Heat of Battle by Vanilla

Rating: NC17
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 10/03/2006
Last Updated: 21/05/2006
Status: In Progress

Hermione gets lost when the trio's safe house is suddenly under attack by a band of death
eaters while Harry risks his life to find the woman he loves to bring her back to safety where
naughtiness is sure ensue! Please review.




1. Chapter One
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A/N: This is rated NC-17 for upcoming chapters. When I started this story I was thinking I might
get 3000 words out of it but now it looks like I am going to get three or four chapters. Enjoy!

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

Smoke was rising from the burning field as Harry dashed from one end of the other seeking out
Hermione in the crowd. He hid under his invisibility cloak as curses were flying past him in all
directions. He cocked his head back and in the distance could see their safe house which was now
going up in flames. Harry sighed at seeing the house he had learned to call home for the past year
going in up in flames. It was a tough sight to see but he had more important things to worry about
right now, like find his best friend and get her out of harms way.

He silently sprinted across the dark field, his eye darting from side to side. The smell of
burnt flesh and death hung in the air, making Harry almost want to gag. He dodged out of the way as
angry death eaters trudged by trying to hunt down members of the Order to kill them.

Harry came to the crest of a round hill, which gave him an open view of the field before him. He
could see many death eaters lying face down on the ground - presumably dead - and only a few
remaining Order member who were scrambling around sending curses at as many death eaters as
possible. Harry soared inside, he and the few the order members who were stationed at the house
were out numbered two to one by the death eaters and they still managed to do three times as more
damage to the death eater's troops then they did to theirs.

But Harry's spirits fell when he still couldn't find Hermione, he knew she had to be
around here somewhere she couldn't have apparated out. Harry double checked the watch Hermione
had charmed for him, herself and Ron to work like the famous Weasley clock, and saw her hand was in
between `close by' and `mortal peril'. His heart was racing, if she was near by then why
wasn't she on the field? Harry watched Ron's hand move to `check point two'.

His heart was beating heavily in his chest and his breath was ragged from running. He raised his
head again to scan the field when he heard a small whimper coming from the other side of the hill.
He followed the sounds to the other side of the hill and found Hermione on the ground in a small
valley, cowering beneath a bulky death eater.

“Hermione!” he said to himself.

Harry raced down the hill without a second thought. He refused to allow another stupid death
eater take away another important person in his life. The closer Harry got the more he could hear
the death eater murmuring something to Hermione. Finally he got close enough to hear the death
eater shout, “You pathetic little mudblood, I am going to enjoy squeezing the life out of you!”

The bulky ruthless death eater took one stride towards the cowering form of Hermione wielding
his wand before him, as Harry came charging through and elbowed the death eater in face, sending
him to the ground. Harry threw off his cloak and glared down at the death eater who was now glaring
back up at him, with his mask half torn.

Harry recognized the face immediately. “Goyle…” Harry muttered.

“Potter…” Goyle replied, replicating a sneer almost exact to Malfoy's. They clearly spent
way too much time together. “Come to watch me kill the mudblood, Potter?” Goyle asked in a sinister
tone, as he slowly raised his wand in the direction of Hermione.

Harry roared with anger and kicked the wand out of Goyle hand. “No, you fucking bastard,
I've come to kill YOU!” he yelled heatedly. Harry pointed his wand at Goyle's half-masked
face. “I hope you feel this in every bone in your vile unworthy body,” he muttered. “…Crucio!”
Goyle squirmed on the ground, screaming for his mommy like a little girl. Harry sneered at the
sight of Goyle before him; he took great pleasure in making his enemies suffer before finishing
them off. “AVADA KEDAVRA!” Harry cried out. Goyle's painful cries ceased instantaneously, as
his vacant eyes rolled open revealing a lifeless body. Harry kicked Goyle square in the chest,
making his body roll onto his back. “Don't fuck with the people I love, you cold bastard!”
Harry said to Goyle's vacant expression, as he spit on him.

“…Harry?” a small voice called from behind.

Harry turned and spotted the woman he had been searching for. “Hermione!” Harry said in a
lighter tone. He rushed over to where she was leaning against a small stone wall (where she would
spend her days reading when the weather was nice) and collapsed next to her. “Hermione, you okay?”
he asked, frantically checking her over.

“Mmm…yeah…I…think.”

She could barely keep her eyes open, and her head was rolling from side-to-side. Harry noticed a
trickle of blood running down the side of her face. He ripped a piece of his shirt off and used it
as a rag to hold it against her wound.

“What did he do to you?” Harry said, trying to coax her into further consciousness. “Come on,
Hermione. Tell me.”

Her eyes cracked open and he heard take in a small breath which made her wince. “He…crucio
me…a-and…threw me…against…the w-wall.” she struggled to get out. “Harry, it…hurts.”

“Merlin, he used the cruciatus curse on you?” Harry said feeling shocked. He never wanted
anybody he cared about to feel that pain, especially her! He brushed the hair away from her face
and kissed her temple. “I am so sorry I wasn't here to protect you.” he whispered soothingly.
“You don't deserve to endure something as horrible as that. I should have been there.”

Hermione forced a weak smile. “Always…trying to play…the hero…aren't…you…Harry” she said
through a wary breath. “It wasn't…your fault. Don't…blame yourself.” She took in another
deep breath and whimpered slightly.

Harry forced a weak smile back. It nearly killed him to see her like this. The distant shouts of
curses and cries of pain brought Harry back into the real world. “We need to get out of here. Ron
apparated out, he's waiting for us at check point two.

“Ginny… Luna?”

“I don't know where they are I didn't see them out in the field, and none of our men
have fallen. So they must have followed orders and apparated out.” He told her. “Can you walk?”

“No,” she mumbled under her breath. Her head rolled from side-to-side once again before falling
limp against Harry's shoulder. “…My ankle.”

Harry leaned down to examine her ankle and saw that it was swollen and very red. “Shit!” Harry
muttered. “I think it's broken.” He lifted his head to scan the distance and the obstacles
between them and the edge of the property where the large iron gates stood. “We can't apparate
on the grounds. I'm going to have to carry you of here so were can apparate out.”

“Harry…”

“Yeah?”

“I can't stay…awake…much longer. It…hurts.”

“It's okay, I know it does. I promise I'm going to get you out of here and then heal
your wounds. Just hang on a little bit longer, it won't be long.”

Hermione nodded and winced painfully as she took in another breath.

“I'm going to pick you up now,” he told her. Harry hooked his arm under her knees and
wrapped his other arm around her waist and went to lift her up when Hermione let out a high-pitched
shriek.

Harry pulled away. “What is it?” he asked.

“Sharp pain in my stomach…when you…tried to pick me up,” Hermione replied in a hazy tone. She
placed a hand on her stomach and winced. She glanced up at Harry and nodded. “It's okay, pick
me up. The pain isn't…*wince*...that bad.”

Harry frowned, he didn't like making her suffer, but in this situation he had no choice. He
reached for the invisibility cloak and threw it over the both of them and picked Hermione up. She
gasped in pain and leaned her head against Harry's chest. “You'll be okay soon,” he told
her soothingly, and placing a kiss on the top of her head. He loved how easily she melted against
his body.

Harry lifted his head trying to figure out how he was going to dodge all the death eaters. He
started to jog up the hill and when he reached the peak he stopped to examine the open field. He
could see death eaters scrambling about sending curses in every direction possible. He knew it was
going to be a challenge to get to the gate. Harry swallowed and concentrated hard on the path he
was going to take. He knew he only had one shot at this, if the cloak happened to somehow come off
as he was running he was sure as dead.

He shifted Hermione's weight in his arms, took a deep breath, and began running down the
hill and through the field. He dodged the curses that were flying past them, and ran around the
scampering death eaters. He was so close to the gate, he couldn't believe it was that easy,
that's until he tripped over a protruding rock and went tumbling through the field, ejecting
Hermione from beneath the cloak and sending her out into the open view of the death eaters.

Harry watched in terror from beneath the cloak as she tumbled out in the open through the tall
grass. A group of death eaters a few yards away turned to see the cause of the shuffling.

“Look it's that mudblood!” cried a skinny death eater

“Get her!” added another short one.

The death eaters were now running in her direction. Harry reached for his wand…and wait! Where
was his wand? He checked all his pockets and frantically felt around in the grass for it, but it
wasn't there. He was freaking out now, the death eaters were getting closer to the defenseless
Hermione, and there was nothing he could do to protect her. What was he going to do? He did the
only think he could think of doing, which was to throw the cloak off himself to try and distract
them from Hermione.

“Hey!” Harry shouted, trying to divert their attention from Hermione.

The skinny death eater smirked and started to turn in the direction of Harry, while the short
one kept closing in on Hermione.

“Potter?” the skinny death eater slurred. “Oi, won't my lord be pleased when he learns that
I have brought him his prey. This is going to--”

“AVADA KEDAVRA!”

The skinny death eater's eyes rolled back into her head as she fell face first into the
dirt. Harry struggled for his breath and turned to see the death eater hovering over Hermione
collapse. Harry didn't think twice or wonder where the killing curse came from the only thing
on his mind was to get Hermione out of there. He stood up and rushed to her side where she was
laying barely conscious in the grass.

“Hermione?” Harry said, shaking her slightly.

“…Harry,” she replied barely above a whisper.

“We're getting out of here now,” he told her. Hermione let out a little gasp when he scooped
her up in his arms again.

“HARRY!”

Harry turned to see Ron jogging towards him.

“Shhh!! Ron, summon my wand. I lost it and we need to get out of here before we're noticed
by anymore death eaters,” Harry told Ron as soon as he was within earshot.

Ron retrieved Harry's wand and put it in Harry's pocket. His eyes rested on
Hermione's unconscious body and his heart nearly stopped. “I-is she--?”

“She's fine, Ron. All she needs to do is see a Healer and everything will be okay,” Harry
said, as he started to rush towards the gates. “What are you doing here? I thought you already
apparated out.”

Ron tapped on his watch, which Harry and Hermione's hands were pointing to `mortal
peril'. “Saving your arses obviously” Ron replied, jogging beside Harry. “She was a genius to
come up with these!” he added, pointing at his watch.

“Indeed.”

The finally made it outside gates without being noticed by anymore death eaters. Harry and Ron
gave each other a swift nod, silently agreeing to apparate to check point two.

*

Harry closed his eyes and opened them a few seconds late to find himself standing on a secluded
dark road in the middle of nowhere. A few seconds later a `pop' was heard and Ron appeared
before him. Harry noticed him eyeing the unconscious Hermione with a wounded expression.

“She'll be fine, you know,” Harry said out loud, more convincing himself than Ron.

“Yeah,” Ron replied bleakly.

“Let's go to the other safe house so we can get Hermione fixed up, and discuss the
situation.”

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at Ron who had a grim expression on his
face.

“What?” Harry asked feeling slightly irritated. “If you haven't noticed our best friend is
unconscious and bleeding in my arms, we need to get her to the house and healed!”

“Safe house two has been infiltrated too. Lupin informed me by patronus while I was waiting for
you two, we have a spy in our midst,” Ron told Harry. “There have been no casualties, but we do not
know who the mole is yet.”

“Fucking wonderful!” Harry said angrily. “Where do we go in the meantime?”

“Language,” Hermione mumbled in her feeble voice from partial consciousness.

Harry and Ron smiled.

“I don't know where everybody is staying, they didn't tell me,” Ron said. He paused for
a moment to think. A minute later his eyes augmented as a brilliant idea soared through his head.
“Bill and Fleur bought a cabin high up in the Norwegian Mountains like two years ago! They never
had the chance to use it before they died. Gods, I completely forgot about it. It's been empty
all this time. We can go there!

“Brilliant!” Harry shouted. “Let's go!”

A/N: I am sure your wondering what happened to Bill and Fleur, but all that will be answered in
the next chapter. If you liked it please review!

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2. Chapter Two
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Harry and Ron both apparated in the cabin at the same time, and instantly were consumed by the
sharp chill in the air. Harry could feel Hermione shivering in his arms.

He looked around; he was standing in a dark kitchen. The cabin was hardly furnished. A small
table with two small wooden chairs stood in the corner next to a small fridge. The unwelcome
silence was almost painful to Harry's ears.

A picture of Bill and Fleur with her protruding pregnant belly hung on the wall. Their storybook
romance was brought to a sudden halt when their lives were tragically taken from them. Fleur had
been seven months pregnant with the first Weasley grandchild at the time. Bill and Fleur had been
in Paris spending the weekend with Fleur's grandmother when they had the unfortunate mishap of
crossing paths with a very angry Narcissa Malfoy. The three of them were found dead in the cottage
four days later. Six weeks later Narcissa was caught and confessed, she was sent to live out the
rest of her life in Azkaban. It had been a terrible ordeal for all Weasley family.

Ron stared up at the picture and gulped. He looked away when he realized Harry was watching him.
“Go lay Hermione on the couch. I'll contact Lupin by patronus and ask him to apparate here
immediately and to bring a Healer and some food.”

Harry rushed into the living room and placed Hermione gently down on the couch. She appeared to
be fully unconscious now. She also seemed to be having difficulty breathing.

A few minutes later Ron came in carrying a bowl of warm water and a rag, which he handed to
Harry. He took it from his best friend and began wiping Hermione's forehead.

“Do you have any blankets here to keep her warm?” Harry asked.

Ron was leaning in the doorway to the living room watching Harry as he sponged the rag over
Hermione's forehead. “I don't know,” Ron said. He crossed the living room and opened a
closet door. “There's only one in here.” He tossed it to Harry who covered Hermione's
shivering body. “I'll go check up stairs.”

Just as Ron moved towards the stairs there were three loud `pops', which made Harry and Ron
jump, reaching for their wands. Lupin, Ginny, and Luna came rushing in from the kitchen.

“I got your message. You three alright?” Lupin asked.

Ginny rushed over to her brother to make sure he was alright.

“No, Hermione needs to see a Healer,” Harry explained to him. “She took quite a beating and
she's been hit with the cruciatus curse!”

Luna came rushing forth with medi-bag. “Harry, let Luna tend to Hermione, I would like a word
with you and Ron out in the kitchen.” Lupin asked.

“Why did you bring her?” Harry asked Lupin about Luna as if she wasn't even in the room.
“She's not even a qualified Healer!”

“We're in the middle of a war, if you haven't noticed,” Lupin told Harry. “With St.
Mungo's destroyed and lack of Healer's in the country she was the best I could get!
She's had over a years training in the healing department she'll do fine.”

Harry groaned.

Luna placed her hand on Harry's arm and looked him in the eye. “Harry, I am only four months
away from my Healing Degree. I assure you that I am quite capable of handling this situation.”

Harry groaned he knew he was being stupid. “I think she has a broken ankle too,” he told
her.

“Thank you,” Luna said, turning to Hermione.

Lupin cleared his throat.

Harry didn't want to leave Hermione's side his eyes tore away reluctantly from her and
turned to Lupin begging him to let him stay with her.

“No,” Lupin said reading his expression. “You and Ron in the kitchen now.”

Harry groaned and filed past Lupin as he entered the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and sat down
as Ron did the same across from him. Harry noticed Lupin was bearing a large grin.

“What?” he asked.

Lupin summoned a broken stool from the corner and sat down. “You have no idea how much you just
acted like your father a minute ago. He always used to give me that look when I told him and Sirius
they had to do their homework,” Lupin said, chuckling at the memory. “Merlin, do I miss them!”

Lupin stopped laughing shot Harry a look and swallowed hard like he had done something horribly
wrong.

Harry sighed. “I miss them too, but can we discuss who permeated our squadron? I would like to
sort it all out and get back to Hermione,” Harry said.

“Okay,” Lupin said pulling out some parchment. “At exactly 10:21 this evening, Neville
Longbottom was found unconscious in a dark ally where he was tortured by the cruciatus curse.
He's alright but he's being kept sedated for a few days to make sure there are no lasting
effects. That means he hasn't be questioned. But we believe he was tortured to reveal the
location of safe house two because he was the secret keeper this week.”

“Poor Neville,” Ron said in a low voice. “Any leads to who might have done it?”

“It's all up in the air right now,” Lupin said. “Harry, I need to you to tell me exactly
what was happening, and who was in the house at the moment of the attacks.”

“It was just after nine, Ron and Hermione threw me a birthday party. We were just cutting the
cake when we heard a loud explosion out in the yard. I investigated it and saw the heard of death
eaters. I knew we were horribly out numbered so I ordered everyone to apparate out. A few disobeyed
orders and stayed behind and did some damage before they left. Their training has really paid off;
you should have seen what they did. There were only a quarter of our troop out there and they
practically annihilated them.”

“Who was in the house at the time of the attack?” Lupin questioned further.

“Me, Hermione, Ron, Wilcox, Hannigan, Williams, Vernsby, Greene, Astern, Karalee, Mechlowicz,
Thomas, and the O'Brien twins,” Harry told Lupin.

Lupin nodded in response, as he scribbled something down on the parchment. “And who is the
secret keeper this week?” he asked.

“Amy Wilcox,” Ron intervened.

“No, it's John Hannigan. Amy came to me two days ago and said she didn't feel
comfortable with it so I offered it to John Hannigan this week. I wrote it down on the charts.”

“I see,” Lupin drawled as he wrote everything down. “Shacklebolt is questioning everybody right
now. I will tell him to put a little extra effort on Wilcox and Hannigan.”

“Any casualties?” Lupin asked.

“Just Hermione,” Harry answered.

“Who attacked her?”

“Goyle,” Harry said. “When I found them he was trying to kill her, so I finished him off.”

“Good one less of them we have to worry about,” Lupin said, checking something off on his
parchment.

“Everyone in safe house two okay?” Ron asked.

“Yeah, it was only and George. Luna and Ginny apparated in just as we being attacked, but we got
out unharmed. The rest of the team were out on assignments. So they're all being question as
well under Veritaserum too.”

“Good,” Harry sighed. He glanced over his shoulder and could see Luna administering a potion to
Hermione.

Lupin pulled his stool back and stood up. “As soon as Luna is done we have to get back. You
three may stay here for a day or two until we can provide you with better accommodations,” he said
putting his parchment back in his bag. “I am going to place some protective charms around the
property just to be safe. It won't be as safe as the one on the safe houses so keep your magic
levels low so you aren't detected. Only use magic if absolutely necessary.”

“Thank you,” Ron and Harry said together.

Lupin nodded, and stepped out the front door.

Ginny entered the kitchen from the porch and turned to face the boys. “The fridge is broken so I
put the food in the porch. It's cold enough out there,” she said. “I also made a fire.”

Ron ambled forward and hugged his sister. “Thanks, Gin. I'm glad you're alright,” his
tone was gloomy, as he pulled his little sister in tighter. “Take care of yourself.”

“Its okay, Ron. I miss Bill and Fleur too.” Ginny replied, recognizing the cause of sadness

Harry walked into the living room to give Ginny and Ron a moment alone. Luna was kneeling next
Hermione, putting her things back into her medi-bag.

“How is she?” Harry asked.

“She'll be just fine,” Luna said, peering up at Harry. She closed her bag and stood to look
him in the eye. “She had a mild concussion, two fractured and one broken rib, and her ankle
wasn't broken. It was just sprained.”

“Oh, well good,” Harry said.

“I healed her cuts and bruises and ribs. I gave her a potion for her concussion and her sprain.
So she'll be asleep for a few hours and when she wakes she will be as good as new.”

“Thank you so much!” Harry said to her.

“No problem, she's my friend too, Harry.”

“Yeah.”

Luna pulled a small bottle out of her pocket. “Oh when she wakes up she may feel a little dodgy
from the cruciatus curse, so if she does give her a small dose of this every six hours.” Luna
said.

Harry took the bottle from Luna. “Thanks,” he said again.

Luna smiled in return and went out into the kitchen to wait for Lupin to return from placing
protection spells around the house. Sure enough five minutes later Lupin came through the door.

“It's bloody cold out there,” he told them, shaking the snow off his head. “You better keep
that fire going tonight.”

“We will,” Ron said coming forth. He still looked a little uneasy.

“Well I better get back and fill out the rest of those reports. Shacklebolt and the whole Auror
department will be waiting,” Lupin said, looking at the girls. “You two ready?”

“Yes,” Ginny answered, giving her brother a hug goodbye. She nodded her head in recognition to
Harry and joined Lupin and Luna by the table.

“We'll notify you as soon as we have any information or leads,” Lupin told him.

“Alright,” Harry said.

“Let us know first thing tomorrow how Hermione's doing.”

“We will,” Ron answered. “Thanks for everything.”

“No problem. Remember keep your wand at the ready,” Lupin told them. “Goodbye.”

“Bye,” Harry and Ron said in unison.

Three sharp pops echoed off the walls and Lupin, Luna, and Ginny were gone.

Harry and Ron stood in silence for a moment staring off into space, the only sounds that could
be heard were the crackling of the fire in the fire place and the soft sounds of Hermione's
light breathing.

Ron cleared this throat, making Harry jump. “I don't know about you but I'm starving.
You want something to eat right now?”

“What did they bring?”

“Not sure,” Ron stepped out onto the back porch and brought in the large bag that Ginny had
packed all their food in. He placed the bag on the table and began pulling out its contents. “Jug
of milk, jug of water.” He reached in and pulled out a small plastic container and peeled back the
lid to sniff. “Onion soup.” Ron put down the container and pulled out two more just like it. “We
also have some chicken sandwiches and what looks like some steak and kidney pie. Oh and
cookies.”

“I'll have some onion soup,” Harry said.

“Here,” Ron said handing him a bowl. “You'll have to heat it up, it's cold.”

Harry sat down on the floor next to the couch where Hermione was sleeping and peeled back the
lid of his onion soup to heat it up with his wand. Ron grabbed a bowl and sat across from Harry and
did the same thing.

“So…when did Luna become not so…loony?” Harry asked half way through his soup.

Ron swallowed a mouthful of his soup. “Ginny tells me that since this war began and her father
was killed she has begun taking life and her roll in this war very seriously.” Ron explained.
“Though if you ask me, she'll always be a little loony. Last spring we were stationed up in
Ireland together, and all weekend she kept telling me my brain was being invaded by
Flobbywoobits!”

Harry laughed for the first time that night.

“It's sad though,” Ron said, before shoveling a spoonful of soup in his mouth. “That even
someone as free as Luna can be affected by this war. But I guess nobody can hide from it, we're
all targets.”

Harry furrowed his brow. “Ron, how do you feel after you've…killed someone?”

Ron looked up, slightly surprised by his best mates inquiry. “Well, I…don't feel great. I
mean I've just taken somebody's life away, death eater or not. I try not to dwell on it.”
He took another spoonful. “But I know that if I don't kill him, he will kill me or kill
somebody else that I care about. You okay?

“I felt happy when I saw Goyle's life fade from his eyes today,” Harry said looking off into
the distance. “And with every other one I've killed but I *really* felt it tonight when I
killed Goyle. I've never told anybody that before. Does that make me a bad guy?”

“No,” Ron said. “I mean, c'mon Harry, that bastard was about to kill Hermione, he deserved
what he got, I don't blame you for feeling happy when you killed him. And I know how much
Hermione means to you. You're mad in love with her!”

Harry flushed with crimson and darted his eyes back to focus intently on his bowl of soup. “Am
not!” he snapped back quickly.

Ron laughed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and Hippogriffs don't have wings!”

Ron swallowed the last few mouthfuls of soup and stood up putting his bowl and spoon back in the
bag as he heard Harry sigh. “This is probably something you would be better off talking to Hermione
about in the morning when she's better. I'm a Weasley, we all know I'll say the wrong
thing. Remember I've only got the emotional range of a teaspoon! But I'm getting better.
Maybe after the war I can be promoted to spatula.”

Harry laughed again. “You're an idiot.”

“That I am,” Ron said through a proud grin. “But Hermione would probably say something like
this.” He cleared his throat and put on his best high girly voice. “Oh, Harry, you have spent your
entire life suffering because of them. It's natural to feel this way. Now get over here you
sexy treacle tart and plant a big wet one on me!”

Harry's mouth formed an `O' as he was torn between laughing and being stunned. “Oi, you
shut your gob, you git!” he said as he threw his spoon at him.

Ron dodged the spoon and raced up the stairs pretending to giggle like a little girl.

Harry sniggered and brought the bowl to his lips to down the small remainder of his soup. He put
the bowl back in the bag like Ron did and turned to Hermione.

She was asleep on the couch breathing softly. Harry noticed that she was shivering slightly. He
tucked the blanket around tighter and turned to the fire to throw a few more logs on. The stairs
behind him creaked and he turned to see Ron staring at him.

“There's only one bed up here, so if you want you can have it. I'm going to write out a
few reports in the other room.”

“No, I'm going to stay down here with her.”

Ron rolled his eyes and pulled a pillow and a blanket out from behind his back and tossed it to
Harry. “Knew you would.”

Harry smiled. “Thanks.”

“See you in the morning,” Ron said turning to go back up the stairs.

Harry unfolded the blanket and spread it over Hermione's shivering form as soon as he heard
Ron close the door up stairs. He picked up the large pillow and gently placed under her head and
smoothed the hair away from her face.

Harry sat down on the wooden floor next to the couch and found a small section of pillow next to
her to lay his head on. He watched her for a moment and thought she looked so beautiful. He closed
his and just as he fell asleep he whispered, “I love you, Hermione.”

What he didn't hear was Hermione's unconscious reply of, “I love you too.”

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3. AUTHORS NOTE
---------------



Hello : )

Sorry to get your hopes up, but this is not a chapter update, it's an author note. I know I
haven't updated in forever and I am sorry about that. I just wanted to explain to my readers
what has been going on. The reason I haven't updated in a while is because I have had some
unpleasant things happen which has kept me from writing as much as I'd like. Also I recently
found out that I am moving and now everything is up in the air and confusing. Also I am not sure
how long I am going to have the internet it might be cut off soon. I will try and get as much done
as I can and post ASAP, but no guarantees. I am really really sorry for the lack of updates but
please bear with me.

Thank you,

Vanilla

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