Paradise

Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to Harry Potter or the song Paradise. Only the plot is my own.

Author's Note: Thank you to those reading this. I love my one review I have! Thanks! If this is completely terrible, horrible, and no good, could someone maybe let me know so I don't keep posting more? Just small request really…Well on with it! Read…read!

Paradise

Chapter 2

Harry awoke with a face full of hair. Reaching behind him, he felt around on the table for his glasses. Once they were in place, he became better aquatinted with his surroundings.

Lying next to him, facing the window and hugging a pillow, was Hermione. Her hair that she tied up before sleeping seemed to escape its bindings. It now covered her pillow, the space between their pillows, and part of his.

He didn't think she'd appreciate it if she knew that he compared it to Devil's Snare right now.

Rubbing his eyes behind his glasses, he tried to think of what needed to be done today. A set plan of where they were headed and what to do to once they got there, but Ron needed to be contacted first.

Letting his arms flop to his sides, he let out a breath he'd been holding. Harry couldn't help but feel once again guilty at getting his friends involved. This wasn't their fight, but he knew it was no use. They'd be there—every step of the way. They had been since day one and would be till the last. He could only hope that no more of his loved ones would be taken away during this fight. It was a hopeless situation, but he felt it all the same.

He needed his friends, no family, with him. Not buried somewhere. Harry knew he couldn't do it alone. He wanted to, but he realized that some people wouldn't let him.

Carefully, Harry slid out of bed. With a quick a look back, he confirmed that Hermione was still asleep. Grabbing a change of clothes, among other things, he left the room and headed towards the bathroom.

Back in the room Hermione let out the breath she'd been holding and opened her eyes. She couldn't believe she had slept through the night. Usually when she felt at odds with her parents, she couldn't sleep. Maybe outright defying them made her exhausted. She briefly wondered what they were doing…how they reacted.

Shaking her head from the thoughts, she got up and went to the window. Below witches and wizards were going about their business. They were all moving quickly as though they wanted to get their items and flee the area before bad tidings could fall upon them.

She smirked to herself, those people had no idea what lay just beyond their sight. A war was brewing and the results were going to boil over into everyday society. The Ministry would not be able to withhold it from the public. Hermione wished it wouldn't happen, but she was a smart girl with the knowledge of how things worked. The bad people don't go away if you hide your eyes. She was no longer a child who hid in her parent's bed. Reality was here and she gave up hiding long ago—about the same time a troll followed her into a girl's loo.

The door to the room opened quietly. Glancing at it she said, “I'm up, no need to tiptoe.”

Harry entered the room dressed for the day. “Is everything okay?” At Hermione's look of confusion, he pointed to her face. “You're crying.”

She reached up and felt the wetness on her cheeks, “Oh, I didn't even realize.” She looked back out the window, “I was thinking about how different everything is. These people think they know, but they don't. Not really.”

She heard Harry toss his stuff down before coming over to the window. “They never will. Some may be affected by it more than others, but to them, someone else will take care of it. It's not their problem.”

“I wish you were wrong.” Hermione turned to look at him. “I know what you have to do and I'll do all I can to help.” She put her hand up to stop Harry from interrupting her. “You need me. Whether it's to research or just to listen, you need me. So I'm here, to help.” She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. “You even need Ron, believe it or not.” She heard Harry quietly chuckle at that.

Turning back to him, she held his gaze. “I won't leave you. You can try as hard as you want to lose me along the way, but I will not leave you.” The agreement went unspoken between them. Hermione knew she needed him just as much as Harry needed her.

Looking back at the room she knew they needed a plan. “So what's next? We have a few options.” She started ticking them off on her fingers. “Ron needs to be contacted, destinations planned, research started.” She looked at Harry. “Where do you want to start?”

How she could suddenly change gears amazed Harry. Hermione could go from challenging his opinions to organizing a plan of action in less than a minute. If he'd blinked, he would have missed the transition.

“Harry, have you heard what I've been saying?”

Harry shook his head of his thoughts, “Sorry. I guess we should write Ron first.”

Hermione sat at the cluttered desk and began a letter. As she wrote, she spoke her thoughts. “We probably shouldn't be so giving with details of where we are or where we're going. But would Ron read between the lines to figure it out? It is a public place, but who's to say that would stop them from trying something. Oh I don't know. What should we do Harry?” She turned herself around and looked at him questioningly.

Harry shrugged, “We could just go there. See everyone. Not listen when they try to convince us not to do it.” His tone was not lost on her. She watched him walk back to the window and look out.

“Ginny would be there.”

“If you're trying to sell me on the point of seeing Ginny, it won't work. Seeing her or not seeing her has nothing to do with it.” He kept his back to her while she struggle with her next words. Saying something wrong could make her thoughts known to him.

“Did something happen between the two of you?”

“We're not together. At the fun….funeral I told her it wasn't safe. She just nodded and walked away. Like it all…” Harry turned around to face her again. “So seeing her, not real high on my list. But do I think we should go there? Yes, but we're not staying long.”

“Okay. So we'll go there. Yes.” Hermione had a feeling that what he said had occurred, but no one confirmed until now. The news left her feeling a bit sad that yet again happiness was something that eluded Harry. That wasn't to say that the news didn't make a tiny bit of hope flare up inside her. She mentally chided herself, `Now isn't the time.”

Hermione tore up the note and got up. “So are we coming back here? We could take our things with us. It might be better since…”

“Something could, and most likely will happen and we'll have to make a quick escape?” Harry cut her off. “Yeah, we'll pack up.”

While packing Hermione took notice of the research Harry had been taking so far. She was amazed at how thorough he had been. She knew that this wasn't the time for that though and soon papers were organized and folded, maps were put up, and bags packed. All was shrunken for easy travel. It took less than an hour.

Harry grabbed her arm before leaving. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” she replied while smiling and meeting his eyes.

“Shed,” was all she heard next before he disappeared before her eyes. With her own quiet pop, Hermione followed.

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