I can't be out done now can I?" Harry said with a smile.
Hermione took it and opened the present to reveal a beautiful heart locket. It was silver and had two diamonds on it. When Hermione opened it up, it had pictures of Harry and Ron waving at her.
"I love it Harry!" Hermione said barley above a whisper.
"I love you, Hermione." Hermione gave Harry a deep meaningful kiss that made Harry wonder how he lived this long without it.
When they broke apart, they snuggled up together in front of the fire and watched the snow fall outside.
Harry broke the silence a few minutes later, "Thanks for being my perfect Christmas gift, Mione." Hermione just looked at Harry and smiled while the eventually drifted off to sleep in each others arms on Christmas morning.
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