Author's Note:
Thank you again for truly amazing and wonderful reviews! And thanks for being patient. I know that my super-frequent updates are going to fall off soon (not go away-don't panic), but while the muse is in control I can only bend to her will.
This is based off part of Chapter 17 `A Sluggish Memory'. I hope no one is disappointed in the week away between H/Hr. :)
This chapter is from Hermione's POV.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I am merely borrowing them.
Stepping into that fireplace was one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She clutched her trunk and Crookshanks' carrier awkwardly in one hand and Floo powder in the other. Harry seemed to be in a trance but he jolted out of it just before she left. She focused on his eyes and then threw the powder, saying her parent's address as she did.
Her parents were waiting for her with happy grins on their faces. She shook off as much ash and soot as she could, popped the lock for Crookshanks and sat down her trunk before crossing to them. They both hugged her at once.
The house was warm and smelled of cinnamon and for just an instant she felt like she was little again. But then the last week played through her mind in a flash and she remembered that innocence was something she was never going to have again.
She plastered a fake smile on her face and told her parents she was going to unpack. Her childhood room looked completely foreign to her. Since she had begun at Hogwarts its appearance hadn't changed much. She never had a problem with that. Logically it didn't make sense to re-do a room she only spent two and a half months in. Usually by the time she was settled and feeling like home it was time to go back.
It was a good sized room and had windows on two walls which she was always grateful for in the colder months. The walls were a pale pink, a holdover from when she was allowed to pick the color at age six. The bed was also a relic of days gone by. It was white and had once had four posters and a canopy but she requested they be pulled down a few years ago. The rest of the room was filled with bookshelves.
She dropped her trunk and place the cat carrier in the closet. Ten minutes later her trunk was unpacked and she was sitting quietly on her bed. She knew her parents were waiting for her but all she could think of was that she missed Harry. It was silly, really, they had been apart plenty of times before. But they weren't the same anymore and being away from him was going to be difficult.
Deciding she had spent as much time as she could she made her way downstairs. Lunch was ready and she did enjoy the next hour catching up with her parents. She filled them in on her classes, how her grades had been, funny things the girls had said or done in the dorms, all light, fluffy things that bore no real consequences or could even hint at what had really happened.
Unfortunately her parents hadn't been able to take much time off while she was home so there would be no holiday to keep her attention. She had already finished all her homework, extra work and everything else she could possibly do for school.
The first two days of her imposed exile- as she was deciding to now call it- were not that bad. She reread some of her favorite books, stayed up late watching movies with her mum and did the morning crossword with her dad. But after two days it was too much. She missed Harry and she was on edge.
Her sleep hadn't improved. She'd be able to nod off for a few hours but eventually the dream would find her. The person hurting her would switch, sometimes Voldemort, sometimes McLaggen, sometimes Malfoy, one time it was even Harry and that had shaken her so bad she didn't even bother to try and go back to sleep.
Hedwig was a comfort and she wanted so badly to send a letter to the Burrow but she knew that if Harry saw his owl flying back to him he would immediately think something had happened. She couldn't do that to him.
The third morning she was sitting in the front room sipping a cup of tea, the house quiet after her parents had left for work when she heard what sounded very much like an apparition.
The tea cup fell to the carpet with a soft thud and she had her wand in her hand immediately.
She scanned the front yard and ran around to the kitchen to look into the back. There was nothing. Her heart was pounding and she had broken out in a cold sweat. She spent the rest of the day patrolling the house, but nothing else happened.
She stared at Hedwig a long time that night, considering whether or not to send a note to Harry. Eventually she convinced herself that nothing had actually happened. She didn't sleep that night.
The fourth day she knew she couldn't sit around doing nothing. She walked to a local store, bought a can of paint and some brushes and busied herself by redoing her room. That night she was so exhausted she fell asleep immediately and didn't dream.
The fifth morning was her last full one away from Hogwarts. She packed her trunk as soon as she woke up. After breakfast she left with her parents, they had taken the day off and the three of them spent the day in London, shopping, eating and having a relatively good time. The next morning she would be returning to school.
That night her dreams were back. Going back to Hogwarts was a double edged sword. She would be reunited with Harry and Ron but she would also have to deal with the after affects of her attack. The dreams tonight were the worst they had ever been and she woke herself up with a strangled scream.
She pushed damp hair off her forehead and gave up on sleep. It was three a.m.
For the next four hours she tidied her room, got dressed, and read. Her mum went all out for breakfast but she wasn't all that hungry. Thirty minutes before she was due to leave she was sitting in the living room, trunk ready and a disgruntled Crookshanks pouting in his carrier. She had sent Hedwig ahead to Hogwarts already. Her parents had begun to get suspicious of her behavior but didn't question her on it before she left.
The Floo sprang to life and she was ready. She hugged her parents goodbye, stepped anxiously into the fireplace and shouted `Hogwarts'.
She was deposited in Professor McGonagall's office.
"Good day, Miss Granger." came the voice of her favorite teacher.
"Hello Professor." she replied, her eyes dancing back to the fireplace, waiting for it to flare up once more.
"I brought you here a bit early, I thought perhaps we could talk."
A cold hand gripped her stomach and she didn't know if she would be capable of hiding her disappointment.
"Oh, um, of course." she said and took a seat across from her
"I wanted to ask how you were doing." said McGonagall, looking slightly uncomfortable at having the conversation.
Hermione bit off her automatic answer of `fine'. "I'm doing as well as can be expected, Professor."
"Thats good. Very good."she paused then as if she didn't want to say what was to come next. "I have some information that may be difficult for you to hear."
Hermione's first thought was that something had happened to Harry. There was a roar of blood in her ears and her hands were going numb. "Har..." she was able to stammer out.
"It is about Mister Malfoy." McGonagall answered
At her words Hermione's world righted itself. "Malfoy?"
"The headmaster and I reviewed your memory again and did indeed see Mister Malfoy put a potion in Mister McLaggen's drink as well as provide him with the potion that affected you. However, it is Professor Dumbledore's opinion that we allow Mister Malfoy to remain a student at Hogwarts."
She saw red. Surely McGonagall could not have just said what she thought she had said.
"How...why...?" she asked, unable to understand how anyone could allow this.
"The headmaster feels that it would be prudent to have Mister Malfoy where we can watch him in order to determine on who's orders he was operating under when he facilitated your assault." she explained in a calm enough matter but Hermione thought she could hear a touch of edge to her voice.
Knowing that Draco Malfoy would continue to walk these halls shook her. She nodded dumbly at the professor.
"Well then...you should head back to your room now. But if you ever need to speak to someone my door is always open." she said with what passed for a kind smile.
"Professor, if I may, when are the Weasley's and Harry arriving?" she hoped she hadn't sounded desperate.
"Their Floo is scheduled to arrive at two this afternoon." and then she turned back to the work on her desk, effectively dismissing Hermione.
She still had three hours before Harry would be back.
Hermione took the shortest path back to Gryffindor Tower, her wand out and hidden in the folds of her robe. Mercifully she didn't run into anyone else on the way there.
Unpacking her trunk was something she could do without thinking now and being back in her dorm was comforting but she just couldn't get past the feeling that she needed to see Harry. She hated how needy it sounded in her head, but it wasn't that she was scared without him, she felt as though she wasn't herself without him. And in a way, this feeling was even more terrifying. Why was she feeling this for Harry? What exactly was she feeling? For once she didn't have all the answers.
There was nothing for her to do but wait. Grabbing a book she headed for the common room. No one else seemed to have arrived yet, for which she was thankful. She chose an arm chair tucked away in an alcove near the fireplace. Not many people could see her, but she had a good view of the majority of the room from where she was.
However, the small amount of sleep she had been getting, coupled with the warmth of the fire and she found herself dozing off. Within a few minutes she was completely asleep.
A hand on her knee and a gentle shake brought her back. She blinked slowly, thinking she was in her parent's living room for a moment until she registered the face in front of her; it was Ron.
"Ron!" she exclaimed and launched herself out of the chair. He stumbled back a couple of steps from the force but steadied himself and returned the hug.
It was so good to see a familiar face but she soon found herself searching the room for Harry.
As she slid back down to the ground she looked up at Ron, brow quizzical "Where's Harry?" she asked
"Hermione." he said in mock hurt "You wound me." pretending to be struck in the chest and staggering before plopping down in the chair she had just vacated.
"Ron Weasley!" she yelled, not in the mood for his games just then "You'd better tell me where he is right this instant or I'll..."
"Or you'll what?" he asked, eyes bright, enjoying playing with her. He made a funny face and then reached under his hip to bring out the book she had forgotten. He handed it to her and then settled back in the chair "Dumbledore wanted to see him as soon as we got in. He wasn't too pleased about it if you must know."
"Oh." she said, disappointment evident "Well, if the headmaster wanted to see him then..."
Ron looked at her strangely for a moment "How was your week?"
She sat down heavily on the ottoman and let out a sigh "Boring."
His eyebrows shot to his hair. "Wow! I never thought I'd live to see the day where Hermione Granger was bored."
She swatted at his knee "Well I was. And I also drove myself crazy thinking I was being watched." she admitted distractedly
Ron leaned forward then, suddenly serious "What do you mean `being watched'?"
She was hesitant to say anything but knew she had already slipped up "I don't think it was really anything but...one day I was sure I heard someone apparate." she saw him tense and hurried to explain "I didn't see anyone and nothing happened, so I think it was just me letting my imagination get the better."
He was quiet for a moment "You need to tell Harry, he'll want to know." and she nodded, planning on doing just that.
They were silent, he drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair, her studying a pattern in the hearth rug. At the same time they both blurted out "We need to talk."
They laughed nervously before Ron ran a shaky hand through his hair and started speaking. "I've been a complete git this year. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am." she tried to cut him off but he put out a hand to stop her "I think...I think I thought I should like you." he noticed her confused look and took a deep breath before trying again "I thought that because we were always hanging out together it would make sense if I liked you...like that." he blushed furiously
"But it seemed like every time I tried something or said something it was wrong and I would feel stupid so I would just do more things that made me feel more stupid." he stopped for a moment "And this year it just got worse. When Lavender liked me though...I liked how that felt and when I was with her it felt different than when I was with you. " she gave him a smile and an encouraging nod "When you...when you were attacked I..." he hung his head down now, unable to look her in the eye "I almost killed him. I realized that how I felt for you was how I would feel if Ginny had been hurt. You're like another sister, thats why we fight so much. And all of that other stuff...none of it mattered anymore"
She looked at him with damp eyes and couldn't help from hugging him. "You're a good man Ron Weasley." she said with a sniff as she sat back down. "But you don't get to take all the blame here. There was a time where I thought I could feel that for you, but I think I realized the same thing...that it wasn't a romantic love I felt but a familial one. When you and Lavender got together I was mad because I thought you were using her to make me jealous. Thats why....thats why I asked..."she stopped, his name sticking in her throat "Thats why I asked McLaggen out. I did it to hurt you." her voice catching, she brought up a hand to cover her mouth. "If I hadn't been so proud then...this wouldn't have happened." she shut her eyes as the tears she couldn't keep at bay began to leak out.
Ron's hands shot out and grasped hers. "Hey! You listen to me. This was no one's fault but Malfoy's. You got that!"
She nodded half-heartedly. He tipped her chin up "No one's fault. Not yours, not mine and not Harry's. Ok? Malfoy's. We've all made mistakes, but this wasn't one of them."
She knew he was right, but it was hard to let go of the guilt. "Okay." she agreed.
"So what did happen with Lavender then?"
"Oh, well, I think I figured out that I liked the idea of her liking me more than actually being with her. Didn't seem fair to let her believe otherwise." he said with a shrug.
"That was very noble of you."
"Well, I am in Gryffindor for a reason." he said with a grin.
More people had been arriving as they talked although no one had disturbed them. With her back to the entrance she didn't have a good view anyways. Ron's attention was caught by something however, and she turned her head to look. It was Harry.
He saw her at the same time and dropped his trunk, she spun from the ottoman and raced towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Harry!" she breathed, burying
her face in his neck to hide the few tears that had overcome her. She felt whole again.
This. This is what she had missed. She had been off all week. Not quite right and now she knew why. She needed him. She needed him badly. Everywhere they touched felt as if it had twice the nerve endings it should. A shot of electricity wrapped around her heart and spread low in her stomach.
He didn't say anything, just held her tight. "I missed you." she whispered into his neck, much like she had when they had parted the week before. He ducked his mouth close to her ear and repeated her sentiment.
What was this? What were they doing? She had never considered Harry in this way before. Never considered him as anything other than her best friend. But she couldn't deny what she felt and she couldn't deny how he was acting with her as well.
She didn't know how long they stayed that way, eventually, Ron interrupted them "Uh, guys, people are starting to stare."
Reluctantly she released the hold she had on his neck and lowered herself to the ground, sliding a hand down his arm as she did and grasping his hand. She had missed him too much.
Ron had been correct, the common room was almost full now and several people were looking at them with grins or talking behind their hands. She blushed, knowing what their display had looked like.
"Let me go put my trunk away and I'll be right back." Harry said, squeezing her hand.
She let go reluctantly "Of course. I'll wait here and then we can go eat."
Ron followed him up the stairs and she was left alone, feeling the eyes of her fellow Gryffindors. She put on her best `Prefect' glare and cast a look about the room. The only ones not to back down were her room mates. Parvati and Lavender made a bee-line for her.
"Is it true?" Parvati asked excitedly
"Did you really?" Lavender added
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Hermione replied, wishing the boys would be back soon
"We heard that you and McLaggen hooked up after the Christmas party." Parvati's words were like a punch in the gut. She felt the breath woosh out of her and spots danced before her eyes.
"Wha....how...."she stammered but the girls didn't stop, believing her reaction to be one of embarrassment, not shock.
"How was it?" Lavender said with a giggle and Hermione felt the bile rise in the back of her throat.
All of a sudden her vision was filled with red hair and Ginny Weasley stood in front of her looking so much like her mother it was eerie.
"How dare you!" she screeched as quietly as possible. "You stupid bints! You know nothing! Nothing! You should keep your stupid mouths shut! How could you think Hermione would do something like that! Lavender you were there when Harry told us what happened!" and then she finished it off with a classic Molly Weasley line "You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Ginny grabbed Hermione by the elbow and guided her back over to the corner she and Ron had occupied before.
She sunk into the chair, eyes blurred with tears trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.
"Don't listen to them Hermione." Ginny said angrily "They don't know what they're talking about."
"Are people...is that what people think..." she asked breathlessly "Do people think that I...oh my gods." she gasped and put a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't be sick.
Ginny rubbed a hand up and down her arm "They're fools." she said
"But thats what people think. They think that I let him..."
Ginny didn't have a chance to respond.
"What happened?" boomed Harry's voice from across the room. He hurried up to them and was kneeling at her side before she could blink.
"You know how the rumor mill works at Hogwarts." Ginny said scathingly "Parvarti and Lavender were `misinformed'. I was happy to correct them."
"Thanks Gin." Harry said, Ron now standing behind him effectively blocking her off from everything else around them. "Can you give us a minute?"
"Sure. I think I need to speak with my house mates again." she said with a glint in her eye before turning to leave.
But the longer Hermione had sat there, the more angry she became. Her tears of hurt had become tears of fury.
Harry laid a comforting hand on her knee. "Hey, don't listen to them."
She wiped her face angrily "Why not? Why not listen to them? It's what everyone's saying. That I'm some sort of...of..."
"Stop." he commanded "You know the truth, thats all that matters."
"I know that, Harry." she said bitingly, "But you have no idea what it feels like. To have that happen to you and then have people you consider friends believe such horrid things!" she was shaking now
"Actually, I think I have a pretty good idea of how it feels to have people talk behind your back about things they know nothing about."
His words stopped her. He was right. He was so absolutely right. She felt foolish.
"Oh Harry." she said, deflated
"Don't." he said, squeezing her knee "I don't want you to feel bad, but I've had a lot of experience with this. People are going to believe what they want to believe. All you can do is speak the truth, if they chose not to believe it thats their problem."
"Like the Ministry." she said with a slightly sly smile
"Exactly like the Ministry."
They exchanged grins and she felt that funny feeling in her stomach again. She wondered if he did as well.
Soon though his face turned serious. "There's something you need to know, and I don't think you're going to like it."
"If it's the same thing that McGonagall told me when I arrived then you're correct."
He gave her a strange look. "What did McGonagall tell you?"
"She told me that the headmaster had decided to allow Malfoy to stay at Hogwarts."
"WHAT?!" bellowed Ron, who had been quiet until now.
"They're going to let that ferrety bastard stay after what he did! Has the old man completely lost it?!" Ron was so incensed he was spitting.
"Calm down." Harry said "They want to keep an eye on him, see who he's working for. I talked to Dumbledore about what I overheard and although he doesn't seem to share my concern he did agree that Malfoy is acting suspiciously." he said, although his tone suggested he wasn't pleased with this reaction.
Ron was still steaming but he gave Harry a short nod to let him know he understood why things were the way they were.
"How do you feel about this?" Harry asked Hermione, concern evident in his voice.
"I don't like it. Having Malfoy here makes me nervous and its just not right but I understand why they want to, I just can't shake the feeling that I'm being used as bait."
Harry's eyes darkened "Trust me. I don't like it either." he said, his voice low and dark.
"So, what do we do?"
He raked a hand through his hair "I think we act as if Malfoy doesn't exist but do our best to keep an eye on him as well. Whatever he's up to he isn't finished."
"You can say that again." Ron said
"But you aren't going to be left alone." she opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off with a look.
"No. Listen. We have no idea what he's up to. We have no idea who he's working for. But we do know how far he's already gone and it was too far. We're not taking that risk again. I think as long as you're with one of us or even Ginny you'll be fine. Safety in numbers."
She was starting to get angry again "I told you, Harry, you can't coddle me anymore. I can take care of myself."
"This isn't about you. This is about Malfoy. I know you're strong. Merlin knows you could hex me and Ron into next week if you wanted to but Malfoy has already demonstrated that he isn't playing by any rules. I don't want to give him the opportunity to try again."
She knew he was right but it was so hard to accept.
"We already have most of the same classes and spend the majority of our free time together, you'll barely notice." he said with a smile, trying to make her feel better about the arrangement. "Besides, you get to spend more time with me, that's not a bad thing, is it?"
"No. Not at all." shocking herself when the words came out low and heavy. An electric charge seemed to pass between them and she saw a slight flush creep up Harry's neck. Ron gave her a strange look as well.
Harry coughed nervously, "Food?" she nodded, not trusting her voice right then.
The walk to the Great Hall was interesting. Harry and Ron, whether purposely or not, flanked her, sometimes walking so close they bumped her shoulders with their arms. By the time they reached the main hallway she was annoyed.
She stopped dead in her tracks and took pleasure as they continued on a few steps before realizing she wasn't with them. Arms crossed she glared as they turned and came back to her.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, not picking up on her body language
"`What's wrong?' Really? You two can't do this! I think I can walk down the halls of Hogwarts without you two playing Auror!" they both had the good sense to look sheepish "I agreed to have you walk me to classes and such but this is too much! Can't we just walk to the Great Hall like normal?"
Harry was quiet for a moment and she could tell he was fighting with himself. He sighed resignedly "You're right. We're just worried about you."
"And I appreciate the sentiment. But you have to give me some space." she said, reaching a hand up to his cheek, intending to give him a friendly, playful pat but her hand ended up lingering instead.
She jerked her hand back and dropped her head so that her hair would hide her flushing face.
"Can we go then? I'm starving." Ron said, saving her from further embarrassment.
When they walked through the massive doors she swore that every head turned in their direction. Walking quickly to the Gryffindor table she sat down at their normal spot, Harry next to her and Ron across.
She chanced a glance around and didn't see Malfoy at the Slytherin table, she relaxed somewhat.
As they ate they caught up on the past week. Ron kept shooting her pointed looks and she finally told Harry about the apparition she may or may not have heard.
His eyes locked on her and she couldn't have looked away if she had tried. The intensity she saw was a bit overwhelming. "I'll send a message to Remus, maybe he's heard something."
From the sound of it Harry had been just as bored as she had been. They had both finished their homework and Hermione promised them she'd look it over before it was due.
No one else bothered them the rest of the meal and she was feeling better when they decided to leave. On their way out she stopped by the Ravenclaw table to speak to Luna. The boys were walking ahead and hadn't seen her stop when a voice came from behind her that sent a spiral of fear through her.
"How was your holiday, Granger?" came Malfoy's sneering voice "I heard you had a `bang-up' time at Slughorn's party."
She froze. But she knew she couldn't let him see her fear. As she turned she saw Harry and Ron out the corner of her eye rushing to her. She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders "I had a perfectly lovely time Draco, thank you so much for asking." and spun so fast her hair almost struck him in the face.
Harry and Ron were right in front of her. Harry had his wand out and looked as if he could kill Malfoy with a look. They were enraged. She grabbed them by their arms and kept walking. "Let's go." she said, voice wobbling. She was starting to shake and wanted to get out of there. They fought her though, and she tugged again "Please." she said, begging them to just get out of there.
This they responded to. Ron's jaw was clenched tightly and Harry fairly hummed with anger.
They finally turned and began to walk with her, Harry's arm came down to wrap around her waist and she was grateful for his support, her knees felt like jelly. As soon as they were out of the room he guided they to the main doors of the castle and into the cold night air.
She was practically falling as they reached the steps and was grateful to feel their solid support under her as Harry helped her sit. He sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him as she tried to control her breathing.
Ron stood next to them, arms crossed and stony faced "What did he say to you?"
She took a deep breath "He's just trying to shake me."
"What did he say?" He asked again.
Harry rubbed her shoulder comfortingly and pulled her hair away from her face "Please `Mione."
"He asked how my holiday had been and said he had heard I'd had a `bang-up' time at the party."
Harry cursed viciously.
"Well, you were brilliant." Ron said admiringly "You should have seen the bloody ferret's face."
She smiled at that, feeling better but still reeling from all the changes in emotion she'd had during the day. She felt exhausted, her poor sleeping was definitely catching up with her.
Harry pulled her to him one more time and then moved to get up. "Come on." he said, holding a hand out to help her stand "Lets head back and I'll tell you what Dumbledore and I talked about."
They walked quietly back to the common room having no other interruptions along the way.
When they entered, Parvarti and Lavender had been hanging out in front of the fireplace with Dean and Seamus but they scattered immediately.
The trio took advantage of them vacating by claiming the spot. Hermione curled up in the corner of the couch while Ron folded himself into the chair. Harry chose to sit next to her feet and leaned forward so they could both hear him.
"Dumbledore didn't have much time today, but he filled me in on what he could." he began "He's spoken to Slughorn, he felt that the potion that was used on Hermione was a fairly simple paralyzing potion, one often used by healers to keep their patients from moving too much and hurting themselves. But he said that it shouldn't have knocked her out, so it seems as if it had been altered. But Slughorn has never heard of a potion that would have the same affects as the imperious curse. That would take a highly skilled potion maker and would have to be extremely specific because you'd have to be able to focus the potion to a certain behavior."
When he was finished there was nothing but silence.
"A highly skilled potion maker like Snape?" Ron said tightly
"Thats exactly what I said but Dumbledore still believes he's only working for the Order." Harry sounded frustrated. "It's possible that Voldemort has someone else capable of creating such a potion."
"Possible but not likely." she said "Did Dumbledore have any idea as to why Malfoy would have had this potion and why he would use it against me?"
"None that he would talk about. But Malfoy does know we're....close. Maybe he just figured it would be easier to target you than Ron."
"I suppose." she said, biting her lip
Ron let out a huge yawn that he didn't even try to suppress. "I'm beat. I'll see you two in the morning."
"Good night." she said distractedly, still considering everything Harry had told her. "Did Dumbledore say anything else?"
"No. But he wants to meet in a couple of days to show me another memory."
She let her head fall back, eyes slipping shut. Thee was so much to process.
"You've been having the dreams." he said, it wasn't a question.
"Yes." she answered, not even bothering to try and hide it from him.
"Every night?"
"Almost."
She picked her head up then and looked at him. He looked weary. "You've been having dreams too, haven't you?"
He looked surprised, clearly he thought he had been hiding it better. "Yeah, nothing from Voldemort." he assured her "The fight from last year though and...finding you. I've had that one a lot."
She scooted closer to him and gave him a one armed hug, which he returned. As they relaxed she laid her head in the hollow of his shoulder, wondering if she was pushing too far but he didn't seem to mind. In face he dropped his arm down to wrap around her and gave her a squeeze.
The connection they had always had was special, she had felt that the first day they met but this...what had been happening recently, it was a different type of connection. She was gathering the courage to ask him about it, to finally address what had been going on but when she looked at his face his eyes were drooping and she used that as an excuse to chicken out.
She settled in closer to him and let out a contented sigh. She'd just lay here for a little bit, she told herself and promptly fell into a most welcomed dreamless sleep.