Disclaimer: Yeah yeah, you know the drill refer to any of the previous chapter disclaimers…
She could feel him staring at her. His gaze was intense and cut through the darkness inside the tent. She knew he was afraid to go to sleep. He was afraid he would have a nightmare in front of them.
They had destroyed yet another Horcrux. They were doing pretty well actually. Ron was the one who had to retrieve the Horcrux. Voldemort had set up some kind of charm that would only allow a pureblood to enter into the room where the Horcrux was hidden. Harry and she had both been thrown back a few meters when they tried to enter. They both had broken some bones and she had broken out into boils (she assumed this was because she was a mudblood). Luckily she had had the common sense to study up on basic magical medicine earlier in the summer.
The house had been abandoned for years and the three of them had run into numerous bogarts along the way. All of their fears had changed since third year. When Ron opened a closet he was greeted by every member of his family sprawled out on the floor dead. When she opened an old trunk she was welcomed by the dead forms of her parents along with Harry and Ron. She had frozen up looking at one lifeless form to the other. The color was slowly draining from bogart-Harry's face and she just stared silently in horror. She had never encountered a bogart projecting her own fears. Harry had stepped in with a softly-spoken ridikulous to vanish the horrible vision.
Harry's bogart had popped out of a cupboard. The lifeless bodies of her and Ron tumbled out onto the floor. He had almost looked embarrassed that they had seen his deepest fear and he quickly cast a spell to vanish their forms from view.
The atmosphere had changed after they had seen each other's worst fears; it was quiet, out of respect and embarrassment. Now, she was laying awake in bed, uneasy under his gaze. The tent they were in was nothing compared to the one they had stayed in for the Quidditch World Cup. This was a simple tent with one room and only a hard floor to sleep on. They were too exhausted to aparate back. They also didn't have enough energy to create a portkey and the night bus didn't make rounds out here, so they were on their own.
She turned over trying to get comfortable. He was staring at her. She turned over to face him.
"What is it, Harry?" She whispered. She could only see the outline of his face in the darkness.
"What do you mean?" He asked innocently. Ron snored loudly to her right.
"Why can't you get to sleep?" She could see him squirm uncomfortably even in the pitch blackness.
"I was just thinking about today. You could have been really badly hurt you know." She shrugged one shoulder even though he couldn't see her.
"You could have been really badly hurt too you know." She said almost playfully.
"That's different." She moved closer to him so she could hear better.
"Why is it so different?" She asked with almost a tone of indignity.
"I just don't want you to get hurt." The emotion in his voice was raw and she immediately softened. There was an awkward silence between them before she changed the subject.
"You know, I've been thinking, why would Voldemort put up a charm that even he couldn't pass through?" He moved closer to her so they were just touching.
"I think he probably either knew how to take off the charm or he figured he could just get one of his pureblood Death Eaters to retrieve it for him."
"We're lucky Ron was there." It fell silent between them for a moment before she spoke again. "Now why don't you tell me the real reason why you couldn't get to sleep." He sighed loudly and ran a hand threw his hair.
"You know why, Hermione. I don't want to have… one. Also, I want to keep a look out on you two just in case something happens." She smiled warmly into the darkness.
"Nothing is going to happen, Harry. Now get some rest."
"You get some rest." He sounded like he was five years old.
"I can't sleep when you're staring at me like that!" She knew he was blushing and she immediately regretted saying that.
"I just don't want you to get hurt." She scooted even closer to him, verifying her presence next to him-making herself something tangible to him.
"I won't get hurt Harry, don't worry." They had been doing this a lot lately, hadn't they? Finding reasons to get closer than they should, finding reasons to touch, to hold hands or hug. She felt his hand run across her cheek.
"I have to worry, Hermione." She grabbed his hand in hers and brought it close to herself.
"Don't." And then she hugged him (well sort of, they were lying down so it was a bit awkward). Dear Merlin! What was wrong with her? Why would she do that? Why? She knew it was going to feel nice, she knew she wouldn't want to let go. Wait, he wasn't letting go either. He wasn't letting go, in fact, he pulled her in closer. Their noses were almost touching and her breath caught in her throat. She loved him. Yes, it was all over from here. She was glad that there was no light in the tent. She was sure it was written all over her face; I love you Harry Potter. She loved him. She was so stupid. She pulled almost right up against him. His hand was still caught between her two hands.
"I can't lose you." He whispered into her hair. She smiled warmly as she squeezed his hand just a little. Dear Merlin! There was no turning back, there were no re-dos, if she screwed this up, it was over.
"You won't. I promise." She had no right to make that promise. She couldn't promise that. No one could promise that, but she did. He seemed to relax at this and after a few minutes she brushed the hair on his forehead to the side and kissed his scar. And they fell asleep like that. For one night they were just a boy and a girl in love. For one night they were normal. For one night, they were happy.
A/N: I know, a little out of character maybe but I like to think that Harry keeps up such a façade during the day that he's kinda vulnerable at night. This is a nighttime chapter and if you haven't realized, anytime it's night for these characters they seem to be a little more emotional-the whole push and pull thing. They're not together, they're walking a thin line, but they're still just heavily flirting with each other. Just for clarification and explanation J Anyway, tell me what you think!